Instagram data API for agents (MCP + REST)

What agents need from an Instagram data source

• Typed tools with prices.Every tool description lists its params, unit, and price. The model can see what a call costs before it makes it.
• Discoverability.list_endpoints is free. call_endpoint reaches all 28 endpoints.
• No Meta app.No Instagram login and no App Review. See the guide.
• Predictable cost.Free/monthly top-ups cost $5 per 1,000 credits. Errors, timeouts and upstream failures are never charged; empty results are free for 25/day/account, then cost 1 credit.

MCP tools (10)

get_transcript, get_summary, get_post_stats, get_comments, get_profile, get_channel_posts, search_hashtag, download_media, list_endpoints (free), call_endpoint. These handle the common reads. For anything else, call_endpoint reaches the full 28-endpoint sheet.

REST vs MCP

• REST:pick this for backends, pipelines, and cron jobs. Authenticate with your key from /app/keys/.
• MCP:pick this for agents. Remote MCP clients sign in with OAuth. Clients that only accept headers use your key as a Bearer header.

Set up by client

• Cursor: add Instadata to mcp.json with the remote URL https://mcp.instadata.dev. Full steps: /mcp/cursor/.

  {
    "mcpServers": {
      "instadata": {
        "url": "https://mcp.instadata.dev",
        "headers": {
          "Authorization": "Bearer ik_live_..."
        }
      }
    }
  }

  Save this as ~/.cursor/mcp.json (global) or .cursor/mcp.json (per project). Get your key at /app/keys/.

• Claude Code:

  claude mcp add --transport http instadata https://mcp.instadata.dev

  Claude app steps: /mcp/claude/

• ChatGPT: /mcp/chatgpt/
• Registry lookup: dev.instadata/instagram@1.0.0 in the official MCP Registry.
• Skills pack: npx skills add nikhonit/instagram-api-skills

Try it with the demo handle nasa: "Get @nasa's profile and summarize its last 5 posts."

Pricing

• Free/monthly top-ups: $5 per 1,000 credits;annual top-ups: $4.50 per 1,000. Accounts start with 25 free credits, no card required.
• Reel transcripts (get_transcript via MCP, /transcript via REST): 1 credit per reel plus 20 credits per started minute.
• list_endpoints:free. Errors, timeouts and upstream failures are never charged. Empty results are free up to 25 per day per account, then cost 1 credit.

When to use Instadata vs building on Meta's API

• Instadata:good for agent reads of public profiles, posts, reels, comments, ads, and transcripts without setting up a Meta app.
• Meta Graph API:the right tool for publishing, managing your own professional account, and official insights on accounts you own. See Instadata vs Meta Graph API.

Instadata is an independent public-data API, not affiliated with Meta.

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