Instagram Scraper Tutorial (2026): Profiles, Posts, Hashtags, Followers & Comments
Quick answer: Apify's Instagram Scraper extracts profiles, posts, hashtags, followers, and comments from Instagram. No coding required. Run from the Apify Store with a free account.
You need public Instagram data at scale—profiles, posts, hashtag feeds, follower lists, comments—without maintaining proxies, sessions, or brittle scripts. This tutorial walks through the Instagram Scraper on Apify: inputs, outputs, a realistic JSON sample, use cases, and what private or logged-in-only data cannot be collected ethically through a Store Actor.
Open Instagram scrapers in the Apify Store → · Run Instagram Scraper (popular Actor) →
What data you can extract
Profile (public)
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Username | nike |
| Full name | Nike |
| Biography | Text + hashtags |
| Follower / following counts | Integers (point-in-time) |
| Post count | Integer |
| Verified flag | true / false |
| Profile image URL | CDN URL (may expire) |
| External link | If shown on profile |
Posts (public)
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Post / media ID | Platform id |
| Caption | Full text |
| Like / comment counts | Integers |
| Timestamp | ISO-8601 |
| Media type | Image, video, carousel |
| Media URLs | CDN URLs |
| Hashtags (parsed) | Array of tags |
Hashtags and discovery
| Mode | Typical output |
|---|---|
| Hashtag scrape | Recent/top posts for a tag (as exposed to logged-out or scraper session) |
| Search | Profiles or tags matching a query (Actor-dependent) |
Followers and comments
| Target | Notes |
|---|---|
| Followers / following | Lists for public accounts, subject to Actor caps and Instagram friction |
| Comments | Usually from explicit post URLs; volume limits apply per post |
Exact field names depend on the Actor version—always treat the input/output schema in the Store UI as the source of truth.
Step-by-step: configure, run, download
1. Open the Actor
Browse Instagram scrapers in the Apify Store and open Instagram Scraper (or another Instagram Actor that matches your need). Click Try for free / Open console.
2. Set inputs
| Input type | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Usernames | Profile metadata + recent posts |
| Hashtags | Campaign tracking, UGC discovery |
| Post URLs | Deep dive on engagement and comments |
| Search | Prospect discovery by keyword |
Start with small limits (for example tens of posts or comments), then scale once the schema matches your pipeline.
3. Proxies and sessions
Hard targets expect residential or mobile-class traffic. On Apify, Actors often default to managed proxy pools; follow the Actor README. For platform-wide proxy docs, see Apify Proxy.
4. Run and monitor
Start the run, watch the Log tab for rate limits or schema errors, and confirm Succeeded before exporting.
5. Export
Open Storage → Dataset and download JSON, CSV, or Excel for BI tools, enrichment, or your own app.
Field names and nesting vary by Actor version; this shape is typical for a post-level row.
{
"type": "post",
"id": "1809234567890123456",
"shortCode": "AbCdEfGhIjK",
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/AbCdEfGhIjK/",
"caption": "Example caption #example #apify",
"timestamp": "2026-03-15T14:22:11.000Z",
"likesCount": 12450,
"commentsCount": 312,
"ownerUsername": "examplebrand",
"ownerFullName": "Example Brand",
"hashtags": ["example", "apify"],
"displayUrl": "https://scontent.cdninstagram.com/…",
"isVideo": false,
"videoViewCount": null
}
Use cases
| Use case | How scraping helps |
|---|---|
| Influencer discovery | Filter creators by size, niche hashtags, and engagement proxies |
| Competitor content | Track posting cadence, themes, and campaign hooks |
| Campaign reporting | Aggregate hashtag participation and top posts |
| Lead research | Public bios and links (emails only if publicly stated) |
| Market research | Qualitative signals from comments and captions |
Limitations: public vs private
| Accessible | Not accessible (via standard public-data Actors) |
|---|---|
| Public profiles and posts | Private accounts you do not follow |
| Public comments (within caps) | Direct messages |
| Follower lists for many public accounts | Stories and ephemeral surfaces |
| Data visible without your personal login | Anything that requires being an approved follower |
Instagram's Terms restrict automated access; use data for allowed purposes in your jurisdiction and do not resell personal data in ways that violate privacy law. When in doubt, get legal advice.
Influencer discovery workflow (compact)
- Pick 10–20 audience hashtags (not only your brand tag).
- Run hashtag mode with a modest cap per tag; dedupe authors.
- Filter by follower band and engagement proxy:
(likes + comments) / followerson recent posts. - Export usernames, URLs, and metrics for outreach or CRM.
Scrape one username and one hashtag with low limits before large jobs—Instagram changes frequently, and Actor fields shift between versions. Create a free Apify account →
Laws vary by country and use case. Publicly visible data is often used for research or internal analytics, but Instagram's Terms restrict automated access. GDPR and similar rules may apply to personal data. Consult qualified counsel for compliance before scaling.
Usually no—Apify Store Actors use managed infrastructure and documented inputs so you do not paste your personal password into a scraper. Follow each Actor's README for any optional session or cookie fields.
No ethical Store flow provides private content without authorization. Anything claiming otherwise is a red flag. Stick to public data or official APIs/partnerships.
Only if the user published them in public bio or post text. There is no legitimate bulk 'email reveal' from Instagram through scraping.
Rate limits, partial blocks, removed posts, or hashtag visibility rules reduce completeness. Lower concurrency expectations, retry off-peak, and split work into smaller runs.
Use the Actor modes documented for those entities, keep caps realistic, and expect more friction than simple profile scrapes. Upgrade proxy settings only when the Actor recommends it—see Apify Proxy documentation.
Start with the best-maintained general Instagram Scraper for your goal (posts vs comments vs followers), then read the Pricing and README tabs. The filtered Store search helps you compare alternatives side by side.