How to Scrape Facebook Profiles with PHP

Extract profile data from Facebook

🐘 Using PHP

Overview

Learn how to scrape Facebook profiles using PHP. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the entire process, from setup to implementation.

What You'll Learn

  • • Setting up your development environment
  • • Installing the required HTTP client
  • • Authenticating with the ScrapeCreators API
  • • Making requests to Facebook
  • • Handling responses and errors
  • • Best practices for production use

What You'll Get

  • • Access to profiles data
  • • JSON formatted responses
  • • Real-time data access
  • • Scalable solution
  • • Error handling patterns
  • • Performance optimization tips

Prerequisites

1. API Key

First, you'll need a ScrapeCreators API key to authenticate your requests.

Sign up at app.scrapecreators.com to get your free API key with 100 requests.

2. Development Environment

Make sure you have the following installed:

  • • PHP and its dependencies
  • • A code editor (VS Code, Sublime, etc.)
  • • Basic understanding of API requests
  • • Command line interface access

Step 1: Install HTTP Client

Guzzle is a PHP HTTP client that makes it easy to send HTTP requests

composer
composer require guzzlehttp/guzzle

Step 2: API Implementation

Now let's make a request to the Facebook API using PHP. Replace YOUR_API_KEY with your actual API key.

PHP
<?php
require_once 'vendor/autoload.php';

use GuzzleHttp\Client;

$apiKey = 'YOUR_API_KEY';
$client = new Client(['base_uri' => 'https://api.scrapecreators.com']);

function scrape() {
    global $client, $apiKey;

    try {
        $response = $client->request('GET', '/v1/facebook/profile', [
            'headers' => [
                'x-api-key' => $apiKey,
                'Content-Type' => 'application/json'
            ],
            'query' => [
                'url' => 'https://www.facebook.com/mantraindianfolsom',
                'get_business_hours' => 'true'
            ]
        ]);

        $data = json_decode($response->getBody(), true);
        echo 'Response: ';
        print_r($data);
        return $data;
    } catch (Exception $e) {
        echo 'Error: ' . $e->getMessage();
        return null;
    }
}

// Usage
$result = scrape();

Step 3: Testing Your Code

API Parameters

This endpoint accepts the following parameters:

urlRequired(string)

Facebook profile URL

Example: https://www.facebook.com/mantraindianfolsom

get_business_hoursOptional(string)

Get the business's hours

Example: true

Run Your Code

Execute your script to test the API connection. You should see a JSON response with Facebook profiles data.

✅ Success: You should receive a structured JSON response containing the requested data.

Expected Response

Here's an example of the JSON response you'll receive:

Sample Response
{
  "success": true,
  "credits_remaining": 8999083,
  "adLibrary": {
    "adStatus": "This Page is currently running ads.",
    "pageId": "104359362513119"
  },
  "creationDate": "November 25, 2022",
  "businessHours": [
    {
      "monday": {
        "open": null,
        "close": null,
        "intervals": [],
        "fullText": "CLOSED"
      }
    },
    {
      "tuesday": {
        "open": "11:00",
        "close": "21:30",
        "intervals": [
          {
            "open": "11:00",
            "close": "14:30"
          },
          {
            "open": "17:00",
            "close": "21:30"
          }
        ],
        "fullText": "11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 21:30"
      }
    },
    {
      "wednesday": {
        "open": "11:00",
        "close": "21:30",
        "intervals": [
          {
            "open": "11:00",
            "close": "14:30"
          },
          {
            "open": "17:00",
            "close": "21:30"
          }
        ],
        "fullText": "11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 21:30"
      }
    },
    {
      "thursday": {
        "open": "11:00",
        "close": "21:30",
        "intervals": [
          {
            "open": "11:00",
            "close": "14:30"
          },
          {
            "open": "17:00",
            "close": "21:30"
          }
        ],
        "fullText": "11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 21:30"
      }
    },
    {
      "friday": {
        "open": "11:00",
        "close": "22:00",
        "intervals": [
          {
            "open": "11:00",
            "close": "14:30"
          },
          {
            "open": "17:00",
            "close": "22:00"
          }
        ],
        "fullText": "11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 22:00"
      }
    },
    {
      "saturday": {
        "open": "11:00",
        "close": "22:00",
        "intervals": [
          {
            "open": "11:00",
            "close": "14:30"
          },
          {
            "open": "17:00",
            "close": "22:00"
          }
        ],
        "fullText": "11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 22:00"
      }
    },
    {
      "sunday": {
        "open": "11:00",
        "close": "21:30",
        "intervals": [
          {
            "open": "11:00",
            "close": "14:30"
          },
          {
            "open": "17:00",
            "close": "21:30"
          }
        ],
        "fullText": "11:00 - 14:30, 17:00 - 21:30"
      }
    }
  ],
  "id": "100088017857524",
  "name": "Mantraindian",
  "url": "https://www.facebook.com/mantraindianfolsom",
  "gender": "UNKNOWN",
  "coverPhoto": {
    "focus": {
      "x": 0.5,
      "y": 0
    },
    "photo": {
      "id": "204402652503662",
      "image": {
        "uri": "https://scontent.fist7-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/477575273_596577106619546_7712360987777031655_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s960x960_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=cc71e4&_nc_ohc=hroqQOZECdYQ7kNvwHW0J5L&_nc_oc=Adk2HkBhLO3HlnqMEN512H6bOO8kWLs9n2qaiqPc4ZLz5-wi2uBfzqlepnfKhx2hhhM&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fist7-1.fna&_nc_gid=-tZvZl1NES4sMXJo89jIig&oh=00_AflZ2sbTeyQC-owdG-cOBdq99WVZuYH0HKLsj13NJ_UOPw&oe=6934FD62",
        "width": 960,
        "height": 365
      },
      "viewer_image": {
        "height": 780,
        "width": 2050
      },
      "blurred_image": {
        "uri": "https://scontent.fist7-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/477575273_596577106619546_7712360987777031655_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_fb50_s320x320_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=cc71e4&_nc_ohc=hroqQOZECdYQ7kNvwHW0J5L&_nc_oc=Adk2HkBhLO3HlnqMEN512H6bOO8kWLs9n2qaiqPc4ZLz5-wi2uBfzqlepnfKhx2hhhM&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent.fist7-1.fna&_nc_gid=-tZvZl1NES4sMXJo89jIig&oh=00_Afn0vRutoAnfxCkPeQ0UNfSocrQwMLU8RATTjTchjbR90g&oe=6934FD62",
        "width": 320,
        "height": 122
      },
      "url": "https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=204402652503662&set=a.113593838251211"
    }
  },
  "isBusinessPageActive": false,
  "profilePhoto": {
    "url": "https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=152234581053803&set=a.107432348867360",
    "viewer_image": {
      "height": 2000,
      "width": 2000
    },
    "id": "152234581053803"
  },
  "profilePicLarge": "https://scontent.fist20-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/331711173_3408886226056104_241444658713195527_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s200x200_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=2d3e12&_nc_ohc=eQc1mF5YvQ8Q7kNvwFj3Nmh&_nc_oc=AdlpRt4MVt6MwM7loElnrHIChk-vaLz0fxxzMR70TNaQBST-bDibHAZNHPFldgXd1go&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent.fist20-2.fna&_nc_gid=-tZvZl1NES4sMXJo89jIig&oh=00_AflOlRBe-OV2xNqafE-cb2i0qvJfJ1yB21EebLXS_LKbQw&oe=693512A2",
  "profilePicMedium": "https://scontent.fist20-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/331711173_3408886226056104_241444658713195527_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s148x148_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=2d3e12&_nc_ohc=eQc1mF5YvQ8Q7kNvwFj3Nmh&_nc_oc=AdlpRt4MVt6MwM7loElnrHIChk-vaLz0fxxzMR70TNaQBST-bDibHAZNHPFldgXd1go&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent.fist20-2.fna&_nc_gid=-tZvZl1NES4sMXJo89jIig&oh=00_Afl-VZWFU-_9jnKbqC0-2y--wYgnEAyFxIrSDSRl98Azkg&oe=693512A2",
  "profilePicSmall": "https://scontent.fist20-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-1/331711173_3408886226056104_241444658713195527_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s100x100_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=2d3e12&_nc_ohc=eQc1mF5YvQ8Q7kNvwFj3Nmh&_nc_oc=AdlpRt4MVt6MwM7loElnrHIChk-vaLz0fxxzMR70TNaQBST-bDibHAZNHPFldgXd1go&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent.fist20-2.fna&_nc_gid=-tZvZl1NES4sMXJo89jIig&oh=00_AflavCQJIlrYTApZzkUMv1dDuld8v9j1ApqTtJkQrF32kQ&oe=693512A2",
  "pageIntro": "Indian Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant",
  "category": "Restaurant",
  "address": "1870 Prairie City Rd, Suite 500, Folsom, CA, United States, California",
  "email": "contact@mantraindian.com",
  "links": [],
  "phone": "+1 916-999-1749",
  "website": "https://www.mantraindian.com/",
  "services": "Delivery · Takeaway · Dine in…",
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "rating": "Not yet rated (1 review)",
  "ratingCount": null,
  "likeCount": 3224,
  "followerCount": 3200
}

Verify Response Structure

Check that your response includes the expected fields:

  • ✓success(boolean)
  • ✓credits_remaining(number)
  • ✓adLibrary(object)
  • ✓creationDate(string)
  • ✓businessHours(object)
  • ... and 23 more fields

Best Practices

1

Error Handling

Implement comprehensive error handling and retry logic for failed requests. Log errors properly for debugging.

2

Caching

Cache responses when possible to reduce API calls and improve performance. Consider data freshness requirements.

3

Security

Never expose your API key in client-side code. Use environment variables and secure key management practices.

Performance Tips

Batch Requests

When scraping multiple profiles, consider batching requests to maximize throughput while staying within rate limits.

Async Processing

Use asynchronous processing in PHP to handle multiple requests concurrently and improve overall performance.

Common Use Cases

Market Research

Analyze Facebook profiles to understand market trends, competitor analysis, and audience insights.

Content Analytics

Track performance metrics, engagement rates, and content trends across Facebook profiles.

Lead Generation

Identify potential customers and business opportunities throughFacebook data analysis.

Troubleshooting

Common Errors

401 Unauthorized

Check your API key is correct and properly formatted in the x-api-key header.

402 Payment Required

You ran out of credits and need to buy more.

404 Not Found

The resource might not exist or be private.

500 Server Error

Temporary server issue. Implement retry logic with exponential backoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to scrape Facebook profiles?

ScrapeCreators offers 100 free API calls to get started. After that, pricing starts at $10 for 5k requests with volume discounts available.

Is it legal to scrape Facebook data?

Scraping publicly available data is fair game, and we only collect public data. So anything that you can see in an incognito browser is what we collect.

How fast can I scrape Facebook profiles?

There is no rate limit! So you can scrape as fast as you want!

What data format does the API return?

All API responses are returned in JSON format, making it easy to integrate with any programming language or application.

Can I use this with other PHP frameworks?

Yes! This tutorial focuses on core PHP HTTP concepts that work with any framework. The API calls remain the same regardless of your specific PHP setup.

How do I handle large datasets?

For large datasets, implement pagination, use streaming responses where available, and consider storing data in a database for efficient querying.

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