---
description: Browser extension for simple web scraping, with table output
---

# Instant Data Scraper

## URL

[https://webrobots.io/instantdata/](https://webrobots.io/instantdata/)

## Description

Instant Data Scraper extracts data from web pages and exports it as Excel or CSV files. It is an automated data extraction tool for any website. It uses AI to predict which data is most relevant on a HTML page and allows saving it to Excel or CSV file (XLS, XLSX, CSV).

This tool does not require website specific scripts, instead it uses heuristic AI analysis of HTML structure to detect data for extraction. If the prediction is not satisfactory, it lets the user customise the selections for greater accuracy. This type of scraping technology is much more convenient, because it does not require large user created libraries of scraping scripts, which often become filled with outdated and redundant versions. This means that our scraping method works just as well with small and lesser known websites, as it does with global giants like Amazon. Also, our users do not need to have any coding, json or xml skills!

## Cost

* [x] Free
* [ ] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid

## Level of difficulty

<table><thead><tr><th data-type="rating" data-max="5"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>

## Requirements

Widows Edge or Chrome based browsers (Chrome, Brave).

## Limitations

The tool works on most pages, however it is dependent on the page hosting information in a table based format. The tool is also limited to content that is available via a webpage. Some websites, like social media platforms, may not let you access the table you wish to scrape, or you may have to try different tables than the one immediately suggested.

## Ethical Considerations

Scraping data from a webpage can often include information that is not relevant to an investigation, such as account data for users that are not associated with the target of an investigation. Discretion should be used to protect unrelated entities.

## Guides and articles

The Instant Data Scraper Facebook Community is a forum for information about the tool, where users can ask questions and get feedback from the developers, and other users.

{% embed url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/instantdata/" %}

* Install the plugin on your browser;
* Navigate your browser to the web page you would like to scrape;
* Click on the Instant Data Scraper icon at the top right of your browser window;
  * A dialogue box will appear and highlight a table on the web page to be scraped;
    * If this is not the table you wish to scrape, click "Try Another Table" in the dialogue box;
* If the table continues past where it has loaded on your browser, check the box for "Infinite Scroll" and then click the "Start crawling";
* If the table continues on additional pages, click the "Locate 'Next' button" button;
* When the tool finishes scraping, click the button for "CSV," or "XLSX," or "Copy All," depending on how you would like to receive the data;
* Name the file and save, OR copy the data into another spreadsheet tool.

## Tool provider

Web Robots is a company based in Lithuania that offers professional web scraping services for a fee. The Instant Data Scraper tool is their free offering.

## Advertising Trackers

* [x] This tool has not been checked for advertising trackers yet.
* [ ] This tool uses tracking cookies. Use with caution.
* [ ] This tool does not appear to use tracking cookies.

| Page maintainer                       |
| ------------------------------------- |
| Paul - Bellingcat Volunteer Community |
|                                       |
