If you’re trying to get a list of your Twitter followers into a spreadsheet, you’ve probably hit a wall. Twitter doesn’t make this easy, and most “free” tools are junk or want your login info. This guide is for folks who want a simple, honest way to pull their Twitter followers to a CSV file—especially if you’ve heard about Phantombuster and want to know if it actually works, what hoops you’ll jump through, and what to watch out for.
Let’s cut through the noise. Here’s exactly how to export Twitter followers to CSV using Phantombuster, step by step. No fluff, no skipped steps.
What You’ll Need Before You Start
Before you dive in, here’s what you’ll need:
- A Twitter account. Obvious, but you’ll need access.
- A Phantombuster account. There’s a free trial, but heavy use costs money.
- A desktop browser (Chrome preferred). Some steps require a browser extension.
- Basic spreadsheet skills. You’ll end up with a CSV file you can open in Excel, Google Sheets, etc.
Heads up: If you’re expecting a one-click solution, this isn’t it. But it’s manageable—you just need to follow the steps.
Step 1: Sign Up for Phantombuster
Go to Phantombuster and sign up for a free account. They’ll ask for your email, and you’ll need to confirm it.
- Why Phantombuster? It’s one of the few tools that actually works without shady business or weird downloads.
- Free trial limits: You get a few “execution hours” for free. Exporting followers for a single account is usually well within the free tier, unless you have tens of thousands of followers.
Pro tip: Use a burner email if you’re only planning to do this once. They send some marketing stuff.
Step 2: Install the Phantombuster Browser Extension
To grab your Twitter session cookies (needed for Phantombuster to access your account), you’ll need their browser extension. It’s available for Chrome and Firefox.
- Log into Twitter in your browser first.
- Install the extension from Phantombuster’s dashboard.
- Follow the prompts: the extension will pull your Twitter “session cookie” automatically.
Is this safe? As safe as anything that automates web scraping can be. Phantombuster is well-known and doesn’t store your Twitter password, but you are giving it access to your session. If you’re paranoid, change your Twitter password after you’re done to invalidate the session.
Step 3: Find the “Twitter Followers Export” Phantom
Once you’re set up, log into your Phantombuster dashboard. Search for “Twitter Followers Export” in their Phantom store.
- Click on it, then hit “Use this Phantom.”
- You’ll be asked for some setup info.
Don’t get distracted: There are a lot of “Phantoms” (automation scripts). Stick with “Twitter Followers Export”—ignore the other Twitter ones unless you know exactly what you need.
Step 4: Plug in Your Twitter Profile URL
Next, you’ll need to tell Phantombuster whose followers to export.
- For your own account: Copy your profile URL (e.g.,
https://twitter.com/yourhandle) and paste it in. - For someone else’s followers: Same deal—just paste in their Twitter URL.
Limits: Twitter blocks you from looking up private accounts or those with protected tweets. If the account is private and you’re not approved as a follower, this won’t work.
Step 5: Configure the Phantom Settings
Here’s where you can tweak how the export works.
- Number of followers to scrape per launch: Don’t set this too high, especially if you have thousands of followers. Stick with the default (usually 500 or 1000). If you ask for too much, Twitter may block or throttle you.
- Number of launches per day: If you have more followers than the per-launch cap, you can set the Phantom to run multiple times automatically. Most users won’t need this.
- Spreadsheet URL (optional): Ignore this if you just want a CSV download.
What to ignore: Most advanced options aren’t necessary. Don’t overthink it.
Step 6: Launch the Phantom
Now, click “Save & Launch.” Phantombuster will fire up the script and start scraping your followers.
- You’ll see progress in real time. For a few hundred followers, it’s done in a minute or two.
- If you have thousands, it may take longer or need multiple runs.
Possible hiccups: - Rate limits: If you’re exporting a huge number of followers, Twitter can slow things down or temporarily block requests. Just wait and try again later. - Session expired: If your Twitter session cookie is stale, you’ll need to refresh via the browser extension.
Step 7: Download Your CSV File
When the Phantom finishes, it’ll display “Results” with a download link.
- Click “Download CSV.”
- Open it in Excel, Google Sheets, or whatever you use.
What’s in the CSV? - Twitter handle - Display name - Bio - Follower count - Profile link - Sometimes more, sometimes less—depends on what Twitter lets Phantombuster access at the time.
Don’t expect: Email addresses or private info—Twitter doesn’t share these, and if any tool promises them, run the other way.
Step 8: Clean Up and Protect Your Account
You’re done! But don’t skip these last steps:
- Remove your Twitter session from Phantombuster. Go to your account settings and delete the session cookie.
- Uninstall the browser extension if you’re not planning to use Phantombuster again.
- Change your Twitter password if you’re extra cautious. This kicks out any sessions.
Why bother? Any tool with access to your session could, in theory, act as you on Twitter. Better safe than sorry.
What Works and What Doesn’t
Let’s be real about what you get:
What works: - Reliable export for public Twitter accounts. - Decent CSV structure for spreadsheets. - Works for your own account or someone else’s (if public).
What doesn't: - No emails, phone numbers, or private data. - Can be slow or glitchy on huge follower lists (10K+). - Sometimes the format changes if Twitter updates things—Phantombuster usually catches up, but not instantly. - Won’t work on private accounts you don’t follow.
Ignore the hype: If a tool claims to give you all your followers’ emails or get around Twitter’s privacy settings, it’s probably a scam or will get your account in trouble.
Pro Tips and Common Gotchas
- Free tier is limited. If you’re scraping big lists, you’ll hit the paywall.
- Don’t automate too much at once. Twitter can block your account if you look like a bot.
- This doesn’t “grow” your followers. It’s just for export.
- Check your CSV. Sometimes fields are blank or weird thanks to Twitter’s API quirks.
- Check for updates: If Phantombuster isn’t working, look for updates—they’re usually quick to fix scripts after Twitter changes.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple
Exporting your Twitter followers to CSV isn’t rocket science, but it’s not totally painless either. Phantombuster does the job better than most, but don’t expect miracles or magic data. If you run into trouble, double-check your session, keep your export requests reasonable, and clean up after you’re done.
Start small, see if it works, and don’t overcomplicate things. If you only need to do this once, the free tier will probably cover it. If you’re doing this every week, pony up for a subscription—or reconsider how often you really need a fresh CSV.
Questions? Gotchas? Share them below—there’s always a new trick or pitfall with Twitter exports.
Good luck, and keep it simple.