# Instagram Reel Analytics (`thequietstack/instagram-reel-analytics`) Actor

Get the play count Instagram actually shows, not the lower view\_count most scrapers return. Engagement rate, date filter, post age and no duplicates. No login required.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/thequietstack/instagram-reel-analytics.md
- **Developed by:** [TheQuietStack](https://apify.com/thequietstack) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media
- **Stats:** 4 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $2.50 / 1,000 post analyzeds

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?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
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.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## 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.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## Instagram Reel Analytics — Verified Play Count & Engagement

Get the play count Instagram **actually shows in the app** — not the lower `view_count` that most
scrapers return.

Instagram keeps two different view numbers for the same Reel. Measured on an @instagram Reel,
2026-08-12:

| field | value |
|---|---|
| `play_count` (what the app displays) | **94,757,327** |
| `view_count` (what most scrapers return) | **24,605,096** |
| difference | **factor 3.85** |

If your reporting has ever looked wrong, this is why.

> **What you actually get, stated plainly.** The two numbers come from two different Instagram
> endpoints. This Actor returns `playCount` — the app number — on **every** post. It returns
> `videoViewCount` next to it only when Instagram's feed endpoint carries it; today that endpoint
> usually omits it, so the field is `null`. Null means null: never guessed, never quietly filled
> with the other number.

### What you get per post

`playCount` · `videoViewCount` · `viewCountsDiffer` · `likes` · `comments` · `engagementTotal` ·
`engagementRatePctOfPlays` · `takenAtIso` · `ageHours` · `isReel` · `productType` · `durationSec` ·
`hasAudio` · `audioTitle` · `caption` · `commentsDisabled` · `shortcode` · `url`

### Built around four things people complain about elsewhere

- **Wrong view numbers** → both counts returned and named, never silently merged.
- **No date filter** → `sinceDate` / `untilDate`, plus `ageHours` on every record so you can see
  at a glance how fresh the data is.
- **Duplicate posts you still get charged for** → deduplicated by shortcode **before** billing.
  Filtered-out and duplicate rows are never charged.
- **Runaway costs** → `maxCostUsd` stops the run cleanly at your limit.

### Input

```json
{
    "usernames": ["natgeo", "nasa"],
    "maxPostsPerProfile": 12,
    "onlyReels": true,
    "sinceDate": "2026-06-01",
    "maxCostUsd": "1.00"
}
```

Private profiles are skipped with an explicit reason in the run's `SUMMARY` record — never a
silent empty result.

### Pricing

Pay per result: **$2.50 per 1,000 posts returned**. Apify platform usage is included in that
price. Filtered-out posts and duplicates are not billed.

### Limits, stated up front

- Returns the **most recent 12 posts** per profile. Deeper history is not available through the
  public endpoint this Actor uses.
- Public profiles only.
- `shares` is not exposed by Instagram publicly and is therefore not returned. No estimate is
  invented for it.

# Actor input Schema

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

Public Instagram usernames, with or without @. Private profiles are skipped with a clear reason instead of an empty result.

## `maxPostsPerProfile` (type: `integer`):

How many posts to return per profile. You are charged per returned post only - duplicates and filtered-out posts are never charged.

## `onlyReels` (type: `boolean`):

Return only Reels (product type clips), skipping images and carousels.

## `sinceDate` (type: `string`):

Date filter - the single most requested missing feature in competing scrapers.

## `untilDate` (type: `string`):

Optional upper bound for the post date.

## `maxCostUsd` (type: `string`):

The run stops cleanly when this amount is reached. Leave empty for no cap.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Datacenter proxy is enough for this Actor - measured, no residential proxy required.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "natgeo",
    "nasa"
  ],
  "maxPostsPerProfile": 12,
  "onlyReels": false,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `posts` (type: `string`):

One row per post: both view numbers, engagement, age and audio.

## `summary` (type: `string`):

Profiles processed, posts written, amount charged, and the reason for every skipped profile.

# 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"
    ],
    "proxyConfiguration": {
        "useApifyProxy": true
    }
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("thequietstack/instagram-reel-analytics").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"],
    "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": True },
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("thequietstack/instagram-reel-analytics").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"
  ],
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}' |
apify call thequietstack/instagram-reel-analytics --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

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

```

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/O0InhANAzkbHqe7Fe/builds/6VKPP2UHJ7DDUYJtu/openapi.json