Apify actor · whoareyouanas/meta-ad-library-single-ad-lookup

Facebook Ad Library Scraper – Single Ad Lookup

Look up one known Facebook or Instagram ad using its Meta Ad Library ID or URL. Retrieve available creative details and an explicit lookup result for audits and follow-up research.

Documentation checked 2026-10-29 · deployed build 1.2.1 · run through your Apify account

01 / Overview

Match the actor to the job.

Known-ad lookup

Start with a Library ID rather than discovering an advertiser's whole inventory.

Creative context

Collect available copy, advertiser, CTA, landing page, images, videos, dates, and platforms.

Explicit outcomes

Review lookupStatus, status, and error fields before interpreting whether an ad is active.

02 / Input

Start with a clear, bounded input.

adId is required and accepts a numeric Library ID or supported Meta Ad Library URL. Page IDs, Facebook post IDs, and Ads Manager campaign IDs are different identifiers. One ad is looked up per run.

input.json · example based on the deployed schema
{
  "adId": "1191898553123641",
  "country": "ALL"
}

Replace example targets and credential placeholders before running. These are documentation examples, not a promise of currently available source results.

Deployed actor input fields, types, defaults, and descriptions
FieldType / requiredDefaultPurpose
adIdstringRequiredNot specifiedPaste one numeric Library ID or an HTTPS Facebook Ad Library link containing ?id=. Search URLs and advertiser Page URLs are not supported.
countrystring"ALL"ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Defaults to 'ALL' to search all regions.

03 / Output

Know what each returned row represents.

Illustrative output shape · not a live run
{
  "adId": "1191898553123641",
  "libraryID": "1191898553123641",
  "brand": "Example Brand",
  "body": "Explore our new collection.",
  "linkTitle": "Shop the Collection",
  "linkUrl": "https://example.com/shop",
  "ctaText": "Shop Now",
  "ctaUrl": "https://example.com/shop",
  "images": [
    {
      "url": "https://example.com/creative.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "videos": [],
  "format": "image",
  "platforms": [
    "Facebook",
    "Instagram"
  ],
  "totalPlatforms": 2,
  "startDate": "2026-08-01T00:00:00.000Z",
  "endDate": "",
  "active": true,
  "scrapedAt": "2026-09-10T12:00:00.000Z"
}

Example values illustrate the published contract. Available fields and populated values depend on the source, mode, and result status.

Fields in the documented output view

lookupStatus

lookupStatus

status

status

adLibraryUrl

adLibraryUrl

adId

Ad ID

brand

Advertiser

body

Ad copy

linkTitle

Headline

images

Images

videos

Videos

linkUrl

Landing page URL

ctaText

CTA

ctaUrl

CTA URL

platforms

Platforms

startDate

Start Date

endDate

End Date

active

Active flag (check errors)

error

Lookup error

libraryID

Library ID

format

Format

scrapedAt

Scraped At

country

country

extractionMethod

extractionMethod

Output views select columns. They do not necessarily filter record types or exhaust the full JSON payload. Use structured JSON when you need nested arrays or objects.

Dataset links and run artifacts (4)
Ad lookup results
Structured ad details and any lookup error records saved to the default dataset.
Run artifacts
Files stored in the default key-value store, including debug records when fallback extraction fails.
Single lookup result
JSON record including explicit lookup outcome and activity status.
Download CSV
Available through the actor's Output tab for your run.

04 / Pricing

Understand the billable unit.

These are the active public event prices checked on 2026-10-29, in USD. They describe each event, not a universal flat price for a run. Confirm your current Apify plan and run budget before starting.

Actor event prices and billing units
Billable eventRate (USD)When it applies

result

apify-default-dataset-item

$0.006 / event

Single result in the default dataset.

$6.00 per 1,000 of this event. Other events and separate services are additional.

Actor Start

apify-actor-start

$0.00005 / event

Charged when the Actor starts running. Number of events charged depends on Actor memory (one event per GB, minimum one event).

Start units depend on allocated memory: one event per GB, with at least one event.

  • Budget for the configured dataset result event and memory-based actor start event.
  • Inspect the returned lookup result and run charge details; an unavailable ad should not be treated as a successful creative capture.

A result limit and a spending cap are different controls. Account charges, applicable taxes, and separately billed providers or proxies must be considered where relevant. A cap setting is not a minimum invoice charge.

05 / API & automation

Use the same input from your workflow.

Test a small run in Apify Console, inspect its records and charges, then save a task or call the actor from your own application. Keep your Apify token in an environment variable. Source-specific credentials, if required, are separate from the Apify API token.

cURL · start an asynchronous actor run
# Save the input example as input.json and set APIFY_TOKEN.
# This request starts an asynchronous, potentially billable run.
curl --request POST \
  'https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/whoareyouanas~meta-ad-library-single-ad-lookup/runs' \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data @input.json

The response identifies the run. Wait for it to finish, inspect its status, and use its default dataset and key-value store to retrieve results. A successful run can still contain partial or failed records; check the output contract above before continuing downstream.

Coverage & interpretation

Check the result before relying on it.

Questions

Before you build an integration.

What do I need to provide?

adId is required and accepts a numeric Library ID or supported Meta Ad Library URL. Page IDs, Facebook post IDs, and Ads Manager campaign IDs are different identifiers. One ad is looked up per run.

What should I check in the output?
  • The output view includes lookupStatus, status, adLibraryUrl, active, and error alongside creative fields.
  • Unavailable or unknown status must stay distinct from an explicit inactive result. Missing creative fields do not by themselves establish removal.
How do I budget the run?
  • Budget for the configured dataset result event and memory-based actor start event.
  • Inspect the returned lookup result and run charge details; an unavailable ad should not be treated as a successful creative capture.

Keep exploring

Practical guides for the next step.