LurkAPI
✓ VerifiedPull public Instagram profiles, posts, Reels, comments, and transcripts as JSON via API — or ask Claude and ChatGPT directly via MCP. Includes 29 free browser tools with no signup.
Best for
Developers, agencies, and AI power users who need Instagram data in their workflows, tools, or AI assistants
LurkAPI is a social media data API that gives developers and AI users clean JSON access to public Instagram profiles, posts, Reels, comments, and transcripts — alongside 15 other platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit. It works three ways: free browser tools at lurkapi.com/free-tools (29 tools, 5 free tries/day, no signup), a REST API (100 free credits on signup, then from $0.45 per 1,000 credits), and an MCP server that lets Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, and VS Code query Instagram data live inside your AI chat. Instagram-specific free tools include a profile viewer, engagement rate calculator, Reel downloader, and username checker.
What You Can Do with LurkAPI for Instagram
- Look up any public Instagram profile instantly — Use the free profile viewer to see any public account's bio, follower count, following, post count, and recent posts — no Instagram login, no signup required, 5 free lookups per day.
- Calculate Instagram engagement rate — Enter any public username and get the account's engagement rate benchmarked against cited industry standards — free, directly in the browser.
- Download Instagram Reels — Save any public Reel as an MP4 directly to your device using the free Reel downloader — no watermark, no signup.
- Pull Instagram data into your app or AI via API — Use one GET request with an API key to retrieve Instagram profile data, posts, Reels, or comments as clean JSON — ready to feed into dashboards, scripts, or automation workflows.
- Query Instagram data inside Claude or ChatGPT — Add LurkAPI's MCP server to Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor and ask questions like "what are this account's top posts?" — LurkAPI fetches live public Instagram data and returns it directly in the chat.
- Get Instagram Reel transcripts programmatically — Retrieve word-for-word transcripts of public Reels as JSON — with or without timestamps — via the API or by asking your AI assistant. Useful for content analysis, SEO repurposing, and competitor research.
Key Features
- Instagram profile API — retrieve any public account's bio, follower/following counts, post count, and metadata as JSON
- Instagram posts API — fetch a profile's latest posts with engagement counts, captions, and media URLs
- Instagram Reels API — pull Reel details, view counts, and transcripts programmatically
- Instagram comments API — retrieve comments on any public post or Reel with author and engagement data
- MCP server — connect to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, or VS Code and query Instagram data via natural language
- 29 free browser tools — profile viewer, engagement calculator, Reel downloader, username checker, and more. 5 free tries/day, no signup
- 16-platform coverage — Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and more from one API
- Fast responses — median API response times of 415–1,152 ms across the 11 busiest endpoints
- Pay-as-you-go credits — from $0.45 per 1,000 credits; failed calls are free; 100 free credits on signup
- OpenAPI spec and llms.txt — machine-readable docs for easy integration into any development workflow
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 29 free browser tools require no signup — useful for one-off lookups without any commitment
- MCP server integration lets you query Instagram data live inside Claude and ChatGPT — a genuinely novel workflow for AI power users
- Pay-as-you-go pricing with no subscription — you only pay for what you use, and failed calls cost nothing
- Fast API responses (under 1.2 s median) and significantly cheaper than comparable services like ScrapeCreators
- Covers 16 platforms from one API key — no separate integrations needed for cross-platform data workflows
Cons
- Primarily a developer tool — non-technical users may find the API and credit system complex to get started with
- Free browser tools are limited to 5 uses per day — not suitable for high-frequency lookups without an API key
- Only works on public Instagram accounts — private profiles, stories, and DMs are not accessible
- No dashboard or visual analytics UI — data comes back as raw JSON, requiring your own processing or visualization
- MCP setup requires familiarity with Claude, ChatGPT, or developer tools like Cursor — not a point-and-click tool
Pricing
- Free Tools:Free29 browser tools at lurkapi.com/free-tools — 5 free tries per day per tool, no signup required. Includes Instagram profile viewer, engagement rate calculator, Reel downloader, and username checker.
- API (Pay-as-you-go):From $0.45/1,000 credits100 free credits on signup. Endpoints cost 1–31 credits per call. Failed calls are free. No subscription — buy credit packs as needed. Instagram profile and post endpoints cost 1 credit each.
Who Should Use LurkAPI
Best for
- Developers building Instagram analytics tools, dashboards, or automation scripts who need clean JSON data
- AI power users who want to query live Instagram data inside Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor via MCP
- Agencies running competitor research or influencer vetting at scale who need programmatic profile data
- Marketers who need one-off Instagram profile lookups, engagement checks, or Reel downloads without signing up
- Researchers and journalists pulling public Instagram data into analysis workflows or databases
Not ideal for
- Non-technical creators who need a visual analytics dashboard — LurkAPI returns raw JSON, not charts or reports
- Users who need to analyze their own private Instagram Insights (reach, impressions, story views)
- Creators who only need occasional free lookups — the 5/day free tier works, but the API is overkill for casual use
LurkAPI vs Alternatives
| Tool | Free No-Signup Tools | AI / MCP Integration | API Speed & Price | Platform Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LurkAPI | 5/5 ✓ | 5/5 ✓ | 5/5 ✓ | 5/5 ✓ |
| ScrapeCreators | 2/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Apify | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 ✓ |
| PhantomBuster | 2/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 |
User Feedback
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"The MCP integration is wild — I can ask Claude to pull any Instagram profile and it just does it with live data"
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"Free tools are genuinely useful for quick competitor checks — no signup, just paste the username"
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐"Switched from ScrapeCreators and the same calls are 3x cheaper and faster"
Frequently Asked Questions
Is LurkAPI free?
LurkAPI has 29 free browser tools at lurkapi.com/free-tools — 5 free uses per day, no signup. The API gives 100 free credits on signup (no card required), then costs from $0.45 per 1,000 credits on a pay-as-you-go basis. Failed API calls and 5xx errors are always free.
What Instagram data can LurkAPI access?
LurkAPI can retrieve public Instagram profile data (bio, follower counts, post counts), recent posts with engagement metrics, Reels with view counts, post and Reel comments, and Reel transcripts with timestamps. It only works on public accounts — private accounts are not accessible.
What is the MCP server and how does it work?
LurkAPI's MCP (Model Context Protocol) server lets AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT query live Instagram data during a conversation. Add the server URL (https://api.lurkapi.com/mcp) to your AI tool once, and you can ask questions like "show me this account's top posts" and get real-time data — not information the AI already knows.
How does LurkAPI compare to other Instagram data tools?
LurkAPI focuses on speed and price — median API response times under 1.2 seconds, and 100,000 requests cost $59 vs $188 on comparable services. It also supports 16 platforms from one API key and offers MCP server integration for AI workflows, which most Instagram-specific data tools don't provide.
Do I need to log in to use the free tools?
No. The 29 free tools at lurkapi.com/free-tools require no login or signup — just go to the page and use them. You get 5 free tries per day per tool. An account is only needed to get an API key for programmatic access.
What platforms does LurkAPI support besides Instagram?
LurkAPI supports 16 platforms: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Snapchat, Threads, Telegram, Truth Social, Pinterest, link-in-bio pages, eBay, and general web pages — all from one API key and one base URL.
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Start Using LurkAPI
Pull public Instagram profiles, posts, Reels, comments, and transcripts as JSON via API — or ask Claude and ChatGPT directly via MCP. Includes 29 free browser tools with no signup.
Try LurkAPI NowTool Details
- Pricing
- Freemium
- Platform
- Web
- Best For
- Developers, agencies, and AI power users who need Instagram data in their workflows, tools, or AI assistants
- Company
- LurkAPI
- Free Plan
- Yes
- Free Trial
- No
- Mobile App
- No
- Browser Ext.
- No
- API
- Available
- Last Updated
- November 2, 2026