How to scrape Reddit comments
You have three realistic options: copy comments by hand, pull them through the Reddit API, or use a browser-based scraper that reads the thread the way you do. Which one fits depends on how many threads you need and whether you want raw text or something you can actually use.
This guide walks through all three, then shows the fastest route: pasting a thread URL into Adlicio and getting the comments back, already clustered into the recurring complaints, desires, and objections.
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Option 1: copy comments by hand
For one short thread this works. Open the thread, expand every collapsed reply, and paste into a doc. The problems show up fast: long threads hide most replies behind 'load more comments', formatting collapses, and you lose the vote counts that tell you which opinions the community actually agrees with. Past a few dozen comments, manual collection is where the research quietly dies.
Option 2: the Reddit API
Reddit has an official API, and libraries like PRAW make it approachable if you write Python. You register an app, authenticate, and page through a thread's comment tree. It is the right tool for developers building something ongoing.
The catches: since 2023 the free tier is rate-limited to 100 queries per minute per client, deep comment trees need repeated 'more children' calls, and you still end up with raw JSON you have to clean and analyze yourself. If your goal is ad research rather than a software project, the API gives you homework, not answers.
Option 3: a browser-based scraper
Adlicio reads the thread through your own browser session, so there is no API key, no code, and no rate-limit paperwork. You paste a public thread URL and it captures the comment tree, including nested replies, in about 60 seconds.
The difference from generic scraping tools is what happens next: instead of handing you a CSV to sort through, Adlicio clusters the comments into ranked angles, each with a hook line and the verbatim quotes behind it. The raw comments stay exportable when you want the full text.
The 60-second version
- 01Find a thread where your buyers argue
Search your product category on Reddit and pick threads with 50+ comments. Complaint threads and recommendation threads carry the most usable language.
- 02Paste the thread URL into Adlicio
Any public thread works. Adlicio captures the comments, nested replies included, in about 60 seconds.
- 03Work from the clusters, not the pile
You get the recurring pain points, desires, and objections as ranked angles with quotes attached, plus a CSV export of the raw comments if you want everything.
Questions people also ask
Can you scrape Reddit comments without the API?+
Yes. A browser-based tool like Adlicio reads public threads through your own session, the same content a logged-out visitor sees, so no API key or developer account is needed.
Is it legal to scrape Reddit comments?+
Reading publicly visible content is generally lawful in most jurisdictions, and Adlicio only captures what any visitor can see. It never posts, votes, or messages on your behalf. If you republish comments verbatim, treat them as quotes and use judgment.
How do I export Reddit comments to a CSV?+
Run the scrape in Adlicio, then export from your history. The file includes the comment text and thread context, formatted so you can filter and sort without cleanup.
How many comments can one scrape capture?+
A scrape captures the thread's public comment tree, including replies hidden behind 'load more'. Very large threads are captured up to the depth Reddit serves to a normal viewer.
More guides
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Run this play on your own Reddit page.
Paste one public URL. Adlicio returns the angle, hook, and proof to test next.