When comparing Google Play Unofficial Python API vs node-google-play, the Slant community recommends node-google-play for most people. In the question“What are the best Google Play store crawlers?” node-google-play is ranked 1st while Google Play Unofficial Python API is ranked 3rd. The most important reason people chose node-google-play is:
Provides access to app download information such as name, version, and download URL on Node.js.
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Pros
Pro Can be used as a module on other project
You only need googleplay.py and googleplay_pb2.py and you'll be able to use it in your python projects.
Pro Downloading Apps
Downloading an app is really easy, just provide its package name. Was only tested with free apps, but it should work as well with non-free as soon as you have enough money on your Google account.
Pro Allows to list sub-categories and apps
Pro Browse categories
Allows to browse the categories in the PlayStore
Pro Well documented
Thorough documentation that guides the user through the process of using the API.
Pro Active community
The community is very active on the issues section of their Github's page.
Pro Interactive shell
An interactive shell can be started using the apishell.py script. It initializes the api object and logs you in. Allowing you to use it and manipulate it for ease of testing.
Pro Viewing permissions
You can use permissions.py to see what permissions are required by an app without downloading it.
Pro Search
Allows searching for an app with a .py request.
Pro Provides complete download info
Provides access to app download information such as name, version, and download URL on Node.js.
Pro Documentation and source code are available on Github
Well explained documentation guides you through the process of installing using the tool to search and download Apps from the Google Play Store.
Pro Allows you to request Android ID and user token
Provides a way to request Android ID and user token which are used to request app data and donwload information.
Pro Returns data on JSON format
Data on JSON format can be parsed or deserialized into variables making it easier to use.
Cons
Con Needs you to get ANDROID-ID manually and add it into the configuration script
As stated on the API docs - "To get your androidID, use ##8255## on your phone to start Gtalk Monitor. The hex string listed after aid is your androidID."
Con Not maintained anymore
Still can be forked and improved as it is open source.
Con Requires you to find GSF(Google Service Framework) ID for better functionality
Con Limited to SDK 23 by default
Won't work with apps targeting Android 7 or newer by default. This can be changed but requires extra work.