Compare Apify’s Instagram Scraper with BrowserAct’s no-code, geo-proxy tool. Learn which option solves blocks, CAPTCHAs, and time-to-data for your use case.

You need Instagram data—maybe for influencer discovery, maybe to track brand sentiment. Yet constant blocks, CAPTCHAs, and IP restrictions turn a simple request into hours of firefighting. Today you’ll learn a workflow that pairs Apify’s Instagram Scraper with BrowserAct’s no-code agent and free regional proxy so you can collect clean, geo-targeted data without headaches.

The Current Landscape & Pain Points

Scraping Instagram data is harder than ever:

• Frequent IP blocks and CAPTCHAs
• Region-locked content
• Steep learning curve for custom code and proxy rotation
• Legal confusion about public-data compliance

Mainstream solutions fall into two camps:

1. API-centric tools (e.g., Apify Instagram Scraper, Bright Data Followers API)
2. 1. Require JSON inputs, proxy management, and post-processing scripts.
2. Point-and-click “scraper” extensions
3. 1. Easy to start but break on complex sites, offer no scaling, and seldom handle geo-targeting.

Many teams end up juggling proxies, schedulers, and headless browsers—burning budget on dev hours rather than insights.

Two Serious Options: Apify vs BrowserAct

TL;DR – If you need a REST endpoint for massive pipelines, Apify is great.
If you want to skip code, proxies, and CAPTCHAs entirely, BrowserAct is faster.

Quick Start Guides (Separate Workflows)

Apify Instagram Scraper (API Way)

• Sign up at Apify and open apify/instagram-scraper.
• Paste JSON input, e.g.json

{
  "search": "Niagara Falls",
  "searchType": "place",
  "resultsType": "posts",
  "resultsLimit": 100
}

• Choose a proxy group (optional) and Run.
• Download the dataset or hit it via https://api.apify.com/v2/datasets/<id>/items.

BrowserAct (No-Code Way)

1. Create an account → +Create Agent.
2. Name it “Instagram-Scraper”, and make a description.
3. In Proxy, select the target Country / City—free.
4. Write natural-language instructions for this agent

Visit https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/mealprep.
Scroll until you load 50 posts.
Click each post → capture caption, likes, first 20 comments.
Save results to CSV.

5. Click build. give it a task in conversation. Watch the live browser; step in if a CAPTCHA appears.

6. Download the CSV in "Output"

Why I Ultimately Recommend BrowserAct

1. Zero code, zero proxy fees – Marketing or research teams launch scrapers in minutes.
2. Geo-targeted data out-of-the-box – Essential when hashtags trend differently by country.
3. Human-in-the-loop – Pause and guide the agent through log-ins or unexpected pop-ups.
4. Faster iteration – Change instructions on the fly; no redeployments.

“I built a working Instagram sentiment collector during lunch—no Python, no proxies.”
— Actual BrowserAct beta user

Common Questions & Fixes

Cost & Compliance Snapshot

• Apify – $2.30/1 k comments; starter plan $49/month (~21 k comments).
• BrowserAct – Free proxy; pay only for agent run-time credits (visible before each run).
• Both tools fetch only public data and comply with GDPR/CCPA when used responsibly.

Choose Your Scraper

Ready to Try?

• Explore Apify’s actor: Instagram Scraper
• Build your first no-code agent: BrowserAct Free Launch 😊

Happy scraping—and may your IPs stay unblocked!