# Facebook Ads Library Scraper - Competitor Ads (`hasnainnisar67/facebook-ads-library-scraper`) Actor Scrape the Facebook Ads Library by search query, country, and ad type. Returns advertiser name, ad creative text, image URL, status, start date, library ID, and platform. Track competitor campaigns without a Facebook login. - **URL**: https://apify.com/hasnainnisar67/facebook-ads-library-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Hasnain Nisar](https://apify.com/hasnainnisar67) (community) - **Categories:** Marketing, Social media - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing $0.49 / 1,000 ad scrapeds This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. Actors are written with capital "A". ## 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. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## Facebook Ads Library Scraper - Spy on Competitor Ads **Scrape Facebook Ads Library at scale and uncover every ad your competitors are running.** Pull ad creative, copy, images, status (active/inactive), start dates, and target country — without an API key, without login, without rate-limit headaches. ### What this Facebook Ads Library Scraper does Pass a keyword, brand name, or advertiser, and the actor returns a clean list of ads from Facebook's public Ad Library: - **Advertiser / Page name** - **Ad creative copy** (the actual ad body text) - **Image URL** (first creative) - **Status** — `active` or `inactive` - **Start date** — when the ad first ran - **Impressions range** (when published by Meta) - **Target location** - **Library ID** — Facebook's unique ID for the ad You can filter by country, by ad type (political/issue, housing, employment, credit, or all), and by status. ### Why use this Facebook Ads Library Scraper? - **No login or Facebook account** required - **No Meta Ad Library API tokens** — works on the public pages - **Comprehensive coverage** — uses both GraphQL interception AND DOM extraction - **Country & ad-type filters** — narrow to your jurisdiction or category - **Bulk-friendly** — 200 ads per query, scriptable into batch runs ### Use cases - **Competitor ad research** — see every ad your top 3 competitors are currently running - **Ad copy inspiration** — surface high-frequency ad messaging in your category - **Creative library** — build a swipe file of winning ad creative - **Compliance & due diligence** — verify a brand's political/issue ad activity - **Market intelligence** — measure share-of-voice in any category - **PR & journalism** — investigate political/issue ad spend - **Affiliate marketing** — find which products competitors are promoting ### Input ```json { "query": "marketing software", "country": "US", "adType": "ALL", "status": "active", "maxResults": 50 } ```` | Field | Type | Default | Description | |-------|------|---------|-------------| | `query` | string | required | Keyword or advertiser name | | `country` | string | `ALL` | ISO 2-letter country code or `ALL` | | `adType` | string | `ALL` | `ALL`, `POLITICAL_AND_ISSUE_ADS`, `HOUSING_ADS`, `EMPLOYMENT_ADS`, `CREDIT_ADS` | | `status` | string | `active` | `active`, `inactive`, or `ALL` | | `maxResults` | integer | 20 | Max ads to return (1–200) | ### Output Each ad in the dataset: ```json { "advertiser": "Acme Corp", "page_name": "Acme Corp", "ad_text": "Try our new productivity tool — 50% off the first month! …", "ad_creative_body": "Try our new productivity tool — 50% off the first month! …", "image_url": "https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/…", "ad_creative_image_url": "https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/…", "platform": "Facebook", "status": "active", "ad_delivery_status": "active", "start_date": "2024-08-15", "impressions": { "lower_bound": 50000, "upper_bound": 100000 }, "target_location": "United States", "library_id": "1234567890123456" } ``` ### How it works The actor uses Playwright to load the public Facebook Ads Library page and intercepts the GraphQL responses that power Facebook's own UI. This delivers the cleanest data — exact ad metadata as Meta serves it. When GraphQL is unavailable, the actor falls back to a DOM-based "Library ID"-anchored scraper. ### Cost & speed A typical 20-ad scrape completes in 15–25 seconds. A 200-ad scrape completes in 30–50 seconds. Runs use ~1 GB memory due to Chromium. ### Related actors - **Facebook Page Scraper** — extract page contact info, followers, about - **Facebook Video Downloader** — Watch / Reels / video downloads - **TikTok Profile & Hashtag Scraper** — TikTok content scraping - **LinkedIn Profile Scraper** — bulk LinkedIn profile extraction ### FAQ **Q: Is scraping the Facebook Ads Library legal?** The Facebook Ads Library is a transparency tool published by Meta itself. The data is public and intended for journalists, researchers, advertisers, and the general public. Always comply with Meta's Terms of Service and your local laws. **Q: Why do some queries return 0 ads?** Either no ads match, the country filter is too narrow, or Meta is rate-limiting. Try a broader query, switch country to `ALL`, or re-run. **Q: Can I get spend / impression numbers?** Meta only publishes impressions/spend for political and issue ads. For commercial ads, those fields are typically empty. **Q: How fresh is the data?** The Ads Library is updated by Meta in near-real-time. Each run hits Meta live. **Q: How do I scrape ads from multiple keywords?** Run the actor multiple times (one per keyword) and merge the datasets — or trigger it via the Apify API in a loop. # Actor input Schema ## `query` (type: `string`): Keyword to search for in the Facebook Ads Library (e.g. 'crypto wallet', 'Nike', 'apartment Berlin'). ## `country` (type: `string`): Two-letter ISO country code (e.g. 'US', 'DE', 'GB') or 'ALL' for worldwide. ## `adType` (type: `string`): Ad type filter. Use 'ALL', 'POLITICAL\_AND\_ISSUE\_ADS', 'HOUSING\_ADS', 'EMPLOYMENT\_ADS', 'CREDIT\_ADS'. ## `status` (type: `string`): Filter by ad status: active (currently running), inactive (no longer running), or ALL. ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of ads to return (1-200). ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Routes Playwright through Apify Proxy. Use US residential for accurate English-locale page content. ## Actor input object example ```json { "query": "marketing software", "country": "ALL", "adType": "ALL", "status": "active", "maxResults": 20, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } } ``` # 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 '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "query": "marketing software", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("hasnainnisar67/facebook-ads-library-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 '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "query": "marketing software", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("hasnainnisar67/facebook-ads-library-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "query": "marketing software", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true } }' | apify call hasnainnisar67/facebook-ads-library-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=hasnainnisar67/facebook-ads-library-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Facebook Ads Library Scraper - Competitor Ads", "description": "Scrape the Facebook Ads Library by search query, country, and ad type. Returns advertiser name, ad creative text, image URL, status, start date, library ID, and platform. Track competitor campaigns without a Facebook login.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "hCnZ6Cf0zbsdafnOh" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/hasnainnisar67~facebook-ads-library-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-hasnainnisar67-facebook-ads-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/hasnainnisar67~facebook-ads-library-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-hasnainnisar67-facebook-ads-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/hasnainnisar67~facebook-ads-library-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-hasnainnisar67-facebook-ads-library-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "query" ], "properties": { "query": { "title": "Search keyword or advertiser", "type": "string", "description": "Keyword to search for in the Facebook Ads Library (e.g. 'crypto wallet', 'Nike', 'apartment Berlin')." }, "country": { "title": "Country code", "type": "string", "description": "Two-letter ISO country code (e.g. 'US', 'DE', 'GB') or 'ALL' for worldwide.", "default": "ALL" }, "adType": { "title": "Ad type", "enum": [ "ALL", "POLITICAL_AND_ISSUE_ADS", "HOUSING_ADS", "EMPLOYMENT_ADS", "CREDIT_ADS" ], "type": "string", "description": "Ad type filter. Use 'ALL', 'POLITICAL_AND_ISSUE_ADS', 'HOUSING_ADS', 'EMPLOYMENT_ADS', 'CREDIT_ADS'.", "default": "ALL" }, "status": { "title": "Ad status", "enum": [ "active", "inactive", "ALL" ], "type": "string", "description": "Filter by ad status: active (currently running), inactive (no longer running), or ALL.", "default": "active" }, "maxResults": { "title": "Max ads to return", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 200, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of ads to return (1-200).", "default": 20 }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Routes Playwright through Apify Proxy. Use US residential for accurate English-locale page content.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": true } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```