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SerpApi Official

Get live Google Search data and more from SerpApi's official node

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Overview

This node enables searching the Google Play Store using SerpApi's official API. It allows users to perform live searches for apps, games, and other content available on the Google Play Store by specifying search queries or browsing by categories. This is useful for app market research, competitive analysis, monitoring app trends, or retrieving detailed app information programmatically.

Practical examples include:

  • Searching for apps related to a specific keyword or topic.
  • Retrieving top charts or trending apps in a particular country or language.
  • Filtering apps by category, device type, or age group.
  • Paginating through search results using tokens.

Properties

Name Meaning
Search Query (q) The search term or query string to look for in the Google Play Store.
Additional Fields A collection of optional parameters to refine the search:
- Country (gl) Country code to localize the search results (e.g., "us" for United States).
- Language (hl) Language code to specify the language of the search results (e.g., "en" for English).
- Apps Category Select an app category to browse instead of searching by query. Cannot be used with the search query. Categories include Art & Design, Business, Education, Games, Health & Fitness, etc.
- Device Device type to filter results by (phone, tablet, TV, watch, car, chromebook). Cannot be used with apps_category or q parameters.
- Age Age subcategory for family apps category (ages up to 5, 6-8, 9-12). Only applicable when apps_category=FAMILY.
- Next Page Token Token to retrieve the next page of results. Should not be used with section_page_token, see_more_token, or chart parameters.
- Section Page Token Safer pagination token for individual sections. Should not be used with next_page_token, see_more_token, or chart parameters.
- Chart Parameter to show top charts like topselling_free, topselling_paid, etc. Should not be used with pagination tokens.
- See more token Pagination token found in next page results. Should not be used with section_page_token, next_page_token, or chart parameters.
- Disable Caching Boolean flag to force fetching fresh results instead of cached ones. Cached results are free and expire after 1 hour. Cannot be used together with async parameter.
- Async Boolean flag to perform asynchronous search submission. Results must be retrieved later via Search Archive API. Cannot be used with no_cache parameter or on accounts with Ludicrous Speed enabled.
- ZeroTrace Mode Enterprise-only boolean flag to disable storing search parameters and metadata on SerpApi servers for privacy.
- Output Defines output format: "json" (default) for structured JSON results or "html" for raw HTML response.
- JSON Restrictor String to restrict returned JSON fields, e.g., limiting to certain fields or number of results.

Output

The node outputs a JSON object containing the search results from the Google Play Store as returned by SerpApi. The structure includes various fields such as app listings, metadata, pagination tokens, and possibly charts depending on the query parameters.

If the output format is set to "html", the raw HTML content of the search result page is returned instead.

No binary data output is indicated.

Dependencies

  • Requires an API key credential for SerpApi to authenticate requests.
  • The node sends HTTP requests to https://serpapi.com/search.json with appropriate query parameters based on user input.
  • No additional external dependencies are required beyond the SerpApi service and its API key.

Troubleshooting

  • Common issues:

    • Using incompatible parameters together (e.g., setting both a search query and an app category) may cause errors or unexpected results.
    • Pagination tokens (next_page_token, section_page_token, see_more_token) should not be mixed; use only one type per request.
    • Enabling both no_cache and async simultaneously is disallowed.
    • Using async mode requires separate retrieval of results via Search Archive API, which may confuse users expecting immediate results.
    • Incorrect or missing API key will result in authentication errors.

  • Error messages:

    • Authentication failures due to invalid or missing API key.
    • Parameter validation errors if mutually exclusive parameters are combined.
    • Rate limit exceeded errors if too many requests are made in a short time.

  • Resolutions:

    • Verify API key configuration in n8n credentials.
    • Review parameter combinations to ensure compatibility.
    • Use pagination tokens correctly and exclusively.
    • Avoid mixing caching and async options.
    • Consult SerpApi documentation for rate limits and usage policies.

Links and References

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