Facebook Scraper Python (2025)
The No-Nonsense, Up-to-Date Guide
Looking to extract Facebook data with Python? This is the authoritative guide covering what actually works in 2025: official APIs, lightweight libraries, and headless browsers. Includes vetted repos, compliance guidance, and a decision matrix you can implement today.
Your Three Real Options in 2025
Official APIs (recommended)
Meta Content Library + Graph API: stable, compliant, access-gated but reliable
facebook-scraper (kevinzg)
Requests-based HTML scraper; last release 2022; fragile but works for public pages
Playwright (headless)
Real browser automation; best for Marketplace, Events, dynamic content
Reality check: Many sites now use Cloudflare AI blocking + bot detection. Plan for more blocks, use mobile proxies, treat robots.txt as advisory.
The 2025 Landscape: What's Changed
Official APIs Evolved
Meta Content Library replaces CrowdTangle for researchers
Graph API still best for Pages you manage
Clear quotas, stable schemas, strong compliance
facebook-scraper Reality
Last tagged release: v0.2.59 (Aug 31, 2022)
400+ open issues; breaks as Facebook changes markup
Still works for simple public page pulls with cookies
Playwright Dominates
Real browser = handles JS, captchas, dynamic content
Essential for Marketplace, Events, Groups
Session reuse, screenshots, HAR for debugging
New Reality: AI-Powered Defenses Are Here
Cloudflare's AI Labyrinth, default AI-bot blocking, and smarter challenge systems mean more blocks are inevitable. Sites treat robots.txt as advisory per RFC 9309, not access control.
Official APIs: Meta Content Library + Graph API
When eligible, official APIs offer the most stable, compliant, and reliable path to Facebook data.
Meta Content Library + API
Research-grade access to public Facebook/Instagram content via ICPSR's Virtual Data Enclave. Replaces CrowdTangle as the official research tool.
Structured schemas, consistent format
Strong compliance posture, data use agreements
Application required, not open to all commercial users
Use when: You're a qualified researcher at an institution needing broad public data
Graph API SDKs
Read/write access to Page objects you control, insights, ads data. Both community and official SDKs available.
Clear rate limits, reliable schemas
Official support, well-documented
Only for assets you manage, not arbitrary public pages
pip install facebook-sdk
Community wrapper (facebook-sdk.readthedocs.io)
pip install facebook-business
Official Business SDK (Meta)
Use when: You manage the Page/app and need reliability + compliance
facebook-scraper Library (kevinzg)
Lightweight requests-based HTML scraper for public pages—no API key required. Reality: best-effort in 2025.
Quick Start
Reality Check (2025)
Last release: Aug 31, 2022 (v0.2.59)
~400+ open issues on GitHub
DOM changes = breakage
Treat as best-effort. Pin versions, keep fallbacks ready.
What Still Works
Public page posts with cookies
Comments & replies (limited)
Basic profile/group info
Best for: Small batches, a few pages, you're OK with manual cookies
Basic Usage Example
from facebook_scraper import get_posts
# Scrape posts from a public page
for post in get_posts('nintendo', pages=2):
print(f"Post: {post['text'][:80]}")
print(f"Likes: {post['likes']}, Comments: {post['comments']}")
print(f"Post ID: {post['post_id']}")
print("---")Using Cookies for Logged-In Access
from facebook_scraper import get_posts
# Pass cookies dict (c_user + xs required)
cookies = {
'c_user': 'YOUR_C_USER_COOKIE',
'xs': 'YOUR_XS_COOKIE'
}
for post in get_posts('somepage', pages=1, cookies=cookies):
print(post['text'])Note: Extract cookies from your browser's developer tools. Cookies provide logged-in view, accessing more data.
Known Limitations (2025)
Marketplace: Often needs real browser
Events: Dynamic rendering breaks scraper
Rate limits: No built-in throttling
Blocks: Datacenter IPs flagged quickly
Headless Browser: Playwright for Python
Real browser automation for dynamic content, Marketplace, Events, and when challenges keep appearing.
Why Playwright Wins in 2025
Handles JS-rendered content (Marketplace, dynamic pages)
Session reuse = fewer logins, better stealth
Screenshots & HAR files for debugging
Human-like behavior patterns, anti-detection
Setup
Playwright Example: Facebook Page Posts
from playwright.sync_api import sync_playwright
import time
def scrape_facebook_page(page_url, max_scrolls=5):
with sync_playwright() as p:
browser = p.chromium.launch(headless=True)
context = browser.new_context(
viewport={'width': 1920, 'height': 1080},
user_agent='Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64)...'
)
page = context.new_page()
# Navigate to page
page.goto(page_url, wait_until='networkidle')
# Scroll to load more posts
for i in range(max_scrolls):
page.evaluate('window.scrollTo(0, document.body.scrollHeight)')
time.sleep(2)
# Extract posts (adjust selectors as needed)
posts = page.query_selector_all('div[role="article"]')
for post in posts:
text = post.text_content()
print(f"Post: {text[:100]}")
browser.close()
# Usage
scrape_facebook_page('https://www.facebook.com/nintendo')Playwright Best Practices
Session Management
- •Save context/cookies for session reuse
- •Rotate sessions per domain/account
- •Use mobile proxies with sticky sessions
Stealth & Detection
- •Random delays between actions (1-3s)
- •Vary user agents, viewport sizes
- •Screenshot on errors for debugging
Reliability
- •Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
- •Handle timeouts, network errors gracefully
- •Log HAR files for failed requests
Data Quality
- •Wait for networkidle before parsing
- •Validate selectors frequently (they change)
- •Store raw HTML for re-parsing later
Vetted Repository Shortlist (2025)
Curated list of open-source projects for different Facebook scraping use cases. Don't copy verbatim—lift patterns and adapt.
| Purpose | Project | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Public pages, simple pulls | kevinzg/facebook-scraper | CLI + cookies; last release v0.2.59 (2022-08-31); expect fragility |
| Marketplace (Playwright) | passivebot/facebook-marketplace-scraper | Playwright + BS4 + Streamlit; modern Marketplace flows |
| Marketplace (Playwright) | martin3252/Facebook_Marketplace_Scraper | Playwright navigation + Streamlit UI; reference architecture |
| General Playwright example | scrape-facebook-by-playwright | Posts/metrics scraping; learn selectors & scroll strategies |
| Graph API (community) | facebook-sdk (mobolic) | Community wrapper for Graph API |
| Graph API (official) | facebook-python-business-sdk | Official SDK for ads/insights and managed assets |
Pro tip: Don't copy these repos verbatim. Study their patterns—session reuse, scroll strategies, error handling, retry logic—then adapt to your specific use case and target pages.
Decision Matrix: Which Method to Use?
Choose your scraping approach based on your specific scenario, access level, and requirements.
| Scenario | Recommended Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher at institution needing broad public data | Meta Content Library + API | Governed access, consistent schema; replaces CrowdTangle |
| You manage the Page or app | Graph API SDK | Official tokens, clear quotas, durable |
| A few public pages, <100 posts | facebook-scraper (kevinzg) | Fastest to value; use cookies; be ready for breakage |
| Marketplace listings, Events, Groups | Playwright | JS rendering required, real browser wins |
| Frequent blocks, captchas, dynamic challenges | Playwright + Mobile Proxies | Sessions + screenshots + HAR for debugging; mobile IPs = better trust |
| Large-scale, production, compliance-critical | Official APIs first, Playwright fallback | Stability + legal safety; Playwright for edge cases |
Why Mobile Proxies Are Essential for Facebook Scraping
Better Detection Avoidance
Facebook's systems trust mobile carrier IPs (4G/5G/LTE) far more than datacenter IPs. Mobile proxies mimic genuine mobile traffic, dramatically reducing IP-based blocks.
Real devices, real carriers = high trust scores, fewer captchas
Stable, High-Quality IPs
Coronium's mobile proxies provide dedicated devices with unlimited bandwidth, 10-100 Mbps speeds, and API-triggered IP rotation—perfect for long-running Facebook scraping campaigns.
Global Coverage
Access mobile proxies from 30+ countries including US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Brazil, and more. Perfect for geo-specific Facebook content and regional market analysis.
Location matters: Scrape region-locked content, test localized ads, analyze market-specific trends
Flexible IP Rotation
Manual, API-triggered, or scheduled IP rotation. Each rotation takes 10-20 seconds as the device reconnects to the carrier network—giving you fresh IPs on demand.
Production Best Practices (2025)
Rate Limiting & Politeness
Error Handling & Retries
Data Storage & Quality
Monitoring & Observability
Legal & Ethical Considerations
Compliance Cribsheet
Responsible Use
Only scrape public data accessible without login
Respect user privacy—don't store PII unnecessarily
Attribute sources, don't claim ownership of scraped content
Avoid harmful use cases (harassment, stalking, unauthorized surveillance)
Data Handling
Encrypt scraped data at rest and in transit
Implement access controls (who can view scraped data?)
Document data retention policies and purge old data
Anonymize/pseudonymize personal info before analysis
Get Legal Counsel
Consult a lawyer familiar with data protection and scraping case law
Document your legal basis for scraping (research, journalism, etc.)
Prepare for cease-and-desist letters—know your response strategy
Consider insurance for legal defense costs
Educational Purposes Only
This guide is for educational and research purposes. The user assumes full responsibility for their actions. Scraping may violate Facebook's Terms of Service and applicable laws. When in doubt, use official APIs or seek legal counsel.
Ready to Build Production-Grade Facebook Scrapers?
Whether you choose official APIs, facebook-scraper, or Playwright, pairing your setup with mobile proxies dramatically improves reliability, reduces blocks, and ensures your scrapers run for months without intervention.