+7 Best Google Maps Scrapers [2024 Edition]
Shehriar Awan●
September 6, 2024
●(updated)
16 min read
Did you know Google Maps hosts detailed information on over 200 million businesses and points of interest?
The fastest and most convenient way to collect information from this vast sea of data is by using a Google Maps scraper.
But with so many options out there, how do you choose the best one?
That’s exactly what we’re going to explore.
In this article, I'll share the best Google Maps scrapers of 2024, and help you find the perfect tool for your needs.
But what exactly is a Google Maps scraper?
What is a Google Maps scraper?
A web scraper, also known as a crawler, spider, or bot, is a tool that automatically collects data from websites.
It mimics how a person would browse the internet, but it does so much faster and can handle large amounts of data.
Google Maps Scraper is a type of web scraper that focuses on Google Maps.
It automatically pulls information like business names, addresses, phone numbers, websites, and reviews from Google Maps.
This helps you quickly gather a lot of location-based data for various purposes without doing it manually.
But what are the use cases of a Google Maps scraper?
Why scrape Google Maps?
We all know the short answer to this question – to collect business information from Google Maps listings.
But what data and why do people need that data?
Well individually, there are unlimited use cases. Like mr. u/ForevermoreNow wants to collect URLs of Google business sites in his area.
But the most common purpose of scraping Google Maps listings is – lead generation.
For example, mr. u/Whatasave91 wants to create a leads database of tree cutting businesses nationwide, with their contact information.
Similarly mr. u/RaceOriginal wants to collect service-based business leads.
Besides lead generation and creating business/places directories, people also use Google Maps scrapers for:
- Market research and competitive analysis
- Location-based decision making
- Real estate insights
But is it legal to scrape Google Maps?
Is scraping Google Maps legal?
It’s a really common question, not just about Google Maps but web scraping in general.
But like my relationship status, the answer to this question is also “Complicated”.
The honest answer is Google doesn’t like it, they’ve strictly forbidden any kind of scraping in their terms of use.
The reasons are pretty genuine.
- It increases their server costs
- It decreases revenues for their own product i.e. Places API
- It increases competitive intensity in their market
But does that mean it's illegal?
That’s the fun part. It’s completely legal to scrape publicly available data as per the ruling by U.S. Ninth Circuit of Appeal in LinkedIn vs HiQ case.
When it comes to web scraping in the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a key law that must be followed.
Though GDPR doesn’t specifically restrict the collection of public data, it lays out important rules on how this data can be collected and used.
- Data must be processed legally and fairly
- Collect data only for clear and legitimate reasons
- Only gather the data you really need
- You must have a valid reason to process any personal data
- People can access, correct, or delete their data, even if it’s public
- Public data must be kept safe from unauthorized access or loss
We already have an in-depth article on this topic. Do check out Is scraping legal on Google Maps for more understanding.
In simple words, since Google Maps listings is publicly available data, it’s fully legal to collect it.
But is it possible to collect data from millions of Google Maps listings? 🤔
Let’s discuss how it works.
Is it possible to scrape Google Maps?
Yes, you can collect Google Maps listings data using any of the following 3 methods.
Let’s have a quick look at each method.
Can I code my own Google Maps scraper?
Yes, it’s possible, and all existing scrapers were coded by someone.
If you’re into programming, you can do it using Python with libraries like requests, bs4, lxml, or selenium.
But there are 3 major problems.
- Complexity
- Maintenance
- Expenses
Google Maps has a complicated web structure, making extracting the data you need very hard.
It uses API requests to fetch data in the background, so you must figure out these requests and correctly handle the responses.
Even if you manage that, Google’s CAPTCHAs can block automated access.
Too many requests in a short time will trigger them, and bypassing CAPTCHAs is another challenge.
You can read more about these challenges in our practical tutorial on how to scrape Google Maps with Python.
Even if you build a working scraper, Google frequently changes its structure and APIs, meaning you’ll have to regularly update your code to keep it working.
Costs can also pile up. You’ll need proxies, cloud servers, and CAPTCHA solutions, making it expensive to operate long-term.
Another option is the officially endorsed one i.e. using Google Maps official API.
Is Google Maps API the best option?
Google offers the Places API for getting data from Google Maps. It gives you most of the information you need about business listings.
But is it the best option?
If you’re willing to spend a lot, it might be worth a try. The Places API is expensive, costing at least $17 for 1,000 requests.
Even if you’re okay with the cost, the documentation is tough to navigate. After the recent update, finding the right parameters feels like solving a puzzle.
You can also use 3rd party Google Maps APIs, but you’ll still need programming skills and a lot of manual work to build a scraper.
For non-programmers, the best choice is to use a ready-made, no-code tool.
Now back to the question I raised in the beginning, how to choose the best no-code scraper for Google Maps?
How I found the best Google Maps Scrapers?
There are literally hundreds of scrapers available online. Some of them work, some are just abandoned github projects.
Finding the best ones without set parameters is like finding a needle in a haystack.
So, I started reading user complaints in different communities and support forums. After doing some research, I identified 4 common pain points.
- Speed
- Ease of use
- Cost
- Scalability
So I used these as benchmarks for testing all the scrapers, and here’s my ultimate list of best Google Maps scrapers of 2024.
7 Best Google Maps Scrapers of 2024
| Google Maps Scraper | Type | Speed per min | Data attributes | Cost per 1k results | Is scalable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lobstr.io 🏆 | Cloud | 200 | 35+ | $0.026 | ✅ |
| Outscraper | Cloud | 15 | 40+ | $1 | ✅ |
| Hasdata | Cloud | 200 | 15+ | $0.25 | ✅ |
| Apify | Cloud | Uncertain | 30+ | $12 | ✅ |
| GMaps Extractor | Chrome Extension | 20 | 25+ | $0.2 | ❌ |
| Mapsscraper.com | Chrome Extension | Uncertain | 10+ | Uncertain | ❌ |
| Octoparse | Desktop Software | 100 | 25+ | $0.5 | ❌ |
1. Lobstr.io
Lobstr.io is a French data scraping SaaS company offering 20+ ready-made scrapers including Google Maps Search Export.
Ease of use
Lobstr.io comes with a really simple and user-friendly interface. There are no complicated and nerdy settings.
It literally takes 2 minutes to set up and launch a scraper on Lobstr.io.
You only have to do a Google Maps search, copy and paste URL in Lobstr.io, and launch your scraper.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to scrape Google Maps listings using Lobstr.io.
Or you can select the Use params feature to target a specific city or region.
Select your parameters and the scraper will automatically collect all Google Maps listings from your targeted area.
Speed
Lobstr.io is the fastest scraper of this list. It can collect 200 listings per minute, and this is just the basic speed.
You can increase the speed up to 40X by increasing the concurrency.
Features
- It’s cloud based, no installation required
- Collects 35+ data attributes from every listing
- Enriches data with business emails and social links
- Support scheduling for repeated data collection
- Offers direct export to Google Sheets and Amazon S3
- Provides a developer-ready API
Pricing
- $1 per 1000 results with emails
- $0.026 per 1000 results without emails
Scalability
Lobstr.io is not only the fastest but also the most scalable Google Maps scraper in the market. You can collect up to 21.6 million listings with the enterprise plan.
That’s not all, you can collect even more with a custom plan.
If you want to collect Google reviews, Lobstr.io also offers a Google Maps Reviews Scraper.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Free plan won’t allow downloading data |
| Super fast | Payment in EUR only |
| Collects emails and social links | |
| Collects all business info including reviews | |
| Affordable pricing | |
| Supports area-wise targeting |
Best for
Individuals and businesses of all sizes looking for lead generation, market research, competitor analysis and data collection at scale.
2. Outscraper
Outscraper is a US-based data scraping company offering a variety of no-code scrapers including one Google Maps Data Scraper.
Ease of use
Outscraper has a bit cluttered but easy to use interface. You can either select categories and locations from the menu or add plain queries.
Some features are not available in the main setup page like you’ll find schedule option in the tasks page not in the setup menu.
Speed
It’s hard to calculate the speed as the free trial is technically non-existent. You have to load at least $10 to use the scraper.
But as per rough estimates, it takes 7 to 25 minutes to scrape 1000 listings, which means the average speed of Outscraper is 15 results per minute.
Features
- Cloud-based
- Scrapes 40+ data attributes
- Provides email and social links
- Exports data to CSV, Excel, JSON
- Offers scheduling
- Offers API access
Pricing
- $1 per 1000 results without emails
- $2 per 1000 results with emails
Scalability
Like Lobstr.io, Outscraper is also scalable. You can scrape millions of local business listings using the Google Maps Scraper.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy to use | Slow |
| Offers emails and social links | No real free tier |
| Supports area-based targeting | |
| Offers email verification | |
| Affordable pricing |
Best for
If you’re looking for email verification along with enrichment, Outscraper is for you. It’s suitable for businesses of all sizes.
3. Hasdata
Hasdata (formerly Scrape-it) is a US-based data scraping company offering 20+ no-code scrapers including Google Maps Scraper.
Ease of use
Hasdata offers a very simple, minimalistic, one page menu. You can enter a search query and location and you’re ready to extract data.
Unlike the first 2 scrapers, you can’t add URLs or plain queries in Hasdata. The UI is too basic and doesn’t offer a lot of features.
Speed
It’s super fast. While the speed varies for each task but on an average, you can collect up to 200 results per minute using Hasdata.
Features
- Cloud-based
- Supports city-based targeting
- Scrapes 15 data attributes
- Collects emails and phone
- Supports data export to CSV, Excel, JSON
- Provides API access
Pricing
- $0.25 per 1000 results without emails
- $0.83 per 1000 results with emails
Scalability
With high volume plans, you can scrape up to 20 million results and it’s even more scalable with a custom plan.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Super fast | No schedule |
| Provides emails and phone numbers | Less data points |
| Affordable | No social links |
| Supports city and zip code targeting |
Best for
It’s best for local SEO, lead generation, and competitor research. Hasdata is suitable for businesses of all sizes.
4. Apify
Apify is a Czech company that mainly provides developers with a cloud hosting solution for their scraping tools. It also manages some scrapers like Google Maps Extractor.
Ease of use
Apify’s interface looks a little nerdy but it’s fully packed with useful features and technical configurations.
But if you pay little attention, it accepts URLs and also allows you to target specific locations and keywords.
This can be intimidating for new users and from a UI point of view, Apify falls behind other scrapers.
Speed
Since it’s a paid scraper, I was unable to test the speed but Apify’s crawlers are typically fast and you can also increase the speed by increasing RAM allocation.
Features
- Cloud-based
- Scrape 30+ data points
- Supports scheduling
- Export data to multiple formats
- Multiple 3rd party integrations
- Scrapes reviews too
- Provides API access
Pricing
- $12 per 1000 results without emails
- Additional charges for resources used
Scalability
It’s a scalable tool but quite expensive for small businesses. You can also use related scrapers available in the Apify store to enrich data.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cloud based | No emails |
| Well-documented API access | Too expensive |
| Offers scheduling | Uncertain speed |
| Collects all vital data points | |
| User friendly interface | |
| Supports multiple input options | |
| Multiple export formats and integrations |
Best for
Apify is great for medium and large sized businesses. Its expensive pricing and additional costs makes it unsuitable for small businesses and individual use.
5. GMaps Extractor
GMaps Extractor is a relatively new company from unknown region, offering multiple chrome extensions for different Google Maps tasks including a data extractor.
Ease of use
It’s not available in the Chrome Web Store so you have to install it manually, which indeed is a complicated process.
Except for the installation part, scraping data with this extension is easy. You only need to search for a keyword in Google Maps and launch this extension.
Speed
Since it’s not a cloud-based scraper, the speed typically depends on your system specs and internet connection speed.
During my testing, I was able to scrape 20 to 30 results per minute at max but again, the speed keeps changing.
Features
- Scrapes 25+ data attributes
- Collects emails and social links
- Exports data to Excel
- Provides API access
Pricing
- $0.2 per 1000 results with emails
Scalability
It’s not as scalable as cloud-based scrapers because you have to keep your system running to scrape results. It’s good for basic data collection.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Collects emails and social media | No schedule |
| Collects almost all required business info | Not cloud-based |
| Affordable pricing | Complicated installation |
| Not scalable | |
| Slow |
Best for
It’s best for individual use and small businesses who don’t have a lot of data to scrape. Can be used for cold outreach.
6. Maps-Scraper.com
MapsScraper.com is another Chrome extension for scraping Google Maps listings. It’s similar to GMaps Extractor in workflow, interface, and many other aspects.
Ease of use
Just like GMaps Extractor, Maps Scraper is also not listed in the Chrome Web Store. You’ll have to go through the same complicated process to install it.
After installing, again repeat the same GMaps Extractor process to extract data from Google Maps.
Speed
Again, since it’s not a cloud-based scraper, the speed depends on your internet speed and system specs.
But it’s a little faster compared to GMaps Extractor. The only problem is, it doesn’t scrape any results sometimes.
Features
- Scrapes 10+ data attributes
- Collects emails and phone numbers
- Export data to CSV, Excel, JSON
Pricing
- All plans offer unlimited data collection
Scalability
It’s not at all a scalable solution and not suitable for large data collection jobs. You can use it to save your time by automating listings export to a spreadsheet.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No limit on data collection | Uncertain speed |
| Can extract emails and social links | Not scalable |
| Collects all vital details about a business | Not enough data points |
| Affordable pricing | Complex installation process |
Best for
It’s good for individual use and small scale projects. You can use it for collecting leads for your cold outreach campaigns.
7. Octoparse
Octoparse is a US-based web scraping company offering a visual scraping desktop application with multiple scraping templates including one for Google Maps too.
Ease of use
Octoparse requires you to install a desktop app to run the scraper. Once you have the software installed, you can either configure a scraper or use a template.
Templates are pre-configured automations where you only add your input and they do the rest for you.
For Google Maps, you can use Google Maps Scraper and Google Maps Email Finder templates in Octoparse.
Speed
Octoparse, despite being a desktop software, runs in the cloud. Its average speed is around 100 to 120 results per minute.
But CAPTCHAs can be a big problem and reduce the speed significantly. Adding proxies to the plan makes the tool super expensive.
Features
- Cloud-based
- Auto-zooming for more leads
- 25+ data attributes
- Scheduling
- Multiple export options
- API access
- Visual scraping for real-time data collection
Pricing
- $0.5 per 1000 results with emails
- Additional cost for CAPTCHA bypass and proxies
Scalability
Honestly, not scalable due to the CAPTCHA problem. Even with a premium plan, the CAPTCHA solver doesn’t work properly and makes the scraping process super slow.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Cloud-based | Slow with CAPTCHA solving on |
| Visual scraping functionality | Expensive due to additional costs |
| Easy to use interface | Not scalable |
| Collects emails and social links | |
| Collects all vital data points |
Best for
It’s good for medium sized businesses who need a customizable data scraper to collect leads and other business data.
Not suitable for individuals due to high costs and bigger businesses due to lack of scalability.
Conclusion
This was my list of tried and tested Google Maps scraping tools ranked based on cost, ease of use, scalability, and speed.
Do try our Google Maps Search Export and make data extraction from Google Maps easy, fast, and seamless.
Shehriar Awan Self-proclaimed Head of Content @ lobstr.io. I write all those awesome how-tos, listicles, and (they deserve) troll our competitors.
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