# Substack Leaderboard Scraper (`fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper`) Actor

Export ranked Substack publications by category with subscriber, pricing, author, and rank-change data.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/fetch\_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Hanna Nosova](https://apify.com/fetch_cat) (community)
- **Categories:** News, Marketing
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.02 / 1,000 leaderboard publications

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

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

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## 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.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Substack Leaderboard Scraper

Use this Substack scraper to export leaderboard rankings as clean publication data for newsletter research, creator discovery, competitor tracking, and market dashboards. Select categories and Top Bestsellers or Rising boards, then receive ranked newsletters with public author, subscriber, pricing, and publication details. The Actor provides Substack newsletter data through the Apify API, schedules, and MCP.

### What data can you export?

- Exact leaderboard rank, category, and board type
- Publication identity, URL, description, language, and images
- Public author name, handle, bio, and profile
- Public subscriber count signals and bestseller tier
- Monthly and annual subscription pricing
- Free and paid subscription benefits
- Podcast, community, and payments availability
- Optional previous rank, rank movement, and new-entry status

### Example input

```json
{
  "categories": ["technology", "business"],
  "boardTypes": ["paid", "rising"],
  "maxItems": 100,
  "includeRankHistory": true
}
```

### Example output

```json
{
  "publicationId": 6349492,
  "rank": 1,
  "publicationName": "SemiAnalysis",
  "publicationUrl": "https://newsletter.semianalysis.com",
  "subdomain": "semianalysis",
  "customDomain": "newsletter.semianalysis.com",
  "description": "Bridging the gap between semiconductors and business.",
  "logoUrl": "https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...",
  "coverPhotoUrl": null,
  "language": "en",
  "publicationType": "newsletter",
  "createdAt": "2025-09-22T15:54:12.958Z",
  "authorId": 21783302,
  "authorName": "Dylan Patel",
  "authorHandle": "semianalysis",
  "authorBio": "Semiconductor industry analysis.",
  "authorPhotoUrl": "https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/...",
  "category": "technology",
  "boardType": "paid",
  "bestsellerBadgeTier": 1000,
  "subscriberCount": "307,000",
  "subscriberCountMagnitude": "307K+",
  "paidSubscriberDetail": "Thousands of paid subscribers",
  "totalSubscriberDetail": "Hundreds of thousands of subscribers",
  "monthlyPrice": 50,
  "annualPrice": 500,
  "currency": "USD",
  "freeSubscriptionBenefits": ["Free posts"],
  "paidSubscriptionBenefits": ["Full archive"],
  "paymentsEnabled": true,
  "podcastEnabled": false,
  "communityEnabled": true,
  "profileUrl": "https://substack.com/@semianalysis",
  "subscribeUrl": "https://newsletter.semianalysis.com/subscribe",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-08-06T13:42:37.044Z",
  "sourceUrl": "https://substack.com/leaderboard/technology/paid",
  "sourceCategory": "technology",
  "sourceBoardType": "paid",
  "sourcePage": 0,
  "rankChange": null,
  "previousRank": null,
  "isNew": true
}
```

### Input settings

| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `categories` | string\[] | One or more Substack category slugs, such as `technology`, `business`, or `culture`. |
| `leaderboardUrls` | URL\[] | Optional explicit public leaderboard URLs. |
| `boardTypes` | string\[] | `paid`, `rising`, or both. |
| `maxItems` | integer | Maximum total publications across all selected boards. |
| `includeRankHistory` | boolean | Compare results with the prior snapshot in the same Actor storage. |
| `changedSince` | string | Optional ISO timestamp for incremental monitoring. |

### Output fields

| Fields | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `publicationId`, `rank`, `publicationName`, `publicationUrl` | Stable publication identity and current position |
| `subdomain`, `customDomain`, `description`, `language`, `publicationType`, `createdAt` | Publication profile |
| `logoUrl`, `coverPhotoUrl` | Public publication images |
| `authorId`, `authorName`, `authorHandle`, `authorBio`, `authorPhotoUrl`, `profileUrl` | Public author profile |
| `category`, `boardType`, `sourceCategory`, `sourceBoardType`, `sourcePage`, `sourceUrl` | Ranking provenance |
| `bestsellerBadgeTier`, `subscriberCount`, `subscriberCountMagnitude`, `paidSubscriberDetail`, `totalSubscriberDetail` | Public audience and paid-subscriber signals |
| `monthlyPrice`, `annualPrice`, `currency` | Active public subscription pricing |
| `freeSubscriptionBenefits`, `paidSubscriptionBenefits` | Public plan benefits |
| `paymentsEnabled`, `podcastEnabled`, `communityEnabled`, `subscribeUrl` | Publication capabilities and subscription link |
| `scrapedAt`, `rankChange`, `previousRank`, `isNew` | Snapshot and monitoring metadata |

### Input recipes

**Category research:** use three categories, `boardTypes: ["paid"]`, and `maxItems: 100`.

**Rising-newsletter monitor:** use `boardTypes: ["rising"]`, `includeRankHistory: true`, and schedule the Actor daily.

**One public board URL:** provide `leaderboardUrls: [{"url":"https://substack.com/leaderboard/technology/paid"}]`.

### Who is it for?

Newsletter operators can monitor competitors, creator-economy analysts can compare category leaders, and growth teams can discover partnership targets or enrich recurring market dashboards.

### Pricing

This Actor uses pay per event. A small start event is charged once per run, and a result event is charged only for each publication saved. See the live [Pricing tab](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper/pricing) for current tier rates.

### Tips and limits

- A category board currently exposes up to 100 publications.
- `maxItems` is a global cap, so earlier selected boards can fill it first.
- Subscriber counts are public source labels, not private subscriber identities.
- Rank history uses the Actor's key-value store; reuse the same task/storage for comparisons.
- If one board fails after others succeed, already saved rows are preserved and the run log identifies the failed board.

### API usage

**JavaScript**

```javascript
const run = await client.actor('fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper').call({
  categories: ['technology'], boardTypes: ['paid'], maxItems: 50,
});
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
```

**Python**

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient
client = ApifyClient('YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN')
run = client.actor('fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper').call(run_input={
    'categories': ['technology'], 'boardTypes': ['paid'], 'maxItems': 50,
})
items = client.dataset(run['defaultDatasetId']).list_items().items
```

**cURL**

```bash
curl -X POST 'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/fetch_cat~substack-leaderboard-scraper/runs?token=YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"categories":["technology"],"boardTypes":["paid"],"maxItems":50}'
```

### Use with MCP and AI agents

Connect Apify MCP at `https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper`, then ask your agent to export and compare Substack category leaders.

### FAQ

#### What data can I export with Substack scraper?

You can export leaderboard rank, publication and author profiles, subscriber signals, public subscription prices and benefits, feature flags, source provenance, and optional rank-change fields.

#### Does this return private subscriber data?

No. It exports public leaderboard and publication metadata only.

#### Can it track rank changes?

Yes. Enable `includeRankHistory` and reuse the same task storage on later runs.

#### Why is a price or biography empty?

Substack does not expose every optional field for every publication. Missing public values remain `null` rather than being guessed.

#### Can I export CSV or Excel?

Yes. Download the Apify dataset as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or another supported format.

#### Can I run this through an API, schedule, or MCP client?

Yes. Use the Substack API workflow example above with the Apify client, create a recurring Apify schedule, or connect the Actor through the MCP URL shown above.

#### How much does it cost to use Substack Leaderboard Scraper?

The Actor charges a small start event and one result event per saved publication. Your current tier rates are always shown on the live Pricing tab.

### Related Actors

- [Substack Posts Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/substack-posts-scraper) for article content from known publications.
- [Substack Notes Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/substack-notes-scraper) for public Notes discovery.

### Support

Open an issue from the Actor page with the input, run URL, expected behavior, and observed behavior. We review reproducible reports and source changes.

# Actor input Schema

## `categories` (type: `array`):

One or more category slugs.

## `leaderboardUrls` (type: `array`):

Optional explicit public Substack leaderboard URLs.

## `boardTypes` (type: `array`):

Top paid publications, rising publications, or both.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum total rows across all selected boards.

## `includeRankHistory` (type: `boolean`):

Compare with the prior snapshot in this Actor storage.

## `changedSince` (type: `string`):

Optional ISO timestamp for incremental monitoring.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "categories": [
    "technology"
  ],
  "leaderboardUrls": [],
  "boardTypes": [
    "paid"
  ],
  "maxItems": 20,
  "includeRankHistory": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (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 = {
    "categories": [
        "technology"
    ],
    "leaderboardUrls": [],
    "boardTypes": [
        "paid"
    ],
    "maxItems": 20
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper").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 = {
    "categories": ["technology"],
    "leaderboardUrls": [],
    "boardTypes": ["paid"],
    "maxItems": 20,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper").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 '{
  "categories": [
    "technology"
  ],
  "leaderboardUrls": [],
  "boardTypes": [
    "paid"
  ],
  "maxItems": 20
}' |
apify call fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,fetch_cat/substack-leaderboard-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

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/q5k3GrsSofKG79I27/builds/8Rc6J7nvxHfvB8aZd/openapi.json