# Kickstarter Scraper (`automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper`) Actor

Extract Kickstarter project data: funding goals, pledges, backer counts, creator info, and campaign details. Search by keyword, category, or status. Export as JSON, CSV, or Excel. Schedule daily runs to track crowdfunding trends.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Stas Persiianenko](https://apify.com/automation-lab) (community)
- **Categories:** E-commerce, Business
- **Stats:** 51 total users, 5 monthly users, 95.4% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.61 / 1,000 project scrapeds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

### What does Kickstarter Scraper do?

**Kickstarter Scraper** extracts structured data from [Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com) — the world's largest crowdfunding platform. Search by keyword, filter by category or project status, and get detailed project data including **funding goals, pledges, backer counts, creator info, and campaign timelines**.

The easiest way to try it: click **Start** with the prefilled input — it searches for "3d printer" projects and returns 10 results in about 30 seconds.

Unlike the official Kickstarter API (which requires approval and has strict rate limits), this scraper works without any API key or login. It handles Kickstarter's anti-bot protection automatically using a real browser with residential proxies.

### Who is it for? Kickstarter Scraper users

**Crowdfunding analysts and researchers**

- Track funding trends across categories (technology, games, design)
- Monitor successful campaign patterns and backer behavior
- Build datasets of crowdfunding projects for academic research

**Investors and venture capitalists**

- Discover promising startups before they hit mainstream media
- Analyze crowdfunding traction as a signal for product-market fit
- Track competitors' crowdfunding campaigns in specific verticals

**Product managers and entrepreneurs**

- Research similar products before launching your own campaign
- Benchmark funding goals and backer counts against competitors
- Identify market gaps and underserved categories

**Marketing and PR teams**

- Find trending projects for press coverage and content creation
- Monitor brand mentions and competitor campaigns
- Build outreach lists of active Kickstarter creators

### Why use Kickstarter Scraper?

- **No API key required** — works without Kickstarter API approval or authentication
- **Bypasses anti-bot protection** — uses a real browser with residential proxies to handle Cloudflare
- **Rich data output** — 20+ fields per project including creator info, funding metrics, and campaign timelines
- **Flexible search** — filter by keyword, category, status (live/successful/upcoming), sort order, and funding ranges
- **Multiple search terms** — search for several keywords in a single run
- **Export anywhere** — download data as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or RSS
- **API access** — integrate with any app via REST API or schedule automated runs
- **Pay only for results** — no monthly subscription, just pay-per-event pricing

### What data can you extract?

Each project includes the following fields:

| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| `projectId` | Unique Kickstarter project ID |
| `projectName` | Project title |
| `creatorName` | Creator's display name |
| `creatorId` | Creator's unique ID |
| `creatorUrl` | Link to creator's profile |
| `description` | Project blurb/summary |
| `goal` | Funding goal in original currency |
| `pledged` | Amount pledged in original currency |
| `usdPledged` | Amount pledged converted to USD |
| `currency` | Currency code (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.) |
| `backerCount` | Number of backers |
| `percentFunded` | Percentage of goal reached |
| `category` | Main category (technology, games, etc.) |
| `subcategory` | Subcategory (3d printing, tabletop games, etc.) |
| `url` | Direct link to the project page |
| `imageUrl` | Project hero image URL |
| `launchDate` | Campaign launch date (ISO 8601) |
| `deadline` | Campaign end date (ISO 8601) |
| `createdAt` | Project creation date (ISO 8601) |
| `state` | Project status: live, successful, failed, upcoming |
| `location` | Creator's location (city, state/country) |
| `country` | Country code |
| `staffPick` | Whether Kickstarter staff picked this project |
| `spotlight` | Whether the project is spotlighted |
| `slug` | URL-friendly project identifier |

### How much does it cost to scrape Kickstarter?

This scraper uses **pay-per-event** pricing — you pay only for what you scrape. No monthly subscription. All platform and proxy costs are included.

| | Free | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Per project** | $0.005 | $0.00435 | $0.00339 | $0.00261 | $0.00174 | $0.00122 |

A one-time $0.15 start fee applies per run to cover browser initialization and Cloudflare bypass.

**Cost examples:**

Calculated as the start fee + projects × the applicable per-project rate.

| Projects | Free | Bronze | Silver | Gold | Platinum | Diamond |
|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|---:|
| 100 | $0.65 | $0.59 | $0.49 | $0.41 | $0.32 | $0.27 |
| 1,000 | $5.15 | $4.50 | $3.54 | $2.76 | $1.89 | $1.37 |

**Real-world cost examples:**

| Query | Results | Duration | Cost (Free tier) |
|---|---|---|---|
| "3d printer" | 10 | ~30s | ~$0.20 |
| Games, most funded | 20 | ~45s | ~$0.25 |
| "board game" + "card game" | 30 | ~77s | ~$0.30 |

On the free plan ($5 credits), you can scrape approximately **970 Kickstarter projects** after the run start fee.

### How to scrape Kickstarter projects

1. Go to [Kickstarter Scraper](https://apify.com/automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper) on Apify Store
2. Click **Start** to run with default input (searches for "3d printer", returns 10 results)
3. Or customize your search:
   - Enter one or more **search terms** (e.g., "robot", "smart home")
   - Select a **category** (technology, games, design, etc.)
   - Choose a **project status** (live, successful, upcoming)
   - Set the **sort order** and **max results**
4. Click **Start** and wait for results
5. Download your data as JSON, CSV, or Excel from the **Dataset** tab

**Example input — search for live technology projects:**

```json
{
    "searchTerms": ["smart home"],
    "category": "technology",
    "state": "live",
    "sortBy": "most_funded",
    "maxResults": 50
}
```

**Example input — find the most successful games:**

```json
{
    "category": "games",
    "state": "successful",
    "sortBy": "most_funded",
    "maxResults": 100
}
```

### Input parameters

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `searchTerms` | array | `[]` | Keywords to search for. Each term runs a separate search. |
| `category` | string | `""` | Filter by Kickstarter category (art, comics, crafts, dance, design, fashion, film & video, food, games, journalism, music, photography, publishing, technology, theater) |
| `state` | string | `""` | Filter by project status: live, successful, or upcoming |
| `sortBy` | string | `"magic"` | Sort order: magic (recommended), popularity, newest, end\_date, most\_funded, most\_backed |
| `maxResults` | integer | `100` | Maximum projects to extract (1-2,400) |
| `goalRange` | string | `""` | Filter by funding goal amount |
| `pledgedRange` | string | `""` | Filter by amount already pledged |
| `raisedRange` | string | `""` | Filter by percentage of goal raised |

### Output example

```json
{
    "projectId": 1076718601,
    "projectName": "inew3d: The Desktop Full-Color 3D Printer with AI Modeling",
    "creatorName": "inew3d",
    "creatorId": 465342344,
    "creatorUrl": "https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/inew3d",
    "description": "500K+ True Colors | AI to 3D in 1 Step | Auto-Support & One-Click Print",
    "goal": 100000,
    "pledged": 1344690,
    "usdPledged": 1344690,
    "currency": "USD",
    "backerCount": 196,
    "percentFunded": 1345,
    "category": "technology",
    "subcategory": "3d printing",
    "url": "https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/inew3d/inew3d-the-desktop-full-color-3d-printer-with-ai-modeling",
    "imageUrl": "https://i.kickstarter.com/assets/052/923/909/...",
    "launchDate": "2026-03-05T14:00:03.000Z",
    "deadline": "2026-04-19T13:00:03.000Z",
    "createdAt": "2025-12-25T09:26:50.000Z",
    "state": "live",
    "location": "Camillus, NY",
    "country": "US",
    "staffPick": true,
    "spotlight": false,
    "slug": "inew3d-the-desktop-full-color-3d-printer-with-ai-modeling"
}
```

### Tips for best results

- **Start small** — use the prefilled input (10 results) to verify the data matches your needs before running larger queries
- **Use category + search terms together** for more targeted results
- **Filter by status** — use "live" to find active campaigns, "successful" for proven products
- **Sort by "most\_funded"** to find the highest-grossing projects in any category
- **Schedule daily runs** to track new projects and funding changes over time
- **Kickstarter limits search results to 2,400** (200 pages of 12) — use narrower filters to stay within this limit
- **Multiple search terms** run as separate searches but share the result limit — plan accordingly

### Integrations

- **Kickstarter Scraper + Google Sheets** — export crowdfunding data to a spreadsheet for analysis and visualization
- **Kickstarter Scraper + Slack/Discord** — get notified when new projects match your criteria (e.g., "live technology projects over $100K funded")
- **Kickstarter Scraper + Make/Zapier** — trigger workflows when projects hit funding milestones
- **Scheduled runs** — monitor Kickstarter categories daily to catch trending projects early
- **Webhooks** — process new project data in real-time as the scraper finishes

### API usage: using the Apify API

You can run Kickstarter Scraper programmatically using the Apify API.

#### Node.js

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_API_TOKEN' });

const run = await client.actor('automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper').call({
    searchTerms: ['3d printer'],
    category: 'technology',
    maxResults: 50,
});

const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
console.log(items);
```

#### Python

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient('YOUR_API_TOKEN')

run = client.actor('automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper').call(run_input={
    'searchTerms': ['3d printer'],
    'category': 'technology',
    'maxResults': 50,
})

items = client.dataset(run['defaultDatasetId']).list_items().items
print(items)
```

#### cURL

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/automation-lab~kickstarter-scraper/runs?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"searchTerms":["3d printer"],"category":"technology","maxResults":50}'
```

### Use with AI agents via MCP

Kickstarter Scraper is available as a tool for AI assistants that support the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp).

Add the Apify MCP server to your AI client — this gives you access to all Apify actors, including this one:

#### Setup for Claude Code

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper"
```

#### Setup for Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code

Add this to your MCP config file:

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

Your AI assistant will use OAuth to authenticate with your Apify account on first use.

#### Example prompts

Once connected, try asking your AI assistant:

- "Find the top 20 most funded live technology projects on Kickstarter (use automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper)"
- "Search Kickstarter for board game projects that raised over 100% of their goal"
- "Get me a list of successful design projects sorted by number of backers"

Learn more in the [Apify MCP documentation](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp).

### Is it legal to scrape Kickstarter?

This scraper only extracts publicly available data from Kickstarter that any visitor can see without logging in. It does not access private user data, bypass paywalls, or circumvent access controls.

Web scraping of publicly accessible data is generally legal according to the US Ninth Circuit ruling in *hiQ Labs v. LinkedIn* (2022). However, you should:

- Comply with Kickstarter's Terms of Service
- Use the data responsibly and ethically
- Follow GDPR and other data protection regulations if processing personal data
- Not use scraped data for spamming or harassment

### Legality

Scraping publicly available data is generally legal according to the [US Court of Appeals ruling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HiQ_Labs_v._LinkedIn) (HiQ Labs v. LinkedIn). This actor only accesses publicly available information and does not require authentication. Always review and comply with the target website's Terms of Service before scraping. For personal data, ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable privacy regulations.

### FAQ

**How fast is Kickstarter Scraper?**
The scraper extracts about 10-15 projects per page load. A typical search of 50 projects takes 60-90 seconds. Larger queries (500+ projects) may take 5-10 minutes as pagination requires multiple page loads.

**How much does it cost to scrape 1,000 projects?**
On the Free plan, approximately $5.15 (start fee + $0.005 per project). Paid tiers are cheaper, down to about $1.37 on Diamond.

**Does it work without a Kickstarter API key?**
Yes. The scraper uses a browser to access Kickstarter's public discover page — no API key, no login, no authentication needed.

**Why are some fields empty for certain projects?**
Projects in "upcoming" status haven't launched yet, so fields like `pledged`, `backerCount`, `deadline`, and `percentFunded` will be zero or empty. This is expected behavior.

**Why did my search return fewer results than expected?**
Kickstarter limits search results to 2,400 projects (200 pages). If your query matches more projects, narrow your filters (add a category, specify a funding range) to get the specific results you need.

### Related actors: other crowdfunding and e-commerce scrapers

- [Amazon Scraper](https://apify.com/automation-lab/amazon-scraper) — extract product data, prices, and reviews from Amazon
- [Shopify Scraper](https://apify.com/automation-lab/shopify-scraper) — scrape product data from any Shopify store
- [Google Maps Scraper](https://apify.com/automation-lab/google-maps-scraper) — extract business data and reviews from Google Maps
- [Indeed Scraper](https://apify.com/automation-lab/indeed-scraper) — scrape job listings and company data
- [TikTok Scraper](https://apify.com/automation-lab/tiktok-scraper) — extract video data and user profiles from TikTok

# Actor input Schema

## `searchTerms` (type: `array`):

Enter keywords to search for Kickstarter projects. Each term runs a separate search.

## `category` (type: `string`):

Filter projects by Kickstarter category. Leave empty to search all categories.

## `state` (type: `string`):

Filter by project funding status.

## `sortBy` (type: `string`):

Sort order for search results.

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of projects to extract. Kickstarter limits search to 2,400 results (200 pages).

## `goalRange` (type: `string`):

Filter projects by funding goal amount.

## `pledgedRange` (type: `string`):

Filter projects by amount already pledged.

## `raisedRange` (type: `string`):

Filter projects by percentage of goal raised.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchTerms": [
    "3d printer"
  ],
  "category": "",
  "state": "",
  "sortBy": "magic",
  "maxResults": 10,
  "goalRange": "",
  "pledgedRange": "",
  "raisedRange": ""
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "searchTerms": [
        "3d printer"
    ],
    "maxResults": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "searchTerms": ["3d printer"],
    "maxResults": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "searchTerms": [
    "3d printer"
  ],
  "maxResults": 10
}' |
apify call automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,automation-lab/kickstarter-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/1TiAhGTtL7BPGvTQJ/builds/mdEI7Mxx13jxkTS7C/openapi.json