Instagram Profile API

Instagram Profile API is an instagram profile api that converts known usernames, @handles, or profile URLs into 39-field public account records. It is built for developers and data teams that need identity, audience, biography, account, related-profile, and recent-post data without supplying Instagram credentials.

• One required input: submit 1–1,000 usernames, @handles, or profile URLs in one array.
• 39 documented fields: every returned profile follows the same top-level Dataset contract.
• Audience sample: each record carries up to 500 followers and up to 500 followed accounts, with a coverage record stating how many were returned against the count the account declares.
• Public profile depth: rows include follower counts, bio links, account flags, related profiles, and a recent-post sample.
• Per-row billing: Result events are charged only for profiles saved to the default Dataset.

Run a one-result test · View API

Start with one known public username; the maximum FREE-tier cost for one returned row is $0.015, including Actor Start and Result billing, while source availability remains the main uncertainty.

What does Instagram Profile API do?

Instagram Profile API looks up public account data for a supplied list of known Instagram profiles and returns one normalized Dataset row for each target that resolves. A row combines stable identity fields, biography links, account classification and flags, audience and content counts, related profiles, and a recent public post sample.

The anti-definition is important. This Actor does not discover creators by niche, audience demographics, or location; scrape follower lists or comments; download media; publish content; log in to Instagram; or bypass private-account controls. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram or Meta.

Bare usernames, @handles, and full profile URLs are normalized to usernames. Equivalent duplicates are processed once, and a target can produce no row when Instagram does not return usable public profile data.

How do I run Instagram Profile API?

Run Instagram Profile API by supplying at least one known username in instagram_url, starting the Actor, and reading the default Dataset.

1. Open the Input tab and keep one public username such as nike for the first test.
2. Start the run and wait for the terminal result.
3. Open the default Dataset and confirm the returned username and profile_url.
4. Add the remaining targets after the single-profile shape fits your workflow.

Smallest useful input:

{
  "instagram_url": [
    "nike"
  ]
}

The Console prefill also demonstrates a full profile URL. The array ceiling applies to submitted entries per run; it does not guarantee that every one of 1,000 targets will resolve.

What data does Instagram Profile API return?

Instagram Profile API returns 39 top-level fields per saved profile, with nested objects for links, addresses, related profiles, recent posts, and sampled follower or following rows.

Group	Fields
Identity	user_id, facebook_id, username, full_name, avatar_url, profile_url
Biography and links	bio, bio_mentions, bio_hashtags, pronouns, website, bio_links
Facebook and contact	facebook_name, facebook_url, contact_method, address
Classification	category, category_type, business_category
Account flags	is_private, is_verified, is_professional, is_business, has_clips, has_threads, hide_counts, embeds_disabled
Counts	followers, following, posts, reels, highlights
Related data	related_profiles, recent_posts
Processing	processor, processed_at

Abbreviated illustrative item; a real row includes all 39 fields and may contain longer nested arrays:

{
  "user_id": "13460080",
  "username": "nike",
  "full_name": "Nike",
  "bio": "Just Do It.",
  "website": "http://empli.fi/nike",
  "is_private": false,
  "is_verified": true,
  "is_professional": true,
  "is_business": true,
  "followers": 291541671,
  "following": 264,
  "posts": 1667,
  "reels": 20,
  "related_profiles": [],
  "profile_url": "https://www.instagram.com/nike/",
  "recent_posts": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db6EzJxRewC/",
      "type": "reel",
      "posted_at": "2026-08-11T10:00:58-07:00",
      "likes": 34360,
      "comments": 234,
      "views": 276581,
      "tagged_users": [
        {
          "user_id": "306787899",
          "username": "nikebasketball",
          "profile_url": "https://www.instagram.com/nikebasketball/",
          "x": 0.0653594807,
          "y": 0.0163398702
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "processed_at": "2026-08-09T21:53:38-07:00"
}

Values reflect the source response at processing time. Optional fields may be null or empty, private profiles expose less data, and recent_posts is a sample rather than a complete archive. Tagged-user references include source-provided x and y positions when available. The is_verified value is Instagram's flag, not an independent identity check.

What inputs can I configure?

Instagram Profile API exposes one required input and no optional filters, credentials, proxy settings, or result cap.

Input	Type	Required	Description	Example
instagram_url	array of strings	Yes	Submit 1–1,000 public usernames, @handles, or Instagram profile URLs. Invalid routes are ignored and duplicate normalized usernames are processed once.	["openai", "https://www.instagram.com/nike/"]

Valid usernames use letters, digits, periods, and underscores. Post, reel, story, explore, account-management, and similar non-profile routes are not accepted as profile targets. If no valid username remains after normalization, correct the input before retrying.

What platforms and markets does Instagram Profile API cover?

Instagram Profile API covers Instagram public profile targets and has no country, language, category, or market selector. A public username can be submitted regardless of the account's language or location, but returned fields depend on what Instagram exposes for that account and response.

This single-platform scope keeps the contract focused. It does not combine TikTok, X, YouTube, Facebook, or other social profiles, and it does not translate biography or caption text. Store source text as returned if language preservation matters.

Why use Instagram Profile API?

Instagram Profile API is useful when a pipeline needs predictable public account records from an existing target list without building an authenticated Instagram integration.

Capability	Benefit
1–1,000 targets per run	Enrich a shortlist or CRM batch with one Actor invocation.
39-field schema	Map a stable set of top-level columns across personal, creator, professional, and business accounts.
Related profiles and bio mentions	Produce reviewable leads for a separate, human-qualified follow-up list.
Recent post sample	Add current content context without claiming a full post archive.
Returned-row billing	Pay the Result event only for rows saved to the default Dataset.

The main trade-off is source dependence: an unavailable or restricted profile may produce no row, and public fields can change between snapshots.

Who is Instagram Profile API for?

Instagram Profile API is for developers, analysts, creator-operations teams, and data engineers that already know which accounts they need to inspect.

• Enrich creator shortlists with followers, is_verified, category, website, and bio_links.
• Monitor known brand accounts through timestamped followers, posts, reels, and profile-text snapshots.
• Add public profile context to CRM records by joining on user_id, username, or profile_url.
• Review recent captions, engagement, coauthors, tagged users, music, and locations before deeper content analysis.

It is not the right product for teams seeking discovery by niche or demographics, full follower lists, private data, direct messaging, media downloads, posting, or audience-authenticity scores.

How can I use Instagram Profile API through the API or MCP?

Use real Actor ID nU312PzlPsPH0na31 or the name form truefetch/instagram-profile-api through Apify's API, SDKs, and MCP integration.

nU312PzlPsPH0na31

HTTP run example:

curl -X POST "https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/truefetch~instagram-profile-api/runs?token=YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"instagram_url":["nike"]}'

For MCP, connect the Apify MCP Server, enable Actor calls, and pass:

{
  "actor": "truefetch/instagram-profile-api",
  "input": {
    "instagram_url": [
      "nike"
    ]
  }
}

The live API page provides generated HTTP, Python, JavaScript, CLI, OpenAPI, and MCP examples. Keep the Apify token in a secret rather than embedding it in source control.

How much does Instagram Profile API cost?

On the FREE tier, Instagram Profile API charges $0.00200 per saved profile plus $0.01 for Actor Start, so the smallest one-result run totals $0.01200.

Event	Billing unit	FREE	BRONZE	SILVER	GOLD	PLATINUM	DIAMOND
Actor Start	Per run by memory, one event per GB with a minimum of one	$0.01000	$0.01000	$0.01000	$0.01000	$0.01000	$0.01000
Result	One saved default Dataset row	$0.00200	$0.00180	$0.00160	$0.00150	$0.00150	$0.00150

The Actor defaults to 128 MB, which incurs the minimum one Actor Start event. Unavailable targets that produce no Dataset row create no Result event. Prices can change, so check the live pricing page before budgeting a large batch.

How does Instagram Profile API compare with alternatives?

Instagram Profile API is best for repeatable, read-only enrichment of known public profiles; manual review is better when only one account needs a qualitative human judgment.

Meta's official Instagram API collection documents token-based professional-account workflows and is better for authorized publishing, comments, insights, and account management. This Actor does not replace those actions; it supplies normalized public profile snapshots for known targets without asking for Instagram credentials.

A discovery database is a better fit for searching creators by niche, geography, audience composition, contact database, or predicted affinity. A dedicated post, comment, follower-list, hashtag, reel, or downloader Actor is better when the required entity is content or an audience list rather than a profile.

What are the limits and troubleshooting steps?

Instagram Profile API is limited by public source availability, profile state, and the one-profile-record scope.

• Fewer rows than submitted → one or more targets did not yield usable public data. Verify the handles and retry only the missing profiles in a small batch.
• Input error → send instagram_url as a 1–1,000-item string array. Reproduce with {"instagram_url":["nike"]}.
• Null contact or category fields → the source did not expose those values. Preserve nulls rather than treating them as a failed run.
• Private profile has limited details → the Actor respects the public surface and does not bypass access controls.
• Counts changed → compare processed_at timestamps because follower and content counts are snapshots.
• Recent post count is small → recent_posts is a sample; posts is the source-reported total.

Report reproducible problems on the Issues page with the run ID, non-secret input, expected username, Dataset item count, and affected field. Do not post API tokens or private credentials.

Frequently asked questions

Instagram Profile API answers the main questions about credentials, duplicates, monitoring, field availability, and billing.

Can I use an instagram profile api without login?

Yes. This instagram profile api without login requires only an Apify token for programmatic Actor access; it does not request Instagram credentials.

How does a bulk instagram profile api handle duplicates?

A bulk instagram profile api normalizes usernames and processes equivalent duplicates once, so one saved profile creates one Result event.

Is there a free Instagram API?

Meta provides official APIs for authorized professional-account workflows, and Apify accounts may include platform credits for small tests. This Actor still uses its configured Actor Start and Result prices.

Can I schedule runs to monitor Instagram profiles over time?

Yes. Use Apify Schedules with the same input and retain each Dataset snapshot with processed_at for comparisons.

Does the API return email or phone fields?

No. The 39-field contract includes contact_method, address, website, and bio_links, but it does not define email or phone.

Can I scrape private Instagram content?

No. A private account may expose limited profile metadata, but the Actor does not bypass privacy controls or retrieve private posts.

Does a successful run return one row per submitted target?

Not necessarily. Usable profiles can be saved while other targets remain unavailable, so reconcile the Dataset against the original list.

Related TrueFetch Actors

These three TrueFetch Actors extend the profile workflow without duplicating its entity scope.

• Instagram Post Scraper — collect post-level data when a profile's recent sample is not enough.
• Instagram Explore Post — inspect the Explore surface instead of looking up known profiles.
• X User Profile — add a second public social account to cross-platform enrichment.

Support

Use the Store page for the product overview, the API page for generated integrations, the Issues page for reproducible bugs, and the TrueFetch community for usage questions. Include the run ID and non-secret input when reporting a problem.

Start with one public profile · Open the API reference

Last Updated: August 12, 2026