LurkAPI

API delivering social media posts, ads, and profiles as clean JSON.

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About LurkAPI

LurkAPI is a social media data API. Send one GET request with query parameters and get clean JSON back from public pages on 16 platforms: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, Telegram, Snapchat, Truth Social, Google, eBay, Linktree and any web page.

What you get

88 endpoints: profiles, posts, comments, video transcripts, search, and the ads in Meta's, Google's, TikTok's and LinkedIn's ad libraries.
One envelope everywhere: success, credits_charged, credits_remaining, then the data. Errors carry a code and a link to the docs.
Copy-paste code in curl, Node.js, Python, Go, PHP and Ruby on every endpoint page, with a real captured response and a live playground.
An OpenAPI 3.1 spec, llms.txt, and every docs page as markdown.
The same endpoints work as an MCP server in Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and VS Code, with browser sign-in.

Speed and price

The API averages about a second. Most calls cost 1 credit, and packs run from $9 for 10,000 credits to $225 for 500,000. Credits never expire, and there is no subscription. Calls that fail before reaching the platform, rate-limited calls and 5xx errors are free.

Start free

Sign in with Google or an email code and get 100 credits, no card. Once a day, a balance under 25 is topped back up to 25. LurkAPI returns public data only.

Use Cases

A digital marketing agency integrates LurkAPI to monitor and analyze Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns in real-time, optimizing ad spend based on live engagement metrics and competitor insights.
An AI chatbot leverages LurkAPI to access recent Reddit posts and Twitter threads related to a trending topic, providing users with the latest social conversations and sentiment analysis.
A data analytics startup taps into LurkAPI's TikTok and YouTube video search capabilities to track viral content trends and provide clients with insights into emerging influencer marketing opportunities.
An e-commerce platform utilizes LurkAPI's eBay listings data to monitor competitor pricing, seller ratings, and product availability dynamically, helping inform pricing strategy adjustments.

Key Features

88 endpoints across 16 social platforms, one API key
One GET request with query parameters, clean JSON back
About a second on average, measured live on our own traffic
Ad libraries from Meta, Google Ads Transparency, LinkedIn and TikTok (EU)
Video transcripts for YouTube, TikTok and Instagram
MCP server for Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code and Claude Code
Most calls cost 1 credit; packs from $9, and credits never expire
100 free credits at signup and a daily top-up to 25, no card

Pricing

LurkAPI is freemium and pay as you go. New accounts get 100 free credits with no card, and once a UTC day a balance under 25 is topped back up to 25. Without an account there are 5 free tries a day in the playground and the free tools. Most calls cost 1 credit. Credits come in one-off packs that never expire: $9 for 10,000, $59 for 100,000 and $225 for 500,000. There is no subscription, and failed calls (bad parameters, rate limits, 5xx errors) are free.

Pros & Cons

Pros

+ Provides live, real-time social media data rather than relying on cached or outdated information, ensuring accuracy and current context.
+ Supports data extraction from 16 of the most popular social media platforms, offering a comprehensive multi-channel solution from a single API.
+ Integration-ready connectors available for major AI and development tools such as Claude AI, ChatGPT, Cursor, and VS Code, simplifying adoption and workflow integration.
+ Cost-effective pricing structure with a generous freemium plan and affordable large-scale request packages, lowering entry barriers.
+ Answers in about a second on average, measured on its own traffic

Cons

- Free tier limits API calls to 5 tries per day without signup, which may be restrictive for heavier or commercial test usage without moving to paid plans.
- Some specialized data, such as region-specific TikTok ads, are only accessible in select countries (EU, UK, Switzerland, Turkey), limiting geographic coverage for those endpoints.
- Limited official support or detailed documentation for some niche platforms may require users to have intermediate API integration skills to maximize utility.
- No native user interface; users need to be comfortable working with API endpoints and JSON to retrieve and process data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which social media platforms does LurkAPI support?

LurkAPI provides access to data from 16 major social media platforms including Facebook, Reddit, LinkedIn, Google, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter (X), and more, covering posts, ads, profiles, videos, and job listings.

Can I try LurkAPI without creating an account or providing payment information?

Yes. Without an account you get 5 free tries a day in the playground and free tools. Signing up gives 100 free credits with no card, and a balance under 25 is topped back up to 25 every day.

How fast are the API responses from LurkAPI compared to competitors?

LurkAPI answers in about a second on average, measured on its own traffic. ScrapeCreators publishes a 3.12 s average.

Is the data returned in a format easy to use for developers?

Yes, data from LurkAPI is returned in clean JSON format, which is widely supported and easy to parse in most programming languages, facilitating smooth integration into applications and AI systems.

What are some common use cases for LurkAPI?

Common uses include monitoring social media advertising campaigns, real-time social listening and sentiment analysis, aggregating job listings for recruitment services, tracking viral video trends, and competitive pricing analysis in e-commerce.