# Toutiao 今日头条 Scraper - Articles, Videos & Comments (`clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper`) Actor

Read Toutiao 今日头条 articles with full text, videos and comments from article and video IDs or links. Get titles, text, images, read, like and comment counts, authors and IP location. No login or cookies needed. Export to JSON, CSV or Excel.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Silkline](https://apify.com/clover_folktale) (community)
- **Stats:** 3 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

Pay per event

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

Toutiao 今日头条 Scraper reads public Toutiao articles, videos, and comments from article and video IDs or links. You get the full article text, images, read, like, comment and share counts, the author and their verification, comments with IP location, and video details with a stream link. No login or cookies needed. Export to JSON, CSV or Excel.

Pricing is pay-per-event: **$0.004 per record** plus a **$0.005 start fee**, charged once per run. One article costs about $0.009, 100 articles about $0.405, one article with 100 comments about $0.405.

### What is Toutiao?

Toutiao (今日头条) is one of China's largest news and content apps, run by ByteDance. Publishers, media outlets and independent writers post articles, videos and short posts there, and readers comment under them.

### What data can you get?

| Mode | Input | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| `article` | article IDs or links | One record per article with full text, images, counts and author |
| `video` | video IDs or links | One record per video with title, length, size, cover, stream link, counts and author |
| `comments` | article or video IDs or links | One record per comment, 20 comments per request, with the commenter's public profile fields |

#### Article and video fields

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `articleId` / `videoId`, `url`, `title` | ID, link to the page and title |
| `text`, `textAvailable` | Full plain text of the article, paragraphs separated by a blank line. `textAvailable` is false in the rare case the text could not be read (see Tips and limits) |
| `images`, `imageCount` | Image links of the article |
| `durationSeconds`, `width`, `height`, `coverUrl`, `videoUrl`, `description` | Video details (the stream link expires after some hours) |
| `publishedAt`, `publishLocation`, `isOriginal` | Publish time (UTC), IP location, original-content flag |
| `readCount`, `likeCount`, `commentCount`, `shareCount`, `collectCount`, `impressionCount` | Reads or plays, likes, comments, shares, saves and feed impressions |
| `authorId`, `authorName`, `authorAvatar`, `authorDescription`, `authorVerified`, `authorVerifiedInfo`, `authorMediaId`, `authorFollowerCount` | The author's public profile fields |

#### Comment fields

`commentId`, `postId`, `text`, `createdAt`, `likeCount`, `replyCount`, `ipLocation`, `userId`, `userName`, `userAvatar`, `userVerified`, `userVerifiedInfo`.

### How to use Toutiao Scraper

1. Open the Actor and choose a mode.
2. Paste article or video IDs or links into **Articles or videos**.
3. Set **Max results**, the total number of records you want.
4. Start the run and export the dataset as JSON, CSV or Excel, or read it with the API.

Toutiao has no keyword search in this Actor: every run starts from IDs or links you already have, for example from a list of articles you track or from a news site that links to Toutiao.

### Input

| Field | Type | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `mode` | string | No | `article`, `video` or `comments` | `article` |
| `posts` | list of strings | For article, video, comments | Article or video IDs or links (`https://www.toutiao.com/article/<id>/`, `/group/<id>/`, `/video/<id>/`, or a `m.toutiao.com` link with the ID in it) | one sample article |
| `maxResults` | integer | No | Maximum number of records in total (1 to 5000) | 20 |

An empty input runs the `article` mode on one sample article. Short share links without an ID (`m.toutiao.com/is/...`) cannot be read: open them in a browser and paste the address you land on.

Article with full text:

```json
{
  "mode": "article",
  "posts": ["7700872920532320803", "https://www.toutiao.com/article/7450114952884503059/"]
}
```

First 100 comments of an article:

```json
{
  "mode": "comments",
  "posts": ["https://www.toutiao.com/article/7700872920532320803/"],
  "maxResults": 100
}
```

### Output example

Article:

```json
{
  "type": "article",
  "articleId": "7700872920532320803",
  "url": "https://www.toutiao.com/article/7700872920532320803/",
  "title": "Example article title",
  "text": "First paragraph.\n\nSecond paragraph.",
  "textAvailable": true,
  "images": ["https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/large/example"],
  "imageCount": 1,
  "publishedAt": "2026-10-26T14:58:00Z",
  "publishLocation": "河南",
  "isOriginal": false,
  "readCount": 2723,
  "likeCount": 54,
  "commentCount": 30,
  "shareCount": 36,
  "collectCount": 37,
  "impressionCount": 81232,
  "authorId": "2694234264069886",
  "authorName": "Example account",
  "authorAvatar": "https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/user-avatar/example",
  "authorDescription": null,
  "authorVerified": true,
  "authorVerifiedInfo": "Example Media Co., Ltd. official account",
  "authorMediaId": "1763944398034958",
  "authorFollowerCount": null
}
```

Comment:

```json
{
  "type": "comment",
  "commentId": "7701045398806741770",
  "postId": "7700872920532320803",
  "text": "Example comment text",
  "createdAt": "2026-10-26T18:30:04Z",
  "likeCount": 8,
  "replyCount": 2,
  "ipLocation": "江苏",
  "userId": "4322911735783896",
  "userName": "Example user",
  "userAvatar": "https://p11-sign.toutiaoimg.com/motor-img/example",
  "userVerified": false,
  "userVerifiedInfo": null
}
```

### How much does it cost?

The Actor uses pay-per-event pricing. These are the charge events and their prices:

| Event | Price (USD) | When it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| `run-start` | $0.005 | Once per run, charged when the first request to the data source succeeds. It is not charged when the data source fails from the start, or when your spending limit cannot cover it. |
| `result` | $0.004 | For each record returned: an article, a video or a comment |

Worked examples:

- **One article:** $0.005 + $0.004 = **$0.009**.
- **100 articles:** $0.005 + 100 x $0.004 = **$0.405**.
- **One article with 100 comments:** $0.005 + 100 x $0.004 = **$0.405**.
- **The first 20 comments of each of 10 articles:** $0.005 + 200 x $0.004 = **$0.805**.

You never pay for more than `maxResults` records, you are never charged for records that were not delivered, and the run stops by itself if your spending limit is reached. An ID that returns nothing (a deleted article or video, a post without comments) is not charged as a record.

On the free Apify plan, every run returns a sample dataset: a real result of this Actor's prefilled input, captured on the date shown in the run status, so you can see exactly what the output looks like. Your own input is not used and nothing is charged. To run your own queries, use any paid Apify plan.

### Use cases

- **Media monitoring:** pull the full text and read counts of articles your team tracks.
- **Content research:** compare reads, likes and comments across articles from the same author.
- **Audience and sentiment analysis:** collect comments with their IP location and like counts.
- **Publisher research:** list an author's verification, followers and the reach of their posts.
- **Archiving:** keep a copy of article text and images before they are taken down.

### Integrations and API

You can start runs from your own code with the Apify API, schedule runs (for example a daily refresh of the counts of tracked articles), and connect the dataset to Apify integrations and webhooks. Results can be read from the API as JSON, CSV or Excel.

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run = client.actor("clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper").call(run_input={
    "mode": "comments",
    "posts": ["7700872920532320803"],
    "maxResults": 100,
})
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item["likeCount"], item["text"])
```

### Tips and limits

- **IDs and links only.** There is no keyword or trending search; each run needs article or video IDs or links. The ID is the long number in the address, for example `7700872920532320803` in `https://www.toutiao.com/article/7700872920532320803/`.
- **Articles and videos use different modes.** Use `article` for text articles and `video` for video pages; the wrong mode returns nothing for that ID.
- **Deleted or unknown IDs** return no record and are not charged as a record. If every input returns nothing, the run says so in its status message.
- **Text from a backup lookup.** If the main lookup is down, an article is read from a backup source that has counts and author but no text, images or publish time. Those records have `textAvailable` set to false and `text` empty. A video from the main lookup has no `publishedAt` or `description`; the backup lookup fills them.
- **Comments.** 20 comments come back per request, in the platform's own ranking. `commentCount` of the article can be higher than what the list returns, because the platform hides some comments from the public list.
- **Counts and IP location** are what the platform shows at the time of the run. Run again later to track changes.
- **Free plan.** Every run on the free Apify plan returns a stored sample dataset; your own input is not used and nothing is charged.
- **Feedback.** Missing a field? Open an issue from the Actor page and it will be looked at.

### FAQ

#### Do I need a Toutiao account or cookies?

No. The Actor reads public pages only, with no login.

#### Can I search Toutiao by keyword?

No. This Actor has no keyword search, trending list or channel feed. Give it IDs or links you already have, and it returns the records behind them.

#### Is it legal?

It collects only information that anyone can see on public Toutiao pages, and no private data such as phone numbers or messages. You are responsible for how you use the data and for following the laws that apply to you.

#### How fresh is the data?

Every run reads the live page, so counts and comments are current as of the run.

#### Why are some fields empty?

Not every post has every field. Images only exist on some articles, an author may have no bio, and a comment may have no IP location. Videos from the main lookup carry no publish time.

#### How many comments can I get?

As many as the platform lists publicly, up to the `maxResults` you set (at most 5000 per run).

#### Which formats can I export?

JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML or RSS from the dataset, or through the API.

### More tools from the same developer

- [Douyin 抖音 Scraper - Videos, Comments, User IDs & IP Location](https://apify.com/clover_folktale/douyin-scraper)
- [Weibo 微博 Scraper - Posts, Comments, User IDs & IP Location](https://apify.com/clover_folktale/weibo-scraper)
- [WeChat Official Account 公众号 Scraper - Articles & Read Counts](https://apify.com/clover_folktale/wechat-scraper)
- [Zhihu 知乎 Scraper - Answers, Articles, Comments & Users](https://apify.com/clover_folktale/zhihu-scraper)
- [Xiaohongshu 小红书 RedNote Scraper - Notes, Comments & User IP](https://apify.com/clover_folktale/xiaohongshu-scraper)

# Actor input Schema

## `mode` (type: `string`):

What to scrape: article (full text and counts of articles), video (video details and links), or comments (the comments under an article or video).

## `posts` (type: `array`):

Toutiao article or video IDs, or links: https://www.toutiao.com/article/<id>/, /group/<id>/, /video/<id>/ or a m.toutiao.com link with the ID in it. Toutiao has no keyword search, so every run starts from IDs or links. Short share links without an ID (m.toutiao.com/is/...) cannot be read; open them in a browser and copy the address. The run-start fee is charged once per run.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of records to return in total: articles, videos or comments, depending on the mode. You are charged per record returned.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "mode": "article",
  "posts": [
    "7700872920532320803"
  ],
  "maxResults": 20
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

All scraped items (JSON, CSV, Excel via the dataset API).

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "posts": [
        "7700872920532320803"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = { "posts": ["7700872920532320803"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "posts": [
    "7700872920532320803"
  ]
}' |
apify call clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,clover_folktale/toutiao-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/YxhLAW6FESIPGly42/builds/JaGvV8IHD2a0iw0vm/openapi.json