X User Profile Scraper

Export public X profile metadata from handles, profile URLs or supported search queries. Keep stable identity, source provenance, exposed bio and website information, visible counts and explicit warnings without providing an X login. Missing public data stays unknown rather than being inferred from the viewer, and the Actor does not collect tweets or follower graphs.

Quick start

Begin with known handles or a focused query and a small global profile cap. The existing input combines NASA, SpaceX, GitHub and a space-agency discovery query:

{
  "handles": ["NASA", "SpaceX"],
  "profileUrls": ["https://x.com/github"],
  "searchQueries": ["space agency"],
  "maxItems": 20,
  "includeRecentCounts": true,
  "failOnBlocked": false
}

Prefer a video guide? This short Apify walkthrough shows you how to set up and run an Actor. It uses a different Actor, but the setup steps are the same.

Ready-to-run examples

Choose a public example with a small, preconfigured input:

• Export X Profiles by Handle — Collect public identity and visible counters for two known handles.
• Export X Profile Records from URLs — Start from two public profile links and retain their source provenance.
• Discover X Profiles by Topic — Find up to ten profile candidates from one topic query. Results depend on public search indexing and can be empty.

What you get

A successful profile row with identity and canonical links, available public description and counters, optional account metadata and provenance. Conservative email or website-domain enrichment comes from public bio and link text rather than mailbox verification. RUN_SUMMARY explains missing, skipped or failed inputs without fabricating profile rows.

Who is it for?

• Social research teams retaining observed public account metadata.
• Creator analysts reviewing source-linked profiles and exposed audience counts.
• Company-data teams enriching known identities after their own matching review.
• Data developers joining stable profile IDs with collection times in their own records.

How you can use the data

• Review known NASA and SpaceX profiles. Keep id, handle, profileUrl and collection time with any displayed counters. Counts are observations, not a verified audience estimate or proof that the account's bio claims are accurate.
• Normalize a known GitHub profile link. Use the existing GitHub URL and retain canonical and legacy links with stable identity. URL alias merging is different from proving that two similarly named accounts share an owner.
• Discover a bounded space-agency sample. Use the existing space agency query with a small global cap, retaining searchQuery and sourceType. Public indexing can miss accounts, and a search match is a candidate for manual identity review rather than verified institutional affiliation.
• Keep your own profile observations. Store IDs, counters, public link evidence and scrapedAt before comparing scheduled exports. Optional postsCount can be suppressed with includeRecentCounts false, while alerts, identity decisions and cross-run history remain in your own workflow.

Input settings

Field	Type	Default	Description
handles	string[]	[]	Public handles, with or without @
profileUrls	string[]	[]	Public x.com or twitter.com profile URLs
searchQueries	string[]	[]	Find public profiles relevant to each query
maxItems	integer	20	Global profile limit, from 1 to 1,000
includeRecentCounts	boolean	true	Include the visible postsCount. false emits null for that field
failOnBlocked	boolean	false	Fail on an isolated search/request/extraction defect instead of preserving useful partial output. Expected empty outcomes still succeed

Supply at least one handle, profile URL, or nonblank query. Handles contain 1–15 letters, digits or underscores, optionally prefixed by @. Profile URLs must include https://x.com/HANDLE or https://twitter.com/HANDLE; post links and extra tab paths are not profile URLs. Each input list accepts at most 1,000 strings of up to 2,048 characters. Structural and configuration errors reject before requests or charges. Invalid target entries are skipped with a visible warning and an invalid_target reason in RUN_SUMMARY, preserving valid entries in the same batch. An all-invalid target batch succeeds with no rows, no requests, no manual charges and the summary reason invalid_input; this is not a successful profile extraction. Duplicate handles and URL aliases are merged. No proxy is used. Active custom or Apify proxy settings are not supported.

Recognized search no-matches, unavailable or explicitly login-gated/private targets, and recognized completed-empty responses succeed without fabricated dataset rows. The RUN_SUMMARY key-value-store record contains the run status, saved/failed counts and per-input reasons, including limits and skipped inputs. A challenge, unrecognized HTML, transport failure or exhausted runtime budget is not classified as no matches. Systemic discovery/extraction failures, essential storage failures and billing failures remain fatal, regardless of failOnBlocked. Useful mixed-batch rows are retained when an isolated request fails.

The run has a five-minute hard budget with a 30-second shutdown reserve. Resuming the same run does not reset that budget. Each decompressed page is limited to 8 MiB, and discovery is limited to 10,000 unique profile candidates across the run. Oversized pages are recorded as request failures, not no matches. Exceeding the candidate limit fails with a request to narrow the queries rather than silently truncating discovery. Result requests stop when the result-event charge capacity is exhausted. A run-start charge can apply even when no profiles are exported.

Input options

Monitor known accounts: provide a scheduled list in handles and export the latest public counters. Set includeRecentCounts: false when a stable identity-only snapshot is preferred.

Normalize profile URLs: mix x.com and twitter.com URLs. Output uses stable canonical URLs.

Discover profiles: add focused terms to searchQueries, then bound the dataset with maxItems.

Output data

The existing illustrative NASA row contains historical values, not a new counter measurement:

{
  "id": "11348282",
  "handle": "NASA",
  "displayName": "NASA",
  "bio": "Making the seemingly impossible, possible. ✨",
  "location": "Pale Blue Dot",
  "websiteUrl": "http://www.nasa.gov/",
  "profileUrl": "https://x.com/NASA",
  "followersCount": 92338258,
  "postsCount": 74170,
  "isBlueVerified": true,
  "verifiedType": "Government",
  "sourceType": "handle",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-08-20T22:27:52.191Z",
  "websiteDomains": ["nasa.gov"],
  "status": "ok"
}

Fields	Meaning
id, handle, displayName	Stable public profile identity
bio, location, websiteUrl	Profile-supplied public details
profileUrl, legacyProfileUrl	Canonical X and compatible Twitter URLs
avatarUrl, bannerUrl	Public profile images
followersCount, followingCount, postsCount	Visible profile counters
likesCount, listedCount, mediaCount	Reserved counters, currently null
createdAt	Account creation timestamp
isVerified, isBlueVerified, verifiedType	Public verification state
isProtected, canDm	Public privacy flag when exposed. canDm is currently null
professionalType, professionalCategories	Reserved professional fields, currently null and []
pinnedPostIds, withheldInCountries	Reserved pin and restriction lists, currently []
sourceInput, sourceType, searchQuery	Input provenance
scrapedAt, status, warnings	Collection and diagnostic information
emails, websiteDomains	Conservative enrichment derived from public bio/link text

Optional source fields are null or empty when the profile does not publish them. The Actor never substitutes viewer locale or proxy geography for account data.

Download your results

Open your run's dataset, choose Export and select JSON, CSV or Excel. JSON keeps nested fields together. CSV and Excel are useful when you want to review the records in a spreadsheet.

See Apify's download and export guide for the available formats and field options.

Pricing

The run has a start event and a Profile exported event for each successfully saved row. Failed or blocked profiles do not create result charges, while a validated run can retain its start charge even without exported profiles.

See the live Pricing tab for current tier rates. Keep a small global cap and allow for platform usage.

Tips for best results

• Use exact identities where possible. Handles and profile URLs are more specific than broad discovery queries.
• Retain source provenance. Search candidates need a separate identity or affiliation review.
• Keep null distinct from zero. An undisclosed count or profile field is not a measured absence.
• Read RUN_SUMMARY and warnings. Unrecognized content or a challenge is not evidence that an account was deleted or made private.
• Preserve the actual direct route. Active custom and Apify proxy settings are unsupported for this Actor.
• Treat public bio contacts as references. Extracted text does not establish deliverability, ownership or consent to outreach.

Limits and caveats

• Prefer exact handles or profile URLs when identity accuracy matters.
• Search results depend on public indexing and may not include every X account.
• Counts change continuously and represent the value visible at collection time.
• Removed, suspended, age-gated, or unavailable profiles may produce no row.
• Public-source availability and X anti-automation responses can cause partial runs. Inspect RUN_SUMMARY, run logs and row warnings. A page that cannot be recognized is not evidence that an account is private or deleted.
• The Actor exports public profile metadata only. It does not access DMs, private content, authenticated timelines, tweets, or follower graphs.

Recognized completed empty or unavailable-target outcomes do not create fabricated profiles. The existing distinction between isolated failures and systemic discovery, extraction, essential-storage or billing failures remains important even with failOnBlocked false. Successful emptiness is not proof that public access was restored.

Public messaging or verification flags are source values rather than permission to send messages or proof of identity. The Actor does not access DMs, private content, authenticated timelines, posts or follower relationships, and requires no customer X credentials.

Automation and integrations

Save your settings for next time

Once you have an input that works for you, save it as an Apify task. This keeps your settings together so you can use them again without filling in the form from scratch.

Run on a schedule

Need fresh results regularly? You can schedule the Actor or a saved task to run at a time that suits you.

Each scheduled run collects the data again. If you want to compare results or highlight changes, add that step in your own workflow.

Send results to your other tools

Use n8n, Make or Zapier to connect this scraper to the rest of your workflow. For example, you could pass its results to an AI assistant or add records to a spreadsheet. Follow the Apify integration guides for your chosen tool.

For a custom connection, an Apify webhook can notify your app when a run finishes or fails. Your app can then fetch the results or handle the failure.

API usage

Want to collect this data from your own app or automation? The examples below send input to the scraper and show how to collect its results.

The Node.js and Python examples wait for the run to finish before reading its results. The cURL example starts the run and returns its details. Wait for that run to finish, then use its defaultDatasetId to fetch the results.

For setup instructions, see Apify's JavaScript client guide, Python client guide and Actor runs API reference.

cURL

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/fetch_cat~x-user-profile-scraper/runs?token=$APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"handles":["NASA"],"maxItems":1}'

Node.js

import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';
const client = new ApifyClient({ token: process.env.APIFY_TOKEN });
const run = await client.actor('fetch_cat/x-user-profile-scraper').call({ handles: ['NASA'], maxItems: 1 });
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();

Python

from apify_client import ApifyClient
import os
client = ApifyClient(os.environ['APIFY_TOKEN'])
run = client.actor('fetch_cat/x-user-profile-scraper').call(run_input={'handles': ['NASA'], 'maxItems': 1})
items = client.dataset(run['defaultDatasetId']).list_items().items

MCP and AI agents

You can ask your AI assistant to collect data with X User Profile Scraper and help you work with the results. The scraper returns the data, and your assistant can then summarize it, compare records or prepare notes.

Connect your assistant through the Apify MCP server. MCP gives your assistant a way to find this scraper, run it and read the results. Follow the official setup and sign-in guide for your app.

Easier setup with an Apify plugin

If you use a supported coding assistant, the official Apify plugin can set up the connection for you. It connects your assistant to Apify and includes instructions for common tasks. Follow the guide for your particular app.

Use Apify AI in Console

Prefer to keep everything in Apify? Open Apify AI in Console and ask it to find Fetch Cat's X User Profile Scraper. You can describe the data you want and ask questions about the results.

Apify AI is currently in beta. It asks for confirmation before starting an Actor, and normal run charges apply.

Choose your assistant

• Claude and Claude Code (Anthropic): Apify setup guide.
• ChatGPT and Codex (OpenAI): Apify setup guides.
• Grok Bot (xAI): Apify plugin guide.
• Gemini CLI (Google): MCP server setup guide. Use the server URL below with the HTTP configuration supported by Gemini CLI.

Connect just this scraper

To keep your setup focused on this scraper, add this server configuration to a compatible MCP client:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "apify": {
      "url": "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=fetch_cat/x-user-profile-scraper"
    }
  }
}

Sign in to Apify when your client asks. If your client uses a Bearer token instead, follow its setup guide and keep the token in its secure configuration. Configuration formats vary by app, so use the linked guide if your client needs a different format.

Use Apify's general server

Already connected to the general Apify MCP server at https://mcp.apify.com? You can use it to find this scraper without adding another server. Ask your assistant to use X User Profile Scraper by Fetch Cat, or give it the identifier fetch_cat/x-user-profile-scraper.

Your assistant can check the available settings and retrieve the results from the returned run. If the run is still working, it should follow that run rather than start it again. Both connection options use Apify's hosted service.

Example requests

• “Use Fetch Cat’s X User Profile Scraper to collect NASA and SpaceX public profile records with a two-profile global cap and visible recent counts enabled. Keep source links, unknown values and outcome reasons without requesting X credentials.”
• “Collect the public profile at https://x.com/github with a one-profile cap and recent post counts off. Keep stable identity and website evidence without verifying mailbox ownership or collecting tweets.”
• “Retrieve up to 3 public profile candidates for space agency with recent counts enabled. Keep query provenance and any empty or failure reason rather than asserting institutional affiliation or bypassing access restrictions.”

Normal Apify charges apply. Check the live Pricing tab before asking your assistant to run a larger batch.

Pay with x402

If your AI agent has a funded wallet, it can pay for Apify usage through x402. This experimental option lets an agent use Apify without a conventional account.

Apify AGI provides a prepaid API token with a spending cap after payment. Your agent can use that token to run this scraper through the Apify API or an authenticated MCP connection.

Some MCP setups also support paying for each request directly. That is a different payment option, so check the official guide for its availability.

Follow the official guide for wallet setup, supported payment options and current terms. Apify handles the payments. Keep wallet keys and payment tokens in your agent's secure configuration.

Other ways for agents to pay

Apify also supports MPP for prepaid access through AGI and Skyfire for eligible Actors. If your agent already uses one of these, see the agentic payment guide to choose the right setup.

FAQ

What data can I export with twitter user scraper?

You can export public profile identity, bio, links, images, audience and post counts, verification state, timestamps, provenance, and conservative public contact enrichment.

Can I run X User Profile Scraper through an API, schedule, or MCP client?

Yes. Call it through the Apify API or SDK, connect it to an MCP client, or save the input as an Apify Task and schedule recurring exports.

Does this require my X password or API token?

No. The Actor works with publicly available profile information and never asks for X credentials.

Can I scrape private profiles or direct messages?

No. Those are outside this Actor's public-profile scope.

Why is an optional field null?

The profile or currently available public page did not expose it. Nulls are preferred over guessed values.

Can I schedule recurring exports?

Yes. Save the input as an Apify Task and schedule it from the Apify Console.

Related Actors

• X Profile Tweets Scraper for public posts by profile
• X Followers Scraper — Export visible public follower or following relationships for supplied X handles.
• GitHub Profile Scraper for developer enrichment
• LinkedIn Company Profiles Scraper — Collect public LinkedIn company records from exact company URLs or slugs to research organizations linked from an X bio. This retrieves company records rather than personal profiles.
• TikTok Profile Scraper for creator profile data

Support and feedback

For custom additions or integrations, email hello@fetchcat.dev.

Found an error or have a feature request? Open an issue with the run URL, a non-sensitive input example and what you expected.

Need help sharing it? See Apify’s guide to sharing a run when reporting an issue. Sharing a run can give the developer access to its input, logs and results, so use a run that contains no sensitive data. Please leave out API tokens, passwords, cookies, private documents and personal data. Use a public sample URL or a redacted example instead.

Tried this scraper? We'd love to hear how it worked for you. Leave a review to help others choose the right tool and help us improve it. Your feedback means a lot to us.

Made with care for curious people, AI agents and the possibilities in data. ♥