# Instagram Profile API

Instagram

Returns a public Instagram profile from a username, profile link or user ID, with its exact follower, following and post counts. It also has the bio, bio links, name, verified badge, full-size profile picture, whether the account is private, its category and account type, its Meta-wide ID, and whether it has a story up.

GET `/v1/instagram/profile`

## Example

cURL:

```shell
curl -G 'https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/profile' \
  --data-urlencode 'handle=https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/' \
  -H "x-api-key: $SOCIALTAP_API_KEY"
```

TypeScript SDK:

```typescript
import { SocialTap } from "socialtap";

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

const res = await client.instagram.profile.get({ handle: "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/" });
console.log(res.data);
console.log(res.credits.charged, res.meta.request_id);
```

Node.js (fetch):

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

Python (requests):

```python
import os

import requests

res = requests.get(
    "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/profile",
    params={"handle": "https://www.instagram.com/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, meta = body["data"], body["meta"]
print(data, meta["credits_charged"])
```

Go (net/http):

```go
package main

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

func main() {
	q := url.Values{}
	q.Set("handle", "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/")
	req, err := http.NewRequest("GET", "https://socialtap.dev/v1/instagram/profile?"+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"`
		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"])
}
```

200 OK:

```json
{
  "data": {
    "approximate_fields": [],
    "avatar_url": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-19/683576066_18653628823019133_9051036240972105113_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&_nc_cat=1&ccb=SCRUBBED&_nc_sid=SCRUBBED&efg=SCRUBBED&_nc_ohc=SCRUBBED&_nc_oc=SCRUBBED&_nc_zt=24&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_gid=S…",
    "banner_url": null,
    "bio": "Step into wonder and find your inner explorer with National Geographic 🌎",
    "category": null,
    "country_code": null,
    "created_at": null,
    "display_name": "National Geographic",
    "external_links": [
      {
        "title": null,
        "url": "http://visitstore.bio/natgeo"
      },
      {
        "title": "Subscribe Here!",
        "url": "https://ngmdomsubs.nationalgeographic.com/servlet/OrdersGateway?cds_mag_code=NGM&cds_page_id=283562&cds_response_key=I5FX10002"
      }
    ],
    "id": "787132",
    "is_private": false,
    "is_verified": true,
    "location": null,
    "metrics": {
      "follower_count": 268266804,
      "following_count": 195,
      "post_count": 32123,
      "total_like_count": null,
      "total_view_count": null
    },
    "platform": "instagram",
    "platform_specific": {
      "instagram": {
        "account_type": null,
        "fbid": "17841400573960012",
        "is_highlights_shown": true,
        "is_memorialized": false,
        "is_story_live": true,
        "pronouns": []
      }
    },
    "type": "unknown",
    "unknown_fields": [],
    "url": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/",
    "username": "natgeo"
  },
  "meta": {
    "request_id": "req_3f9c2a7d1e8b4c6a9f0e2d4b6a8c0e1f",
    "platform": "instagram",
    "source": "page",
    "is_cached": false,
    "credits_charged": 1,
    "latency_ms": 1516,
    "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": []
  }
}
```

Long arrays and strings are shortened for display; real responses are complete.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Good to know**
>
> - Private accounts return their profile with is_private true: name, bio, links and counts as Instagram shows them logged out.
> - metrics.post_count is exact, except on the rare answer that only had a rounded count, which approximate_fields then lists.
> - category is the label a professional account shows (Brand, Restaurant), or null. platform_specific.instagram.account_type is personal, business or creator, and type stays unknown because that says nothing of who runs the account.
> - location, country_code, created_at, banner_url, metrics.total_like_count and metrics.total_view_count are always null: Instagram doesn't show them logged out. Business email, phone and address are not returned.
> - avatar_url is the full-size profile picture (150 pixels when only that one is available), a CDN link that expires within days.
> - A numeric user ID finds the account, private ones included. A number no account has as its ID is looked up as the username of the same digits.
> - When Instagram blocks its account queries, the profile comes from its page (category and account_type null) or its embed (bio and following count null, external_links \[\] and listed in unknown_fields).
> - Unknown, deactivated and banned accounts return not_found. Age-restricted accounts return private_or_unavailable.

## Authorizations

`x-api-key`stringheaderrequired

Your API key. [Authentication](https://socialtap.dev/docs/authentication/index.md)

## Query parameters

| Name | Type | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `handle` required | `string`<br>max 2,048 chars | Instagram username with or without the @ (natgeo, @natgeo), a numeric user ID (787132), or a profile link (instagram.com/natgeo, with or without a tab such as /reels/ or /tagged/, m.instagram.com, instagr.am, instagram.com/_u/natgeo, instagram.com/stories/natgeo/, with any query such as ?igsh=…). Usernames are case-insensitive. A bare number is a user ID; a number no account has as its ID is looked up as a username, and @ before digits (@2020) always means the username. | `natgeo` |

`handle` takes Instagram profile links; another kind of link, or another platform's, fails free with [`invalid_input`](https://socialtap.dev/docs/errors/index.md#invalid_input). Unknown parameters are rejected with a suggestion, never ignored ([Requests](https://socialtap.dev/docs/requests/index.md)).

**Parameters every endpoint accepts**

| Name | Type | Description | Example |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `max_age` optional | `integer`<br>min 0 | Accept a cached response up to this many seconds old. Cache hits cost 0 credits. Omit to always fetch fresh. The Cache-Control: max-age=N request header is equivalent; max_age wins when both are sent. | — |
| `fields` optional | `string` | Return only these fields of each item: comma-separated paths in the schema's notation (id,text,metrics.view_count,segments\[\].text; a parent path keeps the whole object). Unknown paths are rejected. Applied after the cache, so it changes neither the price nor cache hits; page and meta are always returned whole. | — |

## Response

### 200

`{data, meta}`. `data` is a [profile](https://socialtap.dev/resources/profile/index.md) object; `meta` describes the request ([meta](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/index.md#meta)). Fields only Instagram has are under `platform_specific.instagram`.

| Field | Type | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `data.platform` | `string` | Platform ID (tiktok, youtube, …). |
| `data.id` | `string` | Platform-native account ID (string; YouTube UC…, Reddit t2_…). |
| `data.username` | `string` or `null` | Handle without the @; null when the account has none. |
| `data.display_name` | `string` or `null` | Display name, channel title or page name; null when empty or not exposed. |
| `data.url` | `string` (uri) | Canonical profile URL. |
| `data.type` | `string` | 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.<br>One of `person`, `organization`, `community`, `unknown` |
| `data.bio` | `string` or `null` | Profile bio, channel description or page about text; null when empty or not exposed. |
| `data.avatar_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Profile picture URL (largest available). Platform CDN URLs can expire within hours. |
| `data.banner_url` | `string` (uri) or `null` | Header or cover image URL. |
| `data.is_verified` | `boolean` or `null` | Platform verification badge; null where the platform has no badge. |
| `data.is_private` | `boolean` or `null` | True when the account's posts are not public. |
| `data.category` | `string` or `null` | Platform category label (e.g. Musician, Media & Entertainment), as shown; not normalized. Often set only for business or creator accounts. |
| `data.external_links` | `object[]` | Links in the bio or channel links; \[\] if none or not exposed. |
| `data.external_links[].url` | `string` (uri) | Link target, absolute (https:// is added where the platform stores the link without a scheme). |
| `data.external_links[].title` | `string` or `null` | Link label shown by the platform. |
| `data.location` | `string` or `null` | Self-declared location text. |
| `data.country_code` | `string` or `null` | ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country the platform states for the account. |
| `data.created_at` | `string` (date-time) or `null` | Account creation or join date, RFC 3339 UTC (some platforms give only the day: see approximate_fields). |
| `data.metrics` | `object` | Counts at fetch time; null = hidden or not exposed, 0 = zero. |
| `data.metrics.follower_count` | `integer` or `null` | Followers or subscribers. |
| `data.metrics.following_count` | `integer` or `null` | Accounts this profile follows. |
| `data.metrics.post_count` | `integer` or `null` | Posts or videos as the platform counts them on the profile (for a private account, posts the caller cannot see). |
| `data.metrics.total_like_count` | `integer` or `null` | Likes received across all of the profile's posts (not likes given). |
| `data.metrics.total_view_count` | `integer` or `null` | Lifetime views across all of the profile's posts. |
| `data.platform_specific` | `object` | Fields only this platform has, under its ID (platform_specific.\<platform>); each null when unknown. |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram` | `object` or `null` | An Instagram account's own fields. |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram.fbid` | `string` or `null` | The account's Meta-wide ID (17841…), the one Meta's Instagram Graph API uses; id is Instagram's own user ID. Null when the source does not show it. |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram.is_memorialized` | `boolean` or `null` | True when Instagram has memorialized the account (its owner has died), false otherwise; null when unknown. |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram.is_story_live` | `boolean` or `null` | True when the account has a story up now (stories last 24 hours), false when it has none; null when unknown (Instagram does not say for private accounts). |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram.is_highlights_shown` | `boolean` or `null` | True when the profile shows story highlights, false when it shows none; null when unknown (private accounts, or a source that does not show them). |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram.account_type` | `string` or `null` | The kind of account Instagram says it is: personal, or one of its professional kinds, business or creator (an account picks one; it says nothing of whether a person or an organization runs it). Null when the source does not show it. New values may be added; treat unknown values as unknown.<br>One of `personal`, `business`, `creator` |
| `data.platform_specific.instagram.pronouns` | `string[]` | The pronouns the owner chose to show on the profile, as shown; \[\] when none (listed in unknown_fields when the source cannot see them). |
| `data.approximate_fields` | `string[]` | JSON paths of values rounded by the platform or parsed from display text (e.g. metrics.follower_count). A list path (external_links) means the list may be incomplete. \[\] when all exact. |
| `data.unknown_fields` | `string[]` | JSON paths of lists whose \[\] means unknown rather than none (a source that cannot see them); null already means unknown for every other field. \[\] when every list is known. |

not_found and private_or_unavailable are item-level: the request was fine, the item can't be returned.

### 400

400 Bad Request: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `invalid_input` | 400 | No | A parameter is missing or malformed, or the link is not one this endpoint takes. | Fix the parameter named in param as the message says. For a link of the wrong kind, call an endpoint listed in details.endpoints, when there is one. |

### 401

401 Unauthorized: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `unauthorized` | 401 | No | The x-api-key header is missing, or its key is unknown or revoked. On the dashboard's routes: the session cookie is missing or expired. | Send a valid API key in the x-api-key header. No key yet? A person gets one at details.signup_url; an AI agent follows details.agent_auth_url. |

### 402

402 Payment Required: 2 error codes. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `insufficient_credits` | 402 | No | The account does not have enough credits for this request. | Have a person buy credits at details.purchase_url (or make them a checkout link with details.checkout), then repeat the request. Do not retry automatically. |
| `spend_limit_reached` | 402 | No | The API key reached its spend limit for this period. The account may still have credits. | Wait until details.resets_at, or raise the key's spend limit (PATCH /v1/api_keys/{id}). Do not retry automatically. |

### 403

403 Forbidden: 2 error codes. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `forbidden` | 403 | No | The API key is valid but may not make this request, and details.reason says why: the account is suspended, the key lacks the route's scope, waits for its owner to confirm it by email, has expired, or was used from an IP outside its allowlist, or a rotated key's previous secret was used for a call that needs the admin scope. A running job stops with it too when its account is suspended or the key that created it is revoked or expires. It is about the key, never the item: a private item is private_or_unavailable, also 403, so branch on the code. | Act on details.reason. suspended: contact [support](mailto:support@socialtap.dev). scope: use a key with details.required_scope. previous_secret: use the new secret. key_pending: have the owner open the emailed link. key_expired or key_revoked: create a new key. ip_not_allowed: call from an allowed IP. |
| `private_or_unavailable` | 403 | No | The item exists but is not public: it is private, age- or region-restricted, or needs a login to view. It shares 403 with forbidden (which is about the key), so branch on the code. | Only public items can be fetched. Do not retry. |

### 404

404 Not Found: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `not_found` | 404 | No | The item does not exist or was deleted. On GET /v1/requests/{id}/response: the response was not kept (details.reason says why). | Check the link or ID. Do not retry. |

### 429

429 Too Many Requests: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `rate_limited` | 429 | Yes, later | The account passed its runaway-protection ceiling: a high per-account limit that stops a broken client loop (plans have no rate limit). Requests without an API key (signup, the MCP server's tool listing and find_endpoint) are limited per IP address instead. It also stops an account whose failed requests in the last hour cost far more than its successful ones paid for: failures are free within a limit (the message says so), and successes raise it. | Wait the seconds in the retry-after header, then retry. If your steady traffic needs more, ask [support](mailto:support@socialtap.dev) to raise the ceiling; without an API key, send one. |

### 500

500 Internal Error: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `internal` | 500 | Yes, later | An unexpected error on SocialTap's side. | Retry with backoff. If it keeps happening, contact [support](mailto:support@socialtap.dev) with the request_id. |

### 502

502 Bad Gateway: 1 error code. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `upstream_error` | 502 | Yes, later | The platform failed, or answered with something we could not read. | Retry with backoff. Failed requests are free. |

### 503

503 Unavailable: 2 error codes. Free: errors cost nothing.

| Code | HTTP | Retry | Meaning | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `upstream_blocked` | 503 | Yes, later | The platform refused every attempt, our own retries included. | Retry later with backoff. Failed requests are free. |
| `overloaded` | 503 | Yes, later | SocialTap was at capacity, or paused by its operators, and did not start the request. Nothing was fetched or charged. | Retry after the seconds in the retry-after header. Failed requests are free. |

## Pricing

From **1 credit** per request. Charged only for successful requests. Errors are free. The price depends on the source that produced the result, reported as `meta.source`; sources are tried cheapest first: Platform API → Public page.

| Source | Price per successful request | Per 1,000 requests |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Any source | 1 credit | $0.75–$1.97 |

**Balance, sources and what you were charged**

Your balance must be at least **1 credit** to start a request; with less, it is refused with [`insufficient_credits`](https://socialtap.dev/docs/errors/index.md#insufficient_credits) (HTTP 402) and costs nothing. Only that minimum is set aside when the request starts.

| meta.source | Source | What it means |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `api` | Platform API | The platform's public, logged-out API. |
| `page` | Public page | Data embedded in the platform's public web page. |

`meta.credits_charged` and the `x-credits-charged` header show what you paid. [How credits work](https://socialtap.dev/docs/credits/index.md) · [Packs](https://socialtap.dev/pricing/index.md)

Endpoint ID `instagram.profile` · operationId `instagram.profile.get` · [Product overview](https://socialtap.dev/apis/instagram/profile/index.md)

---

[HTML version](https://socialtap.dev/docs/reference/instagram/profile/) · [Docs index for AI agents](https://socialtap.dev/llms.txt) · [All docs in one file](https://socialtap.dev/llms-full.txt)