PhantomBuster
AutomationCloud automation platform for social media growth hacking
Overview
PhantomBuster is a cloud-based automation platform that lets SEO professionals extract data and automate actions across social media platforms. Built by a French team in 2016, it bridges the gap between social media intelligence and traditional link building tools. The platform offers over 100 pre-built "phantoms" (automation scripts) that can scrape follower lists, extract contact information, send outreach messages, and monitor competitor activity across LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and other networks.
Unlike general automation tools like Zapier or Make, PhantomBuster specializes specifically in social platform automation with built-in features to avoid detection and account restrictions. It runs entirely in the cloud, eliminating the need for local browser automation or complex proxy setups that plague other social scraping tools.
The platform has gained traction among growth hackers and digital marketers, but its applications for SEO professionals are substantial. Many agencies use PhantomBuster to identify link prospects on LinkedIn, track competitor mentions across social platforms, and automate the initial outreach phases of digital PR campaigns.
Key features
Social Media Scraping
Extracts follower lists, contact information, and engagement data from LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at scale.
Automated Outreach
Sends connection requests, messages, and follows across multiple platforms with customizable sequences and delays.
Lead Generation Phantoms
Pre-built automation templates for finding prospects on professional networks and enriching contact data.
Multi-Account Management
Manages multiple social accounts simultaneously with proxy rotation and session management to avoid blocks.
Data Export and Integration
Exports scraped data to CSV, Google Sheets, or CRM platforms with webhook support for real-time updates.
Cloud-Based Execution
Runs automations on PhantomBuster's servers without requiring local browser or VPN setup.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2 hours execution time, 5 phantoms, 5k results per month |
| Starter | $56/mo | 10 hours execution time, 15 phantoms, 50k results per month |
| Pro | $126/mo | 20 hours execution time, unlimited phantoms, 500k results per month |
| Team | $306/mo | 40 hours execution time, team collaboration, 1M results per month |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited execution time, dedicated support, custom integrations |
FAQ
Is PhantomBuster safe for LinkedIn automation?
PhantomBuster includes built-in limits and humanization features to mimic human behavior, but LinkedIn automation always carries risk. Users should start with conservative limits and monitor account health closely.
Can PhantomBuster help with link building outreach?
Yes, it can scrape contact information from social profiles and send automated outreach messages. Many SEOs use it to find prospects on LinkedIn and Twitter for link building campaigns.
What social platforms does PhantomBuster support?
PhantomBuster supports LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, and several other platforms with varying levels of functionality for each.
How does PhantomBuster's pricing work?
Pricing is based on execution hours per month and the number of 'phantoms' (automation scripts) you can run. Most SEO use cases fit within the Starter or Pro plans.
Can PhantomBuster integrate with other SEO tools?
Yes, it can export data to Google Sheets, send webhooks to Zapier, and integrate with most CRM platforms. This makes it easy to feed prospect data into your existing SEO workflows.
How does PhantomBuster compare?
View all comparisons →Review Sentiment
173 reviews across 2 sources
Bottom line
PhantomBuster's free tier lets you evaluate 130+ pre-built automations for LinkedIn before committing to paid plans from $56/mo. Its 4.4/5 from 173 users is well-earned — the main caveat is linkedIn automation carries account restriction risks despite built-in rate.
People love
- +130+ pre-built automations for LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and web data extraction
- +Auto-pilot mode runs scrapers on a schedule for ongoing lead generation
- +Zapier and Make integrations push extracted data directly into CRM systems
Common complaints
- –LinkedIn automation carries account restriction risks despite built-in rate limiting
- –Learning curve for non-technical users — requires understanding of APIs and data flows
- –Credit-based pricing can get expensive quickly for high-volume scraping operations
Last updated Feb 2026