Google Ads Transparency Center: scrapers and the official API, compared

Route map

Each line is one way to get Google Ads Transparency Center data; each stop is a field you probably need. Green lines are catalogue Actors, ranked by the published formula.

Which route for which job

The catalogue Actors for Google Ads Transparency Center return different records. "Only this route" lists the published fields no other Actor in this table returns, which is usually what decides the choice. Cost is the published per-result rate; start events and platform usage are extra.

Field matrix: who returns what

Every tool with a published output schema, against the 4 fields most Google Ads Transparency Center jobs need. A dot means the field name appears in the schema; rows can still leave it empty.

Field dictionary: the exact keys

The same core field has a different key in each Actor's output. Map these before you merge datasets; a dash means the published schema has no matching key. Need a field that is not listed here, such as email? Search every Google Ads Transparency Center Actor by field.

Download this comparison: CSV · JSON (every tool with a published schema, matching keys per core field, price and score).

All 11 tools, scored

Catalogue Actors link to their detail pages; the score (0 to 100) is the published formula, identical for every tool. Other Store tools follow in their own table, for reference. Price is the published primary-result rate per 1,000 (the Free-plan rate where the price is tiered; higher Apify plans pay less); start events and platform usage are excluded.

Other Store tools, for reference

Scored with the same published formula and listed for comparison only; this site does not link or recommend them.

Official API route

Terms and personal data

Transparency data for research. This is general information, not legal advice.

Read Google Ads Transparency Center's terms. Keep to public data, do not bypass logins or access controls, and check whether personal data is involved before you collect it. The can-I-scrape checklist walks through it.

How to start

1. Open YouTube Ad Creative & Advertiser Tracker and start from its default input; its Actor page has the full example input and code.
2. Set the Google Ads Transparency Center search, profile, listing or URL you need and a result limit.
3. Run it and export the dataset as JSON, CSV or Excel, or call it from the Apify API.

Call YouTube Ad Creative & Advertiser Tracker from code

The example input uses the Actor's published defaults; set your own Google Ads Transparency Center query before you run it. You need an Apify API token.

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run_input = {
    "searchTerms": [
        "nike.com"
    ],
    "countries": [
        "US"
    ],
    "format": "all",
    "includeVideoDetails": False,
    "resolveVideoIds": False,
    "maxAdvertisersPerTerm": 5,
    "maxAdsPerAdvertiser": 3,
    "maxItems": 3,
    "maxConcurrency": 2,
    "onlyNew": False,
    "monitorStoreName": "youtube-ads-monitor",
    "outputFormat": "json"
}

run = client.actor("nimbryxo-studio/youtube-ad-creative-and-advertiser-tracker").call(run_input=run_input)
if run is None:
    raise RuntimeError("The Actor run was not found.")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

import { ApifyClient } from "apify-client";

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: "<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>" });
const input = {
    "searchTerms": [
        "nike.com"
    ],
    "countries": [
        "US"
    ],
    "format": "all",
    "includeVideoDetails": false,
    "resolveVideoIds": false,
    "maxAdvertisersPerTerm": 5,
    "maxAdsPerAdvertiser": 3,
    "maxItems": 3,
    "maxConcurrency": 2,
    "onlyNew": false,
    "monitorStoreName": "youtube-ads-monitor",
    "outputFormat": "json"
};

const run = await client.actor("nimbryxo-studio/youtube-ad-creative-and-advertiser-tracker").call(input);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/nimbryxo-studio~youtube-ad-creative-and-advertiser-tracker/run-sync-get-dataset-items"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN"   -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{"searchTerms":["nike.com"],"countries":["US"],"format":"all","includeVideoDetails":false,"resolveVideoIds":false,"maxAdvertisersPerTerm":5,"maxAdsPerAdvertiser":3,"maxItems":3,"maxConcurrency":2,"onlyNew":false,"monitorStoreName":"youtube-ads-monitor","outputFormat":"json"}'

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=nimbryxo-studio/youtube-ad-creative-and-advertiser-tracker",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Questions people ask

More on Google Ads Transparency Center

• Topic groupSearch and ads data: every website compared
• ToolWhich Google Ads Transparency Center route fits your job?
• ToolGoogle Ads Transparency Center cost by Apify plan, rows and runs

Related websites

• Meta Ad Library2 Actors
• LinkedIn Ad Library1 Actor
• TikTok Ads Library1 Actor

Sources

• YouTube Ad Creative & Advertiser Tracker on Apify Store
• Google Ads Advertiser Creative History Scraper on Apify Store
• Google Ads Transparency Creative Lookup by Domain on Apify Store
• No public ad-library API documentation
• Google Ads Transparency Center terms