Instagram Profile Search API
Search Instagram programmatically and get structured, ranked results.
GET request to /v1/instagram/profile-search that responds with clean JSON, costs 12 credits, and is cached for 24 hours (repeat calls are free). Start with 100 free credits — no credit card.What is the Instagram Profile Search API?
The Instagram Profile Search API lets you search and return matching results from Instagram with a single REST call. No OAuth, no scraping infrastructure, and no platform SDKs — send the URL, get clean structured JSON back. Results are cached for 24 hours, so repeat lookups are instant and free.
What you get
- Ranked, structured result list
- Title, URL, author, and thumbnail per result
- Engagement metrics where available
- Configurable result limit
Try it
Fill in the parameters below and copy a ready-to-run request in your language of choice.
Parameters
curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/instagram/profile-search?q=skincare" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."Edit the parameters and the code updates instantly. Switch languages and hit copy.
Example response
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"query": "fitness",
"totalReturned": 2,
"users": [
{
"username": "planetfitness",
"displayName": "Planet Fitness",
"url": "https://instagram.com/planetfitness",
"followers": 558062,
"verified": true,
"private": null,
"profileImage": "https://scontent-hou1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-19/571859215_18539690485033373_6920541618037746178_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e0_s150x150_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InByb2ZpbGVfcGljLmRqYW5nby4xMDgwLmMyIn0&_nc_ht=scontent-hou1-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gH8dpLFyw4tklxYv8ukEz_fbGy-PnbwenWY-ThZpqoo-LTcO4ltlvgsNHhbXPbuRoI&_nc_ohc=dUBhpEyI3loQ7kNvwHc5jfx&_nc_gid=lNPFSH5wTz9QIGzl9jUa1A&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQAGRo_KZBhI20-LlzCQDKrH6jzhTWMmf8-pk3P0zP71vA&oe=6A4DA7E5&_nc_sid=8b3546"
},
{
"username": "zumba",
"displayName": "Zumba",
"url": "https://instagram.com/zumba",
"followers": 4695167,
"verified": true,
"private": null,
"profileImage": "https://scontent-mia5-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-19/610891666_18547024492018724_6367250792129156891_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e0_s150x150_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InByb2ZpbGVfcGljLmRqYW5nby4xMDgwLmMyIn0&_nc_ht=scontent-mia5-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gEI9RqFsUGWDBdjHW5Nf6q3nWd7RUkgHb5LAlFA7U_YvwfJtj9GwuxFhaTMAhNS03U&_nc_ohc=4fV4yjx0sRgQ7kNvwFEtvLn&_nc_gid=1K03h-9tj_ziF-dEAfTpBg&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQBZCgtVKxx0xbTBTJo_aumgj-A6PDTbL59Y4nFxXhfWKQ&oe=6A4DBC57&_nc_sid=8b3546"
}
]
}
}Billing metadata is returned in response headers: X-Captapi-Credits (credits charged), X-Captapi-Cache (hit or miss), and X-Captapi-Source. Failed requests (4xx/5xx) are never charged. See the full list of error codes in the error reference.
Response structure
A successful call returns success, cached, creditsUsed, and a data object with the following fields:
Top-level fields
queryThe search query you sent.totalReturnedNumber of items returned in this response.
Users
Each item in users contains:
usernameAccount username / handle.displayNameDisplay name of the account.urlCanonical URL of the item.followersFollower count.verifiedWhether the account is verified.privateWhether the account is private.profileImageProfile image URL.
Parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| q | string | Yes | Search query or keywords (min 2 characters). |
| limit | integer | No | Max items to return (default 20, max 100). Billed per result. |
| cache | boolean | No | Responses are cached for 24 hours by default. Set false to bypass the cache and always fetch fresh data (default true). |
Authentication: send your key as Authorization: Bearer capt_live_.... A typical call costs 12 credits — billed per result, so the exact amount scales with how many items you request. Repeat calls for the same request are served from cache for free (metrics refresh within ~1 hour).
instagram_profile_search via @captapi/mcp. Set it up →How it works
- 1. Sign up — get 100 free credits, no card required.
- 2. Create a key from your dashboard.
- 3. Send one request to
/v1/instagram/profile-searchand parse the JSON response.
Use cases
Trend Discovery
Find trending content by keyword or hashtag.
Content Sourcing
Build feeds and playlists programmatically.
Monitoring
Track topics, brands, and competitors.
Research
Sample large sets of content for analysis.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Instagram Profile Search API do?+
The Instagram Profile Search API lets you search and return matching results from a public Instagram query using one GET request to /v1/instagram/profile-search. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or scraping setup required.
How many credits does the Instagram Profile Search API cost?+
Each successful call costs 12 credits. Responses are cached for 24 hours, and cached results cost 0 credits. Failed or empty results are never charged.
Do I need a Instagram API key or OAuth?+
No. A single Captapi key works across every platform Captapi supports — YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Reddit, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Rumble. We handle proxies, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.
Is the Instagram Profile Search API suitable for production use?+
Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON, automatic retries, and a shared 24-hour cache. Use it for RAG pipelines, analytics, monitoring, and content automation.
More Instagram APIs
Ready to use the Instagram Profile Search API?
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