# Instagram Posts Scraper · Carousels & Reposts (`instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper`) Actor

Scrape every post from public Instagram profiles: photos, carousels with all slides and grid reels, with likes, comments, reposts, caption, tagged users, location and music. Up to 5,000 posts per profile, date filter, skip pinned, only new since the last run. No login. Duplicates are free.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Instagram Data API](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Marketing
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.20 / 1,000 posts

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 posts scraper: every carousel slide, reposts and full history

**Paste usernames and get each profile's posts — photos, carousels with every slide and reels from the grid — with likes, comments, reposts, caption, tagged users, location and music.**

- 🖼️ **Every carousel slide** — each image or video link with its size, not just the cover.
- 🔄 **Reposts count** (`reposts`) next to likes and comments.
- 📅 **Date filter and skip pinned** — for example only the last 30 days, with pinned posts kept or skipped as you choose.
- 📏 **Up to 5,000 posts per profile** — the run stops at your limit, your date or the end of the grid.
- 🔁 **Only new since the last run** — weekly competitor reports without paying for old posts again.

### Why this one

- 🔓 **No Instagram login or cookies** — you paste usernames, links or keywords; your own account is never involved.
- 🧾 **Free rows, not silent gaps** — private, deleted or missing items come back as free rows with an `error` reason; duplicates are never returned or charged.
- 🧯 **Your budget is a hard stop** — set **Maximum cost per run** and the run stops at your limit (the run summary says so).
- 📊 **A summary you can check** — every run saves a `SUMMARY` record: results, free rows, what was skipped and why.
- 🚫 **`null`, never a fake `0`** — when Instagram hides a number (hidden likes, saves on photos), you see that it's missing.

### Why scrape Instagram posts?

- **Content audits:** a brand's full posting history with likes, comments and reposts.
- **Competitor monitoring:** schedule it with *Only new* — only new posts are returned and charged.
- **Design inspiration and AI datasets:** carousels with every slide.

### Compared with Apify's Instagram Post Scraper

| | This Actor | Apify's Instagram Post Scraper (Starter) |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1,000 posts | $0.28 | $1.50 (+$0.80 for post details) |
| Reposts | ✅ | not in the output yet |

Their prices and fields as listed on Apify on 28 October 2026 — check their page for today's.

### How to scrape Instagram posts

1. Paste usernames or links into the input, one per line.
2. Press **Start** — rows stream into the Output tab while the run goes.
3. Download them as JSON, CSV, Excel or HTML, or get them through the API.

Works with any public profile on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/) — no login, no cookies, no Instagram account
of yours.

**No input at hand?** Press **Start** with an empty input — you get a 3-row sample.

### Input example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "natgeo"
  ],
  "maxPostsPerProfile": 24,
  "skipPinned": false,
  "includeReels": true,
  "onlyNew": false
}
```

### Output example: Instagram posts data

```json
{
  "type": "carousel",
  "shortCode": "DehZj9wggt0",
  "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DehZj9wggt0/",
  "ownerUsername": "natgeo",
  "ownerVerified": true,
  "takenAt": "2026-10-15T19:00:02Z",
  "views": 1543993,
  "viewsInstagram": 1543993,
  "viewsFacebook": null,
  "likes": 56343,
  "comments": 451,
  "saves": 2978,
  "shares": 4420,
  "reposts": 1041,
  "durationSec": 30.04,
  "caption": "Keeping up with a pack of hunting wolves is just another day… #WolvesUpClose",
  "hashtags": [
    "WolvesUpClose"
  ],
  "coauthors": [
    "bertiegregory",
    "natgeoanimals"
  ],
  "audio": {
    "type": "original",
    "id": "28762088093432459",
    "title": "Original audio",
    "artist": "natgeo"
  },
  "isPinned": true,
  "isPaidPartnership": false,
  "aiLabel": null,
  "language": "en",
  "videoUrl": "https://scontent-bos5-1.cdninstagram.com/…mp4",
  "coverUrl": "https://scontent-bos5-1.cdninstagram.com/…jpg",
  "slides": [
    {
      "type": "photo",
      "imageUrl": "https://…jpg"
    }
  ]
}
```

Each row has up to 46 fields — the **Output** tab describes every one of them. Fields Instagram
doesn't show come as `null`, never as a fake `0`.

### Limits

- Saves and shares: Instagram gives them for reels, not for photos and carousels (`null`).
- Private accounts: one free row.
- About 12 posts per request; a carousel comes as one row with every slide.

### How much does it cost to scrape Instagram posts?

Pay per event: you pay for the rows you get, plus $0.0005 per run. No subscription to this Actor.

| Apify plan | Per 1,000 posts | What $5 of free credit gets you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0.308 | ≈ 16,200 posts |
| Starter | $0.28 | — |
| Business and higher | $0.20 | — |

Every event of this Actor on the Starter plan:

| Event | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Post | Each post, carousel or reel returned | $0.28 per 1,000 |

**Typical jobs on Starter:**

- A brand's last 300 posts ≈ $0.08
- Weekly new posts of 20 competitors (≈ 5 each) ≈ $0.03 a week

**Always free:** private or missing profiles and duplicates. Set **Maximum cost per run** in the run options to cap any run.

### Monitoring on a schedule

1. Save your input as a **Task** and add a **Schedule** (hourly or daily).
2. Turn on **Only new since the last run** — each run returns and charges only rows you haven't received yet.
3. Add a webhook or an n8n / Make / Zapier step to get new rows in Slack, Telegram, Google Sheets or your CRM.

### Chain it with other Actors

Use the rows of an earlier run as the input: paste its **dataset ID** into *Or: dataset from another run*. For example,
run [Instagram Followers Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper) on a brand, then give its dataset to
[Instagram Email & Phone Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-email-phone-scraper) — you get the emails of the brand's
followers. Works with the datasets of Apify's own Instagram Actors too.

### Instagram posts API: Python, n8n, Make, Zapier and AI agents

Python:

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN")
run = client.actor("instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper").call(run_input={'usernames': ['natgeo'], 'maxPostsPerProfile': 24, 'skipPinned': False, 'includeReels': True, 'onlyNew': False})
for row in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(row)
```

**n8n, Make, Zapier or any HTTP client:** one request runs the Actor and returns the rows —
`POST https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/instagram-data-api~instagram-posts-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN`
with the input JSON as the body.

**AI agents (MCP)** — your agent gets this Actor as a tool:

- **Claude Code:** `claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper"`
- **Claude, Cursor, VS Code, n8n:** add `https://mcp.apify.com?tools=instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper` as a remote MCP server and sign in to Apify.
- **Ask it:** *“Export the last 30 posts of @natgeo with likes and comments.”* · *“Which posts of @nike got the most comments this month?”*

### FAQ: scraping Instagram posts

**Are reels included?**
Yes, reels that appear in the profile grid are included — turn off **Include reels from the grid** to get only photos and carousels. For reels with saves and shares, use [Instagram Reels Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-reels-scraper).

**How far back can it go?**
As far as the profile's grid goes, up to 5,000 posts per profile per run. Set **Only items newer than** to stop at a date (`2026-10-01`) or a period (`30 days`).

**Do I pay for private profiles?**
No. Private or missing profiles come back as one free row with an `error` field (`private`, `not_found`).

**What does a carousel row look like?**
One row per post with `type: "carousel"` and a `slides` list — type, image or video link, width and height of every slide.

**Do I need an Instagram account or cookies?**
No. You only paste usernames, links or keywords. Nothing to log in, nothing to install, and your own Instagram account is never involved.

**What am I charged for — and what's free?**
Only the events in the pricing table, plus $0.0005 per run. Rows with an `error` field are free, and duplicates are never returned or charged. Each run's `SUMMARY` record shows results and free rows.

**Can I cap what a run costs?**
Yes. Set **Maximum cost per run** in the run options — the run stops at your limit and `SUMMARY` shows `stoppedAtChargeLimit: true`.

**Can I use it from n8n, Make, Zapier or an AI agent?**
Yes, like any Apify Actor: REST API, webhooks, the n8n, Make and Zapier integrations, and the Apify MCP server for Claude, Cursor, VS Code and other MCP clients.

**Is it legal to scrape Instagram?**
We only collect what public profiles show publicly. Results can include personal data such as names, usernames or public business contacts, which laws like GDPR protect — use the data for a legitimate purpose and ask a lawyer if unsure.

### For AI agents

```text
Actor:   instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper
Does:    Scrape Instagram posts and carousels: every slide, likes, comments, reposts, captions and tags. Date filter, no login.
Input:   {"usernames": ["natgeo"], "maxPostsPerProfile": 24, "skipPinned": false, "includeReels": true, "onlyNew": false}
Output:  one JSON row per result, up to 46 fields; main: url, type, ownerUsername, takenAt, likes, comments, reposts, saves, shares, caption
Free:    private or missing profiles and duplicates
Price:   event "post" $0.28 per 1,000 on Starter + $0.0005 per run
Run:     POST https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/instagram-data-api~instagram-posts-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=APIFY_TOKEN
```

### More Instagram Actors from us

| Content | People | Stories |
|---|---|---|
| [Reels](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-reels-scraper) · [Posts](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper) · Post details (coming this week) · Hashtags (coming this week) · Search (coming this week) · Transcripts (coming this week) | [Profiles](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-profile-scraper) · Account age (coming this week) · [Emails & phones](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-email-phone-scraper) · Similar (coming this week) · Lookalikes (coming this week) · [Followers](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper) · Comments (coming this week) · Likers (coming this week) | Stories (coming this week) · Highlights (coming this week) |

### Changelog

- **1.0** (October 2026) — first release.

*Independent. Not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by Instagram or Meta. Instagram is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.*

# Changelog

This Actor's version history is a separate document: https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper/changelog.md

# Actor input Schema

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

One per line: <code>natgeo</code>, <code>@natgeo</code> or <code>https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/</code>.

## `maxPostsPerProfile` (type: `integer`):

How many of the latest posts to return per profile.

## `newerThan` (type: `string`):

A date (<code>2026-10-01</code>) or a period (<code>7 days</code>, <code>2 weeks</code>). Empty — no date limit. Older pinned items are left out too.

## `skipPinned` (type: `boolean`):

Leave out the items the creator pinned to the top of the profile.

## `includeReels` (type: `boolean`):

Also return the reels that appear in the profile grid.

## `onlyNew` (type: `boolean`):

For scheduled monitoring: rows you already received in earlier runs with the same input are skipped and <b>not charged</b>.

## `datasetId` (type: `string`):

Pick the dataset of an earlier run (or paste its ID). We take usernames from <code>username</code> / <code>ownerUsername</code>.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "natgeo"
  ],
  "maxPostsPerProfile": 24,
  "skipPinned": false,
  "includeReels": true,
  "onlyNew": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

All rows of this run (JSON, CSV, Excel).

## `summary` (type: `string`):

What was returned, what was free and why (SUMMARY record).

# 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": [
        "natgeo"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-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": ["natgeo"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-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": [
    "natgeo"
  ]
}' |
apify call instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-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/ctfaAJaozulInJBc8/builds/eMBsWhyfFSDr9DKmw/openapi.json