Social Handle Checker

Bulk-check username availability across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube (@handle), X (Twitter), and Threads in a single run. Input: a list of candidate handles (no @). Output: one dataset row per handle with yes / no / error / not_checked per platform — ideal when you are naming a company, product, or personal brand.

Built for: brand naming · pre-launch social audits · agency pitch research · trademark-style availability scans (informal, not legal advice)

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What does this Actor do?

The Actor fans out each handle across the platforms you select (default: all seven). It uses:

Platform	Method (summary)
Instagram	Meta web signup attempt API (same family of checks as the public signup flow) with rotating sessions and Apify residential proxies on the cloud.
TikTok	Public profile URL + ProfilePage / status signals in HTML.
Facebook	facebook.com/{handle} — browser-like headers, www + m.facebook.com fallbacks; on Apify, requests go through residential proxy to reduce HTTP 400 blocks.
Pinterest	Public RSS pinterest.com/{handle}/feed.rss (200 + XML = taken; 404 = free), then HTML fallback
YouTube	youtube.com/@{handle}
X (Twitter)	Public oEmbed API (publish.twitter.com/oembed?url=https://twitter.com/{handle}) — 200 + embed HTML if the profile exists, 404 if not. Does not scrape the JS-heavy x.com page.
Threads	Instagram’s public web_profile_info API on i.instagram.com (JSON 200 with a user object = taken; 404 = free). Meta uses the same @username for Instagram and Threads, so this matches how Threads reserves names in practice.

Instagram is the most rate-limit sensitive. The other platforms use GET requests (no browser). Some sites return login walls or soft 404s — rows may show error; verify critical names manually.

LinkedIn is intentionally not included — public /in/{slug} URLs are not the same kind of vanity “handle” game as Instagram/TikTok; naming rules and availability are a poor fit for this Actor.

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What data does it extract?

Column	Meaning
handle	Candidate string tested (without @).
available_instagram	yes = appears free, no = taken, error = check failed, not_checked = platform omitted from run.
available_tiktok	Same scale.
available_facebook	Same scale (Facebook Page-style URL).
available_pinterest	Same scale.
available_youtube	Same scale (@handle).
available_twitter	Same scale (X).
available_threads	Same scale (Threads — inferred via Instagram username lookup).

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

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Input

Default: all platforms. Restrict platforms to save time and egress.

{
  "handles": [
    { "handle": "mybrand" },
    { "handle": "acme_corp" }
  ],
  "platforms": ["instagram", "tiktok", "facebook", "pinterest", "youtube", "twitter", "threads"]
}

Instagram + TikTok only (faster on small lists):

{
  "handles": ["brandname", "brand_name"],
  "platforms": ["instagram", "tiktok"]
}

All input parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
handles	Array	—	Handles without @. Items may be strings or { "handle": "..." }.
platforms	Array	All 7	Subset of: instagram, tiktok, facebook, pinterest, youtube, twitter, threads.

On Apify Cloud, Instagram and Threads checks use the residential proxy group by default; no extra input is required.

API-only (not shown in the Console input form): If you start runs via the API, you can still pass instagramCookies (array of { "name", "value" }) or proxyGroups (defaults to ["RESIDENTIAL"] when omitted).

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Output example

[
  {
    "handle": "mybrand",
    "available_instagram": "yes",
    "available_tiktok": "no",
    "available_facebook": "yes",
    "available_pinterest": "yes",
    "available_youtube": "no",
    "available_twitter": "yes",
    "available_threads": "yes"
  }
]

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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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How to use

1. Open the Actor Input tab on Apify Console.
2. List the handles you want to test (one per line, without @).
3. Optionally narrow Platforms to check.
4. Click Start.
5. Open the Dataset tab and download JSON/CSV when the run finishes.

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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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Performance and cost

Scenario	Notes
Few handles, HTTP-only platforms	Usually seconds.
Many handles + Instagram	Dominated by Instagram API + residential proxy usage; tune concurrency is internal — prefer smaller batches if you hit rate limits.
Cost	Apify compute units and proxy traffic (Instagram). Check current Apify pricing.

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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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Legal / compliance

Only publicly reachable URLs and endpoints are queried. Handles and availability signals may relate to personal data on some platforms — use results in line with GDPR and local law. This Actor is not a legal or trademark search. For scraping legality context, see Apify’s blog.

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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.

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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, choose platforms, and click Start.