# Instagram Data Router (`rvautomation/instagram-data-router`) Actor

Automatically gathers, checks, deduplicates, and combines Instagram data from multiple scraper providers to deliver the requested number of clean results within a budget.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/rvautomation/instagram-data-router.md
- **Developed by:** [Becky Vernick](https://apify.com/rvautomation) (community)
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $5.00 / 1,000 clean instagram posts

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/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 Data Router

Stop babysitting Instagram scrapers.

Instagram Data Router automatically collects hashtag posts, checks the results, removes duplicates, and uses a backup provider when the first provider does not return enough usable data.

### What it does

You provide:

- One Instagram hashtag
- The number of clean posts you want

The Actor then:

1. Tries a low-cost Instagram data provider first
2. Checks how many usable, unique posts were returned
3. Automatically calls a backup provider if there is a shortfall
4. Removes duplicate posts
5. Normalizes the output into one consistent dataset
6. Returns up to the number of clean posts you requested

### Why use it?

Individual scrapers can return fewer results than requested, fail temporarily, or produce duplicate data.

Instagram Data Router adds a reliability layer so you do not have to manually switch between scrapers or merge results yourself.

### Pricing

You are charged per clean Instagram post delivered.

- 100 posts: about $0.50
- 500 posts: about $2.50
- 1,000 posts: about $5.00

A very small Actor start charge may also apply.

### Output

Each delivered row can include:

- Post ID
- Short code
- Caption
- Instagram username
- Owner ID
- Timestamp
- Likes count
- Comments count
- Hashtags
- Display URL
- Video indicator
- Source provider

### Reliability

The router uses multiple upstream data providers. If the primary provider does not deliver enough usable posts, the Actor can automatically use a backup provider to fill the gap.

Results are deduplicated before delivery.

### Limits

- One hashtag per run
- Up to 1,000 requested posts per run
- Public Instagram data only
- Results depend on what upstream providers can currently access from Instagram

### Built by RVAutomation

RVAutomation builds practical automation and data tools designed to reduce manual work and deliver clean results automatically.

# Actor input Schema

## `hashtag` (type: `string`):

Enter one hashtag. You can include or omit the # symbol.

## `resultsLimit` (type: `integer`):

For testing, keep this small. We will raise the limits after the fallback and budget controls are added.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "hashtag": "skincare",
  "resultsLimit": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (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 = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("rvautomation/instagram-data-router").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 = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("rvautomation/instagram-data-router").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 '{}' |
apify call rvautomation/instagram-data-router --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,rvautomation/instagram-data-router"
        }
    }
}
```

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/F4Kkj4qooaVgch9Jx/builds/S6ufOQrSfaRHLlNpk/openapi.json