# Instagram API Scraper (`apify/instagram-api-scraper`) Actor Scrape and download Instagram posts, profiles, places, hashtags, photos without login. Supports search keywords and URL lists. Download your data as HTML table, JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, and RSS feed. - **URL**: https://apify.com/apify/instagram-api-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Apify](https://apify.com/apify) (Apify) - **Categories:** Social media - **Stats:** 17,540 total users, 1,055 monthly users, 99.5% runs succeeded, 289 bookmarks - **User rating**: 4.71 out of 5 stars ## Pricing from $1.40 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. - **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use). - **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`. - **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`. - **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`. - **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ### What is Instagram API Scraper? You can use Instagram API Scraper to set up a scraper to search Instagram for profiles, hashtags, or places. Alternatively, you can add the Instagram URLs you want to scrape directly and extract page details, profiles, posts, comments, hashtags, locations, and more. With Instagram API Scraper you can extract valuable data from: #### 1. Profiles - by URL (`https://www.instagram.com/[PROFILE]`) with top recent posts if max results in input is zero. #### 2. Posts - with top comments available by direct URLs for regular posts (`https://www.instagram.com/p/[SHORTCODE]`), - IGTV (`https://www.instagram.com/tv/[SHORTCODE]`) - or reels (`https://www.instagram.com/reel/[SHORTCODE]`) with top comments available by direct URLs for regular posts, profiles, hashtags, locations and posts. #### 3. Comments - You can get comments from posts by using the Instagram POST URL in the input. #### 4. Tags and locations - Tags (`https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/apify/`), - a list of locations (`https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/c530281/prague-czech-republic/`) - and exact locations (`https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/110589025635590/prague-czech-republic/`) supported as direct URLs. ### 5. Text search - You can optionally provide search term(s) to look up profiles, locations and hashtags. ### Why scrape Instagram? Instagram data can give you valuable information about popular posts and users anywhere in the world, help you predict trends, track brand awareness, learn how to improve your Instagram performance, or keep an eye on competing influencers. If you want more ideas, check out our [industries pages](https://apify.com/industries) for ways web scraping is already being used in a wide range of companies. ### How to scrape Instagram with Instagram API Scraper Instagram API Scraper is designed to be fast and easy to use so there aren't too many parameters or settings. Just follow the steps below: 1. Create a free Apify account. 2. Open Instagram API Scraper. 3. Add one or more Instagram URLs or search queries to scrape. 4. Click "Save & Start" and wait for the datasets to be extracted. 5. Download your data in JSON, XML, CSV, Excel, or HTML. ### How many results can you scrape with Instagram API scraper? The number of results Instagram API scraper can return varies heavily based on the content you want to scrape. To get an idea you can always open the required url in an incognito window in your browser (Chrome, for example) and check what Instagram shows users who are not logged in. You have to keep in mind that scraping Instagram is dynamic and subject to change. There’s no one-size-fits-all-use-cases number. **The maximum number of results may vary** depending on the complexity of the input, location, and other factors. Therefore, while we regularly run Actor tests to keep the benchmarks in check, the results may also fluctuate without our knowing. The best way to know for sure for your particular use case is to do a test run yourself. ### How much will scraping Instagram cost you? When it comes to scraping, it can be challenging to estimate the resources needed to extract data as use cases may vary significantly. That's why the best course of action is to run a test scrape with a small sample of input data and limited output. You’ll get your price per scrape, which you’ll then multiply by the number of scrapes you intend to do. [Watch this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wyz2iscZ30) for a few helpful tips. And don't forget that choosing a higher plan will save you money in the long run. ### Is it legal to scrape personal data on Instagram? Our Instagram scrapers are ethical and do not extract any private user data, such as email addresses, gender, or location. They only extract what the user has chosen to share publicly. We therefore believe that our scrapers, when used for ethical purposes by Apify users, are safe. However, you should be aware that your results could contain personal data. Personal data is protected by the GDPR in the European Union and by other regulations around the world. You should not scrape personal data unless you have a legitimate reason to do so. If you're unsure whether your reason is legitimate, consult your lawyers. You can also read our blog posts on the [legality of web scraping](https://blog.apify.com/is-web-scraping-legal/) and [ethical scraping](https://blog.apify.com/what-is-ethical-web-scraping-and-how-do-you-do-it/). ### Input parameters The input for Instagram API Scraper should be JSON containing the list of pages on Instagram that should be visited. Click on the [input tab](https://apify.com/alexey/quick-instagram-profile-check/input-schema) for an input example. ### Output example The actor stores its results in a dataset. Each item is a separate item in the dataset. You can manage the results in any language (Python, PHP, Node.js/NPM). See [our API reference](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) to learn more about getting results from our Instagram scrapers. #### Scraped Instagram post Please note that `ownerFullName` and `ownerUsername` are available only for posts from the profile feed (for hashtags and locations there will only be `ownerId`) and likewise `locationName` and `locationId` are available only for posts from the location feed. In order to get `topPosts` you need to scrape profile-tag-location details (zero max items). ```json { "id": "2872941012581150166", "type": "Sidecar", "shortCode": "CfevKEjjO3W", "caption": "Friday is just Party spelled backwards.", "hashtags": [], "mentions": [], "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/CfevKEjjO3W/", "commentsCount": 1, "topComments": [ { "id": "17965588192732482", "text": "Ytrap is that you?", "created_at": 1656701973, "owner": { "id": "53055140", "profile_pic_url": "https://scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/291172308_1433310463818654_3392274096989976793_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=106&_nc_ohc=Ku3tiqvt6Q0AX-9CimU&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT80-LQ4EuJGW-ZA4B-OfZx1RNAGDr75nZCA5s3J2_gBug&oe=630E6B2E&_nc_sid=86f79a", "username": "mr.bearightside" } } ], "dimensionsHeight": 719, "dimensionsWidth": 1080, "displayUrl": "https://scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/290965101_448500773766930_1387067205275170103_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=106&_nc_ohc=QA0j3KG7tpoAX_jXgft&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT-KY48VGPY4FOqpuXTbO0wxzyXEOLYUGBThMvEeSAcVXA&oe=630D6B35&_nc_sid=86f79a", "images": [ "https://scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/290965101_448500773766930_1387067205275170103_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=106&_nc_ohc=QA0j3KG7tpoAX_jXgft&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT-KY48VGPY4FOqpuXTbO0wxzyXEOLYUGBThMvEeSAcVXA&oe=630D6B35&_nc_sid=86f79a", "https://scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/290949279_336605095307254_1099428386212862812_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=110&_nc_ohc=rhe0mCQ9jGAAX9ihMxN&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT9dDwnTllwCJ_aalZK_RXZlKpVS96wej4NBSusGt2-AWA&oe=630EC3D9&_nc_sid=86f79a", "https://scontent-gru2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/291215314_889731762429619_8092846469479361036_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=107&_nc_ohc=wdlfzclgugwAX-nCggP&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT-ZlpRQ1SOSG5ccS7IK86I1RP7qMo3RipOPxvDbm8Lhxg&oe=630E5BA3&_nc_sid=86f79a", "https://scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/291347144_576365830557226_4854168139335161027_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_fr_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=110&_nc_ohc=jSOCbbR1KVMAX8ogn6h&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT_7IGpfxGGI4-AIUOo39LZPRvff_8VN3RaKGr2NuBDjmQ&oe=630D2001&_nc_sid=86f79a" ], "likesCount": 16, "timestamp": "2022-07-01T18:47:58.000Z", "childPosts": [ { "id": "2872941008219162995", "type": "Image", "caption": "", "hashtags": [], "mentions": [], "url": null, "commentsCount": 0, "topComments": [], "dimensionsHeight": 719, "dimensionsWidth": 1080, "displayUrl": "https://scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/290965101_448500773766930_1387067205275170103_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=106&_nc_ohc=QA0j3KG7tpoAX_jXgft&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT-KY48VGPY4FOqpuXTbO0wxzyXEOLYUGBThMvEeSAcVXA&oe=630D6B35&_nc_sid=86f79a", "images": [], "likesCount": null, "timestamp": null, "childPosts": [], "ownerId": null }, { "id": "2872941008504479156", "type": "Image", "caption": "", "hashtags": [], "mentions": [], "url": null, "commentsCount": 0, "topComments": [], "dimensionsHeight": 719, "dimensionsWidth": 1080, "displayUrl": "https://scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/290949279_336605095307254_1099428386212862812_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=110&_nc_ohc=rhe0mCQ9jGAAX9ihMxN&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT9dDwnTllwCJ_aalZK_RXZlKpVS96wej4NBSusGt2-AWA&oe=630EC3D9&_nc_sid=86f79a", "images": [], "likesCount": null, "timestamp": null, "childPosts": [], "ownerId": null }, { "id": "2872941008210847168", "type": "Image", "caption": "", "hashtags": [], "mentions": [], "url": null, "commentsCount": 0, "topComments": [], "dimensionsHeight": 719, "dimensionsWidth": 1080, "displayUrl": "https://scontent-gru2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/291215314_889731762429619_8092846469479361036_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru2-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=107&_nc_ohc=wdlfzclgugwAX-nCggP&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT-ZlpRQ1SOSG5ccS7IK86I1RP7qMo3RipOPxvDbm8Lhxg&oe=630E5BA3&_nc_sid=86f79a", "images": [], "likesCount": null, "timestamp": null, "childPosts": [], "ownerId": null }, { "id": "2872941008412089063", "type": "Image", "caption": "", "hashtags": [], "mentions": [], "url": null, "commentsCount": 0, "topComments": [], "dimensionsHeight": 720, "dimensionsWidth": 1080, "displayUrl": "https://scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/291347144_576365830557226_4854168139335161027_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_fr_s1080x1080&_nc_ht=scontent-gru1-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=110&_nc_ohc=jSOCbbR1KVMAX8ogn6h&edm=APU89FABAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT_7IGpfxGGI4-AIUOo39LZPRvff_8VN3RaKGr2NuBDjmQ&oe=630D2001&_nc_sid=86f79a", "images": [], "likesCount": null, "timestamp": null, "childPosts": [], "ownerId": null } ], "ownerFullName": "Apify", "ownerUsername": "apifytech", "ownerId": "29230178602" } ``` #### Scraped Instagram comment Gets up to three replies. The output format is different, so it's recommended to do separate runs to get posts with comments and runs for all other types of data. ```json { "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/CgpwtwVJ66a/", "id": "17950726027923736", "text": "@romipv15 ❤️", "created_at": 1659461955, "owner": { "id": "4067198760", "is_verified": false, "profile_pic_url": "https://instagram.fala2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.2885-19/143927761_455013982320583_4616411511060627850_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150&_nc_ht=instagram.fala2-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=107&_nc_ohc=EIIEWfCExZEAX85uHFk&edm=AP_V10EBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT-RbIPc2nJllSN-motZ18UV8Ti1bAvZXk8VorW9c9D34w&oe=630F5D10&_nc_sid=4f375e", "username": "devoid.wolf" }, "repliesCount": 1, "replies": [ { "id": "17967877732740996", "text": "@devoid.wolf loviu preciosooo❤️❤️", "created_at": 1659476569, "owner": { "id": "10177018382", "is_verified": false, "profile_pic_url": "https://instagram.fala2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.2885-19/298163874_1379094759167553_1722689499543189016_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150&_nc_ht=instagram.fala2-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=109&_nc_ohc=EEqIFcyUo9UAX99b-UQ&edm=AP_V10EBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AT8_Pw_OsX_49w0IE8cJlfKDJYBh6Kl_tSWFVgcLcS-82A&oe=630EACF1&_nc_sid=4f375e", "username": "romipv15" }, "likesCount": 0 } ], "likesCount": 1 } ``` ### Integrations and Instagram API Scraper Last but not least, Instagram API Scraper can be connected with almost any cloud service or web app thanks to integrations on the Apify platform. You can integrate with Make, Zapier, Slack, Airbyte, GitHub, Google Sheets, Google Drive, and more. Or you can use webhooks to carry out an action whenever an event occurs, e.g. get a notification whenever Instagram API Scraper successfully finishes a run. ### Using Instagram API Scraper with the Apify API The Apify API gives you programmatic access to the Apify platform. The API is organized around RESTful HTTP endpoints that enable you to manage, schedule, and run Apify actors. The API also lets you access any datasets, monitor actor performance, fetch results, create and update versions, and more. To access the API using Node.js, use the apify-client NPM package. To access the API using Python, use the apify-client PyPI package. Check out the Apify API reference docs for full details or click on the API tab for code examples. ### Want to scrape Instagram hashtags, posts, or comments? You can use the other dedicated scrapers below if you want to scrape specific Instagram data. You'll have fewer settings to change and faster results. Just enter one or more Instagram usernames or URLs and click to scrape.
👤 Instagram Profile Scraper ✅ Quick Instagram Posts Checker
#️⃣ Instagram Hashtag Scraper 📷 Instagram Post Scraper
🏷️ Instagram Mentions Scraper 🎞️ Instagram Reel Scraper
👥 Instagram Followers Count Scraper 💬 Instagram Comments Scraper
📊 Instagram Hashtag Analytics Scraper 🔮 Instagram Influencer Collaboration Scraper
### Your feedback We’re always working on improving the performance of our Actors. So if you’ve got any technical feedback for Instagram API Scraper or simply found a bug, please create an issue on the Actor’s [Issues tab](https://console.apify.com/actors/RB9HEZitC8hIUXAha/issues) in Apify Console. # Actor input Schema ## `directUrls` (type: `array`): Add one or more Instagram URLs to scrape. The field is optional, but you need to either use this field or search query below. ## `resultsType` (type: `string`): You can choose to get posts, comments or details from Instagram URLs. Comments can only be scraped from post URLs.
❗Please note that the stories type has been deprecated. It used to return reels data, which wasn’t aligned with its purpose. Please use reels instead. ## `resultsLimit` (type: `integer`): How many posts or comments (max 50 comments per post) you want to scrape from each Instagram URL. If you set this to 1, you will get a single post from each page. ## `onlyPostsNewerThan` (type: `string`): Limit how far back to the history the scraper should go. The date should be in YYYY-MM-DD or full ISO absolute format or in relative format e.g. 1 days, 2 months, 3 years. All time values are taken in UTC timezone ## `search` (type: `string`): Provide a search query which will be used to search Instagram for profiles, hashtags or places. ## `searchType` (type: `string`): What type of pages to search for (you can look for hashtags, profiles or places). ## `searchLimit` (type: `integer`): How many search results (hashtags, users or places) should be returned. ## `addParentData` (type: `boolean`): Only for feed items - add data source to results, i.e. for profile posts metadata is profile, for tag posts metadata is hashtag ## Actor input object example ```json { "directUrls": [ "https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/" ], "resultsType": "posts", "resultsLimit": 200, "searchType": "hashtag", "searchLimit": 1, "addParentData": false } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all scraped items # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "directUrls": [ "https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/" ], "resultsType": "posts", "resultsLimit": 200, "searchType": "hashtag", "searchLimit": 1 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("apify/instagram-api-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "directUrls": ["https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/"], "resultsType": "posts", "resultsLimit": 200, "searchType": "hashtag", "searchLimit": 1, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("apify/instagram-api-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "directUrls": [ "https://www.instagram.com/humansofny/" ], "resultsType": "posts", "resultsLimit": 200, "searchType": "hashtag", "searchLimit": 1 }' | apify call apify/instagram-api-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=apify/instagram-api-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/RB9HEZitC8hIUXAha/builds/GXXyRPg2mos4Jwai0/openapi.json