POST
/v1/search"platform": "instagram"Instagram Search API
Find accounts by keyword.
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.
100 credits on sign-up, no card needed
3 creditsper call
Up to 50 itemsfirst page only
2026-10-17last tested
772 Bsample response, 1 item
Last updated:
Request and response
curl https://api.socialtoai.com/v1/search \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $SOCIALTOAI_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "platform": "instagram", "query": "nike", "type": "user" }'import osimport requestsresponse = 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())# Connected over MCP? Ask in plain words.Find Instagram accounts about "nike".# Your AI calls the search tool with:{ "platform": "instagram", "query": "nike", "type": "user"}200 OK772 B3 credits
{ "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 }, "cost_credits": 3}null followersnull followingnull postsNames and text were removed from the sample; the numbers are as recorded.
Sample data1 of the 46 items recorded
3 parameters.
All required.
Send them as a JSON body with POST. Your key goes in the Authorization header, never in the URL.
| 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.
The fields of each item.
What Instagram cannot give is marked.
| Field | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| items[].username | string | The handle. |
| items[].name | string | The display name. |
| items[].url | string | A link to the profile. |
| items[].bio | stringalways null | The bio. |
| items[].verified | boolean | Whether the account is verified. |
| items[].followers | integeralways null | Follower count. |
| items[].following | integeralways null | How many accounts it follows. |
| items[].posts_count | integeralways null | How many posts it has published. |
nullFields Instagram cannot giveRead null as “Instagram did not give this”, not as zero. These are always null on this call:
bioThe bio.followersFollower count.followingHow many accounts it follows.posts_countHow many posts it has published.
Every item also has platform, id, ref, approx and type; the response around the items is the same on every call. Response format
What to expect.
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
A failed call costs 0 credits and is never retried on its own. Error codes
Once connected over MCP, these questions use it.
Find Instagram accounts about "nike".
3 creditssearch {"platform":"instagram","query":"nike","type":"user"}
These ready-made tools call it when they run.
The same call on other platforms.
All platforms and pricesPOST
/v1/search{ "platform": "instagram", "query": "nike", "type": "user" }3 creditsper callTikTok2 creditsX2 creditsReddit2 creditsYouTube2 creditsFacebookno searchLinkedIn2 creditsThreads2 creditsTelegramno searchPinterest2 creditsXiaohongshu12 creditsDouyin12 creditsWeibo2 creditsWeChat Articles12 creditsBilibili2 creditsZhihu2 creditsKuaishou12 creditsWeChat Channels12 creditsMeta Ad Libraryno searchGoogle Ads Transparencyno search
Change one word in the request: platform. The response keeps the same shape.
Questions.
Short answers.
Everything on InstagramDo 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.