How to Scrape Instagram in 2025 (and Win at Scale)
Instagram’s public data remains a goldmine for marketers, analysts, and automation pros. Want full-profile info, post metrics, hashtag mentions, or reel stats? Skip browser hacks and login traps. Use
The tool doing all the heavy lifting is HikerAPI. It handles proxies, pagination, and rate limits so you can pull clean JSON directly from Instagram’s hidden GraphQL endpoints. No login. No headaches.
Here’s how to build a reliable Instagram scraper with Python and HikerAPI.
Setup in 3 Minutes
Install Python 3.x
Install your HTTP library:
bash
pip install requestsGet your API key at HikerAPI
Explore their SDK at github.com/hikerapi
Pull a User Profile
python
import requests headers = {"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"} url = "https://api.hikerapi.com/instagram/user/profile?username=example" resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers) print(resp.json())You’ll get structured data like this:
json
{ "username": "example", "followers": 10500, "bio": "Fitness Coach", "posts": [ …likes, comments, timestamp… ] }Scrape Hashtag Posts
python
url = "https://api.hikerapi.com/instagram/hashtag/posts?tag=fitness" resp = requests.get(url, headers=headers) print(resp.json())This gives you trending posts, captions, engagement numbers, and more.
Handle Pagination
Use the ?after=CURSOR_TOKEN parameter for subsequent requests. HikerAPI returns cursors for seamless continuation.
Scraping Hygiene 101
Even with built-in proxy handling, follow basic best practices:
Rotate user-agents
Throttle requests
Retry on HTTP 429s
Pro-Level Alternatives
Want more flexibility?
Instaloader: CLI tool for scraping metadata and stories
Playwright: Browser automation for complex scraping setups
Sharingtools: Built-for-scale scraping and automation suite (Try it here)
Frequently Asked
Is scraping legal?
Yes, as long as you're accessing public data without login.
Can I access Reels and Stories?
Yes. HikerAPI now supports both. Stay updated through their Telegram group.
Is this beginner-friendly?
Absolutely. You can build full data pipelines with minimal Python skills.
How do I scale this?
Iterate tags, manage cursors, and distribute load across multiple API keys if needed.
Ready to Own Instagram Data?
Whether you’re building dashboards, ad intelligence tools, or influencer trackers, the ability to programmatically pull Instagram data is a major edge. HikerAPI makes this scalable and reliable. Start building now and get ahead before Instagram tightens the gates.
Get your key at HikerAPI and start scraping smart.
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Disclosure: This article includes affiliate links. I may earn commissions from purchases made through these links. Opinions remain unbiased.