Curious Coder (Apify) vs Apify Ads Scraper: which Ad Library scraper should you use?
Curious Coder (Apify) and Apify Ads Scraper side by side on price per 1,000 ads with EU reach, the data they return and MCP support
By: Oleg Glanz|Updated:
Short answer: Both run on Apify, include EU reach and work with the Apify MCP server. Curious Coder's actor costs $0.75 per 1,000 ads against $5.00 on Starter for Apify's own actor, which has more filters and faster maintenance. Start with Curious Coder and switch if you need guaranteed fixes.
Cheapest with EU reach
Most robust actor
Curious Coder (Apify) vs Apify Ads Scraper: side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Curious Coder (Apify) | Apify Ads Scraper |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.70 / 5 | 4.51 / 5 |
| 1,000 ads with EU reach | $0.75 | $5.00 |
| With EU reach, at volume | $0.75 | $3.40 |
| 1,000 ads, list only | $0.75 | $5.00 |
| How EU reach is returned | Included with every ad | Included with every ad |
| MCP server | Via the Apify MCP server (the actor becomes a tool) | Via the Apify MCP server (the actor becomes a tool) |
| Claude sign-in | OAuth sign-in or Apify API token | OAuth sign-in or Apify API token |
| Best for | Cheap bulk exports with EU reach, no code needed | Apify users who want an officially maintained actor |
| Entry plan | $0.75 per 1,000 ads | $5.00 per 1,000 ads (Starter), $5.80 on Free |
| Pricing model | Pay per ad on Apify (platform usage included) | Pay per ad on Apify, cheaper on higher plans |
| Free tier | $5 free Apify credit every month (no card) | $5 free Apify credit every month (~860 ads) |
| Search by | Ad Library search URL, list of Facebook page URLs | Facebook page URLs, Ad Library URLs, keyword, country, language, media type, dates |
| Data returned | Ad IDs, page, copy, creatives snapshot, start/end dates, platforms, EU transparency data and EU total reach (with ad details on), collation counts | Ads, publishers, reach estimates, impressions, links, images, IDs, timestamps, product info, advertiser About-page signals |
| Other ad libraries | Meta only (separate actors exist for Google and LinkedIn) | Meta only (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, Messenger, Audience Network) |
| Integrations | Apify API, JSON/CSV/Excel export, Make, Zapier, n8n, webhooks | Apify API, Make, Zapier, n8n, webhooks, e-commerce enrichment add-on |
| Maintained by | Curious Coder (community developer on Apify) | Apify (platform team) |
| Visit | Learn More | Learn More |
Scores by criterion
| Criterion | Curious Coder (Apify) | Apify Ads Scraper | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price per 1,000 ads | 5.0 | 3.9 | Curious Coder (Apify) |
| Data depth & EU reach | 4.8 | 4.9 | Apify Ads Scraper |
| Reliability & maintenance | 4.4 | 4.8 | Apify Ads Scraper |
| Ease of use | 4.6 | 4.5 | Curious Coder (Apify) |
| AI & MCP readiness | 4.6 | 4.6 | Tie |
| Integrations & exports | 4.7 | 4.7 | Tie |
| Free tier & trial | 4.8 | 4.2 | Curious Coder (Apify) |
Curious Coder (Apify) vs Apify Ads Scraper for Claude and AI agents
Curious Coder (Apify) · AI & MCP 4.6/5
Via the Apify MCP server (the actor becomes a tool)
Auth: OAuth sign-in or Apify API token
https://mcp.apify.com?tools=curious_coder/facebook-ads-library-scraperclaude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=curious_coder/facebook-ads-library-scraper"Results follow Meta's verbose raw format, so ask the agent to keep only the fields it needs, or let it read the finished dataset instead of the full run output.
Apify Ads Scraper · AI & MCP 4.6/5
Via the Apify MCP server (the actor becomes a tool)
Auth: OAuth sign-in or Apify API token
https://mcp.apify.com?tools=apify/facebook-ads-scraperclaude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=apify/facebook-ads-scraper"Apify's hosted MCP server infers output schemas, so the agent knows field types before it reads results. Pre-filters keep runs small enough for a context window.
When to choose each
Choose Curious Coder (Apify) if…
You want the lowest price per 1,000 ads with EU reach and are happy with CSV exports or the Apify MCP server.
Skip it if you need guaranteed support response times or pre-enriched data such as spend estimates.
Read the full Curious Coder (Apify) reviewChoose Apify Ads Scraper if…
You run scheduled production jobs on Apify and value maintenance speed over price.
Skip it if you price per ad is your main concern.
Read the full Apify Ads Scraper reviewCompare all Facebook Ad Library scrapers
About the author
Oleg Glanz is a performance marketer who builds direct-response funnels for e-commerce brands through FullFunnelSetup.com. Meta Ad Library research is part of his daily work, which is why he built AdSpends, an ad intelligence tool that turns Ad Library data into searchable ads, landing pages and ad spend estimates.
He writes AdLibraryScraper.com to document what each scraper and API actually returns, what it costs, and where it breaks, so marketers and developers can pick the right data source without trial and error.