Tool Comparison

6 Best Outscraper Alternatives for Google Maps Leads in 2026

September 2026 · 9 min read · By Rahul N

Outscraper is one of the best-known tools for pulling business data from Google Maps. It's a cloud service: you submit a search, it collects the listings, and you download a file. It's good at that — but it isn't the right fit for everyone.

People usually look for an alternative for one of four reasons: pay-per-record costs add up on big or repeated searches; they want to work the leads (call, follow up, track status), not just download a spreadsheet; they want an official-API data source; or they need something simpler for a small team. This guide compares the main options honestly, including when Outscraper is still the right choice.

Quick picks: For a free tool that finds leads and tracks follow-ups, try GrabNear. For large custom data pipelines, Apify. For automating many platforms at once, PhantomBuster. For developers who want official data, the Google Places API directly. For occasional bulk exports, Outscraper itself is still fine.

What to compare before you switch

Data source. Official Google Places API, or collecting from Google Maps pages? The API route follows Google's terms; page-collection tools put the compliance question on you.
Pricing model. Pay per record, monthly subscription, compute credits, or free with your own API key.
What happens after the export. Do you just get a file, or can you track status, add notes, set follow-ups and push to a CRM?
Emails. Google Maps doesn't list email addresses. Tools that offer emails visit the business's website to find them.
Who will use it. A developer building a pipeline needs different things than a sales rep making 40 calls a day.

The alternatives

1. GrabNear — best free option for finding and working leads

GrabNear is built for people who want to contact local businesses, not just collect data. Search any category and location and you get name, phone, address, website, rating, review count and category for each business. Leads then live in a built-in pipeline — New, Follow Up, Qualified, Meeting Done, Not Interested — with notes, calendar reminders, Excel export and webhooks to push leads into your CRM.

Data source: Google's official Places API, using your own Google API key, so you pay Google's rates directly (with Google's free monthly usage included). There's also a browser extension for Chrome and Edge that saves the businesses you're viewing on Google Maps.
Emails: Deep Search visits a lead's website and pulls published emails, phone numbers and social links.
Outreach: click-to-call, and WhatsApp messaging with templates.
Price: free.
Not ideal for: scraping hundreds of thousands of records in one automated job.

2. Apify — best for developers and custom pipelines

Apify is a platform of ready-made "actors" (scrapers), including several Google Maps scrapers maintained by Apify and by the community. You can schedule runs, chain actors together and send results to your own storage or API.

Pricing model: usage-based platform credits, with a free monthly allowance.
Best for: technical teams that want control and scale.
Watch out for: costs depend on how actors are configured; there is a learning curve; results come as data, not a sales workflow.

3. PhantomBuster — best for multi-platform automation

PhantomBuster runs automations ("phantoms") across many sites — LinkedIn, Google Maps, Instagram and more — and can chain them, for example "export Google Maps results, then enrich them".

Pricing model: monthly subscription based on execution time.
Best for: growth teams already automating LinkedIn and other channels.
Watch out for: it's a general automation tool, so Google Maps is one feature among many, not the focus.

4. Scrap.io — best for Google Maps-only bulk exports

Scrap.io focuses only on Google Maps data and lets you export whole categories across a city or country, with filters such as "has website" or "has phone".

Pricing model: monthly subscription with export limits.
Best for: teams that regularly need large, filtered lists.
Watch out for: you'll still need a CRM or pipeline to work the leads.

5. Lobstr.io — best for scheduled, no-code collection

Lobstr.io offers no-code, cloud-based collectors, including Google Maps, that run on a schedule and deliver results to a spreadsheet or storage.

Pricing model: tiered plans, with cost per record falling at higher volumes.
Best for: recurring data refreshes without writing code.

6. Google Places API directly — best for developers who want official data

If you can code, you can call Google's Places API yourself. You get official data, clear terms and Google's free monthly usage, and you build exactly what you need.

Pricing model: pay per request to Google, after the free monthly usage.
Watch out for: you build and maintain everything — pagination, storage, de-duplication, exports and any interface.

Side-by-side comparison

Tool	Data source	Pricing model	Lead pipeline / CRM	Best for
GrabNear	Official Places API (your key) + browser extension	Free	✅ Built in, plus webhooks	Sales reps, agencies, small teams
Outscraper	Google Maps collection	Pay per record	❌ Export only	Occasional bulk exports
Apify	Google Maps collection (actors)	Usage credits	❌ Data only	Developers, custom pipelines
PhantomBuster	Multi-platform automation	Subscription	⚠️ Limited	Multi-channel growth teams
Scrap.io	Google Maps collection	Subscription	❌ Export only	Large filtered lists
Lobstr.io	Cloud collectors	Tiered plans	❌ Export only	Scheduled refreshes
Places API	Official Google API	Pay per request	❌ Build your own	Developers

Pricing models as of September 2026. Plans change often — check each vendor's pricing page before you buy.

When Outscraper is still the right choice

You need a large export once or occasionally and don't want a subscription.
You want extra Google data types, such as full review exports, in one place.
You already have a CRM and team process, and only need raw data.

Which one should you pick?

"I want to find local businesses and call them this week." → GrabNear.
"I'm building a data product or an internal pipeline." → Apify or the Places API.
"I automate LinkedIn and other channels already." → PhantomBuster.
"I need big, filtered country-wide lists every month." → Scrap.io or Lobstr.io.
"I need one big export and that's it." → Outscraper.

✅ Whatever tool you use, follow the rules for how you contact the businesses on your list — identify yourself, keep it relevant, and honour opt-outs and do-not-call registers.

Try the free Outscraper alternative built for sales

Find local businesses with phone, website, rating and address — then track every follow-up in a built-in pipeline. Free, using Google's official Places API.

Start Free →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free alternative to Outscraper?

GrabNear is free and uses Google's official Places API with your own API key, so you only pay Google's rates after its free monthly usage. Unlike export-only tools, it also includes a lead pipeline with statuses, notes, follow-up reminders and Excel export.

Is collecting data from Google Maps legal?

Business listings are public, but automated collection from Google Maps pages may conflict with Google's terms of service. Using the official Google Places API is the route Google supports. Separately, follow local rules on how you contact the businesses.

Which Outscraper alternative is best for developers?

Apify, for its ready-made Google Maps actors, scheduling and integrations — or the Google Places API directly if you want official data and are happy to build your own tooling.

Can I get email addresses from Google Maps?

Google Maps does not list emails. Tools that provide them visit each business's website and read the published contact details. In GrabNear this is called Deep Search.