# Instagram Account Age Checker (`khadinakbar/instagram-account-age-checker`) Actor

Estimate Instagram account age from usernames or profile URLs. Returns estimated created date, age in days/years, user ID, and confidence. Use for bot screening and influencer vetting. Not for scraping posts or emails. $0.015 per estimated account.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/khadinakbar/instagram-account-age-checker.md
- **Developed by:** [Khadin Akbar](https://apify.com/khadinakbar) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Lead generation, MCP servers
- **Stats:** 1 total users, 0 monthly users, 0.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $15.00 / 1,000 account age estimateds

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 web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — 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 Account Age Checker

Turn Instagram usernames or profile URLs into one age-estimate record per account for brand-safety reviewers, creator-vetting teams, and outreach agents. Each row includes `userId`, `estimatedCreatedYear`, `estimatedAccountAgeDays`, `estimateConfidence`, and optional public profile context. No Instagram login or cookies.

The estimate interpolates the numeric user ID assigned at signup — the same public signal other age checkers use — and treats Instagram's `is_joined_recently` flag as a high-confidence "joined in about the last two weeks" marker. Typical resolution is month-level; use year and month as the decision fields.

### Best fit for this Actor

- Screen community members or marketplace sellers and keep accounts whose estimated join year is older than your threshold.
- Vet influencer and creator lists before outreach.
- Enrich a handle list with `userId`, estimated join year, and public follower counts.

For bios, posts, or reels, continue with [Instagram Profile Scraper](https://apify.com/khadinakbar/instagram-profile-scraper) or [Instagram Posts Scraper](https://apify.com/khadinakbar/instagram-posts-scraper) after you have the handles.

### Practical scenario

A brand-safety analyst pastes `natgeo`, `nike`, and a new handle. The run returns one row per account: `natgeo` maps to user ID `787132` and an estimated late-2010 join window; a missing handle comes back as `VALID_EMPTY` with no `age-estimated` charge. The analyst keeps accounts older than one year and routes the rest to manual review.

### Quick start input

```json
{
  "usernames": ["natgeo"],
  "maxItems": 10,
  "includeProfileContext": true,
  "providerOrder": "scrapecreators-first"
}
```

`usernames` accepts bare handles, `@handles`, or `instagram.com/{user}` profile URLs. One unique handle produces one dataset row.

### Input reference

| Field | Type | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| `usernames` | array | Required handles or profile URLs. Example: `natgeo`. Max 200 unique values. Post and reel URLs belong in the posts Actor. |
| `maxItems` | integer | Cap on unique accounts processed. Default 50, max 200. |
| `includeProfileContext` | boolean | Include name, private/verified flags, and counts. Default true. |
| `providerOrder` | enum | `scrapecreators-first` (default), `sociavault-first`, vendor-only, or `native-first`. |

### What data you receive

One dataset item is one Instagram account.

```json
{
  "username": "natgeo",
  "userId": "787132",
  "profileUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/",
  "estimatedCreatedAt": "2010-11-15T00:00:00.000Z",
  "estimatedCreatedYear": 2010,
  "estimatedCreatedMonth": 11,
  "estimatedAccountAgeDays": 5755,
  "estimatedAccountAgeYears": 15.8,
  "estimateConfidence": "high",
  "evidenceType": "user_id_interpolation",
  "outcome": "OK",
  "provider": "scrapecreators",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-08-18T12:00:00.000Z"
}
```

| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| `estimatedCreatedAt` | Interpolated signup instant (ISO 8601). Typical accuracy is about a month. |
| `estimateConfidence` | `high`, `medium`, `low`, or `none`. |
| `outcome` | `OK` billed; `VALID_EMPTY` when the username is missing (no age charge). |

`OUTPUT` and `RUN_SUMMARY` in the default key-value store hold `outcome`, `itemsPushed`, and `chargedEventCounts`.

### Use through the API

```bash
curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/khadinakbar~instagram-account-age-checker/runs" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"usernames":["natgeo"]}'
```

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

### Use with AI agents through Apify MCP

> Estimate Instagram account age for natgeo and nasa. Return username, estimatedCreatedYear, estimatedAccountAgeDays, confidence, outcome, and provider.

Connect via <https://mcp.apify.com>. Read `OUTPUT.outcome` and `itemsPushed` to interpret empty datasets.

### Connect the workflow

- After you have handles, enrich bios and emails with [Instagram Profile Scraper](https://apify.com/khadinakbar/instagram-profile-scraper).
- For emails on other public websites, use [Contact Details Scraper](https://apify.com/khadinakbar/contact-details-scraper).

### Pricing

Pay per event plus platform usage. Confirm current event prices on the live Pricing tab; that tab is the source of truth if this page ever lags.

- `apify-actor-start`: $0.00005 per run
- `age-estimated`: **$0.015** per `OK` row

A one-account check is about $0.015 in result events plus a few seconds of Apify platform usage. `VALID_EMPTY` rows have no `age-estimated` charge. Provider credits are paid by the Actor owner.

### How it works

1. Normalize and deduplicate usernames.
2. Fetch public profile JSON from ScrapeCreators, then SociaVault, then native `web_profile_info` if vendors miss.
3. Estimate age from the numeric `userId` (and `is_joined_recently` when present).
4. Charge `age-estimated` only after a usable estimate, then write the row.

Private accounts still return an estimate when the public user ID is visible.

### Best results

- Pass profile URLs or handles; keep post and reel URLs for the posts Actor.
- Use `estimatedCreatedYear` / `estimatedCreatedMonth` as the decision fields. The ISO timestamp is interpolated.
- Cookies stay optional. The default path is cookieless providers.
- A typo username finishes `SUCCEEDED` with a `VALID_EMPTY` row and no `age-estimated` charge.

### Builder's note

I found that Instagram's public profile JSON already includes the numeric user ID and sometimes `is_joined_recently`, and those two fields are enough to estimate age. Earliest-visible-post timestamps only describe the latest grid, so established accounts looked recently active in my testing. ScrapeCreators and SociaVault both return the user ID without cookies, which keeps this Actor HTTP-only and fast.

### Legal and responsible use

Use this Actor on public Instagram data you are authorized to process, follow applicable law and Instagram's terms, and keep the output in your own compliance workflow. This Actor is independent of Meta.

Issues and feature requests: use the Actor Issues tab on Apify.

# Actor input Schema

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

Instagram usernames, @handles, or profile URLs to check. Example: natgeo or https://www.instagram.com/nasa/. Duplicates are removed. Max 200 unique handles per run via maxItems. This is not a post or reel URL.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Hard cap on unique usernames processed in one run. Default 50, minimum 1, maximum 200. Extra handles after the cap are skipped.

## `includeProfileContext` (type: `boolean`):

When true (default), each row also includes fullName, isPrivate, isVerified, followerCount, followingCount, and postsCount. Turn off for a smaller age-only payload.

## `providerOrder` (type: `string`):

Which public-data provider to try first. scrapecreators-first is the default. sociavault-first swaps the fallback. \*-only pins one vendor. native-first skips vendors and uses Instagram web\_profile\_info (less reliable).

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "natgeo",
    "@instagram"
  ],
  "maxItems": 10,
  "includeProfileContext": true,
  "providerOrder": "scrapecreators-first"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `datasetItems` (type: `string`):

No description

## `runSummary` (type: `string`):

No description

## `outputRecord` (type: `string`):

No description

# 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("khadinakbar/instagram-account-age-checker").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("khadinakbar/instagram-account-age-checker").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 khadinakbar/instagram-account-age-checker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,khadinakbar/instagram-account-age-checker"
        }
    }
}

```

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/HIEUdUbcqRp4Js1ta/builds/TUKgrxGtmjDR62xhd/openapi.json