Instagram Followers Scraper

A robust Apify Actor for scraping followers from Instagram profiles. Supports bulk processing with intelligent proxy fallback and real-time data saving.

Why Choose Us?

• Bulk Processing: Process multiple Instagram profiles in a single run
• Intelligent Proxy Management: Automatic fallback from no proxy → datacenter → residential proxies
• Live Data Saving: Results saved incrementally to prevent data loss
• Comprehensive Error Handling: Robust retry logic with exponential backoff
• Detailed Logging: Real-time progress updates and status information

Key Features

• ✅ Multiple Profile Support: Process multiple Instagram profiles simultaneously
• ✅ Proxy Fallback: Automatic fallback from no proxy → datacenter → residential (with 3 retries)
• ✅ Live Saving: Data saved immediately as it's scraped
• ✅ Retry Logic: Up to 3 retry attempts with exponential backoff
• ✅ Rich Metadata: Extract comprehensive follower information

Input

JSON Example

{
  "startUrls": [
    {"url": "https://www.instagram.com/cristiano/"},
    {"url": "https://www.instagram.com/nike/"}
  ],
  "maxData": 1000,
  "sessionId": "your_session_id_here",
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}

Input Fields

• startUrls (required, array): List of Instagram profile URLs or usernames

  • Example: [{"url": "https://www.instagram.com/username/"}] or [{"url": "username"}]

• maxData (optional, integer): Maximum number of followers to collect per profile

  • Default: 1000
  • Range: 1-10000

• sessionId (required, string): Your Instagram session ID cookie value

  • Required for authentication
  • Get this from your browser's cookies when logged into Instagram

• proxyConfiguration (optional, object): Proxy configuration settings

  • useApifyProxy (boolean): Enable Apify proxy
    • Default: false (no proxy)
    • If enabled, uses datacenter proxy with automatic fallback to residential

Output

JSON Example

[
  {
    "pk": "73320179592",
    "pk_id": "73320179592",
    "id": "73320179592",
    "username": "davabukandaffa5",
    "full_name": "arizki",
    "profile_pic_url": "https://instagram.fjsr11-1.fna.fbcdn.net/...",
    "is_verified": false,
    "is_private": true,
    "followed_by": "cristiano",
    "success": true
  }
]

Output Fields

• pk: Primary key (user ID)
• pk_id: Primary key ID
• id: User ID
• username: Instagram username
• full_name: Full name
• profile_pic_url: Profile picture URL
• is_verified: Whether the account is verified
• is_private: Whether the account is private
• followed_by: The profile these followers belong to
• success: Whether the data was successfully collected

🚀 How to Use the Actor (via Apify Console)

1. Log in at https://console.apify.com and go to Actors.
2. Find your actor (instagram-followers-scraper) and click it.
3. Configure inputs:
   • Add Instagram profile URLs or usernames
   • Set maximum followers per profile
   • Enter your Instagram session ID
   • Configure proxy settings if needed
4. Run the actor.
5. Monitor logs in real time.
6. Access results in the OUTPUT tab.
7. Export results to JSON or CSV.

Best Use Cases

• Social Media Analytics: Analyze follower demographics and engagement
• Influencer Research: Identify followers of specific accounts
• Market Research: Understand audience composition
• Competitor Analysis: Study competitor follower bases

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need a session ID?
A: Yes, a valid Instagram session ID is required for authentication.

Q: How do I get my session ID?
A: Log into Instagram in your browser, open developer tools, go to Cookies, and copy the sessionid value.

Q: What happens if Instagram blocks my requests?
A: The actor automatically falls back to datacenter proxy, then residential proxy with 3 retries.

Q: Can I scrape private accounts?
A: No, only public accounts can be scraped. Private account followers are not accessible.

Q: Is there a rate limit?
A: The actor includes built-in delays and retry logic to respect Instagram's rate limits.

Support and Feedback

For issues, questions, or feature requests, please contact the development team.

Cautions

• Data is collected only from publicly available sources.
• No data is taken from private accounts or password-protected content.
• The end user is responsible for ensuring legal compliance (spam laws, privacy, data protection, etc.).
• Respect Instagram's Terms of Service and rate limits.