Facebook Groups Scraper

What is Facebook Groups Scraper?

It's a simple and powerful tool that allows you to scrape data from public Facebook groups: group URL, post text, post URL, timestamp, likes&comments count, comment text, and basic commentator info. To get that data, just insert the group page URL and click "Save & Start" button.

A public Facebook group is a group that is visible to anyone on Facebook and anyone can join without needing to be approved by an administrator. Posts made in a public group are also visible to anyone on Facebook. A private Facebook group is a group that is not visible to the general public and only members who have been approved by an administrator can see the group and its posts.

Why scrape Facebook groups?

Scraping public Facebook groups can automate data collection to spot shifts in customer attitudes, convey market research, analyze social media phenomena and their influence, identify hot spots of misinformation, fake news, hate speech, and more.

How do I use Facebook Groups Scraper?

Facebook Groups Scraper was designed to be easy to start with even if you've never extracted data from the web before. Here's how you can scrape Facebook data with this tool:

1. Create a free Apify account using your email.
2. Open Facebook Groups Scraper.
3. Add one or more Facebook page/profile URLs to scrape its groups.
4. Click "Start" and wait for the data to be extracted.
5. Download your data in JSON, XML, CSV, Excel, or HTML.

Please note that this scraper displays the extracted results only at the very end of the run. The rest of the time it will display 0 results. Please be patient until the end of the scraper run to see all the extracted data.

Input

The input for Facebook Groups Scraper should be URLs of public Facebook groups you want to scrape posts and comments from. Click on the input tab for an input example in JSON.

{
  "persistCookiesPerSession": false,
  "proxy": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": [
      "RESIDENTIAL"
    ]
  },
  "resultsLimit": 1000,
  "startUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/germtheory.vs.terraintheory"
    }
  ],
  "useSessionPool": true,
  "viewOption": "",
  "maxRequestRetries": 10
}
...

Output

This mini-scraper will deliver results in a dataset. You can choose in which format to download it: JSON, Excel, HTML CSV, or XML. Here's an excerpt from the JSON dataset you'd get if you apply the input parameters above:

[{
  "id": "UzpfSTEyOTk3OTI4Mzc6Vks6NTk1MTc0MzQ4ODIzNTk0Mw==",
  "user": {
    "id": "1299792837",
    "name": "Beaty Mary",
    "profileUrl": null,
    "profilePic": "https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/317775025_10221508970975884_5385399253104732552_n.jpg?stp=c15.29.40.40a_cp0_dst-jpg_p86x86&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7206a8&_nc_ohc=iLWqljMHtGsAX9Y0yh3&_nc_ht=scontent-ams2-1.xx&oh=00_AfAe48kpRBHaLoMl2Pvc_AkNSyLHfbMoff0iK5q1_Am5nA&oe=639BE4E3"
  },
  "date": "2022-12-12T16:13:31.000Z",
  "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/germtheory.vs.terraintheory/posts/5951743488235943/",
  "text": "Lauren Whiteman, have you always eaten clean? Were you raised like this? If not was it difficult to change? Do you have children? If so, do you homeschool? I was just wondering how you would deal with what they would teach your child in science class. And finally, how much do you spend monthly to feed yourself and family if you have a family? I have loads more  questions I would love to ask you and I hope you don’t  mind these.",
  "likesCount": 48,
  "commentsCount": 9,
  "comments": [
    {
      "id": "Y29tbWVudDo1OTUxNzQzNDg4MjM1OTQzXzU5NTY2MjUzODEwODEwODc=",
      "date": "2022-12-12T23:14:28.000Z",
      "text": "Should I report the links being posted on here to admin???",
      "profilePicture": "https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/317775025_10221508970975884_5385399253104732552_n.jpg?stp=c12.23.32.32a_cp0_dst-jpg_p68x68&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7206a8&_nc_ohc=iLWqljMHtGsAX9Y0yh3&_nc_ht=scontent-ams2-1.xx&oh=00_AfDfYjxcPl9Na846WvR8c_FnD_n7_umlOwlMr5thH2gZ5A&oe=639BE4E3",
      "likesCount": 0,
      "commentsCount": 2,
      "comments": []
    },
    {
      "id": "Y29tbWVudDo1OTUxNzQzNDg4MjM1OTQzXzU5NTY1MTk0MzQ0MjUwMTU=",
      "date": "2022-12-12T22:43:55.000Z",
      "text": "I'm totally interested in how ppl deal with the kid stuff.  My son is 4 and he loves going out to eat. He loves steak, bread, pasta.. its hard.  He loves fruit too.. I fed him lots when he was younger, so he's not as bad as other kids.  My daughter eats fruit purees so far.  No cooked meals.. id like to keep her on fruits as long as I can. She wants everything everyone is eating.  Ugh.. I dunno how this is going to work.",
      "profileUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/JAXgemini",
      "profilePicture": "https://scontent-ams4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/314901105_10216858576774963_8219015203058473860_n.jpg?stp=cp0_dst-jpg_p32x32&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7206a8&_nc_ohc=jINEn-bX14oAX-QK-gy&_nc_ht=scontent-ams4-1.xx&oh=00_AfCDnQQEXjWDZ2vVwWLYurfoxnFQv6KJLIw0ZfnDFZYgGA&oe=639D4CD6",
      "likesCount": 1
    }
  ],
  "facebookUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/germtheory.vs.terraintheory"
},
{
  "id": "UzpfSTEyMTc0MzUxNzg6Vks6NTk1NTk3MzA1NDQ3OTY1Mw==",
  "user": {
    "id": "1217435178",
    "name": "Tony Veritas",
    "profileUrl": null,
    "profilePic": "https://scontent-ams4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/218245022_10219305437246173_4381198193783705943_n.jpg?stp=c81.283.1000.1000a_cp0_dst-jpg_s40x40&_nc_cat=107&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7206a8&_nc_ohc=hk-pde65n4AAX_KHNeJ&_nc_ht=scontent-ams4-1.xx&oh=00_AfCV5n_E6q0Y5_tuwMQaxYMnoXFbZBBDtWkns2sJ1DUirQ&oe=639C78D7"
  },
  "date": "2022-12-12T20:26:56.000Z",
  "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/germtheory.vs.terraintheory/posts/5955973054479653/",
  "text": "Forgive my stupid question but has influenza a and b ever been isolated? I realise they are detox of the body but for the sake of mainstream argument….",
  "likesCount": 9,
  "commentsCount": 13,
  "comments": [
    {
      "id": "Y29tbWVudDo1OTU1OTczMDU0NDc5NjUzXzU5NTY2NzA0MjQ0MDk5MTY=",
      "date": "2022-12-12T23:27:50.000Z",
      "text": "Nope. Not even close.",
      "profileUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Anthony/100002382190736/",
      "profilePicture": "https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-1/48368753_1960198814069506_6341172050337464320_n.jpg?stp=cp0_dst-jpg_p32x32&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7206a8&_nc_ohc=C71pc3ccFzEAX8agngX&_nc_ht=scontent-ams2-1.xx&oh=00_AfDmwJ-pzVGgEjUjeCUC_6H7KGbui5KviYbULqeNy4BRoQ&oe=63BF4E06",
      "likesCount": 0
    },
    {
      "id": "Y29tbWVudDo1OTU1OTczMDU0NDc5NjUzXzU5NTY1NjIyODEwODczOTc=",
      "date": "2022-12-12T22:56:07.000Z",
      "attachments": [
        {
          "__typename": "Photo",
          "blurred_image": {
            "uri": "https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/319691674_704492417650555_9161039264762694115_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_fb30&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=bMpxiBaeCqAAX8imNHs&_nc_ht=scontent-ams2-1.xx&oh=00_AfB555P4wTSWKp2MFN82wRCxJhkHALpYeCaslN2Kyzw4MA&oe=639D88C0"
          },
          "id": "5786193458107627",
          "cix_screen": null,
          "massive_image": {
            "width": 355,
            "height": 386
          },
          "image": {
            "uri": "https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/319691674_704492417650555_9161039264762694115_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_p206x206&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=bMpxiBaeCqAAX8imNHs&_nc_ht=scontent-ams2-1.xx&oh=00_AfBWFU5bu2EqiIK2DYbWXbDZ3sO9UeMoEuKiTp3UCIvvEg&oe=639D88C0",
            "width": 206,
            "height": 224
          },
          "ocrText": "Kan een afbeelding zijn van de tekst 'The only so-called proof the virologists have that the particles they call viruses are a cause of illness is the cell death they observe in a petri dish, that have now shown to be caused by the procedure itself. They've never actually seen a so-called virus hijack a cell & replicate inside it, or even been able to isolate one, then introduce it into an animal or person, & cause the illness they claim it does. Stefan Lanka'"
        }
      ],
      "profileUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/robin.heiret",
      "profilePicture": "https://scontent-ams2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.18169-1/36178_114804671913229_6986612_n.jpg?stp=c97.32.406.407a_cp0_dst-jpg_s32x32&_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=7206a8&_nc_ohc=cdWLtAp9M4wAX88ULN6&_nc_ht=scontent-ams2-1.xx&oh=00_AfAH3QsBedySvJdL7N1YL_ps5VAgzgEiagbd0By5ezJLbQ&oe=63BF2959",
      "likesCount": 1,
      "commentsCount": 2,
      "comments": []
    }
  ],
  "facebookUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/germtheory.vs.terraintheory"
},
...

How much will it cost me to scrape Facebook Groups?

If you run the scraper on the Apify platform, for successful Facebook scraping you will need residential proxies which are included in Apify's monthly Personal plan ($49).

For more details about how our pricing works, platform credits, proxies and usage, see the platform pricing page or this video guide on ▷ how to choose the right subscription plan.

Want to scrape Facebook photos or reviews?

You can use the dedicated scrapers below if you want to scrape specific Facebook data. Each of them is built particularly for the relevant Facebook scraping case be it posts, reviews, comments or photos. Feel free to browse them:

| | | |:-: |:-: | | 🌟 Facebook Reviews Scraper | 📝 Facebook Posts Scraper | | 💬 Facebook Comments Scraper | 🏞 Facebook Photos Scraper |

Integrations and Facebook Groups Scraper

Last but not least, Facebook Groups Scraper can be connected with almost any cloud service or web app thanks to integrations on the Apify platform. You can integrate with Make, Zapier, Slack, Airbyte, GitHub, Google Sheets, Google Drive, and more.

Or you can use webhooks to carry out an action whenever an event occurs, e.g. get a notification whenever Facebook Groups Scraper successfully finishes a run.

Using Facebook Groups Scraper with the Apify API

The Apify API gives you programmatic access to the Apify platform. The API is organized around RESTful HTTP endpoints that enable you to manage, schedule, and run Apify actors. The API also lets you access any datasets, monitor actor performance, fetch results, create and update versions, and more. To access the API using Node.js, use the apify-client NPM package. To access the API using Python, use the apify-client PyPI package.

Check out the Apify API reference docs for full details or click on the API tab for code examples.

Is it legal to scrape Facebook Groups data?

Our Facebook scrapers are ethical and do not extract any private user data, such as email addresses, gender, or location. They only extract what the user has chosen to share publicly. However, you should be aware that your results could contain personal data. You should not scrape personal data unless you have a legitimate reason to do so.

If you're unsure whether your reason is legitimate, consult your lawyers. You can also read our blog post on the legality of web scraping and ethical scraping.