Creator monitoring
Pull the latest public posts from a watched account on a schedule.
Instagram comments API
Instagram Comments API
Fetch a cursor-paginated page of public comments on one Instagram post, with the commenter's handle and each comment's metrics.
Input: Public Instagram post URL. Returns: a page of results with a cursor for the next, in Instagram's own field names. Price: 8 credits per call; failed reads are free.
GET /v1/instagram/comments
See it in action
Try it with a sample URL.
The snippets use the production endpoint. Replace the sample URL with your own public target before running them.
1
Pick a sample input
Start from a valid shape, then replace the sample value with your public target.
Selected instagram 5, 6, 7, ATE 🔥
@yawnzzn is serving up the coolest choreo for his new son… https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcn5O64y3xi/
Open
2
Preview the request
Use a server-side key and send parameters as query values.
GET
https://api.sourcevine.io/v1/instagram/comments curl -G 'https://api.sourcevine.io/v1/instagram/comments' \
-H 'Authorization: Bearer sv_live_...' \
--data-urlencode 'url=https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcn5O64y3xi/' \
--data-urlencode 'limit=20'const params = new URLSearchParams({
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcn5O64y3xi/",
"limit": "20",
});
const res = await fetch('https://api.sourcevine.io/v1/instagram/comments?' + params, {
headers: { Authorization: 'Bearer sv_live_...' },
});
const body = await res.json();
console.log(body.data);import requests
r = requests.get(
"https://api.sourcevine.io/v1/instagram/comments",
params={"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcn5O64y3xi/", "limit": "20"},
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer sv_live_..."},
)
body = r.json()
print(body["data"]) Replays the recorded response. Nothing leaves your browser.
3
Read the response
Every success includes availability, a fetch timestamp and billing context.
GET /v1/instagram/comments Not run
Hit Show sample response to see the response.
A real Instagram Comments API response, recorded against the public target above.
available 8 credits recorded
Comments15
Cost8 credits
Shortened to fit. comments 3 of 15. A live call returns all of it.
Comments15
Cost8 credits
Shortened to fit. comments 3 of 15. A live call returns all of it.
{
"data": {
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/Dcn5O64y3xi/",
"cached": false,
"comments": [
{
"text": "OMG INSTAGRAM POSTING HIS VIDEO???",
"author": "cariba2904",
"commentId": "18082937354306739",
"likeCount": 4280,
"replyCount": 7,
"publishedAt": "2026-08-29T12:19:53Z"
},
{
"text": "so this is the other angle of that video when someone saw him in nyc street 😂",
"author": "alliana.jean",
"commentId": "18122494565509045",
"likeCount": 203,
"replyCount": 2,
"publishedAt": "2026-08-29T12:33:56Z"
},
{
"text": "I think Instagram is also moa 😂",
"author": "_.ah.098._",
"commentId": "17905366998490474",
"likeCount": 2362,
"replyCount": 3,
"publishedAt": "2026-08-29T12:27:41Z"
}
],
"fetchedAt": "2026-09-02T16:41:45Z",
"shortcode": "Dcn5O64y3xi",
"nextCursor": "{\"cached_comments_cursor\":\"18168548404456171\",\"bifilter_token\":\"GgYYkQEAaVorSwjmPwAiRTI_sWFAABMJOjUjnD8As8R_8VU-QAC1ZwUTUGJAAGqdhB_WnD8AkTgZ0x5WQACDOucHIGdAACxrR7Bxrz8AFutX38-lQAD8drWvrHo_ADpOlymrnT8AHq9XYHxUQACKEQ6VqOc_ANyRsZGAW0AASFlgFBktQACxo0cOAzpAAA_kByMOZkAAAA==\"}",
"commentCount": 15,
"cacheAgeSeconds": null,
"sourceTimestamp": null
},
"success": true,
"available": true
}Ship it anywhere
Use this API from code, no-code tools, MCP clients and agents.
We build and maintain theseFirst-party surfaces, versioned with the API.
Works anywhere that can make an HTTP requestNo plugin to install, and none to wait for.
Response
Response fields.
Each response includes typed availability, a fetch timestamp, and only the public fields this API promises.
| Field | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| shortcode | string | The public post or video id. |
| comments | array | Public comments returned for the requested post. |
| comments[].commentId | string | Platform comment or reply id. |
| comments[].author | string | null | Public username only. No profile bio or contact fields. |
| comments[].likeCount | integer | null | Public like count when the platform reports it. |
| comments[].replyCount | integer | null | Reply count when Instagram reports it; null means unknown, not zero. Comment order can differ between pages fetched at different times. |
| nextCursor | string | null | Pass as cursor to request the next page. |
| fetchedAt | ISO datetime | When Sourcevine read the public page. |
| sourceTimestamp | ISO datetime | null | The platform timestamp when it is available. |
| cached | boolean | True when this answer repeats an identical request made moments earlier. |
| cacheAgeSeconds | integer | Seconds since the reading was taken. |
| url | string | |
| commentCount | integer |
Request flow
How a request is handled.
- 01 Send a public URL
Send a public Instagram post URL. Sourcevine resolves ids, validates the resource type and returns a typed response.
- 02 Checked
A URL of the wrong kind or platform is refused with a 400 before any fetch, and not charged.
- 03 Read
The public data is read when you call. An identical request moments earlier is answered again, free.
- 04 Typed availability
Deleted, private and unsupported resources return explicit statuses, so clients can stop retrying facts about the world.
- 05 JSON back
Instagram names stay intact, so your code reads fullName instead of reverse-engineering a generic schema.
fetchedAtcreditsChargedavailable
Every response carries fetchedAt and the platform timestamp, so you know how old a reading is before you act on it. Instagram Comments API fits recurring comments checks in dashboards, spreadsheets, workflows and agents.
Boundaries
What this API does not return.
- No contact or bio fields
Bios, email addresses, phone numbers, postal addresses and messenger handles are outside the response contract.
- No private data
Private accounts, restricted content and unavailable resources return typed availability instead of guessed data.
- No comments or downloads
List APIs return recent public post metadata and metrics. They do not return comment bodies, media files or hidden analytics.
Use cases
Where teams use Instagram Comments API.
Campaign capture
Build a dataset of recent brand mentions or campaign posts before reporting.
Lead enrichment
See whether a profile is active before spending human review time.
Content ops
Feed recent public videos into moderation, analytics or publishing workflows.
Pricing
8 credits per call, and nothing for a failed read.
The response and X-Credits-Charged header tell you what
happened, including when it is zero.
Charged8 credits
- AnsweredThe public data came back.
- Not found or privateThe lookup was made, and that is the answer. The response says which.
- Empty resultThe lookup was made and found nothing to return, such as an account with no posts.
Not charged0 credits
- Failure on our sideA timeout or a read we could not complete.
- Unsupported URLThe wrong kind of URL: refused before any fetch.
- Cache hitAn identical request moments earlier, answered again.
FAQ
Common questions.
What does Instagram Comments API return?
Fetch a cursor-paginated page of public comments on one Instagram post, with the commenter's handle and each comment's metrics.
How is it billed?
A call costs 8 credits, including an empty result. Retrieval failures are not charged.
What happens when the resource is private or deleted?
The request returns available=false with a typed availability status. Not-found and private results are charged like any lookup; unsupported URLs and retrieval failures are not.
Does Sourcevine return contact data?
No. Bios, emails, phone numbers, postal addresses and private or restricted content are outside the public response contract.
Do I need to log in to Instagram?
No. Your integration authenticates with a Sourcevine API key. You do not need to supply Instagram credentials or a session.