TL;DR
Use the Google Maps Scraper to extract business data. Takes 5 minutes to set up. No coding needed. 237,000+ users trust this tool.
What You Will Get
The Google Maps Scraper extracts these data points from any business listing:
- Basic info: Business name, address, phone number, website
- Ratings: Star rating, total review count, review breakdown
- Details: Opening hours, price level, categories
- Media: Photos, owner responses to reviews
- Location: GPS coordinates, plus codes
EXAMPLE OUTPUT
Joe's Coffee Shop
123 Main St, Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 555-0123 | joescoffee.com
4.7 stars (234 reviews) | $$ | Open until 8 PM
Before You Start
You need two things:
- A free Apify account. Sign up at apify.com. Takes 30 seconds. No credit card required.
- A search query. Know what you want to find. Examples: "dentists in Chicago" or "restaurants near Times Square".
You get $5 in free credits each month. This is enough to scrape about 1,000 businesses.
Step 1: Open the Google Maps Scraper
Go to the Google Maps Scraper on Apify. Click the yellow "Try for free" button. This opens the actor console where you enter your settings.
The console has a form on the left and documentation on the right. You only need to fill in a few fields.
Step 2: Enter Your Search Query
Find the "Search terms" field. This is where you tell the scraper what to look for.
Good search queries:
- "plumbers in Austin, TX" (location + profession)
- "pizza restaurants Manhattan" (food type + area)
- "hotels near LAX airport" (business type + landmark)
Bad search queries:
- "businesses" (too vague)
- "good restaurants" (subjective)
Be specific. The more precise your query, the better your results.
Step 3: Set Your Limits
Find the "Maximum number of places" field. This controls how many results you get.
| Places | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | ~$0.40 | 2-3 min |
| 500 | ~$2.00 | 5-10 min |
| 1,000 | ~$4.00 | 10-15 min |
Start with 100 places for your first run. You can always run it again with more.
Step 4: Run the Scraper
Click the green "Start" button at the bottom of the form. The scraper begins working.
You will see a progress screen. It shows:
- How many places have been scraped
- Current status and any errors
- Estimated time remaining
Wait for the status to change to "Succeeded". This usually takes 2-15 minutes depending on how many places you requested.
Step 5: Export Your Data
When the run finishes, click the "Export" button. Choose your format:
- CSV: Opens in Excel, Google Sheets. Best for most users.
- JSON: For developers and automated workflows.
- Excel: Native .xlsx file with formatting.
Your download starts automatically. Open the file to see your data.
Common Questions
Q: Is scraping Google Maps legal?
A: Scraping publicly available business data is generally legal. You are accessing the same information anyone can see on Google Maps. Do not scrape personal data or use the data to harass businesses.
Q: How accurate is the data?
A: The scraper extracts data directly from Google Maps. Accuracy depends on how current Google's listings are. Most business info is reliable. Phone numbers and hours may be outdated for some listings.
Q: Can I scrape reviews too?
A: Yes. Enable the "Include reviews" option. Each review costs extra. You get the review text, star rating, author name, and date.
Q: What if I need more than 1,000 places?
A: Run multiple searches. Split your area into smaller regions. For example, instead of "dentists in California", search each city separately.
Next Steps
Now that you have your data:
- Clean it. Remove duplicates and irrelevant results.
- Enrich it. Add email addresses using an email finder tool.
- Use it. Import into your CRM, create a mailing list, or analyze the market.
Need to run this regularly? Set up a scheduled run to get fresh data daily or weekly.