# Instagram Followers & Following Scraper (`instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper`) Actor

Instagram followers & following lists 10× cheaper than the official scraper — no login or cookies, ~1,000 accounts a minute (30,000 in 42 min). Username, full name, ID, verified & private flags, avatar, profile link. Up to 1,000,000 per profile, duplicates free. From $0.17/1K.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Instagram Data API](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api) (community)
- **Categories:** Social media, Lead generation, Marketing
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 113 total users, 50 monthly users, 99.6% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.11 / 1,000 accounts

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

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

## 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

### Instagram followers & following export

**Paste usernames, choose Followers or Following, and get the list as clean rows: username, full name, ID, verified and private flags, avatar and profile link.** $0.17 per 1,000 accounts on Starter.

- 📏 **Exact limits** — any number up to 1,000,000 per profile; you pay only for rows you get.
- 🧹 **Duplicates free** — an account that appears twice is returned and charged once.
- ℹ️ **Honest gaps** — for verified accounts Instagram shows only about 50 followers; you get a free row that says so, never a silent stop.
- 🔗 **Then get their emails** — pass the dataset to our [Email & Phone Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-email-phone-scraper).
- 🔓 **No login**; private or missing profiles come back as free rows.

**Try it:** press **Start** — the prefilled input returns 200 followers of `thedailystoic` (20 on the free Apify plan).

### Why scrape Instagram followers?

- **Audience research:** who follows a competitor or a creator.
- **Growth tracking:** run it on a schedule and compare the lists to see who joined.
- **Outreach and custom audiences** from a relevant account's followers.

### What data can I scrape from Instagram followers?

| Data | What it is |
|---|---|
| Source account | The account from your input this list is for |
| List | followers or following |
| Username | Instagram username (handle) |
| Name | Display name |
| Verified | True if the account has the blue check |
| Private | True if the account is private |

Up to 62 fields per row in total — the **Output** tab lists every one of them.

### Compared with Apify's Instagram Followers and Following Scraper

| | This Actor | Apify's Instagram Followers and Following Scraper (Starter) |
|---|---|---|
| Price per 1,000 accounts | $0.17 | $1.75 |

Their prices and fields as listed on Apify on 28 October 2026 — check their page for today's.

### How to scrape Instagram followers

1. Paste usernames or links into the input, one per line.
2. Press **Start** — rows stream into the Output tab while the run goes.
3. Download them as JSON, CSV, Excel or HTML, or get them through the API.

Works with any public profile on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/) — no login, no cookies, no Instagram account
of yours.

**No input at hand?** Press **Start** with an empty input — you get a 3-row sample.

### Input example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "thedailystoic"
  ],
  "listType": "followers",
  "maxPerProfile": 200
}
```

### Output example: Instagram followers data

```json
{
  "sourceUsername": "natgeo",
  "listType": "followers",
  "rank": 1,
  "username": "jane.travels",
  "id": "21070555628",
  "fullName": "Jane",
  "isVerified": false,
  "isPrivate": false,
  "profileUrl": "https://www.instagram.com/jane.travels/",
  "hasAnonymousProfilePicture": false,
  "hasActiveStory": false
}
```

Each row has up to 62 fields — the **Output** tab describes every one of them. Fields Instagram
doesn't show come as `null`, never as a fake `0`.

### Limits

- Speed: about 10,000 accounts an hour per list. For lists over 50,000, set **Timeout** to 0 (no limit) in the run options.
- If our accounts run out of today's requests in the middle of a huge list, you get what we have plus a free `partial` row — run it again the next day.
- For some very large or verified accounts Instagram shows a shorter list — you get what it shows plus a free row that says so.
- Private accounts: no list, one free row. The order is Instagram's own: for other people's accounts it is not newest-first and changes from run to run, so a capped list is not «the newest followers» — to find new followers, scrape the full list and compare it with your previous one.
- **Free Apify plan:** the first 20 results of each run (looking through up to 15 pages of Instagram), up to 300 results a month across our Actors, from a daily free pool shared by all free users. Any paid Apify plan gets every result — no cap.

### How much does it cost to scrape Instagram followers?

Pay per event: you pay for the rows you get, plus $0.0005 per run. No subscription to this Actor.

| Apify plan | Per 1,000 accounts | What $5 of free credit gets you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0.17 | ≈ 29,400 accounts |
| Starter | $0.17 | — |
| Business and higher | $0.17 | — |

Every event of this Actor on the Starter plan:

| Event | What it is | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Account | Each follower or following account returned | $0.17 per 1,000 |

**Typical jobs on Starter:**

- 10,000 followers ≈ $1.70
- 1,000 followers ≈ $0.17

**Always free:** private or missing profiles, duplicates and the “list limited by Instagram” row. Set **Maximum cost per run** in the run options to cap any run.

### Chain it with other Actors

Use the rows of an earlier run as the input: paste its **dataset ID** into *Or: dataset from another run*. For example,
run [Instagram Followers Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper) on a brand, then give its dataset to
[Instagram Email & Phone Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-email-phone-scraper) — you get the emails of the brand's
followers. Works with the datasets of Apify's own Instagram Actors too.

### Instagram followers API: Python, n8n, Make, Zapier and AI agents

Python:

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

client = ApifyClient("YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN")
run = client.actor("instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper").call(run_input={'usernames': ['thedailystoic'], 'listType': 'followers', 'maxPerProfile': 200})
for row in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items():
    print(row)
```

**n8n, Make, Zapier or any HTTP client:** one request runs the Actor and returns the rows —
`POST https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/instagram-data-api~instagram-followers-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=YOUR_APIFY_TOKEN`
with the input JSON as the body.

**AI agents (MCP)** — your agent gets this Actor as a tool:

- **Claude Code:** `claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com?tools=instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper"`
- **Claude, Cursor, VS Code, n8n:** add `https://mcp.apify.com?tools=instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper` as a remote MCP server and sign in to Apify.
- **Ask it:** *“Export the followers of @mybrand to a CSV.”* · *“Export the accounts @competitor follows.”*

### FAQ: scraping Instagram followers

**How do I export Instagram followers to Excel or CSV?**
Paste the username, choose **Followers** and press **Start**. Open the **Output** tab and download CSV, Excel or JSON — or get the rows through the API.

**Why only about 50 followers for verified accounts?**
Instagram itself shows only a short list for verified accounts. You get a free row (`list_limited_by_instagram`) with the number returned and the total. For some profiles Instagram hides both lists completely (“We limit certain things you can see…”) — then you get a free row `list_hidden_by_instagram`.

**How do I track new followers every day?**
Save the input as a Task and schedule it daily. Every run returns the whole list; to see who is new, compare two runs by `id` — for example in n8n, Make or Google Sheets.

**Can I get bios, follower counts or emails of the followers?**
Not in this Actor — it returns the list. Pass the usernames to Instagram Profile Scraper or Instagram Email & Phone Scraper.

**How big a list can it export?**
About 10,000 accounts an hour per list, and rows appear in the dataset while the run is still going. For lists over 50,000, set Timeout to 0 (no limit) in the run options.

**Do I need an Instagram account or cookies?**
No. You only paste usernames, links or keywords. Nothing to log in, nothing to install, and your own Instagram account is never involved.

**What am I charged for — and what's free?**
Only the events in the pricing table, plus $0.0005 per run. Rows with an `error` field are free, and duplicates are never returned or charged. Each run's `SUMMARY` record shows results and free rows.

**Can I try it for free?**
Yes. On Apify's free plan you get the first 20 results of every run (up to 300 a month across our Actors), paid from the monthly free credit Apify gives every account. Paid plans get every result, with no cap.

**Can I cap what a run costs?**
Yes. Set **Maximum cost per run** in the run options — the run stops at your limit and `SUMMARY` shows `stoppedAtChargeLimit: true`.

**Can I use it from n8n, Make, Zapier or an AI agent?**
Yes, like any Apify Actor: REST API, webhooks, the n8n, Make and Zapier integrations, and the Apify MCP server for Claude, Cursor, VS Code and other MCP clients. Short timeout in your workflow or agent? Set *Return what's ready after (seconds)*: the run stops on time with what it has collected, and you pay only for that.

### For AI agents

```text
Actor:   instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper
Does:    Export Instagram followers or following lists: username, name, ID, verified and private flags. Up to 1M per profile. No login.
Input:   {"usernames": ["thedailystoic"], "listType": "followers", "maxPerProfile": 200}
Output:  one JSON row per result, up to 62 fields; main: sourceUsername, listType, username, fullName, isVerified, isPrivate
Free:    private or missing profiles, duplicates and the “list limited by Instagram” row
Price:   event "follower" $0.17 per 1,000 on Starter + $0.0005 per run
Run:     POST https://api.apify.com/v2/acts/instagram-data-api~instagram-followers-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items?token=APIFY_TOKEN
```

### More Instagram Actors from us

| Content | People | Stories |
|---|---|---|
| [All-in-one Instagram Scraper](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-scraper) · [Reels](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-reels-scraper) · [Posts](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-posts-scraper) · [Post details](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-post-details) · [Reel views checker](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-reel-views-checker) · [Hashtags](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-hashtag-scraper) · [Search](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-search-scraper) · [Transcripts](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-reels-transcript) · [Tagged posts](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-tagged-scraper) · [Audio](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-audio-scraper) · [Locations](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-location-scraper) · [Hashtag stats](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-hashtag-stats) |[Profiles](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-profile-scraper) · [Followers count](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-count-checker) · [Account age](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-account-age-checker) · [Emails & phones](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-email-phone-scraper) · [Similar accounts](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-similar-accounts) · [Similar accounts with profiles](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-lookalike-accounts) · [Followers](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper) · [Comments](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-comments-scraper) · [Likers](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-likers-scraper) · [Engagement rate](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-engagement-rate-calculator) · [Username checker](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-username-checker) · [User ID](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-user-id-finder) · [Follower checker](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-follower-checker) | [Stories](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-stories-scraper) · [Highlights](https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-highlights-scraper) |

What changed and when — see the **Changelog** tab.

# Changelog

This Actor's version history is a separate document: https://apify.com/instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper/changelog.md

# Actor input Schema

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

One per line: <code>natgeo</code>, <code>@natgeo</code> or <code>https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/</code>.

## `inputFile` (type: `string`):

A CSV or TXT file: one username or link per line, or a table — we take the column named <code>username</code>, <code>url</code> or <code>link</code> (otherwise every cell). Added to the list above; duplicates are skipped.

## `listType` (type: `string`):

The profile's followers or the accounts it follows.

## `maxPerProfile` (type: `integer`):

How many accounts to return per profile.

## `datasetId` (type: `string`):

Pick the dataset of an earlier run (or paste its ID). We take usernames from <code>username</code> / <code>ownerUsername</code>.

## `addSummaryRow` (type: `boolean`):

One free row at the end of the results: rows returned, what was charged (events and USD) and why the run stopped — for n8n, Make, Zapier and AI agents that read only the dataset. The same summary is always saved as SUMMARY in the run's key-value store.

## `includeRaw` (type: `boolean`):

Every row also gets <code>raw</code>: the whole object Instagram returned for it — every field it sends, untouched, for your own parsing or an AI agent. Heavy (about 30 KB a post), so it is added to the first 1,000 rows of a run. No extra charge.

## `returnWithinSecs` (type: `integer`):

Stop after this many seconds and return the results collected so far — you pay only for them. Handy for AI agents with a short tool timeout. Empty — run until everything is collected.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": [
    "thedailystoic"
  ],
  "listType": "followers",
  "maxPerProfile": 200,
  "addSummaryRow": false,
  "includeRaw": false
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

All rows of this run (JSON, CSV, Excel).

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

What was returned, what was free and why (SUMMARY record).

# 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": [
        "thedailystoic"
    ],
    "maxPerProfile": 200
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-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 = {
    "usernames": ["thedailystoic"],
    "maxPerProfile": 200,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-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 '{
  "usernames": [
    "thedailystoic"
  ],
  "maxPerProfile": 200
}' |
apify call instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,instagram-data-api/instagram-followers-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/LFWuGJErve4ycMo6l/builds/mljYE4uEo8aPC51cv/openapi.json