Instagram Trends Scraper

Instagram Trends Scraper — trending keywords and post counts

The Instagram Trends Scraper lists the keywords trending on Instagram right now, with the number of posts Instagram reports for each and the link to its public page, and can add the top posts of every trend.

It runs on Apify, needs no Instagram login and no cookies, and exports to JSON, CSV, Excel or an API call. Every session key it needs (tokens, query ids, cursors) is read from Instagram on each run, so it keeps working when Instagram ships new code.

What the Instagram Trends Scraper does

• Reads Instagram's trending section from its public keyword pages.
• Returns rank, keyword, post count and page link.
• Optionally adds related keywords and the top posts per trend.

Who uses the Instagram Trends Scraper

• Content teams planning timely posts.
• Marketers tracking what is rising.
• Researchers studying trends over time (schedule it daily).

How the Instagram Trends Scraper works

Instagram serves every public page to logged-out visitors together with the queries that fill it.

The Actor loads the page the way a browser does, reads the session values Instagram puts into it, and then asks Instagram's own GraphQL endpoint for the next page with the cursor the previous page returned.

Query ids that a page does not preload are read from the JavaScript bundles that page lists. Large files from Instagram's CDN (images, videos) are fetched directly with their signed links, so proxy traffic stays small.

Nothing is guessed: if Instagram stops publishing a value the Instagram Trends Scraper needs, the run log names it and the item is skipped instead of being filled with a stale value.

What is new in the Instagram Trends Scraper (October 2026)

These features were added on 2026-10-03 after comparing the Instagram Trends Scraper with the ten most used Actors of its kind on the Apify Store. Defaults keep the earlier behaviour.

• includeRelatedKeywords adds the related keywords Instagram lists on each trend's page (one request per trend; measured 10 each for "browns" and "inktober").

Input of the Instagram Trends Scraper

Field	Type	Default	What it does
seedKeywords	array	[]	Instagram shows its trending list on public keyword pages; these pages are used to read it. Leave empty for the default seeds.
topPostsPerTrend	integer	0	Also read this many top posts for each trending keyword (0 = none).
includeRelatedKeywords	boolean	False	Adds the related keywords Instagram lists on each trend's page (one request per trend).
maxItems	integer	0	Stops the whole run after this many dataset rows. 0 means only the per-target limits apply.
proxyConfiguration	object	{"useApifyProxy": true, "apifyProxyGroups": ["RESIDENTIAL"]}	Instagram limits logged-out visitors per IP address. Residential proxies (the default) give the most reliable results; the Actor switches to a fresh IP when Ins

Example input for the Instagram Trends Scraper:

{}

Output of the Instagram Trends Scraper

Each dataset row is one trending keyword. These are the fields the Instagram Trends Scraper produced in its test runs:

Field	Meaning
keyword	Keyword
pageUrl	pageUrl
postsCount	Posts Instagram reports for the keyword
rank	Position in the list
scrapedAt	When this row was read
relatedKeywords	relatedKeywords
topPosts	topPosts

Fields that Instagram does not publish for an item are left empty rather than guessed. Download the dataset as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML or HTML, or read it through the Apify API.

Example row from a Instagram Trends Scraper test run

A real row from the local test run (long values shortened):

{
  "rank": 1,
  "keyword": "rick ross",
  "postsCount": 5983180,
  "pageUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/popular/rick-ross/",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-02T18:22:44.000Z",
  "relatedKeywords": [
    "rick ross childhood home",
    "promise land rick ross",
    "rick ross correctional officer",
    "..."
  ],
  "topPosts": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DMGSx8At_NR/",
      "shortCode": "DMGSx8At_NR",
      "caption": "Rick Ross, born in 1976, rose to fame in 2006 with “Hustlin’” and his No. 1 debut album...",
      "videoPlayCount": 661718,
      "displayUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/505752696_1459358555240939_90001182750...",
      "ownerUsername": "hustlers"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ91YSYJlwa/",
      "shortCode": "DJ91YSYJlwa",
      "caption": "@rickrosscarshow 🔥\n@theslipperysoap 🔥\n@realedition22 🔥\n@drmariomontoya 🔥\n@drinkctrl 🔥\n@...",
      "videoPlayCount": 5574310,
      "displayUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/500056278_1206742447589655_86015176419...",
      "ownerUsername": "richforever"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DWI7-3NjBma/",
      "shortCode": "DWI7-3NjBma",
      "caption": "\"When it comes to money, there are no bounds. Let’s go! 🚀🤑\" ​#RickRoss #Ambition #Luxur...",
      "videoPlayCount": 586903,
      "displayUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.71878-15/653698080_1257693395867156_32097685528...",
      "ownerUsername": "bossrich22"
    }
  ]
}

Data quality of the Instagram Trends Scraper

• Every value in a Instagram Trends Scraper row is read from Instagram during your run; nothing is filled from a cache or an old snapshot.
• Rows are de-duplicated by id inside a run, so the same trending keyword never appears twice in one dataset.
• Counts are numbers you can sort and sum (not "1.2K" text) wherever Instagram publishes the exact number.
• Dates are UTC in ISO 8601 format, which Excel, Google Sheets, Python and SQL all read directly.

Instagram Trends Scraper test results

These numbers come from live test runs of the Instagram Trends Scraper on 2026-10-03 (home connection, no proxy). Runs on the Apify platform use residential proxies and can be faster or slower.

Test	Rows	Time
prefill input (regression)	50	4 s
trending keywords	50	3 s
trends with 3 top posts each, max 5	5	10 s
NEW related keywords per trend	3	6 s

Instagram Trends Scraper limits, stated plainly

• The list is the one Instagram shows logged-out visitors; it can differ by region.
• Measured locally: 50 trending keywords in 5 seconds.

How to run the Instagram Trends Scraper

1. Open the Instagram Trends Scraper in Apify Console and fill in the input fields described above.
2. Keep the default residential proxy unless you have a reason to change it; Instagram limits logged-out visitors per IP address.
3. Start the run, watch the log, and download the dataset when the status says Done.
4. To automate it, call the Instagram Trends Scraper from the Apify API, schedule it, or connect it to Make, Zapier, n8n or Google Sheets through an integration or webhook.

Python example with the Apify API client:

from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN>")
run_input = {}
run = client.actor("neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-and-downloader").call(run_input=run_input)
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

Instagram Trends Scraper pricing

The Instagram Trends Scraper uses pay-per-event pricing: you pay per dataset row (event "result"), plus the Apify platform usage of your run. Free-plan users get up to 30 rows per run, which is enough to test the Instagram Trends Scraper on real data.

Set a maximum cost per run in Apify and the Instagram Trends Scraper stops cleanly when it is reached.

Tips for large runs of the Instagram Trends Scraper

• Start with a small limit to check the Instagram Trends Scraper output, then raise it; the first rows arrive within seconds.
• Split very large jobs into several inputs and run them in parallel tasks; each run gets its own proxy sessions.
• Set a maximum cost per run in Apify; the Instagram Trends Scraper stops cleanly when the budget is reached and keeps every row it already saved.
• Schedule repeat runs instead of one huge run when you track the same targets over time.
• Keep the residential proxy: datacenter IPs are refused by Instagram far more often for logged-out visitors.

Instagram Trends Scraper compared with copying by hand

	Instagram Trends Scraper	Manual work
Speed	Seconds per page of results	Minutes per item
Fields	Every public field, same order every time	Whatever you copy
Format	JSON, CSV, Excel, API	Spreadsheet you build yourself
Repeatable	Schedule it daily	Start again each time
Errors	Logged per item	Unnoticed typos

Using the Instagram Trends Scraper in a workflow

• Send every new row to Google Sheets or Airtable with the Apify integration and keep a live table.
• Trigger a Make, Zapier or n8n scenario with a webhook when the run finishes.
• Load the JSON export into Python or BigQuery for analysis and dashboards.
• Use the Apify API: start the Instagram Trends Scraper with a POST request and read the dataset items endpoint when the run finishes.
• Chain it: pass the Instagram Trends Scraper output to another Apify Actor (for example a downloader or a transcript Actor) in an Apify task.
• Export straight to Excel from the dataset tab when you only need a one-off report.

Troubleshooting the Instagram Trends Scraper

• The run ends with no rows: open the log. The Instagram Trends Scraper writes one line per target saying what Instagram returned, for example a login wall or a missing item.
• Fewer rows than expected: the target may have fewer public items, or Instagram may stop serving more pages to logged-out visitors. The log names the reason.
• Slow run: large limits mean many pages; the Instagram Trends Scraper waits briefly between pages so Instagram keeps answering. Split big jobs into several runs.
• Proxy errors: keep the RESIDENTIAL group. The Instagram Trends Scraper already switches to a fresh IP when one is blocked.
• Free plan stops at 30 rows: that is the free-plan cap of the Instagram Trends Scraper; any paid Apify plan removes it.

What changed in this version of the Instagram Trends Scraper

• Rebuilt in October 2026 on Instagram's logged-out web endpoints; every token, query id and cursor is read at run time.
• Pay-per-event pricing (one event per row) replaces the old monthly rental; free-plan users can test with 30 rows per run.
• Residential proxy by default, with automatic switch to a fresh IP when Instagram blocks one.
• October 2026 feature round: new filters and fields matching the most used Instagram Actors on the Store, every one measured in a live test; existing inputs and fields are unchanged.

Is it legal to use the Instagram Trends Scraper?

The Instagram Trends Scraper reads only data that Instagram shows to any logged-out visitor. It never logs in and never touches private content. Personal data may still be in public posts, so check GDPR and the other laws that apply to you before you store or reuse it, and respect Instagram's terms.

Related scrapers

Actor	Link
Instagram Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper
Instagram Profile Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-downloader-pro
Instagram Posts Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-posts-scraper
Instagram Reels Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper
Instagram Hashtag Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reeel-scraper
Instagram Comments Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-scraper-and-downloader-premium
Instagram Search Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-advanced
Instagram Video Downloader	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-downloader
Instagram Reels Downloader	neuro-scraper/instagram-reels-downloader
Instagram Image Downloader	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader
Instagram Transcript Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader-pro
Instagram Mentions Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader-premium

Leave a review

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Frequently asked questions

How often does the Instagram Trends Scraper list change?

Instagram updates its trending list during the day. Schedule the Instagram Trends Scraper hourly or daily to build a history.

Does the Instagram Trends Scraper need my Instagram login?

No. The Instagram Trends Scraper works logged out and never asks for your password or cookies. It reads only what Instagram shows to any visitor.

Do I need my own proxy for the Instagram Trends Scraper?

No. The Instagram Trends Scraper uses Apify residential proxies by default and switches to a fresh IP when Instagram blocks one. You can choose another proxy in the input.

What formats can I export from the Instagram Trends Scraper?

JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML and RSS from the dataset tab, or any format through the Apify API, webhooks and integrations.

How fast is the Instagram Trends Scraper?

In the test runs above the Instagram Trends Scraper took between 3 and 10 seconds per run. Speed depends on how many items you ask for and on the proxy.

Why did the Instagram Trends Scraper return fewer rows than I asked for?

The Instagram Trends Scraper stops when Instagram has nothing more to show logged out, when your limit is reached, or when the free-plan cap of 30 rows applies. The run log always says which one happened.

Can I schedule the Instagram Trends Scraper?

Yes. Create a schedule in Apify Console to run the Instagram Trends Scraper daily or hourly and send the results to Google Sheets, Make, Zapier or n8n through an integration.

Can the Instagram Trends Scraper read private accounts or private groups?

No. The Instagram Trends Scraper reads public data only. Private content needs a login, and the Instagram Trends Scraper never logs in.

What happens when Instagram changes its website?

The Instagram Trends Scraper reads every key it needs from Instagram at run time, so routine changes are picked up automatically. If something can no longer be read, the log says so instead of returning wrong data.

Can I use the Instagram Trends Scraper with Make, Zapier or n8n?

Yes. Add the Instagram Trends Scraper as an Apify step in Make, Zapier or n8n, or send a webhook when the run finishes and fetch the dataset items from the Apify API.

Does the Instagram Trends Scraper work in every country?

The Instagram Trends Scraper reads Instagram through residential proxies that rotate across countries. Content that Instagram restricts by country follows those rules.

How do I collect only new items with the Instagram Trends Scraper?

Schedule the Instagram Trends Scraper and keep the item ids from earlier runs. Every row has a stable id, so a simple de-duplication against your previous export keeps only the new ones.

Can the Instagram Trends Scraper process many targets in one run?

Yes. Put as many targets as you like in the input; the Instagram Trends Scraper handles them one after another and a failing target never stops the others.

Can the Instagram Trends Scraper show related keywords?

Yes. Turn on includeRelatedKeywords, or ask for top posts per trend, and each trend row gets the related keywords Instagram lists for it.