> **For coding agents and LLMs:** This is one Social Fetch marketing page (markdown export). For API orientation start with [`/llms.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms.txt); for auth and crawl rules use [`/agents.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/agents.txt); for every operation use [`/llms-endpoints.txt`](https://www.socialfetch.dev/llms-endpoints.txt). ## This page - **On-site (HTML):** - **Markdown (.mdx) URL:** --- # What is a social media API? A social media API returns structured JSON for profiles, posts, comments, search, or media metadata over HTTP instead of scraped HTML. The phrase covers three different things — official partner kits, public-data REST APIs, and scraper marketplaces — with different access models and integration shapes. ## Three shapes people mean Official platform APIs (TikTok Kit, Instagram Graph, YouTube Data API) require app review and OAuth for owner-scoped data — publishing, your channel's analytics, your page's posts. Wrong tool for looking up someone else's public profile. Public-data REST APIs take an API key and return public profiles, posts, and search across networks with a consistent envelope. Social Fetch: one key, one shape, no OAuth — every lookup targets public data. Scraper runtimes (Apify-style) accept a job, crawl asynchronously, and return a dataset later — different from a synchronous GET. Useful for custom crawl logic; awkward when you need inline answers. ## What you get back from Social Fetch Public-data REST: one API key across 25 platforms and 264 operations — TikTok through web extraction. Every response uses { data, meta } with requestId, creditsCharged, and version. Profile calls return data.lookupStatus (found, not_found, private) on HTTP 200. Route via /platforms, /docs, /tools, or POST /v1/ask for plain-English routing. ## How to pick one Publishing, DMs, or owner analytics → official kit. Public enrichment across networks with one schema → public-data REST API. One-off custom crawl no endpoint covers → scraper runtime, accepting job latency and schema drift. Compare: sync vs async, schema stability, metering model, and whether you get a correlation ID on failures. ## How this compares across the industry Official kits optimize for trust and scoped tokens — unusable for data you don't own. Scraper marketplaces optimize coverage — job-based, schemas drift with markup. Public-data REST sits between: narrower than general scraping, but synchronous and typed. ## Common mistakes Treating 200 with lookupStatus not_found/private as a transport error — it bills normally; retry loops waste credits. Assuming OAuth is required everywhere — only for owner-scoped official kits; public-data APIs use API keys. Ignoring metering until production — Social Fetch has no RPS cap on paid routes (200 in flight per workspace); other providers cap differently. ## What the term doesn't mean Not a single spec or standard — due diligence on any product matters. Not automatically real-time or access to private content (DMs, deleted posts) in any category. ## FAQ ### What is a social media API? HTTP JSON for profiles, posts, comments, or media — covering official kits, public-data REST APIs, or scraper marketplaces with different shapes. ### Is a social media API the same as a scraper? Not always. Some are typed REST APIs over maintained infrastructure; others expose raw async crawl jobs. Compare latency, schema stability, and requestId support. ### Do I need OAuth for a social media API? For owner-scoped official kit access, yes. Public-data APIs typically need only an API key. ### How much does a social media API cost? Varies. Social Fetch: PAYG packs from $14/1k credits, 100 free on signup, no required subscription. ### Which platforms does Social Fetch cover? 25 platforms under one key: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, Threads, Telegram, GitHub, Spotify, Apple Music, Rumble, Bluesky, Hacker News, Truth Social, Twitch, Snapchat, Ad Libraries, Amazon, and web extraction. ### What does a typical response look like? { data, meta }. data holds payload and lookupStatus on lookups; meta always has requestId, creditsCharged, version. ### Can I query with plain English instead of picking an endpoint? Yes — POST /v1/ask or nl_ask_post. Routing is 0 credits; the nested lookup bills normally. ### Is there a rate limit I need to plan around? No RPS cap on paid routes; credit balance is the limit. Concurrency is capped at 200 requests in flight per workspace. ## Related - [All platforms](https://www.socialfetch.dev/platforms) - [API docs](https://www.socialfetch.dev/docs/api) - [Ask](https://www.socialfetch.dev/ask) - [Pricing](https://www.socialfetch.dev/pricing) - [API key vs OAuth](https://www.socialfetch.dev/glossary/api-key-vs-oauth) - [Social media scraper API](https://www.socialfetch.dev/glossary/social-media-scraper-api) - [Unified schema](https://www.socialfetch.dev/glossary/unified-schema)