SocialWire vs. Meta Content Library
Meta Content Library is Meta's official CrowdTangle replacement, built for approved researchers. SocialWire is built for publishers and newsrooms who want CrowdTangle's daily workflow back: lists of accounts, ranked by which posts are overperforming.
Updated October 2026
| SocialWire | Meta Content Library | |
|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Anyone. Built for publishers, newsrooms and reporters. | Researchers at qualified academic and nonprofit institutions, and journalists at nonprofit news organizations |
| How you get access | Sign up online | Application through ICPSR at the University of Michigan |
| Platforms | Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, YouTube, Bluesky | Facebook, Instagram |
| Lists of accounts | Yes, mixed platforms | Search-based |
| Overperforming ranking | Yes, ×normal on every post | No |
| Follower counts over time | Yes, daily | Not at launch |
| Small accounts | Yes, any public account | At launch, no downloads for accounts under 25,000 followers |
| Data source | Publicly available posts | Directly from Meta |
When Meta Content Library is the better choice
If you're an eligible researcher studying Facebook and Instagram at scale, the Content Library gives you data straight from Meta and broad search across public content. For academic work, that matters.
When SocialWire is the better choice
If you work at a commercial publication, you probably can't get Content Library access. Even if you can, it isn't built for a morning story meeting. SocialWire gives you the list of accounts you care about, sorted by what's breaking out, and it covers X, Threads, YouTube and Bluesky too.
Find the story before it trends.
14-day free trial. Plans from $99 a month. See pricing →