Instagram Mentions Scraper

Instagram Mentions Scraper — who a profile mentions, tags and collaborates with

The Instagram Mentions Scraper lists every account a public Instagram profile mentions in captions, tags in its photos or collaborates with, post by post, with the post link and date.

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 Mentions Scraper does

• Scans the newest posts of each profile up to your limit.
• Separates caption mentions, photo tags and collab co-authors.
• Adds the post link, date, likes and a caption excerpt to every mention.

Who uses the Instagram Mentions Scraper

• Influencer marketers mapping brand partnerships.
• Agencies finding who a creator works with.
• Researchers building mention networks.

How the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper (October 2026)

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

• mentionTypes chooses caption, tagged, coauthor and the new "sponsor" type (paid-partnership brands, e.g. natgeo -> rolex).
• onlyPostsNewerThan / onlyPostsOlderThan and skipPinnedPosts choose the posts.
• Posts are read from Instagram's post list with their data - no extra request per post (measured identical mentions, tags and co-authors on 40 posts).
• New fields: postId, postType, postCommentsCount, postDisplayUrl, postIsPinned, postPaidPartnership. Caption mentions no longer keep a sentence-ending period ("@hulu." -> hulu).

Input of the Instagram Mentions Scraper

Field	Type	Default	What it does
usernames	array	["natgeo"]	One per line: a username (nasa), an @handle (@nasa) or a profile URL (https://www.instagram.com/nasa/).
maxPostsPerProfile	integer	30	How many of the newest posts to read.
mentionTypes	array	["caption", "tagged", "coauthor"]	Which kinds of mentions become rows.
onlyPostsNewerThan	string	—	Leave out posts published before this date: 2026-09-01, an ISO time (2026-09-01T10:00:00Z) or relative ("7 days", "2 weeks", "1 month"). UTC. Profile lists stop
onlyPostsOlderThan	string	—	Leave out posts published after this date (same formats). Combine with "newer than" for a date range.
skipPinnedPosts	boolean	False	Leave out the posts a profile pinned to the top of its grid (often months old). Instagram flags them in the profile's post list.
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 Mentions Scraper:

{
  "usernames": [
    "natgeo"
  ],
  "maxPostsPerProfile": 30
}

Output of the Instagram Mentions Scraper

Each dataset row is one mention. These are the fields the Instagram Mentions Scraper produced in its test runs:

Field	Meaning
captionExcerpt	captionExcerpt
mentionType	mentionType
mentionedProfileUrl	mentionedProfileUrl
mentionedUsername	mentionedUsername
postLikesCount	postLikesCount
postShortCode	postShortCode
postTimestamp	postTimestamp
postUrl	Post the comment belongs to
scrapedAt	When this row was read
sourceUsername	sourceUsername
postCommentsCount	Comments on the post
postDisplayUrl	Image link of the post
postId	Media id of the post
postIsPinned	The post is pinned on the profile
postPaidPartnership	The post is a paid partnership
postType	Image, Video or Sidecar

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 Mentions Scraper test run

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

{
  "sourceUsername": "natgeo",
  "mentionedUsername": "DisneyPlus",
  "mentionType": "caption",
  "mentionedProfileUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/DisneyPlus/",
  "postUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdG4RIxIPyf/",
  "postShortCode": "DdG4RIxIPyf",
  "postTimestamp": "2026-09-10T13:00:14.000Z",
  "postLikesCount": 78080,
  "captionExcerpt": "Presented by @Rolex. Welcome to Africa 🌍 Africa Earth’s Wild Home takes you deep into t...",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-02T18:22:30.000Z"
}

Data quality of the Instagram Mentions Scraper

• Every value in a Instagram Mentions 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 mention 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 Mentions Scraper test results

These numbers come from live test runs of the Instagram Mentions 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)	79	14 s
natgeo mentions from 20 posts	62	13 s
NEW sponsor mentions + skip pinned + date	35	13 s

Instagram Mentions Scraper limits, stated plainly

• It shows who the profile mentions, not who mentions the profile (that list needs a login).
• Measured locally: 62 mentions from 20 natgeo posts in 39 seconds.

How to run the Instagram Mentions Scraper

1. Open the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions 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 = {
    "usernames": [
        "natgeo"
    ],
    "maxPostsPerProfile": 30
}
run = client.actor("neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader-premium").call(run_input=run_input)
for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(item)

Instagram Mentions Scraper pricing

The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper on real data.

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

Tips for large runs of the Instagram Mentions Scraper

• Start with a small limit to check the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper compared with copying by hand

	Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper with a POST request and read the dataset items endpoint when the run finishes.
• Chain it: pass the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper

• The run ends with no rows: open the log. The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper waits briefly between pages so Instagram keeps answering. Split big jobs into several runs.
• Proxy errors: keep the RESIDENTIAL group. The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper; any paid Apify plan removes it.

What changed in this version of the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper?

The Instagram Mentions 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 Keyword Scraper	neuro-scraper/instagram-video-scraper-and-downloader-fastest

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Frequently asked questions

Can the Instagram Mentions Scraper find posts that tag a profile?

No. Instagram's "tagged" tab needs a login. The Instagram Mentions Scraper reports the mentions and tags inside the profile's own posts.

Does the Instagram Mentions Scraper need my Instagram login?

No. The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper?

No. The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper?

In the test runs above the Instagram Mentions Scraper took between 13 and 14 seconds per run. Speed depends on how many items you ask for and on the proxy.

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

The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper?

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

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

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

What happens when Instagram changes its website?

The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper with Make, Zapier or n8n?

Yes. Add the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper work in every country?

The Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper?

Schedule the Instagram Mentions 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 Mentions Scraper process many targets in one run?

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

Can the Instagram Mentions Scraper show paid partnerships?

Yes. Add "sponsor" to mentionTypes and every brand of a paid-partnership post becomes a mention row; postPaidPartnership marks those posts.