# 🗺️ Google Maps Contributor Reviews API: a reviewer's history as clean JSON

> The most efficient, reliable, and developer-friendly way to use the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API.

**Actor page:** [apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api?fpr=9n7kx3)
**Input schema:** [apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/input-schema](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/input-schema?fpr=9n7kx3)

Pull a Google Maps contributor's review history as structured JSON. Give the API a contributor ID and get every review that reviewer has left, each with the rating, text, date, photos, and the place reviewed, plus the reviewer's own profile: Local Guide level, points, and total contributions. It turns a single reviewer into structured data for reputation research, reviewer vetting, and review-fraud detection.

## Video Walkthrough

[![Watch the walkthrough](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jREWahDGhJM/maxresdefault.jpg)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jREWahDGhJM)

## Quick Start

### Prerequisites
- Python 3.11 or higher
- An Apify account and API key ([get a free key here](https://apify.com?fpr=9n7kx3))

1. **Clone the repository**
   ```bash
   git clone https://github.com/johnisanerd/Google-Maps-Contributor-Reviews-API.git
   cd Google-Maps-Contributor-Reviews-API
   ```

2. **Install dependencies with UV**
   ```bash
   # Install UV if you do not have it:
   curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

   # Install project dependencies:
   uv sync
   ```

3. **Configure your API key**
   ```bash
   cp .env.example .env
   # Edit .env and add your Apify API key
   # Get your free API key at: https://apify.com?fpr=9n7kx3
   ```

4. **Run an example**
   ```bash
   # Single example:
   uv run python google-maps-contributor-reviews-api-example.py

   # Batch example (profiles several reviewers in one run):
   uv run python google-maps-contributor-reviews-api-batch-example.py
   ```

### Alternative: set the API key directly
```bash
export APIFY_API_TOKEN="your_api_key_here"
uv run python google-maps-contributor-reviews-api-example.py
```

## Why Use This Google Maps Contributor Reviews API?

Turn a reviewer into data. One contributor ID returns their full recent review history with the reviewer's profile attached.

Clean, structured output. Every review is one row, ready to load into a dataframe, a database, or an AI pipeline.

Built for fraud detection. The reviewer's level, points, and contribution counts, plus their review pattern across places, make mass reviewers and single-target campaigns easy to spot.

MCP-ready. AI agents can call it as a tool through the hosted Apify MCP server to profile a reviewer on demand.

## Features

### Core Capabilities
- A contributor's recent review history from one ID
- The reviewer's profile: level, points, local-guide status, contributions
- The place reviewed, with address and coordinates
- Batch several reviewers in one run

### Data Quality
- One clean row per review, tagged with the contributor ID and profile
- Stable JSON shape, easy to load anywhere

## Usage Examples

### Basic Example
```json
{
  "contributorId": "107022004965696773221"
}
```

### Advanced Example
```json
{
  "contributorIds": ["107022004965696773221", "100000000000000000000"],
  "maxResultsPerContributor": 10
}
```

For a runnable batch script, see `google-maps-contributor-reviews-api-batch-example.py` in this repo.

## Input Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| `contributorId` | `str` | one of | - | A single Google Maps contributor ID (the long numeric ID from a reviewer's profile). |
| `contributorIds` | `list[str]` | one of | - | A batch of contributor IDs. Merged with `contributorId` and de-duplicated. |
| `hl` | `str` | no | `"en"` | Two-letter language code. |
| `maxResultsPerContributor` | `int` | no | `10` | Reviews per contributor (about 10 are available per run). |

## Output Format

Each item in the dataset is one review, with the reviewer's profile attached:

```json
{
  "result_type": "review",
  "contributor_id": "107022004965696773221",
  "position": 1,
  "review_id": "Ci9DQUlRQUNvZENodHljRjlvT21v...",
  "contributor_name": "Matt Moeini",
  "contributor_level": 5,
  "contributor_local_guide": true,
  "contributor_points": 952,
  "contributor_contributions": { "reviews": 32, "ratings": 1, "photos": 27, "videos": 7, "answers": 124 },
  "contributor_thumbnail": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/...",
  "rating": 5,
  "snippet": "Great little spot, the service was excellent ...",
  "date": "2 months ago",
  "likes": 0,
  "place_info": { "title": "Le Petit Marcel", "address": "2914 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657", "type": "Restaurant" },
  "images": [ { "title": "Le Petit Marcel", "thumbnail": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/..." } ],
  "details": { "food": 5, "service": 5, "atmosphere": 5, "recommended_dishes": "Salmon Wellington" },
  "link": "https://www.google.com/maps/...",
  "fetched_at": "2026-06-14T00:00:00Z"
}
```

### Field reference

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `result_type` | `str` | Always `review`. |
| `contributor_id` | `str` | The reviewer this row belongs to. |
| `position` | `int` | Rank of this review within the reviewer's returned reviews. |
| `review_id` | `str` | Stable identifier for the review. |
| `contributor_name` | `str` | The reviewer's display name. |
| `contributor_level` | `int` | Local Guide level. |
| `contributor_local_guide` | `bool` | Whether the reviewer is a Local Guide. |
| `contributor_points` | `int` | The reviewer's Local Guide points. |
| `contributor_contributions` | `obj` | Counts: `reviews`, `ratings`, `photos`, `videos`, `answers`, and more. |
| `contributor_thumbnail` | `str` | The reviewer's profile photo URL. |
| `rating` | `int` | The star rating for this review. |
| `snippet` | `str` | The review text. |
| `date` | `str` | Relative date Google shows (e.g. `2 months ago`). |
| `likes` | `int` | Likes on the review. |
| `place_info` | `obj` | The place reviewed: `title`, `address`, `type`, coordinates. |
| `images` | `list` | Photos attached to the review (`title`, `thumbnail`). |
| `details` | `obj` | Sub-ratings and tags when present (e.g. `food`, `service`, `atmosphere`, `recommended_dishes`). |
| `response` | `obj` | The business owner's response, when present. |
| `link` | `str` | Link to the review on Google Maps. |
| `fetched_at` | `str` | ISO 8601 timestamp of when the row was fetched. |

## Featured Tasks

Ready-to-run examples on the Apify Store, each targeting a specific use case:

- [Get a Google Maps Reviewer's Full Review History](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/examples/get-a-google-maps-reviewer-s-full-review-history?fpr=9n7kx3)
- [Audit a Google Maps Local Guide's Reviews](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/examples/audit-a-google-maps-local-guide-s-reviews?fpr=9n7kx3)
- [Export a Google Reviewer's Reviews as JSON](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/examples/export-a-google-reviewer-s-reviews-as-json?fpr=9n7kx3)
- [Vet a Google Reviewer: Spot Fake-Review Signals](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/examples/vet-a-google-reviewer-spot-fake-review-signals?fpr=9n7kx3)
- [Export Google Maps Reviews to CSV](https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api/examples/export-google-maps-reviews-to-csv?fpr=9n7kx3)

---

<!-- The five install sections below are the canonical MCP install copy. -->
## Install in Claude Cowork Desktop

![Install in Claude Cowork Desktop](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/johnisanerd/ApifyPublicData/main/assets/guides/install_mcp_into_claude_desktop.png)

Cowork is the desktop app's automation mode. To give it the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API as a tool, add the Apify MCP server as a connector.

1. Open the Claude desktop app and go to **Settings → Connectors** (or **Settings → Developer → Edit Config** to edit `claude_desktop_config.json` directly).
   - macOS: `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`
   - Windows: `%APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json`
2. Add the Apify MCP server, preloaded with only this Actor:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mcp-remote",
        "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api"
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

3. Restart the app. When Cowork first calls the tool, complete the OAuth prompt in your browser, or add your Apify API token in the connector settings to skip OAuth.
4. In a Cowork chat, confirm the tool is available and ask it to run the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API.

Download the desktop app and start a free trial: https://claude.ai/referral/uIlpa7nPLg
More help: https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/claude-desktop

---

## Install in Claude Code

![Install in Claude Code](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/johnisanerd/ApifyPublicData/main/assets/guides/install_mcp_into_claude_code.png)

Claude Code is the command-line tool. Add the Actor's MCP server with one command:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify \
  "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api"
```

To use a token instead of browser OAuth:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify \
  "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN"
```

Then verify with `claude mcp list`, or run `/mcp` inside a session. Ask Claude Code to call the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API.

Try Claude Code free: https://claude.ai/referral/uIlpa7nPLg
Claude Code MCP docs: https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp

---

## Install in Claude (website)

![Install in Claude (website)](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/johnisanerd/ApifyPublicData/main/assets/guides/install_mcp_into_claude_ai.png)

On claude.ai you add Apify as a connector, then enable just this Actor's tool.

1. Go to **Settings → Connectors → Browse connectors** and search for **Apify MCP server**. Install it (enable or update if prompted).
2. When connecting, authenticate with your Apify API token, and enable the tool `johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api`.
3. In any chat, open **+ → Connectors** and turn on **Apify**.
4. Alternatively, choose **Add custom connector** and paste the full MCP URL `https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api`, using OAuth when prompted.
5. Ask Claude to run the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API.

Open Claude on the web: https://claude.ai/referral/uIlpa7nPLg

---

## Install in Cursor

![Install in Cursor](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/johnisanerd/ApifyPublicData/main/assets/guides/install_mcp_into_cursor.png)

Cursor reads MCP servers from a project file at `.cursor/mcp.json`.

1. In your project, create `.cursor/mcp.json`:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api"
    }
  }
}
```

2. If you prefer token auth over browser OAuth, add a header:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api",
      "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN" }
    }
  }
}
```

3. Open **Cursor → Settings → MCP** and confirm the **apify** server is connected (green dot).
4. In Composer or Chat, ask Cursor to call the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API.

New to Cursor? Get it here: https://cursor.com/referral?code=XQP4VBLI3NNX

---

## Install in ChatGPT

![Install in ChatGPT](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/johnisanerd/ApifyPublicData/main/assets/guides/install_mcp_into_ChatGPT.png)

ChatGPT connects to the Apify MCP server through Developer mode (available on ChatGPT Pro, Plus, Business, Enterprise, and Education plans).

1. Click your profile icon, then go to **Settings > Apps**. If you do not see a **Create app** button, open **Advanced settings** and enable **Developer mode**.
2. Click **Create app** and fill out the form:
   - **Name:** Apify
   - **MCP Server URL:** `https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=actors,docs,johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api`
   - **Authentication:** OAuth
3. Click **Create** and authorize the connection with Apify.
4. To use the app in a conversation, click **+** in the chat, choose **Developer mode**, and select **Apify**.

More help: https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp

---

[**Made with care**](https://apify.com/johnvc?fpr=9n7kx3)

*Use the Google Maps Contributor Reviews API to vet reviewers and detect review fraud in your product or AI agent.*

<!-- ask-ai:start -->
## 🤖 Ask an AI assistant about this Actor

Open a ready-to-send prompt about the Google Maps Contributor Reviews Actor in the AI of your choice:

- 💬 [ChatGPT](https://chatgpt.com/?q=Using%20the%20Google%20Maps%20Contributor%20Reviews%20Actor%20on%20Apify%20%28https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api?fpr=9n7kx3%29%2C%20walk%20me%20through%20this%20use%20case:%20%22Get%20a%20Google%20Maps%20Reviewer%27s%20Full%20Review%20History%22.%20Show%20me%20the%20input%20JSON%2C%20the%20output%20fields%2C%20and%20how%20to%20automate%20it%20with%20the%20API%20or%20MCP.)
- 🧠 [Claude](https://claude.ai/new?q=Using%20the%20Google%20Maps%20Contributor%20Reviews%20Actor%20on%20Apify%20%28https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api?fpr=9n7kx3%29%2C%20walk%20me%20through%20this%20use%20case:%20%22Get%20a%20Google%20Maps%20Reviewer%27s%20Full%20Review%20History%22.%20Show%20me%20the%20input%20JSON%2C%20the%20output%20fields%2C%20and%20how%20to%20automate%20it%20with%20the%20API%20or%20MCP.)
- 🔍 [Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=Using%20the%20Google%20Maps%20Contributor%20Reviews%20Actor%20on%20Apify%20%28https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api?fpr=9n7kx3%29%2C%20walk%20me%20through%20this%20use%20case:%20%22Get%20a%20Google%20Maps%20Reviewer%27s%20Full%20Review%20History%22.%20Show%20me%20the%20input%20JSON%2C%20the%20output%20fields%2C%20and%20how%20to%20automate%20it%20with%20the%20API%20or%20MCP.)
- 🅒 [Copilot](https://copilot.microsoft.com/?q=Using%20the%20Google%20Maps%20Contributor%20Reviews%20Actor%20on%20Apify%20%28https://apify.com/johnvc/google-maps-contributor-reviews-api?fpr=9n7kx3%29%2C%20walk%20me%20through%20this%20use%20case:%20%22Get%20a%20Google%20Maps%20Reviewer%27s%20Full%20Review%20History%22.%20Show%20me%20the%20input%20JSON%2C%20the%20output%20fields%2C%20and%20how%20to%20automate%20it%20with%20the%20API%20or%20MCP.)
<!-- ask-ai:end -->

Last Updated: 2026.09.22