Use case
Instagram API in n8n, Make and Zapier — One HTTP Node, No Connector
There is no native connector and there does not need to be. A GET, one header and a JSON body every automation tool has supported since it launched.
The problem
Instagram API for n8n and Make: the problem.
No-code tools ship official Instagram connectors that authenticate as your own business account and expose your own posts. The moment the workflow needs data about an account you do not own, the connector is the wrong tool and you are back to an HTTP node. The friction is not the request, it is knowing exactly what to type into the node.
The recipe
Endpoint workflow for Instagram API for n8n and Make.
The useful part of a use-case page is the translation from situation to endpoint. Here it is.
- 01Configure the HTTP Request nodeMethod GET. URL https://api.socialscrape.dev/v1/instagram/profile. Query parameter handle set to the account you are tracking. One header, x-api-key, holding your key — in n8n store it as a Header Auth credential, in Make as a Custom header, in Zapier as a header on the Webhooks by Zapier action. No OAuth step, no callback URL, no app review.Profile API
- 02Map the envelope, not the raw bodyEvery success response is { success, credits_charged, credits_remaining, processing_time_ms, requested_at, query, data }. Point your field mapping at data, and keep credits_remaining somewhere visible — a Slack alert when it drops below a threshold takes one extra node and prevents the workflow dying silently on 402. For the feed, call /v1/instagram/posts with handle and limit.Posts API
- 03Read comments on a scheduleCall /v1/instagram/comments with url set to the post URL or shortcode, then loop while next_cursor is present, passing it back as cursor. In n8n that is a Loop Over Items node with an IF on next_cursor; in Make it is a repeater with the cursor stored in a variable.Comments API
- 04Drive it from a schedule triggerA Schedule trigger every few hours is the right cadence for most workflows. Anything faster usually repeats the same business decision without adding useful signal.Reels API
Budget
Credit estimate for Instagram API for n8n and Make.
Count billable requests, not workflow runs. One scenario polling one account hourly — profile, posts and one comments page — can be up to 72 credits a day if every run performs fresh successful reads. Ten accounts on that schedule use about 21,600 credits in a 30-day month, inside Growth at $48 for 50,000, and the 100 free credits on signup are enough to build and debug the workflow before you pay anything.
See pricingFAQ
Instagram API for n8n and Make FAQ.
Is there a native n8n or Make connector?
No, and we do not plan one. A connector is a wrapper someone has to keep in sync with the API, and it is stale the week after a release. An HTTP Request node against a documented GET endpoint never goes out of date, works identically in n8n, Make, Zapier, Retool and Airtable automations, and does not need us to approve anything.
Can the workflow post to Instagram, or auto-reply to comments?
No. This API is read-only: it reads public data and returns JSON. It cannot post, comment, like, follow or send DMs, and there is no endpoint that would let a workflow do so.
How do I handle errors in a no-code tool?
Check both HTTP status and returned data. A 200 result with available profile details is billed and should be dropped from the list rather than retried; 402 INSUFFICIENT_CREDITS means top up; 500 SCRAPE_FAILED is worth one retry with a delay. Three IF branches cover every case.
Can I use this in a Google Sheet?
Yes, through the same pattern: a scheduled scenario calls the endpoint and appends data to a sheet row. Apps Script with UrlFetchApp and the x-api-key header works too if you would rather stay inside Google.