Run an Apify Actor From n8n, Make or Zapier

Description and use

Automate running Apify Actors from n8n, Make or Zapier: add the official connector, specify the Actor slug and input JSON, choose synchronous or asynchronous mode, add downstream nodes, and schedule the workflow.

Problem

Teams need automated, scheduled ingestion of structured data from web scrapers into downstream systems without manual intervention.

Outcome

By following the connector pattern, users can schedule and run any Apify Actor from n8n, Make, or Zapier in about 10 minutes, automatically routing structured data to downstream systems without manual scripting.

Workflow

• Add Apify node/app to the workflow and authenticate with an Apify API token.
• Select the operation: Run Actor synchronously (run‑sync‑get‑dataset‑items) or Run Actor (async).
• Specify the Actor slug (e.g., DevilScrapes/google-ads-transparency) and provide input JSON (e.g., advertiserDomain, maxAds).
• If synchronous, the node returns dataset rows directly; if async, configure a webhook URL to receive the run completion event.
• Add downstream nodes (Sheets, Slack, AI agent) to process the returned rows.
• Add a schedule trigger (daily/weekly) to run the workflow automatically.

Evidence

If you want to run an Apify Actor from n8n, Make, or Zapier, the short version is: install the official connector, point it at the Actor slug, pass your input as JSON, and either wait for the run to finish inline or fire a webhook when it does.

Source

Use run-sync-get-dataset-items (synchronous) when: The run typically finishes in well under the platform's timeout window.

Source

Pay-Per-Event pricing applies the same whether you trigger a run from the Apify Console or from n8n — there's no automation surcharge.

Source