# Instagram Following Scraper (No Cookie) (`datadoping/instagram-following-scraper`) Actor

Extract Instagram profile following in bulk without requiring login, session ID, or cookies. This actor provides complete API support, and seamless export options, making large-scale follower collection efficient and reliable.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/datadoping/instagram-following-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Data Doping](https://apify.com/datadoping) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Lead generation, Automation
- **Stats:** 3,370 total users, 418 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 45 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 3.39 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

from $1.20 / 1,000 followings

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/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
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.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## 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.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

📥 Instagram Following Scraper (No Login Required)
🔍 What is Instagram Following Scraper?

Instagram Following Scraper automates the process of collecting public following list from Instagram profiles—without requiring login, session ID, or cookies.
Just provide one or more Instagram usernames, and the scraper will fetch their following in bulk with support for pagination, scheduling, and easy exports.

The scraper retrieves:

Following username

Full name (if available)

Profile picture URL

Account privacy status (public/private)

Profile verification status

All extracted data is strictly limited to publicly available information. Nothing private or sensitive is collected.

💡 Why Scrape Instagram Following?

Public following data can unlock powerful insights for research and growth:

🔎 Audience Analysis – Understand the following base of brands, creators, or competitors.

📊 Market Research – Identify shared audiences, niches, and engagement patterns.

🧠 Competitor Insights – Analyze competitor reach and discover overlapping audiences.

🤝 Influencer Marketing – Collect potential leads from influencer following.

📈 Growth Strategy – Spot collaboration opportunities and replicate successful tactics.

⚖️ Is it Legal to Scrape Personal Data?

We follow ethical scraping practices.

This scraper does not collect private data (e.g., emails, phone numbers, gender, location, or hidden content).

It only extracts publicly visible following from Instagram profiles.

Data usage must comply with Instagram’s Terms of Service
and local regulations.

🚀 Key Features

✅ No login, cookie, or session ID required

✅ Bulk scraping for multiple usernames

✅ Handles pagination automatically

✅ Schedule and automate runs

✅ Export results in JSON, CSV, or Excel

📦 Example Output
{
"username": "john_doe",
"full_name": "John Doe",
"profile_pic_url": "https://instagram.com/john_doe.jpg",
"is_private": false,
"is_verified": true,
"following_of": "datadoping"
}

🛠️ Use Cases

Track brand competitors

Build influencer lead lists

Research niche communities

Audience segmentation for campaigns

🔧 How to Use

Enter one or more Instagram usernames.

Run the actor.

Download following data in your preferred format (JSON, CSV, Excel).

# Actor input Schema

## `usernames` (type: `array`):

List of Instagram usernames/userId/URL to scrape. Enter one username/userId/URL per line.

## `max_count` (type: `integer`):

Maximum following to scrape per username. Default=50

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "mrbeast"
  ],
  "max_count": 50
}
```

# 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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "usernames": [
        "mrbeast"
    ],
    "max_count": 50
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("datadoping/instagram-following-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 '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "usernames": ["mrbeast"],
    "max_count": 50,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("datadoping/instagram-following-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "usernames": [
    "mrbeast"
  ],
  "max_count": 50
}' |
apify call datadoping/instagram-following-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,datadoping/instagram-following-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/IkdNTeZnRfvDp8V25/builds/SPHx7xsOmcCqUtu8T/openapi.json