Apple Podcasts Chart Scraper: iTunes Rank Tracker

What you get: Apple Podcasts / iTunes chart ranks by country (optional genre) as source-linked rows. Export CSV/JSON. No API key.

Sample output (3 real rows from a countries: ["us"], limit: 3 run on 2026-10-13):

rank	showName	artistName	category	country
1	The Daily	The New York Times	Daily News	us
2	Crime Junkie	Audiochuck	True Crime	us
3	In The Dark	The New Yorker	True Crime	us

Use it for:

• Rank tracking: record daily Apple Podcasts chart positions by country.
• Competitor watch: see when rival shows enter or leave the top chart.
• Sponsor pitching: back up outreach with a show's current public chart rank.

CTA: Open Input (link below) → leave defaults (us, limit 1, movement OFF) → Start. First paid proof ≈ $0.003. Cap maxChargeUsd 0.05. From $3/1k. Open Input (leave defaults → Start)

{"countries":["us"],"limit":1,"generateMovementReport":false,"maxChargeUsd":0.05,"delivery":"dataset"}

Sibling next steps: Apple Podcasts Scraper (discovery) · Reviews (listener feedback).

Podcast growth teams, agencies, networks, and research teams provide public Apple Podcasts storefront codes and an optional genre/depth filter. The actor returns source-linked chart_rank rows, or one change report when a saved monitor detects new, changed, or dropped positions. Raw chart delivery remains the default for existing schedules.

Run the next report

Use chart movement as a proven public signal, then choose the buyer-facing follow-on:

• Generate sponsor evidence when a rank change needs source-linked context.
• Build a media buyer shortlist from a focused chart result.
• Return to Apple Podcasts discovery when a broader show set is needed.

Store Quickstart

The default path is a low-cost raw chart snapshot. Use one country and a small limit first. For recurring rank movement, set a stable monitorKey and generateMovementReport to true; the first baseline_only run stores state without dataset rows or charges.

1. Raw chart snapshot (first run)

Cheapest first run: limit 1, movement report OFF — raw chart rows at $0.003 each (≈ $0.003 total; not the $2.50 movement report). Store Quickstart matches this; use the Deeper chart template (limit 10) after proof.

{
  "countries": ["us"],
    "limit": 1,
      "generateMovementReport": false,
        "delivery": "dataset",
          "dryRun": false
          }
          ```

          ### 2. Free baseline for a recurring monitor

          ```json
          {
            "countries": ["us", "gb"],
              "genreId": "1321",
                "limit": 3,
                  "monitorKey": "weekly-news-us-gb",
                    "generateMovementReport": true,
                      "initialRunMode": "baseline_only",
                        "maxChargeUsd": 0.05,
                          "dryRun": false
                          }
                          ```

                          ### 3. High-value movement report

                          ```json
                          {
                            "countries": ["us"],
                              "limit": 10,
                                "monitorKey": "weekly-news-us-gb",
                                  "generateMovementReport": true,
                                    "initialRunMode": "emit_backfill",
                                      "delivery": "dataset",
                                        "maxChargeUsd": 0.05,
                                          "dryRun": false
                                          }
                                          ```

                                          Use `delivery: "webhook"` only when downstream routing is needed after the movement report has been validated. The movement report is the value path; the raw chart snapshot remains the low-cost starter path.

                                          See [`docs/value-path-sample.json`](docs/value-path-sample.json) for the raw snapshot and movement-report input pair.

                                          `countries` accepts at most 20 unique two-letter codes. Each country is fetched with a timeout and bounded retry. `limit` is capped at 200.

                                          ## Use with Apify MCP
                                          Exact actor: `taroyamada/apple-podcast-chart-tracker`

                                          Sample input JSON:
                                          ```json
                                          {
                                            "countries": [
                                                "us"
                                                  ],
                                                    "genreId": "",
                                                      "limit": 1,
                                                        "generateMovementReport": false,
                                                          "delivery": "dataset"
                                                          }
                                                          ```

                                                          ## Output

                                                          The actor output contains `chartEntries`, `movementReports`, and `deliveryRows`. Raw rows keep legacy aliases (`name`, `artist`, and `collectionId`) and add the stable fields used by integrations.

                                                          ### Raw chart output

                                                          ```json
                                                          {
                                                            "actorName": "apple-podcast-chart-tracker",
                                                              "rowType": "chart_rank",
                                                                "billingEventName": "apify-default-dataset-item",
                                                                  "country": "us",
                                                                    "rank": 12,
                                                                      "showId": "123456",
                                                                        "showName": "Example Podcast",
                                                                          "artistName": "Example Network",
                                                                            "sourceUrl": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id123456",
                                                                              "fetchedAt": "2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z",
                                                                                "collectionId": "123456",
                                                                                  "name": "Example Podcast",
                                                                                    "artist": "Example Network"
                                                                                    }
                                                                                    ```

                                                                                    ### Movement report output

                                                                                    ```json
                                                                                    {
                                                                                      "actorName": "apple-podcast-chart-tracker",
                                                                                        "rowType": "podcast_chart_movement_report",
                                                                                          "billingEventName": "podcast-chart-movement-report",
                                                                                            "monitorKey": "weekly-news-us-gb",
                                                                                              "initialRun": false,
                                                                                                "fetchedAt": "2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z",
                                                                                                  "changedCount": 1,
                                                                                                    "newCount": 1,
                                                                                                      "droppedCount": 0,
                                                                                                        "changes": [
                                                                                                            {
                                                                                                                  "changeType": "changed",
                                                                                                                        "country": "us",
                                                                                                                              "showId": "123456",
                                                                                                                                    "showName": "Example Podcast",
                                                                                                                                          "previousRank": 18,
                                                                                                                                                "currentRank": 12,
                                                                                                                                                      "rankDelta": 6,
                                                                                                                                                            "sourceUrl": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id123456"
                                                                                                                                                                }
                                                                                                                                                                  ]
                                                                                                                                                                  }
                                                                                                                                                                  ```

                                                                                                                                                                  A baseline run emits zero `deliveryRows`. A later unchanged poll emits zero rows and zero charges. A later poll emits at most one movement report row for all observed changes. A failed source is not treated as a mass drop.

                                                                                                                                                                  ## Output fields

                                                                                                                                                                  - Raw: `actorName`, `rowType`, `billingEventName`, `country`, `rank`, `showId`, `showName`, `artistName`, `sourceUrl`, `fetchedAt`, plus legacy aliases.
                                                                                                                                                                  - Movement report: `monitorKey`, `changedCount`, `newCount`, `droppedCount`, `changes`, and source limitations.
                                                                                                                                                                  - Envelope: `chartEntries`, `movementReports`, `deliveryRows`, `meta`, and delivery/state status in the final output file.

                                                                                                                                                                  ## Pricing and delivery

                                                                                                                                                                  The existing raw path is unchanged: the default dataset event is used for each raw chart row. The movement event is named `podcast-chart-movement-report` and is sent through `Actor.pushData(row, eventName)` when the Apify SDK is available. The local test path never charges.

                                                                                                                                                                  `maxChargeUsd` defaults to `$3`. The local safety estimate is `$0.003` per raw row and `$2.50` per movement report row; delivery stops before any row is sent when the estimate exceeds the cap.

                                                                                                                                                                  `delivery=dataset` writes billable rows to the Apify default dataset. `delivery=webhook` sends the same output payload to the supplied HTTP(S) webhook first, then writes the billable rows to the default dataset. A non-2xx webhook response or dataset/PPE failure fails the run and prevents state commit. Webhook delivery does not replace dataset delivery.

                                                                                                                                                                  ## State and no-change behavior

                                                                                                                                                                  State is isolated by `monitorKey`. State is saved only after webhook and dataset/PPE delivery succeeds. A state load or save failure fails closed; it never silently treats a missing state as a new baseline after a remote storage error.

                                                                                                                                                                  - `baseline_only`: save the first successful snapshot with 0 rows and 0 charges.
                                                                                                                                                                  - `emit_backfill`: emit one initial movement report for the current positions.
                                                                                                                                                                  - Subsequent runs: emit only new, changed, or dropped positions; unchanged polls emit 0 rows and 0 charges.
                                                                                                                                                                  - Set `emitRawRows=true` only when a monitor also needs the legacy raw rows; the charge cap still applies.

                                                                                                                                                                  ## Compliance guardrails

                                                                                                                                                                  - Uses public Apple Podcasts/iTunes chart JSON only.
                                                                                                                                                                  - No Apple logo, endorsement, private dashboard, or authenticated data is claimed.
                                                                                                                                                                  - Rank movement is descriptive evidence, not a forecast, audience estimate, advertising guarantee, or provider approval.
                                                                                                                                                                  - Unsupported storefronts produce a warning and are never interpreted as a mass drop from the saved baseline.

                                                                                                                                                                  ## See also

                                                                                                                                                                  - [Apple Podcasts Scraper](https://apify.com/taroyamada/apple-podcast-scraper) for broad public show discovery.
                                                                                                                                                                  - [Podcast Media Buyer Shortlist Scraper](https://apify.com/taroyamada/podcast-media-buyer-shortlist-scraper) for the next report-oriented workflow.

                                                                                                                                                                  ## Related Actors

                                                                                                                                                                  - Hub: [`taroyamada/apple-podcast-scraper`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/apple-podcast-scraper)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/apple-podcast-scraper`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/apple-podcast-scraper)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/apple-podcast-reviews-monitor`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/apple-podcast-reviews-monitor)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/apple-podcast-episode-watchlist`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/apple-podcast-episode-watchlist)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/podcast-sponsor-contact-intelligence`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/podcast-sponsor-contact-intelligence)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/podcast-sponsor-evidence-report-scraper`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/podcast-sponsor-evidence-report-scraper)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/podcast-media-buyer-shortlist-scraper`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/podcast-media-buyer-shortlist-scraper)
                                                                                                                                                                  - [`taroyamada/podcast-category-network-benchmark-report`](https://apify.com/taroyamada/podcast-category-network-benchmark-report)

## Works well with

- [Apple Podcasts Scraper](https://apify.com/taroyamada/apple-podcast-scraper) — search shows, look up IDs, pull recent episodes and listener reviews
- [Article Content Extractor](https://apify.com/taroyamada/article-content-extractor) — clean article text and metadata for RAG/LLM pipelines
- [Trade Show Exhibitor Intelligence](https://apify.com/taroyamada/trade-show-exhibitor-intelligence) — turn exhibitor pages into booth and lead lists