# Google Maps Duplicate Listings: Old & Duplicate Profiles (`moggedhq/google-maps-duplicate-listings`) Actor

Find duplicate and old Google Maps listings for a business or every location of a chain, e.g. a dentist that moved or a franchise with 40 shops. About $0.05 per business. Matches by name, phone, website and address, with a duplicate verdict and links to each listing. No login.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/moggedhq/google-maps-duplicate-listings.md
- **Developed by:** [mogged](https://apify.com/moggedhq) (community)
- **Categories:** SEO tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $40.00 / 1,000 business checks

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/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

## Google Maps Duplicate Listings: Old & Duplicate Profiles

For local SEO agencies, business owners and teams managing several locations, this Actor finds Google Maps profiles that may represent the same business or a former address. It searches for candidates, compares their public identity details, and gives you a reviewable answer with direct links.

**About $0.05 per completed business check. Checking 20 locations costs about $1, plus Apify's small Actor start fee.** Candidate profiles, retries and the report are included. One business is prefilled, so you can inspect a small result before checking a larger list. No Google login or API key is required.

### What you get

Each completed business produces a summary row first, followed by a row for every candidate. The summary also contains the candidates as a nested array, so an application can consume one complete answer without joining rows. Use `type` to distinguish business, candidate and note records; do not count both copies as separate findings.

| Output | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| `verdict` | The plain-language result, placed first in each record |
| `type` | `business`, `candidate` or `note` |
| `status` | Whether the check completed, needs input or could not finish |
| `businessName` | The main profile selected for the check |
| `likelyDuplicates` | Candidates with corroborating identity evidence |
| `possibleDuplicates` | Weaker matches that need a human decision |
| `primary` | Main listing, address, phone, website, coordinates and Maps link |
| `candidates` | Complete candidate evidence inside the business row |
| `score` | Match strength from 0 to 100; a rule weight, not a probability |
| `signals` | Name similarity, shared phone/domain/address, distance and closure flags |
| `reasons` | Readable explanations of the candidate classification |
| `action` | A suggested review step; the Actor never changes a listing |
| `queries` | The searches attempted and whether each completed |
| `notes`, `errors` | Coverage limitations and incomplete-source information |
| `checkedAt` | When the business result was produced |

The Output tab links to `SUMMARY` JSON and `REPORT.html`. Dataset views show summaries and candidate evidence. Apify schedules, webhooks, Make, Zapier and n8n can connect results to your review process.

### Common uses

Check a business after moving premises. A current profile may coexist with an old listing that still has reviews, an old phone number or a permanently closed marker. The two profiles can have different names or websites, so name equality alone is insufficient.

Review a franchise location list before a local SEO cleanup. Supply one exact address or Maps URL per shop. Shared branding is normal for a chain, and the same website can represent hundreds of valid locations. The comparison treats those facts cautiously.

Investigate slightly different business names. An older trading name, abbreviated name or spelling variation can be supplied in `nameVariants` within a business object. The Actor searches those variants and shows the evidence for each result rather than silently combining profiles.

### How to use it

1. Enter one business name with its city, a street address or a Google Maps URL. For a chain, an exact address or URL is best.
2. Keep the default 25 km radius for a first run, set a maximum spending limit in Apify, and start the Actor.
3. Read the business verdict, open candidate links and review the matching signals. Verify that profiles represent the same real location before requesting any merge or removal through Google.

A simple input:

```json
{
  "businesses": ["Quinto Bookshop, London"],
  "radiusKm": 25
}
```

A structured location with extra discovery information:

```json
{
  "businesses": [
    {
      "name": "Waterstones Oxford",
      "address": "22 Queen St, Oxford OX1 1EP, United Kingdom",
      "website": "https://www.waterstones.com",
      "phone": "+44 1865 790212",
      "nameVariants": ["Waterstones Oxford Broad Street"]
    }
  ]
}
```

Optional phone and website values help find candidates. If they disagree with the main listing, the result says so. They do not overwrite Google's current contact details or manufacture a matching identity.

### Input reference

| Field | Default | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| `businesses` | One prefilled London bookshop | Array of strings, Maps URLs or business objects |
| `query` | Empty | One business name and location as an alternative |
| `queries` | Empty | Alternative array of name-and-location strings |
| `location` | Empty | Default city/address for short query or keyword inputs |
| `phone` | Empty | Optional discovery phone when checking one business |
| `website` | Empty | Optional discovery website when checking one business |
| `radiusKm` | `25` | Candidate distance from the main listing, from 0.1 to 100 km |
| `maxCandidates` | `40` | Maximum candidates included per business, from 5 to 60 |
| `urls` | Empty | Alternative list of Google Maps profile URLs |
| `startUrls` | Empty | Alternative Maps URL objects, such as `{"url":"..."}` |
| `keywords` | Empty | Alternative business names, usually paired with `location` |

Business objects accept `name`, `city` or `address`, `mapsUrl` or `url`, `phone`, `website` and up to three `nameVariants`. A full Maps URL containing a CID is the most precise reference. Common short Maps links are resolved through public redirects. Some place-ID-only or unusual sharing links cannot be resolved; use a CID link or a name and address if you receive a note.

A run accepts up to 100 inputs on every plan. Repeated inputs and repeated main profile IDs have no additional business check charge. Larger lists should be divided into batches. An ambiguous name that matches several active locations produces a note with possible primary profiles, so you can supply the correct address.

### How a match is decided

The Actor resolves the main profile, reads its details, and searches for its name, phone, website domain, locality and optional name variants. It then compares distinct candidate IDs inside the requested radius. Search results can include irrelevant businesses; these remain useful negative evidence in the candidate table.

A **likely duplicate** needs several corroborating signals. Examples include nearly identical names at the same address with a matching phone or domain, or a closed former profile with a matching name, phone, website and compatible category. When a phone is visibly shared by several active locations, that weakens the former-location inference.

A **possible duplicate** has useful overlap but insufficient evidence for the stronger verdict. Quinto's former profile, for example, shares the current shop's name and domain but supplies no public phone. It belongs in a review queue, not an automatic merge queue.

A **different business** verdict means the available evidence does not support a duplicate. Separate active street addresses are excluded, even with the same phone and website. An unmarked former address can therefore be missed. Missing information can still limit this conclusion. The Actor cannot establish ownership or know Google's internal duplicate status.

### Real example and validation

In a cloud check on 15 October 2026, Waterstones Oxford's Queen Street profile led to a separate Broad Street profile marked permanently closed. The profiles shared the same public phone and website. Other Waterstones locations in Witney and Didcot had different phone numbers and addresses; the final rules classify those as separate locations.

The abbreviated answer has this shape:

```json
{
  "verdict": "1 likely duplicate and 0 possible matches found among 3 candidates.",
  "type": "business",
  "status": "checked",
  "businessName": "Waterstones Oxford",
  "likelyDuplicates": 1,
  "possibleDuplicates": 0,
  "candidatesChecked": 3
}
```

A 30-business cloud suite completed all checks in 19 minutes, with 65 candidate profiles and no exhausted retries. It included 20 moved or historical-duplicate cases and 10 controls. Ten profile rows were independently checked in a signed-out Maps browser for identity, address, contact details and closure information where displayed. These checks validate examples; they do not establish universal duplicate precision or exhaustive recall.

### Pricing and spending limits

| Completed checks | List-price business charges |
|---|---:|
| 1 business | $0.05 |
| 10 businesses | $0.50 |
| 20 businesses | $1.00 |
| 40 businesses | $2.00 |
| 100 businesses | $5.00 |

Apify's Actor start fee is additional: $0.00005 at the default memory. Bronze pricing is $0.0475 per business, Silver $0.045 and Gold $0.04. Apify shows the applicable price before a run. A completed check can legitimately find no duplicates; resolving the main profile and completing the searches is the useful unit being purchased.

Invalid inputs, unresolved primary profiles, ambiguous location selections and incomplete checks have no business check charge. The small start fee can still apply. The Actor checks the available spending allowance before starting the next business and stops when another check will not fit. Candidate rows never incur a separate charge.

### API examples

Use an Apify token with access to this Actor. The synchronous endpoint suits small runs; use asynchronous runs for large batches.

```bash
curl -X POST \
  'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/moggedhq~google-maps-duplicate-listings/run-sync-get-dataset-items' \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{"businesses":["Quinto Bookshop, London"]}'
```

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/moggedhq~google-maps-duplicate-listings/run-sync-get-dataset-items",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer " + os.environ["APIFY_TOKEN"]},
    json={"businesses": ["Quinto Bookshop, London"]},
    timeout=300,
)
response.raise_for_status()
checks = [r for r in response.json() if r.get("type") == "business"]
```

```javascript
const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/moggedhq~google-maps-duplicate-listings/run-sync-get-dataset-items',
  {
    method: 'POST',
    headers: {
      Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.APIFY_TOKEN}`,
      'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ businesses: ['Quinto Bookshop, London'] })
  }
);
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Apify returned ${response.status}`);
const rows = await response.json();
```

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Connect your agent to [Apify's MCP server](https://mcp.apify.com). Ask it to check duplicate Google Maps listings for named businesses and their locations, fetch this Actor's input schema, and start a small run with your spending limit. Supply the exact Actor name if a general Maps scraper is selected instead.

Ask the agent to read business rows first, retain candidate links and explain each finding. It should treat possible matches as a review queue and preserve incomplete-check notes. It should not automatically request profile removal from a numerical score.

### Limits and FAQ

**Does it find every duplicate?** No. Each public search returns a limited result set. At most 40 candidates are included by default, and up to 12 promising candidates receive detail verification. Limits are recorded in the output. Hidden, suppressed or poorly indexed profiles may not appear.

**Does a moved business always have an old listing?** No. Google may have updated the original profile or consolidated it already. A documented relocation is not proof that two live listing IDs still exist.

**Can it audit a whole chain from one name?** Supply one entry per known location. A chain name alone can match several active shops, in which case the Actor asks for a more precise reference. It does not enumerate every branch worldwide.

**What if a business moved outside the radius?** Increase `radiusKm`, up to 100 km, or check the old and new locations separately. An arbitrary nationwide search is not an exhaustive relocation history.

**Can it merge or remove profiles?** No. It reads public data only. Confirm identity, ownership and Google's current procedures before taking any action yourself.

**Are opening hours evidence of permanent closure?** No. The Actor uses the explicit permanent-closure signal, not a normal closed-today message. Missing closure data remains unknown.

**What happens when Google refuses a request?** Requests are paced and retried. A transient refusal that succeeds on retry can complete normally. If required searches or detail verification remain unavailable, the check is marked incomplete and has no business check charge.

**Are reviews downloaded?** The rating and review count are profile metadata. This Actor does not collect review text or reviewer identities. Use a dedicated review Actor for a separate review-analysis task.

**Can a shared telephone number prove identity?** No. Chains, departments and service businesses can reuse a number. The number is considered alongside name, address, website, category and closure status. A reviewer must confirm the real-world relationship.

For profile completeness rather than duplicates, see [Google Business Profile Audit](https://apify.com/moggedhq/gbp-audit). For local search visibility, see [Google Maps Rank Tracker](https://apify.com/moggedhq/google-maps-rank-tracker).

# Actor input Schema

## `businesses` (type: `array`):

Names plus cities or addresses, full Google Maps URLs, or objects with name, city/address, phone, website and optional nameVariants. One entry per location; a chain name alone can be ambiguous. Example: \["Quinto Bookshop, London"].

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

Optional alternative: one name and city, e.g. Waterstones, Oxford, or a full Maps URL.

## `queries` (type: `array`):

Optional alternative list of business names with their cities.

## `location` (type: `string`):

Added to short keyword or query inputs. For chain stores, include the exact street address.

## `phone` (type: `string`):

Optional discovery phone for a single business. For a batch, put phones inside the business objects.

## `website` (type: `string`):

Optional discovery website for a single business. Shared chain domains do not prove a duplicate.

## `radiusKm` (type: `number`):

Candidates outside this distance from the main listing are excluded. Default 25 km; map searches may not find every profile.

## `maxCandidates` (type: `integer`):

Maximum candidates included per business. Up to 12 promising candidates get detail verification. No extra candidate charge.

## `urls` (type: `array`):

Optional alternative list of full Google Maps profile URLs.

## `startUrls` (type: `array`):

Optional alternative Maps links. Public Google hosts only; no account cookies.

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Optional names, paired with location. Example \["Quinto Bookshop"] with location London.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "businesses": [
    "Quinto Bookshop, London"
  ],
  "radiusKm": 25,
  "maxCandidates": 40
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `checks` (type: `string`):

No description

## `candidates` (type: `string`):

No description

## `summary` (type: `string`):

No description

## `report` (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 = {
    "businesses": [
        "Quinto Bookshop, London"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("moggedhq/google-maps-duplicate-listings").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 = { "businesses": ["Quinto Bookshop, London"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("moggedhq/google-maps-duplicate-listings").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 '{
  "businesses": [
    "Quinto Bookshop, London"
  ]
}' |
apify call moggedhq/google-maps-duplicate-listings --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,moggedhq/google-maps-duplicate-listings"
        }
    }
}
```

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/qsNRBLEjEfV1gpgzv/builds/t40vAXadeErBFocVA/openapi.json