Best Google Maps Scrapers of 2024: Tested & Ranked- Proxyway

What is Google Maps Scraping?

Google Maps scraping is the process of extracting data from Google Maps, a service provided by Google that offers mapping, navigation, and location-based information. You can scrape different types of data like:

Business listings: details about businesses, including names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, and working hours.
Geographical data: coordinates (latitude and longitude), area boundaries, and other geographical information.
Reviews and ratings: user-generated reviews and business ratings, places of interest, and services.
Photos and images: images associated with locations and businesses.

While you can gain many insights from Google Maps scraping, it’s important to consider the platform’s rules and stick to ethical web scraping practices.

Can You Scrape Data with the Official Google Maps API?

Many platforms today offer their own APIs that can be used for web scraping. And Google is one of them. So, why shouldn’t you go the easy way and scrape information with the official tool?

First and foremost, this method is expensive. Even though you get $200 free of charge, this translates to only up to 28,000 dynamic map loads for that money. An additional 1,000 loads will cost you an extra $7, and so on.

Another downside is request limitations. Google limits up to 100 requests per second or up to 25,000 map loads per day. If you need more, you’ll need both an API key and a digital signature.

Types of Google Maps Scrapers

There are many tools to choose from when it comes to web scraping Google Maps. If you find the official API too limited, here are your options:

No-code web scrapers. Several types of no-code options are available. Usually, you buy a pre-made Google Maps template that comes with a point-and-click interface. You can also search for pre-scraped datasets, which you simply download to your device. Then, there are browser extensions you integrate with your browser – they let you click on the elements you want to scrape and download them.
General-purpose APIs. These cloud scrapers handle bot protection measures and require just a few lines of code. Even though general-purpose APIs aren’t specifically designed to scrape Google, most do the work well. These tools are categorized by their integration method: either proxy- or API-like (synchronous and asynchronous) integration.
Specialized APIs. Another method is to use APIs specifically designed for Google. These tools usually come with in-built data parsers for returning structured data from the search engine. Instead of manually constructing a URL, you can simply input a product number or search query, along with location and pagination parameters.
Custom-built web scrapers. If you have programming experience, you can build your own Google Maps scraper with programming languages like Python or Node.js. It’s the most customizable approach, but you’ll have to set up and manage anti-scraping measures yourself.

Key Features to Look for in a Google Maps Scraper

As you know, several types of tools exist to scrape Google Maps. So, what should you look for when choosing the best scraper? Here are some tips:

Ability to access Google. Specialized web scraper APIs can always access Google. However, if you choose a general-purpose one, make sure that the tool can access the search engine because some providers block access to Google.
Parsing capabilities. If you need structured data, the scraper should come with a parsing feature to extract the main data points like reviews and ratings. Most specialized search engine scrapers come with an in-built parser for Google.
Location options. Typically, proxy service providers cover global locations, but other companies offer fewer locales. Also, if you’re focused on local SEO, make sure that you can specify a particular city or even exact coordinates.
Integration methods. Web scraping APIs can integrate as an API over open connection, using webhooks, or as a proxy server. You should consider which format works best for you. For large-scale projects, the API integration allows sending many requests asynchronously.
Pricing model and modifiers. Consider the scraper’s pricing model – you can choose between traffic-based and credit-based pricing. Additionally, some providers charge extra for premium proxies or the ability to handle JavaScript.

The Best Google Maps Scrapers

1. Bright Data

The most versatile Google Maps scrapers.

9.3/10 ★

Add up to $500 to your account and get double the amount.

Pricing model: based on successful requests
Data parsing: yes
Free trial: 7 days free trial for business clients
Pricing:

– SERP API: $3/CPM
– Dataset: $0.001/record

Bright Data is a business-oriented provider that offers two tools for web scraping Google Maps.

If you don’t want to do any scraping, you can get Bright Data’s pre-built Google Maps datasets. You can retrieve data in your preferred format, like CSV, JSON, or Excel, and store the results in AWS, Google Drive, or Google Cloud Storage. Additionally, you can build your own Google Maps dataset using different filters.

For larger projects, go with Bright Data’s SERP API. It comes with an endpoint for Google maps that returns structured data with coordinate-level precision. While the documentation leans towards proxy-like integration, you can also send queries in API format and receive data in batches.

The service has an interactive playground, comprehensive documentation, and a dedicated account manager for subscription-based plans. However, as a premium provider, Bright Data is expensive.

For more information and performance tests, read our Bright Data review.

2. Oxylabs

A feature-rich Google Maps scraper.

9.3/10 ★

Use the code proxyway35 to get 35% off your first purchase.

Pricing model: based on successful requests
Data parsing: yes
Free trial: 7-day free trial with 5K results
Pricing: From $49 for 24,500 results ($2/1,000 requests)

Oxylabs is a premium proxy provider that offers a multipurpose web scraper API that can scrape Google Maps. It allows you to collect public data with geographic points from Google Maps and Google Places.

The API is one of the most feature-complete tools on this list. It allows you to target any location to coordinate levels and retrieve data directly to your Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, or in batches via webhook. You can extract up to 5,000 URLs per batch.

You can set custom parsing instructions to get structured data from Google Maps. The service comes with competent customer service, very detailed documentation, and an AI-powered assistant, and you can download a Postman collection.

For more information and performance tests, read our Oxylabs review.

3. Smartproxy

Affordable Google Maps scraper.

9.3/10 ★

Try 100 MB for free.

Pricing models: based on successful requests
Data parsing: yes
Free trial: 7 days
Pricing: from $30 for 15,000 results ($2.0/1,000 requests)

Smartproxy is the provider you should choose if you’re looking for a performant and easy-to-use Google Maps scraper.

The SERP Scraping API integrates as a proxy server. There’s an option to select countries and cities, as well as a browser and device type. You can schedule tasks and choose between raw HTML or JSON results. The tool comes with ready-made scraping templates and parsing functionality.

The service has an API playground for live testing. You can build requests, view their output, and download code snippets. Smartproxy has an award-winning customer service and one of the better documentation out there.

For more information and performance tests, read our Smartproxy review.

4. Crawlbase

Easy-to-use Google Maps scraper.

Pricing model: based on successful requests & optional features
Data parsing: no
Free trial: 1000 requests
Pricing: starts from $49/100,000 API credits. $0.3/1 request or $0.6/1 request if you enable JS

Crawlbase has a general-purpose scraper that allows you to get geographical information, map features like landmarks and business details, including ratings and categories from Google Maps.

Crawling API integrates as an HTTP API. You can export data in formats like CSV, Excel, and JSON as well as incorporate various Google SERP parameters into the URL. For example, you can request more results in a single query or specify the geolocation of your search results. There’s an option to send POST requests and interact with the page by waiting for it to load or scroll down.

Crawlbase offers a live playground for real-time testing. However, the provider covers only about 30 countries and does not offer city-level targeting.

5. Zyte API

Google Maps scraper with multiple integration methods.

8.8/10 ★

Pricing model: based on optional features
Data parsing: no
Free trial: $5 credit
Pricing: custom

Zyte API is well known for its ability to target e-commerce websites, but it can also scrape data from Google Maps.

The tool primarily integrates as an API via an open connection. Although proxy-like integration is available, it lacks browser rendering, data parsing, and session creation features. Alternatively, you can integrate the scraper via a plugin-in for Scrapy and an asyncio-based Python library.

The API can render Google Maps within a browser-like interface. In addition, enterprise clients can use TypeScript API that allows scripting browser actions within a cloud development environment, such as hovering over elements or entering individual symbols. The provider also offers a playground in the dashboard.

However, the API doesn’t include an in-built parser, and there’s a limit of 500 requests per minute. Additionally, JavaScript rendering will cost you extra.

For more information and performance tests, read our Zyte API review.

5. ScraperAPI

Google Maps scraper with a free plan.

Pricing models: based on successful requests & optional features
Data parsing: no
Free trial: 7 days with 5,000 requests
Pricing: starts from $49/100,000 API credits

ScraperAPI offers a general-purpose web scraper.

You can integrate the scraper in five ways: a proxy server, a library/SDK, two APIs (open connection and asynchronous), or using the no-code interface on the dashboard. The tool has flexible scheduling options, including CRON, and you can download scraped data in JSON. What’s more, the provider offers a free plan with 1,000 API credits per month.

ScraperAPI uses a credit-based pricing system. Keep in mind that JavaScript rendering and premium proxies will consume more credits, so prepare to spend a buck or two. We’d suggest using the API playground to check the price per request.

6. Apify

No-code Google Maps scrapers.

Pricing model: credit-based
Data parsing: yes
Free trial: a free plan with $5 platform credits is available
Pricing: monthly plans starting from $49 with $49 platform credits and 30 shared datacenter proxies.

Apify is a provider that offers no-code scrapers. You can choose between three options: Google Maps Scraper, Google Maps Data Extractor, and Google Maps Business Scraper. There’s an option to customize the templates by modifying the code or requesting a new one if needed.

You can scrape by search query, location, coordinates, or URL, targeting several places, a city, or an entire area. The scraped data comes as a dataset, and you have two options to view it – either look in the dashboard or download it in JSON, CSV, and Excel. You’ll get features like notifications when the scrape is done, different download options like JSON, CSV, Excel, and scheduling.

What sets these scrapers apart? Google Maps Scraper has the most features, but it’s slower, and the price depends on the complexity of your search. So, if datacenter proxies that are included with the plan are not enough, you’ll need to pay an additional $10/GB for residential IPs.