# Instagram Scraper - Posts, Profiles & Hashtags (`thirdwatch/instagram-scraper`) Actor Scrape Instagram posts, profiles, and hashtags. Get captions, likes, comments, media URLs, follower counts, and more. Uses Instagram's GraphQL API with residential proxy for reliability. - **URL**: https://apify.com/thirdwatch/instagram-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [Thirdwatch](https://apify.com/thirdwatch) (community) - **Categories:** Social media - **Stats:** 19 total users, 9 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $2.70 / 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 a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. 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. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use 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 ## Instagram Scraper > Scrape Instagram posts and profiles without a login — captions, like and comment counts, media URLs, follower counts, and recent post history. ### What you get Structured data for any public Instagram account or post. Pass usernames, post URLs, or hashtag-prefixed search terms and get back engagement metrics, media links, and profile metadata. When scraping profiles you also get the most recent N posts per profile for content and engagement analytics. ### Output fields (posts) | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | `shortcode` | Post shortcode (used in the URL) | | `url` | Full post URL | | `type` | `image`, `video`, `carousel`, or `reel` | | `caption` | Post caption text | | `likeCount` | Number of likes | | `commentCount` | Number of comments | | `viewCount` | View count (video/reel) | | `authorUsername` | Author handle | | `timestamp` | ISO 8601 post timestamp | | `location` | Tagged location (if any) | | `imageUrl` | Full-resolution image URL | | `videoUrl` | Video URL (if video/reel) | | `hashtags` | Hashtags extracted from the caption | ### Output fields (profiles) | Field | Description | |-------|-------------| | `username` | Instagram username | | `fullName` | Display name | | `biography` | Profile bio | | `followerCount` | Number of followers | | `followingCount` | Number of accounts followed | | `postCount` | Total posts | | `isVerified` | Verified badge flag | | `isPrivate` | Private-account flag | | `profilePicUrl` | Profile picture URL | | `externalUrl` | Link in bio | | `recentPosts` | Array of recent posts (up to `maxPostsPerProfile`) | ### Example output ```json { "shortcode": "C7xYz12ABcd", "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/C7xYz12ABcd/", "type": "image", "caption": "Sunrise at the South Rim. #nature #photography", "likeCount": 245000, "commentCount": 1200, "authorUsername": "natgeo", "timestamp": "2026-04-08T18:30:00+00:00", "location": "Grand Canyon National Park", "imageUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/...", "hashtags": ["nature", "photography"] } ```` ### Input parameters | Parameter | Required | Description | |-----------|----------|-------------| | `queries` | Yes | List of `@username`, `#hashtag`, post URLs, or profile URLs. Examples: `["@natgeo", "#photography", "https://www.instagram.com/p/ABC123/"]`. | | `searchType` | No | `posts` returns individual posts/media, `profiles` returns profile info with recent posts. Default `posts`. | | `maxResults` | No | Max total results across all queries. Default `8`. | | `maxResultsPerQuery` | No | Max results per individual query. `0` = no per-query limit. Default `0`. | | `maxPostsPerProfile` | No | When `searchType=profiles`, recent posts returned per profile. Default `12`, max `60`. | ### Use cases - **Social media marketers**: Benchmark competitor content, post cadence, and engagement. - **Influencer analysts**: Pull follower counts and recent-post engagement for creator shortlists. - **Brand monitoring**: Watch hashtag feeds and profile activity for mentions. - **Trend researchers**: Collect caption and hashtag corpora for NLP and topic modeling. - **CRM enrichment**: Attach Instagram metrics to creator and influencer records. ### Use cases & recipes Step-by-step guides on [thirdwatch.dev/blog](https://thirdwatch.dev/blog): - [Monitor Brand Instagram Engagement (2026 Guide)](https://thirdwatch.dev/blog/monitor-brand-instagram-engagement) - [Research Instagram Hashtag Performance (2026 Guide)](https://thirdwatch.dev/blog/research-instagram-hashtag-performance) - [Scrape Instagram Profiles and Posts at Scale (2026)](https://thirdwatch.dev/blog/scrape-instagram-profiles-and-posts) - [Track Influencer Follower Growth on Instagram (2026)](https://thirdwatch.dev/blog/track-influencer-follower-growth-on-instagram) ### Pricing Pay-per-result pricing. Tiered discounts apply automatically based on usage volume. | Tier | Price per result | |------|------------------| | FREE | $0.006 | | BRONZE | $0.005 | | SILVER | $0.004 | | GOLD | $0.003 | ### Limitations - Private profiles cannot be scraped. - Stories and the Reels "For You" feed require authentication and are not supported. - Hashtag and location search are rate-limited in 2026 and may return partial results. - `viewCount` is only populated for video and reel posts. ### Compared to alternatives - **vs. apify/instagram-scraper** ($0.0027/result, 224K users): That actor is cheaper per result. This one is priced higher but ships a single consolidated schema across posts and profiles, includes `maxPostsPerProfile` for recent-post enrichment, and is maintained on a predictable release cadence. Pairs well with [TikTok Scraper](https://apify.com/thirdwatch/tiktok-scraper?fpr=9m2cd6) and [YouTube Scraper](https://apify.com/thirdwatch/youtube-scraper?fpr=9m2cd6) for cross-platform creator research. ### FAQ **Can I scrape a single post by URL?** Yes. Pass the `https://www.instagram.com/p/...` URL directly in `queries`. **Can I get recent posts from a profile?** Yes. Set `searchType: "profiles"` and use `maxPostsPerProfile` to control how many recent posts come back per profile. **Do I need an Instagram account or API key?** No. The actor works against publicly accessible endpoints. **Will it scrape Stories or Reels tab?** No. Stories require login. Individual reels that appear in a profile's grid are returned as posts with `type: "reel"`. Last verified: 2026-04 More scrapers at [thirdwatch.dev](https://thirdwatch.dev). # Actor input Schema ## `queries` (type: `array`): List of queries to scrape. Use @username for profiles, #hashtag for hashtag search, a post URL (instagram.com/p/...), or a profile URL. Examples: '@natgeo', '#photography', 'https://www.instagram.com/p/ABC123/'. ## `searchType` (type: `string`): What to scrape: 'posts' returns individual posts/media, 'profiles' returns profile info with recent posts. ## `maxResults` (type: `integer`): Maximum total number of results to scrape across all queries. ## `maxResultsPerQuery` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of results per individual query. 0 means no per-query limit (uses maxResults only). ## `maxPostsPerProfile` (type: `integer`): When searchType='profiles', fetch this many recent posts per profile for engagement/content analytics. Each post includes type (image/video/carousel/reel), timestamp, like/comment/view counts, caption, and hashtags. ## Actor input object example ```json { "queries": [ "@natgeo" ], "searchType": "posts", "maxResults": 8, "maxResultsPerQuery": 0, "maxPostsPerProfile": 12 } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # 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 = { "queries": [ "@natgeo" ], "maxResults": 8, "maxPostsPerProfile": 12 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("thirdwatch/instagram-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 = { "queries": ["@natgeo"], "maxResults": 8, "maxPostsPerProfile": 12, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("thirdwatch/instagram-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 '{ "queries": [ "@natgeo" ], "maxResults": 8, "maxPostsPerProfile": 12 }' | apify call thirdwatch/instagram-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=thirdwatch/instagram-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Instagram Scraper - Posts, Profiles & Hashtags", "description": "Scrape Instagram posts, profiles, and hashtags. Get captions, likes, comments, media URLs, follower counts, and more. Uses Instagram's GraphQL API with residential proxy for reliability.", "version": "1.0", "x-build-id": "aaBhEWOhd7Rdryzbn" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/thirdwatch~instagram-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-thirdwatch-instagram-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/thirdwatch~instagram-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-thirdwatch-instagram-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/thirdwatch~instagram-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-thirdwatch-instagram-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "queries" ], "properties": { "queries": { "title": "Queries", "type": "array", "description": "List of queries to scrape. Use @username for profiles, #hashtag for hashtag search, a post URL (instagram.com/p/...), or a profile URL. Examples: '@natgeo', '#photography', 'https://www.instagram.com/p/ABC123/'.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } }, "searchType": { "title": "Search Type", "enum": [ "posts", "profiles" ], "type": "string", "description": "What to scrape: 'posts' returns individual posts/media, 'profiles' returns profile info with recent posts.", "default": "posts" }, "maxResults": { "title": "Max Results", "minimum": 1, "maximum": 5000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum total number of results to scrape across all queries.", "default": 8 }, "maxResultsPerQuery": { "title": "Max Results Per Query", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 5000, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of results per individual query. 0 means no per-query limit (uses maxResults only).", "default": 0 }, "maxPostsPerProfile": { "title": "Recent posts per profile", "minimum": 0, "maximum": 60, "type": "integer", "description": "When searchType='profiles', fetch this many recent posts per profile for engagement/content analytics. Each post includes type (image/video/carousel/reel), timestamp, like/comment/view counts, caption, and hashtags.", "default": 12 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```