Google Index Checker API

Google index checker for a bounded public-source comparison: sample the first page of Google site: results, compare observed URLs with a supplied page sitemap, and export dated observations to an Apify Dataset.

Google Index Checker API

This is a first-page search sample, not a complete indexation audit. A URL missing from the sample may still be indexed. Use Google Search Console for first-party index coverage and URL inspection.

Setup guide

What the Actor does

The Actor requests public Google search results through Apify Google SERP Proxy. It extracts up to 10 organic result links, including Google's public /goto redirects, and compares them with the URLs in a supplied page sitemap. It never follows those result links to business websites.

The comparison measures overlap with an observed sample. It can help monitor recurring changes, inspect a small set of URLs, and feed an SEO workflow with dated source observations. It does not prove that missing URLs are deindexed, determine a complete indexed-page count, or replace Search Console.

Quick start

1. Enter a domain without a protocol, such as example.com.
2. Supply a page sitemap containing a <urlset> when you want a sitemap comparison.
3. Keep maxResults at 10 and run the Actor.
4. Inspect indexedPages, sitemapSampleMatches, and sitemapWarning before interpreting missing candidates.
5. Export the Dataset as JSON, CSV, or Excel, or use the Apify API and schedules.

{
  "domain": "example.com",
  "sitemapUrl": "https://example.com/page-sitemap.xml",
  "maxResults": 10
}

The example domain is illustrative. Use your actual domain and public page sitemap. If sitemapUrl is omitted, the Actor tries https://<domain>/sitemap.xml.

Input

Field	Type	Default	Behavior
domain	string	required	Domain for the public site: query
sitemapUrl	string	domain's /sitemap.xml	Public page sitemap for URL comparison
maxResults	integer	10	First-page sample only; fixed at 10 in this version

Google no longer honors the num parameter. This version does not implement pagination. Clients using older maxResults values above 10 must switch to 10. One page can contain fewer than 10 recognizable organic results.

Output data fields

One successful observation produces one Dataset row. Legacy field names are retained for existing integrations; their precise meaning is below.

Field	Meaning
date, domain	Observation date and requested domain
sitemapTotal	Number of valid, normalized, unique page URLs compared
googleIndexed	Count of links observed in the first Google results page; this is not Google's complete index count
indexedPages	Observed search links with pos, title, and url
sitemapSampleMatches	Supplied sitemap URLs also observed in the sample
indexRate	sitemapSampleMatches / sitemapTotal, expressed as a percentage; n/a when comparison is unavailable
notYetIndexed	Supplied sitemap URLs not observed in this sample; the name is historical
notIndexedCount	Count of those missing-from-sample candidates
sitemapWarning	Reason a sitemap comparison could not be made, or null

A sitemap index (<sitemapindex>) lists other sitemap files, not pages. This Actor does not traverse it or treat its child XML filenames as page URLs. It returns the search observation with a warning and indexRate: "n/a"; supply a leaf page sitemap to perform the comparison. A failed sitemap fetch has the same explicit unavailable-comparison behavior.

Illustrative output

{
  "date": "2026-09-05",
  "domain": "example.com",
  "sitemapTotal": 2,
  "googleIndexed": 2,
  "sitemapSampleMatches": 1,
  "sitemapWarning": null,
  "indexRate": "50%",
  "indexedPages": [
    {"pos": 1, "title": "Page A", "url": "https://example.com/a"},
    {"pos": 2, "title": "Another page", "url": "https://example.com/other"}
  ],
  "notYetIndexed": ["https://example.com/b"],
  "notIndexedCount": 1
}

The second observed URL is outside the supplied sitemap, so it increases googleIndexed but does not increase sitemapSampleMatches. Consumers must use sitemapSampleMatches for the sitemap comparison numerator.

Pricing and errors

Pricing remains pay-per-event. As checked on 2026-09-05, the primary result event is tiered from $0.0035 to $0.005 per saved observation, with a $0.00005 synthetic start event. The current Pricing tab and Apify account charges are authoritative.

A blocked response, unrecognized result page, incomplete Google link resolution, or search timeout fails the observation without a paid dataset row. A legitimate Google no-results response can produce a successful zero-result observation. Sitemap unavailability alone does not discard a useful search observation; the warning and n/a rate distinguish it from a completed comparison.

The search request has a 25-second timeout. Public result redirect resolution is bounded to 10 links and 15 seconds total. Network and target changes can still cause failures. Start with one run before scheduling or expanding a workflow.

Use cases and integration

• Compare repeated first-page observations for the same domain and date range.
• Inspect overlap with a small page sitemap or a specific sitemap segment.
• Export dated source links to a spreadsheet, dashboard, or downstream SEO report.
• Schedule recurring runs in Apify and inspect failures before treating a change as an SEO signal.

The Dataset is available from the Actor's output link and the Apify API. For an API integration, run tugelbay/google-serp-checker, wait for completion, and read its default Dataset. Check run status and sitemapWarning; do not interpret absent rows as a zero index count.

Frequently asked questions

Does a missing URL mean it is not indexed? No. It only means the URL was not observed in this first-page sample. Confirm indexation in Search Console.

Can this check a complete site or positions beyond the first page? No. This version intentionally supports one results page. The input and output describe that bounded sample.

Why is the comparison unavailable? The supplied URL may be a sitemap index, unavailable, or contain no usable page URLs. Supply a public leaf page sitemap and inspect the warning.

Why did a run fail instead of returning zero? The Actor could not establish a reliable search observation. This prevents a blocked or partially decoded response from being sold as a valid zero-result result.

Related Actors

• Keyword Rank Tracker — track a domain's position within a first-page keyword search sample.
• Google AI Overview — inspect observed AI Overview responses where available.

Support and runtime

Send the run ID, domain, public sitemap URL, expected observation, and relevant warning. Do not send account credentials or private sitemaps.

The current runtime uses Node.js 22. For local development: npm ci, npm run build, then npm start. Production contains a checked bundle and its production dependencies. Current platform contract checked on 2026-09-05: Apify Google SERP Proxy.

Benefits

A dated Dataset makes repeated observations easy to compare and export. Explicit warnings distinguish an unavailable sitemap from a completed comparison. Failed or incomplete searches do not produce paid result rows.

Comparison with Google Search Console

Need	This Actor	Google Search Console
Public first-page observations	Bounded sample, exportable Dataset	Different first-party reports
Authoritative index coverage	Not provided	Use the site's coverage and URL inspection tools
Access requirement	Public domain and optional public sitemap	Verified site access

Validation evidence and official sources

The repository's 2026-07-14 baseline described this as a public-source diagnostic. The 2026-09-05 runtime checks added explicit first-page limits, Google redirect handling, failed-search billing checks, and sitemap intersection tests. See the warnings in each observed row; a smoke test does not establish broad reliability or full index coverage.

• Apify Google SERP Proxy: supported protocol and first-page/pagination behavior; read on 2026-09-05.
• Apify Actor runs: platform run/build concepts for inspecting an execution.

Limitations

The Actor samples one Google results page and compares only a supplied leaf page sitemap. It does not traverse sitemap indexes or establish a complete indexed-page inventory. Network failures, changed result markup, and unresolved links can fail an observation. Respect source terms and stop when access is blocked.

The result tiers checked on 2026-09-05 are FREE $0.005, BRONZE $0.0045, SILVER $0.004, and GOLD/PLATINUM/DIAMOND $0.0035 per saved observation, plus the synthetic start event described above.

The earlier public-source baseline links remain relevant:

• Google's site: operator documentation explains the limits of this kind of search observation.
• Google's machine-generated traffic guidance and Terms of Service apply to Google surfaces.