Best Apify Alternative for Google Maps Scraping
Looking for the best Apify alternative for Google Maps data extraction? This comprehensive comparison reveals which tool delivers better results for web scraping, with real-world testing of both platforms' features, pricing, and ease of use.
Table of Contents
- The Manual Nightmare: Why Traditional Web Scraping Tools Don't Work
- Understanding the Fundamental Difference
- Input Methods: Flexibility vs Simplicity
- Search Precision: Basic vs Advanced Filtering
- Real-World Testing: Putting Both Tools to Work
- Final Verdict: Which Tool Wins?
- Frequently Asked Questions
There are 8,000 restaurants listed in New York on Google Maps. If you're looking for an Apify alternative that can extract this data efficiently, you have two options.
The Manual Nightmare: Why Traditional Web Scraping Tools Don't Work
Option one: Go to Google Maps, do a search, realize you're limited to a maximum of 120 results, then repeat the process 67 times, copy-pasting each listing into an Excel file. At a rate of two rows per minute, it should only take you three days to finish - that's assuming you don't sleep, eat, or blink for too long. Otherwise, it would be... well, let's just say it wouldn't be fun.
Option two: Web scraping. Modern web scraping tools and Google Maps scrapers allow you to gather data much faster. In the world of scraping, there are a whole bunch of tools available. Today, we're going to compare two of them: Apify and Scrap.io.
How do they work? What data can you extract? Which one is the best Apify alternative for Google Maps scraping? Hi, my name is François, and today we're comparing these two popular web scraping platforms.
Understanding the Fundamental Difference
Let's start with the basics. Apify and Scrap.io - what are they? Both are web scraping platforms. However, just by looking at their landing pages, you can notice a key difference.
Apify is described as "your full-stack platform for web scraping," while Scrap.io is marketed as a "Google Maps leads generator." This makes Apify a generalistic platform while Scrap.io is a specialist.
Apify: The Marketplace Approach
Apify operates as a marketplace, offering thousands of different APIs created by various developers. As a result, when searching for something related to Google Maps, you might find yourself overwhelmed with information - not always sure which path to take.
For simplicity in the rest of this comparison, I'll focus only on the three most popular APIs on Apify:
- Google Maps Scraper
- Google Maps Extractor
- Google Maps Email Extractor
Scrap.io: The Specialist Approach
On the other hand, Scrap.io has made Google Maps its specialty, emphasizing their "two clicks" approach - that's all it takes to get a preview of your results.
So far, we've only scratched the surface, but we haven't yet compared the various features of these two tools. We'll evaluate them based on three criteria: input required, search precision, and extracted data.
Input Methods: Flexibility vs Simplicity
Let's start with input methods. After some thought, I decided to remove Google Maps Extractor from my list for Apify, as it overlaps a bit with Google Maps Scraper.
Apify's Input Options
For Google Maps Scraper on Apify, there are three input options:
Option 1: Keyword and Location
This works just like a standard Google Maps search - straightforward and familiar.
Option 2: URL Input
The URL, which changes with every mouse movement, is based on longitude, latitude, and zoom level. This gives you precise control over the exact map view you want to scrape.
Option 3: Customizable Area
You can define your own geographical zone by drawing it with a polygon or circle. This is a niche feature, but sometimes it can be useful when targeting specific areas like city centers or islands.
Scrap.io's Unified Interface
Now for Scrap.io - all inputs are handled in a single interface. It's based on a Google Maps category and four location criteria:
- Country
- Level one division
- Level two division
- City
Country and city are straightforward, but what do level one and level two division mean?
Level one and level two divisions refer to administrative intermediate levels between a city and a country. In the USA, for example, these correspond to states and counties. However, this naming adjusts based on the country. Since Scrap.io supports scraping in nearly 200 countries, it needed a universal naming convention.
Depending on my plan, I can use all four inputs or just one if I prefer. In other words, I have the flexibility to scrape leads at a national scale.
Search Precision: Basic vs Advanced Filtering
Now that we know about the inputs, let's focus on the filters - essentially the level of precision we can achieve in our searches.
Apify's Basic Filtering
The filters in Google Maps Scraper are fairly basic, but they do exist. You can find them in the search filters and category section. Here's what you can do:
Business Name Filtering
You can filter by business name, meaning you can scrape only listings that include a specific keyword in their title. For example, if you want to find all the McDonald's in a city, you can do so.
Rating Filter
You can also filter by rating. You can target businesses with a rating equal to or greater than a specific value. This is a standard filter on Google Maps itself.
Status Filtering
You can choose to include or exclude businesses that are permanently closed, and you can target businesses with or without a website.
Scrap.io's Advanced Filtering System
The filters in Scrap.io offer a broader range of options, accessible via the filter button. These are divided into essential filters and advanced filters.
Essential Filters
All essential filters are boolean yes-or-no options:
- Whether the business is closed or not
- The presence of specific contact details like a website, phone number, or email
- Social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter/X, or LinkedIn
The Main Activity Only Filter
You also have the "main activity only" filter. But what does that mean?
On Google Maps, there's a distinction between the primary category and secondary categories. For instance, a restaurant might be listed under the primary category of "restaurant" but also tagged as a bar, hotel, and café in secondary categories. This means the listing could appear in four different searches unless you limit it to the main category only.
Advanced Filters
The advanced filters are much more sophisticated, as the name suggests:
- Price range filtering
- Rating parameters
- Number of reviews
- Number of photos
- Whether the listing has been claimed by the owner (this last filter is extremely valuable for identifying businesses that have invested some effort into their online presence)
Additionally, you can check for the presence of contact forms on the business website or advertising pixels. So if the listing has a website, Scrap.io can extract SEO-related data from it, including website technologies detection and advertising pixel tracking to determine if businesses are already running digital marketing campaigns.
Real-World Testing: Putting Both Tools to Work
Now let's talk about the third part - data. The best way to make a correct comparison is to give it a try, so let's give it a try.
Testing Apify's Google Maps Scraper
Let's start with Apify. We'll pick Google Maps Scraper, and first things first - remember, we have to pick a specific input. I've decided to go with a URL.
Where do I put it? I'll use a Google Maps URL instead of a search term. Let's check everything out from top to bottom and see if there's anything else we have to add:
- Search terms and location: No need
- Number of places: Let's say 10
- Language: English
- What details do you want to scrape: Number of images - let's say one
- Do you want to extract reviews: Not necessarily
- Do you want to extract questions: No
- Define the search area by location parameters: Obviously there's no need having all three inputs at once
- Search filters and categories: We'll scrape everything
And that should do it. We can run our task.
Results from Apify
So we have access to the place names, the ratings, the review counts, the address, website, phone number, the URL - so basic information you can find on a Google Maps listing. We can have access to all fields if necessary.
But despite everything, there's something we don't have right away: it's information based on websites, meaning among other things, email addresses and social networks.
Can we retrieve that? Yes, but by using another API called Google Maps Email Extractor. So the way to set it up is really similar to Google Maps Scraper - that's the reason why I didn't show you the process. But at the end of the day, we have access to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter accounts, and where is the email address? Here it is.
So that's for Apify.
Testing Scrap.io
Now what about Scrap.io? As we have stated, with Scrap.io we can gather our CSV or Excel file by just inserting an activity (meaning a Google Maps category) and up to four location criteria.
We're going to take the same example - restaurant. As you can see, we have access to a bit more than one or two countries, so United States. I can specify the level one division, or I can directly type the city name. I'll search, and voilà! I have access to an estimate of the number of results.
Please note it's only an estimate because once I click on export, Scrap.io will re-extract all the data one more time to make sure you have access to an updated database.
Pre-Export Filtering
But before that, some things that can be interesting to do is to filter my data out. For example, I can say I only want to get restaurants with at least one email address, and I want to remove closed establishments. That might be it for the moment. I click on filter, and I have my updated database.
I can click on export, give a name to my export, let's extract only 10 lines, and I click on export.
Export Management
As you can see, all my exports I have done so far are located within the "my exports" tab. It does make sense, I guess. And for each and every one of them, I can get a CSV or Excel file. Or if the export is older than 30 days, I can update them, meaning re-extracting the data with the same parameters.
Scrap.io Data Output Analysis
Let's take a look at what we have:
- The Google ID
- The name
- The description
- The main type (we've talked about it)
- All types (secondary categories included)
- The website
- The phone number
- The full address (which is divided into different subtypes)
- Longitude and latitude
- The link
- The email address
- Social media links
- First seen date (which is a good indicator of how old the Google Maps listing is)
- The price range
- Reviews count
- Reviews rating
- Reviews per score
- Photos count
- The occupancy (meaning that graph showing busy times)
- The working hours
- If the Google Maps page has been claimed by the owner
- The characteristics
Additional Website Data
And we have changed colors - so from now on, we have access to SEO-related data:
- Website title
- Meta keywords
- Meta description
- Meta image
- And so on
- Additional email addresses
- Additional contact pages
- Additional social media links
And we end up with website technologies and website ad pixels. So we can more or less determine whether a specific company has already spent some budget on an advertising campaign.
Final Verdict: Which Tool Wins?
To conclude, Apify and Scrap.io serve different purposes and audiences.
Apify is best suited for more niche extractions. However, it often requires a learning curve to get familiar with a new API. The platform's strength lies in its flexibility and the variety of specialized tools available through its marketplace approach.
Scrap.io, on the other hand, is the ideal tool for large-scale, high-demand scraping. Launched in 2021, this specialized platform has indexed over 200 million businesses and supports scraping in 195 countries. The data is continuously updated, ensuring a fast and seamless scraping experience. All you need to do is input your parameters - Scrap.io will handle the rest.
What sets Scrap.io apart is its real-time extraction approach - unlike tools that rely on outdated databases, Scrap.io extracts data directly from Google Maps and associated websites at the time of your request, ensuring you always get current information.
The choice between these two platforms ultimately depends on your specific needs:
- Choose Apify if you need highly customized extractions and don't mind the learning curve
- Choose Scrap.io if you want a streamlined, all-in-one solution for Google Maps data with advanced filtering and real-time updates
This comparison should help you make an informed decision based on your scraping requirements and technical expertise level.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Apify alternative for Google Maps scraping?
Based on my testing, Scrap.io stands out as the best Apify alternative specifically for Google Maps scraping. Unlike Apify's marketplace approach that requires multiple APIs, Scrap.io offers a specialized, all-in-one solution designed specifically for extracting Google Maps data with advanced filtering capabilities and real-time updates.
Is Apify worth it for beginners?
Apify can be challenging for beginners due to its technical learning curve. The platform is powerful and flexible, but it's built for users who are comfortable with technical tools. If you're not a developer, expect to spend significant time figuring things out, even when using pre-built Actors from their marketplace.
What's the difference between Apify and no-code scraping tools?
Apify requires technical knowledge and often involves working with APIs and code, while no-code alternatives like Scrap.io offer visual interfaces that anyone can use. No-code tools are designed for users who want results without programming, making them more accessible for business users and non-technical professionals.
Can I get Google Maps data for free with these tools?
Both platforms offer free trial options:
- Apify: Provides free credits on signup, but limited functionality
- Scrap.io: Offers a 7-day free trial with 50 searches and 100 export credits
For ongoing free usage, you'd need to look into open-source alternatives like Selenium or Puppeteer, though these require significant technical expertise.
Which tool is better for large-scale Google Maps extraction?
For large-scale extraction, Scrap.io has clear advantages:
- Can extract data at country-wide scale with their Company plan
- Offers real-time data updates and duplicate removal
- Provides advanced filtering before extraction to optimize costs
- Handles up to 200 countries with standardized location inputs
Apify would require multiple API calls and more complex setup for similar scale operations.
Do these tools provide email addresses and social media data?
Yes, both tools can extract contact information:
- Apify: Requires separate APIs (Google Maps Email Extractor) for website-based contact data
- Scrap.io: Includes email extraction and social media links (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter) in a single extraction, plus additional website metadata and SEO data
Is web scraping Google Maps legal?
Web scraping publicly available data is generally legal, but you should:
- Only scrape publicly accessible information
- Respect rate limits and website terms of service
- Avoid scraping personal or protected data
- Consider the intended use of the scraped data
Both Apify and Scrap.io operate within legal frameworks and only extract publicly available information from Google Maps listings.
What about pricing - which is more cost-effective?
Pricing comparison:
- Apify: Starts at $49/month with pay-as-you-go credits for various APIs
- Scrap.io: Starts at €49/month with included export credits and all features
Scrap.io offers better value for Google Maps-specific scraping since all features are included in one plan, while Apify may require multiple API subscriptions for equivalent functionality.
Ready to try the best Apify alternative for Google Maps scraping? Start your free 7-day trial with Scrap.io and extract up to 100 businesses at no cost - no credit card required.