How to run a Instagram profile search
GET request to /v1/instagram/profile-search with your input. You get clean JSON back in seconds for 1 credit per call — no OAuth, scraping or platform SDKs. Resolve a brand or @handle to one public Instagram profile — stable id, bio, links, and stats (not niche discovery).How to run a Instagram profile search (step by step)
- 1
Get a free API key
Create a free Captapi account (100 credits, no card) and generate an API key from the dashboard.
- 2
Call the Instagram Profile Search API
Send an authenticated GET request to /v1/instagram/profile-search with your input. No OAuth, no scraping setup.
- 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/profile-search?q=nike" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."
# or: -H "x-api-key: capt_live_..."What the response looks like
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"query": "nike",
"totalReturned": 1,
"users": [
{
"id": "13460080",
"username": "nike",
"displayName": "Nike",
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/nike/",
"bio": "Just Do It.",
"followers": 291623659,
"following": 264,
"postCount": 1668,
"verified": true,
"isPrivate": false,
"isBusinessAccount": true,
"isProfessionalAccount": true,
"externalUrl": "http://empli.fi/nike",
"bioLinks": [
{
"url": "http://empli.fi/nike",
"linkType": "external"
}
],
"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=Q6cZ2gE3fm8U-4zquMXb-DCa2XFEqsm-rZ_BWOXzqz5HNEFIKiHcxSpjEdlCVP0v32ZLy3tMLEVo2JvIx8SA4xy09gYm&_nc_ohc=jOWQehR8N0kQ7kNvwHCN0UL&_nc_gid=Ov3EEVEX3-M4dSFajR8eTQ&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQE94ajaP7La8AcjJgA2RbClgYMx9xGFF0qoyUObgazGWg&oe=6A764BBA&_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=Q6cZ2gE3fm8U-4zquMXb-DCa2XFEqsm-rZ_BWOXzqz5HNEFIKiHcxSpjEdlCVP0v32ZLy3tMLEVo2JvIx8SA4xy09gYm&_nc_ohc=jOWQehR8N0kQ7kNvwHCN0UL&_nc_gid=Ov3EEVEX3-M4dSFajR8eTQ&edm=AOQ1c0wBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_AQE94ajaP7La8AcjJgA2RbClgYMx9xGFF0qoyUObgazGWg&oe=6A764BBA&_nc_sid=8b3546",
"platform": "instagram",
"imageExpiresAt": "2026-08-07T21:18:50Z"
}
],
"mode": "resolve"
}
}Billing metadata (credits charged, cache hit/miss) is returned in the X-Captapi-Credits and X-Captapi-Cache response headers.
Request parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| q | string | Yes | Account name, @handle, or profile URL to resolve (min 2 characters). Not a niche keyword search. |
| cache | boolean | No | Serve from the 24h shared cache when available (0 credits on hit). Default true — set false to always fetch fresh. |
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 infrastructure setup required.
How many credits does the Instagram Profile Search API cost?
Each successful call costs 1 credit. Cache is on by default (0 credits on hit); pass cache=false to always fetch fresh. 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.
What happens when the handle does not exist?
200 with users=[] and totalReturned 0, at 0 credits. This is a resolver, not a search — a miss is the same event as /tiktok/comments on a video that is not there. No synthesised row.
Is cache on by default?
Yes. Cache is on by default (0 credits on hit). Pass cache=false to always fetch fresh. There is no "default is always fresh" on this endpoint.
Why are missing fields omitted instead of null?
Resolver/search rows omit keys the account does not have (bio, externalUrl, businessAddress, …). Identity cards such as youtube/channel-details keep a stable key set and use null (banner: null means no banner — never a substituted avatar). Two classes, one convention each.
Is the Instagram Profile Search 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. Selected profile endpoints also accept cacheMaxAge=1d|3d|7d|14d|30d. Use it for analytics, monitoring, and content automation.
Ready to run a Instagram profile search?
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