# AutoTrader Car Listings Scraper (`parseforge/autotrader-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes AutoTrader.com vehicle listings by ZIP code with full filters or a direct search URL. Returns each listing as a flat row with price, mileage, year, VIN, dealer details, and vehicle history flags.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/autotrader-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce, Other, Automation
- **Stats:** 59 total users, 8 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 2 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $23.99 / 1,000 result items

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
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

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### AutoTrader Car Listings Scraper

**Scrape AutoTrader car listings by ZIP code, make, model, or any search URL, up to a million per run.** Every listing returns price, mileage, year, VIN, dealer info, and vehicle history. No login or API key. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

AutoTrader's website is built for manual browsing, not bulk data collection. This Actor reads the public search results directly, applying your exact filters for make, model, price, mileage, year, body style, and more, then returns each matching listing in one consistent row. You can also paste any AutoTrader search URL from your browser and the Actor will paginate through every result.

| Who uses it | What they scrape AutoTrader for |
|---|---|
| Car dealerships | Monitor local competitor pricing and inventory for the same makes and models they sell. |
| Market researchers | Track used car price trends by region, make, and model over time. |
| Data analysts | Build datasets of vehicle listings for pricing models or market analysis. |
| Car buyers | Compare every listing matching their exact criteria across a wide radius. |

### What it does

This Actor collects AutoTrader vehicle listings from a ZIP code search or a direct URL and returns each car as a flat row with its full details.

- 🔍 **Search by ZIP code and radius:** center your search on any US ZIP and set a distance up to 500 miles, or use 0 for nationwide.
- 🔗 **Paste a search URL:** copy any filtered AutoTrader search URL from your browser and the Actor will paginate through every page of results.
- 🏷️ **Full filter support:** narrow by make, model, trim, year range, price range, mileage, body style, drivetrain, fuel type, transmission, exterior color, seller type, deal rating, vehicle history, and keywords.
- 📊 **Structured output:** each listing is a flat row with price, mileage, year, VIN, dealer name, address, phone, and more, ready for analysis.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with AutoTrader data

**📈 Monitor competitor pricing.**

A dealership runs the Actor weekly for their ZIP code, filtered to the makes they sell, to track how local competitors price similar inventory.

**🚗 Find the best deal on a specific car.**

A buyer sets the exact make, model, trim, year range, and max mileage, then sorts by lowest price to see every matching listing within 500 miles.

**🔋 Track electric vehicle inventory.**

A researcher filters by fuel type Electric and body style SUV to count how many electric SUVs are listed in each major metro area.

**📋 Build a clean vehicle dataset.**

An analyst collects listings with a clean title and no accidents filter, then exports the data to CSV for pricing model training.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key or registration** | Scrapes the public AutoTrader search pages directly with no app setup or rate limits. |
| **Every listing detail** | Returns price, mileage, year, VIN, dealer info, vehicle history flags, and more in one row. |
| **Flexible input** | Use the built-in filter fields or paste any AutoTrader search URL from your browser. |
| **Scales to a million listings** | Paid users can collect up to 1,000,000 listings per run with automatic pagination. |

### How it compares

This Actor scrapes AutoTrader.com (US) while the competitor below is built for AutoTrader.ca (Canada). They target different markets.

| Feature | ParseForge | Autotrader Canada |
|---|---|---|
| US AutoTrader.com support | Yes | Not listed |
| Canadian AutoTrader.ca support | Not listed | Yes |
| Search by ZIP code and radius | Yes | Not listed |
| Paste a direct search URL | Yes | Not listed |
| Filter by deal rating (Good/Great Price) | Yes | Not listed |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from a ZIP code with search filters or a direct AutoTrader URL, and filters are applied as each listing is read so only matches reach your dataset. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/used-cars?zip=90210&searchRadius=50",
  "maxItems": 10,
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ],
    "apifyProxyCountry": "US"
  }
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/used-cars?zip=90210&searchRadius=50",
  "maxItems": 200,
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ],
    "apifyProxyCountry": "US"
  }
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.03199 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $3.20 |
| 1,000 results | $31.99 |
| 10,000 results | $319.90 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [AutoTrader Car Listings Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/autotrader-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to AutoTrader through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/autotrader-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results?**

Check that your filters are not too restrictive. Try broadening the year range, price range, or search radius. Also verify that the ZIP code is valid and the make/model combination exists.

**The Actor is returning fewer listings than I see on the website.**

AutoTrader sometimes shows sponsored or featured listings that are not in the standard search results. The Actor collects the organic search listings. Also check that your Max Items setting is high enough.

**I get an error about proxies or blocked requests.**

AutoTrader requires US residential proxies. Make sure your proxy configuration is set to use Apify's residential proxy group with the country set to US. The default settings handle this.

**My pasted URL is not working.**

Make sure the URL is a valid AutoTrader search results page URL from autotrader.com. It should contain query parameters like zip, make, or model. Remove any personalization or session parameters.

**How do I find the model code for a specific car?**

Go to autotrader.com, select the make and model you want, run the search, and look at the URL in your browser. The model code appears as the modelCodeList parameter value.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do I need an AutoTrader account or API key? | No. The Actor reads the public search pages that anyone can view in a browser. No login, registration, or API key is required. |
| Can I scrape listings from a specific city or state? | Yes. Set a ZIP code and a search radius up to 500 miles. Use 0 for the radius to search nationwide. |
| How do I filter by a specific car model? | Select the make from the dropdown, then enter the model code in the Model code field. You can find the model code by running a search on AutoTrader.com and copying the modelCodeList value from the URL. |
| What if I already have a filtered AutoTrader search URL? | Paste it into the Start URL field. The Actor will use that exact URL and ignore the other filter fields. It will paginate through every page of results from that search. |
| Does this Actor work for AutoTrader Canada? | No. This Actor is for AutoTrader.com (US) only. For autotrader.ca, use the separate Autotrader Canada scraper. |
| How many listings can I scrape in one run? | Free users are limited to 10 listings as a preview. Paid users can set any number up to 1,000,000 per run. |
| What proxy settings should I use? | US residential proxies are required. The Actor is pre-configured with Apify's US residential proxy group, which works for most runs. |
| Can I filter by deal rating? | Yes. Use the Deal Rating filter to return only listings that AutoTrader marks as a Good Price or Great Price. |
| Does the Actor return the VIN? | Yes. The VIN is included in the output for each listing when it is available on the page. |
| Can I sort the results? | Yes. Choose from relevance, price low to high, price high to low, lowest mileage, newest year, oldest year, closest to ZIP, or newest listing. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by AutoTrader.com, Inc. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `startUrl` (type: `string`):

AutoTrader search URL to scrape (copy it from your browser after applying filters on autotrader.com). When provided, the search filters below are ignored.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Free users: Limited to 10 items (preview). Paid users: Optional, max 1,000,000

## `zip` (type: `string`):

US ZIP code the search is centered on (e.g. 90210).

## `searchRadius` (type: `integer`):

Distance from the ZIP code (10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 200, 300, 400 or 500). Use 0 for a nationwide search.

## `listingType` (type: `string`):

New, used or certified pre-owned inventory.

## `make` (type: `string`):

Vehicle manufacturer. Leave empty for all makes.

## `model` (type: `string`):

AutoTrader model code, e.g. CIVIC, CAMRY, JAGFPACE. Models depend on the selected make - copy the modelCodeList value from an autotrader.com search URL.

## `trim` (type: `string`):

AutoTrader trim code, e.g. "CIVIC|EX". Copy the trimCodeList value from an autotrader.com search URL.

## `minPrice` (type: `integer`):

Minimum listing price in USD.

## `maxPrice` (type: `integer`):

Maximum listing price in USD.

## `minYear` (type: `integer`):

Earliest model year.

## `maxYear` (type: `integer`):

Latest model year.

## `maxMileage` (type: `integer`):

Maximum odometer reading in miles.

## `bodyStyle` (type: `string`):

Vehicle body style.

## `driveGroup` (type: `string`):

Drivetrain configuration.

## `fuelTypeGroup` (type: `string`):

Engine fuel type.

## `transmissionCode` (type: `string`):

Transmission type.

## `exteriorColor` (type: `string`):

Simplified exterior color.

## `sellerType` (type: `string`):

Dealer or private seller listings.

## `dealType` (type: `string`):

Only return listings AutoTrader rates as a good or great price.

## `vehicleHistoryType` (type: `string`):

Filter by vehicle history report highlights.

## `keywords` (type: `string`):

Free-text keyword search applied on top of the filters (e.g. "sunroof").

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Result ordering.

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

Proxy settings. US residential proxies are required for AutoTrader.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "startUrl": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/used-cars?zip=90210&searchRadius=50",
  "maxItems": 10,
  "zip": "90210",
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "listingType": "USED",
  "sortBy": "relevance",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ],
    "apifyProxyCountry": "US"
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Dataset with all scraped items

# 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 = {
    "startUrl": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/used-cars?zip=90210&searchRadius=50",
    "maxItems": 10,
    "searchRadius": 50,
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": true,
        "apifyProxyGroups": [
            "RESIDENTIAL"
        ],
        "apifyProxyCountry": "US"
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/autotrader-scraper").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 = {
    "startUrl": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/used-cars?zip=90210&searchRadius=50",
    "maxItems": 10,
    "searchRadius": 50,
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": True,
        "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"],
        "apifyProxyCountry": "US",
    },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/autotrader-scraper").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 '{
  "startUrl": "https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/used-cars?zip=90210&searchRadius=50",
  "maxItems": 10,
  "searchRadius": 50,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ],
    "apifyProxyCountry": "US"
  }
}' |
apify call parseforge/autotrader-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/autotrader-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

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/eybk9HyaMCbhEUjof/builds/MBjz5cZzbfhBBBpEK/openapi.json