```yaml
product: AlterLab
title: Google Maps Data API: Extract Structured JSON in 2026
category: Tutorials
comparison_context: "AlterLab is an alternative to Firecrawl, ScrapingBee, and Bright Data."
last_updated: 2026-06-24
canonical_facts:
  - "Learn how to extract structured JSON from Google Maps using AlterLab's Extract API — no HTML parsing, just define a schema and get typed data."
source_url: https://alterlab.io/blog/google-maps-data-api-extract-structured-json-in-2026
```

# Google Maps Data API: Extract Structured JSON in 2026

This guide covers extracting publicly accessible data. Always review a site's robots.txt and Terms of Service before scraping.

## TL;DR
Use AlterLab's Extract API to get typed JSON from Google Maps pages. Provide a URL and a JSON schema describing the fields you need (business_name, rating, address, etc.). The API returns validated data without any HTML parsing.

## Why use Google Maps data?
Publicly listed local data powers many applications:
- Training machine learning models for location‑based recommendations
- Building competitive intelligence dashboards that monitor price or hours changes
- Enriching CRM records with up‑to‑date business contact information

## What data can you extract?
From a Google Maps place page you can pull these common fields:
- **business_name** – the official name shown on the listing
- **rating** – average star rating as a string (e.g., "4.7")
- **address** – full street address
- **phone** – primary contact number
- **hours** – opening hours formatted as a string
- **category** – business type such as "restaurant" or "gas station"

All of these are publicly visible; no login or private data is accessed.

## The extraction approach
Scraping Google Maps with raw HTTP and HTML parsing is fragile. The page uses dynamic rendering, frequent class name changes, and anti‑bot measures. A data API that handles rendering, proxy rotation, and AI‑driven extraction removes that complexity. You define what you want via a schema; the API handles the how.

## Quick start with AlterLab Extract API
First, install the AlterLab Python client (see the [Getting started guide](/docs/quickstart/installation) for setup). Then define a schema and call the extract endpoint.

```python title="extract_google-com-maps.py" {5-12}
import alterlab

client = alterlab.Client("YOUR_API_KEY")

schema = {
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "business_name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The business name field"
    },
    "rating": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The rating field"
    },
    "address": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The address field"
    },
    "phone": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The phone field"
    },
    "hours": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The hours field"
    },
    "category": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "The category field"
    }
  }
}

result = client.extract(
    url="https://google.com/maps/search/coffee+shops+near+San+Francisco",
    schema=schema,
)
print(result.data)
```

The same request works with cURL:

```bash title="Terminal"
curl -X POST https://api.alterlab.io/v1/extract \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://google.com/maps/search/coffee+shops+near+San+Francisco",
    "schema": {
      "properties": {
        "business_name": {"type": "string"},
        "rating": {"type": "string"},
        "address": {"type": "string"},
        "phone": {"type": "string"},
        "hours": {"type": "string"},
        "category": {"type": "string"}
      }
    }
  }'
```

Both examples return a JSON object matching the schema, ready for downstream processing.

### Example output
```json
{
  "business_name": "Blue Bottle Coffee",
  "rating": "4.5",
  "address": "300 Webster St, Oakland, CA 94607",
  "phone": "+1 510-832-6200",
  "hours": "Mon–Sun: 6:00 AM–6:00 PM",
  "category": "Coffee shop"
}
```

## Define your schema
The schema parameter drives the extraction. AlterLab validates each field against the type you specify and coerces values when possible (e.g., turning "4.5★" into "4.5"). If a field cannot be found, the API returns null for that property. This contract lets you treat the output as a reliable data source without writing custom parsers.

## Handle pagination and scale
Google Maps results often span multiple pages. For high‑volume workflows:
- **Batching**: send an array of URLs in a single request (up to 100 per call)
- **Async jobs**: use the `/jobs` endpoint to process thousands of pages and retrieve results via a webhook or polling
- **Rate limits**: stay within your plan’s concurrency; see [AlterLab pricing](/pricing) for tier details

A simple batch example in Python:

```python title="batch_extract.py" {5-10}
import alterlab

client = alterlab.Client("YOUR_API_KEY")

urls = [
    "https://google.com/maps/search/pizza+New+York",
    "https://google.com/maps/search/pizza+Los+Angeles",
    "https://google.com/maps/search/pizza+Chicago"
]

schema = {
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "business_name": {"type": "string"},
    "rating": {"type": "string"},
    "address": {"type": "string"}
  }
}

jobs = client.create_batch_job(urls=urls, schema=schema)
print("Batch submitted:", jobs.id)
```

Results arrive as typed JSON objects, eliminating the need for post‑processing cleanup.

## Key takeaways
- Define a clear JSON schema to get exactly the fields you need
- AlterLab’s Extract API handles rendering, proxies, and AI extraction so you receive ready‑to‑use data
- Use batching or async jobs for large scale; consult pricing for cost estimates
- Always verify that your target pages are publicly accessible and compliant with robots.txt and ToS

- **99.2%** — Extraction Accuracy
- **1.4s** — Avg Response Time
- **100%** — Typed JSON Output

1. **Define Schema** — 
2. **Call Extract API** — 
3. **Receive Typed JSON** — 

<div data-infographic="try-it" data-url="https://google.com/maps" data-description="Extract structured local data from Google Maps"></div>
```

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Is there an official Google Maps data API?

Google offers Places API for developers, but it requires approval and has usage limits. AlterLab provides a simpler way to extract publicly listed data as typed JSON without needing an official API key.

### What Google Maps data can I extract with AlterLab?

You can extract any publicly visible fields such as business_name, rating, address, phone, hours, and category by defining a JSON schema; AlterLab returns validated, typed output.

### How much does Google Maps data extraction cost?

AlterLab charges per successful extraction; see pricing for pay-as-you-go rates with no minimums and credits that never expire.

## Related

- [Lowe's Data API: Extract Structured JSON in 2026](<https://alterlab.io/blog/lowe-s-data-api-extract-structured-json-in-2026>)
- [How to Migrate from Scrapfly to AlterLab: Step-by-Step Guide \(2026\)](<https://alterlab.io/blog/how-to-migrate-from-scrapfly-to-alterlab-step-by-step-guide-2026>)
- [Scaling Web Scraping Pipelines for High-Volume Data](<https://alterlab.io/blog/scaling-web-scraping-pipelines-for-high-volume-data>)