Instagram Profile & Posts Scraper - Followers, Engagement, Reels & AI Sentiment Analysis

Scrape Instagram profiles and posts with full engagement metrics. Extract follower counts, bio data, recent posts, reels, likes, comments, hashtags, and posting patterns. Includes Camoufox anti-detection, optional Firecrawl API fallback, and AI sentiment analysis with 5 provider options (BYOK). Supports authenticated scraping via session cookies to bypass Instagram login walls. Essential for influencer research, competitive analysis, and brand monitoring.

Table of Contents

1. Features
2. Authentication (Session Cookies)
3. Who Should Use This Actor
4. How It Works
5. Quick Start
6. Input Parameters
7. Output Format
8. AI Sentiment Analysis
9. Pricing
10. Real-World Use Cases
11. Advanced Configurations
12. Webhook & Automation Integration
13. API Examples
14. Anti-Detection Technology
15. Comparison to Official APIs
16. FAQ
17. Troubleshooting
18. Data Export Options
19. Rate Limits & Best Practices
20. Legal & Compliance

---

Features

Core Scraping Capabilities

• Profile Metrics - Followers, following, posts count, verification status
• Bio & Links - Biography, external URL, business category
• Recent Posts - Up to 50 posts per profile with engagement data
• Reels Support - Scrape both regular posts and reels
• Stories Highlights - Profile highlights count and metadata
• Hashtag Extraction - Hashtags from captions for trend analysis
• Business Account Detection - Category and contact info for business profiles

Authentication & Login Wall Detection

• Session Cookie Support - Provide your Instagram session cookies to bypass login walls
• Login Wall Detection - Automatically detects when Instagram requires login and reports it clearly instead of silently returning 0 results
• Cookie-Editor Integration - Simple setup with the free Cookie-Editor browser extension
• Graceful Degradation - Works without cookies on some profiles, clearly reports when cookies are needed

Anti-Detection Suite

• Camoufox Stealth Browser - C++ level browser fingerprint evasion
• Human-like Behavior - Natural scrolling, random delays, mouse movements
• Residential Proxies - Apify residential proxy rotation (default)
• Firecrawl Fallback - API-based scraping when browser methods fail (BYOK)

AI Intelligence (BYOK)

• Sentiment Analysis - 5 AI providers for caption tone analysis
• Content Classification - Automatic categorization of post types
• Trend Detection - Identify viral patterns and engagement anomalies

Foreplay-Inspired Hook Analysis

• Hook Extraction - Automatically extracts the first 1-2 attention-grabbing sentences from each caption
• Hook Word Count - Tracks hook length for optimal engagement patterns
• Question Detection - Identifies posts with hooks that contain questions (proven to boost engagement)
• CTA Detection - Flags posts with calls-to-action (follow, like, share, link in bio, swipe, etc.)

Integration Ready

• Webhook Delivery - Real-time results to your endpoint
• Scheduled Runs - Automated daily/weekly monitoring
• Export Formats - JSON, CSV, Excel, XML

---

Authentication (Session Cookies)

Instagram increasingly gates profile content behind login walls. Without authentication, you may get partial data on some profiles and hit login walls on others. Session cookies are strongly recommended for reliable results.

Why You Need Cookies

Scenario	Without Cookies	With Cookies
Public profile data	May work on some profiles	Full profile data every time
Recent posts	Often blocked by login wall	All posts up to your maxPosts limit
Comments	Frequently unavailable	Full comment extraction
Engagement metrics	Partial or zero results	Complete likes, comments, shares
Reels	Often login-gated	Full reel data and metrics

Login Wall Detection

This actor now detects Instagram login walls instead of silently returning 0 results. When a login wall is encountered, you will see a clear message in the run log explaining that Instagram requires authentication for that profile. This helps you understand exactly why data was not returned and take action (provide cookies or try again later).

How to Get Your Session Cookies

Step 1: Install Cookie-Editor

Cookie-Editor is a free browser extension that exports cookies in JSON format.

• Cookie-Editor for Chrome
• Cookie-Editor for Firefox

Step 2: Log Into Instagram

1. Open your browser and go to instagram.com
2. Log in with your Instagram account
3. Make sure you can browse profiles normally

Step 3: Export Cookies

1. While on instagram.com, click the Cookie-Editor extension icon in your browser toolbar
2. Click the Export button (the download/arrow icon)
3. Select Export as JSON (this copies the cookies to your clipboard)

Step 4: Paste Into Actor Input

Paste the exported JSON array into the sessionCookies input field:

{
  "usernames": ["nike", "adidas"],
  "maxPosts": 20,
  "sessionCookies": [
    {
      "name": "sessionid",
      "value": "your-session-id-here",
      "domain": ".instagram.com",
      "path": "/"
    },
    {
      "name": "csrftoken",
      "value": "your-csrf-token-here",
      "domain": ".instagram.com",
      "path": "/"
    }
  ]
}

You do not need to manually pick individual cookies. Paste the entire JSON array exported by Cookie-Editor -- the actor will use the relevant cookies automatically.

Cookie Lifespan

• Instagram session cookies typically last 1-2 weeks before expiring
• If you start getting login wall errors after cookies were previously working, export fresh cookies
• Avoid changing your Instagram password while using cookies (this invalidates all sessions)
• Using a dedicated Instagram account for scraping is recommended to avoid disrupting your personal browsing

Cookie Security

• Your cookies are passed as an input parameter and are not stored beyond the actor run
• Cookies are used only to authenticate requests to Instagram during the scraping session
• Never share your cookies publicly or commit them to version control
• Use Apify's encrypted input fields when available

---

Who Should Use This Actor?

Influencer Marketing Teams

Evaluate potential influencer partners before signing contracts. Analyze follower counts, engagement rates, content quality, and posting consistency. Compare multiple creators side-by-side.

Example workflow:

1. Input 10 potential influencer usernames
2. Scrape 20 posts each with sentiment analysis
3. Export to Google Sheets for team review
4. Calculate engagement rates: (likes + comments) / followers x 100

Social Media Managers

Track competitor Instagram strategies. Monitor posting frequency, content types, and engagement patterns to inform your own social strategy.

Example workflow:

1. Schedule weekly scrapes of 5 competitors
2. Track posting frequency and best posting times
3. Identify high-performing content themes
4. Adapt strategy based on competitor insights

Marketing Agencies

Build comprehensive Instagram analytics reports for clients. Compare client performance against competitors with real engagement data.

Example workflow:

1. Monthly scrape: client + 3 competitors
2. Auto-generate comparison reports
3. Identify content gaps and opportunities
4. Present data-driven recommendations

Brand Managers

Monitor competitor product launches, campaign creatives, and audience reactions on Instagram.

Example workflow:

1. Alert on competitor new post activity
2. Track campaign hashtag performance
3. Monitor audience sentiment around launches
4. Benchmark against industry standards

E-Commerce Companies

Research competitor product photography, promotional strategies, and user engagement with product posts.

Example workflow:

1. Scrape competitor product posts
2. Analyze best-performing product shots
3. Track promotional content frequency
4. Identify seasonal posting patterns

Talent Agencies & Creator Managers

Discover and evaluate Instagram creators for partnerships, sponsorships, and talent representation.

Example workflow:

1. Build creator database with metrics
2. Track growth trends over time
3. Verify engagement authenticity
4. Match creators to brand opportunities

Academic Researchers

Study social media behavior, content trends, and engagement patterns for academic research.

Example workflow:

1. Collect posts on specific topics/hashtags
2. Analyze posting patterns and engagement
3. Study sentiment and content evolution
4. Export for statistical analysis tools

---

How It Works

Architecture Overview

+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                    Instagram Scraper v2.1                         |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
|                                                                   |
|  +--------------+    +--------------+    +--------------+        |
|  |   Input      |--->|   Scraper    |--->|   Output     |        |
|  |  Usernames   |    |   Engine     |    |   Dataset    |        |
|  +--------------+    +--------------+    +--------------+        |
|                            |                     |                |
|                            v                     |                |
|                    +--------------+              |                |
|                    |  Camoufox    |              |                |
|                    |  + Cookies   |              |                |
|                    +--------------+              |                |
|                            |                     |                |
|                    +-------+-------+             |                |
|                    v               v             |                |
|             +----------+   +----------+         |                |
|             | Browser  |   |Firecrawl |         |                |
|             |  Mode    |   | Fallback |         |                |
|             +----------+   +----------+         |                |
|                    |               |             |                |
|                    +-------+-------+             |                |
|                            v                     v                |
|                    +--------------+    +--------------+          |
|                    |     AI       |--->|   Webhook    |          |
|                    |  Sentiment   |    |   Delivery   |          |
|                    |  (Optional)  |    |  (Optional)  |          |
|                    +--------------+    +--------------+          |
|                                                                   |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+

Scraping Process

1. Input Validation - Validates usernames and configuration
2. Cookie Injection - If sessionCookies provided, injects them into the browser session
3. Browser Launch - Spins up Camoufox stealth browser with residential proxy
4. Profile Navigation - Navigates to each Instagram profile
5. Login Wall Check - Detects if Instagram is requiring login; reports clearly if cookies are needed
6. Data Extraction - Extracts profile info and scrolls to load posts
7. Post Processing - Gathers engagement metrics for each post
8. AI Analysis - Optional sentiment analysis on captions (BYOK)
9. Data Output - Saves to Apify dataset and optional webhook delivery

---

Quick Start

Demo Mode (Free Test)

{
  "demoMode": true
}

Returns realistic sample data so you can test your integrations without any charges.

Scrape Profiles with Cookies (Recommended)

{
  "usernames": ["nike", "adidas"],
  "maxPosts": 12,
  "includeReels": true,
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "demoMode": false
}

Scrape Public Profiles (No Cookies)

{
  "usernames": ["nike", "adidas"],
  "maxPosts": 12,
  "includeReels": true,
  "demoMode": false
}

Note: Without cookies, you may hit Instagram login walls on some or all profiles.

With Apify Residential Proxy (Recommended)

{
  "usernames": ["cocacola", "pepsi", "redbull"],
  "maxPosts": 20,
  "includeReels": true,
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "proxy": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]
  },
  "demoMode": false
}

With Firecrawl API Fallback

{
  "usernames": ["targetbrand"],
  "maxPosts": 12,
  "useFirecrawl": true,
  "firecrawlApiKey": "fc-your-api-key",
  "demoMode": false
}

With AI Sentiment Analysis

{
  "usernames": ["nike"],
  "maxPosts": 20,
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "anthropic",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-ant-your-api-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "demoMode": false
}

Full Configuration Example

{
  "usernames": ["nike", "adidas", "puma", "newbalance", "asics"],
  "maxPosts": 30,
  "includeReels": true,
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "openai",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-your-openai-key",
  "aiModel": "gpt-4o-mini",
  "useFirecrawl": true,
  "firecrawlApiKey": "fc-your-firecrawl-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "proxy": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]
  },
  "webhookUrl": "https://your-webhook.com/instagram-results",
  "demoMode": false
}

---

Input Parameters

Required Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
usernames	array	-	Instagram usernames to scrape (without @ symbol). Max 100 per run.

Authentication

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
sessionCookies	array	-	JSON array of cookies from Cookie-Editor browser extension. Strongly recommended -- Instagram gates most content behind login walls.

Scraping Options

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
maxPosts	number	12	Maximum posts per profile (1-50)
includeReels	boolean	true	Include reels in scraped posts
includeComments	boolean	false	Include top comments on each post
maxComments	number	10	Maximum comments per post (if enabled)
demoMode	boolean	true	Return sample data for testing (no charges)

Firecrawl Configuration (BYOK)

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
useFirecrawl	boolean	false	Use Firecrawl API as scraping fallback
firecrawlApiKey	string	-	Your Firecrawl API key

AI Sentiment Analysis (BYOK)

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
enableSentimentAnalysis	boolean	false	Enable AI caption analysis
aiProvider	string	-	AI provider: openai, anthropic, google, mistral, cohere
aiApiKey	string	-	Your AI provider API key
aiModel	string	-	Custom model override (optional)

Proxy Configuration

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
proxy	object	Residential	Proxy configuration object
proxy.useApifyProxy	boolean	true	Use Apify proxy service
proxy.apifyProxyGroups	array	["RESIDENTIAL"]	Proxy groups to use

Integration Options

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
webhookUrl	string	-	Webhook URL for results delivery

---

Output Format

Profile Data Structure

{
  "username": "nike",
  "fullName": "Nike",
  "biography": "Just Do It. #Nike",
  "profilePicUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/...",
  "followersCount": 305000000,
  "followingCount": 150,
  "postsCount": 1234,
  "isVerified": true,
  "isBusinessAccount": true,
  "businessCategory": "Product/Service",
  "externalUrl": "https://nike.com",
  "highlightsCount": 15,
  "overallSentiment": {
    "score": 0.72,
    "label": "positive",
    "summary": "Predominantly upbeat, inspirational content"
  },
  "latestPosts": [
    {
      "id": "ABC123XYZ",
      "shortcode": "ABC123XYZ",
      "url": "https://instagram.com/p/ABC123XYZ",
      "type": "image",
      "caption": "Just Do It. The new Air Max 2026 is here. #AirMax #Nike #Innovation",
      "displayUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/...",
      "videoUrl": null,
      "likesCount": 500000,
      "commentsCount": 5000,
      "timestamp": "2026-01-20T15:30:00.000Z",
      "isVideo": false,
      "isReel": false,
      "hashtags": ["AirMax", "Nike", "Innovation"],
      "mentions": ["@athletes"],
      "hook": "Just Do It. The new Air Max 2026 is here.",
      "hookWordCount": 9,
      "hasQuestion": false,
      "hasCTA": true,
      "reactions": {
        "likes": 500000,
        "comments": 5000,
        "shares": 12000,
        "saves": 45000
      },
      "sentiment": {
        "score": 0.85,
        "label": "positive",
        "confidence": 0.92,
        "summary": "Upbeat promotional content with inspirational tone",
        "tone": "inspiring"
      },
      "comments": [
        {
          "author": "fan_account",
          "content": "Love the new design!",
          "timestamp": "2026-01-20T16:00:00.000Z",
          "likes": 150,
          "replies": 3,
          "sentiment": {
            "score": 0.9,
            "label": "positive"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "engagementRate": 1.64,
  "averageLikes": 485000,
  "averageComments": 4200,
  "postingFrequency": "2.3 posts/day",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-01-28T10:30:00.000Z"
}

Post Types Detected

Type	Description
image	Single image post
video	Video post (non-reel)
carousel	Multi-image/video post
reel	Instagram Reel

Sentiment Analysis Output

When AI sentiment analysis is enabled, each post includes:

{
  "sentiment": {
    "score": 0.85,
    "label": "positive",
    "confidence": 0.92,
    "summary": "Upbeat promotional content with inspirational messaging",
    "tone": "inspiring",
    "emotions": ["excitement", "motivation", "pride"],
    "topics": ["product launch", "athletic performance", "innovation"]
  }
}

Field	Type	Range	Description
score	number	-1 to 1	Sentiment score (negative to positive)
label	string	-	Classification: negative, neutral, positive
confidence	number	0 to 1	AI confidence in prediction
summary	string	-	Brief description of content tone
tone	string	-	Emotional tone (inspiring, humorous, informative, etc.)
emotions	array	-	Detected emotions in content
topics	array	-	Key topics identified

Hook Analysis Output (Foreplay-Inspired)

Each post includes automatic hook analysis to help you understand what makes content stop the scroll:

Field	Type	Description
hook	string	First 1-2 sentences that grab attention
hookWordCount	number	Word count of the extracted hook
hasQuestion	boolean	Whether the hook contains a question (boosts engagement)
hasCTA	boolean	Whether caption has a call-to-action

Why hooks matter: The first line of an Instagram caption is the "hook" - it determines whether users tap "more" to read the rest. Studying top-performing hooks helps you understand what patterns drive engagement in your niche.

CTA detection looks for: follow, like, share, comment, link in bio, swipe, tap, click, DM, save, turn on notifications, subscribe

---

AI Sentiment Analysis (BYOK)

Enable AI-powered sentiment analysis to understand the tone of Instagram captions. Bring Your Own Key (BYOK) - costs are billed directly to your AI provider account.

Supported Providers

Provider	Default Model	Best For	Cost Estimate
OpenAI	gpt-4o-mini	Fast, affordable analysis	~$0.001/post
Anthropic	claude-haiku-4.5	Nuanced understanding	~$0.002/post
Google	gemini-3-flash	Cost-effective at scale	~$0.0005/post
Mistral	mistral-small	European data residency	~$0.001/post
Cohere	command-r	Enterprise deployments	~$0.001/post

Custom Model Override

Override the default model for any provider:

{
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "openai",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-your-key",
  "aiModel": "gpt-4o"
}

Sentiment Output Interpretation

Score Range	Label	Meaning
-1.0 to -0.3	Negative	Critical, complaints, disappointment
-0.3 to 0.3	Neutral	Informational, factual, balanced
0.3 to 1.0	Positive	Enthusiastic, happy, promotional

---

Pricing (Pay-Per-Event)

Event-Based Pricing

Event	Description	Price
profile_scraped	Per Instagram profile scraped	$0.08

Cost Examples

Scenario	Profiles	Posts/Profile	Total Cost
Quick test	1	12	$0.08
Influencer review	5	20	$0.40
Competitor audit	10	30	$0.80
Weekly monitoring	20	12	$1.60
Large research	100	50	$8.00
Demo mode	Any	Any	$0.00

Additional Costs (BYOK)

• Firecrawl API: Charged by Firecrawl (your account)
• AI Sentiment: Charged by AI provider (your account)
• Apify Proxy: Included in platform usage

---

Real-World Use Cases

Use Case 1: Influencer Vetting Pipeline

Goal: Evaluate 20 potential micro-influencers for a fitness brand campaign.

{
  "usernames": [
    "fitness_creator_1", "wellness_coach_2", "gym_life_3",
    "healthy_living_4", "workout_queen_5", "muscle_builder_6",
    "yoga_master_7", "nutrition_pro_8", "cardio_king_9",
    "strength_training_10", "fitness_journey_11", "gym_motivation_12",
    "health_tips_13", "workout_daily_14", "fit_lifestyle_15",
    "gym_addict_16", "fitness_goals_17", "workout_routine_18",
    "healthy_habits_19", "exercise_everyday_20"
  ],
  "maxPosts": 30,
  "includeReels": true,
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "anthropic",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-ant-your-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "demoMode": false
}

Expected output: 20 profiles with 600 posts, engagement metrics, and sentiment analysis.

Cost: $1.60 + AI costs ($1.20) = $2.80 total

---

Use Case 2: Weekly Competitor Monitoring

Goal: Track 5 competitors' Instagram activity every week.

{
  "usernames": ["competitor_1", "competitor_2", "competitor_3", "competitor_4", "competitor_5"],
  "maxPosts": 20,
  "includeReels": true,
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "proxy": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]
  },
  "webhookUrl": "https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/123456/abcdef/",
  "demoMode": false
}

Zapier workflow:

1. Instagram Scraper sends results to Zapier
2. Zapier routes data to Google Sheets
3. Weekly Slack notification with summary
4. Trend charts auto-update in Data Studio

Monthly cost: 4 runs x $0.40 = $1.60/month

---

Use Case 3: Brand Sentiment Dashboard

Goal: Monitor your brand's Instagram sentiment in real-time.

{
  "usernames": ["your_brand"],
  "maxPosts": 50,
  "includeComments": true,
  "maxComments": 20,
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "openai",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-your-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "webhookUrl": "https://your-dashboard.com/api/sentiment",
  "demoMode": false
}

Dashboard integration:

• Real-time sentiment score display
• Trend graphs over time
• Alert on negative sentiment spikes
• Comment sentiment breakdown

---

Use Case 4: Content Research & Ideation

Goal: Analyze top-performing content in your niche for inspiration.

{
  "usernames": [
    "niche_leader_1", "niche_leader_2", "niche_leader_3",
    "niche_leader_4", "niche_leader_5"
  ],
  "maxPosts": 50,
  "includeReels": true,
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "google",
  "aiApiKey": "your-google-ai-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "demoMode": false
}

Analysis workflow:

1. Export to CSV
2. Sort by engagement rate
3. Identify common themes in top posts
4. Note posting times of high performers
5. Catalog content formats (carousel vs. reel vs. image)

---

Use Case 5: Product Launch Tracking

Goal: Monitor competitor product launch and audience reaction.

{
  "usernames": ["competitor_brand"],
  "maxPosts": 30,
  "includeComments": true,
  "maxComments": 50,
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "anthropic",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-ant-your-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "demoMode": false
}

Intelligence gathered:

• Launch announcement post engagement
• Audience sentiment in comments
• Comparison to their typical engagement
• Key feedback themes from comments

---

Advanced Configurations

High-Volume Scraping (100+ Profiles)

For large-scale scraping, split into batches:

{
  "usernames": ["batch_1_usernames..."],
  "maxPosts": 12,
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "proxy": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]
  },
  "demoMode": false
}

Best practices:

• Split into batches of 20-30 profiles
• Wait 15-30 minutes between batches
• Use residential proxies (default)
• Schedule overnight for large jobs
• Always provide session cookies for consistent results

Firecrawl + Browser Hybrid

Use Firecrawl as automatic fallback when browser scraping fails:

{
  "usernames": ["hard_to_scrape_profile"],
  "maxPosts": 20,
  "useFirecrawl": true,
  "firecrawlApiKey": "fc-your-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "proxy": {
    "useApifyProxy": true,
    "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]
  },
  "demoMode": false
}

Multi-Provider AI Analysis

Run sentiment analysis with different providers for comparison:

Run 1 (OpenAI):

{
  "usernames": ["test_profile"],
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "openai",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-openai-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}]
}

Run 2 (Anthropic):

{
  "usernames": ["test_profile"],
  "enableSentimentAnalysis": true,
  "aiProvider": "anthropic",
  "aiApiKey": "sk-anthropic-key",
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}]
}

---

Webhook & Automation Integration

Webhook Configuration

{
  "usernames": ["competitor"],
  "maxPosts": 12,
  "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
  "webhookUrl": "https://your-endpoint.com/webhook"
}

Webhook Payload Format

{
  "event": "ACTOR_RUN_SUCCEEDED",
  "actorId": "instagram-scraper",
  "runId": "abc123xyz",
  "datasetId": "def456uvw",
  "itemCount": 5,
  "results": [
    {
      "username": "nike",
      "followersCount": 305000000,
      "latestPosts": [...]
    }
  ]
}

Platform Integrations

Zapier

1. Create a Zapier webhook trigger
2. Copy webhook URL to webhookUrl parameter
3. Route data to Google Sheets, Slack, Airtable, etc.

Make.com (Integromat)

1. Create a webhook module in Make
2. Use the webhook URL in your Instagram Scraper input
3. Process and route data to 1000+ apps

n8n (Self-hosted)

1. Add a Webhook node in n8n
2. Configure Instagram Scraper with your n8n webhook URL
3. Build custom workflows with full control

Popular Automation Workflows

Trigger	Action	Use Case
Competitor posts	Slack notification	Real-time competitive awareness
Weekly scrape	Google Sheets append	Influencer database building
Sentiment change	Email alert	Brand monitoring
New posts detected	Airtable record	Content calendar tracking
High engagement post	Team notification	Trend identification

Apify Scheduled Runs

Schedule automated runs directly in Apify:

1. Go to Actor page -> Schedules tab
2. Create new schedule
3. Set frequency (daily, weekly, monthly)
4. Configure input JSON
5. Enable notifications

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API Examples

Start a Run via API

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/jrippy~instagram-scraper/runs" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -d '{
    "usernames": ["nike", "adidas"],
    "maxPosts": 20,
    "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
    "demoMode": false
  }'

Get Run Results

curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs/RUN_ID/dataset/items" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN"

Python Integration

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN")

run_input = {
    "usernames": ["nike", "adidas", "puma"],
    "maxPosts": 20,
    "includeReels": True,
    "enableSentimentAnalysis": True,
    "aiProvider": "openai",
    "aiApiKey": "sk-your-openai-key",
    "sessionCookies": [{"name": "sessionid", "value": "...", "domain": ".instagram.com", "path": "/"}],
    "demoMode": False
}

run = client.actor("jrippy/instagram-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Get results
dataset_items = list(client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items())

for profile in dataset_items:
    print(f"{profile['username']}: {profile['followersCount']:,} followers")
    print(f"  Engagement rate: {profile.get('engagementRate', 'N/A')}%")
    print(f"  Sentiment: {profile.get('overallSentiment', {}).get('label', 'N/A')}")

Node.js Integration

import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

const client = new ApifyClient({ token: 'YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN' });

const input = {
    usernames: ['nike', 'adidas', 'puma'],
    maxPosts: 20,
    includeReels: true,
    enableSentimentAnalysis: true,
    aiProvider: 'openai',
    aiApiKey: 'sk-your-openai-key',
    sessionCookies: [{ name: 'sessionid', value: '...', domain: '.instagram.com', path: '/' }],
    demoMode: false
};

const run = await client.actor('jrippy/instagram-scraper').call(input);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();

items.forEach(profile => {
    console.log(`${profile.username}: ${profile.followersCount.toLocaleString()} followers`);
    console.log(`  Engagement: ${profile.engagementRate}%`);
});

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Anti-Detection Technology

Camoufox Stealth Browser

This scraper uses Camoufox, a C++ level browser fingerprint evasion tool that makes automated browsing appear as genuine human activity.

How it works:

• Randomizes browser fingerprints (canvas, WebGL, audio)
• Mimics real human behavior patterns
• Evades JavaScript-based bot detection
• Rotates user agents and screen resolutions

Human-like Behavior Patterns

The scraper implements realistic browsing:

• Natural scroll speeds with random pauses
• Random delays between actions (1-5 seconds)
• Mouse movement simulation
• Click patterns that mimic human interaction

Residential Proxy Rotation

Default configuration uses Apify's residential proxy pool:

• Real IP addresses from residential ISPs
• Automatic rotation between requests
• Geographic targeting available
• No datacenter IP fingerprinting

Firecrawl API Fallback

When browser-based scraping encounters blocks:

1. Automatically switches to Firecrawl API
2. Uses Firecrawl's infrastructure for extraction
3. Seamlessly merges results with browser data

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Comparison to Official APIs

Instagram Graph API (Official)

Feature	Graph API	This Scraper
Access	Only accounts you manage	Any public profile
Setup	Facebook developer app required	None
Authentication	OAuth 2.0	Optional session cookies
Real-time	Yes	Scheduled
Comment management	Yes	Read-only
Insights/Analytics	Yes	Engagement metrics
Cost	Free (rate limited)	Pay-per-profile

Best for Graph API: Managing your own Instagram account, posting, responding to comments.

Best for this Scraper: Competitor analysis, influencer research, market research, any public profile.

Instagram Basic Display API

• Status: Being deprecated by Meta
• Access: Only your own account
• Use case: Personal media access

Alternative Tools Comparison

Tool	Monthly Cost	Public Profiles	AI Sentiment	API Access
Later	$25+	Limited	No	Limited
Iconosquare	$49+	Limited	No	Yes
HypeAuditor	$299+	Yes	Limited	Yes
Sprout Social	$249+	Yes	Yes	Yes
This Scraper	Pay-per-use	Yes	Yes (BYOK)	Yes

This Scraper's Advantages

1. Any public profile - Not limited to accounts you manage
2. Session cookie auth - Bypass login walls for reliable data
3. Login wall detection - Clear reporting when auth is needed
4. Camoufox anti-detection - C++ level fingerprint evasion
5. Firecrawl fallback - API alternative when browser fails
6. AI sentiment analysis - 5 provider options (BYOK)
7. Business account detection - Category and contact data
8. Pay-per-result pricing - No monthly subscription
9. Full API access - Integrate with any system
10. Export flexibility - JSON, CSV, Excel, XML

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FAQ

General Questions

Q: Do I need an Instagram account? A: No, but it is strongly recommended. Instagram increasingly gates content behind login walls. Providing session cookies from a logged-in account ensures reliable, complete data extraction. Without cookies, you may get partial results or hit login walls.

Q: Can I scrape private profiles? A: No. Only public profiles can be scraped. Private profiles are protected by Instagram's privacy settings, even with session cookies.

Q: What about Instagram's terms of service? A: This scraper accesses publicly available data only. See Legal & Compliance section for details.

Q: How often can I run the scraper? A: There's no hard limit, but we recommend starting with small batches (1-3 profiles) and waiting 15-30 minutes between larger runs to avoid detection.

Q: How long do session cookies last? A: Instagram session cookies typically last 1-2 weeks. When they expire, you will start seeing login wall detections. Simply export fresh cookies from Cookie-Editor and update your input.

Technical Questions

Q: What is Camoufox? A: Camoufox is a C++ level browser fingerprint evasion tool. It makes automated browsing appear as genuine human activity to Instagram's detection systems.

Q: Should I use Firecrawl? A: Firecrawl is an optional API-based scraping fallback. Enable it if browser-based scraping gets blocked. Requires your own Firecrawl API key (BYOK).

Q: What AI providers are supported for sentiment analysis? A: OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), Google (Gemini), Mistral, and Cohere. Each requires your own API key (BYOK).

Q: How many profiles can I scrape per run? A: Start with 1-3 profiles and increase gradually. For large jobs (100+ profiles), split into batches of 20-30 with 15-30 minute gaps.

Q: Why use residential proxies? A: Residential proxies use real IP addresses from home internet connections, making requests appear more legitimate than datacenter IPs.

Q: What happens when a login wall is detected? A: The actor logs a clear message identifying the login wall and which profile was affected. It does not silently return 0 results. If you see login wall messages, provide session cookies to resolve the issue.

Pricing Questions

Q: What does BYOK mean? A: Bring Your Own Key. You provide API keys for Firecrawl and AI providers. Those services charge your account directly.

Q: Is demo mode really free? A: Yes. Demo mode returns sample data with zero charges. Use it to test your integrations.

Q: How is pricing calculated? A: $0.08 per profile scraped. Posts are included in the profile charge.

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Login wall detected"

Possible causes:

• Instagram requires authentication to view this profile's content
• No session cookies provided, or cookies have expired

Solutions:

1. Provide session cookies via the sessionCookies input (see Authentication)
2. If cookies were previously working, export fresh cookies from Cookie-Editor
3. Make sure you are logged into Instagram in your browser before exporting cookies
4. Check that your Instagram account is not temporarily restricted

"Profile not found"

Possible causes:

• Username is misspelled (remember: no @ symbol)
• Profile has been deactivated or renamed
• Profile is set to private

Solutions:

1. Verify username by visiting instagram.com/username in a browser
2. Check for recent username changes
3. Confirm profile is public

"Getting blocked by Instagram"

Possible causes:

• Too many profiles in one run
• Running too frequently
• Datacenter proxies being used
• Session cookies expired or invalid

Solutions:

1. Provide fresh session cookies
2. Enable Apify residential proxy (default)
3. Reduce profiles to 3-5 per run
4. Wait 15-30 minutes between runs
5. Enable Firecrawl fallback
6. Try at different times of day

"No posts returned"

Possible causes:

• Profile has no public posts
• Login wall encountered (check logs for login wall detection message)
• maxPosts set too low
• Profile only has Stories (not supported)

Solutions:

1. Check run logs for login wall messages
2. Provide session cookies if not already
3. Increase maxPosts value
4. Set includeReels: true
5. Verify profile has visible posts

"Demo data showing unexpectedly"

Cause: demoMode is set to true (default)

Solution: Set demoMode: false in your input

"AI sentiment analysis not working"

Possible causes:

• Invalid API key
• Wrong provider name
• AI provider rate limits

Solutions:

1. Verify API key is valid and has credits
2. Check provider spelling: openai, anthropic, google, mistral, cohere
3. Try a different AI provider

"Firecrawl not activating"

Possible causes:

• Firecrawl not enabled
• Invalid Firecrawl API key

Solutions:

1. Set useFirecrawl: true
2. Verify firecrawlApiKey is correct
3. Check Firecrawl account has credits

"Webhook not receiving data"

Possible causes:

• Invalid webhook URL
• Webhook endpoint not responding
• Firewall blocking Apify IPs

Solutions:

1. Test webhook URL with a simple curl request
2. Check endpoint returns 200 status
3. Whitelist Apify IP ranges if needed
4. Check webhook service logs for errors

Error Codes

Error	Meaning	Solution
LOGIN_WALL_DETECTED	Instagram requires authentication	Provide session cookies
COOKIES_EXPIRED	Session cookies are no longer valid	Export fresh cookies from Cookie-Editor
PROFILE_NOT_FOUND	Username doesn't exist	Verify username
PROFILE_PRIVATE	Profile is private	Cannot scrape private profiles
RATE_LIMITED	Instagram blocked request	Wait and retry with fewer profiles
PROXY_ERROR	Proxy connection failed	Try different proxy group
AI_API_ERROR	AI provider error	Check API key and credits
FIRECRAWL_ERROR	Firecrawl API failed	Verify Firecrawl key

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Data Export Options

Available Formats

Format	Use Case	How to Access
JSON	API integrations	Default dataset format
CSV	Excel, Google Sheets	Dataset export option
Excel	Business reports	Dataset export option
XML	Legacy systems	Dataset export option

Export via Apify Console

1. Go to run results
2. Click "Export" button
3. Select format (JSON, CSV, Excel, XML)
4. Download file

Export via API

# JSON
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets/DATASET_ID/items?format=json"

# CSV
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets/DATASET_ID/items?format=csv"

# Excel
curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets/DATASET_ID/items?format=xlsx"

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Rate Limits & Best Practices

Recommended Limits

Scenario	Profiles/Run	Wait Between Runs
Testing	1-3	5 minutes
Normal usage	5-10	15 minutes
Batch jobs	20-30	30 minutes
Large research	50+	Split into batches

Best Practices

1. Provide session cookies - Strongly recommended for reliable results
2. Refresh cookies regularly - Export new cookies every 1-2 weeks
3. Start small - Begin with 1-3 profiles, scale gradually
4. Use residential proxies - Default setting, highly recommended
5. Enable Firecrawl - Automatic fallback when blocked
6. Schedule off-peak - Run during low-traffic hours
7. Batch large jobs - Split 100+ profiles into smaller runs
8. Monitor success rate - Track which profiles succeed/fail
9. Rotate timing - Don't run at exactly the same time daily

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Legal & Compliance

Data Usage

This scraper collects publicly available Instagram data only:

• Public profile information
• Public post content and engagement metrics
• Public comments (if enabled)

What This Scraper Does NOT Do

• Does not access private profiles
• Does not bypass privacy settings
• Does not store Instagram credentials (session cookies are used only during the run)
• Does not access Instagram's internal APIs

Compliance Considerations

• GDPR: Collected data may contain personal information. Users are responsible for GDPR compliance when processing EU resident data.
• CCPA: Similar considerations for California residents.
• Terms of Service: Users should review Instagram's ToS for their specific use case.

Recommended Use Cases

• Market research and competitive analysis
• Influencer discovery and vetting
• Academic research (with appropriate ethics approval)
• Brand monitoring of public mentions
• Content strategy research

Not Recommended

• Scraping for spam or harassment
• Building unauthorized follower databases
• Circumventing privacy settings
• Commercial resale of scraped data

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Live View API

Monitor scraping progress in real-time during execution.

Endpoints

Endpoint	Description
GET /status	Current scraping phase and progress
GET /profiles	Profiles scraped so far
GET /posts	Aggregated posts from all profiles
GET /sentiment	Sentiment analysis summary
GET /engagement	Aggregate engagement statistics

Example: Check Progress

$curl "https://api.apify.com/v2/actor-runs/RUN_ID/web-server/status"

Response:

{
  "phase": "scraping-posts",
  "profilesQueued": 5,
  "profilesCompleted": 3,
  "profilesFailed": 0,
  "postsScraped": 45,
  "elapsedSeconds": 120,
  "mode": "browser",
  "aiProvider": "openai",
  "cookiesProvided": true
}

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Support & Resources

Documentation

• Apify Documentation
• Camoufox Documentation
• Firecrawl Documentation
• Cookie-Editor Chrome Extension

Get Help

• Apify Discord Community
• GitHub Issues

Related Actors

• TikTok Scraper - Scrape TikTok profiles and videos
• LinkedIn Profile Scraper - Scrape LinkedIn profiles
• Twitter/X Scraper - Scrape Twitter profiles and tweets

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Instagram is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc. This scraper is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Meta.

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Built by John Rippy | Actor Arsenal