# Google Ads Library Scraper (`practicaltools/google-ad-library-scraper`) Actor Scrapes ads from the Google Ads Transparency Center. Returns creative content, advertiser info, ad format, dates, and asset URLs. - **URL**: https://apify.com/practicaltools/google-ad-library-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Practical Tools](https://apify.com/practicaltools) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Integrations - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $2.00 / 1,000 results 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 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.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.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/platform/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 ## Google Ads Transparency Center Scraper Scrapes ads from the Google Ads. Returns creative content, advertiser info, ad format, dates, and asset URLs. ### Features - **No login required** — Google's Transparency Center is publicly accessible - **Search by query** — find ads by advertiser name, domain, or keyword (e.g. `Tesla`, `nike.com`, `insurance`) - **Filter by region** — 65+ countries supported - **Filter by platform** — Search, YouTube, Play, Maps, Shopping - **Filter by format** — text, image, video ads - **Date range filtering** — custom date range or preset timeframes - **No browser needed** — pure HTTP API calls with `undici`, fast and lightweight ### How It Works The actor reverse-engineers Google's internal "anji" RPC API that powers the Transparency Center frontend. It: 1. Establishes session cookies via a simple HTTP GET (no Playwright/browser required) 2. Searches for creatives using `SearchService/SearchCreatives` 3. Optionally fetches per-ad detail via `LookupService/GetCreativeById` 4. Normalizes the proto-JSON response into clean JSON output ### Input | Field | Type | Description | Default | |-------|------|-------------|---------| | `query` | string | Search term to look up ads for (e.g. `Tesla`, `nike.com`, `insurance`). Leave empty to browse all ads. | `""` | | `region` | select | Country to filter ads by. | `anywhere` | | `platform` | select | Platform filter: all, search, youtube, play, maps, shopping. | `all` | | `creativeFormat` | select | Ad format: all, text, image, video. | `all` | | `dateStart` | string | Start date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional). | (empty) | | `dateEnd` | string | End date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional). | (empty) | | `timeframe` | select | Preset date range (used when dateStart/dateEnd not set). | `365d` | | `limit` | integer | Maximum number of ads to collect (up to 100 per page). | `20` | | `scrapeAdDetails` | boolean | Fetch full ad detail for each result (format, assets, dates). | `true` | | `proxyConfiguration` | object | Standard Apify proxy configuration. | `{ useApifyProxy: true }` | ### Output Each ad in the dataset has this structure: ```json { "id": "CR14652493479645544449", "advertiserId": "AR12403294217118416897", "advertiserName": "Brett Batie", "domain": "filerev.com", "adFormat": "image", "firstShownDate": 1669406775, "lastShownDate": 1777852223, "totalDaysShown": 1256, "assets": { "images": [ { "url": "https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/archive/simgad/10420209803227999867", "width": 380, "height": 503 } ], "videos": [] }, "landingPage": null, "regions": null, "detail": null } ```` When `scrapeAdDetails` is enabled, the `detail` field contains additional metadata from the detail endpoint. ### Example Inputs **Search for Tesla ads in the US:** ```json { "query": "tesla.com", "region": "US", "limit": 50, "scrapeAdDetails": true } ``` **Browse all video ads from any region:** ```json { "query": "", "creativeFormat": "video", "limit": 20, "scrapeAdDetails": false } ``` **Search with custom date range:** ```json { "query": "amazon.com", "region": "anywhere", "dateStart": "2024-01-01", "dateEnd": "2024-06-30", "limit": 100 } ``` ### Proxy On the Apify platform, the actor uses Apify Proxy automatically. Configure `proxyConfiguration` to use residential proxies or custom proxy URLs. # Actor input Schema ## `query` (type: `string`): Search term to look up ads for (e.g. 'nike.com', 'Tesla', 'insurance'). Leave empty to browse all ads. ## `region` (type: `string`): Country to filter ads by. Google's Ad Transparency Center covers most countries worldwide. ## `platform` (type: `string`): Filter by Google platform where the ad appeared. ## `creativeFormat` (type: `string`): Filter by creative format. ## `dateStart` (type: `string`): Start date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional). Leave empty to use timeframe. ## `dateEnd` (type: `string`): End date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional). Leave empty to use timeframe. ## `timeframe` (type: `string`): Date range to search within, relative to today. Only used when Start/End Date are not set. ## `limit` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of ads to collect. Google returns up to 100 per page. ## `scrapeAdDetails` (type: `boolean`): Fetch full ad detail for each result (format, all assets, dates, regions). Disable for faster runs when only listing ads is needed. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Optional proxy settings. On the Apify platform, Apify proxy is used automatically. Override here to use residential proxies if needed. ## Actor input object example ```json { "query": "", "region": "anywhere", "platform": "all", "creativeFormat": "all", "dateStart": "", "dateEnd": "", "timeframe": "30d", "limit": 20, "scrapeAdDetails": true, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [] } } ``` # 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 = { "timeframe": "30d", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [] } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("practicaltools/google-ad-library-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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "timeframe": "30d", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True, "apifyProxyGroups": [], }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("practicaltools/google-ad-library-scraper").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 '{ "timeframe": "30d", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [] } }' | apify call practicaltools/google-ad-library-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=practicaltools/google-ad-library-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Google Ads Library Scraper", "description": "Scrapes ads from the Google Ads Transparency Center. Returns creative content, advertiser info, ad format, dates, and asset URLs.", "version": "0.0", "x-build-id": "m8lmFn8zQHHjXwTFS" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/practicaltools~google-ad-library-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-practicaltools-google-ad-library-scraper", "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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/practicaltools~google-ad-library-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-practicaltools-google-ad-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/practicaltools~google-ad-library-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-practicaltools-google-ad-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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", "properties": { "query": { "title": "Search Query", "type": "string", "description": "Search term to look up ads for (e.g. 'nike.com', 'Tesla', 'insurance'). Leave empty to browse all ads.", "default": "" }, "region": { "title": "Region", "enum": [ "anywhere", "US", "GB", "CA", "DE", "FR", "JP", "AU", "BR", "IN", "AT", "BE", "BG", "HR", "CY", "CZ", "DK", "EE", "FI", "GR", "HU", "IS", "IE", "IT", "LV", "LI", "LT", "LU", "MT", "NL", "NO", "PL", "PT", "RO", "SK", "SI", "ES", "SE", "CH", "TR", "MX", "KR", "SG", "NZ", "ZA", "AE", "SA", "IL", "TH", "VN", "PH", "MY", "ID", "CL", "CO", "AR", "PE", "NG", "KE", "EG", "MA", "UA", "PK", "BD", "TW", "HK" ], "type": "string", "description": "Country to filter ads by. Google's Ad Transparency Center covers most countries worldwide.", "default": "anywhere" }, "platform": { "title": "Platform", "enum": [ "all", "search", "youtube", "play", "maps", "shopping" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by Google platform where the ad appeared.", "default": "all" }, "creativeFormat": { "title": "Ad Format", "enum": [ "all", "text", "image", "video" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by creative format.", "default": "all" }, "dateStart": { "title": "Start Date", "type": "string", "description": "Start date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional). Leave empty to use timeframe.", "default": "" }, "dateEnd": { "title": "End Date", "type": "string", "description": "End date in YYYY-MM-DD format (optional). Leave empty to use timeframe.", "default": "" }, "timeframe": { "title": "Timeframe", "enum": [ "7d", "30d", "90d", "180d", "365d", "730d" ], "type": "string", "description": "Date range to search within, relative to today. Only used when Start/End Date are not set.", "default": "365d" }, "limit": { "title": "Max Ads", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 10000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of ads to collect. Google returns up to 100 per page.", "default": 20 }, "scrapeAdDetails": { "title": "Scrape Ad Details", "type": "boolean", "description": "Fetch full ad detail for each result (format, all assets, dates, regions). Disable for faster runs when only listing ads is needed.", "default": true }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy Configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Optional proxy settings. On the Apify platform, Apify proxy is used automatically. Override here to use residential proxies if needed.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [] } } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```