Instagram · Guide

How to get Instagram basic profile

TL;DR
To get Instagram basic profile, sign up for a free Captapi key, then send one GET request to /v1/instagram/basic-profile with your input. You get clean JSON back in seconds for 1 credit per call — no OAuth, scraping or platform SDKs. Instagram profile by user ID or @handle — camelCase schema aligned with Channel Details (followers, externalUrl, businessAddress).

How to get Instagram basic profile (step by step)

  1. 1

    Get a free API key

    Create a free Captapi account (100 credits, no card) and generate an API key from the dashboard.

  2. 2

    Call the Instagram Basic Profile API

    Send an authenticated GET request to /v1/instagram/basic-profile with your input. No OAuth, no scraping setup.

  3. 3

    Read the JSON response

    Parse the clean JSON response. Pass cache=true for a free 24h cache hit; default is always fresh.

Code example

curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/instagram/basic-profile?userId=13460080" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."
# or: -H "x-api-key: capt_live_..."

What the response looks like

{
  "success": true,
  "data": {
    "platform": "instagram",
    "url": "https://instagram.com/nike",
    "id": "13460080",
    "pk": "13460080",
    "username": "nike",
    "displayName": "Nike",
    "bio": "Just Do It.",
    "biographyWithEntities": {
      "rawText": "Just Do It.",
      "entities": []
    },
    "followers": 291638893,
    "following": 264,
    "postCount": 1668,
    "highlightReelCount": 5,
    "hasClips": true,
    "isPrivate": false,
    "verified": true,
    "isBusinessAccount": true,
    "isProfessionalAccount": true,
    "categoryName": "SPORTSWEAR_STORE",
    "shouldShowCategory": true,
    "profileImage": "https://instagram.fadb3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-19/551608484_18567162979020081_1135468084872726555_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s320x320_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InByb2ZpbGVfcGljLmRqYW5nby4zOTkuYzIifQ&_nc_ht=instagram.fadb3-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gFbXFmp_TeRpCCj6RR0tM15Q0oZBPR6ROg0ngZ8OMxwGUMoGki14pWoXpBkyDth51bqpCSkJFx6YosO0GZyPqK-&_nc_ohc=jOWQehR8N0kQ7kNvwHCN0UL&_nc_gid=k79WPpLD7fgQ0KoqHooi9A&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQGLKYnAo8kqPvpjPiPXB6947FKZdPXkp90fLn4BX7sh5w&oe=6A756ABA&_nc_sid=8b3546",
    "profileImageHd": "https://instagram.fadb3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-19/551608484_18567162979020081_1135468084872726555_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s320x320_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InByb2ZpbGVfcGljLmRqYW5nby4zOTkuYzIifQ&_nc_ht=instagram.fadb3-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gFbXFmp_TeRpCCj6RR0tM15Q0oZBPR6ROg0ngZ8OMxwGUMoGki14pWoXpBkyDth51bqpCSkJFx6YosO0GZyPqK-&_nc_ohc=jOWQehR8N0kQ7kNvwHCN0UL&_nc_gid=k79WPpLD7fgQ0KoqHooi9A&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQGLKYnAo8kqPvpjPiPXB6947FKZdPXkp90fLn4BX7sh5w&oe=6A756ABA&_nc_sid=8b3546",
    "profileImageUrl": "https://instagram.fadb3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t51.82787-19/551608484_18567162979020081_1135468084872726555_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_s150x150_tt6&efg=eyJ2ZW5jb2RlX3RhZyI6InByb2ZpbGVfcGljLmRqYW5nby4zOTkuYzIifQ&_nc_ht=instagram.fadb3-1.fna.fbcdn.net&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gFbXFmp_TeRpCCj6RR0tM15Q0oZBPR6ROg0ngZ8OMxwGUMoGki14pWoXpBkyDth51bqpCSkJFx6YosO0GZyPqK-&_nc_ohc=jOWQehR8N0kQ7kNvwHCN0UL&_nc_gid=k79WPpLD7fgQ0KoqHooi9A&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQFUavH_AkjH7xOjK_XCMgEdFI82tO3J-qTmLtfVLMz1GA&oe=6A756ABA&_nc_sid=8b3546",
    "externalUrl": "http://empli.fi/nike",
    "fbid": "17841400602400210",
    "pronouns": [],
    "bioLinks": [
      {
        "title": null,
        "url": "http://empli.fi/nike",
        "linkType": "external"
      }
    ],
    "showAccountTransparencyDetails": true,
    "isEmbedsDisabled": false,
    "isRegulatedC18": false,
    "businessAddress": {
      "cityName": "Beaverton, Oregon",
      "cityId": "108410602520455",
      "streetAddress": "One Bowerman Dr",
      "latitude": 45.5076448,
      "longitude": -122.8269159,
      "zipCode": "97005"
    },
    "businessContactMethod": "CALL",
    "fetchedAt": "2026-08-02T20:06:56.628Z"
  }
}

Billing metadata (credits charged, cache hit/miss) is returned in the X-Captapi-Credits and X-Captapi-Cache response headers.

Request parameters

NameTypeRequiredDescription
userIdstring YesInstagram numeric user ID (e.g. 13460080). A profile URL, @handle, or username is also accepted and resolved automatically.
cachebooleanNoSet true to serve from the response cache (default TTL). Default false — always fetch fresh. Prefer cacheMaxAge when you need 1d–30d freshness control. Envelope includes cached + cachedAt on hits.
cacheMaxAgestringNoMax age of a cached response: 1d, 3d, 7d, 14d, or 30d. When set, enables caching with that TTL (SC cache_max_age). Envelope: cached + cachedAt.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Instagram Basic Profile API do?

The Instagram Basic Profile API lets you fetch profile or page details and audience stats from a public Instagram profile or page using one GET request to /v1/instagram/basic-profile. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or infrastructure setup required.

How many credits does the Instagram Basic Profile API cost?

Each successful call costs 1 credit. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Hits include cached + cachedAt. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. 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, Rumble, Spotify, Kwai, and more. We handle proxies, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.

Is the Instagram Basic Profile API suitable for production use?

Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON and automatic retries. Pass cache=true to serve from the 24h cache (0 credits on hit); default is always fresh. Hits include cached + cachedAt. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. Use it for analytics, monitoring, and content automation.

Ready to get Instagram basic profile?

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