Best Web Scrapers
Instagram is easily one of the most popular social media applications, and it wouldn’t hurt to know how to scrape Instagram data.
From a business perspective, data can be highly valuable for a number of reasons.
By scraping Instagram data, you can collect user information for marketing purposes or even lead generation.
However, what’s most important, is the service you use to get the job done.
There may be a long list of data scraping services available, but not all of them deliver the information you need.
This article will highlight what PhantomBuster has to offer and why it should be your top choice.
How to Scrape Instagram Data in 2023
Data Scraping Features
- Collect information such as username, profile picture, bio, and more
- Profile classifications
- Collect public email addresses
- Information provided in an excel file
- Categorize private, public, and business accounts
Using Automation to Your Advantage
In the past, when a business wanted to collect user data or generate leads, this task usually came with a manual approach.
There have been numerous tools that can provide assistance, but it was still considered to be quite time-consuming.
This isn’t the case anymore, especially with the quickly evolving nature of automation tools.
Nowadays, you can find a broad range of automation services for any social media application.
This means you can easily scour Instagram for specific data points, and the automation tools will handle the entire process.
Some may require more input than others, but you won’t have to intervene much once the process gets going.
Once again, you don’t want to work with just any automation tool, as some may not be worth your time for multiple reasons.
Whether it’s efficiency, security, or even cost, you want to work with what’s best for you.
The market for automation tools is pretty saturated, making it difficult for people to choose a service they can rely on.
Although there are numerous tools catered toward various social media applications, we’re here to focus on Instagram automation.
Scraping Data on Instagram
Most Instagram accounts look pretty simple, but there’s actually quite a bit of information you can collect from them.
In our current era, Instagram is seen as an essential part of doing business.
Considering there are over 2.3 billion active users on Instagram, the upside potential for businesses is vast.
With the help of automation tools, you can easily collect usernames, bio information, public emails, and much more.
Some of this is dependent on what the user makes public on the platform.
Nevertheless, you won’t have any trouble collecting data when there are billions of users sitting around.
You can also use automation to fine-tune your search and collect specific key points to avoid unwanted information.
Collecting Instagram data is easier than it has ever been, and it takes little to no effort on your part to reap the benefits.
When searching online, you’ll find a long list of automation services, each claiming to provide the same outcome for the most part.
However, once you take a closer look, you’ll realize some are a far better option than others.
If you’re looking for a one-and-done solution, PhantomBuster is a great place to start.
We’ll also provide an alternative that you can put in your back pocket in case you always like to have a backup solution.
1. Phantombuster
Features & Specifications
- Easily scrape different types of Instagram data
- 14-day free trial available
- Multiple subscription plans
- Quality customer support
- A variety of flows and automations for different needs
For those who are looking to scrape data from Instagram profiles, Phantombuster is the way to go.
The company offers multiple flows and phantoms (automations) for the Instagram platform.
When you’re just getting started, it’s a good idea to work with the Instagram profile scraper first.
It couldn’t be any easier to use, and it comes with a tutorial for users who are going through a learning curve.
Whether you’re an expert or have never touched automation tools before, PhantomBuster makes it extremely easy to adapt to their tools.
Not only do they make the process concise and organized, but you can gather all kinds of data points with just a click of a button.
Collect profile data, record followers, following, and post counts, and even collect as many public emails as you want.
It’s pretty clear why this is so beneficial, as businesses can use this information for their marketing tactics.
Using PhantomBuster gives you a clear look at the market in question while providing users with a vast amount of user data.
Getting the information you need comes with a three-step process that any user can understand.
- First, you’ll want to gather Instagram profile URLs into an excel sheet
- Then attach the excel sheet to the input section on PahntomBuster
- After that, simply download the data, and you’re good to go
Their services may seem limitless, but this isn’t actually true.
PhantomBuster has put some limitations in place to ensure their processes run smoothly every single day.
For example, users can only scrape 100 profiles every day.
It should also be known that their automations run from the cloud, which means their processes will run in the background until it’s finished.
You don’t have to worry about incrementally monitoring progress, as it won’t stop until the request is 100% fulfilled.
Collecting IG URLs is relatively easy, but if you need a little extra help, PhantomBuster offers full automation that users can use to speed up the lead generation process.
Collect Instagram profile URLs with the following automations:
- Instagram hashtag collector
- Instagram followers detector
- Instagram following collector
From everyday accounts to fully verified profiles, PhantomBuster doesn’t discriminate when it comes to scraping data.
As long as you give them the accounts you’d like to scrape, PhantomBuster’s tools can handle the rest from beginning to end.
You can also use multiple phantoms or flows in conjunction with each for the best possible outcome.
Don’t forget to give them a test run with their 14-day free trial, as this should give you enough time to test the ropes.
After that, users have three different subscriptions they can choose from.
- Starter ($59/mo): Comes with 20 hours of execution time and 5 slots for automations
- Pro ($139): Includes 80 hours of execution time, 15 slots, and priority support
- Team ($399): Gives users 300 hours of execution time, 50 slots, priority support, and a dedicated account expert
These prices are based on monthly billing, but you can save 20% by signing up for the annual billing option.
Each subscription tier also comes with a certain number of bonus email credits.
No matter which one you choose, you have multiple automation tools that are just a single click away.
2. ScraperAPI
Features & Specifications
- More customized approach to data scraping
- Built with developers in mind
- Custom subscription option available
- 7-day free trial
- Geotargeting, anti-bot bypassing, and multiple proxy options
This company brings a bit more customization to the table when it comes to data scraping.
Although they also have a handful of automated features, ScraperAPI requires a more manual approach to the whole process.
Primarily catered toward developers who are comfortable with coding, their services offer highly specific data scraping features.
Regardless of which subscription tier you choose, every plan comes with the following:
- Premium proxies
- Smart proxy rotation
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Automatic retries
- CAPTCHA & anti-bot detection
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
You’ll also find many other benefits included, giving you all the flexibility you need to scrape data.
Considering how thorough they are with their services, Instagram is no match.
You won’t have any issues gathering information from Instagram profiles.
They also offer numerous subscription tiers that are perfect for different budgets.
ScraperAPI has been around since 2018, and their services have been improving ever since.
They focus on cost-efficiency and premium features, with a minimal learning curve to get started.
Their website also has a massive amount of helpful information if you happen to hit a roadblock.
Users also get the benefit of hands-on customer service, which is prompt, concise, and to the point with resolutions.
If you take a look at the resources section on their website, you’ll find everything you need to know about data scraping.
You can apply this knowledge in more ways than one, especially when it comes to different types of data on Instagram.
It doesn’t matter if the account is personal, public, private, or focused on business; there’s some data you’ll be able to take from it.
ScraperAPI is an excellent alternative to PhantomBuster but can also be paired to optimize results.
Running both services simultaneously will only lead to a better output of data, and it gives you the chance to test different scraping tools.
ScraperAPI is hailed by the developer community as an excellent data scraping tool.
It may come with more of a learning curve than some care to deal with, but it’s an excellent backup to have on hand.
Although PhantomBuster makes it easy to start scraping data immediately, it’s best to explore different flows and automations for better results.
The same goes for ScraperAPI, as they offer numerous tools that you can customize to work in the direction of your exact needs.
Mix and Match Automation Tools
You might be entirely fine with only using PhantomBusters’ Instagram profile scraper, but this can be limiting in some ways.
For one, there are limitations to how many profiles you can scrape in a day.
If you look into using multiple automations at once, you can gather much more data on a daily basis.
Other Instagram automations PhantomBuster provides include the following:
- Post scraper
- Profile post extractor
- Story extractor
- Story viewers export
- Tagged post extractor
- Post commenters export
- Notification extractor
- Photo likers
You can see how combining these different phantoms and flows can improve your overall output.
It also shows how many different data points exist on Instagram across the board.
Profiles are a great place to start, but Instagram offers much more user data than that.
Taking an ethical approach to these tools is important, but they can be highly beneficial for business purposes.
Whether you’re working on a small or large-scale operation, Instagram user data is a stellar way to generate leads in an efficient manner.
While you run multiple automations through PhantomBuster, you can go for a more customized approach with ScraperAPI.
Most people can get everything they need by signing up for their most affordable subscription tier as well.
One thing that’s crucial to remember is to pace yourself.
You don’t want to overload the automations to the point where Instagram’s algorithm picks up on your actions.
Although these actions are entirely legal, social media applications as a whole aren’t a fan of automation tools.
In the worst-case scenario, it could get your IP blocked if you’re running a big enough data scraping operation.
To ensure this doesn’t happen, a good rule of thumb to work with is to start out slow and only use them for what you need.
You can easily generate a couple of hundred leads per day by working with what the base subscriptions have to offer.
Some people tend to get greedy as automation makes it seem like there’s no limit to the data you can gather.
Precautions should be taken with every decision, and there should always be an ethical stance on what you do with the collected data.
Aside from that, there’s plenty of A/B testing you can do on both platforms to see what works best for you in the long run.
Don’t forget to take advantage of their free trials, as this is the best way to discover the tools you need most before paying.
The Bottom Line
Automation tools are everywhere nowadays, but you only want to invest your time and money in those that actually deliver quality results.
Whether you’re looking for a “one-click” approach or would like more customized features, this article offers the best of both worlds.
Nowadays, it’s smart for any business to learn how to scrape Instagram data, as billions of potential customers are available in plain sight.
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Written by Jason Wise
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