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A Squid is a scraping job in lobstr.io. Each Squid is configured to target a specific data source — such as Google Maps, LinkedIn, or Twitter/X — and collects structured data whenever it runs. You can launch Squids manually on demand or schedule them to run automatically on a recurring basis.

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Renaming a Squid

lobstr.io assigns a default name when you create a Squid. You can rename it at any time to keep your dashboard organized.
1

Open your Squid

Go to your Dashboard and click any Squid in the list.
2

Open Settings

Click the Settings icon at the top of the Squid page.
3

Rename the Squid

Click the current name at the top of the Settings panel and type the new name you want.
4

Save your changes

Click Save & Exit to apply the new name.

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Scheduling a Squid to run automatically

Instead of starting each run by hand, you can set a Squid to launch on a schedule. lobstr.io supports several recurrence options so you can match the schedule to how often your data needs to be refreshed.
Scheduling is the most effective way to automate recurring data collection — once configured, your Squid runs on its own without any manual intervention.
1

Open Squid Settings

Navigate to your Squid and click Settings.
2

Select Repeatedly

Under the Launch section, select the Repeatedly option.
3

Choose a schedule type

Pick the recurrence that fits your workflow:
  • Minutes — runs every 5 to 30 minutes
  • Hours — runs every 1 to 12 hours, starting at a time you set
  • Days — runs daily or on weekdays only, at a specific time
  • Weeks — runs on specific days of the week at a set time
  • Months — runs on a specific date each month (1–30) at a set time
4

Set timing and save

Configure your start time and any other options, then click Save.

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Timezone

By default, the schedule follows the timezone set on your account. To use a different timezone for a specific Squid, open its Settings and select a timezone from the Timezone dropdown, then click Save.

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Pausing or disabling a schedule

To temporarily stop a scheduled Squid without deleting its configuration, deactivate the Squid from your dashboard. When you’re ready to resume, reactivate it and the schedule picks up again. If you want to switch a Squid from automatic to manual, go to Settings > Launch and change the launch mode from Repeatedly to Manually. Your schedule settings are preserved, so you can switch back at any time.

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Error notifications

To receive an email when a scheduled run fails, open your Squid’s Settings, go to the Notifications section, and enable the On error notification.

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Tracking run history

Below the live console on each Squid’s page, the Runs table shows a log of all previous and active runs. Each entry includes:
  • Status — whether the run completed successfully, failed, or was stopped manually
  • Duration — how long the run took from start to finish
  • Records collected — the number of data rows scraped in that run
  • Date and time — when the run started
Use this table to spot failed runs, compare output volumes across runs, and verify that scheduled Squids are firing as expected. You can click into any run to view its detailed results or download the data.
Run data is stored for 28 days on paid plans and 7 days on the free plan. Download or export results before they expire. See How to Download Results for details.