App search
5 credits/v1/google_play/app-searchKeyword search on Google Play. App cards with ids for info and reviews. Advanced tier (5 credits).
query, country, language, depth
Google Play APIGet Google Play app and review data with one API
Fetch Google Play search, app detail, reviews, charts, and reference lists as structured JSON with one SocialCrawl API key. Shared app schema. Reads are priced in credits.
/v1/google_play
9 active endpoints. 1 / 5 / 10 credit ladder.
- GET /v1/google_play/app-search
- GET /v1/google_play/search-suggestions
- GET /v1/google_play/app-info
- GET /v1/google_play/app-reviews
- GET /v1/google_play/app-list
- GET /v1/google_play/app-listings-search
- GET /v1/google_play/categories
- GET /v1/google_play/locations
- GET /v1/google_play/languages
What Google Play endpoints does SocialCrawl ship?
Nine live read endpoints for Google Play. Search, suggestions, app info, reviews, charts, listings DB search, categories, locations, and languages. Data API only.
Search suggestions
1 credit/v1/google_play/search-suggestionsAutocomplete suggestions for a partial query. Standard tier (1 credit).
query, country, language
App details
5 credits/v1/google_play/app-infoFull Google Play listing for an app_id. Title, developer, ratings, description, media. Advanced tier (5 credits).
app_id, country, language
App reviews
5 credits/v1/google_play/app-reviewsUser reviews for an app_id. Rating, text, author, sort and depth controls. Advanced tier (5 credits).
app_id, country, language, depth, sort_by, rating
Store chart
5 credits/v1/google_play/app-listChart or collection listing (top free, category tops, and related collections). Advanced tier (5 credits).
app_collection, app_category, country, language, depth
Listings database search
10 credits/v1/google_play/app-listings-searchPaginated search over the listings database by title (and optional description/filters). Premium tier (10 credits).
title, description, limit, offset, filters, country, language
Categories
1 credit/v1/google_play/categoriesSupported app categories for charts and filters. Standard tier (1 credit).
(none)
Storefront locations
1 credit/v1/google_play/locationsSupported storefront locations/countries. Standard tier (1 credit).
(none)
Languages
1 credit/v1/google_play/languagesSupported languages for storefront reads. Standard tier (1 credit).
(none)
Google Play API9 endpoints supported
View docsReturns Google Play apps matching a keyword: title, icon, developer, rating, price or free flag, and store URL for each result.
Use it to find an app's package name by keyword; description, screenshots, and install counts come from app-info.
5 credits
GET/v1/google_play/app-search?query=photo+editor&country=United+States&depth=30
query · Search keyword (e.g. 'photo editor').
$ curl https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/google_play/app-search?query=photo+editor&country=United+States&depth=30 \
-H "x-api-key: sc_YOUR_API_KEY"idle
// Running this live needs your own API key. Hit "Try it" to see an example responseHow the Google Play API works
Google Play is a normal SocialCrawl data surface. You call GET /v1/google_play/… with an API key, spend credits on live misses, and get a single JSON envelope back.
Authenticate every call
Send your key in the x-api-key header. No Google Play OAuth app for public reads. The same key works across SocialCrawl platforms.
GET with query params
All Google Play routes are GET. Pass query, app_id, app_collection, title, country, language, depth, sort_by as query strings. We validate formats before charging.
Pay in credits, not seats
Reference and suggestions cost 1 credit. App search, info, reviews, and charts cost 5. Listings database search costs 10. Cache hits cost 0.
Read one JSON envelope
Every response is the same shape: success, data, credits_used, credits_remaining, request_id, cached. Lists also carry pagination when the route pages.
The usual integration chain
Most products discover entities first, then deepen detail and reviews only when needed.
01Search
GET /v1/google_play/app-search?query=…AppList with app_id values
Resolve app_id before info and reviews.
02Info
GET /v1/google_play/app-info?app_id=…Full App listing record
Search cards are not a full store page.
03Reviews
GET /v1/google_play/app-reviews?app_id=…ReviewList with sort and depth
User language for ASO and product.
04Charts
GET /v1/google_play/app-list?app_collection=…AppList for a collection/category chart
Rank tracking without a keyword.
request
GET /v1/google_play/app-search?query=photo+editor&country=United+States&depth=30
Host: www.socialcrawl.dev
x-api-key: sc_your_api_key_here
GET /v1/google_play/app-info?app_id=com.spotify.music&country=United+States
GET /v1/google_play/app-reviews?app_id=com.spotify.music&depth=50&sort_by=newestresponse envelope
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"app": {
"id": "com.spotify.music",
"title": "Example app",
"developer": "Example Inc",
"rating": 4.6,
"url": "https://example.store/app/com.spotify.music"
}
},
"credits_used": 5,
"credits_remaining": 9995,
"request_id": "req_…",
"cached": false
}What lands in data
Field names match the rest of SocialCrawl where archetypes align. Parse once, reuse across platforms.
Appapp-info
id, title, developer, rating, description, media, url
AppListapp-search, app-list, app-listings-search
items[] with app_id, title, developer, rating
ReviewListapp-reviews
items[] with rating, text, author, published_at
Reference / SearchResultcategories, locations, languages, search-suggestions
taxonomy rows, locale lists, or suggestion strings
Inside the gateway
Same request lifecycle as every other /v1 platform endpoint. Google Play is not a sidecar.
- 01
Edge receives the call
Next.js catch-all routes into the Hono social API. We mint a request_id, authenticate the key, then enforce rate limit (600/min) and concurrency (50 in flight per key).
- 02
Validate, then debit
Registry lookup finds google_play/app-search (or app-info, app-reviews, app-list). Required params and format checks run first. Invalid input returns 400 with no charge. Valid calls debit the tier cost atomically before upstream work.
- 03
Cache or fetch
A deterministic cache key is built from platform + resource + params. Hit: return immediately, credits_used = 0. Miss: Google Play store data upstreams run behind the unified envelope. Retries on 5xx/network with a circuit breaker if the source is unhealthy.
- 04
Normalize and return
Upstream JSON is mapped to commerce archetypes (Product, ProductList, ReviewList, SellerList, App, PlaceList as applicable), validated against the canonical Zod schema, then wrapped in the success envelope and logged for billing audit.
Billing rules that matter in production
- categories / locations / languages / suggestions: 1 credit
- app-search / app-info / app-reviews / app-list: 5 credits
- app-listings-search: 10 credits
- Cache hit: 0 credits
- Empty / hard fail: auto-refund
- Bad params: 400, never charged
- No credits: 402, never charged
- app_id deepens info and reviews
- No install, purchase, or developer console writes
How we get the data
Google Play is public read data. We normalize it into the SocialCrawl schema so your code does not learn a second vendor SDK.
What Google Play is for this API
Public store listings, charts, suggestions, and user reviews. Read-only.
How SocialCrawl reaches it
Google Play store data upstreams behind the unified /v1 envelope.
What leaves our edge
App, AppList, ReviewList, and reference analytics shapes.
What we do not ship live
No install attribution, IAP purchase, or developer console writes.
field map sketch
store listing→ app.*title, developer, rating, media
user reviews→ ReviewListsort_by, depth, rating filter
charts / listings DB→ AppListcollections, categories, premium DB search
What this API is used for
The jobs this API is most often used for.
9active Google Play endpoints in the registry
1 / 5 / 10credit ladder for reference, app reads, listings search
ASO research and app review monitoring
Callers concentrate on search or taxonomy, then deepen detail and reviews for shortlisted entities. Full Google Play surface under one key: charts, search, info, reviews, and premium listings search with a clear 1/5/10 credit ladder.
Live misses are typically a few seconds. Some routes can take longer on cold cache.
What people build with the Google Play API
The jobs Google Play data is most often used for. Each one is a full recipe with the endpoint chain and pricing.
Use case examples
Common ways teams put this data to work, and the stack each one tends to run.
ASO teams
Python, sheetsapp-search and app-list for keyword and chart tracking.
Product research
Node, notebooksapp-info plus app-reviews for competitor language.
Catalog pipelines
Go, workersapp-listings-search for bulk title discovery, then app-info.
Call it in two lines
Reference routes are 1 credit. Core app reads are 5. Listings DB search is 10. Cache hits are free.
curl "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/google_play/app-search?query=photo+editor&country=United+States&depth=30" \
-H "x-api-key: sc_your_api_key_here"curl "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/google_play/app-info?app_id=com.spotify.music&country=United+States" \
-H "x-api-key: sc_your_api_key_here"Same key as the rest of the catalog
Endpoints
What data does the Google Play API return?
Every endpoint returns structured JSON in a unified envelope. Computed fields such as engagement rate and content category are included only where the endpoint supports them and the required source inputs are present.
App SearchSearch Google Play apps by keywordSearch SuggestionsGet Google Play search suggestionsApp InfoGet full Google Play app detailsApp ReviewsGet Google Play reviews for an appApp ListGet a Google Play store chartApp Listings SearchSearch the Google Play listings database (paginated)CategoriesList Google Play app categoriesLocationsList supported Google Play storefront locationsLanguagesList supported Google Play languages
Comparison
How does SocialCrawl compare to google-play-scraper (DIY) for Google Play data?
Same Google Play data, two very different paths. Auth, rate limits, schema, and cost, side by side.
| Feature | SocialCrawl | google-play-scraper (DIY) |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | One x-api-key header, the same key you use on 64 other platforms | None: the library scrapes anonymously until Google throttles your IP |
| Setup | One GET request from any language; no library to install | Node.js (or Python port) dependency you install, host, and keep updated |
| Rate limits | Flat credit pricing with upstream block handling | Unofficial scraping: aggressive crawls get throttled or blocked by Google |
| Response schema | Canonical App schema shared with the Apple App Store | Library-specific shape that differs from every iOS scraper you pair it with |
| Pricing | 5 credits per app call, 10 for the listings database; 100 free credits to start | Free library, but you pay in hosting, proxies, and maintenance time |
| Maintenance | Schema stays stable when the Play Store changes its markup | Breaks when Google updates the Play Store; you wait for a library patch |
Authentication
SocialCrawl
One x-api-key header, the same key you use on 64 other platforms
google-play-scraper (DIY)
None: the library scrapes anonymously until Google throttles your IP
Setup
SocialCrawl
One GET request from any language; no library to install
google-play-scraper (DIY)
Node.js (or Python port) dependency you install, host, and keep updated
Rate limits
SocialCrawl
Flat credit pricing with upstream block handling
google-play-scraper (DIY)
Unofficial scraping: aggressive crawls get throttled or blocked by Google
Response schema
SocialCrawl
Canonical App schema shared with the Apple App Store
google-play-scraper (DIY)
Library-specific shape that differs from every iOS scraper you pair it with
Pricing
SocialCrawl
5 credits per app call, 10 for the listings database; 100 free credits to start
google-play-scraper (DIY)
Free library, but you pay in hosting, proxies, and maintenance time
Maintenance
SocialCrawl
Schema stays stable when the Play Store changes its markup
google-play-scraper (DIY)
Breaks when Google updates the Play Store; you wait for a library patch
FAQ
Have a question? We got answers
Find answers to frequently asked questions about SocialCrawl's API, pricing, and capabilities.
Contact usDoes Google Play have an API for app data?
Google's own APIs are scoped to apps you publish, but SocialCrawl's Google Play API reads any public listing. 9 endpoints cover app search, full app detail, reviews, store charts, a paginated listings database, and category, location, and language references.
What can the SocialCrawl Google Play API do?
It searches Google Play by keyword, returns full detail for any package name, pulls user reviews with developer replies, ranks store charts (top free, paid, grossing), queries a paginated listings database, and lists supported categories, locations, and languages.
How do I reference an app in the Google Play API?
Apps are addressed by their package name, the app_id like com.spotify.music. Run app-search or app-listings-search to find package names by keyword, then pass app_id to app-info or app-reviews for the detail you need.
How much does the Google Play API cost?
App search, info, reviews, and charts run on the advanced tier at 5 credits each; the listings database is premium at 10 credits; categories, locations, and languages are 1 credit. New accounts get 100 free credits and empty lookups are refunded.
Does it use the same schema as other app stores?
Yes. Google Play apps come back in one canonical App schema shared with the Apple App Store, and reviews use the same Review shape as Amazon and Trustpilot, so one parser handles every store you pull from.
What is the best Google Play scraper API?
SocialCrawl covers Google Play with 9 endpoints: app search, full detail by package name, reviews with developer replies, top charts, and a paginated listings database, in one App schema shared with the Apple App Store. Core calls cost 5 credits, and new accounts get 100 free credits with no credit card.
How do I get Google Play data via API?
SocialCrawl is the Google Play data API for public listings: one x-api-key returns app search, full detail by package name, reviews with developer replies, top charts, and a paginated listings database across 9 endpoints. Google's Play Developer API is scoped to apps you publish yourself, so SocialCrawl handles the public catalog it cannot reach, in the App schema it shares with the Apple App Store.
Is scraping Google Play data legal?
SocialCrawl returns publicly available Google Play data and does not access private or login-gated content. Whether scraping fits your project depends on your use case and jurisdiction. You are responsible for complying with Google Play's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA. This is general information, not legal advice.
Google Play scraping API vs the official Google Play API: what's the difference?
With SocialCrawl there is no app review or approval queue. Sign up and call Google Play endpoints immediately with a single x-api-key. Responses share one unified schema with every other SocialCrawl platform, and credit-based pricing replaces per-platform quotas. Official APIs are still the right choice for posting and other write actions: SocialCrawl is read-only data.
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