# Instagram User Search (`maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper`) Actor

Search public Instagram accounts by keyword, niche, person, brand, or business. Export unique matches with usernames, profile details, audience counts, and available public contact data.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Maxime Dupré](https://apify.com/maximedupre) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Lead generation, Marketing
- **Stats:** 13 total users, 8 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

$5.40 / 1,000 accounts

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

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.

In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md):

```bash
npm install apify-client
```

In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.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/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

### 🔎 Turn Instagram keywords into profile lists

Built for marketers, researchers, agencies, and creator teams, Instagram User Search Scraper finds public accounts related to your search terms. It returns unique usernames and IDs, the terms behind each match, profile identity, audience counts, business details, and publicly exposed contact data—ready to export or use in another workflow.

- **[Instagram influencer discovery](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-influencer-discovery)** — find public creators associated with a niche, specialty, or location.
- **[Instagram lead generation](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-lead-generation)** — build prospect lists with available public websites, emails, and phone numbers.
- **[Instagram creator research](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-creator-research)** — compare biographies, categories, follower counts, and verification status.
- **[Instagram competitor research](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-competitor-research)** — discover public brand and business accounts related to market terms.
- **[Instagram market research](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-market-research)** — map accounts surfaced for products, audiences, locations, and specialties.
- **[Instagram profile data export](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-profile-data-export)** — create structured profile lists for spreadsheets and downstream analysis.

Explore the corresponding workflow guides for [finding niche influencers](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-influencer-discovery), [building public-contact lead lists](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-lead-generation), [researching creators](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-creator-research), [studying competitors](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-competitor-research), [mapping a market](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-market-research), and [exporting profile data](https://apify.com/maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper/examples/instagram-profile-data-export).

#### 📦 What data is returned?

Each dataset row represents one unique Instagram account found for the submitted terms.

| Field | Description |
| --- | --- |
| `userId` | Stable Instagram account ID. |
| `username` | Instagram username. |
| `fullName` | Display name, or `null` when unavailable. |
| `profilePictureUrl` | Public profile-picture URL, or `null`. |
| `isPrivate`, `isVerified` | Instagram's privacy and verification flags. |
| `matchedKeywords` | Every submitted term that led to this account. |
| `biography`, `websiteUrl` | Public biography and external website, when available. |
| `followerCount`, `followingCount`, `postCount` | Available public profile counts. |
| `isBusinessAccount`, `category` | Available business status and business or creator category. |
| `publicEmail`, `publicPhone` | Contact details explicitly exposed on the public profile or in its biography, when available. |

Unavailable optional values are returned as `null`; they are not guessed. An account found for several terms is saved once with all matching terms in `matchedKeywords`.

#### 🚀 How to run the Actor

1. Open the Actor's **Input** tab.
2. Add one or more search terms, such as `vegan chef`, `Montreal photographer`, or a brand name.
3. Set the maximum number of unique accounts for the run, or use `0` for all matches available from the search surface.
4. Start the run and open the dataset when it finishes.

No Instagram login, cookies, API key, or other account credentials are required. Results depend on the public profiles available for each query and are not a guaranteed exhaustive directory of Instagram.

#### 🎯 Input

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `keywords` | Array of strings | Required | One or more keywords, niches, people, brands, or businesses. Each term is searched independently. |
| `maxItems` | Integer | `25` | Maximum unique accounts across all terms. Set to `0` for all matches available from the search surface. |

```json
{
  "keywords": ["vegan chef", "plant based recipes"],
  "maxItems": 25
}
````

Profile enrichment is automatic; there is no separate enrichment option or charge.

#### 🧾 Output

```json
{
  "userId": "25025320",
  "username": "natgeo",
  "fullName": "National Geographic",
  "profilePictureUrl": "https://instagram.example/profile-picture.jpg",
  "isPrivate": false,
  "isVerified": true,
  "matchedKeywords": ["travel", "photography"],
  "biography": "Experience the world through the eyes of National Geographic photographers.",
  "websiteUrl": "https://www.nationalgeographic.com/",
  "followerCount": 283000000,
  "followingCount": 150,
  "postCount": 30000,
  "isBusinessAccount": true,
  "category": "Media/news company",
  "publicEmail": null,
  "publicPhone": null
}
```

Export the default dataset in JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, RSS, or HTML, or retrieve it through the Apify API.

#### 💳 Pricing

This Actor uses pay-per-event pricing. You are charged for each successful unique Instagram account saved to the dataset. A basic account and an account with all available profile details cost the same. Empty searches, failed lookups, duplicate matches, and accounts that are not saved do not create an account charge.

#### 🔌 Integrations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNACk1\_S\_6w\&list=PLObrtcm1Kw6MUrlLNDbK9QRg8VDJg0gOW\&index=4

Use the Apify API to start runs programmatically, schedules to repeat searches, webhooks to react to completed runs, and dataset exports or Apify integrations to send profile data downstream.

#### ❓ FAQ

##### Why did I receive fewer accounts than `maxItems`?

`maxItems` is a ceiling, not a promised count. A narrow term may have fewer available public matches, and only accounts with the required identity and status data are saved.

##### What happens when one term has no matches?

That term produces no rows, but it does not prevent successful matches from your other terms from being returned.

##### Can the same account appear more than once?

No. Accounts are deduplicated within a run. If one account matches several terms, its single row keeps every matching term in `matchedKeywords`.

##### Does every profile include an email or phone number?

No. Contact details appear only when publicly exposed on the profile or in its biography. Missing values remain `null`.

##### Can it access private-profile content?

No. The Actor can identify an account marked private, but it does not authenticate to access private content or data Instagram does not expose publicly.

##### Can it search posts, Reels, hashtags, locations, or follower lists?

No. It searches accounts by text terms. Use a specialized Actor for those adjacent jobs.

##### Is this a replacement for Instagram's official API?

It is a focused option for keyword-based public account discovery and structured exports without user-provided Instagram credentials. It does not provide private data, outreach, campaign management, historical monitoring, or every official API capability.

#### 🔗 Related actors

- [Instagram Profile Scraper ↗](https://apify.com/apify/instagram-profile-scraper) — collect deeper profile and recent-post details for known usernames.
- [Instagram Post Scraper ↗](https://apify.com/apify/instagram-post-scraper) — extract captions, media, and engagement data from account posts.
- [Instagram Hashtag Scraper ↗](https://apify.com/apify/instagram-hashtag-scraper) — collect posts and Reels associated with hashtags.
- [Instagram Followers Count Scraper ↗](https://apify.com/apify/instagram-followers-count-scraper) — monitor follower and following counts for known profiles.
- [Instagram Followers Scraper ↗](https://apify.com/datadoping/instagram-followers-scraper) — collect follower lists from public accounts.

### 📝 Changelog

- 0.0: Initial release.

### 🆘 Support

For issues, questions, or feature requests, [file a ticket](https://console.apify.com/actors/maximedupre~instagram-user-search-scraper/issues) 🫡

**Made with ❤️ by Maxime Dupré**

# Actor input Schema

## `keywords` (type: `array`):

Enter one or more keywords, niches, people, brands, or businesses. Each term is searched independently, and a term with no matches does not affect results from the others.

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

Maximum number of unique accounts to return across all search terms. Set to 0 to return all matches available from the public search surface.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "keywords": [
    "fitness coach"
  ],
  "maxItems": 25
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

Open unique matching accounts with the terms behind each match and available public profile, audience, business, and contact details.

# 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 = {
    "keywords": [
        "fitness coach"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("maximedupre/instagram-user-search-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 = { "keywords": ["fitness coach"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("maximedupre/instagram-user-search-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 '{
  "keywords": [
    "fitness coach"
  ]
}' |
apify call maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "mcp-remote",
                "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=maximedupre/instagram-user-search-scraper",
                "--header",
                "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_API_TOKEN>"
            ]
        }
    }
}

```

## OpenAPI specification

```json
{
    "openapi": "3.0.1",
    "info": {
        "title": "Instagram User Search",
        "description": "Search public Instagram accounts by keyword, niche, person, brand, or business. Export unique matches with usernames, profile details, audience counts, and available public contact data.",
        "version": "0.0",
        "x-build-id": "YeEzdwK5GjZS9V0yE"
    },
    "servers": [
        {
            "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2"
        }
    ],
    "paths": {
        "/acts/maximedupre~instagram-user-search-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-maximedupre-instagram-user-search-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": {
                                "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema"
                            }
                        }
                    }
                },
                "parameters": [
                    {
                        "name": "token",
                        "in": "query",
                        "required": true,
                        "schema": {
                            "type": "string"
                        },
                        "description": "Enter your Apify token here"
                    }
                ],
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "OK"
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/maximedupre~instagram-user-search-scraper/runs": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "runs-sync-maximedupre-instagram-user-search-scraper",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$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": {
                                    "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema"
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        },
        "/acts/maximedupre~instagram-user-search-scraper/run-sync": {
            "post": {
                "operationId": "run-sync-maximedupre-instagram-user-search-scraper",
                "x-openai-isConsequential": false,
                "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.",
                "tags": [
                    "Run Actor"
                ],
                "requestBody": {
                    "required": true,
                    "content": {
                        "application/json": {
                            "schema": {
                                "$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",
                "required": [
                    "keywords"
                ],
                "properties": {
                    "keywords": {
                        "title": "Search terms",
                        "minItems": 1,
                        "type": "array",
                        "description": "Enter one or more keywords, niches, people, brands, or businesses. Each term is searched independently, and a term with no matches does not affect results from the others.",
                        "items": {
                            "type": "string"
                        }
                    },
                    "maxItems": {
                        "title": "Maximum accounts",
                        "minimum": 0,
                        "type": "integer",
                        "description": "Maximum number of unique accounts to return across all search terms. Set to 0 to return all matches available from the public search surface.",
                        "default": 25
                    }
                }
            },
            "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
                                    }
                                }
                            }
                        }
                    }
                }
            }
        }
    }
}
```