Instagram Username Checker

Bulk-check whether Instagram usernames are available or already taken. Feed in a list of usernames and get back a clean, structured result for each one — available or not — with alternative suggestions when a name is already claimed. Duplicates are removed automatically, so you never pay to check the same name twice.

What does Instagram Username Checker do?

This Actor takes a list of Instagram usernames and tells you, for each one, whether it can still be registered. It's built for speed and runs entirely on the Apify platform, so you get API access, scheduling, integrations, proxy rotation, and run monitoring out of the box — no browser or local setup required.

Why use Instagram Username Checker?

• Brand protection — confirm your brand or product name is still available across variations before someone else takes it.
• Username hunting — find short, clean, or on-brand handles that are still free.
• Bulk research — check hundreds of names in one run instead of typing them one by one into the signup form.
• Automation — schedule recurring checks and get notified when a watched username frees up, or wire the results into your own tools via the API.

How to use Instagram Username Checker

1. Open the Actor and go to the Input tab.
2. Paste your list of usernames (one per line). The @ prefix is optional and case doesn't matter.
3. (Optional) Adjust the delay between checks or the proxy settings.
4. Click Start and wait for the run to finish.
5. Download your results from the Output tab.

Input

Field	Description
Usernames to Check	The list of usernames to verify (up to 1000 per run). @ is optional, case is ignored, and duplicates are removed before checking. Unique usernames beyond the first 1000 are skipped.
Proxy Configuration	Proxy settings. Residential proxies are recommended for large lists.

Example input:

{
    "usernames": ["cristiano", "my_cool_unclaimed_name_2026", "@SomeBrand"],
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"] }
}

Output

Each username becomes one row in the dataset. You can download the dataset in various formats such as JSON, HTML, CSV, or Excel.

[
    {
        "username": "cristiano",
        "available": false,
        "suggestions": [],
        "error": null
    },
    {
        "username": "my_cool_unclaimed_name_2026",
        "available": true,
        "suggestions": [],
        "error": null
    }
]

Data table

Field	Type	Description
username	text	The normalized username that was checked.
available	boolean	true if the username can be registered, false if taken, null if it couldn't be checked.
suggestions	array	Alternative usernames suggested when the name is taken.
error	text	Populated only when a username couldn't be checked.

How much does it cost?

Cost scales with the size of your list — you're billed per result, and each username produces exactly one result. Duplicate usernames are removed before any checks run, so you only pay for unique names. A run of a few hundred usernames typically costs a small fraction of a compute unit.

Tips

• For large lists, keep the default residential proxy setting on to avoid rate limiting.
• If you see rows with an error, re-run just those usernames.
• Case variants of the same handle (e.g. MyName and myname) are treated as one — Instagram usernames are case-insensitive.

FAQ, disclaimers, and support

Is this legal? The Actor only checks public username availability — the same information anyone sees on the Instagram signup form. It does not access private data or log into any account. You are responsible for complying with Instagram's Terms of Service and applicable laws.

Why is a username marked unavailable when the profile doesn't exist? Instagram reserves many names (banned, deactivated, or held) even when no public profile is visible. Availability reflects whether the name can be registered, not whether a profile currently exists.

Found a bug or need a custom version? Open an issue on the Actor's Issues tab and we'll take a look.