# Instagram Followers API (https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/instagram/followers)

> Returns a paginated list of the accounts that follow an Instagram user. Each follower includes username, display name, avatar URL, verification status, and profile URL. Pass either `handle` or `user_id`, and page through with `cursor`.

TL;DR: `GET /v1/instagram/followers` costs 5 credits per call and returns SocialCrawl's unified JSON schema. Single x-api-key auth, 100 free credits on signup.

## Parameters

| Parameter | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `handle` | no | Instagram username without the @ symbol. |
| `user_id` | no | Instagram numeric user ID. Use this for faster responses. |
| `cursor` | no | Pagination cursor. Use the `next_cursor` from the previous response to fetch the next page. |

## Code example

```bash
curl "https://www.socialcrawl.dev/v1/instagram/followers" \
  -H "x-api-key: sc_YOUR_API_KEY"
```

## FAQ

### How do I get a list of a user's Instagram followers with an API?

Send a GET request to /v1/instagram/followers with a handle or user_id. SocialCrawl returns a JSON array of follower accounts, each with username, display name, avatar URL, verified status, and profile URL.

### Can I look up followers by user ID instead of username?

Yes. Pass user_id instead of handle. Using user_id is faster because SocialCrawl skips the username-to-ID lookup step before fetching the follower list.

### How do I paginate through all of an account's followers?

Each response includes a cursor. Pass that value back as the cursor parameter on the next request to fetch the following page. Keep going until the cursor comes back empty.

### How much does the Instagram Followers API cost per request?

Each call costs 5 credits on the advanced tier and returns one page of followers. New accounts get 100 free credits with no credit card, so you can test before paying.

### What can I build with Instagram follower data?

Follower lists power audience analysis, influencer vetting, and lead generation: map who follows a competitor, score an influencer's real audience, or build prospect lists from a niche account.

See the full Instagram API: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/platforms/instagram

## Pricing

- Standard endpoints: 1 credit per call
- Advanced endpoints: 5 credits per call
- Premium endpoints: 10 credits per call
- 100 free credits on signup, no credit card required. Cached responses cost 0 credits. Credit packs never expire.
- Full pricing: https://www.socialcrawl.dev/pricing

## Explore with AI

Questions this API answers, phrased for an AI assistant:

- How do I get the list of accounts that follow an Instagram user via API?
- Best API to export a competitor's Instagram followers for audience analysis