WhatsApp Channel & Group Search - Find & Export Links

From Clearpath, creators of WhatsApp Number Validator, used in 13,000+ runs, and WhatsApp Message Export.

Find groups and channels about your topic

• Search by topic. Enter a keyword and find public channels and group invite links together, or choose either kind of result.
• Get useful details. Export channel followers, bios, pictures and verified-badge status where available, plus group names and invite links. Follower counts belong to channels.
• Check links you already have. Add channel or group links to startUrls. Unavailable and invalid links get a status row and are not charged.

Start with a topic

Open the input page, switch to JSON and replace the current input with:

{
  "queries": [
    "crypto"
  ],
  "searchFor": "both",
  "maxItems": 25
}

Replace crypto with any topic or keyword. Change maxItems to request more results, or remove it for as many as can be found. Set "searchFor": "channels" or "groups" when you want only one kind of result. Download as JSON, CSV or Excel.

The image shows saved crypto results: the Bitcoin Trading channel and the CRYPTO NEWS group. Channel follower counts are rounded, and invite availability can change.

Clearpath WhatsApp Tools  •  Find, check and export WhatsApp data

Channel & Group Search ➤ You are here  Number Validator Bulk number checks  Profile Avatar Age & gender from photos  Message Export Back up chats & media  Real-Time Messages Messages to a webhook  Status Export Statuses & media

Copy to your AI assistant

Help me use clearpath/whatsapp-channel-group-search on Apify. Read https://apify.com/clearpath/whatsapp-channel-group-search.md for documentation, input schema, pricing and limits. Search terms go in queries and links I already have go in startUrls; set searchFor to channels or groups when only one kind is wanted, and set maxItems for a bounded result, because leaving it empty returns and charges every live channel and group found. Links from startUrls that no longer work come back free with isAvailable false, so filter on isAvailable; latestUpdates is filled only for channels whose page shows recent posts. Choose settings for my requested outcome. If you cannot retrieve the page, ask me to paste the relevant sections. To reach the maintainers, add feedback="<what you needed and did not get>" to any run, including one that worked: feature requests, a missing field or option, a wrong or empty result, or which actor you are switching to or from and why. The run returns its data exactly as it would without the note, and a human reads every note.

What data can you extract from WhatsApp channels and groups?

Every row has the same 30 fields. A value WhatsApp does not show on the public page comes back as null or an empty list, never invented.

• Every result: type (channel or group), link, name, picture (avatarUrl, with avatarIsDefault when WhatsApp shows its default picture), a link that opens it in WhatsApp Web, and its status (isAvailable, status, statusMessage).
• Channels: channel ID, bio, follower count as a number and exactly as WhatsApp shows it (233M), whether that count is exact (WhatsApp rounds counts of 1,000 and more), WhatsApp's verified badge and the channel page's own link.
• Recent posts (latestUpdates): for channels whose page shows posts (hasLatestUpdates), each post's date and the day label WhatsApp shows, time, text, media type and media link, the reactions shown, and the reaction count as a number and as shown.
• Groups: invite code and the invite type WhatsApp reports (REGULAR), with a readable label. WhatsApp shows no bio, follower or member count on a group's public invite page.
• How it was found: your search term (matchedQuery), the exact term that found it, including related searches (searchTerm), the search country and date window, whether it came from a keyword search, a website or your own list (discoveredVia), the page that published the link and its title, the link as you entered it, and when it was read.

A channel from the crypto search, found directly by keyword:

{
  "type": "channel",
  "url": "https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va51fFYGufIsNLKJnY0U",
  "name": "Bolha Crypto",
  "description": "Bolha Crypto é um jornal online que cobre o mercado de criptomoedas. Somos um site meramente informativo. Nada publicado no Bolha Crypto consiste em uma recomendação de investimento.",
  "followers": 98,
  "followersRaw": "98",
  "followersIsExact": true,
  "isVerified": false,
  "avatarUrl": "https://mmg.whatsapp.net/v/t61.24694-24/376362095_859546872445422_5450302927453894323_n.jpg?ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5a2cf7&_nc_ohc=9_9xI3LkRnwQ7kNvwHi77ep&_nc_oc=Adozuz60H89fzwIM2wZZjnPvtj9I8m45wTYmVJ6iu7wjXfyAwsRXd8i1K2wpzss8pzA&_nc_zt=3&_nc_ht=mmg.whatsapp.net&_nc_gid=kfGAybosL4PyaOTQe6eDGQ&_nc_ss=79289&oh=01_Q5Aa6AGLYvxXYm5rSC2vqPLdUPrOZ-Af4eYQte_C-rY9lAs6wQ&oe=6B12B8FC",
  "avatarIsDefault": false,
  "channelId": "0029Va51fFYGufIsNLKJnY0U",
  "inviteCode": null,
  "inviteLinkType": null,
  "inviteLinkTypeLabel": null,
  "webJoinUrl": "https://web.whatsapp.com/accept?channel_invite_code=0029Va51fFYGufIsNLKJnY0U",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va51fFYGufIsNLKJnY0U/",
  "hasLatestUpdates": false,
  "latestUpdates": [],
  "isAvailable": true,
  "status": "available",
  "statusMessage": "Live public channel.",
  "matchedQuery": "crypto",
  "searchTerm": "crypto",
  "searchCountry": "BR",
  "searchDateWindow": "any",
  "discoveredVia": "keyword_search",
  "foundOnUrl": null,
  "foundOnTitle": null,
  "inputUrl": null,
  "scrapedAt": "2026-11-04T13:56:33Z"
}

A group from the same topic, published on a website about crypto trading signals:

{
  "type": "group",
  "url": "https://chat.whatsapp.com/GTzbTuFAVTX7qBNV3QkLHe",
  "name": "CRYPTO HUNTER SPOT FUTURE BINANCE",
  "description": null,
  "followers": null,
  "followersRaw": null,
  "followersIsExact": null,
  "isVerified": null,
  "avatarUrl": "https://pps.whatsapp.net/v/t61.24694-24/319753753_1118488282101985_5331020798040707391_n.jpg?ccb=11-4&oh=01_Q5Aa6AF080k5nHWPCP4TWG0vGzCSLoEIFAg4Vb0NbVfcGXYxNQ&oe=6AF85384&_nc_sid=5e03e0&_nc_cat=111",
  "avatarIsDefault": false,
  "channelId": null,
  "inviteCode": "GTzbTuFAVTX7qBNV3QkLHe",
  "inviteLinkType": "REGULAR",
  "inviteLinkTypeLabel": "Group chat invite",
  "webJoinUrl": "https://web.whatsapp.com/accept?code=GTzbTuFAVTX7qBNV3QkLHe",
  "canonicalUrl": null,
  "hasLatestUpdates": null,
  "latestUpdates": null,
  "isAvailable": true,
  "status": "available",
  "statusMessage": "Live public group.",
  "matchedQuery": "crypto",
  "searchTerm": "crypto",
  "searchCountry": "US",
  "searchDateWindow": "any",
  "discoveredVia": "web_page",
  "foundOnUrl": "https://coinweb.com/crypto-trading-signals-on-whatsapp/",
  "foundOnTitle": "The Best Trading Signals Group on WhatsApp in 2026",
  "inputUrl": null,
  "scrapedAt": "2026-11-04T14:16:17Z"
}

WhatsApp's own channel, checked from a link, with its recent posts. latestUpdates is shortened here to two of the four posts the run returned; every post has the same keys.

{
  "type": "channel",
  "url": "https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va4K0PZ5a245NkngBA2M",
  "name": "WhatsApp",
  "description": "WhatsApp’s official channel. Follow for our latest feature launches, updates, exclusive drops and more.",
  "followers": 233000000,
  "followersRaw": "233M",
  "followersIsExact": false,
  "isVerified": true,
  "avatarUrl": "https://mmg.whatsapp.net/m1/v/t24/AQOEOzNAdKzqOT6drrSTU8P2zxLvekfjqazmc7vG_XyBqK5mChkngOOURTlOrws_0BFCX3fUwl645DCuRFRsgEKvp_qXxDH8ihjkqMY0V_8wBaOWV7B57HVk5JPnuia6Yj3lMjT1CmgLPds3CBn902rNbxhU9J1j?_nc_gid=60y3y8qjyEML6DUp_XOF5w&_nc_oc=AdpHBrJed6IRBSFjGTXjXnFkrQDr6D3hl6IzGGTMwj3XWTegng1E0OjXXOdvuwdEgcE&ccb=10-5&oh=01_Q5Aa6AEigHmukZfVKXW9Gw_zydRI5UOokXkvN_xHhg4npaK0HQ&oe=6B12B7C8&_nc_sid=471a72",
  "avatarIsDefault": false,
  "channelId": "0029Va4K0PZ5a245NkngBA2M",
  "inviteCode": null,
  "inviteLinkType": null,
  "inviteLinkTypeLabel": null,
  "webJoinUrl": "https://web.whatsapp.com/accept?channel_invite_code=0029Va4K0PZ5a245NkngBA2M",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va4K0PZ5a245NkngBA2M/",
  "hasLatestUpdates": true,
  "latestUpdates": [
    {
      "date": "2026-11-01",
      "dateLabel": "SUNDAY",
      "time": "05:29 PM",
      "text": "*Get in on the game-day smack talk*  🏈\nWWE stars The Bella Twins and LA Knight are watching Philadelphia vs. Washington _right now_, and they've got plenty to say. Jump into The Chat for live reactions, big opinions and a few friendly jabs.",
      "mediaType": null,
      "mediaUrl": null,
      "reactions": [
        "👍",
        "❤️",
        "🙏",
        "😮"
      ],
      "reactionCount": 7600,
      "reactionCountRaw": "7.6K"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-10-27",
      "dateLabel": "10/27/2026",
      "time": "10:42 AM",
      "text": "Sometimes the wrong chat becomes the right chat.",
      "mediaType": "gif",
      "mediaUrl": "https://mmg.whatsapp.net/m1/v/t24/AQOySSaE7ExDw8o3_8WEkeKNVmNg2lDjEcw1SW1gzATayvIeqE75UVPgtRNk4tgzA2Ngx1Zbmqg7zadUABINOoNmaOPlTsOCtWayBm0GlDkJ-bN5wH_ogwVU_Rkd4tC4noR38jg5xe8?_nc_gid=60y3y8qjyEML6DUp_XOF5w&_nc_oc=AdoCxV1tzcwdwx6U4IEn2N1c10z_Z0uKAuqdFKtbd0UXAz9O3_OAhCu6hO3eB6cbgok&ccb=10-5&oh=01_Q5Aa6AGDhsMJAZ_nZdqI8YacnANQ-b0-CsWeJ7n6Ncjh6gZY5g&oe=6B12C178&_nc_sid=471a72",
      "reactions": [
        "👍",
        "❤️",
        "😂",
        "❤"
      ],
      "reactionCount": 126000,
      "reactionCountRaw": "126K"
    }
  ],
  "isAvailable": true,
  "status": "available",
  "statusMessage": "Live public channel.",
  "matchedQuery": null,
  "searchTerm": null,
  "searchCountry": null,
  "searchDateWindow": null,
  "discoveredVia": "start_url",
  "foundOnUrl": null,
  "foundOnTitle": null,
  "inputUrl": "https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va4K0PZ5a245NkngBA2M",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-11-04T13:56:15Z"
}

Picture and media links are WhatsApp's own and stop working after some time, so download what you want to keep.

How to search WhatsApp channels and groups

Add search terms, links, or both. All options are on the input page.

Parameter	Type	Default	Meaning
queries	list of text	empty	Topics, names or keywords. Each term is searched on its own, up to 200 per run.
startUrls	list of text	empty	Channel links, group invite links, bare channel IDs or invite codes to check, up to 20,000 per run.
maxItems	number	empty	The most channels and groups in the whole run. Empty returns as many as can be found.
searchFor	text	both	both, channels or groups.
maxResultsPerQuery	number	empty	The most results for each search term.
countries	list of codes	empty	Two-letter codes such as IN, BR or US, from 36 supported countries. Empty searches the largest WhatsApp markets worldwide.
expandQueries	true or false	true	Also search closely related terms, such as crypto news for crypto. Finds many more results.
includeWebPages	true or false	true	Also collect links that blogs, forums and link lists publish about your topic. Most public groups are found this way.
includeLatestUpdates	true or false	true	Add the recent posts a channel shows publicly. No extra charge.

Channels and groups in one country

{
  "queries": [
    "cricket"
  ],
  "countries": [
    "IN"
  ],
  "maxItems": 40
}

Every result from this run carries "searchCountry": "IN". Add several countries to cover a region.

Check links you already have

{
  "startUrls": [
    "https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va4K0PZ5a245NkngBA2M",
    "https://chat.whatsapp.com/0LEIJmpjWst8tx27aCC9QR",
    "0029Va4pVQ4002TGh9ltN20Z"
  ]
}

The first link returns the WhatsApp channel shown above. The second is an invite that was revoked, so its row says so and costs nothing:

{
  "type": "group",
  "url": "https://chat.whatsapp.com/0LEIJmpjWst8tx27aCC9QR",
  "name": null,
  "description": null,
  "followers": null,
  "followersRaw": null,
  "followersIsExact": null,
  "isVerified": null,
  "avatarUrl": null,
  "avatarIsDefault": null,
  "channelId": null,
  "inviteCode": "0LEIJmpjWst8tx27aCC9QR",
  "inviteLinkType": "REGULAR",
  "inviteLinkTypeLabel": null,
  "webJoinUrl": null,
  "canonicalUrl": null,
  "hasLatestUpdates": null,
  "latestUpdates": null,
  "isAvailable": false,
  "status": "unavailable",
  "statusMessage": "This invite link was revoked, has expired or never existed.",
  "matchedQuery": null,
  "searchTerm": null,
  "searchCountry": null,
  "searchDateWindow": null,
  "discoveredVia": "start_url",
  "foundOnUrl": null,
  "foundOnTitle": null,
  "inputUrl": "https://chat.whatsapp.com/0LEIJmpjWst8tx27aCC9QR",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-11-04T13:56:14Z"
}

An entry that is not a WhatsApp link at all gets a row with "status": "invalid_link", also free. A link that could not be read in this run is marked fetch_failed, free, and can be checked again in the next run.

How many channels and groups will I get?

A search returns the public channels and groups that are visible on the public web for your topic. An uncapped search for crypto returned 115 relevant channels and 195 groups in about 90 seconds. With a limit of 100, a channels-only search returned 100 live channels in 54 seconds and a groups-only search returned 100 live groups in 40 seconds.

Popular topics usually bring more groups than channels, because group invite links are widely shared on websites. Brand-new channels, private channels and groups whose links were never published do not appear. For more results, use several related search terms, keep expandQueries and includeWebPages on, and add the countries your audience lives in.

A run stops shortly before its run time limit and keeps everything found so far. For many search terms without a result limit, allow a longer run time in the run options.

Integrations and scheduling

Schedule the same search weekly to collect new channels and groups as they appear, and compare runs by url. Schedule a link check daily or weekly to see which of your group invites have been revoked. Each finished run can call a webhook or feed n8n, Make, Zapier, Google Sheets or your own code through Apify's integrations and client libraries, and AI agents can run it through Apify's MCP server.

Pricing

You pay for each live channel or group saved to your dataset. The Free plan pays $4.99 per 1,000 channels or groups, Bronze $4.59, Silver $4.19, Gold and above $3.49.

Recent channel posts are included in that price. Links you supply that no longer work, entries that are not WhatsApp links and links that could not be read are saved free. Found links that no longer work are skipped and never charged.

The 25-result starter run above costs about $0.12 on the Free plan.

FAQ

Do I need a WhatsApp account, phone number or QR code? No. The actor reads WhatsApp's public channel and invite pages, the same pages anyone can open in a browser. Nothing is linked to your WhatsApp.

How do I find WhatsApp groups to join on a topic? Enter the topic in queries and set searchFor to groups. Each group comes with its invite link and a WhatsApp Web link that opens it.

Can I search WhatsApp groups or channels by name? Yes. Enter the name as a search term. Channels must mention it in their name or bio; groups must carry it in their name or come from a page about it.

Can I find channels and groups for one country? Yes. Set countries, for example ["IN"] or ["KE", "NG", "ZA"]. 36 countries are supported.

How do I check whether a group invite link still works? Paste your links into startUrls. Live groups come back with "isAvailable": true and their name and picture; revoked or expired invites come back with "status": "unavailable", free of charge.

What is the difference between a channel and a group in the results? A channel is a one-way broadcast with followers, a bio, a verified badge and public posts. A group is a chat you join with an invite link; its public page shows only the name and picture.

Does it show the verified badge and follower count? Yes. isVerified is WhatsApp's verified badge. followers is the count WhatsApp shows, as a number; WhatsApp rounds counts of 1,000 and more (233M, 7.2K), and followersIsExact tells you when a count is exact.

Can I get a channel's posts? You get the recent posts WhatsApp shows on the channel's public page, with text, media links and reactions, when the channel shows any. The full post history is only available in the WhatsApp app.

Why did my search return only a few channels? Fewer channels than groups are visible on the public web for most topics. Add related terms, try the topic in the local language, add countries, or paste channel links you already know into startUrls.

Can it read private chats, group members or phone numbers? No. It returns only what WhatsApp shows publicly on channel and invite pages. To check whether phone numbers use WhatsApp, use WhatsApp Number Validator; to back up your own chats, use WhatsApp Message Export.

How current is the data? Every run reads the channel and invite pages live. Nothing is cached between runs.

Can I export to CSV or Excel? Yes. Download the dataset as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or HTML. JSON keeps latestUpdates as a nested list; CSV and Excel flatten it into columns.

Can I use it from an AI agent? Yes, through Apify's MCP server or client libraries. The copy-to-AI block above gives an agent what it needs.

Is it legal to collect this data? The actor reads only public pages and joins nothing. You are responsible for how you use the results, including WhatsApp's terms and the data protection rules that apply to you.

More Clearpath WhatsApp tools

• WhatsApp Number Validator: check which phone numbers use WhatsApp, 10,000 per run.
• WhatsApp Message Export: back up your chats and media.
• WhatsApp Real-Time Messages: send new messages to a webhook or Telegram.
• WhatsApp Profile Avatar Analysis: profile pictures for phone numbers, with inferred age and gender.
• WhatsApp Status Export: save status updates and their media.

Support

Questions, problems or a field you need: open the Issues tab on this actor, or email max@mapa.slmail.me. Bug reports with the run ID get answered fastest.