# Instagram Profile Scraper (`herus13/instagram-profile-scraper`) Actor
Scrape public Instagram profiles anonymously — full name, bio, followers/following, posts count, verified/business flags, category, external link, profile picture, plus a best-effort list of recent posts (caption, likes, comments, media URLs). No login required. HTTP-only.
- **URL**: https://apify.com/herus13/instagram-profile-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [bootforge](https://apify.com/herus13) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Lead generation, Social media
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet
## Pricing
from $2.00 / 1,000 post scrapeds
This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage.
Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event
## What's an Apify Actor?
Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases.
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.
Actors are written with capital "A".
## 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.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.
In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md):
```bash
npm install apify-client
```
In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md):
```bash
pip install apify-client
```
In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md):
````bash
# MacOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash
# Windows
irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex
```bash
In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md).
If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).
For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.
For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).
# README
## Instagram Profile Scraper
Scrape **public** Instagram profiles anonymously — no login required.
Returns per profile:
- **Metadata:** username, full name, biography, followers, following, posts count, verified flag, private flag, business flag, category, external URL, profile picture.
- **Recent posts** (best-effort, controlled by *Max Posts*): shortcode, permalink, type, caption, likes, comments, timestamp, thumbnail / display / video URLs.
### Input
| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `usernames` | Usernames or profile URLs (`nasa`, `@nasa`, or `https://instagram.com/nasa/`). |
| `max_posts` | Best-effort cap on recent posts per profile. `0` = metadata only. |
| `output_mode` | `post` (one row per post, profile denormalized) or `profile` (nested posts). |
| `proxy` | **Required.** Apify **residential** proxy (Instagram blocks datacenter IPs). |
### Output
Post-centric mode emits one row per post with profile fields denormalized and post fields prefixed `post_`. Profiles with no posts (private / not-found / `max_posts=0`) emit a single metadata row. The `partial` flag marks profiles where anonymous pagination stopped early; `error` is one of `null`, `private`, `not_found`, `blocked`, `error`.
### Pricing (Pay-Per-Event)
| Event | Price (USD) |
| --- | --- |
| Actor start | $0.005 / GB |
| Profile scraped | $0.005 (not charged for not-found / blocked / errored profiles) |
| Post scraped | $0.002 |
> **Status:** v1, anonymous HTTP-only. Deep pagination is best-effort under anonymous access. Private accounts return metadata only.
# Actor input Schema
## `targets` (type: `array`):
Instagram usernames, @handles, profile URLs, or post URLs (a post URL returns the profile that owns it). Examples: nasa, https://instagram.com/nasa/, https://instagram.com/p/ABC123/.
## `max_posts` (type: `integer`):
Best-effort maximum number of recent posts to return per profile. Set 0 for profile metadata only (no posts). Anonymous pagination is best-effort — deep pagination may stop early and return a partial result; that is normal, not an error.
## `output_mode` (type: `string`):
post (default): one dataset row per post, with profile fields denormalized onto each row (clean CSV). Profiles with no posts emit a single metadata row.
profile: one row per profile with the posts nested as JSON (better for JSON consumers, harder to read as CSV).
## `proxy` (type: `object`):
Required. Instagram blocks datacenter IPs. Use Apify residential proxy (any country) or your own residential proxy (BrightData / Oxylabs / SmartProxy via raw_urls).
## Actor input object example
```json
{
"targets": [
"nasa"
],
"max_posts": 12,
"output_mode": "post",
"proxy": {
"useApifyProxy": true,
"apifyProxyGroups": [
"RESIDENTIAL"
]
}
}
````
# Actor output Schema
## `results` (type: `string`):
Instagram profile metadata and recent posts (post-centric or profile-centric per output mode)
# 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 '' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
token: '',
});
// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
"targets": [
"nasa"
],
"proxy": {
"useApifyProxy": true,
"apifyProxyGroups": [
"RESIDENTIAL"
]
}
};
// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("herus13/instagram-profile-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 '' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("")
# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
"targets": ["nasa"],
"proxy": {
"useApifyProxy": True,
"apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"],
},
}
# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("herus13/instagram-profile-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)
# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"])
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
print(item)
# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start
```
## CLI example
```bash
echo '{
"targets": [
"nasa"
],
"proxy": {
"useApifyProxy": true,
"apifyProxyGroups": [
"RESIDENTIAL"
]
}
}' |
apify call herus13/instagram-profile-scraper --silent --output-dataset
```
## MCP server setup
```json
{
"mcpServers": {
"apify": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"mcp-remote",
"https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=herus13/instagram-profile-scraper",
"--header",
"Authorization: Bearer "
]
}
}
}
```
## OpenAPI specification
```json
{
"openapi": "3.0.1",
"info": {
"title": "Instagram Profile Scraper",
"description": "Scrape public Instagram profiles anonymously — full name, bio, followers/following, posts count, verified/business flags, category, external link, profile picture, plus a best-effort list of recent posts (caption, likes, comments, media URLs). No login required. HTTP-only.",
"version": "0.1",
"x-build-id": "L4XpWvALIAEmRxniy"
},
"servers": [
{
"url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
}
],
"paths": {
"/acts/herus13~instagram-profile-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-herus13-instagram-profile-scraper",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
},
"/acts/herus13~instagram-profile-scraper/runs": {
"post": {
"operationId": "runs-sync-herus13-instagram-profile-scraper",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK",
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
}
}
}
}
}
}
},
"/acts/herus13~instagram-profile-scraper/run-sync": {
"post": {
"operationId": "run-sync-herus13-instagram-profile-scraper",
"x-openai-isConsequential": false,
"summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
"tags": [
"Run Actor"
],
"requestBody": {
"required": true,
"content": {
"application/json": {
"schema": {
"$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
}
}
}
},
"parameters": [
{
"name": "token",
"in": "query",
"required": true,
"schema": {
"type": "string"
},
"description": "Enter your Apify token here"
}
],
"responses": {
"200": {
"description": "OK"
}
}
}
}
},
"components": {
"schemas": {
"inputSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"targets": {
"title": "Profiles or URLs",
"type": "array",
"description": "Instagram usernames, @handles, profile URLs, or post URLs (a post URL returns the profile that owns it). Examples: nasa, https://instagram.com/nasa/, https://instagram.com/p/ABC123/.
",
"items": {
"type": "string"
}
},
"max_posts": {
"title": "Max Posts",
"minimum": 0,
"maximum": 500,
"type": "integer",
"description": "Best-effort maximum number of recent posts to return per profile. Set 0 for profile metadata only (no posts). Anonymous pagination is best-effort — deep pagination may stop early and return a partial result; that is normal, not an error.
",
"default": 12
},
"output_mode": {
"title": "Output Mode",
"enum": [
"post",
"profile"
],
"type": "string",
"description": "post (default): one dataset row per post, with profile fields denormalized onto each row (clean CSV). Profiles with no posts emit a single metadata row.
profile: one row per profile with the posts nested as JSON (better for JSON consumers, harder to read as CSV).
",
"default": "post"
},
"proxy": {
"title": "Proxy Configuration",
"type": "object",
"description": "Required. Instagram blocks datacenter IPs. Use Apify residential proxy (any country) or your own residential proxy (BrightData / Oxylabs / SmartProxy via raw_urls).
"
}
}
},
"runsResponseSchema": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"data": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"id": {
"type": "string"
},
"actId": {
"type": "string"
},
"userId": {
"type": "string"
},
"startedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"finishedAt": {
"type": "string",
"format": "date-time",
"example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z"
},
"status": {
"type": "string",
"example": "READY"
},
"meta": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"origin": {
"type": "string",
"example": "API"
},
"userAgent": {
"type": "string"
}
}
},
"stats": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"inputBodyLen": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2000
},
"rebootCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"restartCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"resurrectCount": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"computeUnits": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"options": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"build": {
"type": "string",
"example": "latest"
},
"timeoutSecs": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 300
},
"memoryMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1024
},
"diskMbytes": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 2048
}
}
},
"buildId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultKeyValueStoreId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultDatasetId": {
"type": "string"
},
"defaultRequestQueueId": {
"type": "string"
},
"buildNumber": {
"type": "string",
"example": "1.0.0"
},
"containerUrl": {
"type": "string"
},
"usage": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 1
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
},
"usageTotalUsd": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"usageUsd": {
"type": "object",
"properties": {
"ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATASET_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": {
"type": "number",
"example": 0.00005
},
"KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
},
"PROXY_SERPS": {
"type": "integer",
"example": 0
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
}
```