# Instagram Search API

The Instagram Search API searches Instagram accounts by keyword: name, in the same response format as every other SocialToAI call. One call costs 3 credits ($0.006 to $0.01 depending on the pack); failed calls are free. Call it over HTTP or from your AI client over MCP. Last tested 2026-10-17.

- Page: https://socialtoai.com/instagram-search-api/
- Last updated: 2026-10-17
- Last tested: 2026-10-17

| Request | Price key | Credits |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `POST /v1/search` | `instagram.search:user` | 3 |

## Request

```bash
curl https://api.socialtoai.com/v1/search \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SOCIALTOAI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "platform": "instagram",
    "query": "nike",
    "type": "user"
  }'
```

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.post(
    "https://api.socialtoai.com/v1/search",
    headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SOCIALTOAI_KEY']}"},
    json={
        "platform": "instagram",
        "query": "nike",
        "type": "user",
    },
)
print(response.json())
```

## Parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Default | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `platform` | string | Required | — | Always "instagram" on this page. |
| `query` | string | Required | — | Search terms |
| `type` | string | Required | — | "user": accounts instead of posts (3 credits). `"user"` |

First page only: up to 50 items, with no cursor parameter and no next page.

## Response fields

| Field | Type | Meaning | Given |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `items[].username` | string | The handle. | yes |
| `items[].name` | string | The display name. | yes |
| `items[].url` | string | A link to the profile. | yes |
| `items[].bio` | string | The bio. | always null: Instagram does not give it |
| `items[].verified` | boolean | Whether the account is verified. | yes |
| `items[].followers` | integer | Follower count. | always null: Instagram does not give it |
| `items[].following` | integer | How many accounts it follows. | always null: Instagram does not give it |
| `items[].posts_count` | integer | How many posts it has published. | always null: Instagram does not give it |

Every item also has platform, id, ref, approx and type; the response around the items is the same on every call. [Response format](https://socialtoai.com/docs/api/response.md)

## Sample response

Sample data: names, links and text are replaced by placeholders; the numbers are as recorded.

```json
{
  "request_id": "req_00000000-0000-4000-8000-000000000001",
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "fetched_at": "2026-10-12T18:58:15.000Z",
  "action": "search",
  "platform": "instagram",
  "status": "ok",
  "items": [
    {
      "platform": "instagram",
      "id": "…",
      "ref": "…",
      "approx": [],
      "type": "account",
      "username": "…",
      "name": "…",
      "url": "https://example.com/…",
      "bio": null,
      "verified": true,
      "followers": null,
      "following": null,
      "posts_count": null
    }
  ],
  "unavailable": ["bio", "followers", "following", "posts_count"],
  "page": {
    "has_more": false
  },
  "warnings": [],
  "applied_params": {
    "query": "nike",
    "type": "user"
  },
  "cost_credits": 3,
  "billing": {
    "cost_credits": 3,
    "balance_credits": 97,
    "today_spend_credits": 3,
    "daily_limit_credits": null,
    "daily_remaining_credits": null,
    "display": "This call: 3 credits. Balance: 97 credits."
  },
  "replayed": false
}
```

## Paging and failures

- One call returns the first page only, up to 50 items, with no cursor, for 3 credits.
- A call that runs and finds nothing is a successful call: status is "empty", items is empty, and it costs 3 credits.
- 1 call per second per key, 5 after a purchase; going over is not charged. [Rate limits](https://socialtoai.com/docs/credits-and-billing.md#rate-limits)
- A failed call costs 0 credits and is never retried on its own. [Error codes](https://socialtoai.com/docs/api/errors.md)

## Ask your AI

- Find Instagram accounts about "nike". → `search {"platform":"instagram","query":"nike","type":"user"}`, 3 credits

## Tools that use it

- [Find creators](https://socialtoai.com/tools/find-creators.md): Creators who make that content, with their size, recent posts and how well each fits
- [Creator profile](https://socialtoai.com/tools/creator-card.md): Their accounts on other platforms, the numbers on each, and how sure the match is

## The same call on other platforms

| Platform | Price key | Credits | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TikTok | `tiktok.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/tiktok-search-api.md |
| X | `x.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/x-search-api.md |
| Reddit | `reddit.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/reddit-search-api.md |
| YouTube | `youtube.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/youtube-search-api.md |
| LinkedIn | `linkedin.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/linkedin-search-api.md |
| Threads | `threads.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/threads-search-api.md |
| Pinterest | `pinterest.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/pinterest-search-api.md |
| Xiaohongshu | `xiaohongshu.search` | 12 | https://socialtoai.com/xiaohongshu-search-api.md |
| Douyin | `douyin.search` | 12 | https://socialtoai.com/douyin-search-api.md |
| Weibo | `weibo.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/weibo-search-api.md |
| WeChat Articles | `wechat.search` | 12 | https://socialtoai.com/wechat-search-api.md |
| Bilibili | `bilibili.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/bilibili-search-api.md |
| Zhihu | `zhihu.search` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/zhihu-search-api.md |
| Kuaishou | `kuaishou.search` | 12 | https://socialtoai.com/kuaishou-search-api.md |
| WeChat Channels | `wechat_channels.search` | 12 | https://socialtoai.com/wechat-channels-search-api.md |

## More on Instagram

| Interface | What it does | Price key | Credits | Page |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `detail` | One post by ID or link: text, author, likes, comment count, views and publish time. | `instagram.detail` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/instagram-detail-api.md |
| `comments` | The comments under one post: text, likes and time. | `instagram.comments` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/instagram-comments-api.md |
| `user_profile` | One account: name, bio, followers and following. | `instagram.user_profile` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/instagram-user-profile-api.md |
| `user_posts` | The recent posts of one account. | `instagram.user_posts` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/instagram-user-posts-api.md |
| `hashtag_posts` | Get a page of the newest Instagram posts under a hashtag, by its name, about 33 a page. | `instagram.hashtag_posts` | 2 | https://socialtoai.com/instagram-hashtag-posts-api.md |

## FAQ

**Do I need a Instagram account or Instagram's own API access?**

No. You only need a SocialToAI key. The call returns content and account information publicly visible on Instagram; you never sign in to Instagram or apply for anything there.

**Can I get the next page?**

No. On Instagram this interface gives its first page only (up to 50 items): the response carries no cursor, and page.has_more is always false.