Google Maps is a free and vast database. Literally, I mean just look at this business page - it has everything to seduce you. And if that page includes a website, there is even a chance you will find an email address. At this point, I'm ready to propose!
But here is a catch: to get this data, you could copy and paste it manually until your last breath. Literally, do the math - there are 86,400 seconds in a day and over 200 million leads on Google Maps. This might take a while.
So maybe, just maybe, it's better to automate the extraction process with a Google Maps scraper tool. And among the lead generation tools for Google Maps scraping, two stand out: LeadStal and Scrap.io. How do they work? Can they fetch email addresses? Can they handle large scale scraping?
Today we are comparing LeadStal and Scrap.io to help you find the best LeadStal alternative for your lead generation needs.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Tools: LeadStal vs Scrap.io
- LeadStal Google Maps Scraper Walkthrough
- LeadStal Features and Export Capabilities
- Scrap.io Platform Overview
- Categories and Search Functionality
- Advanced Filtering Options
- Export Process and Data Richness
- Scaling Up: The Power of Large Extractions
- The Hidden Truth About Google Maps Scraper Limitations
- Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Google Maps Lead Generation Tool
- Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding the Tools: LeadStal vs Scrap.io - Google Maps Data Scraper Comparison
Let's start with the basics - meaning what exactly are LeadStal and Scrap.io? First thing I'd like to do is to check the landing pages, they usually give us some clues.
For LeadStal, we get "lead generation, data scraping and extractor tools for everyone." For Scrap.io, we get "Google Maps list generator."
All right, let's dig a little deeper and look at LeadStal's tools tab. We notice something important - tools with an "S." Scrap.io, on the other hand, has one and only one tool. Which means one thing: we cannot compare LeadStal and Scrap.io as complete platforms. Instead, we have to compare LeadStal's Google Maps scraper and Scrap.io.
Now that we have cleared that up, let's jump into the tutorial.
LeadStal Google Maps Scraper Walkthrough: Chrome Extension Review
All right, ladies and gentlemen, where do we start? We can start with LeadStal.com. So I click on tools and let's try Google Maps scraper. So far so good - so it's a Chrome extension, so I add it to Chrome. It will be a good start.
"Download the latest extension package..." Okay, I download the extension in zip format, then unpack the files into their own directory. Uhhuh, okay, I think I got it. I do a right-click here and I extract all... extract. It seems like I've successfully unzipped the file.
What's next? "In Chrome, navigate to Chrome extensions." I think I can do that. "Enable the developer mode and click the load unpacked, then select the gmap lead generation folder." Sure - the developer mode, load unpacked, and I select my file and boom, it's done. They said it themselves!
All right, I think it's time to give it a try. So let's go for a Google Maps query and I can click and generate leads. Okay, so the tool directly scrapes on the browser. It scrolls down to the bottom of the page, one bit at a time, and each time it clicks on the listing page in order to scrape the detailed page, which is a page we can see behind the popup.
Fifteen leads - that shall do. I click on stop and I click on view results, and here is my database.
LeadStal Features and Export Capabilities
What about the filters? Social media links, if the company has been verified, phone number, email, websites, ratings... okay. And if I want to export the file, let's go for Excel.
Title, website, email, phone number, category, address, total... but total of what? Okay, it was total reviews split into positive reviews and negative reviews, the rating, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, coordinates, and subtitle - whatever that means.
Okay, maybe we can do it with Scrap.io. Let's give it a try. By the way, by clicking the link in the description, you can get your first 100 leads free of charge.
Scrap.io Platform Overview: The Best Free Google Maps Scraper Alternative
Once I've created an account, I can directly go to my dashboard, and this is the place where I can make all my requests. As you can see, things are pretty straightforward here. The browser is not needed - we don't have to directly type our own request, our own query. Instead, we do things like this.
Each request is divided into two parts: the activity part and the location criteria. And location criteria itself is divided into four parts: country, level one division, level two division, and city.
If we take the United States as an example, level one division is represented by states, and level two division by counties. Why have we decided to call them this way? It's because the term "level one" and "level two division" obviously depend on the country you are living in, right? Or simply on the country you are targeting.
Categories and Search Functionality
Among the activities, we have access to more than 4,000 different categories. These are the official Google Maps categories. So let's go for restaurant. Let's go for another country - United States. I can directly type it here, and as a city, Nashville.
Maybe I can make things even more accurate because maybe in the US we can find several cities with Nashville as a name, so I can specify Tennessee here and as a city, Nashville. And if I click on search, I have an overview of how many results I can retrieve.
But that's not all - I can filter my database: essential filters or advanced filters.
Advanced Filtering Options
If establishments are permanently closed, if they include a website or phone number, email, social media links, main activity only... Every establishment can include multiple categories, multiple activities. The point is that you have to set up one main activity, but you also have the choice to set up multiple subcategories.
So if I check "main activity only - yes," it means I only want to gather restaurants - true restaurants, not like hotels which can also make restaurant, or cafes which can also be considered as a restaurant. No.
For the advanced filters: Google Maps listing claimed - if the owner has claimed his company on Google, if he has created a Google business profile, rating, number of reviews, number of photos, contact form on website, or ad pixel.
Let's say closed permanently: no, with an email address, and a rating above three out of five stars. Click on filter and voilà! All that remains to do is to export your data, and you can even set up an export lines limit if you want to.
Export Process and Data Richness
Once it's done, you can check all the exports you have done so far within your "my exports" tab, and let's download a file in CSV or Excel format.
Here we go: Google ID, name, description, is closed permanently, all types, websites, phone number, full address - which is divided into different subtypes - coordinates, the links, the owner name, owner ID, place ID, email address, social media links, first seen, price range, reviews, reviews rating, reviews per score, photos, photos occupancy, working hours, characteristics...
SEO-related data if the company has got a website, of course: website title, meta keywords, meta description, meta image, meta generator, additional email addresses if available, additional contact pages if available, and additional social media links if available. And we end up with website technologies, website ad pixels.
So overall, we have access to a more comprehensive dataset.
Scaling Up: The Power of Large Extractions
But what's more is that we can scale things up. As you can see, usually I was only doing some demo extractions, but I can perfectly get thousands of leads or tens of thousands of leads if I want to.
Here was a database related to restaurants in the US with a Facebook account, I assume. And here was a file with all restaurants in France. And as you can see, it's quite a lot of data rows. And the point is that it's very easy to do that.
Depending on my plan, I can scrape data based on a city, but also based on a country, based on a state, but also based on an entire country. So I can perfectly get all restaurants in the United States in just a couple of clicks, and it's quite a huge number.
The Hidden Truth About Google Maps Scraper Limitations
To wrap things up, I have a confession to make. I lied to you at the very beginning of this video. I said Google Maps is a free and vast database. Well, that's not entirely true.
For example, if you type a super generic query on Google, you technically get millions of results - technically. But in reality, you can't go past page 30. Same thing on Google Maps: search for bars in Paris and you will get a list of 120 places max. And trust me, there are way more than 120 bars in Paris - I speak from experience!
In other words, just because Google Maps has 200 million business leads doesn't mean you can access all of them through your browser. And that is exactly LeadStal's biggest limitation - it scrapes directly through your browser.
Scrap.io, on the other hand, doesn't have that issue, which is why large-scale extractions work just as smoothly as small ones.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Best Google Maps Lead Generation Tool
So if you want to give it a try at Scrap.io, you will get your first 100 leads free of charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Google Maps be scraped legally?
Yes, scraping publicly available data from Google Maps is generally legal, as demonstrated in the video comparison between LeadStal and Scrap.io. Both tools access publicly displayed business information. However, it's important to respect Google's terms of service and use scraped data responsibly for legitimate business purposes like lead generation.
Is Google Maps scraper free to use?
Both tools offer different pricing models. LeadStal operates as a Chrome extension with browser-based limitations, while Scrap.io offers a free tier with 100 leads to get started. As François mentions in the video, you can "get your first 100 leads free of charge" with Scrap.io, making it an excellent free Google Maps scraper to test.
What's the difference between LeadStal and Scrap.io?
The main difference is that LeadStal is a Chrome extension that scrapes directly through your browser, limiting you to about 120 results per search due to Google Maps UI constraints. Scrap.io is a web-based platform that bypasses browser limitations, allowing large-scale extractions of thousands of leads from entire countries, states, or regions.
How do I scrape data from Google Maps effectively?
According to François's demonstration, the most effective method is using a dedicated platform like Scrap.io that offers:
- Access to over 4,000 official Google Maps categories
- Advanced filtering options (rating, claimed profiles, contact forms)
- Country, state, and city-level targeting
- Export to CSV/Excel with comprehensive data fields
- No browser limitations for large-scale extractions
Which tool is better for large-scale lead generation?
Scrap.io clearly wins for large-scale operations. As shown in the video, while LeadStal is limited by browser constraints (maximum 120 results), Scrap.io can extract "all restaurants in France" or "all restaurants in the United States" in just a couple of clicks, making it the superior choice for serious lead generation campaigns.
What data can I extract from Google Maps?
Both tools extract comprehensive business data including:
- Basic info: Name, address, phone number, website
- Google Maps data: Ratings, reviews, photos, hours, coordinates
- Contact details: Email addresses, social media profiles
- SEO data (Scrap.io only): Meta descriptions, website technologies, additional contact pages
- Advanced metrics (Scrap.io only): First seen date, price range, claimed status
Is LeadStal a good alternative to other Google Maps scrapers?
Based on François's analysis, LeadStal works well for small-scale, quick extractions but has significant limitations. For users seeking the best LeadStal alternative, Scrap.io offers superior scalability, more comprehensive data extraction, and no browser-imposed limits, making it the preferred choice for professional lead generation.
How much does Google Maps scraping cost?
While specific pricing wasn't detailed in the video, both tools offer different approaches:
- LeadStal: Chrome extension model with browser limitations
- Scrap.io: Offers free trial with 100 leads, then scales based on usage
The key is that Scrap.io's ability to extract unlimited data makes it more cost-effective for large-scale operations compared to LeadStal's limited browser-based approach.