# Instagram Reels Scraper by Profile: Plays, Likes, Captions (`neverempty/instagram-reels-scraper`) Actor

This Instagram reels scraper takes usernames or profile URLs and returns one row per reel: play count, likes, comments, date, caption, hashtags, video length, audio and thumbnail. Filter by date, skip pinned reels, set a limit per profile. No login, no start fee. You pay only for reels returned.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/neverempty/instagram-reels-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [NeverEmpty](https://apify.com/neverempty) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Automation
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 8 total users, 3 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.95 / 1,000 reel returneds

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 Reels Scraper by Profile: Plays, Likes, Captions

For creator research, competitor tracking and finding what content works: this Instagram reels scraper takes usernames or profile URLs and returns one row per reel (play count, likes, comments, posting date, caption, hashtags, mentions, video length, audio and thumbnail) as CSV, Excel or JSON. No login, no cookies, no start fee, and old reels keep their play counts, not only the latest ones. You pay **$2.49 per 1,000 reels** on the Free plan, down to **$0.95** on Gold and above, and only for reels returned.

### What can I do with this Instagram reels scraper?

- **See which reels of an account got the most plays.** Get the reels the profile's reels tab lists, with `videoPlayCount`, `likesCount` and `commentsCount`, and sort by plays in a spreadsheet.
- **Track competitors and creators.** Run a list of up to 1,000 profiles at once and compare their reels side by side.
- **Study what makes a reel work.** Each row has the caption, hashtags, mentions, video length in seconds and the audio used (song or original audio).
- **Follow new reels only.** Set `onlyPostsNewerThan` to `7 days` and pay only for recent reels.
- **Leave out pinned reels.** Pinned reels sit at the top of a profile even when they are old. Turn on `skipPinnedPosts` to skip them.

### What data do you get?

| Group | Fields |
|---|---|
| Reel | `url`, `shortCode`, `id`, `position`, `timestamp`, `timestampSource`, `caption`, `hashtags`, `mentions`, `videoDuration`, `displayUrl`, `isPinned`, `isCollab`, `coauthors` |
| Counts | `videoPlayCount`, `likesCount`, `commentsCount`, `likesHidden` |
| Audio | `musicInfo`: `audio_id`, `song_name`, `artist_name`, `uses_original_audio`, `should_mute_audio`, `should_mute_audio_reason`, `is_explicit`, `is_trending_in_clips` |
| Profile | `profileUsername`, `profileUrl`, `ownerUsername`, `inputUrl` |
| Run | `status`, `note`, `detailsRead`, `source`, `scrapedAt`. The last row can also hold `notCheckedProfiles` (profiles to put in a new run) |

`position` is the place of the reel in the profile's reels tab, starting at 1. `timestampSource` is `post` when the exact posting time was read, and `id-estimate` when the date is an estimate (see [Limitations](#limitations)). `isCollab` is `true` for a collab reel: one the profile posted together with other accounts, or one another account posted with the profile as a collaborator. `coauthors` lists the collaborator usernames Instagram shows on the reel page. It is `null` when the reel page was not read (`includeDetails` off), and then `isCollab` is `true` only for reels another account posted.

### How to scrape Instagram reels from a profile

1. Put usernames (`natgeo`) or profile URLs (`https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/` or `https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/reels/`) into `usernames`, one per line. `@natgeo` works too.
2. Set `maxReelsPerProfile` to the most reels you want from each profile.
3. If you only want recent reels, set `onlyPostsNewerThan` to a date such as `2026-10-01` or a span such as `7 days`.
4. Press **Start**, then download the rows as JSON, CSV or Excel, or read them through the API.

### Input

| Field | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| `usernames` | Instagram usernames or profile URLs, one per line. Up to 1,000 profiles per run. | Up to 10 free sample reels of one profile when no profile is given |
| `maxReelsPerProfile` | Reading a profile stops after this many reel rows (1 to 10,000). | 100 |
| `onlyPostsNewerThan` | Return only reels newer than a date (`2026-10-01`) or a span back from now (`12 hours`, `7 days`, `2 weeks`, `3 months`). Older reels are skipped and not charged. | Empty (any date) |
| `skipPinnedPosts` | Leave out the reels pinned at the top of the profile. They are not charged. | Off |
| `includeDetails` | On: rows also get the caption, hashtags, mentions, exact posting time, video length, audio and owner. Off: faster rows with plays, likes, comments, thumbnail and an estimated date only. The price per reel is the same. | On |

```json
{
    "usernames": ["natgeo", "https://www.instagram.com/nasa/reels/"],
    "maxReelsPerProfile": 200,
    "onlyPostsNewerThan": "30 days",
    "skipPinnedPosts": true
}
```

### Output example

```json
{
    "status": "ok",
    "inputUrl": "natgeo",
    "profileUsername": "natgeo",
    "profileUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/",
    "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/DekHVSNM5WN/",
    "shortCode": "DekHVSNM5WN",
    "id": "3712345678901234567",
    "position": 1,
    "isPinned": false,
    "isCollab": false,
    "coauthors": [],
    "ownerUsername": "natgeo",
    "videoPlayCount": 1250400,
    "likesCount": 41230,
    "likesHidden": false,
    "commentsCount": 512,
    "timestamp": "2026-10-28T16:02:11.000Z",
    "timestampSource": "post",
    "caption": "A night dive with the reef's smallest residents #ocean #wildlife with @reef.team",
    "hashtags": ["ocean", "wildlife"],
    "mentions": ["reef.team"],
    "videoDuration": 43.767,
    "musicInfo": {
        "audio_id": "1234567890123456",
        "song_name": "Original audio",
        "artist_name": "natgeo",
        "uses_original_audio": true,
        "should_mute_audio": false,
        "should_mute_audio_reason": null,
        "is_explicit": false,
        "is_trending_in_clips": false
    },
    "displayUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/v/...",
    "detailsRead": true,
    "source": "instagram-reel",
    "scrapedAt": "2026-11-01T09:12:44.000Z"
}
```

The caption, IDs and counts in this example are made up to show the shape of a row.

### How much does it cost?

**$2.49 per 1,000 reels** on the Free plan, with lower prices on paid Apify plans:

| Apify plan | Price per 1,000 reels |
|---|---|
| Free | $2.49 |
| Bronze | $2.20 |
| Silver | $1.34 |
| Gold and above | $0.95 |

There is no start fee and no charge per profile. You are charged only for rows with `status: "ok"`, and each reel is returned once per run. Every other row is free, and the [list is below](#rows-you-are-not-charged-for).

To keep a run inside a budget, set `maxReelsPerProfile`, or set a maximum total charge when you start the run. The run stops at that amount and says so in a `budget-reached` row.

### FAQ

**How do I get the play counts of the reels on an Instagram account?**
Put the username into `usernames` and set `maxReelsPerProfile` high enough (up to 10,000). Each reel the profile's reels tab lists comes back as one row with `videoPlayCount`, old reels included. In our tests one account returned 1,871 reels going back to 2020.

**How do I export Instagram reels to Excel or CSV?**
Run the Actor, then open the **Output** tab and download the dataset as CSV or Excel. Each reel is one row.

**Can I scrape Instagram reels without logging in?**
Yes. You don't need an Instagram account, a cookie or an API key. About 8% of public profiles (19 of 232 in our test) show no reels to logged-out visitors; those return one free row.

**Can I scrape reels from many accounts at once?**
Yes. Paste up to 1,000 usernames or profile URLs. Every profile the run reaches returns its reels, or one free row that says why there are none. If Instagram stops answering, the run ends early, and the profiles it did not reach are listed in `notCheckedProfiles` in the last row, ready for a new run a few hours later.

**Are pinned reels and collab reels included?**
Yes. Pinned reels have `isPinned: true` (turn on `skipPinnedPosts` to leave them out). Collab reels have `isCollab: true`, and `coauthors` names the other accounts. When two profiles in the same run share one reel, it is returned once, under the first profile that reached it.

**Can I run this from an API or an AI agent?**
Yes. Call the Actor through the Apify API, or from an AI agent through the Apify MCP server, with a list of usernames. The rows come back as JSON.

**What happens if a run reaches its timeout?**
The run stops about 90 seconds before its timeout. Reels already returned stay in the dataset. A profile that was cut short gets a `stopped-reading` row, and profiles it did not start are listed in `notCheckedProfiles` in the last row. To read them, start a new run with those profiles, or set a longer timeout.

**Why are `videoPlayCount` and `likesCount` empty on some rows?**
The owner of the reel chose to hide the counts. `likesHidden` is `true` on those rows. `commentsCount` is still filled.

### Rows you are not charged for

A profile that was read but did not return reels gets its own row, so you can see what happened to it. Profiles the run did not check (past the 1,000 profile limit, past the maximum total charge, stopped because Instagram stopped answering, or stopped before the run timeout) are counted in one last row, and `notCheckedProfiles` lists them for a new run.

| `status` | What it means |
|---|---|
| `sample` | No profile was given, so up to 10 reels of one sample profile were read to show the output. Add your own profiles to `usernames`. |
| `no-public-profile` | Instagram shows no public profile under this name to visitors who are not logged in. The name may be wrong, the account removed or renamed, or Instagram may not show this account to logged-out visitors. |
| `no-reels-listed` | The reels tab shows no reels to visitors who are not logged in: the account is private, has posted no reels, or Instagram shows its reels to logged-in users only. Or none are newer than `onlyPostsNewerThan`. |
| `max-reels-reached` | `maxReelsPerProfile` reels were returned and the profile lists more. Raise the limit to read further. |
| `stopped-reading` | Reading stopped part way, because Instagram did not answer the next page or the run was about to reach its timeout. The reels before that point are in the dataset. |
| `blocked` | Instagram did not let this run open the profile. Run it again later. |
| `invalid-input` | The entry is not an Instagram profile, such as a post or reel URL, an `/explore/` link or another site. |
| `duplicate` | The same profile was already in this run's list. |
| `not-checked` | One row at the end: how many profiles were not read and why. They are in `notCheckedProfiles`. |
| `budget-reached` | The run reached the maximum total charge you set. Reels that did not fit are not in the dataset and were not charged. |

### Limitations

- The Actor returns the reels a profile's reels tab lists to visitors who are not logged in. In our tests this went far back: 1,871 reels back to 2020 on one account, and over 3,000 on another before we stopped reading. Regular posts that are not reels are not in the output.
- Reels come mostly newest first, but not strictly: in one account of 1,871 reels, 33 were out of order. Pinned reels come first.
- Not every account shows its reels to logged-out visitors. In a test of 232 well-known accounts, 200 returned reels, 13 showed no profile to logged-out visitors (`no-public-profile`), and 19 public accounts showed an empty reels tab (`no-reels-listed`), among them large brands and artists, the same on a second run. Both rows are free.
- A private account usually returns a `no-reels-listed` row too. A private account, a public account with no reels and an account whose reels are shown to logged-in users only cannot be told apart. In one test a private account listed one reel it had made as a collaborator with a public account.
- When `includeDetails` is off, or a reel page cannot be opened, `timestamp` is an estimate (`timestampSource: "id-estimate"`). In our tests the estimate was from 25 seconds to about 10 hours earlier than the real posting time. A reel uploaded more than 2 days before it was posted can be skipped by `onlyPostsNewerThan`.
- When the owner hides the counts, `videoPlayCount` and `likesCount` are empty.
- Video file URLs, tagged accounts, location and share counts are not in the output.
- Thumbnail URLs expire after a while, so download the files soon after the run.
- On long lists Instagram may stop answering, so the run can end early. The rest are not charged and are listed in `notCheckedProfiles`.
- Use the data in line with the rules that apply to you, including privacy law for personal data in captions.

### Need help or a missing field?

Open the **Issues** tab and tell us what you need. If a row looks wrong, include the run ID.

### Thanks for using this Actor

We build these tools for people who run them every day, and we improve them from what users tell us.

- **Missing a field, or need another filter?** Tell us in the **Issues** tab. If the data is there, we add it.
- **Found a bug or a wrong value?** Post the run ID in the **Issues** tab. Wrong data is the thing we fix first.

If this Actor saved you time, a short review helps other people find it.

# Actor input Schema

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

Instagram usernames (natgeo) or profile URLs (https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/ or https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/reels/), one per line. Up to 1,000 profiles per run. Several profiles are read at the same time.

## `maxReelsPerProfile` (type: `integer`):

Reading a profile stops after this many reel rows, newest first. The charge follows the reel rows returned.

## `onlyPostsNewerThan` (type: `string`):

Leave empty to return reels of any date. Otherwise a date such as 2026-10-01, or a span back from now such as 7 days, 2 weeks, 3 months or 12 hours. Older reels are skipped and not charged.

## `skipPinnedPosts` (type: `boolean`):

Pinned reels sit at the top of the reels tab even when they are old. Turn this on to leave them out (they are not charged).

## `includeDetails` (type: `boolean`):

On: each reel row also gets the caption, hashtags, mentions, exact posting time, video length, audio and owner username. Off: faster rows with plays, likes, comments, thumbnail and an estimated date only. The price per reel is the same.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "natgeo"
  ],
  "maxReelsPerProfile": 100,
  "skipPinnedPosts": false,
  "includeDetails": true
}
```

# Actor output Schema

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

One row per Instagram reel: play count, likes, comments, posting date, caption, hashtags, mentions, video length, audio, thumbnail, pinned and collab flags. Profiles that are not public, profiles with no reels and limits come back as free rows that say why.

# 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("neverempty/instagram-reels-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("neverempty/instagram-reels-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 neverempty/instagram-reels-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,neverempty/instagram-reels-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/gCrNvwzRyCXDkapkh/builds/szI0svHR3Ku0XdVNj/openapi.json