POST
/v1/user_posts"platform": "instagram"Instagram User Posts API
The recent posts of one account.
The Instagram User Posts API returns the recent posts of a public Instagram account: text, author, likes, comment count, views and publish time, in the same response format as every other SocialToAI call. One call costs 2 credits ($0.004 to $0.0067 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
2 creditsper call
Up to 12 per pageone page per call
2026-10-17last tested
1.1 KBsample response, 1 item
Last updated:
Request and response
curl https://api.socialtoai.com/v1/user_posts \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $SOCIALTOAI_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "platform": "instagram", "username": "nasa" }'import osimport requestsresponse = requests.post( "https://api.socialtoai.com/v1/user_posts", headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SOCIALTOAI_KEY']}"}, json={ "platform": "instagram", "username": "nasa", },)print(response.json())# Connected over MCP? Ask in plain words.What has this Instagram account posted lately: nasa# Your AI calls the user_posts tool with:{ "platform": "instagram", "username": "nasa"}Change the requestThe code above follows.
type200 OK1.1 KB2 credits
{ "platform": "instagram", "status": "ok", "items": [ { "platform": "instagram", "id": "…", "ref": "…", "approx": [], "type": "content", "url": "https://example.com/…", "format": "video", "title": null, "text": "…", "published_at": "2026-09-15T13:01:48.000Z", "author": { "id": "…", "username": "…", "name": "…", "verified": true, "followers": null }, "metrics": { "likes": 1402, "comments": 954, "shares": null, "collects": null, "views": 130750, "reposts": null }, "images": ["https://example.com/…"], "hashtags": null, "is_pinned": true } ], "unavailable": ["title", "author.followers", "metrics.shares", "metrics.collects", "metrics.reposts", "hashtags"], "page": { "has_more": true, "cursor": "cur_…", "cursor_expires_at": "2026-10-12T19:44:56.000Z" }, "cost_credits": 2}likes 1,402comments 954shares
nullcollects nullviews 130,750Names and text were removed from the sample; the numbers are as recorded.
Sample data1 of the 12 items recorded
4 parameters.
2 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. |
| username | string | Required | — | Instagram handle, without the @ |
| type | string | Optional | "all" | Every post, or reels only"all""reel" |
| cursor | string | Optional | — | Pass page.cursor from the last response to get the next page. |
Where to get what you send.
usernameInstagram handle, without the @ (e.g. nasa)
Every item these return carries its username; send it as it is:
search · type=userSearch
The fields of each item.
What Instagram cannot give is marked.
| Field | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| items[].url | string | A link that opens the item. |
| items[].format | string | video, image, text or article. |
| items[].title | stringalways null | The title. |
| items[].text | string | The body text or caption. |
| items[].published_at | string | When it was published, ISO 8601 in UTC. |
| items[].author.id | string | The author's account ID. |
| items[].author.username | string | The author's handle. |
| items[].author.name | string | The author's display name. |
| items[].author.verified | boolean | Whether the author is verified. |
| items[].author.followers | integeralways null | The author's follower count. |
| items[].metrics.likes | integer | Likes. |
| items[].metrics.comments | integer | Comments. |
| items[].metrics.shares | integeralways null | Shares. |
| items[].metrics.collects | integeralways null | Saves. |
| items[].metrics.views | integer | Views or plays. |
| items[].metrics.reposts | integeralways null | Reposts. |
| items[].images | string[] | Image addresses. |
| items[].hashtags | string[]always null | Hashtags, without the #. |
| items[].is_pinned | boolean | Whether the author pinned it. |
nullFields Instagram cannot giveRead null as “Instagram did not give this”, not as zero. These are always null on this call:
titleThe title.author.followersThe author's follower count.metrics.sharesShares.metrics.collectsSaves.metrics.repostsReposts.hashtagsHashtags, without the #.
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 a page of up to 12 items. When page.has_more is true, send page.cursor back as cursor for the next page; each page costs 2 credits and a cursor works for 30 minutes.
A call that runs and finds nothing is a successful call: status is "empty", items is empty, and it costs 2 credits.
On this call Instagram cannot tell a post that does not exist from one with no data: both come back as empty, and both are charged.
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.
What has this Instagram account posted lately: nasa
2 creditsuser_posts {"platform":"instagram","username":"nasa"}What has this Instagram account posted lately: nasa, with type set to reel.
2 creditsuser_posts {"platform":"instagram","username":"nasa","type":"reel"}Find Instagram accounts about "nike", then for the first 3: what has this Instagram account posted lately.
9 creditssearch {"platform":"instagram","query":"nike","type":"user"}user_posts {"platform":"instagram","username":"<username>"} × 3
These ready-made tools call it when they run.
account-watchWhat each one posted lately, and which posts beat its usual numbers
find-creatorsCreators who make that content, with their size, recent posts and how well each fits
creator-cardTheir accounts on other platforms, the numbers on each, and how sure the match is
The same call on other platforms.
All platforms and pricesPOST
/v1/user_posts{ "platform": "instagram", "username": "nasa" }2 creditsper callTikTok2 creditsX2 creditsReddit2 creditsYouTubeno postsFacebook2 creditsLinkedIn2 creditsThreads2 creditsTelegram2 creditsPinterestno postsXiaohongshu12 creditsDouyin2 creditsWeibono postsWeChat Articles12 creditsBilibili2 creditsZhihu2 creditsKuaishou12 creditsWeChat Channels12 creditsMeta Ad Libraryno postsGoogle Ads Transparencyno posts
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.