Facebook Ads Library Scraper

Facebook Ads Library Scraper — ads by keyword or advertiser page

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper exports ads from the public Meta Ad Library by keyword or advertiser page: ad text, title, link, call to action, images, videos, carousel cards, dates, platforms and page details.

It runs on Apify, needs no Facebook login and no cookies, and exports to JSON, CSV, Excel or an API call. Every session key it needs (tokens, query ids, cursors) is read from Facebook on each run, so it keeps working when Facebook ships new code.

What the Facebook Ads Library Scraper does

• Searches the Ad Library by keyword, or lists every ad of an advertiser page id.
• Filters by country, status, ad type and media type.
• Follows the Ad Library's cursor (30 per page).
• Returns video and image links of each creative.

Who uses the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

• Marketers studying competitors' ads.
• Agencies building ad swipe files.
• Researchers tracking political and issue ads.

How the Facebook Ads Library Scraper works

Facebook serves public pages, videos and listings to logged-out visitors and embeds the first page of data in the HTML.

The Actor loads that page like a browser, reads the session values (LSD token, revision, query ids) Facebook writes into it, and requests the following pages from Facebook's GraphQL endpoint with the returned cursor.

Query ids that a page does not preload are read from the JavaScript bundles the page lists, and the variable names of each query come from its own module, so the request always matches Facebook's current code.

Nothing is guessed: if Facebook stops publishing a value the Facebook Ads Library Scraper needs, the run log names it and the item is skipped instead of being filled with a stale value.

Input of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

Field	Type	Default	What it does
searchTerms	array	["nike"]	A keyword, an advertiser page id (digits) or an Ad Library URL with view_all_page_id.
country	string	US	Two-letter country code (US, GB, DE, IN ...) or ALL.
activeStatus	string	active	Which ads to include.
adType	string	all	Ad category filter.
mediaType	string	all	Creative type filter.
maxItems	integer	50	Upper limit per keyword or page (30 per page, paginated).
maxTotalItems	integer	0	Stops the whole run after this many dataset rows.
proxyConfiguration	object	{"useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]}	Facebook limits logged-out visitors per IP address. Residential proxies (the default) give the most reliable results; the Actor switches to a fresh IP when Face

Example input for the Facebook Ads Library Scraper:

{
  "searchTerms": [
    "nike"
  ],
  "country": "US",
  "activeStatus": "active",
  "adType": "all",
  "mediaType": "all",
  "maxItems": 50
}

Output of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

Each dataset row is one ad. These are the fields the Facebook Ads Library Scraper produced in its test runs:

Field	Meaning
adArchiveId	Ad Library id
adLibraryUrl	adLibraryUrl
bodyText	Ad text
caption	Caption text
cards	cards
categories	categories
collationCount	collationCount
collationId	collationId
containsDigitallyCreatedMedia	containsDigitallyCreatedMedia
country	country
ctaText	ctaText
ctaType	ctaType
currency	currency
displayFormat	displayFormat
endDate	Last delivery date
images	images
impressionsText	impressionsText
isActive	isActive
linkDescription	linkDescription
linkUrl	linkUrl
pageCategories	pageCategories
pageId	pageId
pageLikes	pageLikes
pageName	Advertiser page
pageUrl	pageUrl
platforms	Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Audience Network
reachEstimate	reachEstimate
scrapedAt	When this row was read
searchTerm	searchTerm
spend	spend
startDate	First delivery date
title	Title
videos	videos

Fields that Facebook does not publish for an item are left empty rather than guessed. Download the dataset as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or HTML, or read it through the Apify API.

Example row from a Facebook Ads Library Scraper test run

A real row from the local test run (long values shortened):

{
  "adArchiveId": "925321173274919",
  "adLibraryUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?id=925321173274919",
  "isActive": true,
  "pageId": "89516513179",
  "pageName": "Nordstrom Rack",
  "pageUrl": "https://www.facebook.com/NordstromRack/",
  "pageLikes": 2518543,
  "pageCategories": [
    "Clothing (Brand)"
  ],
  "startDate": "2026-08-03T07:00:00.000Z",
  "endDate": "2026-10-02T07:00:00.000Z",
  "platforms": [
    "FACEBOOK",
    "INSTAGRAM",
    "MESSENGER"
  ],
  "displayFormat": "VIDEO",
  "bodyText": "Buy online and pick up in store for free! Get up to 70% off Nike, Vince, Madewell, adid...",
  "title": "Fast & Free Pickup",
  "caption": "Nordstromrack.com",
  "linkUrl": "https://fb.com/canvas_doc/1072291375736811",
  "linkDescription": "Fast & Free Pickup",
  "ctaText": "Learn more",
  "ctaType": "LEARN_MORE",
  "images": null,
  "videos": [
    {
      "hdUrl": "https://video.fdac5-1.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t2/f2/m366/AQPMHFeiZ7eLWAaUSfl9UjSZ2QaJHkx2VTZ...",
      "sdUrl": "https://video.fdac5-2.fna.fbcdn.net/o1/v/t2/f2/m412/AQMV2s6BM70XySEODiEt8eTNuMKZMp2op1h...",
      "previewUrl": "https://scontent.fdac5-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.35426-6/765069451_1338486861688039_3992643..."
    }
  ],
  "cards": null
}

Data quality of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

• Every value in a Facebook Ads Library Scraper row is read from Facebook during your run; nothing is filled from a cache or an old snapshot.
• Rows are de-duplicated by id inside a run, so the same ad never appears twice in one dataset.
• Counts are numbers you can sort and sum (not "1.2K" text) wherever Facebook publishes the exact number.
• Dates are UTC in ISO 8601 format, which Excel, Google Sheets, Python and SQL all read directly.

Facebook Ads Library Scraper test results

These numbers come from live test runs of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper on 2026-10-03 (home connection, no proxy). Runs on the Apify platform use residential proxies and can be faster or slower.

Test	Rows	Time
ads keyword US (70, paginated)	70	12 s
advertiser page id, all statuses	12	3 s

Facebook Ads Library Scraper limits, stated plainly

• Measured locally: 70 ads for "nike" in the US in 12 seconds; Facebook reported 23,130 matching ads.
• Spend and impressions are published only for political and issue ads.

How to run the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

1. Open the Facebook Ads Library Scraper in Apify Console and fill in the input fields described above.
2. Keep the default residential proxy unless you have a reason to change it; Facebook limits logged-out visitors per IP address.
3. Start the run, watch the log, and download the dataset when the status says Done.
4. To automate it, call the Facebook Ads Library Scraper from the Apify API, schedule it, or connect it to Make, Zapier, n8n or Google Sheets through an integration or webhook.

Python example with the Apify API client:

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run_input = {
    "searchTerms": [
        "nike"
    ],
    "country": "US",
    "activeStatus": "active",
    "adType": "all",
    "mediaType": "all",
    "maxItems": 50
}
run = client.actor("neuro-scraper/facebook-image-photos-downloader").call(run_input=run_input)
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

Facebook Ads Library Scraper pricing

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper uses pay-per-event pricing: you pay per dataset row (event "result"), plus the Apify platform usage of your run. Free-plan users get up to 30 rows per run, which is enough to test the Facebook Ads Library Scraper on real data.

Set a maximum cost per run in Apify and the Facebook Ads Library Scraper stops cleanly when it is reached.

Tips for large runs of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

• Start with a small limit to check the Facebook Ads Library Scraper output, then raise it; the first rows arrive within seconds.
• Split very large jobs into several inputs and run them in parallel tasks; each run gets its own proxy sessions.
• Set a maximum cost per run in Apify; the Facebook Ads Library Scraper stops cleanly when the budget is reached and keeps every row it already saved.
• Schedule repeat runs instead of one huge run when you track the same targets over time.
• Keep the residential proxy: datacenter IPs are refused by Facebook far more often for logged-out visitors.

Facebook Ads Library Scraper compared with copying by hand

	Facebook Ads Library Scraper	Manual work
Speed	Seconds per page of results	Minutes per item
Fields	Every public field, same order every time	Whatever you copy
Format	JSON, CSV, Excel, API	Spreadsheet you build yourself
Repeatable	Schedule it daily	Start again each time
Errors	Logged per item	Unnoticed typos

Using the Facebook Ads Library Scraper in a workflow

• Send every new row to Google Sheets or Airtable with the Apify integration and keep a live table.
• Trigger a Make, Zapier or n8n scenario with a webhook when the run finishes.
• Load the JSON export into Python or BigQuery for analysis and dashboards.
• Use the Apify API: start the Facebook Ads Library Scraper with a POST request and read the dataset items endpoint when the run finishes.
• Chain it: pass the Facebook Ads Library Scraper output to another Apify Actor (for example a downloader or a transcript Actor) in an Apify task.
• Export straight to Excel from the dataset tab when you only need a one-off report.

Troubleshooting the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

• The run ends with no rows: open the log. The Facebook Ads Library Scraper writes one line per target saying what Facebook returned, for example a login wall or a missing item.
• Fewer rows than expected: the target may have fewer public items, or Facebook may stop serving more pages to logged-out visitors. The log names the reason.
• Slow run: large limits mean many pages; the Facebook Ads Library Scraper waits briefly between pages so Facebook keeps answering. Split big jobs into several runs.
• Proxy errors: keep the RESIDENTIAL group. The Facebook Ads Library Scraper already switches to a fresh IP when one is blocked.
• Free plan stops at 30 rows: that is the free-plan cap of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper; any paid Apify plan removes it.

What changed in this version of the Facebook Ads Library Scraper

• Rebuilt in October 2026 on Facebook's logged-out web endpoints; every token, query id and cursor is read at run time.
• Pay-per-event pricing (one event per row) replaces the old monthly rental; free-plan users can test with 30 rows per run.
• Residential proxy by default, with automatic switch to a fresh IP when Facebook blocks one.

Is it legal to use the Facebook Ads Library Scraper?

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper reads only data that Facebook shows to any logged-out visitor. It never logs in and never touches private content.

Personal data may still be in public posts, so check GDPR and the other laws that apply to you before you store or reuse it, and respect Facebook's terms.

Related scrapers

Actor	Link
Facebook Posts Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-posts-scarper
Facebook Reels Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-reels-scraper
Facebook Comments Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-comments-scraper
Facebook Video Details Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-video-details-scraper
Facebook Video Downloader	neuro-scraper/facebook-video-downloader
Facebook Reels Downloader	neuro-scraper/facebook-reels-downloader
Facebook Video Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-video-scraper-pro
Facebook Transcript Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-transcript-scraper
Facebook Photos Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-photo-posts-scraper
Facebook Reels Scraper Advanced	neuro-scraper/facebook-reels-scraper-advanced
Facebook Pages Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-reels-downloader-and-facebook-video-downloader
Facebook Marketplace Scraper	neuro-scraper/facebook-video-posts-scraper

Leave a review

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Frequently asked questions

Does the Facebook Ads Library Scraper need a Meta API token?

No. It reads the public Ad Library pages logged out.

Does the Facebook Ads Library Scraper need my Facebook login?

No. The Facebook Ads Library Scraper works logged out and never asks for your password or cookies. It reads only what Facebook shows to any visitor.

Do I need my own proxy for the Facebook Ads Library Scraper?

No. The Facebook Ads Library Scraper uses Apify residential proxies by default and switches to a fresh IP when Facebook blocks one. You can choose another proxy in the input.

What formats can I export from the Facebook Ads Library Scraper?

JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML and RSS from the dataset tab, or any format through the Apify API, webhooks and integrations.

How fast is the Facebook Ads Library Scraper?

In the test runs above the Facebook Ads Library Scraper took between 3 and 12 seconds per run. Speed depends on how many items you ask for and on the proxy.

Why did the Facebook Ads Library Scraper return fewer rows than I asked for?

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper stops when Facebook has nothing more to show logged out, when your limit is reached, or when the free-plan cap of 30 rows applies. The run log always says which one happened.

Can I schedule the Facebook Ads Library Scraper?

Yes. Create a schedule in Apify Console to run the Facebook Ads Library Scraper daily or hourly and send the results to Google Sheets, Make, Zapier or n8n through an integration.

Can the Facebook Ads Library Scraper read private accounts or private groups?

No. The Facebook Ads Library Scraper reads public data only. Private content needs a login, and the Facebook Ads Library Scraper never logs in.

What happens when Facebook changes its website?

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper reads every key it needs from Facebook at run time, so routine changes are picked up automatically. If something can no longer be read, the log says so instead of returning wrong data.

Can I use the Facebook Ads Library Scraper with Make, Zapier or n8n?

Yes. Add the Facebook Ads Library Scraper as an Apify step in Make, Zapier or n8n, or send a webhook when the run finishes and fetch the dataset items from the Apify API.

Does the Facebook Ads Library Scraper work in every country?

The Facebook Ads Library Scraper reads Facebook through residential proxies that rotate across countries. Content that Facebook restricts by country follows those rules.

How do I collect only new items with the Facebook Ads Library Scraper?

Schedule the Facebook Ads Library Scraper and keep the item ids from earlier runs. Every row has a stable id, so a simple de-duplication against your previous export keeps only the new ones.

Can the Facebook Ads Library Scraper process many targets in one run?

Yes. Put as many targets as you like in the input; the Facebook Ads Library Scraper handles them one after another and a failing target never stops the others.