# Facebook Group Insights Scraper (`fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper`) Actor Extract public Facebook group metadata, audience size, privacy, cover, and About details without user cookies or login. - **URL**: https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Fetch Cat](https://apify.com/fetch_cat) (community) - **Categories:** Social media, Marketing, Lead generation - **Features:** Limited permissions - **Stats:** 7 total users, 3 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $5.00 / 1,000 group results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes. 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. Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md. ## 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. Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run. For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below. Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`). # README Facebook Group Insights Scraper extracts public Facebook group details from one to five exact group URLs without a Facebook login or cookie. Get group IDs, names, member counts and available About details for community research and directory enrichment—not posts, member lists or private group content. ### Quick start Paste public group URLs into `groupUrls`, then run the Actor and export the dataset as JSON, CSV or Excel: ```json { "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" } ] } ``` One successful group produces one dataset row. Public fields vary by group, and an unavailable or blocked target can produce no row. A completed run can therefore have an empty dataset. This alone does not establish that a group is private or deleted. 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. https://youtu.be/1OW8gOqlZbY?t=25 ### Ready-to-run examples Choose a public example to see its settings before starting a run: - [Compare Public Facebook Group Details](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/examples/compare-facebook-groups) - [Extract Public Facebook Group Details](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/examples/facebook-group-details) ### What you get One row per successfully collected public group, with its identity, name, public member-count text and available About fields. Optional descriptions can be shortened, counts can be rounded and unavailable values remain null or empty arrays. The dataset is group-level metadata rather than posts, membership lists or private Insights. ### Who is it for? - **Community researchers** reviewing known public groups and their visible descriptions. - **Directory teams** enriching an existing list of exact group URLs. - **Market analysts** comparing public count estimates across their own dated observations. - **Data teams** keeping source-linked group metadata for manual review. ### How you can use the data - **Enrich a known-group directory.** Supply one to five exact URLs, such as the existing Cheap Meal Ideas example. Keep `group_id`, `group_url`, `group_name`, available description and public privacy labels beside your original directory entry. - **Compare public member-count observations.** Save `members_count`, `members_count_text` and `scraped_at` with each export. Compare separate observations in your own spreadsheet, remembering that compact count text is rounded rather than a precise membership history. - **Review available About details manually.** Inspect rules, creation time, public activity labels and source links when provided. These are public page fields, not member profiles, engagement history or private group analytics. - **Check batch coverage before updating your directory.** Compare requested and successful counts and review completed/pending URLs. A completed target in the checkpoint does not necessarily mean a successful dataset row. ### Input settings | Setting and API key | Default | What to provide | | --- | --- | --- | | Facebook group URLs — `groupUrls` | Required | One to five exact group URLs. Slug, numeric-ID, mobile and About URLs are supported. | | Maximum proxy rotations — `maxRetries` | `4` | Attempts per group, from 1 to 8. See field help for details. | | Proxy configuration — `proxyConfiguration` | Apify Residential, US | Keep the default or supply a supported proxy configuration. Direct access is not supported. | URLs are validated before group requests. Invalid target input fails before the `start` event. The input form contains the detailed connection settings and limitations. For a numeric-ID group, use the same input shape: ```json { "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/2200032550/" } ] } ``` ### Output data Illustrative output shape, not a guarantee of current values or field availability: ```json { "status": "success", "group_id": "126966114029232", "group_name": "Cheap Meal Ideas", "group_url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/", "description": "Public group description when available", "group_location": null, "privacy": "Public group", "members_count": 6000000, "members_count_text": "6.0M members", "rules": [], "scraped_at": "2026-08-29T00:00:00.000Z" } ``` | Fields | Meaning | | --- | --- | | `status`, `group_id`, `group_name`, `group_url` | Successful result status and group identity. | | `description`, `group_location` | Available About or page description and public location. Description may be a shorter preview. | | `privacy`, `privacy_description` | Public privacy label and explanation when available. | | `discoverability`, `discoverability_description` | Whether Facebook presents the group as discoverable. | | `has_questions` | Membership-screening question flag when exposed. | | `members_count`, `members_count_text` | Numeric estimate and original public count text. | | `cover_photo_url`, `cover_photo_width`, `cover_photo_height` | Cover image and available dimensions. Image URLs may expire. | | `activity`, `activity_description` | Available public activity label and explanation. | | `created_at` | Group creation time when exposed. | | `admin_count`, `moderator_summary` | Available public admin count and summary text—not an admin profile list. | | `rules` | Available rule titles and descriptions, otherwise an empty array. | | `scraped_at` | Observation timestamp. | Unavailable optional values are `null` or, for rules, an empty array. Results follow input order with unsuccessful targets omitted. No sorting or ranking option is provided. The `RUN_SUMMARY` key-value record reports `requested`, `completed`, `successful`, `errors` and `stoppedForDeadline`. It contains counts, not a per-target explanation. `LIFECYCLE_CHECKPOINT` identifies completed and pending URLs. Completed does not necessarily mean a successful row. These records are separate from the dataset. #### 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](https://docs.apify.com/storage/dataset#apify-console) for the available formats and field options. ### Pricing Pay-per-event pricing uses a `start` event once for a valid run and a `group` event for each successful group result. Unavailable targets produce no group-result row or charge, but the start charge can still apply when no results are saved. Platform usage charges may also apply under your account. Keep target lists and attempts small, and see the [live Pricing tab](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/pricing) for current rates and plan details. ### Tips for best results - **Supply one to five exact group URLs.** This Actor enriches known groups rather than discovering new ones. - **Keep supported connection settings.** The existing default is Apify Residential in the US, and direct access is not supported. - **Retain original count text with estimates.** Compare rounded values cautiously instead of treating every change as an exact membership event. - **Compare successful counts with submitted targets.** Summary counts do not provide a per-target explanation, and completed checkpoint entries are not all successful rows. - **Inspect missing fields and cover links before reuse.** Descriptions can be short previews, and image URLs can expire. ### Limits and caveats Only public group-level metadata is supported without Facebook login or cookies. This is not a group-discovery tool or feed crawler, and it does not export posts, comments, member profiles, private content or administrators' private information. It is not affiliated with Facebook or Meta. Facebook can restrict logged-out access or change its pages. An unavailable or blocked target can produce no row, including a completed empty dataset, without establishing that a group is private or deleted. Isolated unavailable targets are omitted while useful results remain available. Optional values can be null, descriptions can be shortened and public counts can be rounded estimates. Rules can be an empty array, and signed cover-image URLs can expire. Results follow input order with unsuccessful targets omitted, without sorting or ranking controls. A deadline can leave targets unfinished. `RUN_SUMMARY` reports requested, completed, successful, error and deadline-stop counts rather than per-target reasons. `LIFECYCLE_CHECKPOINT` lists completed and pending URLs, but completed does not necessarily mean a successful row. These records remain separate from the dataset. ### Automation and integrations #### Save your settings for next time Once you have an input that works for you, [save it as an Apify task](https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/tasks). 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](https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/schedules) 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](https://docs.apify.com/integrations) for your chosen tool. For a custom connection, an [Apify webhook](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/webhooks) 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](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js), [Python client guide](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python) and [Actor runs API reference](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2/acts-runs-post). #### cURL ```bash curl -X POST 'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/fetch_cat~facebook-group-insights-scraper/runs' \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \ -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --data @- <<'JSON' { "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" } ] } JSON ``` #### Node.js ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; const client = new ApifyClient({ token: process.env.APIFY_TOKEN }); const run = await client.actor('fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper').call({ "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" } ] }); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); console.log(items); ``` #### Python ```python import os from apify_client import ApifyClient client = ApifyClient(os.environ['APIFY_TOKEN']) run = client.actor('fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper').call(run_input={'groupUrls': [{'url': 'https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/'}]}) print(client.dataset(run['defaultDatasetId']).list_items().items) ``` ### MCP and AI agents You can ask your AI assistant to collect data with **Facebook Group Insights 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](https://mcp.apify.com/). MCP gives your assistant a way to find this scraper, run it and read the results. Follow the [official setup and sign-in guide](https://docs.apify.com/mcp) for your app. #### Easier setup with an Apify plugin If you use a supported coding assistant, the [official Apify plugin](https://docs.apify.com/agents/plugins) 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](https://docs.apify.com/account/apify-ai) and ask it to find Fetch Cat's **Facebook Group Insights 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](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/claude). - **ChatGPT and Codex (OpenAI):** [Apify setup guides](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/openai). - **Grok Bot (xAI):** [Apify plugin guide](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/grok-bot). - **Gemini CLI (Google):** [MCP server setup guide](https://geminicli.com/docs/tools/mcp-server/). 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: ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "url": "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-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 **Facebook Group Insights Scraper** by Fetch Cat, or give it the identifier `fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-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 Facebook Group Insights Scraper to retrieve public metadata for https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/. Show its name, public member-count text and available About description with the source link.” - “Collect metadata for the 2 exact public Facebook group URLs I provide. Keep group IDs, privacy labels and count text so I can review my directory entries, without retrieving posts or member profiles.” - “Retrieve group-level metadata for these 3 exact group URLs. Include observation times and distinguish successful rows from completed or pending targets before I compare rounded counts with my own earlier export.” Normal Apify charges apply. Check the [live Pricing tab](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/pricing) 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](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/x402). This experimental option lets an agent use Apify without a conventional account. [Apify AGI](https://agi.apify.com/) 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](https://docs.apify.com/agents/payments) to choose the right setup. ### FAQ #### Can I export Facebook group details without a login? Yes, when Facebook exposes usable public group metadata. Do not supply a Facebook cookie or password. The Actor cannot unlock private or login-only data. #### Is this Facebook Group Insights analytics? It returns public group details, not the private Insights dashboard, post reach, engagement histories or member demographics. It is not an official Facebook API. #### Why is the dataset empty or missing some groups? Public details may be unavailable, access may be blocked, or extraction may not find usable metadata. Check `RUN_SUMMARY`, pending URLs and the run's messages. An empty result does not prove privacy or deletion. Report a known publicly available group that repeatedly returns no useful data. #### Can I compare member growth? Compare `members_count`, `members_count_text` and `scraped_at` from separate observations. Rounded public counts cannot measure small changes precisely. #### How do I export to CSV or Excel? Use the default dataset's Export controls after the run finishes, or retrieve its items through the API examples above. ### Related Actors - [Facebook Groups Search Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-groups-search-scraper) — discover group URLs before collecting details. - [Facebook Pages Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-pages-scraper) — collect public Page details. - [Facebook URL to ID Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-url-to-id-scraper) — resolve supported Facebook URLs to numeric IDs. - [Facebook Marketplace Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-marketplace-scraper) — research public marketplace listings. - [Facebook Events Scraper](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-events-scraper) — collect public event details. ### Support and feedback For custom additions or integrations, email . Found an error or have a feature request? [Open an issue](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/issues) 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](https://docs.apify.com/account/collaboration/general-resource-access#automatically-sharing-runs-via-actor-issues). 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](https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/reviews) 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. ♥ # Changelog This Actor's version history is a separate document: https://apify.com/fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper/changelog.md # Actor input Schema ## `groupUrls` (type: `array`): Public Facebook group URLs to inspect (1–5). Slug and numeric-ID URLs are supported. ## `maxRetries` (type: `integer`): Maximum attempts per group (1–8; default 4). Each attempt uses a fresh proxy session and tries the About page followed by the group page when needed. More attempts may help temporary blocking but cannot unlock private content. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Requests use a proxy from the start. When omitted, the Actor uses Apify Residential in the US. An explicit proxyConfiguration takes precedence: supported managed settings and customer proxy URLs are passed to Apify without being replaced by the default. A working proxy is required; disabling Apify Proxy without customer proxy URLs does not select direct access or trigger a paid fallback. Settings are interpreted by the Apify SDK; the Actor does not replace a rejected configuration with the default. Proxy usage may incur platform charges; only change this when your proxy supports Facebook public pages. ## Actor input object example ```json { "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" } ], "maxRetries": 4, "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": [ "RESIDENTIAL" ], "apifyProxyCountry": "US" } } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `overview` (type: `string`): No description # 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 = { "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" } ] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-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 = { "groupUrls": [{ "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" }] } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}") for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "groupUrls": [ { "url": "https://www.facebook.com/groups/cheapmealideas/" } ] }' | apify call fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,fetch_cat/facebook-group-insights-scraper" } } } ``` The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer ` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations). ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/wK8CJeYhEf68YSbEc/builds/VsEJGT0saulb9kabE/openapi.json