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For a multi-network product, start with a hosted social-data API that covers your target platforms and exposes the fields your application needs. EnsembleData and ScrapeCreators are strong starting points for multi-platform work; SocialData and TwitterAPI.io fit X-focused services. If you need platform-authorized workflows, consider YouTube Data API or X API. Pricing models vary: some charge by units, results, credits, or subscription, while others require custom quotes. Treat coverage, limits, and data-use terms as production requirements, not details to resolve after launch.
Quick picksThe shortlist
EnsembleDataEnsembleDataBest overall · $100/mo
ScrapeCreatorsScrapeCreatorsBest flexible pricing · Free
TwitterAPI.ioTwitterAPI.ioBest for X apps · Free
SocialDataSocialDataBest pay-per-result · Custom
Data365Data365Best for monitoring · €300/mo
YepAPIYepAPIBest for API bundling · Custom
YouTube Data APIYouTube Data APIBest for YouTube · Free
TikAPITikAPIBest for TikTok · $24.17/mo
SociaVaultSociaVaultBest for prototyping · $29/mo
PhylloPhylloBest for creator data · Custom
X APIX APIBest platform API · $175/mo
ApifyApifyBest scraper platform · $19/mo
ModashModashBest for Shopify brands · $199/mo
Bright DataBright DataBest for web-data scale · $499/mo
Lobstr.ioLobstr.ioBest for managed scraping · $16/mo
PhantomBusterPhantomBusterBest for prospecting · $56/mo
01Compared at a glance
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EnsembleDataEnsembleData | 6.8 | $100/mo | Yes | — |
| ScrapeCreatorsScrapeCreators | 7.4 | Free | Yes | — |
| TwitterAPI.ioTwitterAPI.io | 7.8 | Free | Yes | — |
| SocialDataSocialData | 7.5 | Custom | No | — |
| Data365Data365 | 6.0 | €300/mo | No | 14 days |
| YepAPIYepAPI | 7.2 | Custom | No | Yes |
| YouTube Data APIYouTube Data API | 7.2 | Free | Yes | — |
| TikAPITikAPI | 6.0 | $24.17/mo | No | 5 days |
| SociaVaultSociaVault | 7.0 | $29/mo | No | Yes |
| PhylloPhyllo | 6.4 | Custom | No | — |
| X APIX API | 5.2 | $175/mo | Yes | — |
| ApifyApify | 7.7 | $19/mo | Yes | — |
| ModashModash | 7.0 | $199/mo | No | 14 days |
| Bright DataBright Data | 7.0 | $499/mo | Yes | 7 days |
| Lobstr.ioLobstr.io | 7.3 | $16/mo | Yes | — |
| PhantomBusterPhantomBuster | 6.5 | $56/mo | Yes | 14 days |
02The picks, in detail
- Best overallEnsembleDataEnsembleData
EnsembleData is a hosted REST API for public social data, with JSON responses and coverage across several platform APIs. Its listed entry price is $100/month, and it uses daily units, giving teams a starting point for estimating recurring costs. Confirm credit costs and limits against your expected workload before committing; the price alone does not tell you what a sustained collection pipeline will cost.
What works
- REST endpoints return JSON for data pipelines
- Endpoint coverage spans eight social platforms
- Free plan includes 50 units per day
What doesn't
- Free usage is capped at 50 units daily
- Paid plans have daily unit ceilings
- No annual billing discounts are listed
- Best flexible pricingScrapeCreatorsScrapeCreators
ScrapeCreators suits applications that need data from several social platforms and workloads that change over time. Its pricing uses non-expiring credits rather than subscriptions, and a free plan is listed. That model can make exploratory usage easier to budget, but check credit consumption for each endpoint before building forecasts. The hosted API is also positioned for AI agents that call social-data endpoints.
What works
- One API key and query parameters for endpoints
- Cache hits cost zero credits
- Credits do not expire
What doesn't
- Open-source license and self-hosting option are unpublished
- Add-on credit pack prices are unpublished
- No account-level caps does not guarantee source access
- Best for X appsTwitterAPI.ioTwitterAPI.io
TwitterAPI.io is a hosted X data API for public-data applications, search and profile workloads, and AI agents using an MCP client. A free plan is listed, but the starting paid price is not published on the vendor's site. Check rate limits and service terms before using it for a production dependency, especially if your application needs predictable throughput.
What works
- 75 endpoints for search, profiles, timelines and more
- REST API plus hosted MCP server
- Pay-as-you-go with no minimum spend
What doesn't
- Exact rate limits are not published
- SDKs and supported languages are not named
- Business subscription price is not published
- Best pay-per-resultSocialDataSocialData
SocialData focuses on public X data and charges per result, a useful fit for variable-volume research or monitoring where a fixed subscription may be a poor match. It also supports AI assistants through MCP tools. The service is hosted rather than self-hosted, and it is not positioned as an SDK-led stack. Confirm the cost per result and the response limits that apply to your endpoints.
What works
- Plain REST requests return structured JSON
- 14 read-only tools are available through MCP
- Most endpoints cost $0.20 per 1,000 results
What doesn't
- No SDK or pagination library is offered
- Standard rate limit is 120 requests per minute
- Custom rates and monitor pricing are not published
- Best for monitoringData365Data365
Data365 is a hosted API for public social data, aimed at social listening, brand monitoring, and multi-network analytics. Its listed starting price is $300, so teams should validate the expected credit use and limits before treating that figure as a complete operating-cost estimate. It is a straightforward option to evaluate when collection spans multiple networks, but confirm that its coverage matches your required data.
What works
- Live collection from source, per the vendor
- JSON responses for structured data
- Seven named social networks
What doesn't
- No free plan
- Rate limits are not published
- Credit use per request is not published
- Best for API bundlingYepAPIYepAPI
YepAPI combines SEO, scraping, social, and e-commerce data behind one usage-billed API, alongside 285 AI models. That breadth fits prototypes or applications that already call HTTP APIs and need several data categories. Its starting price is not published on the vendor's site, so estimate costs from the current usage rates before routing production traffic through it. Check which social endpoints cover your target platforms.
What works
- One key covers SEO, scraping, social data and AI models
- Consistent JSON response envelope across endpoints and models
- $5 signup credit with no card required
What doesn't
- SDKs and supported programming languages are not named
- No published self-hosting option or open-source licence
- Data export and migration tooling are not published
- Best for YouTubeYouTube Data APIYouTube Data API
YouTube Data API is a REST API for products that embed YouTube search, manage authorized channels, or automate video uploads. A free plan is listed, but quota rules and audits need planning for production. It is a strong fit when the application is built around YouTube rather than a general multi-network feed. Map each intended operation to its quota impact before designing request volume.
What works
- Search videos, channels and playlists
- Manage videos and playlists with authorization
- Read and write comments
What doesn't
- Daily quota varies by operation
- Search costs 100 quota units per call
- Video uploads cost 1,600 quota units
- Best for TikTokTikAPITikAPI
TikAPI targets public TikTok data, including hashtag and sound monitoring, and supports developers using JavaScript or Python. Its listed starting price is $24.17. Daily caps and production details warrant review before deployment, particularly for workloads with traffic spikes or continuous collection. Confirm what each endpoint returns and how the daily limits affect retries, scheduled jobs, and customer-facing features.
What works
- Supports profile, post, video, sound, hashtag, and mention data
- Provides JavaScript and Python usage examples
- Offers plans with up to 10,000 requests per day
What doesn't
- No free plan is listed
- Daily request caps may constrain high-volume workloads
- API protocol and detailed request behavior are not published
- Best for prototypingSociaVaultSociaVault
SociaVault is a hosted REST API for public social data, with a listed starting price of $29. It fits teams prototyping social-data pipelines or researching public profiles and engagement. Before building around it, verify platform coverage and service terms for your use case. The low listed entry price is a starting point, not a complete estimate of what collecting at production volume will cost.
What works
- REST API uses a single API-key header
- 50 free credits; no card required
- One-time packs; credits never expire
What doesn't
- SDKs and supported languages are not named
- Paid pack prices beyond the starting price are unpublished
- No self-hosted option or open-source license is published
- Best for creator dataPhylloPhyllo
Phyllo offers hosted APIs for creator analytics products, influencer marketing platforms, and applications that need consented creator data. That makes it a different fit from tools centered on public profile scraping. Pricing is custom, which makes cost comparisons difficult before a vendor conversation. Ask for a quote based on your target platforms, markets, data fields, and expected usage before selecting it for a product roadmap.
What works
- Public and consented data share a standard
- Creator search covers 470M+ profiles
- Social data spans 25+ platforms
What doesn't
- Production pricing requires a custom quote
- Usage limits are not published
- No production free plan is listed
- Best platform APIX APIX API
X API is the platform API choice for applications built around X data, including publishing and support tools. Its listed starting price is $0, but enterprise teams may need custom limits, and the API covers X rather than multiple social networks. Compare the plan’s access and usage terms with your expected workload before making it a core service dependency.
What works
- REST endpoints cover posts, search and account actions
- Recent search and full-archive search are available
- Filtered and sampled streams support continuous ingestion
What doesn't
- No current free plan is listed
- Post reads cost $0.005 each
- Pay-Per-Usage lists a 3,000,000 monthly read cap
- Best scraper platformApifyApify
Apify is a hosted Actor platform for ready-made web scrapers, custom Actors, and AI workflows that need web data. A free plan is listed, with paid plans starting at $19. It can suit teams that want to build or select scrapers rather than use a single social-data API. Plan for usage costs and concurrency limits, and confirm the available Actors for the networks you need.
What works
- Marketplace of ready-to-run Actors
- Build and deploy custom Actors
- Run Actors and export data via API
What doesn't
- Compute and proxy usage can add up
- Free plan has five concurrent runs
- Extra concurrent runs cost $5 each
- Best for Shopify brandsModashModash
Modash is a creator-program tool aimed at Shopify brands running campaigns, gifting, and affiliate programs. Its listed starting price is $199. It may fit teams whose social-data needs are part of a creator commerce workflow, rather than developers seeking a general-purpose feed API. Verify API costs and the availability of creator data in your target markets before treating it as an integration option.
What works
- Discovery across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
- CRM keeps campaign context with creator contacts
- Gmail and Outlook email sync
What doesn't
- API pricing and usage limits need confirmation
- No open-source or self-hosted option is advertised
- Reddit users report EU data-quality concerns
- Best for web-data scaleBright DataBright Data
Bright Data provides a broader web-data stack for teams collecting public-web data and managing proxy infrastructure. A free plan is listed, but usage and managed infrastructure need to be budgeted. It is less narrowly focused on social data than dedicated social APIs, so confirm which collection products cover your target networks and fields. Include infrastructure costs and operational ownership in any comparison.
What works
- Combines scraper APIs, web-access APIs, proxies, and datasets
- Free Tier includes several API and product allowances
- Pay-as-you-go pricing supports variable request volume
What doesn't
- Per-request and per-GB charges can add up
- Language-specific SDK support needs confirmation
- Self-hosting and open-source licensing are not listed
- Best for managed scrapingLobstr.ioLobstr.io
Lobstr.io offers a hosted catalog of managed website scrapers, with a free plan and listed pricing from $16. It suits teams looking for ready-made collection workflows or AI-agent use through MCP. It is a broader website-data tool, not a dedicated social-data API by default. Check whether the available scrapers meet your platform and field requirements, and model credit costs before scaling.
What works
- 79 ready-made scrapers cover 37 sites
- Runs execute on Lobstr.io servers
- Dashboard, API and MCP access
What doesn't
- Usage consumes credits, including optional extras
- Free plan excludes scheduled runs
- Concurrent-run limits vary by plan
- Best for prospectingPhantomBusterPhantomBuster
PhantomBuster is aimed at no-code prospecting workflows, sales and recruiting teams, and CRM enrichment and syncing. Its listed starting price is $56, with a free plan. It is a less direct fit for developer-led social-data APIs if self-hosting or deep developer tooling is a requirement. Evaluate it against the workflow you need, rather than treating it as a general social-data backend.
What works
- Prebuilt Phantoms cover common extraction and outreach tasks
- Flows chain tasks into multi-step workflows
- Runs on remote cloud infrastructure with scheduling
What doesn't
- Closed-source SaaS with no self-hosted option
- Execution time and automation slots are capped by plan
- Free downloads are capped at 10 rows
03How we chose
We ranked these tools for teams integrating social data into applications and pipelines, weighing API fit, documented SDK and protocol options, platform coverage, free access, and usage pricing. We also considered whether a service is hosted, whether self-hosting or an open-source licence is relevant, and how data export and vendor dependency could affect a migration. Reddit sentiment can flag integration or service concerns, but individual reports are anecdotal rather than proof of reliability. We did not claim hands-on testing; verify current terms, limits, and endpoint coverage with each vendor.
04Check coverage, access, and data shape
Start with the platforms and fields your application actually needs: profiles, posts, comments, or trends. A provider that says it covers several networks may not expose the same fields or collection methods for each one. Confirm the endpoint list, response schema, pagination behavior, and any authorization or consent requirements before you build a shared internal model. Ask how deleted, private, or unavailable content is handled, and whether the service returns stable identifiers you can use for deduplication. For X or YouTube, compare a third-party provider with the platform API if your use case requires publishing, channel management, or other authorized actions. Keep provider-specific response handling behind an adapter so you can replace an endpoint or vendor without changing every downstream consumer.
05Model cost and failure modes before launch
Do not compare starting prices without comparing their billing units. A monthly plan, daily units, per-result charges, non-expiring credits, and usage billing produce different costs as traffic and refresh frequency change. Estimate calls and returned records for normal and peak workloads, then ask the vendor how pagination, retries, failed requests, and repeated results affect billing. Confirm rate limits, concurrency, quota resets, and how the API signals throttling; build backoff and queueing around those behaviors. Decide what happens when the provider is unavailable: can the application serve cached data, defer collection, or return a partial result? Review service terms and data export before storing results at scale. If self-hosting or an open-source licence matters, verify it explicitly rather than assuming a hosted API can be moved in-house.
Questions people ask
Which social media API is best for multiple platforms?
EnsembleData and ScrapeCreators are sensible starting points for multi-platform public social data. EnsembleData lists a $100/month starting price and daily units; ScrapeCreators uses non-expiring credits and lists a free plan. Check endpoint coverage, fields, and costs for your specific networks before choosing.
Can I get social media data through a free API?
Several options list free plans, including ScrapeCreators, TwitterAPI.io, YouTube Data API, Apify, and others. A free plan does not establish that production volume is free. Check its quota, endpoint access, rate limits, and what happens when the allowance is exhausted.
Should I use an official platform API or a data provider?
Use an official API when your product needs platform-authorized actions, such as YouTube channel management or video uploads. A third-party provider may suit public-data collection across platforms. Compare allowed use, data fields, limits, and service terms for the exact workflow before committing.
What should I ask a vendor before production use?
Ask which endpoints and fields cover your target platforms, how billing units are counted, and what rate, concurrency, and daily limits apply. Confirm retry billing, data export options, service terms, and outage handling. If self-hosting or an open-source licence is required, ask directly whether either is available.