Run an Actor

Run an Actor

Starts an Apify Actor, such as a Google Maps or search-results scraper, with JSON input and returns the run's status and the ID of the dataset that holds its results.

Note: The MCP tool waits up to 45 seconds for the run and the API up to 60 with waitForFinish: read the results with the dataset items call once the run has succeeded. Runs are billed; cap one with maxTotalChargeUsd on the API.

Set up

Use the first option your agent supports.

MCP (official, remote)

Add this server to your agent's MCP settings, then sign in when asked.

{ "mcpServers": { "apify": { "url": "https://mcp.apify.com" } } }

Call the MCP tool call-actor.

Server URL: https://mcp.apify.com

CLI (official)

Install the command and sign in with it, then confirm it runs.

npm install -g apify-cli
apify --version

Run apify actors call.

Note: Sign in with apify login.

API (official)

• Base URL: https://api.apify.com/v2
• Endpoint: POST /actors/{actorId}/runs
• Auth: send the header Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN
• Get a key: https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations
• Docs: https://docs.apify.com/api/v2

Before anything else, confirm access with the cheapest read-only call, like a list or a search. Never send or change anything to test access.

Rules

• Ask the user before anything that sends messages, costs money, or changes data, and say how many records it touches. One approval covers a batch the user has seen.
• Never print API keys.