Most Google Maps scrapers give you business names and addresses. Great—but where are the emails?
If you're comparing Apify and SphereScout, here's the real difference: Apify is a scraping platform. SphereScout is a lead database. One requires setup; the other just works.
What Apify Does Well
Apify runs customizable "actors"; prebuilt scrapers you can tweak with code. The Google Maps actor pulls business details by keyword and location.
Strengths:
- Full control over scraping logic
- Runs in the cloud, handles large batches
- Deep integrations with other automation tools
Where it falls short for lead gen:
- Emails aren't included (you'll need to enrich separately with another actor)
- You pay per run, regardless of data quality
- Requires technical setup and proxy credits
Apify is built for developers who want infrastructure. If you just need a clean contact list, it's overkill.
How SphereScout Works
SphereScout skips the scraping. The data's already filtered and enriched—you just export what you need.
- Filter by business category and location
- See how many contacts match before you pay
- Emails included, no enrichment needed
- Export to CSV or Excel in seconds
Limitations to know:
- Data refreshed every 3 months (not real-time)
- Our core coverage currently includes France and the US, with new countries being added regularly
- Less flexible than custom scraping (no radius targeting or advanced filters)
It's not for developers building pipelines. It's for anyone who needs leads today.
Side-by-Side Comparison
|
Feature |
Apify |
SphereScout |
|---|---|---|
|
Focus |
Web scraping platform |
Pre-filtered lead database |
|
Google Maps data |
Yes (via actors) |
Yes (pre-scraped) |
|
Emails included |
Requires enrichment |
Yes, upfront |
|
Filters |
Keyword, radius, custom code |
Category + location |
|
Pricing |
Pay per run |
$49–$499/mo for 15K–500K contacts |
|
Technical skill |
Moderate to high |
None |
|
Data freshness |
Depends on your setup |
Updated quarterly |
|
Geographic coverage |
Global |
France & US |
Pricing Breakdown: SphereScout
|
Plan |
Price |
Contacts |
Cost per 1K |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Free |
$0 |
100 |
Test the data |
|
Starter |
$49/mo |
15,000 |
$3.27 |
|
Growth |
$99/mo |
50,000 |
$1.98 |
|
Scale |
$499/mo |
500,000 |
$1.00 |
No surprise charges. No proxy fees. You know exactly what you're getting.
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose Apify if:
- You're technical and want full scraping control
- You need global coverage or real-time data
- You're building a custom data pipeline
Choose SphereScout if:
- You need emails, not just business names
- You're targeting France or the US
- You want predictable pricing and zero setup
Test SphereScout Free
Get 100 contacts with emails—no card required. Filter by niche and location, download your list, and see if the data quality works for your outreach.