Instagram Similar Accounts API

Returns the accounts Instagram suggests as similar to a public profile, in its own order, from a username, profile link or user ID. Each has its user ID, username, display name, picture, verified badge, privacy and profile link. One request returns the whole suggestion list.

GET /v1/instagram/similar_profiles

Read the API reference

1 credit per page, $0.75–$1.97 per 1,000 pages
19 typed fields null when unknown
50 lookalike accounts per page, Instagram's suggestion order
handle is all it needs, e.g. natgeo

Send one request. Get up to 50 lookalike accounts back.

Copy the request in your language, or hand it to your agent. Sign up for an API key and your first 100 credits are free.

$ npm install socialtap

handle = natgeo

Open in playground

GET /v1/instagram/similar_profilesTry in

const params = new URLSearchParams({
  handle: "natgeo",
});
const res = await fetch(`https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles?${params}`, {
  headers: { "x-api-key": process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY ?? "" },
});
const body = await res.json();
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${body.error.code}: ${body.error.message}`);
const { data, page, meta } = body;
console.log(data, meta.credits_charged);

import os

import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles",
    params={"handle": "natgeo"},
    headers={"x-api-key": os.environ["SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"]},
)
body = res.json()
if not res.ok:
    raise RuntimeError(f"{body['error']['code']}: {body['error']['message']}")
data, page, meta = body["data"], body["page"], body["meta"]
print(data, meta["credits_charged"])

require "json"
require "net/http"

uri = URI("https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles")
uri.query = URI.encode_www_form('handle' => 'natgeo')
req = Net::HTTP::Get.new(uri)
req["x-api-key"] = ENV.fetch("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY")
res = Net::HTTP.start(uri.host, uri.port, use_ssl: uri.scheme == "https") { |http| http.request(req) }
body = JSON.parse(res.body)
raise "#{body["error"]["code"]}: #{body["error"]["message"]}" unless res.is_a?(Net::HTTPSuccess)
pp body["data"]
puts body["meta"]["credits_charged"]

<?php

$query = http_build_query([
    'handle' => 'natgeo',
]);
$ch = curl_init('https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles?' . $query);
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => ['x-api-key: ' . getenv('SOCIALTAP_API_KEY')],
]);
$body = json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true);
if (curl_getinfo($ch, CURLINFO_RESPONSE_CODE) >= 400) {
    throw new RuntimeException($body['error']['code'] . ': ' . $body['error']['message']);
}
print_r($body['data']);
echo $body['meta']['credits_charged'], PHP_EOL;

package main

import (
	"encoding/json"
	"fmt"
	"log"
	"net/http"
	"net/url"
	"os"
)

func main() {
	q := url.Values{}
	q.Set("handle", "natgeo")
	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles?"+q.Encode(), nil)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	req.Header.Set("x-api-key", os.Getenv("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"))
	res, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	defer res.Body.Close()
	var body struct {
		Data  json.RawMessage `json:"data"`
		Page  json.RawMessage `json:"page"`
		Meta  map[string]any  `json:"meta"`
		Error *struct {
			Code    string `json:"code"`
			Message string `json:"message"`
		} `json:"error"`
	}
	if err := json.NewDecoder(res.Body).Decode(&body); err != nil {
		log.Fatal(err)
	}
	if body.Error != nil {
		log.Fatalf("%s: %s", body.Error.Code, body.Error.Message)
	}
	fmt.Println(string(body.Data), body.Meta["credits_charged"])
}

curl 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles?handle=natgeo' \
  -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"

{
  "data": [
    {
      "approximate_fields": [],
      "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/93880139_247576663101568_4560165171292536832_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_ss=7b68…",
      "banner_url": null,
      "bio": null,
      "category": null,
      "country_code": null,
      "created_at": null,
      "display_name": "NASA Solar System Exploration",
      "external_links": [],
      "id": "1611722079",
      "is_private": false,
      "is_verified": true,
      "location": null,
      "metrics": {
        "follower_count": null,
        "following_count": null,
        "post_count": null,
        "total_like_count": null,
        "total_view_count": null
      },
      "platform": "instagram",
      "platform_specific": {
        "instagram": {
          "account_type": null,
          "fbid": null,
          "is_highlights_shown": null,
          "is_memorialized": null,
          "is_story_live": null,
          "pronouns": []
        }
      },
      "type": "unknown",
      "unknown_fields": [
        "external_links",
        "platform_specific.instagram.pronouns"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/nasasolarsystem/",
      "username": "nasasolarsystem"
    },
    {
      "approximate_fields": [],
      "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-19/682869933_18586755823041127_7038301864805341036_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ig_cache_key=GK3Esyhn_ltSjghCAGwXsWlBEq1hbmNDAQAB1501500j-ccb7-5&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=S…",
      "banner_url": null,
      "bio": null,
      "category": null,
      "country_code": null,
      "created_at": null,
      "display_name": "National Geographic Your Shot",
      "external_links": [],
      "id": "1389225126",
      "is_private": false,
      "is_verified": true,
      "location": null,
      "metrics": {
        "follower_count": null,
        "following_count": null,
        "post_count": null,
        "total_like_count": null,
        "total_view_count": null
      },
      "platform": "instagram",
      "platform_specific": {
        "instagram": {
          "account_type": null,
          "fbid": null,
          "is_highlights_shown": null,
          "is_memorialized": null,
          "is_story_live": null,
          "pronouns": []
        }
      },
      "type": "unknown",
      "unknown_fields": [
        "external_links",
        "platform_specific.instagram.pronouns"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeoyourshot/",
      "username": "natgeoyourshot"
    },
    {
      "approximate_fields": [],
      "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-19/332350166_1219954061973263_2055192917086293201_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=103&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_ss=7b…",
      "banner_url": null,
      "bio": null,
      "category": null,
      "country_code": null,
      "created_at": null,
      "display_name": "UNESCO",
      "external_links": [],
      "id": "36336859",
      "is_private": false,
      "is_verified": true,
      "location": null,
      "metrics": {
        "follower_count": null,
        "following_count": null,
        "post_count": null,
        "total_like_count": null,
        "total_view_count": null
      },
      "platform": "instagram",
      "platform_specific": {
        "instagram": {
          "account_type": null,
          "fbid": null,
          "is_highlights_shown": null,
          "is_memorialized": null,
          "is_story_live": null,
          "pronouns": []
        }
      },
      "type": "unknown",
      "unknown_fields": [
        "external_links",
        "platform_specific.instagram.pronouns"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/unesco/",
      "username": "unesco"
    }
  ],
  "page": {
    "has_more": false,
    "next_cursor": null,
    "next_cursor_expires_at": null,
    "end_reason": "platform_limit"
  },
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "req_3f9c2a7d1e8b4c6a9f0e2d4b6a8c0e1f",
    "platform": "instagram",
    "source": "api",
    "is_cached": false,
    "credits_charged": 1,
    "latency_ms": 756,
    "fetched_at": "2026-10-25T12:00:00Z",
    "input": {
      "kind": "profile",
      "id": "787132",
      "url": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/"
    },
    "credits_remaining": 9999,
    "client_request_id": null,
    "warnings": []
  }
}

import { SocialTap } from "socialtap";

const client = new SocialTap(); // apiKey defaults to process.env.SOCIALTAP_API_KEY

const res = await client.instagram.similarProfiles.list({ handle: "natgeo" });
console.log(res.data);
console.log(res.credits.charged, res.meta.request_id);

import java.net.URI;
import java.net.URLEncoder;
import java.net.http.HttpClient;
import java.net.http.HttpRequest;
import java.net.http.HttpResponse;
import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        String query = "handle=" + encode("natgeo");
        HttpRequest request = HttpRequest.newBuilder()
            .uri(URI.create("https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles?" + query))
            .header("x-api-key", System.getenv("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"))
            .GET()
            .build();
        HttpResponse<String> response = HttpClient.newHttpClient()
            .send(request, HttpResponse.BodyHandlers.ofString());
        // An error is {"error": {"code", "message", ...}}; success is {data, meta}, meta.credits_charged its price.
        if (response.statusCode() >= 400) throw new RuntimeException(response.body());
        System.out.println(response.body());
    }

    static String encode(String value) {
        return URLEncoder.encode(value, StandardCharsets.UTF_8);
    }
}

using System.Text.Json;

using var http = new HttpClient();
http.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("x-api-key", Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"));

var query = string.Join("&",
    "handle=" + Uri.EscapeDataString("natgeo"));
var res = await http.GetAsync("https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles?" + query);
using var body = JsonDocument.Parse(await res.Content.ReadAsStringAsync());
if (!res.IsSuccessStatusCode)
{
    var error = body.RootElement.GetProperty("error");
    throw new Exception($"{error.GetProperty("code")}: {error.GetProperty("message")}");
}
Console.WriteLine(body.RootElement.GetProperty("data"));
Console.WriteLine(body.RootElement.GetProperty("meta").GetProperty("credits_charged"));

// Cargo.toml: reqwest = { version = "0.12", features = ["blocking", "json"] }, serde_json = "1"
use std::env;

fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
    let res = reqwest::blocking::Client::new()
        .get("https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profiles")
        .query(&[("handle", "natgeo")])
        .header("x-api-key", env::var("SOCIALTAP_API_KEY")?)
        .send()?;
    let ok = res.status().is_success();
    let body: serde_json::Value = res.json()?;
    if !ok {
        return Err(format!("{}: {}", body["error"]["code"], body["error"]["message"]).into());
    }
    println!("{} {}", body["data"], body["meta"]["credits_charged"]);
    Ok(())
}

200 OK · GET https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/similar_profilesLong arrays and strings are shortened here. Real responses are complete.Docs

One schema on 27 platforms.

The response reference lists every field, its type and when it is null. See the full schema.

Null means unknown
A field Instagram doesn't show is null, never zero or an empty string, so a real zero always means zero.
What it accepts
Instagram username with or without the @, a numeric user ID (787132), or a profile URL (instagram.com/natgeo, m.instagram.com, instagr.am, a /related_profiles/ or /reels/ view, an instagram.com/_u/ app link).
Write one parser
Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and 24 more platforms answer in these fields, so the code that reads one reads them all.

platformstring: Platform ID (tiktok, youtube, …).
idstring: Platform-native account ID (string; YouTube UC…, Reddit t2_…).
usernamestring: Handle without the @; null when the account has none.
display_namestring: Display name, channel title or page name; null when empty or not exposed.
urlstring: Canonical profile URL.
typestring: Coarse account kind, as the platform labels it; unknown when it does not (TikTok labels organizations only). New values may be added; treat unknown values as unknown.
biostring: Profile bio, channel description or page about text; null when empty or not exposed.
avatar_urlstring: Profile picture URL (largest available). Platform CDN URLs can expire within hours.

What teams build with the Instagram Similar Accounts API.

Find creators in a known account's niche
Build lookalike lists for influencer outreach
Map an account's competitors
Seed a crawl of related accounts

Good to know before you build.

Logged out, Instagram shows a shorter suggestion list than signed-in users see and no further pages, so page.end_reason is platform_limit. An account with no suggestions ends with end.
Suggestions have no bio, links or counts, so metrics, bio and external_links are null or empty. The Instagram Profile API has them.
A private account has no suggestions logged out and returns private_or_unavailable.
If Instagram's first suggestions query fails, its desktop query returns the same list with platform_specific.instagram.fbid set and is_private null.
avatar_url is an Instagram CDN link that expires.

1 credit per page. Failed requests are free.

Buy credits once and spend them on any endpoint, on any platform.

Plans and packs How this endpoint is priced How credits work

Source	Price per successful page	Per 1,000 pages
Platform API `api`	1 credit	$0.75–$1.97

Cache hits are free.
Credits from packs and top-ups never expire.
A monthly plan's credits are spent first, and what is left of them ends at each renewal.
Prices exclude tax: sales tax is added at checkout where it applies.
Outside the US, plans and packs are sold to businesses: checkout asks for your VAT, GST or other business tax ID.

Questions about the Instagram Similar Accounts API.

Try it on an account you know.

Paste its handle or link in the playground, or copy the request into your code.

free credits

No credit card
Failed requests are free
Works on all 218 endpoints

Start for free Read the docs

Instagram Similar Accounts API. Lookalike accounts, page by page.