# Google Maps Area Scanner (`crawlerbros/google-maps-area-scanner`) Actor

Comprehensive geographic area scanner that bypasses Google Maps' 120-place limit using grid-based systematic coverage. Supports polygon, circle, and bounding box inputs for complete market mapping and saturation analysis.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-area-scanner.md
- **Developed by:** [Crawler Bros](https://apify.com/crawlerbros) (community)
- **Categories:** Real estate, Other, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 10 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 5.00 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

from $3.00 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Google Maps Area Scanner

Comprehensive geographic area scanner that bypasses Google Maps' 120-place result limit. Perfect for complete market mapping, competitor analysis, and saturation studies.

### What It Does

Google Maps typically limits search results to 120 places. This actor overcomes that limitation by:

1. Dividing your target area into a grid of smaller zones
2. Searching each zone independently
3. Combining and deduplicating all results
4. Returning comprehensive coverage of the entire area

### Input Options

You must provide **one** geographic area definition:

#### Bounding Box (Recommended)

Define a rectangular area using coordinates:

- `north` - Northern latitude boundary
- `south` - Southern latitude boundary
- `east` - Eastern longitude boundary
- `west` - Western longitude boundary

#### Circle

Define a circular area:

- `circleCenter` - Center point with `lat` and `lng`
- `radiusKm` - Radius in kilometers

#### GeoJSON Polygon

For irregular shapes, provide a GeoJSON Polygon with coordinates.

### Input Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|----------|---------|-------------|
| Search Query | Yes | pharmacy | What to search for (pharmacy, restaurant, hotel, etc.) |
| Bounding Box | One of three | - | Rectangular area coordinates |
| Circle Center | One of three | - | Center point for circular search |
| Radius (km) | No | 5 | Circle radius in kilometers |
| Custom Geolocation | One of three | - | GeoJSON Polygon |
| Zoom Level | No | 15 | Grid detail level (12-18). Higher = more thorough |
| Max Places Per Cell | No | 120 | Maximum results per grid cell |
| Deduplicate Results | No | true | Remove duplicate places |
| Proxy Configuration | No | Apify Proxy | Recommended for reliable scraping |

#### Zoom Level Guide

| Zoom | Cell Size | Best For |
|------|-----------|----------|
| 12 | ~5 km | Large rural areas, quick overview |
| 13 | ~2.5 km | Suburban regions |
| 14 | ~1.25 km | Mixed urban/suburban |
| **15** | **~625 m** | **Recommended - balanced coverage** |
| 16 | ~312 m | Dense urban areas |
| 17 | ~156 m | Very dense areas |
| 18 | ~78 m | Maximum detail |

### Output Fields

Each business result includes:

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| name | Business name |
| rating | Star rating (1-5) |
| review\_count | Number of reviews |
| category | Business type |
| address | Full street address |
| phone | Phone number with country code |
| website | Business website URL |
| description | Business description (when available) |
| price\_level | Price indicator ($, $$, $$$) when available |
| place\_id | Google Maps unique identifier |
| plus\_code | Google Plus Code location |
| latitude | Geographic latitude |
| longitude | Geographic longitude |
| images | Array of image URLs |
| url | Direct Google Maps link |
| scraped\_at | Timestamp of extraction |
| searchGridCell | Grid cell metadata (row, col, bounds, center) |

### Example Use Cases

- **Market Research**: Find all pharmacies in a city district
- **Competitor Analysis**: Map all restaurants in a neighborhood
- **Site Selection**: Analyze business density for new locations
- **Lead Generation**: Extract contact details for businesses in an area

### Tips for Best Results

1. **Start with a small test area** to verify the search query returns expected results
2. **Use zoom level 15** for most use cases - good balance of coverage and speed
3. **Enable proxy** for reliable scraping without rate limits
4. **Keep deduplication on** to avoid counting businesses twice

### Limitations

- Results depend on Google Maps data availability
- Some business details (description, price level) may not be available for all listings
- Large areas with high zoom levels will take longer to process

### 🗺️ Complete Google Maps Scraper Suite

This actor is part of a comprehensive Google Maps data extraction toolkit by **crawlerbros**. All actors run on the free Apify plan, use no proxy by default, and return clean, structured data.

| Actor | What it does |
|---|---|
| 🏢 [Google Maps Business Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-scraper) | Extract business data — name, address, phone, website, rating, reviews, hours, amenities |
| ⭐ [Google Maps Reviews Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-reviews-scraper) | Scrape reviews with reviewer Local Guide level, photos, mentioned items, owner replies |
| 📸 [Google Maps Photos Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-photos) | Extract all photos from any place — max-resolution URLs, contributor info, categories |
| 🕐 [Google Maps Business Hours Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-business-hours) | Full 7-day hours, timezone, current local time, next open/close, holiday hours |
| 📊 [Google Maps Popular Times Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-popular-times) | Busy hours histogram for all 7 days + current busyness + typical visit time |
| 📧 [Google Maps Email Extractor](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-email-extractor) | Find business emails + social media links by crawling websites |
| 💼 [Google Maps Leads Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-leads) | B2B lead generation with email + phone enrichment, US states + global countries |
| 🤖 [Google Maps MCP Server](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-mcp) | Unified MCP server combining search + reviews for AI assistants |
| 🧭 [Google Maps Directions Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-directions) | A→B routing — distance, duration, traffic, route alternatives for driving/walking/transit |
| 📍 [Google Maps Geocoding Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-geocoding) | Bidirectional geocoding — address ↔ coordinates, with address components |
| 🔗 [Google Maps Similar Places Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-similar-places) | "People also search for" / related place discovery — competitor & alternative finder |
| 🍽️ [Google Maps Menu Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-menu) | Restaurant menu items, prices, descriptions, photos |
| 📌 [Google Maps Nearby Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-nearby) | Find places near a coordinate point — lightweight POI search by category |
| 📋 [Google Maps Place List Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-place-list) | Extract Google's curated "Top X in Y" lists — best hotels/restaurants/things to do |
| 🌍 [Google Maps Timezone Scraper](https://apify.com/crawlerbros/google-maps-timezone) | IANA timezone + current local time from coordinates |

# Actor input Schema

## `searchQuery` (type: `string`):

Type of business to search for (e.g., 'pharmacy', 'restaurant', 'dentist').

## `locationName` (type: `string`):

Name of a city, neighborhood, or region to automatically geocode (e.g., 'Brooklyn, NY'). If set, overrides boundingBox/circleCenter.

## `boundingBox` (type: `object`):

Geographic bounding box defining the scan area. Provide north/south/east/west coordinates.

## `circleCenter` (type: `object`):

Center point for a circular scan area. Use with radiusKm.

## `radiusKm` (type: `number`):

Radius in kilometers for circular scan area (used with circleCenter).

## `customGeolocation` (type: `object`):

Custom GeoJSON Polygon defining the scan boundary.

## `zoomLevel` (type: `integer`):

Controls grid cell granularity. Higher = smaller cells, more thorough coverage.

## `maxPlacesPerCell` (type: `integer`):

Maximum businesses to collect from each grid cell (Google Maps max is 120).

## `maxTotalResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum total businesses to extract across all cells. Stops scanning when reached.

## `deduplicateResults` (type: `boolean`):

Remove duplicate businesses that appear in multiple adjacent grid cells.

## `minRating` (type: `number`):

Only include businesses with a rating at or above this value (1.0–5.0). Leave empty to include all.

## `language` (type: `string`):

Language for Google Maps interface and results.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Proxy settings. Apify Proxy AUTO is recommended.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchQuery": "pharmacy",
  "boundingBox": {
    "north": 40.761,
    "south": 40.756,
    "east": -73.983,
    "west": -73.988
  },
  "radiusKm": 5,
  "zoomLevel": 15,
  "maxPlacesPerCell": 3,
  "maxTotalResults": 5,
  "deduplicateResults": true,
  "language": "en",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchQuery": "pharmacy",
    "boundingBox": {
        "north": 40.761,
        "south": 40.756,
        "east": -73.983,
        "west": -73.988
    },
    "zoomLevel": 15,
    "maxPlacesPerCell": 3,
    "maxTotalResults": 5,
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": true
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("crawlerbros/google-maps-area-scanner").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchQuery": "pharmacy",
    "boundingBox": {
        "north": 40.761,
        "south": 40.756,
        "east": -73.983,
        "west": -73.988,
    },
    "zoomLevel": 15,
    "maxPlacesPerCell": 3,
    "maxTotalResults": 5,
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("crawlerbros/google-maps-area-scanner").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchQuery": "pharmacy",
  "boundingBox": {
    "north": 40.761,
    "south": 40.756,
    "east": -73.983,
    "west": -73.988
  },
  "zoomLevel": 15,
  "maxPlacesPerCell": 3,
  "maxTotalResults": 5,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}' |
apify call crawlerbros/google-maps-area-scanner --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,crawlerbros/google-maps-area-scanner"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Fcm5KLia0amPWs3NJ/builds/mazyShXcPFOmkwOYr/openapi.json