# Yelp Search Scraper (`thescrappa/yelp-search-scraper`) Actor

Search Yelp for businesses by keyword and location and get name, rating, review count, price level, categories, street, city, photo and page link. Run many searches in one run, for example pizza in Chicago and dentists in Austin, and pass the aliases to the Yelp Reviews Scraper.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/thescrappa/yelp-search-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Scrappa](https://apify.com/thescrappa) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Marketing
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.30 / 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/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

## Yelp Search Scraper

Type what you would type into Yelp, such as pizza or plumber, add a city or ZIP code, and get the matching businesses as clean rows. Each row has the Yelp alias, name, star rating, review count, price level, categories, street, city, a photo and the page link. Add many keyword and location pairs in one run, then pass the aliases to the Yelp Business Details Scraper or the Yelp Reviews Scraper.

### What data can you extract?

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `position` | Integer | Position of the business in the Yelp results, starting at 1. |
| `business_id` | String | 22-character Yelp business ID. |
| `alias` | String | Yelp business alias, the last part of the page link. Use it with the Yelp Reviews Scraper. |
| `name` | String | Business name as shown on Yelp. |
| `rating` | Number or null | Average Yelp star rating from 1 to 5, in steps of 0.1. |
| `review_count` | Integer or null | Total number of Yelp reviews. |
| `price` | String or null | Yelp price level from $ to $$$$. Null when Yelp shows none. |
| `categories` | Array\<Object> | Yelp categories, each with `alias` and `title`, such as Pizza or Italian. |
| `street` | String or null | Street address of the business. |
| `city` | String or null | City of the business. |
| `photo` | String or null | Link to the main photo of the business. |
| `url` | String | Yelp page of the business. |
| `search_location` | String | The location of the search that found this business. |
| `search_query` | String | The keyword of the search that found this business. |
| `scraped_at` | String | UTC date and time when this record was collected. |

### Use cases

- Sales teams can build lead lists of local businesses in a city with rating and review count.
- Agencies can spot businesses with a low rating or few reviews among the top results of a niche.
- Franchise and retail planners can compare the top Yelp results of a category across cities, with rating and price level.
- Review analysts can collect the Yelp aliases of many businesses before they scrape their reviews.

### How to use

1. Add one entry per search to `searches`, for example `{"query": "pizza", "location": "Chicago, IL"}`.
2. Set `maxResults` to the number of businesses you want for each search, up to 25.
3. Start the run. Each business gives one dataset row with the keyword and location that found it.
4. Pass the `alias` of each row to the Yelp Reviews Scraper or the Yelp Business Details Scraper.

```json
{
  "searches": [
    {
      "query": "pizza",
      "location": "Chicago, IL"
    }
  ],
  "maxResults": 10
}
```

### Input

| Field | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `searches` | Array\<object> | Yes | One entry per search, each with a keyword and a location. A location set outside the list applies to every search that does not set its own. |
| `searches[].query` | string | Yes per entry | Business name or keyword, for example pizza, plumber or gary danko. |
| `searches[].location` | string | No | City, neighborhood, address or ZIP code, for example Chicago, IL or 94109. Needed for every search: set it in the search, or once here for every search that has none. A search without a location is skipped. |
| `location` | string | No | City, neighborhood, address or ZIP code, for example Chicago, IL or 94109. Needed for every search: set it in the search, or once here for every search that has none. A search without a location is skipped. |
| `maxResults` | integer | No | Maximum businesses to save for each search. Yelp returns at most 25 businesses per search. |
| `maxPages` | integer | No | Maximum pages to request for each batch entry. |

### Output example

```json
{
  "position": 1,
  "business_id": "q7Lm2Xc9RtYv4BnW8aKd1Q",
  "alias": "la-cocina-roja-austin",
  "name": "La Cocina Roja",
  "rating": 4.6,
  "review_count": 1284,
  "price": "$$",
  "categories": [
    {
      "alias": "mexican",
      "title": "Mexican"
    },
    {
      "alias": "tacos",
      "title": "Tacos"
    }
  ],
  "street": "1812 E 6th St",
  "city": "Austin",
  "photo": "https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/Xc4kP9wLm2QaZt7RbN1vYg/1000s.jpg",
  "url": "https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-cocina-roja-austin",
  "search_location": "Austin, TX",
  "search_query": "pizza",
  "scraped_at": "2026-10-01T12:00:00Z"
}
```

### Pricing

$0.38 per 1,000 results. Apify saves one dataset item per result and applies the Actor’s per-result price to saved items.

Pagination follows the source response. Set **maxPages** per batch entry and **maxResults** for each entry.

### FAQ

#### Is scraping this information legal?

Rules depend on the source, location, data type, and intended use. Check applicable laws and source terms, and make sure your workflow follows privacy and data protection requirements.

#### What limits apply?

Submit up to 100 batch entries per run. Use **maxResults** to cap saved items for each entry and **maxPages** to limit pages for each entry. Results also depend on source availability and your Scrappa API plan.

#### Can I start runs through the Apify API?

Yes. Send a POST request to `https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/thescrappa~yelp-search-scraper/runs` with your Actor input, or use an Apify client library. Read the output from the run dataset.

#### Can I connect the results to other tools?

Yes. Apify integrations and APIs can pass dataset results to Make, Zapier, n8n, Google Sheets, and other data workflows.

#### What happens when one input fails?

The Actor logs a short source error and continues with the remaining entries. Transient rate limits and gateway errors are retried; if every entry fails, the run reports an error.

#### How many businesses does one search return?

Yelp answers at most 25 businesses per search, 10 per page. To reach more businesses, split the search into smaller areas, such as neighborhoods or ZIP codes, or use more specific keywords such as deep dish pizza and pizza delivery.

#### Why are the price level or the photo sometimes empty?

Yelp shows a price level and a photo only when the business or its visitors added one. The field is null in that case.

#### What can I do with the alias?

The alias is the last part of the Yelp page link, such as pequods-pizza-chicago-3. Paste it into the Yelp Business Details Scraper for phone, website and opening hours, or into the Yelp Reviews Scraper for the reviews.

### Related Scrappa Actors

- [Yelp Business Details Scraper](https://apify.com/thescrappa/yelp-business-scraper)
- [Yelp Reviews Scraper](https://apify.com/thescrappa/yelp-reviews-scraper)
- [Google Maps Search Scraper](https://apify.com/thescrappa/google-maps-search-scraper)
- [Google Maps Reviews Scraper](https://apify.com/thescrappa/google-maps-reviews-scraper)
- [Tripadvisor Reviews Scraper](https://apify.com/thescrappa/tripadvisor-reviews-scraper)

# Actor input Schema

## `searches` (type: `array`):

One entry per search, each with a keyword and a location. A location set outside the list applies to every search that does not set its own.

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

City, neighborhood, address or ZIP code, for example Chicago, IL or 94109. Needed for every search: set it in the search, or once here for every search that has none. A search without a location is skipped.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum businesses to save for each search. Yelp returns at most 25 businesses per search.

## `maxPages` (type: `integer`):

Maximum pages to request for each batch entry.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searches": [
    {
      "query": "pizza",
      "location": "Chicago, IL"
    }
  ],
  "maxResults": 10,
  "maxPages": 3
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

All results from this run in the default dataset.

# 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 = {
    "searches": [
        {
            "query": "pizza",
            "location": "Chicago, IL"
        }
    ],
    "maxResults": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("thescrappa/yelp-search-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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searches": [{
            "query": "pizza",
            "location": "Chicago, IL",
        }],
    "maxResults": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("thescrappa/yelp-search-scraper").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 '{
  "searches": [
    {
      "query": "pizza",
      "location": "Chicago, IL"
    }
  ],
  "maxResults": 10
}' |
apify call thescrappa/yelp-search-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,thescrappa/yelp-search-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

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/XaXDd45zfGzCAj1ob/builds/1YXKPmEXOZOThkMgl/openapi.json