Instagram Channel Reels API
Bulk-list Instagram content with full metadata for each item.
GET request to /v1/instagram/channel-reels that responds with clean JSON, costs 12 credits, and is cached for 24 hours (repeat calls are free). Start with 100 free credits — no credit card.What is the Instagram Channel Reels API?
The Instagram Channel Reels API lets you list items in bulk with metadata from Instagram with a single REST call. No OAuth, no scraping infrastructure, and no platform SDKs — send the URL, get clean structured JSON back. Results are cached for 24 hours, so repeat lookups are instant and free.
What you get
- Bulk list of items with full metadata
- View counts, dates, and direct URLs
- Configurable result limit
- Ideal for monitoring and content pipelines
Try it
Fill in the parameters below and copy a ready-to-run request in your language of choice.
Parameters
curl "https://api.captapi.com/v1/instagram/channel-reels?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fnatgeo%2F" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer capt_live_..."Edit the parameters and the code updates instantly. Switch languages and hit copy.
Example response
{
"success": true,
"cached": false,
"creditsUsed": 12,
"data": {
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/natgeo/",
"totalReturned": 5,
"reels": [
{
"platform": "instagram",
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFsjH9E3gK/",
"id": "3910727779210197002",
"caption": "Keep exploring! ABC News and National Geographic are taking you to America's most extraordinary and awe-inspiring locations, revealing the “Seven Natural Wonders of America.” \n\nCan you guess our first stop? Nightline Co-Anchor Juju Chang and National Geographic Explorer Andrés Ruzo take you there. \n\nFollow more on the ground adventures with David Muir, Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, Deborah Roberts and other National Geographic Explorers when the full list is ...",
"description": "Keep exploring! ABC News and National Geographic are taking you to America's most extraordinary and awe-inspiring locations, revealing the “Seven Natural Wonders of America.” \n\nCan you guess our first stop? Nightline Co-Anchor Juju Chang and National Geographic Explorer Andrés Ruzo take you there. \n\nFollow more on the ground adventures with David Muir, Diane Sawyer, Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, Deborah Roberts and other National Geographic Explorers when the full list is ...",
"publishedAt": "2026-06-02T15:46:24.000Z",
"durationSeconds": 55.733,
"thumbnailUrl": "https://scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/713685045_18583942372030593_722863052752067183_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_fr_p1080x1080_tt6&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=1&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gFJzXIRmSWhdVLqsrARi5lNCyiJfCjOO-dQ2zTL_0F45sBP1RTw0EPvsEXa-dXC8S0&_nc_ohc=dtgW6uMgdl0Q7kNvwFq3Qsf&_nc_gid=7wV4FIQXWSBqOC2k1XtPCw&edm=APs17CUBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_Af_j3rRyPtOKY7p1FLcdJXDyXKKTOIBhOhobck-BjnHlyg&oe=6A26560C&_nc_sid=10d13b",
"videoUrl": "https://scontent-atl3-3.cdninstagram.com/o1/v/t16/f2/m86/AQMGnrDghjltKSeAy4tBhpXNhUZBbdga72RFRiGFOv3lqblGz4DR09Ab0_Cs4uG1AKsGWOm0P59LSwcVEB8DosKGM9N5ohVEr1mnXJk.mp4?stp=dst-mp4&efg=eyJxZV9ncm91cHMiOiJbXCJpZ193ZWJfZGVsaXZlcnlfdnRzX290ZlwiXSIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoidnRzX3ZvZF91cmxnZW4uY2xpcHMuYzIuNzIwLmJhc2VsaW5lIn0&_nc_cat=108&vs=984718010813089_166086278&_nc_vs=HBksFQIYUmlnX3hwdl9yZWVsc19wZXJtYW5lbnRfc3JfcHJvZC9GNTRCNjRGREM1MEUyOTVBNkQ3RTA3ODA4RDA5MDU4Ql92aWRlb19kYXNoaW5pdC5tcDQ ...",
"author": {
"username": "abc2020",
"displayName": "ABC 20/20",
"url": "https://instagram.com/abc2020",
"followers": null,
"verified": null,
"profileImage": null
},
"engagement": {
"views": 769674,
"likes": 10702,
"comments": 303
},
"hashtags": []
},
{
"platform": "instagram",
"url": "https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFq5BWAgnU/",
"id": "3910720487847758292",
"caption": "Filmed by @ottowhitehead while on assignment with @thomaspeschak, the Lugenda River winds through the Niassa Reserve, a protected area in northern Mozambique. Here, thousands of people coexist with hippos, lions, wild dogs, and other animals, allowing both to thrive in this iconic part of the African wilderness.",
"description": "Filmed by @ottowhitehead while on assignment with @thomaspeschak, the Lugenda River winds through the Niassa Reserve, a protected area in northern Mozambique. Here, thousands of people coexist with hippos, lions, wild dogs, and other animals, allowing both to thrive in this iconic part of the African wilderness.",
"publishedAt": "2026-06-02T15:31:37.000Z",
"durationSeconds": 20.032,
"thumbnailUrl": "https://scontent-iad6-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/713404791_18663142810019133_8048718627604900958_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e15_tt6&_nc_ht=scontent-iad6-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=109&_nc_oc=Q6cZ2gHLd-lrq3izekge9KpG_NHE41lcvv6jSOXhOptv5wRXkUwXHDKaGyaUs6xvKHwMrbw&_nc_ohc=CgK7-MBUYK8Q7kNvwGC8QiW&_nc_gid=xB8G1w-xW7TE7BAIRkauwg&edm=APs17CUBAAAA&ccb=7-5&oh=00_Af-f2JpnVKDgNxQdSOTFsD_nfzs6XAYnkCtUVGYBOCA62A&oe=6A26516F&_nc_sid=10d13b",
"videoUrl": "https://scontent-iad6-1.cdninstagram.com/o1/v/t16/f2/m86/AQOQtloPlbPGwzZNHrHBg4urX-gVZvRoQL1S8niOxjTptH1ZlZHQNL4wS8Hk_gZB4Yl32pHEwWUhB3pIj7D2LxNw5BJFto9czXi0z0c.mp4?stp=dst-mp4&efg=eyJxZV9ncm91cHMiOiJbXCJpZ193ZWJfZGVsaXZlcnlfdnRzX290ZlwiXSIsInZlbmNvZGVfdGFnIjoidnRzX3ZvZF91cmxnZW4uY2xpcHMuYzIuNzIwLmJhc2VsaW5lIn0&_nc_cat=107&vs=970566749141178_850743568&_nc_vs=HBksFQIYUmlnX3hwdl9yZWVsc19wZXJtYW5lbnRfc3JfcHJvZC8wODQwNEM5QzMyRjVDNTg3NzcxRThEODUyM0U5RjVBRF92aWRlb19kYXNoaW5pdC5tcDQ ...",
"author": {
"username": "natgeo",
"displayName": "National Geographic",
"url": "https://instagram.com/natgeo",
"followers": null,
"verified": null,
"profileImage": null
},
"engagement": {
"views": 107883,
"likes": 18325,
"comments": 90
},
"hashtags": []
}
]
}
}Response structure
A successful call returns success, cached, creditsUsed, and a data object with the following fields:
Result
totalNumber of items returned.
Each item
Each item in items contains:
titleItem title.urlDirect URL to the content.viewsView count.publishedAtPublish date (ISO 8601).
Parameters
| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | Yes | Instagram profile URL, e.g. https://instagram.com/username/. |
| limit | integer | No | Max items to return (default 20, max 200). Billed per result. |
Authentication: send your key as Authorization: Bearer capt_live_.... A typical call costs 12 credits — billed per result, so the exact amount scales with how many items you request. Repeat calls for the same request are served from cache for free (metrics refresh within ~1 hour).
instagram_channel_reels via @captapi/mcp. Set it up →How it works
- 1. Sign up — get 100 free credits, no card required.
- 2. Create a key from your dashboard.
- 3. Send one request to
/v1/instagram/channel-reelsand parse the JSON response.
Use cases
Content Pipelines
Ingest a channel's catalog in bulk.
Monitoring
Detect new uploads automatically.
Archiving
Snapshot a creator's full library.
Analytics
Aggregate performance across many videos.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Instagram Channel Reels API do?+
The Instagram Channel Reels API lets you list items in bulk with metadata from a public Instagram video using one GET request to /v1/instagram/channel-reels. It returns clean JSON — no OAuth or scraping setup required.
How many credits does the Instagram Channel Reels API cost?+
Each successful call costs 12 credits. Responses are cached for 24 hours, and cached results cost 0 credits. Failed or empty results are never charged.
Do I need a Instagram API key or OAuth?+
No. A single Captapi key works across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. We handle proxies, rate limits, retries, and authentication for you.
Is the Instagram Channel Reels API suitable for production use?+
Yes. It is a stable REST endpoint with predictable JSON, automatic retries, and a shared 24-hour cache. Use it for RAG pipelines, analytics, monitoring, and content automation.
More Instagram APIs
Ready to use the Instagram Channel Reels API?
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