# Internet Archive / Wayback Machine Lookup: Bulk Snapshots (`wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup`) Actor

Input: a list of URLs (and optional dates). Output: Internet Archive Wayback Machine snapshot lookup: first, latest and date-closest capture per URL, with direct web.archive.org links. $0.80 per 1,000 URLs.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup.md
- **Developed by:** [Winters Works](https://apify.com/wintersworks) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, SEO tools, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$0.80 / 1,000 url looked ups

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/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

## Internet Archive / Wayback Machine Lookup: Bulk Snapshots

Check hundreds of URLs against the **Internet Archive's Wayback Machine** in one run. For every URL you get the **first and latest archived snapshot (200 OK only)**, how many years it has been archived, and optionally the **snapshot closest to any date you choose**, each with a ready-to-open web.archive.org link. It uses the Archive's public CDX API. Export JSON, CSV or Excel.

### Use cases

- **Domain and backlink research:** see when a domain first appeared and whether it was archived at a certain point in time.
- **Link rot repair:** find an archived copy for dead links in articles, docs or datasets.
- **Evidence and compliance:** get the snapshot closest to a given date for a list of pages.
- **SEO due diligence:** check the age and archive history of sites before buying or partnering.

### How it works

1. Each input is queried against the Wayback Machine CDX index, restricted to successful (HTTP 200) captures.
2. The earliest and latest captures are returned with direct web.archive.org links.
3. If you set a target date, the capture closest to it is added.
4. Requests are spaced out and retried with backoff on 429/5xx to stay polite to the Archive.

### Input

```json
{
  "urls": [
    "apify.com",
    "https://example.com/page"
  ],
  "targetDate": "2020-01-01"
}
```

Empty input `{}` runs a small demo. Other options: `targetDate`, `maxResults`, `concurrency`.

### Output (one item per result)

```json
{
  "url": "apify.com",
  "archived": true,
  "firstSnapshotAt": "2007-05-31T10:15:38Z",
  "firstSnapshotUrl": "https://web.archive.org/web/20070531101538/http://www.apify.com:80/",
  "latestSnapshotAt": "2026-10-08T23:09:24Z",
  "latestSnapshotUrl": "https://web.archive.org/web/20261008230924/https://apify.com/",
  "closestSnapshotAt": "2019-12-30T05:20:25Z",
  "closestSnapshotUrl": "https://web.archive.org/web/20191230052025/https://apify.com/",
  "yearsArchived": 19.4,
  "error": null
}
```

### Example output

Real output from a default run (some fields omitted for width):

| url | archived | firstSnapshotAt | latestSnapshotAt | yearsArchived |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| apify.com | true | 2007-05-31 | 2026-10-08 | 19.4 |

Every run also produces a ready-made table view in the Output tab, and you can export to JSON, CSV or Excel.

### Pricing

Pay per event: **$0.0008 per url looked up** ($0.80 per 1,000). Duplicates, failed lookups and empty results are not charged.

### Limitations

- Returns index metadata and links only. It does not fetch or store archived page content.
- Only captures with HTTP 200 count; redirect, 404 and error captures are excluded, so a URL can show as not archived even though the Archive holds other captures.
- Matches the exact URL you give (no wildcard or whole-domain search). The closest-to-date snapshot is returned only if you set `targetDate`.
- Makes 2 to 3 calls per URL to the Internet Archive CDX API, 3 URLs in parallel by default (max 20) with a 300 ms pause. The Archive asks API users to stay at modest rates and may return 429 under load.
- Each call times out after 45 s and is retried up to 4 times with backoff on 429, 5xx or network errors; persistent failures return an error row (not charged). Up to 1,000 URLs per run by default.

### FAQ

**Is this legal?** It's designed to be. It queries the Internet Archive's public, documented CDX API at a low request rate and returns only index metadata and links. It does not download or republish archived page content. Content you reach through the links stays subject to the original owners' copyright and the Archive's terms of use. You are responsible for how you use it.

**Why is a URL marked not archived?** The Wayback Machine has no successful (HTTP 200) capture for that exact URL. Try the bare domain or a different path.

**Are exact URLs or whole domains matched?** The exact URL you give (domains are matched as the root page). Redirect-only captures are excluded.

**Are failures charged?** No. Errors and not-archived results that returned no data due to errors are not charged; a successful lookup of a URL with no archive is returned as archived=false and charged as a lookup.

### Use from code and AI agents

Call it from any language with the Apify API, or let an AI agent find and run it through the [Apify MCP server](https://mcp.apify.com).

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient
run = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>").actor("wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup").call(run_input={"urls": ["apify.com", "example.com"]})
items = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>").dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).list_items().items
```

Results land in the run's dataset (JSON, CSV, Excel). Set a maximum charge per run in the run options to cap spend.

### About

Built and maintained by Winters Works. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Internet Archive. Questions or feature requests: open an issue on the Actor page or email wintersworks.shop@gmail.com.

# Actor input Schema

## `urls` (type: `array`):

URLs or domains to look up, one per line (for example example.com or https://example.com/page).

## `targetDate` (type: `string`):

Date such as 2020-01-01 (or 20200101). If set, each result also includes the 200-OK snapshot closest to that date.

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

Cap on inputs processed (duplicates are skipped and never charged).

## `concurrency` (type: `integer`):

Parallel requests.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "urls": [
    "apify.com",
    "example.com"
  ],
  "targetDate": "",
  "maxResults": 1000,
  "concurrency": 3
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

All result items from the run's 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 = {
    "urls": [
        "apify.com",
        "example.com"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup").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 = { "urls": [
        "apify.com",
        "example.com",
    ] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup").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 '{
  "urls": [
    "apify.com",
    "example.com"
  ]
}' |
apify call wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,wintersworks/wayback-snapshot-lookup"
        }
    }
}
```

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/CaFcxVqRPFuq19Z0u/builds/ds2bTLXI2DYfYeoUV/openapi.json