# Instagram Reel Scraper (`website-scraper/instagram-reel-scraper`) Actor

Uses the official apify/instagram-reel-scraper actor internally to fetch public Instagram Reels and returns a lightweight, simplified dataset with key reel insights. To scrape Reels, simply enter a username or paste a profile URL. You can also paste specific Reel URLs to scrape them directly.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/website-scraper/instagram-reel-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [website-scraper](https://apify.com/website-scraper) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Automation, Lead generation
- **Stats:** 641 total users, 1 monthly users, 95.9% runs succeeded, 20 bookmarks
- **User rating**: 3.90 out of 5 stars

## Pricing

Pay per usage

This Actor is paid per platform usage. The Actor is free to use, and you only pay for the Apify platform usage, which gets cheaper the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-usage

## 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

### Helper Function / Wrapper

This actor works as a **helper function (wrapper)** around the official **apify/instagram-reel-scraper** actor.\
It runs that actor internally, fetches public Instagram Reels, and then **simplifies the result**
to output only key data fields such as **reel URLs**, **IDs**, **usernames**, **play counts**, **likes counts**, **comments counts**, and **timestamps**.

The output is lightweight and ready to use in reports, dashboards, or data processing workflows.

### What is Instagram Reel Scraper?

Instagram Reel Scraper allows you to scrape public reels from any Instagram user. Just enter one or more Instagram usernames and you can extract and download all their posts in Excel, HTML, XML, CSV, Excel, or JSON to use in reports, data visualizations, spreadsheets, and other applications.

### Please Note:

This actor uses the official apify/instagram-reel-scraper actor internally. It runs that actor to scrape data, then simplifies its result to provide only the most relevant information fields in a cleaner, reduced format.

### How to scrape Instagram reel?

Instagram Reel Scraper is designed to be fast and easy to use so there aren't too many parameters or settings. Just follow the steps below:

Create a free Apify account.
Open Instagram Reel Scraper.
Add one or more Instagram usernames to scrape.
Click "Save & Start" and wait for the datasets to be extracted.
Download your data in JSON, XML, CSV, Excel, or HTML.

This actor automatically calls apify/instagram-reel-scraper, collects reel data, and outputs simplified results with the following fields:

- reelURL
- reelId
- ownerUsername
- videoPlayCount
- likesCount
- commentsCount
- timestamp

### Example Output

```
[
  {
    "reelURL": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DTN5aH4gG9z/",
    "reelId": "3804949744019599219",
    "ownerUsername": "natgeo",
    "videoPlayCount": 1948214,
    "likesCount": 64503,
    "commentsCount": 340,
    "timestamp": "2026-01-07T17:04:30.000Z"
  },
  {
    "reelURL": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DTDmvljAD7L/",
    "reelId": "3802052906329325259",
    "ownerUsername": "natgeo",
    "videoPlayCount": 4694898,
    "likesCount": 90216,
    "commentsCount": 322,
    "timestamp": "2026-01-03T17:10:02.000Z"
  }
]
```

### Example Input

```
const input = {
    resultsLimit: 27,
    username: ["natgeo"]
}
```

# Actor input Schema

## `username` (type: `array`):

Insert the username or URL of any profile you want to get reels from. You can also paste the reels URLs themselves.

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

Maximum number of reels you want to scrape per profile. If you set it to 5, you'll get 5 reels for each profile you've included.

## `skipPinnedPosts` (type: `boolean`):

Check if you do not want to save pinned reels.

## `includeSharesCount` (type: `boolean`):

This feature is for paying users only. If checked, the scraper will extract the shares count for each reel - in addition to the rest of the data. Upgrade to [Starter plan](https://console.apify.com/billing/subscription) to get shares as well.

## `includeTranscript` (type: `boolean`):

If checked, the scraper will add a transcript of the reel in addition to the rest of the data.

## `includeDownloadedVideo` (type: `boolean`):

If checked, the scraper will download a copy of the video to the Apify platform where it will be stored for 3 days in addition to the rest of the data. This is useful because CDN links to Instagram expire quickly.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "username": [
    "natgeo"
  ],
  "resultsLimit": 27,
  "skipPinnedPosts": false,
  "includeSharesCount": false,
  "includeTranscript": false,
  "includeDownloadedVideo": false
}
```

# 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 = {
    "username": [
        "natgeo"
    ]
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("website-scraper/instagram-reel-scraper").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 = { "username": ["natgeo"] }

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("website-scraper/instagram-reel-scraper").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 '{
  "username": [
    "natgeo"
  ]
}' |
apify call website-scraper/instagram-reel-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

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

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/frGcYk0meZkxxeo8k/builds/QfwLiJ4EFRjO1KeTC/openapi.json