Google Places Scraper

Scrape Google Places business listings and place details from public pages and export Google Places data to CSV, JSON, or Excel. This Google Places API alternative turns repeatable inputs into structured places for local business prospecting, market coverage, and location research.

Each dataset row represents a public place or a documented alternate record type. The output includes source identifiers and links where available, so you can verify a row, compare later runs, and distinguish missing source data from an omitted column.

What data can you extract from Google Places?

The dataset schema defines every field below. Examples come from one successful published run; null means that field was not exposed for that particular record. Availability may differ by input mode, page, and record type.

Field	Description	Example
searchString	Search term or URL that found the place.	coffee shops
rank	Result position within the search.	1
searchPageUrl	Map search page URL.	https://www.google.com/maps/search/coffee%20shops%2C%20Manhattan%2C%20New%20Y…
title	Place name.	% Arabica
categoryName	Primary category.	Coffee shop
categories	All listed categories.	["Coffee shop","Cafe"]
address	Full street address.	20 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
street	Street address.	20 Old Fulton St
city	City.	Brooklyn
postalCode	Postal code.	11201
state	State or region.	New York
countryCode	Country code.	US
neighborhood	Neighborhood.	Brooklyn Heights
website	Business website, when listed.	https://arabicacoffeeus.com/
phone	Displayed telephone number.	(718) 865-2551
phoneUnformatted	International telephone number.	+17188652551
location	Latitude and longitude.	{"lat":40.7026045,"lng":-73.9941637}
totalScore	Average rating.	4.4
reviewsCount	Number of reviews.	null
openingHours	Daily opening hours when listed.	[{"day":"Saturday","hours":"8 AM–6 PM"}]
placeId	Place ID.	ChIJd1M9O0xbwokRi1mu1DC93xY
fid	Map feature ID.	0x89c25b4c3b3d5377:0x16dfbd30d4ae598b
cid	Numeric place ID.	1648244006065166731
url	Direct map URL for the place.	https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJd1M9O0xbwokRi1mu1DC93xY
scrapedAt	UTC extraction timestamp.	2026-09-26T10:16:51.849384+00:00

Use the identifier and URL fields as your join keys before comparing snapshots. Fields that describe a page, search, category, author, or tournament establish where the record came from; keep them when you export a subset. Numeric values and boolean flags reflect the public page at collection time, not a permanent claim about the underlying item.

How to scrape Google Places

1. Open the actor input form and choose a narrow public source: a search phrase, page URL, item URL, or ID supported by the input fields below.
2. Set the relevant per-source page or result limit and the total item limit. Start with a small sample to check which optional fields the public source exposes.
3. Run the actor. Its dataset contains one structured row per saved result; inspect the first rows and their source links for the chosen input.
4. Download the dataset as JSON, CSV, or Excel. Preserve identifiers when combining runs so repeated results can be deduplicated.

For this actor, a search is paged in groups of 20 and deduplicated by place ID. A map search usually exposes no more than about 120 places, so several precise terms and locations work better than one broad query.

Input

Use only the parameters relevant to your collection mode. An omitted optional filter uses the schema default shown here; an empty array, zero, and an omitted value can have different meanings, so keep intentional settings in your saved input.

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | searchStringsArray | array | No default; example ["coffee shops"] | Business types or phrases to search. Combine each term with Location. | | locationQuery | string | No default; example Manhattan, New York | City, district, or other area added to each search term. | | searchUrls | array | [] | Optional public map search URLs. Search terms and these URLs are both processed. | | maxCrawledPlacesPerSearch | integer | 50 | Maximum distinct places to save from each term or URL. A map search usually exposes no more than about 120 results. | | maxItems | integer | 100 | Maximum places across all searches. Set to 0 to use only the per-search limit. | | language | string | en | Language code for map search labels and categories. | | minimumStars | number | 0 | Keep places with at least this rating. Zero includes unrated places. | | websiteFilter | string | any | Keep all places, only places with a website, or only places without one. | | proxyConfiguration | object | {"useApifyProxy":true} | Proxy settings for map requests. |

Example input based on the published golden run (long URL lists are shortened):

{
  "searchStringsArray": [
    "coffee shops",
    "pharmacies"
  ],
  "locationQuery": "Manhattan, New York",
  "maxCrawledPlacesPerSearch": 20,
  "maxItems": 40,
  "language": "en"
}

The example is a starting shape, not a guarantee of a particular result count. Source inventory and page accessibility change. When you need repeatable comparisons, save the exact input JSON with the run date and inspect the returned source or record-type field.

Output example

The following is one real item from a successful published dataset. Long text and media arrays are shortened for readability; the actual dataset keeps the original values and all schema fields.

{
  "searchString": "coffee shops",
  "rank": 1,
  "searchPageUrl": "https://www.google.com/maps/search/coffee%20shops%2C%20Manhattan%2C%20New%20York?hl=en",
  "title": "% Arabica",
  "categoryName": "Coffee shop",
  "categories": [
    "Coffee shop",
    "Cafe"
  ],
  "address": "20 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201",
  "street": "20 Old Fulton St",
  "city": "Brooklyn",
  "postalCode": "11201",
  "state": "New York",
  "countryCode": "US",
  "neighborhood": "Brooklyn Heights",
  "website": "https://arabicacoffeeus.com/",
  "phone": "(718) 865-2551",
  "phoneUnformatted": "+17188652551",
  "location": {
    "lat": 40.7026045,
    "lng": -73.9941637
  },
  "totalScore": 4.4,
  "openingHours": [
    {
      "day": "Saturday",
      "hours": "8 AM–6 PM"
    }
  ],
  "placeId": "ChIJd1M9O0xbwokRi1mu1DC93xY",
  "fid": "0x89c25b4c3b3d5377:0x16dfbd30d4ae598b",
  "cid": "1648244006065166731",
  "url": "https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJd1M9O0xbwokRi1mu1DC93xY",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-09-26T10:16:51.849384+00:00"
}

This row illustrates the observed output structure, including its identifiers and public links. Empty values elsewhere in the dataset should be interpreted field by field; a field shown in this example is not promised for every place.

Use cases

• Sales teams can identify businesses without websites in a defined district and enrich the list with public phone numbers and map links.
• Retail planners can compare category density and ratings across cities before a location study.
• Local directories can refresh opening hours, categories, and addresses from public listings.
• Market researchers can group results by search phrase and rank to track category visibility.
• Operations teams can audit whether their branches have consistent public websites, phones, and place identifiers.

The strongest analyses keep source context. A field such as price, rating, engagement, or rank has meaning only with its associated item, query, date, and public URL. Keep the raw export and create a separate cleaned view for charts or alerts.

How much does it cost to scrape Google Places?

The price is $1.00 per 1,000 saved results. Platform usage is included. The charge scales with output rows, so a restrictive filter or inaccessible page can produce fewer billable results than the requested maximum.

• 100 places: $0.10. This is useful for checking a small cohort and confirming which optional fields are present.
• 1,000 places: $1.00. This is the reference price for a larger export.
• 5,000 places: $5.00. Reaching this size may require multiple focused sources or scheduled runs, depending on public inventory and source caps.

Compute any other estimate as saved result count × $1.00 / 1,000. A maximum input is a ceiling, not a purchase of that many rows. For planning, use the actual saved-item count from an initial representative run.

Tips for best results

Combine one service phrase with one city or district; use several search strings and map URLs to cover neighboring markets. minimumStars and websiteFilter remove records after discovery, so raise the discovery allowance if you need many filtered places.

Collect a small baseline first, record the exact input and date, and inspect both a typical row and a sparse row. Expand by adding focused sources instead of assuming one broad input can reveal the full public inventory. When comparing two runs, match stable IDs or canonical URLs and use the same filters so changes reflect the source rather than a changed query.

Export the full JSON when nested arrays or objects matter. CSV and Excel are convenient for sorting and joins, but nested structures may need flattening before spreadsheet analysis. Keep numeric fields numeric and preserve source URLs as text; do not infer a zero from a null.

Limits

A map search normally has an approximately 120-result ceiling. Addresses can cross the named area boundary, and reviewsCount, hours, phone, or website may be absent on individual listings.

Public pages can change, disappear, or expose different fields for different records. The schema is a list of possible output columns, not a promise that each column is filled in each row. The maxItems-style input limits cap saved results; they do not bypass source pagination, public visibility, or a site-specific result ceiling.

Treat a saved result as a snapshot. If a later run returns fewer rows, first compare the input, source access, and public inventory before concluding that the underlying market changed. If you need an audit trail, retain the source URL, stable identifier, and run timestamp with the export.

Use with AI agents (MCP)

An agent can supply the documented input JSON, run this actor, and work from its dataset. Ask it to keep source links and identify null values explicitly when summarizing results. Example prompts:

Run Google Places Scraper for the sample input above. Return the first 20 places with their source URLs and the fields needed for local business prospecting, market coverage, and location research. Mark unavailable fields as null.

Schedule a repeat Google Places collection with the same filters. Compare records by stable ID or canonical URL and report only new, removed, or changed public values.

FAQ

Is it legal to scrape Google Places?

This actor collects public data. Check the site’s terms, applicable law, and the rights of people whose data appears in your export. Follow GDPR and other privacy rules where relevant; do not use personal data for misuse, intrusive profiling, or unauthorized contact.

Do I need to configure proxies?

The input includes proxyConfiguration and defaults to Apify Proxy. Usually the default is enough to start. Availability can vary by page and region; changing network settings cannot make private or login-only information public.

How fast will a run finish?

Duration depends on the number of inputs, pages, detail requests, and source responses. A small sample is the best way to measure your workload. Increase the limits gradually, then use the observed run duration for scheduling and monitoring.

Can I schedule and monitor recurring runs?

Yes. Save the input and schedule recurring runs in Apify. Monitor run status, item count, and any missing-field changes; store the run date alongside exports when comparing snapshots.

Can I export to Google Sheets or Excel?

Yes. Download CSV or Excel from the dataset, or pass JSON to a spreadsheet integration. For nested fields, flatten the specific child values you need rather than losing the original JSON.

What if a field is empty?

An empty or null field means it was not available from that public source record in that run. Check the source URL, input mode, and record type. Do not replace missing prices, counts, dates, or flags with zero unless your own analysis has a documented rule for doing so.

Can I scrape every business in a city?

One map search usually exposes no more than about 120 results. Divide the city into districts and use focused category phrases, then combine and deduplicate by placeId.

Integrations

Use the Apify API to start runs and retrieve the dataset, webhooks to react when a run finishes, or Zapier, Make, and n8n to route records into other systems. Google Sheets supports lightweight review, while scheduled runs provide repeat snapshots. Keep the raw JSON when downstream workflows need nested fields or exact null values.

Support

Open an issue on the Issues tab; we reply within 24h and add fields on request.