Instagram Search Scraper - Accounts & Hashtags

Search Instagram by keyword and export what Instagram's own search returns: matching accounts with follower counts and verified flags, and hashtags with post counts. One keyword in, clean structured rows out.

What it collects

Accounts - username, full name, user ID, follower count, verified badge, private flag, profile picture, profile link, and the position Instagram ranked it at.

Hashtags - tag name, tag ID, post count, link, and search rank.

Every row carries the keyword it matched and its rank in Instagram's own ordering.

Why this one

• Instagram's real search results - the same accounts and hashtags Instagram's own search box returns, in Instagram's own order
• Live streaming results - rows appear in the dataset as they are found; start reading while the run continues
• Resilient by design - if one search route is busy, the actor automatically tries another way; if Instagram holds the limit, you keep a clean partial result with a clear status instead of a failed run
• Pay only for results - pay-per-event pricing: one small charge per row delivered

Use cases

• Lead discovery - find businesses and creators by niche keyword, then feed the usernames into a contact-info or followers export
• Influencer sourcing - rank creators by follower count straight from the search page
• Hashtag research - map the tags of a niche with real post counts
• Competitor mapping - surface every account Instagram associates with a product or brand term

Input

Field	Type	Required	Description
Search keyword	string	yes	The keyword to search for, like "coffee roasters" or "fitness coach"
Search for	select	no	Accounts, Hashtags, or Both (default: Accounts)
Maximum results	integer	no	Stop after this many rows (default 30, up to 200)

Output

One row per result: type (account or hashtag), profile picture, username/tag, full name, follower count or post count, verified badge, link, search rank, and the matched keyword. JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, or straight into your pipeline via the Apify API.

Honest limits

• Instagram caps search results. A keyword returns what Instagram's search serves - a ranked set of top results, not an exhaustive index. The actor combines both of Instagram's own search views and saves everything they provide.
• Instagram ranks, we don't. Result order is Instagram's own ranking, not follower count or recency.
• Rate limits are real. Heavy use can hit Instagram's limits; the actor automatically tries backup routes and, if the limit holds, returns everything collected so far with a clear status.

FAQ

Why did my keyword return fewer results than I asked for? Instagram's search serves a ranked set of top results, and how deep that set goes depends on the keyword. The actor combines both of Instagram's search views to collect everything available - what Instagram serves is what you get.

Can I search for posts or reels? This actor searches accounts and hashtags. Pair it with a posts or reels scraper using the hashtags or accounts it finds.

What happens if Instagram rate-limits the run? The actor automatically tries backup routes when one is busy. If the limit holds, the run finishes as a clean partial - you keep everything collected, with a status that says so.

Does the keyword search personal accounts too? Yes - accounts of every type appear when Instagram ranks them for the keyword. Only public data is collected.