# Reddit Api Scraper (`scraperx/reddit-api-scraper`) Actor - **URL**: https://apify.com/scraperx/reddit-api-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [ScraperX](https://apify.com/scraperx) (community) - **Categories:** Automation, Lead generation, Social media - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $3.99 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. 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 ## Reddit API Scraper **Reddit Scraper** is an Apify actor that extracts data from Reddit by keyword search. It uses Reddit’s public search API and returns posts in a structured format. No login is required. You can use it as a **Reddit scraper** or **alternative to the Reddit API** for keyword-based search. --- ### Why Choose Us? - **No proxy by default** – Sends requests directly to Reddit; uses proxy only when blocked. - **Automatic proxy fallback** – If Reddit blocks the request, the actor falls back to datacenter proxy, then to residential proxy (with retries), and sticks with residential for the rest of the run. - **Bulk keywords** – Search multiple keywords in one run. - **Same output shape** – Output is a single JSON object: keys = keywords, values = arrays of posts (same structure as the reference `output.json`). --- ### Key Features | Feature | Description | |--------|-------------| | **Search by keyword** | One or more search terms (bulk input). | | **Multiple strategies** | Uses several sort strategies (new, relevance, hot, top, etc.) to maximize results. | | **Rate limiting** | Delays and semaphores to reduce blocking. | | **Retries** | Up to 3 retries with exponential backoff; special handling for 403. | | **Proxy fallback** | No proxy → datacenter → residential, with clear logging. | | **Structured output** | Each post includes `metaData.keyword`, `id`, `subreddit`, `title`, `author`, `permalink`, `url`, `selftext`, and other Reddit fields. | --- ### Input Configure the actor with these inputs (Form or JSON in Apify Console). | Field | Type | Required | Description | |-------|------|----------|-------------| | **Search keywords** | array (stringList) | Yes | Keywords to search on Reddit (e.g. `webscraping`, `python`). Supports bulk edit. | | **Subreddit names** | array (stringList) | No | Optional subreddits to limit search. | | **Results limit per keyword and subreddit** | integer | No | Max posts per keyword (default: 5, max: 1000). | | **Sorting** | string | No | Sort order: `new`, `hot`, `top`, `relevance` (default: `new`). | | **Proxy Configuration** | object (proxy) | No | By default no proxy. Enable Apify Proxy if you want to force proxy from the start. Fallback (datacenter → residential) runs when Reddit blocks. | #### Example input (JSON) ```json { "searchKeywords": ["webscraping", "python"], "subredditNames": [], "resultsLimitPerKeyword": 5, "sorting": "new", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } } ```` *** ### Output The dataset contains **one item**: a JSON object where each key is a **keyword** and each value is an **array of post objects**. Same structure as the reference `output.json`. #### Example output structure ```json { "webscraping": [ { "metaData": { "keyword": "webscraping" }, "id": "abc123", "subreddit": "Python", "selftext": "...", "author_fullname": "t2_xxx", "title": "Post title", "subreddit_name_prefixed": "r/Python", "name": "t3_abc123", "link_flair_text_color": "dark", "subreddit_type": "public", "thumbnail": "self", "link_flair_type": "text", "author_flair_type": "text", "domain": "self.Python", "selftext_html": "...", "subreddit_id": "t5_xxx", "author": "username", "permalink": "/r/Python/comments/...", "url": "https://www.reddit.com/..." } ], "python": [ ... ] } ``` | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | `metaData.keyword` | Search keyword for this post. | | `id` | Reddit post ID. | | `subreddit` | Subreddit name. | | `title` | Post title. | | `author` | Author username. | | `permalink` | Relative link to the post. | | `url` | Full URL. | | `selftext` | Post body text. | *** ### How to Use the Actor (via Apify Console) 1. Log in at and go to **Actors**. 2. Find **Reddit API Scraper** (or `reddit-api-scraper`) and open it. 3. Open the **Input** tab (Form or JSON). 4. Enter **Search keywords** (e.g. `webscraping`; add more with **+ Add** or **Bulk edit**). 5. Optionally set **Results limit per keyword**, **Sorting**, and **Proxy Configuration**. 6. Click **Start**. 7. Watch **Log** for progress and proxy fallback messages. 8. Open the **Output** tab to see the dataset (one item = object of keywords → posts). 9. Export to JSON or use via API. *** ### Best Use Cases - Monitoring Reddit for keywords (brand, product, topic). - Research or sentiment on public discussions. - Building datasets of Reddit posts by topic. - Alternative to Reddit API for simple search-based scraping. *** ### Frequently Asked Questions **Do I need a Reddit API key?**\ No. The actor uses Reddit’s public search endpoint; no authentication is required. **Why did it switch to proxy?**\ If you see “Falling back to datacenter/residential proxy” in the log, Reddit returned 403 (block). The actor then uses Apify proxies and continues; once it switches to residential, it stays on residential for the rest of the run. **Can I scrape private subreddits?**\ No. Only publicly available content is accessible. *** ### Support and Feedback Use the Apify actor’s **Issues** or **Reviews** for bugs and feature requests. *** ### Cautions - Data is collected only from **publicly available** Reddit content. - No private accounts or password-protected content are accessed. - You are responsible for compliance with applicable laws (e.g. privacy, data protection, spam). # Actor input Schema ## `searchKeywords` (type: `array`): Enter the words or phrases you want to search on Reddit (e.g. webscraping, python, ChatGPT, AI). You can add multiple keywords — use + Add or Bulk edit. Each keyword is searched across Reddit and results are grouped by keyword in the output. One keyword per line in bulk mode. ## `subredditNames` (type: `array`): Optional. Restrict search to specific subreddits only (e.g. python, programming, learnprogramming). Leave empty to search all of Reddit. Add multiple with + Add or Bulk edit. Improves relevance when you know which communities to target. ## `resultsLimitPerKeyword` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of posts to fetch per keyword (1–1000). Higher values may take longer and can trigger rate limits; the actor uses delays and retries to stay safe. Start with 10–50 for testing. Default: 10. ## `sorting` (type: `string`): How Reddit search results are ordered: New (latest first), Hot (trending now), Top (most upvoted), or Relevance (best match to your keyword). Default: New. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): By default no proxy is used (direct requests to Reddit). If Reddit blocks or rate-limits the request, the actor automatically falls back to datacenter proxy, then to residential proxy (with up to 3 retries). Once it switches to residential, it stays on residential for all remaining requests. Turn on Apify Proxy here if you want to use proxy from the very first request. ## Actor input object example ```json { "searchKeywords": [ "webscraping" ], "resultsLimitPerKeyword": 10, "sorting": "new", "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } } ``` # 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 = { "searchKeywords": [ "webscraping" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("scraperx/reddit-api-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 = { "searchKeywords": ["webscraping"], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": False }, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("scraperx/reddit-api-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 '{ "searchKeywords": [ "webscraping" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false } }' | apify call scraperx/reddit-api-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=scraperx/reddit-api-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Reddit Api Scraper", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "o0WDtasG9B1jx8toj" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/scraperx~reddit-api-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-scraperx-reddit-api-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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/scraperx~reddit-api-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-scraperx-reddit-api-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/scraperx~reddit-api-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-scraperx-reddit-api-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$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": [ "searchKeywords" ], "properties": { "searchKeywords": { "title": "🔑 Search keywords (required)", "type": "array", "description": "Enter the words or phrases you want to search on Reddit (e.g. webscraping, python, ChatGPT, AI). You can add multiple keywords — use + Add or Bulk edit. Each keyword is searched across Reddit and results are grouped by keyword in the output. One keyword per line in bulk mode.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "subredditNames": { "title": "📌 Subreddit names", "type": "array", "description": "Optional. Restrict search to specific subreddits only (e.g. python, programming, learnprogramming). Leave empty to search all of Reddit. Add multiple with + Add or Bulk edit. Improves relevance when you know which communities to target.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "resultsLimitPerKeyword": { "title": "📊 Results limit per keyword", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 1000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of posts to fetch per keyword (1–1000). Higher values may take longer and can trigger rate limits; the actor uses delays and retries to stay safe. Start with 10–50 for testing. Default: 10.", "default": 10 }, "sorting": { "title": "📅 Sorting", "enum": [ "new", "hot", "top", "relevance" ], "type": "string", "description": "How Reddit search results are ordered: New (latest first), Hot (trending now), Top (most upvoted), or Relevance (best match to your keyword). Default: New.", "default": "new" }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "🌐 Proxy configuration", "type": "object", "description": "By default no proxy is used (direct requests to Reddit). If Reddit blocks or rate-limits the request, the actor automatically falls back to datacenter proxy, then to residential proxy (with up to 3 retries). Once it switches to residential, it stays on residential for all remaining requests. Turn on Apify Proxy here if you want to use proxy from the very first request." } } }, "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 } } } } } } } } } } ```