Instagram Profile Reels Scraper

Instagram Profile Reels Scraper

Instagram Profile Reels Scraper is a fast, scalable tool that collects public post/reel metadata from Instagram profile pages — captions, likes, comments count, first comment, publish time, and URLs — so you can analyze content performance at scale. It solves the busywork of manual collection by letting you scrape Instagram reels by username, run bulk jobs, and export structured datasets for reporting or pipelines. Built for marketers, developers, data analysts, and researchers, this Instagram reels scraper enables consistent, automation-ready exports for competitive analysis, content strategy, and research workflows.

What data / output can you get?

Below are the exact fields this Instagram profile reels extractor tool outputs to the Apify dataset. You can export results to JSON or CSV for dashboards and analytics.

Data type	Description	Example value
displayUrl	CDN URL of the thumbnail/cover image for the post/reel	https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/521263997_...jpg
caption	Full text caption of the post/reel	With cutting-edge science on his side, @chrishemsworth is back...
ownerFullName	Display name of the profile owner	Natgeo
ownerUsername	Username of the profile owner	natgeo
url	Canonical Instagram URL for the post/reel	https://www.instagram.com/p/DMNbY-TRBlZ/
commentsCount	Total number of comments (0 if extractEngagement=false)	1988
firstComment	First available comment text (empty string if not found or disabled)	Love this
likesCount	Total number of likes (0 if extractEngagement=false)	342541
timestamp	ISO timestamp of when the post/reel was published	2025-07-17T13:01:24.000Z

Notes:

• Exports are available via the Apify dataset in JSON and CSV.
• firstComment is collected only when extractComments=true and may be empty if none is available.
• likesCount and commentsCount are included only when extractEngagement=true; otherwise they will be 0.

Key features

• 🔄 Smart proxy fallback & resilience — Automatically toggles between residential and datacenter proxy groups with retry logic to keep large jobs running reliably.
• 🧵 Public scraping without API or login — A practical Instagram reels scraper without API access or cookies; works on public profiles only.
• 📦 Structured outputs for analytics — Pushes records directly to the Apify dataset with stable fields ready to export to JSON/CSV or consume via API.
• 🧠 First-comment extraction with fallbacks — Captures the first available comment using multiple strategies (inline data and page-level parsing) for richer context.
• 📈 Unlimited mode & pagination — Set resultsLimit=0 to collect all available posts/reels per profile; built-in pagination and progressive delays reduce rate limits.
• 👥 Bulk profile processing — Supply multiple usernames/URLs to run a batch Instagram account reels downloader workflow in one run.
• 🐍 Python-based & developer-friendly — Built in Python on Apify’s Actor runtime; easy to automate in pipelines and call via the Apify API.
• 🧰 Rate-limit aware — Customize delays between requests to balance speed and stability for larger runs.

How to use Instagram Profile Reels Scraper - step by step

1. Sign up and log in to Apify — Open the actor “Instagram Profile Reels Scraper” in the Apify Store.
2. Add profiles — In urls, paste Instagram usernames or profile URLs (e.g., natgeo, @cristiano, or https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/).
3. Set limits — Choose resultsLimit per profile. Use 0 for unlimited (all available items). Note: values between 1–9 are raised to 10 internally.
4. Configure extraction — Toggle extractComments and extractEngagement as needed. Engagement metrics (likes/comments count) are only included when extractEngagement=true.
5. Tune stability — Use delayBetweenRequests to reduce rate limits. On Apify, useApifyProxy is enabled by default.
6. Start the run — Click Start. The scraper will paginate profile feeds, convert items, and push each result to the dataset as it’s collected.
7. Export your data — Download the dataset as JSON or CSV, or access it programmatically via the Apify API for automation.

Pro tip: Set resultsLimit=0 for full exports from a profile, and chain the dataset API into your analytics or ETL workflow for bulk download Instagram profile reels scenarios.

Use cases

Use case name	Description
Social media marketing analytics	Track caption themes and measure engagement (likes, comments count) across profiles to inform content strategy and posting cadence.
Influencer vetting by username	Evaluate creator performance by scraping Instagram reels by username, then filter by caption topics and timestamps.
Competitor content tracking	Monitor competitors’ latest posts/reels and extract consistent fields for side‑by‑side comparisons.
Editorial research & trend spotting	Build datasets of captions and first comments to analyze narratives, CTAs, and audience reactions over time.
Academic & data science studies	Export JSON/CSV for longitudinal studies on engagement patterns and content types across public accounts.
API-driven pipelines	Schedule runs, pull dataset items via API, and feed downstream BI tools or warehouses.
Bulk audits for agencies	Run multi-profile jobs as an Instagram profile reels extractor tool to aggregate results for reporting at scale.

Why choose Instagram Profile Reels Scraper?

This Instagram reels crawler prioritizes precision, automation, and reliability over browser extensions or brittle scripts.

• ✅ Accurate, structured fields — Stable JSON keys for captions, counts, first comment, timestamps, and URLs.
• 🔐 Public-data only — Designed for ethical use on public profiles; no private data, no passwords.
• 📈 Scales with pagination — Use unlimited mode for full-history exports when needed.
• 🧑‍💻 Developer access — Results land in the Apify dataset; fetch via API and automate with Python easily.
• 🧭 Resilient infrastructure — Built-in proxy fallback and retry handling reduce failed runs.
• 💰 Efficient operations — Export JSON/CSV without managing infrastructure or headless browsers.

In short: a production-ready Instagram profile reels downloader workflow without the hassles of a chrome extension or unstable DIY scripts.

Is it legal / ethical to use Instagram Profile Reels Scraper?

Yes — when used responsibly. This actor collects only publicly available information from Instagram profiles. It does not access private accounts, passwords, or restricted data.

Guidelines for responsible use:

• Scrape only public pages you’re allowed to access.
• Comply with Instagram’s Terms of Service.
• Respect data protection laws (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) and your organization’s policies.
• Use results for analysis and research, not spam or misuse.

For edge cases or jurisdiction-specific questions, consult your legal team.

Input parameters & output format

Example input (JSON):

{
  "delayBetweenRequests": 2,
  "extractComments": true,
  "extractEngagement": true,
  "maxComments": 1,
  "maxConcurrency": 3,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  },
  "resultsLimit": 30,
  "sortOrder": "newest",
  "urls": [
    "natgeo",
    "cristiano"
  ]
}

Input parameter reference:

• urls (array, required) — List of Instagram profile URLs or usernames. Supports formats like “username”, “@username”, or “https://www.instagram.com/username/”.
• resultsLimit (integer, default: 10) — Maximum posts per profile. Set 0 for unlimited (all available). Note: values 1–9 are raised to 10 internally.
• sortOrder (string, default: "newest") — Desired ordering. Note: currently not applied by the code path.
• maxComments (integer, default: 1) — Intended maximum comments per post (0 = none, -1 = all). Note: current output includes only firstComment; parameter is not applied.
• proxyConfiguration (object, default: {"useApifyProxy": true}) — Proxy settings. On Apify platform, useApifyProxy is auto-enabled.
• maxConcurrency (integer, default: 3) — Intended maximum parallel profiles. Note: current implementation processes profiles sequentially.
• delayBetweenRequests (integer, default: 2) — Delay between paginated requests to reduce rate limits.
• extractComments (boolean, default: true) — Whether to extract firstComment (via inline data and page-level parsing).
• extractEngagement (boolean, default: true) — Whether to populate likesCount and commentsCount; otherwise these fields are 0.

Example output (JSON):

[
  {
    "displayUrl": "https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/521263997_18585379903019133_7508329768642347421_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ig_cache_key=MzY3ODcxNjkzNDA1MDAyNzg2NTE4NTg1Mzc5OTAwMDE5MTMz.3-ccb1-7&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=58cdad&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InhwaWRzLjYxMngxMDg4LnNkci5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=tSsF6KibsYoQ7kNvwG4aC-c&_nc_oc=AdnzmPBVxINJc8Z3Q0wEzuUed3xO8tHlXKau1akZ6iuNN4NWiFRkq0jALpGui4JaL_0&_nc_ad=z-m&_nc_cid=0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=7RsysdmZtGoPdWptV4UtqA&oh=00_AfYKRFhYGKsH0-Bv7YGmpA5LaLHdVasQEUH_29HejhjDBg&oe=68E2FD78",
    "caption": "With cutting-edge science on his side, @chrishemsworth is back and ready to journey to the edge of his comfort zone—and learn how we can all live better.\n\nSeason 2 of #LimitlessWithChrisHemsworth premieres August 15 on @DisneyPlus and @hulu. Season 1 is now streaming.",
    "ownerFullName": "Natgeo",
    "ownerUsername": "natgeo",
    "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DMNbY-TRBlZ/",
    "commentsCount": 1988,
    "firstComment": "Love this",
    "likesCount": 342541,
    "timestamp": "2025-07-17T13:01:24.000Z"
  },
  {
    "displayUrl": "https://scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/557862796_18599657782019133_1796573407173380430_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ig_cache_key=MzczMzIzMzkyMTY4NjU4MzMzOTE4NTk5NjU3Nzc2MDE5MTMz.3-ccb1-7&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=58cdad&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InhwaWRzLjEwODB4MTkyMC5zZHIuQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=TIkYqPCTrzkQ7kNvwFE_6ik&_nc_oc=Adk4veseWSPfLAQ-oJxT4gH7ZBrQtdCx1TjHIeBG60gs45928aSzD9nwp1CX6jc8Npg&_nc_ad=z-m&_nc_cid=0&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=7RsysdmZtGoPdWptV4UtqA&oh=00_AfZhgTloML04CcY5pawmrnIRR7KMjedqbn8NUkMe-AMtOA&oe=68E2E85C",
    "caption": "Atlantic Canada has its own rhythms, its own culture, and far more gorgeous scenery than you can fit in one video...",
    "ownerFullName": "Natgeo",
    "ownerUsername": "natgeo",
    "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DPPHHjlkTgr/",
    "commentsCount": 36,
    "firstComment": "👏👏👏",
    "likesCount": 8498,
    "timestamp": "2025-09-30T18:17:30.000Z"
  }
]

Output field notes:

• firstComment may be empty if no inline or page-level comment is found, or when extractComments=false.
• likesCount and commentsCount are 0 when extractEngagement=false.
• Timestamps are returned in ISO format with millisecond precision set to .000Z.

FAQ

Is there a free trial?

Yes. This actor includes 120 trial minutes on Apify (per pricing configuration), so you can test runs before subscribing.

Do I need to log in to Instagram?

No. The scraper works on public profiles without login, cookies, or official APIs. It functions as an Instagram reels scraper without API access.

How many posts/reels can I export per profile?

You can set resultsLimit up to 10,000. Use 0 for unlimited to collect all available items from a profile’s feed.

What data fields are included?

Each item includes displayUrl, caption, ownerFullName, ownerUsername, url, commentsCount, firstComment, likesCount, and timestamp. These are pushed to the Apify dataset during the run.

Does it support bulk usernames?

Yes. Provide multiple entries in urls to run a bulk download Instagram profile reels workflow and aggregate results in a single dataset.

Can I integrate this with Python or an API?

Yes. Results are stored in the Apify dataset, which you can access via the Apify API from any stack, including Python. This makes it easy to automate pipelines and exports.

Do I need to enable a proxy?

On Apify platform, useApifyProxy is automatically enabled by the actor. Off-platform, you may run without a proxy, but success rates are typically higher with a proxy enabled.

Is it compliant to use?

Yes, when used responsibly. The actor collects only public data and does not access private profiles or credentials. Always follow Instagram’s Terms and applicable data regulations.

Closing CTA / Final thoughts

Instagram Profile Reels Scraper is built to extract clean, consistent profile post/reel metadata at scale. With resilient proxy handling, unlimited mode, and structured outputs to the Apify dataset, it’s ideal for marketers, developers, analysts, and researchers.

Run bulk jobs, export JSON/CSV, and wire the dataset into your analytics or ETL stack. Developers can automate end-to-end with the Apify API in Python or any language. Start extracting smarter Instagram insights and turn public profile content into actionable data.