# Open Topo Data Elevation Scraper (`parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-scraper`) Actor

Queries the Open Topo Data service to return elevation in meters for a list of coordinates. Choose from 11 datasets and three interpolation methods.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Other, Automation, Developer tools
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 92.3% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $3.75 / 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)

### Open Topo Data Elevation Scraper

**Query elevation for any coordinate on Earth from 11 global and regional terrain models.** Feed a list of latitudes and longitudes and get back the height in meters, the dataset used, and the sampling method. No API key, no rate limits.

Getting elevation data usually means downloading massive GeoTIFF files or paying for a commercial API. This Actor queries the public Open Topo Data service directly, so you can look up heights for thousands of points in one run. Choose from SRTM, ASTER, NED, GEBCO, and other models, then export the results as a flat table.

| Who uses it | What they scrape Open Topo Data for |
|---|---|
| GIS analysts | Building a height profile along a proposed pipeline route. |
| Outdoor app developers | Enriching trail waypoints with accurate elevation data. |
| Environmental researchers | Sampling terrain heights at field observation sites. |
| Drone flight planners | Checking ground elevation for terrain-following missions. |

### What it does

This Actor takes a list of coordinates and returns the elevation for each point from your chosen dataset.

- 🌍 **11 elevation datasets:** SRTM 30m, ASTER 30m, NED 10m (USA), NZDEM 8m, EU DEM 25m, Mapzen, GEBCO 2020, and more.
- 📍 **Bulk coordinate lookup:** paste a JSON array of {lat, lng} objects and get one row back per point.
- 📏 **Three interpolation methods:** bilinear, nearest neighbour, or cubic sampling between grid posts.
- 🔧 **Custom server support:** point the Actor at your own Open Topo Data instance for private or air-gapped runs.

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

### What you can do with Open Topo Data data

**🗺️ Build a terrain profile.**

A civil engineer feeds a list of coordinates along a planned road alignment and gets back elevation values to plot a cross-section.

**📱 Enrich a mobile app database.**

A developer runs a batch of hiking trail waypoints through the Actor to add elevation metadata before importing into their app.

**🌊 Sample ocean floor depth.**

A marine researcher uses the GEBCO 2020 dataset to look up bathymetry at a grid of sampling stations.

**🇺🇸 Get high-resolution US heights.**

A surveyor selects the NED 10m dataset to obtain the best available elevation for project sites in the United States.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API key** | Queries the public Open Topo Data service with no registration or authentication. |
| **Fixed output schema** | Every row returns the input coordinates, the elevation in meters, the dataset name, and the interpolation used. |
| **Up to 1M points** | Set a high maxItems to process large coordinate lists in a single run. |
| **Multiple terrain models** | Switch between global, regional, and bathymetric datasets with one input field. |

### How it compares

No other Store actor targets Open Topo Data the same way, so the honest comparison is with the alternatives teams actually weigh.

| | Open Topo Data Elevation Scraper | Build it in-house | By hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | Run it now, zero config | Days of engineering | None, but hours per pull |
| When Open Topo Data changes | Maintained for you | You fix it | You re-learn the page |
| Proxies, retries, anti-bot | Built in | Your problem | Browser only |
| Output | Fixed JSON schema, CSV/Excel export | Whatever you build | Copy-paste |
| Cost | Pay per result | Engineering time | Analyst hours |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor with a list of coordinates and pick the elevation model and interpolation method. The dataset and sampling are applied to every point in the request. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 10,
 "dataset": "srtm30m",
 "coordinates": [
 {
 "lat": 27.988,
 "lng": 86.925
 },
 {
 "lat": 48.858,
 "lng": 2.294
 },
 {
 "lat": 35.681,
 "lng": 139.767
 },
 {
 "lat": -22.951,
 "lng": -43.21
 },
 {
 "lat": 40.689,
 "lng": -74.045
 }
 ],
 "interpolation": "bilinear"
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "maxItems": 200,
 "dataset": "srtm30m",
 "coordinates": [
 {
 "lat": 27.988,
 "lng": 86.925
 },
 {
 "lat": 48.858,
 "lng": 2.294
 },
 {
 "lat": 35.681,
 "lng": 139.767
 },
 {
 "lat": -22.951,
 "lng": -43.21
 },
 {
 "lat": 40.689,
 "lng": -74.045
 }
 ],
 "interpolation": "bilinear"
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.005 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.50 |
| 1,000 results | $5.00 |
| 10,000 results | $50.00 |

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 [Open Topo Data Elevation Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-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 Open Topo Data 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/opentopodata-elevation-scraper"
```

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

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results for my coordinates?**

Check that your coordinates are within the coverage area of the selected dataset. For example, NED 10m only covers the United States. Try switching to a global dataset like SRTM 30m.

**Why does the run fail with a timeout?**

A very large coordinate list may exceed the public service's request size limit. Reduce the maxItems count and split your coordinates across multiple runs.

**Why are some elevation values negative?**

Negative values indicate points below sea level, such as the Dead Sea or ocean bathymetry when using a model like GEBCO 2020.

**Why do I get a connection error when using a custom server?**

Verify that your customServer URL is reachable from the Apify platform and that the Open Topo Data API is running and responding on that host.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What coordinate format does this Actor expect? | Provide an array of objects with 'lat' and 'lng' keys in decimal degrees, for example \[{"lat":27.988,"lng":86.925}]. |
| Which elevation dataset should I choose? | SRTM 30m is a good global default for land. Use NED 10m for the USA, NZDEM 8m for New Zealand, EU DEM 25m for Europe, and GEBCO 2020 for ocean bathymetry. |
| Does this Actor work without an API key? | Yes. It queries the free public Open Topo Data service. No registration or authentication is needed. |
| What is the maximum number of coordinates I can look up? | You can set the maxItems input up to 1,000,000. The public service may have its own practical limits on request size, so very large lists are best split into multiple runs. |
| What interpolation method should I use? | Bilinear interpolation is the default and gives a smooth result. Use nearest neighbour if you want the raw grid value, or cubic for a slightly sharper estimate. |
| Can I use my own Open Topo Data server? | Yes. Set the customServer input to the URL of your private instance, and the Actor will send all requests there instead of the public service. |
| What elevation units are returned? | All elevation values are returned in meters. |
| Does this Actor support bathymetry or ocean depth? | Yes. Select the GEBCO 2020, EMODnet 2018, or ETOPO1 dataset to query ocean floor depth. |

### 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 Open Topo Data. 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

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

Maximum number of elevation locations to collect per run.

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

Source elevation model to query.

## `coordinates` (type: `array`):

List of {lat, lng} objects to look up. Example: \[{"lat":27.988,"lng":86.925},{"lat":48.858,"lng":2.294}].

## `interpolation` (type: `string`):

How to sample elevation between grid points.

## `customServer` (type: `string`):

Override the host. Leave blank for the public service.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "dataset": "srtm30m",
  "coordinates": [
    {
      "lat": 27.988,
      "lng": 86.925
    },
    {
      "lat": 48.858,
      "lng": 2.294
    },
    {
      "lat": 35.681,
      "lng": 139.767
    },
    {
      "lat": -22.951,
      "lng": -43.21
    },
    {
      "lat": 40.689,
      "lng": -74.045
    }
  ],
  "interpolation": "bilinear"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

# 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 = {
    "maxItems": 10,
    "dataset": "srtm30m",
    "coordinates": [
        {
            "lat": 27.988,
            "lng": 86.925
        },
        {
            "lat": 48.858,
            "lng": 2.294
        },
        {
            "lat": 35.681,
            "lng": 139.767
        },
        {
            "lat": -22.951,
            "lng": -43.21
        },
        {
            "lat": 40.689,
            "lng": -74.045
        }
    ],
    "interpolation": "bilinear"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-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 = {
    "maxItems": 10,
    "dataset": "srtm30m",
    "coordinates": [
        {
            "lat": 27.988,
            "lng": 86.925,
        },
        {
            "lat": 48.858,
            "lng": 2.294,
        },
        {
            "lat": 35.681,
            "lng": 139.767,
        },
        {
            "lat": -22.951,
            "lng": -43.21,
        },
        {
            "lat": 40.689,
            "lng": -74.045,
        },
    ],
    "interpolation": "bilinear",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-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 '{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "dataset": "srtm30m",
  "coordinates": [
    {
      "lat": 27.988,
      "lng": 86.925
    },
    {
      "lat": 48.858,
      "lng": 2.294
    },
    {
      "lat": 35.681,
      "lng": 139.767
    },
    {
      "lat": -22.951,
      "lng": -43.21
    },
    {
      "lat": 40.689,
      "lng": -74.045
    }
  ],
  "interpolation": "bilinear"
}' |
apify call parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/opentopodata-elevation-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/8mgTiFRR5mAZYSui6/builds/ermxkl3lFgRfQYQzY/openapi.json