# Sitemap URL Extractor & Auditor (index-aware, status checks) (`plotbench/sitemap-url-auditor`) Actor Extract every URL from XML sitemaps — sitemap-index and gzip aware — with lastmod/changefreq/priority, plus optional robots-respecting HTTP status sampling for broken-page detection. - **URL**: https://apify.com/plotbench/sitemap-url-auditor.md - **Developed by:** [Plotbench Studio](https://apify.com/plotbench) (community) - **Categories:** SEO tools - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $5.00 / 1,000 100 urls extracteds 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/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use 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 ## Sitemap URL Extractor & Auditor (index-aware, gzip, status checks) Turn any XML sitemap into a clean URL dataset — **sitemap-index aware, gzip aware** — with `lastmod` / `changefreq` / `priority` per URL, plus an optional **robots-respecting HTTP status sample** that finds broken pages and redirect chains hiding in the sitemap. Built for the SEO / migration / QA workflows that start with "get me every URL": - **SEO agencies & consultants** — full URL inventory + freshness (`lastmod`) + status codes per client site, on a schedule. - **Site migrations** — extract the complete old-site URL set for redirect mapping; re-run after launch to catch 404s the sitemap still advertises. - **Content audits** — the `lastmod` distribution shows exactly how stale a content estate is. - **Competitor content mapping** — a competitor's sitemap is their published content inventory. ### What it does 1. Fetches each sitemap URL you give it — follows **sitemap indexes** recursively (depth-capped), decompresses **.xml.gz**, and extracts every `` with its metadata, up to your `maxUrls` cap. 2. Optionally **status-checks a sample** (HEAD with GET fallback, redirect detection, response-time) — honouring `robots.txt` `Disallow` rules for the checks. 3. Writes a per-run summary (`RUN_SUMMARY`): sitemaps read, URLs extracted, status breakdown, lastmod coverage. Proven against real-world scale: the gov.uk sitemap index (35 child sitemaps, 25,000 URLs per child) walks cleanly. ### Input ```json { "sitemapUrls": ["https://example.com/sitemap.xml"], "maxUrls": 5000, "checkStatus": true, "statusSampleSize": 200, "respectRobots": true, "concurrency": 5 } ```` ### Output (one row per URL) ```json { "url": "https://www.gov.uk/", "lastmod": "2026-07-01T04:45:47+00:00", "changefreq": null, "priority": "0.5", "sourceSitemap": "https://www.gov.uk/sitemaps/sitemap_1.xml", "statusCheck": { "status": 200, "redirectedTo": null, "responseMs": 17 } } ``` ### Pricing (pay per event) | Event | Price | |---|---| | Actor start | $0.02 per run | | Per 100 URLs extracted | $0.005 | | Per URL status-checked | $0.0005 | A 10,000-URL extract with a 500-URL status sample costs about **$0.77**. ### Fair use & crawling ethics Sitemaps exist **specifically for automated consumption** — that is their entire purpose under the sitemaps.org protocol. Status checks are lightweight (HEAD-first, ranged GET fallback, low default concurrency) and **respect robots.txt** `Disallow` rules by default; disallowed paths are reported as skipped rather than checked. The actor identifies itself with a stable User-Agent. ### Limitations (told straight) - Extraction is capped by `maxUrls` and a sitemap-count safety cap; enormous estates should be pulled in slices (one child sitemap per run works well). - RSS/Atom feeds-as-sitemaps and non-standard sitemap extensions (image/video/news tags) are passed through by URL only — the extension metadata isn't parsed in v1. - Status sampling checks the first N URLs in extraction order (deterministic), not a random sample. # Actor input Schema ## `sitemapUrls` (type: `array`): One or more sitemap.xml (or sitemap index / .xml.gz) URLs. ## `maxUrls` (type: `integer`): Stop after this many URLs (sitemap-index children are walked automatically). ## `checkStatus` (type: `boolean`): HEAD-request a sample of the extracted URLs to find broken pages and redirects. ## `statusSampleSize` (type: `integer`): How many of the extracted URLs to status-check (from the top). ## `respectRobots` (type: `boolean`): Skip status checks on paths disallowed for User-agent: \* (recommended; sitemap reading itself is always allowed — sitemaps exist for crawlers). ## `concurrency` (type: `integer`): How many status checks run in parallel (keep low to stay polite). ## Actor input object example ```json { "sitemapUrls": [ "https://www.gov.uk/sitemap.xml" ], "maxUrls": 500, "checkStatus": true, "statusSampleSize": 25, "respectRobots": true, "concurrency": 5 } ``` # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "sitemapUrls": [ "https://www.gov.uk/sitemap.xml" ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("plotbench/sitemap-url-auditor").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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "sitemapUrls": ["https://www.gov.uk/sitemap.xml"] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("plotbench/sitemap-url-auditor").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "sitemapUrls": [ "https://www.gov.uk/sitemap.xml" ] }' | apify call plotbench/sitemap-url-auditor --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=plotbench/sitemap-url-auditor", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Sitemap URL Extractor & Auditor (index-aware, status checks)", "description": "Extract every URL from XML sitemaps — sitemap-index and gzip aware — with lastmod/changefreq/priority, plus optional robots-respecting HTTP status sampling for broken-page detection.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "IlGqTSQYr19YYIg7r" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/plotbench~sitemap-url-auditor/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-plotbench-sitemap-url-auditor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/plotbench~sitemap-url-auditor/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-plotbench-sitemap-url-auditor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/plotbench~sitemap-url-auditor/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-plotbench-sitemap-url-auditor", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "sitemapUrls" ], "properties": { "sitemapUrls": { "title": "Sitemap URLs", "type": "array", "description": "One or more sitemap.xml (or sitemap index / .xml.gz) URLs.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "maxUrls": { "title": "Maximum URLs to extract", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 250000, "type": "integer", "description": "Stop after this many URLs (sitemap-index children are walked automatically).", "default": 500 }, "checkStatus": { "title": "Check HTTP status codes", "type": "boolean", "description": "HEAD-request a sample of the extracted URLs to find broken pages and redirects.", "default": true }, "statusSampleSize": { "title": "Status sample size", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 10000, "type": "integer", "description": "How many of the extracted URLs to status-check (from the top).", "default": 25 }, "respectRobots": { "title": "Respect robots.txt for status checks", "type": "boolean", "description": "Skip status checks on paths disallowed for User-agent: * (recommended; sitemap reading itself is always allowed — sitemaps exist for crawlers).", "default": true }, "concurrency": { "title": "Status-check concurrency", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 20, "type": "integer", "description": "How many status checks run in parallel (keep low to stay polite).", "default": 5 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```