Facebook: scrapers and the official API, compared

Route map

Each line is one way to get Facebook data; each stop is a field you probably need. Green lines are catalogue Actors, ranked by the published formula.

Which route for which job

The catalogue Actors for Facebook return different records. "Only this route" lists the published fields no other Actor in this table returns, which is usually what decides the choice. Cost is the published per-result rate; start events and platform usage are extra.

Field matrix: who returns what

Every tool with a published output schema, against the 6 fields most Facebook jobs need. A dot means the field name appears in the schema; rows can still leave it empty.

Field dictionary: the exact keys

The same core field has a different key in each Actor's output. Map these before you merge datasets; a dash means the published schema has no matching key. Need a field that is not listed here, such as email? Search every Facebook Actor by field.

Download this comparison: CSV · JSON (every tool with a published schema, matching keys per core field, price and score).

All 19 tools, scored

Catalogue Actors link to their detail pages; the score (0 to 100) is the published formula, identical for every tool. Other Store tools follow in their own table, for reference. Price is the published primary-result rate per 1,000 (the Free-plan rate where the price is tiered; higher Apify plans pay less); start events and platform usage are excluded.

Other Store tools, for reference

Scored with the same published formula and listed for comparison only; this site does not link or recommend them.

What to check before you choose

Local research and communications teams use Facebook data to find businesses, follow public posts and review customer recommendations. Marketplace listings and events support separate work around availability, prices and local activity.

Choose timeline extraction for posts, a comment tool for discussion threads and a business finder for Page discovery. Marketplace, event and photo tools publish specialized records that a general Page dataset may not contain.

Checklist

• Choose the entity before comparing fields. Marketplace price and location records differ from timeline text and engagement records.
• Check names and links used for matching. Timeline output publishes author.name and permalinkUrl, while group output publishes authorName and permalinkUrl.
• Verify the required output against the schema. The leading timeline tool describes caption extraction, but its published field list does not identify a transcript field.

Where the data is incomplete

Access information is uneven across the published schemas. Marketplace and public-connection tools publish accessState, while the timeline and group field lists do not explain how restricted or unavailable content is represented.

The dedicated comment schema publishes threadingDepth and commentUrl.

Official API route

Terms and personal data

Use public data, respect Meta's terms and do not collect private profile data. Confirm the permissions applicable to collection and reuse. This is general information, not legal advice.

Read Facebook's terms. Keep to public data, do not bypass logins or access controls, and check whether personal data is involved before you collect it. The can-I-scrape checklist walks through it.

How to start

1. Open Facebook Timeline Posts & Reel Transcript Extractor and select a public timeline using its documented input format.
2. Choose a small collection scope in the available settings and start the collection.
3. Inspect postId, text, creationTime and permalinkUrl in the dataset, and confirm that the output contains the content needed for your analysis.

Call Facebook Marketplace Listing & Price Extractor from code

The example input uses the Actor's published defaults; set your own Facebook query before you run it. You need an Apify API token.

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run_input = {
    "mode": "urls",
    "startUrls": [
        {
            "url": "https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/nyc/search/?query=laptop"
        }
    ],
    "searchQueries": [
        "laptop"
    ],
    "location": "nyc",
    "country": "US",
    "radiusKm": 65,
    "category": "all",
    "sortBy": "relevance",
    "condition": "any",
    "deliveryMethod": "all",
    "availability": "all",
    "exactMatch": False,
    "maxItems": 3,
    "maxItemsPerUrl": 3,
    "maxPagesPerUrl": 1,
    "scrapeMode": "fast",
    "includeListingDetails": False,
    "includeAllPhotos": False,
    "rehostImages": False,
    "deduplicateAcrossInputs": True
}

run = client.actor("nimbryxo-studio/facebook-marketplace-listing-and-price-extractor").call(run_input=run_input)
if run is None:
    raise RuntimeError("The Actor run was not found.")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

import { ApifyClient } from "apify-client";

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: "<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>" });
const input = {
    "mode": "urls",
    "startUrls": [
        {
            "url": "https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/nyc/search/?query=laptop"
        }
    ],
    "searchQueries": [
        "laptop"
    ],
    "location": "nyc",
    "country": "US",
    "radiusKm": 65,
    "category": "all",
    "sortBy": "relevance",
    "condition": "any",
    "deliveryMethod": "all",
    "availability": "all",
    "exactMatch": false,
    "maxItems": 3,
    "maxItemsPerUrl": 3,
    "maxPagesPerUrl": 1,
    "scrapeMode": "fast",
    "includeListingDetails": false,
    "includeAllPhotos": false,
    "rehostImages": false,
    "deduplicateAcrossInputs": true
};

const run = await client.actor("nimbryxo-studio/facebook-marketplace-listing-and-price-extractor").call(input);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/nimbryxo-studio~facebook-marketplace-listing-and-price-extractor/run-sync-get-dataset-items"   -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN"   -H "Content-Type: application/json"   -d '{"mode":"urls","startUrls":[{"url":"https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/nyc/search/?query=laptop"}],"searchQueries":["laptop"],"location":"nyc","country":"US","radiusKm":65,"category":"all","sortBy":"relevance","condition":"any","deliveryMethod":"all","availability":"all","exactMatch":false,"maxItems":3,"maxItemsPerUrl":3,"maxPagesPerUrl":1,"scrapeMode":"fast","includeListingDetails":false,"includeAllPhotos":false,"rehostImages":false,"deduplicateAcrossInputs":true}'

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=nimbryxo-studio/facebook-marketplace-listing-and-price-extractor",
      "headers": {
        "Authorization": "Bearer <YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Questions people ask

More on Facebook

• AlternativesCrowdTangle alternatives: what still works for public social data
• Retired toolCrowdTangle is gone: what replaced it and what did not
• Retired toolFacebook Groups API: removed on April 22, 2024
• Topic groupSocial media data: every website compared
• ToolWhich Facebook route fits your job?
• ToolFacebook cost by Apify plan, rows and runs

Related websites

• Meta Ad Library2 Actors
• Instagram4 Actors
• TikTok17 Actors

Sources

• Facebook Marketplace Listing & Price Extractor on Apify Store
• Facebook Business Page Finder by Keyword & City on Apify Store
• Facebook Business Page Recommendation & Review Scraper on Apify Store
• Facebook Event Details & New-Event Monitor Scraper on Apify Store
• Facebook Page Photo Gallery & Engagement Scraper on Apify Store
• Facebook Public Follower & Following Snapshot Tool on Apify Store
• Meta Graph API documentation
• Facebook terms