Social Handle Checker

See if your brand names are still free on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, X, Threads, GitHub, Snapchat, Twitch, Reddit, Bluesky, Telegram, GitLab, and SoundCloud — in one run. One dataset row per handle (yes / no / error / not_checked), plus a profile URL when taken.

No login. No API key. No account on any of those networks.

Free plan: 20 handles per run. Paid: unlimited (your PPE budget).

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Who is this for?

You are…	Typical goal	Suggested setup
Founder / product lead	Shortlist a company or product name	All 15 platforms, 3–10 candidates
Brand / naming agency	Client pitch appendix	5 names, all platforms — see Examples
DTC / creator launch	Check IG + TikTok first	Restrict Platforms to Instagram + TikTok
Devtools / gaming brand	GitHub, Snapchat, Twitch	Subset those three platforms
Trademark researcher	Informal availability scan	Full matrix, then verify critical names manually

What you get by default: one row per handle with yes/no per selected network. This is not a legal or trademark search.

When to narrow: pick Launch (Instagram + TikTok) for a first pass. Use All 15 for a client matrix. Use Fast when you do not need Instagram or Threads.

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Quick start

1. Open the Actor Input tab on Apify Console.
2. List the handles you want to test (one per line, without @).
3. Leave Coverage on Launch (Instagram + TikTok), or switch to All 15 / Fast.
4. Click Start.
5. Download JSON/CSV from the Dataset tab.

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Standby lookup (HTTP)

Console Start is unchanged: fill Input, run, download the dataset.

Need one brand name (or a few) in n8n, Make, or your own app? Use the Standby tab hostname. Authenticate with Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_TOKEN> (or ?token=).

Method	Path	Request	Response
GET / POST	/lookup	handle or handles (max 5). coverage default launch (Instagram + TikTok). Optional platforms when coverage=custom	{ items, count, failed, budgetExhausted, cap }
GET	/	Header x-apify-container-server-readiness-probe	OK

Hard cap: 5 handles per request. Bulk checks belong on Start. Same PPE as a dataset row (one event per handle, not per network). First byte timeout: 5 minutes.

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  "https://<user>--social-handle-checker.apify.actor/lookup?handle=mybrand"

curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"handles":["mybrand","acme"],"coverage":"launch"}' \
  "https://<user>--social-handle-checker.apify.actor/lookup"

{ "items": [{ "handle": "octocat", "available_github": "no", "url_github": "https://github.com/octocat" }], "count": 1, "cap": 5 }

Standby memory 512 MB, idle 60 s (Console → Actor → Standby).

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Ready-made examples (published tasks)

Example	Best for
Check startup names across 10 social platforms	Founders — full matrix
Agency pitch — client handle availability scan	Agency naming appendix
Instagram and TikTok handle check only	Faster launch-channel check
Check GitHub Snapchat and Twitch usernames	Dev / creator handles
Check brand names on X and YouTube	X + YouTube only
Facebook, Pinterest and Threads	Meta-adjacent trio
Creator alias on 10 platforms	Stage name matrix
Fintech brand across socials	Legal / brand shortlist
TikTok and YouTube only	Video-first launch
Rebrand scan, 10 platforms	Agency rebrand
Instagram and Threads	Same @ on both
GitHub and X usernames	Dev-brand pair

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What does this Actor do?

Each handle is checked on the networks in your Coverage preset (or a custom list). You get yes (looks free), no (taken), error, or not_checked.

Coverage	Networks
Launch	Instagram, TikTok
All 15	Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, X, Threads, GitHub, Snapchat, Twitch, Reddit, Bluesky, Telegram, GitLab, SoundCloud
Fast	GitHub, YouTube, X, Snapchat, Twitch, Reddit, Bluesky, Telegram, GitLab, SoundCloud
Custom	The list you pick

This is not a legal or trademark search. LinkedIn is not included — /in/{slug} is not the same vanity-handle game as Instagram/TikTok.

Some networks return login walls or ambiguous pages — those cells show error. Verify critical names by opening the profile URL yourself.

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What data does it extract?

Column	Meaning
handle	Candidate string tested (without @).
available_{platform}	yes = appears free, no = taken, error = check failed, not_checked = omitted from this run.
url_{platform}	Public profile URL when that network is no. Empty when free, error, or not checked.
confidence_{platform}	high or low for a yes/no result. Empty on error / not checked. Facebook and Twitch are always low (HTML heuristics). GitHub, Snapchat, X oEmbed, etc. are high.

Download results as JSON, CSV, Excel, or HTML from the Dataset tab.

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Input

Console Coverage defaults to Launch (Instagram + TikTok). Saved tasks that only set platforms (no coverage) keep that list.

{
  "handles": ["mybrand", "acme_corp"],
  "coverage": "launch"
}

All 15 networks:

{
  "handles": ["brandname", "brand_name"],
  "coverage": "all"
}

Custom list:

{
  "handles": ["brandname"],
  "coverage": "custom",
  "platforms": ["youtube", "twitter", "github"]
}

All input parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
handles	Array	—	Handles without @. Strings or { "handle": "..." }. Free plan: 20 / run.
coverage	String	Console: launch	launch · all · fast · custom. Omit on API to keep legacy platforms behavior.
platforms	Array	All 15 if omitted and no coverage	Used when coverage is custom, or when coverage is omitted (API / old tasks).

API-only (not on the Console form): instagramCookies ({ "name", "value" }[]), proxyGroups.

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Output example

[
  {
    "handle": "mybrand",
    "available_instagram": "yes",
    "url_instagram": "",
    "confidence_instagram": "high",
    "available_tiktok": "no",
    "url_tiktok": "https://www.tiktok.com/@mybrand",
    "confidence_tiktok": "high",
    "available_facebook": "yes",
    "url_facebook": "",
    "confidence_facebook": "low",
    "available_pinterest": "yes",
    "url_pinterest": "",
    "confidence_pinterest": "high",
    "available_youtube": "no",
    "url_youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/@mybrand",
    "confidence_youtube": "high",
    "available_twitter": "yes",
    "url_twitter": "",
    "confidence_twitter": "high",
    "available_threads": "yes",
    "url_threads": "",
    "confidence_threads": "high",
    "available_github": "yes",
    "url_github": "",
    "confidence_github": "high",
    "available_snapchat": "no",
    "url_snapchat": "https://story.snapchat.com/@mybrand",
    "confidence_snapchat": "high",
    "available_twitch": "yes",
    "url_twitch": "",
    "confidence_twitch": "low",
    "available_reddit": "yes",
    "url_reddit": "",
    "confidence_reddit": "high",
    "available_bluesky": "yes",
    "url_bluesky": "",
    "confidence_bluesky": "high",
    "available_telegram": "no",
    "url_telegram": "https://t.me/mybrand",
    "confidence_telegram": "high",
    "available_gitlab": "yes",
    "url_gitlab": "",
    "confidence_gitlab": "high",
    "available_soundcloud": "yes",
    "url_soundcloud": "",
    "confidence_soundcloud": "high"
  }
]

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Run log (Apify Console)

While a cloud run is executing, open Storage → Key-value store → RUN_LOG for the same structured lines as the live log (banners, Mode: phases, indented progress). The default store also exposes Run log (live) in the Actor Output tab.

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Local development

$npm install

Copy input.json.example to input.json and edit handles/platforms, then:

cp input.json storage/key_value_stores/default/INPUT.json
apify run

Example input.json:

{
  "handles": [{ "handle": "testbrand" }],
  "platforms": ["youtube", "twitter", "tiktok"]
}

Use apify run for local tests (not npm start alone — the CLI wires Apify storage and env).

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How much does it cost to check social handles?

From 15 September 2026 one handle is $0.006 on Free (Bronze $0.00528 · Silver $0.00456 · Gold $0.00372). Until then, the table below is what you are billed.

Scenario	FREE until / from 15 Sep	Bronze until / from	Silver until / from	Gold until / from
20 handles (Try / free cap)	$0.10 / $0.12	$0.09 / $0.11	$0.08 / $0.09	$0.06 / $0.07
100 handles (paid)	$0.50 / $0.60	$0.44 / $0.53	$0.38 / $0.46	$0.31 / $0.37
1,000 handles (paid)	$5.00 / $6.00	$4.40 / $5.28	$3.80 / $4.56	$3.10 / $3.72

Free plan: 20 handles / run. Paid: unlimited (set a max charge per run if you want a spend cap). Gold / Platinum / Diamond stay one price for all three paid gold-and-up tiers.

Each billed result is one handle (one dataset row), not one network. Launch (IG + TikTok) and All 15 cost the same — Coverage only changes runtime and how complete the row is. No Actor-start fee.

Scenario	Notes
Launch, few names	Usually under 10 seconds.
All 15 + Instagram	Instagram / Threads are slower on the cloud.
Ambiguous pages	Shown as error — retry or open the profile yourself.

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Use cases

• Shortlist a brand name and see which @ handles are still free on major networks.
• Give clients a one-click “social username matrix” before incorporation or campaign launch.
• Periodically re-check a handle you want after a soft error (networks change HTML often).

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Is it legal to scrape social handle availability?

This Actor only queries publicly reachable profile URLs and public APIs. Handles and availability signals may relate to personal data — use results in line with GDPR and local law. This is not a legal or trademark search. See Apify’s overview.

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Also available

Instagram Username Availability Checker — Instagram-only bulk check when you do not need the 10-platform matrix.

FAQ

Why is a platform error?
Rate limits, bot challenges, timeouts, or HTML changes. Retry later or test that URL manually.

Is Instagram 100% accurate?
It reflects the signup attempt response; reserved or restricted names may still fail later in real signup.

How do I get help?
Use the Issues tab on the Actor page in the Apify store. For a bespoke scraper or integration, see Support below.

Does Standby replace Start?
No. Start = bulk dataset (all Coverage options). Standby = small JSON lookup (max 5 handles, default Launch). First HTTP byte timeout is 5 minutes.

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Internals

How each network is probed (for operators). Buyers can ignore this.

Platform	Signal
Instagram / Threads	Public profile-info lookup; private accounts count as taken. Same username space on both.
TikTok	Public profile page markers in HTML.
Facebook	Public profile URL, mobile fallback if needed. Dataset confidence_facebook is low.
Pinterest	Public RSS, then HTML.
YouTube	youtube.com/@handle page.
X	Public oEmbed for twitter.com/{handle}.
GitHub	Public users API.
Snapchat	Public story CDN page.
Twitch	Public channel page title. Dataset confidence_twitch is low.
Reddit	Public user/{handle}/about.json (residential proxy on Apify Cloud). User namespace, not r/ subreddits.
Bluesky	Public ATProto resolveHandle (handle.bsky.social unless you pass a full domain).
Telegram	Public t.me/{handle} (View vs Contact).
GitLab	Public users API ?username=.
SoundCloud	Public profile URL, HTTP 200 vs 404.

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Support

For bug reports and general questions, use the Issues tab on the Actor page in the Apify Console.

Need a custom script or integration? Contact corentin@outreacher.fr for bespoke scraping or automation tailored to your workflow.

Ready? Paste your handle shortlist, pick Launch or All 15, and click Start.