Markdown or CSV: which export should I use?

Use CSV for spreadsheets and sorting, use Markdown for reading and pasting into an AI assistant. Both formats cover the exact same posts.

Written By PostSnag

Last updated About 13 hours ago

PostSnag exports every profile as either CSV or Markdown, and the right choice comes down to where the file is headed next: CSV for a spreadsheet, Markdown for an AI assistant or a plain read-through. Both formats cover the exact same posts, filtered the same way; only the structure and formatting change.

What CSV gives you

CSV exports a flat table, one row per post, that opens cleanly in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers. The columns, in order, are:

  • Posted: the post's date

  • Type: Video, Photo, Album, Link, or Text

  • Reactions: the total reaction count

  • Comments and Shares: their respective counts

  • Content: the post's caption text

  • Post_URL: a link back to the post on Facebook

  • Media_URLs: link(s) to the post's captured image or thumbnail

  • Link_Title and Link_URL: the title and address of an external link preview, if the post shares one

Reach for CSV when you want to sort posts by reactions, comments, or shares; build a pivot table or chart; filter and re-filter without going back to the dashboard; or combine several exports into one working sheet.

What Markdown gives you

Markdown exports a structured, readable document instead of a table:

  1. A heading with the profile's name and @username

  2. Its bio, if it has one

  3. A totals block: posts exported, total reactions, total comments, and total shares

  4. A link to the profile on Facebook

  5. One section per post, each headed with its number, type, and date, showing that post's reactions, comments, and shares, its caption, any link preview, and a link to the post itself

Reach for Markdown when you want to read through a profile's posts start to finish, paste the whole file into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini and ask it questions, share a clean human-readable file with a teammate or client, or keep a caption and its link preview attached to one post instead of split across spreadsheet columns.

[Screenshot: A CSV file open in a spreadsheet next to a Markdown file open in a text editor, showing the same posts in each format]

CSV and Markdown side by side

CSVMarkdown

Structure

Flat table, one row per post

Document, one section per post

Opens well in

Excel, Google Sheets, Numbers

Any text editor, most note apps

Best for

Sorting, filtering, pivot tables, charts

Reading, sharing, pasting into AI tools

File extension

.csv

.md

Pick based on where the data is going

If you're about to open a spreadsheet, export CSV. If you're about to open an AI chat, export Markdown. If you're not sure yet, Markdown is the safer default: it reads fine on its own, still works if you decide to paste it into an AI tool later, and a CSV is harder to make sense of at a glance without opening a spreadsheet app first.

Both exports are instant, client-side downloads, and neither costs anything or counts against your plan. Exporting the same profile twice, once as each format, takes seconds.

What stays identical no matter which you choose

Whichever format you pick, the underlying data doesn't change:

  • The same posts. Whatever's currently filtered and visible on the profile page is what goes into the file, in either format.

  • Reactions as a total only. Neither format breaks reactions down into like, love, haha, wow, sad, and angry; that breakdown only appears in the dashboard's panel and Analytics. See What's included in a PostSnag export? for the full list of what each format includes and leaves out.

  • No media files. Both formats link out to images and thumbnails instead of embedding them; neither includes the actual image or video file.

Common questions

Do CSV and Markdown exports contain different data?
No. Both cover the same posts, filtered the same way. The difference is structure and formatting, not content.

Can I open a Markdown export in Excel?
Not usefully. Markdown is a text format meant for reading or pasting, not a spreadsheet. Use CSV for spreadsheet work.

Which format should I use for ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini?
Markdown, generally. Its section-per-post structure and labels help an AI tool tell individual posts apart. CSV still works, especially for row-by-row or numeric comparisons; see How do I analyze Facebook posts with ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini?

Can I export both formats for the same profile?
Yes. Open the Export menu twice and choose a different format each time. Both downloads are free and instant.

Does a Group export come in Markdown too?
No. A Facebook Group's export is CSV only, with different columns than a profile export. See How do I export a Facebook Group's posts?.