Instagram API for Reels, Creators and Hashtags

One call and its real response, trimmed

Look up a creator and baseline: GET /v1/creators/{platform}/{handle}. Price: 6 credits, the same when a creator Snapshot under 24 h old and a baseline under 7 days old can answer.

Request

curl "https://www.shortsintel.com/v1/creators/instagram/glossier?include=videos" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_YOUR_KEY"

Response

{
  "run": { "kind": "creator_lookup", "status": "completed", "charge_credits": 6 },
  "result": {
    "platform": "instagram",
    "handle": "glossier",
    "name": "Glossier",
    "verified": true,
    "follower_count": 3124621,
    "following_count": 3618,
    "baseline": {
      "sample": 11,
      "median_views": 112066,
      "p90_views": 146128,
      "engagement_rate": 0.0264,
      "posts_per_week": 1.23,
      "confidence": "high"
    },
    "videos": [
      {
        "id": "DfNOT9PA7jR",
        "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DfNOT9PA7jR/",
        "posted_at": "2026-11-01T17:03:06.000Z",
        "snapshot": { "views": 83411, "likes": 2017, "comments": 57 },
        "scores": { "outlier": 0.74, "outlier_p90": 0.57, "percentile": 36.36, "velocity": { "window": "lifetime", "views_per_hour": 78198.28 } }
      },
      {
        "id": "DezQh2YRFhJ",
        "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DezQh2YRFhJ/",
        "posted_at": "2026-10-22T15:02:13.000Z",
        "snapshot": { "views": 134871, "likes": 4890, "comments": 148 },
        "scores": { "outlier": 1.3, "outlier_p90": 0.88, "percentile": 70, "velocity": { "window": "lifetime", "views_per_hour": 554.84 } }
      },
      {
        "id": "DecyDjQvZBm",
        "url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DecyDjQvZBm/",
        "posted_at": "2026-10-13T21:32:39.000Z",
        "snapshot": { "views": 135771, "likes": 1698, "comments": 68 },
        "scores": { "outlier": 1.31, "outlier_p90": 0.89, "percentile": 80, "velocity": { "window": "lifetime", "views_per_hour": 300 } }
      },
      ...
    ],
    "next_cursor": "eyJwIjoiSU5TVEFHUkFNIi..."
  }
}

Real response from our own account, trimmed to three of the 12 Reels it returned, with fields cut from each Reel and ... marking the cut. Each Reel under 30 days old carries Scores against the Creator's baseline. Captured 1 November 2026. Every field: Look up a creator and baseline reference.

What developers build on the Instagram API

• Benchmark a competitor's Reels against their own median views, and flag the ones that ran above it.
• Pull the hook, on-screen text, transcript and call to action of any public Reel into a creative brief.
• Track a Hashtag or a Keyword on Instagram daily and read what changed in a Change Report.
• Shortlist Creators for a campaign by follower count, posting rate and engagement rate.
• Read what viewers ask in a Reel's comments, with an optional sentiment and theme analysis.

Every Instagram API operation and its price

Questions

Is this the official Instagram Graph API?

No. ShortsIntel is not affiliated with Meta or Instagram. Meta's Instagram API needs a professional account and an app, and it reads other accounts only through Business Discovery and a capped Hashtag search behind App Review. ShortsIntel reads public Reels, posts and profiles, directly or through third-party data providers, and you never sign in to an Instagram account. The Instagram API vs scraping guide compares the two.

Can I read any public Instagram profile?

Yes, any public profile by handle: followers, following, bio links, verified status, a baseline of median views, engagement rate and posts per week, and its recent Reels with Scores. Private profiles return nothing.

How fresh is Instagram data?

Each call reads Instagram when you make it. A Creator lookup can be answered from a Snapshot under 24 hours old with a baseline under 7 days old, and a Reel, Hashtag or Keyword lookup from a Snapshot under 24 hours old, at the same price. Snapshot history is free to read.

Is the Instagram API production ready?

It is a versioned /v1 API with an OpenAPI document, and paid calls accept estimate=true to quote the price first. The limits are 60 requests per minute per key and 10 running Runs per Customer. When Instagram cannot be read, the call returns 503 source_unavailable and costs nothing. It is unofficial, so Instagram can change what it shows publicly, and search stays best effort.

Do I need a card for Instagram data?

No. New accounts get 1,000 credits free, valid for 90 days. Add a card when you buy your first Top-up, from $10.

Does my Assistant get the same Instagram operations?

Yes. Each card names its MCP tool, and the Instagram MCP server page shows how to connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor. Prices match the REST calls.

More on this API

• Instagram MCPWhat an Assistant can read on Instagram through the ShortsIntel MCP server, what it cannot, and how to connect it.
• Instagram API vs scrapingWhat the Instagram Graph API, a scraper and an MCP server can each get about accounts that are not yours.
• Instagram Reels researchResearch Instagram Reels in a niche from your Assistant: Hashtags, Keywords, Creators and a full Research, with what each one can and cannot tell you.
• API referenceEvery /v1 operation with its parameters, schemas and error codes.

Start with the Starter Grant