# Craigslist Search Scraper | Listings & Prices (`cmfapps/craigslist-search`) Actor

Search Craigslist listings by keyword, ZIP code, and radius. Export prices, listing URLs, images, and available details to JSON or CSV for resale research.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/cmfapps/craigslist-search.md
- **Developed by:** [Cody F](https://apify.com/cmfapps) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce, Automation
- **Security:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$1.50 / 1,000 marketplace listing results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Craigslist Search

Search publicly displayed Craigslist listings and export structured results to an Apify dataset. Use the data for resale research, price comparisons, inventory research, and automated workflows.

### Pricing

**$0.0015 per returned listing ($1.50 per 1,000 results)**, matching our Facebook Marketplace Actor. Five results cost $0.0075; 50 results cost $0.075. The result fee applies to items actually written to the dataset, rather than the requested maximum. There is no paid start event. Apify Console displays the applicable pricing and spending limit before each run.

### Quick start

Enter a search phrase, set a result limit, and start the Actor. No Craigslist account, password, cookies, or customer-provided proxy is required.

```json
{
  "query": "Nintendo Switch",
  "maxResults": 5,
  "maxWaitSeconds": 900,
  "searchZip": "49002",
  "maxRadius": 25
}
```

`searchZip` is required. `maxRadius` is measured in miles (default 100, range 1–500). The source website controls the final location matching and sort order.

### Inputs

| Input | Default | Purpose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `query` | Required | Search phrase, 2–100 characters. |
| `maxResults` | `20` | Maximum returned listings, 1–50. The number of matches can be smaller. |
| `maxPrice` | Unset | Optional positive whole-number price cap in the source catalog's currency. Unparseable prices are excluded when a cap is set. |
| `maxScrollSeconds` | `30` | Time spent loading search cards, 8–90 seconds. |
| `collectAdditionalDetails` | `false` | Visit listing pages for descriptions and available item and seller details. This can take longer. |
| `onlyNewListings` | `false` | Exclude IDs delivered to the same Apify user by earlier completed runs of the same search. The first run returns all matches. |
| `maxWaitSeconds` | `900` | Maximum wait for capacity and processing, 60–3600 seconds. |

### Output

Each listing is written to the default dataset. Export through Apify Console as JSON, CSV, or Excel, or read the dataset through the Apify API.

Fields include `marketplace`, `listingId`, `title`, `price`, `location`, `url`, `thumbnailImageUrl`, `imageUrls`, `searchQuery`, `scrapedAt`, and `raw` source card data. With `collectAdditionalDetails`, available fields may include `listedTime`, `description`, `details`, `sellerName`, `sellerProfileUrl`, `sellerRating`, and `sellerReviewCount`.

Unavailable or unparseable fields are null or empty. Prices are asking prices, rather than confirmed completed sales. Results do not include AI valuations or authenticity checks. Listing-age filtering is not supported.

The run's OUTPUT record contains its completion status, result count, and a job identifier useful for support. The dataset contains listing data.

### Limits and troubleshooting

- **Fewer results:** `maxResults` is a ceiling. Broaden the search, increase the loading time, or relax a price cap.
- **Successful empty dataset:** no qualifying listings were found. This is a valid result.
- **Capacity wait:** the Actor waits and retries when the service is busy. Increase `maxWaitSeconds` or try later.
- **Blocked page or changed layout:** the run fails rather than inventing listing data. Retry later or report the run through the Issues tab.
- **Timeout:** unfinished backend work is asked to cancel. Set the Apify run timeout longer than `maxWaitSeconds` to allow cleanup.

For support, open the Actor's Issues tab and include the run ID and non-sensitive search input. Never post credentials, session cookies, or API tokens.

### Data handling

Search inputs and publicly displayed listing data are processed by the service's browser workers. Results are stored in your Apify dataset under your account's storage and retention settings. Operational records such as search queries, listing IDs, timing, status, counts, and error diagnostics may be retained to provide deduplication, protect capacity, and investigate failures. Avoid personal or confidential search inputs and review any seller information before sharing exports.

### Disclaimer

This independent tool is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Craigslist. Website changes can affect availability and fields. Use the Actor and its results in accordance with applicable law, Apify terms, and the source website's terms.

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

The exact search phrase to send to Craigslist.

## `searchZip` (type: `string`):

Required search ZIP/postal code; the worker does not reuse another customer’s location.

## `maxRadius` (type: `integer`):

Search radius in miles when searchZip is supplied.

## `maxPrice` (type: `integer`):

Optional maximum listing price.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of raw cards to return.

## `maxScrollSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Maximum seconds spent loading search cards.

## `collectAdditionalDetails` (type: `boolean`):

Open each result to collect available description, listed time, item details, and seller information. Fields vary by marketplace.

## `onlyNewListings` (type: `boolean`):

Return only listing IDs that this Apify user has not received in earlier completed runs of the same search. The first run returns all matching listings.

## `maxWaitSeconds` (type: `integer`):

Maximum seconds the Actor waits for backend capacity.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "Nintendo Switch games",
  "searchZip": "49002",
  "maxRadius": 50,
  "maxResults": 5,
  "maxScrollSeconds": 15,
  "collectAdditionalDetails": false,
  "onlyNewListings": false,
  "maxWaitSeconds": 240
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "Nintendo Switch",
    "searchZip": "49002",
    "maxRadius": 50,
    "maxResults": 5,
    "maxScrollSeconds": 15,
    "collectAdditionalDetails": false,
    "onlyNewListings": false,
    "maxWaitSeconds": 240
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("cmfapps/craigslist-search").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "query": "Nintendo Switch",
    "searchZip": "49002",
    "maxRadius": 50,
    "maxResults": 5,
    "maxScrollSeconds": 15,
    "collectAdditionalDetails": False,
    "onlyNewListings": False,
    "maxWaitSeconds": 240,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("cmfapps/craigslist-search").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "Nintendo Switch",
  "searchZip": "49002",
  "maxRadius": 50,
  "maxResults": 5,
  "maxScrollSeconds": 15,
  "collectAdditionalDetails": false,
  "onlyNewListings": false,
  "maxWaitSeconds": 240
}' |
apify call cmfapps/craigslist-search --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,cmfapps/craigslist-search"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/D3oHCSOE0L7j9bytZ/builds/O5qcPzChH7A3LmWgv/openapi.json