If you need business leads from Google Maps, you have options. The problem is figuring out which Google Maps scraper actually fits how you work and what you’re willing to spend.
Some tools charge monthly. Others charge per lead. One or two let you pay once and use it forever. The pricing models are all over the place, which makes honest comparison difficult.
This article breaks down six Google Maps scraper tools side by side: what they cost, what they do well, where they fall short, and who each one is actually built for.
What does a Google Maps scraper do?
A Google Maps scraper (sometimes called a Google Maps extractor) is a tool that automatically collects business data from Google Maps search results. Instead of manually clicking through listings and copying information, the tool does it for you.
Most scrapers extract:
- Business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Website URL
- Rating and review count
- Business category
Some tools go further and visit each business’s website to find email addresses. This is a meaningful difference if you plan to do email outreach, since email addresses rarely appear on the Google Maps listing itself.
Feature comparison
Here is how the six tools compare on core features:
| Feature | MapGopher | Outscraper | Apify | MapsScraper.io | Scrap.io | Botsol |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time $79 | Per 1K places | Platform fee + usage | Monthly subscription | Monthly subscription | Monthly subscription |
| Platform | Desktop app | Cloud (web) | Cloud (web) | Chrome extension | Cloud (web) | Desktop app |
| Email extraction | Yes (automatic) | Paid add-on | Not built-in | No | Paid add-on | No |
| CSV/Excel export | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited leads | Yes | No (pay per lead) | No (pay per compute) | No (plan limits) | No (plan limits) | No (plan limits) |
| Windows support | Yes | N/A (browser) | N/A (browser) | N/A (browser) | N/A (browser) | Yes |
| Mac support | Yes | N/A (browser) | N/A (browser) | N/A (browser) | N/A (browser) | No |
| Technical skill required | None | None | Moderate | None | None | Low |
| API access | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
12-month cost comparison
This is where things get interesting. The pricing models are so different that the only fair way to compare is to look at actual cost over a year.
These estimates assume moderate usage: scraping roughly 5,000 places per month (60,000 per year).
| Tool | Pricing | Monthly equivalent | 12-month total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MapGopher | $79 one-time | $6.58/month | $79 |
| Outscraper | ~$2-4 per 1K places + email add-on | ~$15-35/month | $180-$420 |
| Apify | $49/month platform + usage | ~$60-80/month | $720-$960 |
| MapsScraper.io | $15.83/month (annual plan) | $15.83/month | $190 |
| Scrap.io | ~$49-99/month | ~$49-99/month | $588-$1,188 |
| Botsol | $29.99/month | $29.99/month | $360 |
MapGopher’s $79 one-time price ends up costing 4x to 12x less than the subscription alternatives over a year. And that gap only grows the longer you use it.
With MapGopher, scraping 10,000 leads costs the same as scraping 100 — zero extra. With Outscraper, every additional thousand places costs more money.
Tool-by-tool breakdown
1. MapGopher
MapGopher is a desktop application for Windows and Mac that scrapes Google Maps business listings and automatically extracts email addresses from business websites.
How it works: You enter a keyword and location (like “roofers in Dallas”), and MapGopher browses Google Maps like a real user. It visits each business listing, collects the standard data (name, phone, address, website, rating), then visits the business’s website to find email addresses on contact and about pages.
Pros:
- One-time $79 payment, no recurring fees
- Automatic email extraction from business websites (no separate add-on)
- Unlimited leads with no per-search charges
- Works on both Windows and Mac
- Simple interface, no technical knowledge needed
- Exports to CSV and Excel
Cons:
- Desktop-only (not cloud-based, so your computer needs to be on during scraping)
- No API access for programmatic use
- Fewer advanced filtering options than cloud platforms
Best for: Freelancers, agencies, and sales teams who want a straightforward tool that works without ongoing costs.
2. Outscraper
Outscraper is a cloud-based platform that offers Google Maps scraping as one of several data extraction services.
How it works: You submit queries through their web dashboard or API. Outscraper processes them on their servers and delivers the results.
Pros:
- Cloud-based (runs without your computer being on)
- API access for integration into workflows
- Can handle very large volumes
- Additional data enrichment services available
Cons:
- Pay-per-lead model means costs scale with usage
- Email extraction costs extra (separate “Emails and Contacts” enrichment service)
- No unlimited usage tier
- Pricing complexity makes it hard to predict monthly costs
Best for: Businesses with large-scale data needs who want API integration and don’t mind variable monthly costs.
3. Apify Google Maps Scraper
Apify is a developer-focused platform that runs “actors” (scraping scripts) in the cloud. Their Google Maps Scraper is one of hundreds of actors available on the platform.
How it works: You configure the scraper actor through Apify’s web interface or API, set parameters, and run it. Results are available through their dashboard or API.
Pros:
- Highly customizable for developers
- Strong API and integration options
- Can combine with other Apify actors for multi-step workflows
- Good documentation and community
Cons:
- $49/month platform fee before any usage costs
- Requires technical knowledge to configure effectively
- Pricing is unpredictable (compute units + actor usage fees add up)
- Email extraction is not built in (would require a separate actor)
- Overkill for someone who just wants a list of leads
Best for: Developers and technical teams who want programmable scraping as part of a larger data pipeline.
4. MapsScraper.io
MapsScraper.io is a Chrome extension that scrapes Google Maps data directly from your browser.
How it works: You search Google Maps normally, open the extension, and it extracts data from the results currently displayed on your screen.
Pros:
- Lowest subscription price ($15.83/month billed annually)
- Works inside your browser, nothing to install beyond the extension
- Simple to use
Cons:
- Chrome extension only (no desktop app or cloud option)
- Limited to what’s visible on screen (cannot deeply scrape large result sets)
- No email extraction capability
- Fewer data fields than other tools
- Dependent on browser and Google’s page structure (breaks when Google redesigns)
Best for: Casual users who need small batches of basic data and want the cheapest recurring option.
5. Scrap.io
Scrap.io is a cloud-based Google Maps scraping platform that competes directly with Outscraper in terms of positioning.
How it works: Web-based search interface. You define your query parameters and Scrap.io returns results through their dashboard.
Pros:
- Cloud-based, runs without your computer
- Clean web interface
- Can export in multiple formats
- Offers some data enrichment features
Cons:
- Monthly subscription with higher starting price than alternatives
- Email extraction is a paid add-on, not included in base plans
- No unlimited scraping (constrained by plan limits)
- Cloud-only means you depend on their service availability
Best for: Teams that prefer a cloud dashboard and are willing to pay a premium for it.
6. Botsol
Botsol offers a Windows desktop application for extracting Google Maps data.
How it works: Similar to MapGopher, it’s a desktop application that automates browsing Google Maps to collect business data.
Pros:
- Desktop app (runs locally, no internet dependency beyond scraping)
- Windows application, straightforward interface
- Regular updates
Cons:
- $29.99/month recurring subscription
- No email extraction capability
- Windows only (no Mac support)
- Despite being a desktop app, it uses a subscription model (unusual for desktop software)
- More expensive than MapGopher within 3 months of use
Best for: Windows users who specifically want a desktop app but have not compared total cost of ownership against one-time alternatives.
Which Google Maps scraper is best for you?
The answer depends on your situation. Here is an honest recommendation by user type:
For freelancers and solo outreach: MapGopher is the clear choice. The one-time price means it pays for itself after a single successful outreach campaign. Email extraction is included, not a paid extra. You run it when you need it, with no subscription to cancel if you take a month off.
For agencies running regular campaigns: MapGopher again. Agencies that scrape every week save hundreds or thousands per year compared to per-lead or subscription models. The unlimited usage matters when you are pulling leads across multiple niches and cities.
For developers building data products: Apify. If you need API access, programmatic control, and integration with other tools, Apify’s developer-focused platform is the right fit. Just be prepared for the $49/month platform fee and usage-based pricing.
For large-scale data operations: Outscraper or Scrap.io. If you need millions of records processed in the cloud, these platforms have the infrastructure. The tradeoff is cost — expect to pay significantly more than desktop alternatives.
For casual, one-off use: MapsScraper.io has the lowest entry price if you just need basic data from a single search. But be aware that the Chrome extension approach has real limitations on volume and data depth.
The honest verdict
Most people searching for a Google Maps scraper want the same thing: a list of businesses with contact details they can use for outreach. They don’t want to learn an API. They don’t want a surprise bill because they scraped too many leads. They want to type in a search, get results, and export a CSV.
MapGopher does exactly that, and the $79 one-time price makes it the most cost-effective option by a wide margin. After three months, it costs less than every subscription alternative. After a year, the savings are $100 to $1,000+ depending on which tool you compare it against.
The tradeoff is that it runs on your desktop, not in the cloud. If you need cloud scraping, API access, or multi-million-record jobs, look at Outscraper or Apify instead. But for the majority of people doing local business lead generation, a desktop tool that works offline and costs nothing after the first day is hard to beat.
The tools in this article all work. The difference is how much you pay to keep using them. MapGopher is $79 once. The rest keep charging, month after month, lead after lead.
If you want to try it, MapGopher is available for Windows and Mac with a straightforward setup and no subscription required.