# instapi.co

> Instagram data for AI agents: a hosted MCP server plus a REST API. Search Instagram, fetch user profiles and posts, with images and videos AI-parsed to text. Self-describing endpoints: every response includes meta.next_steps so an agent always knows the next call. No Instagram session cookies, no Meta app review. 10 free credits on signup; $1 per 100 credits after.

## Start here

- [MCP server](https://instapi.co/mcp): streamable HTTP endpoint — tools: get_started (free), instagram_search, instagram_user_posts. Header: `Authorization: Bearer sk_instapi_...` (tools/list and get_started work without it)
- [Discovery endpoint](https://instapi.co/api/start): GET this first for REST — it explains signup, API keys, and queries
- [API reference](https://instapi.co/api/help): full endpoint documentation (JSON)
- [API docs](https://instapi.co/docs): human-readable reference with response fields and errors
- [Instagram API for AI agents](https://instapi.co/instagram-api-for-ai-agents): why agents can't use instagram.com or the official API directly, and how to connect
- [Instagram MCP setup](https://instapi.co/instagram-mcp): config for Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code and Codex

## Connect via MCP

- Claude Code: `claude mcp add --transport http instapi https://instapi.co/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer sk_instapi_..."`
- Any MCP client: `{"mcpServers": {"instapi": {"url": "https://instapi.co/mcp", "headers": {"Authorization": "Bearer sk_instapi_..."}}}}`

## Notes

- All auth uses `Authorization: Bearer <token>` (JWTs are prefixed `jwt_instapi_`, API keys `sk_instapi_`)
- 1 credit = 1 data request (REST and MCP share the same credits and rate limit)