Comparison · updated October 2026
An Apify Instagram Comment Scraper Alternative for One Big Post
Apify is a strong platform for developers who scrape Instagram on a schedule. If you just need the comments from one big post or Reel in a spreadsheet, IGComments does it without code, without an Apify account and for a one-time price — up to 2,000,000 comments.
The short version
Apify’s official Instagram Comment Scraper is billed per result. That model is excellent for small, frequent runs and for pipelines, and it gets expensive for a single post with hundreds of thousands of comments. IGComments charges once per post, by size, and gives you a finished Excel, CSV or JSON file plus search and stats — no code, no dataset handling.
Cost for one post
Apify figures use its official Instagram Comment Scraper’s published rate of roughly $2.30–2.60 per 1,000 results as of October 2026, excluding any Apify plan fee; check Apify’s current pricing. IGComments figures are our current one-time prices.
| Comments on the post | Apify official actor (approx.) | IGComments (one-time) |
|---|---|---|
| 100,000 | $230–260 | $14.99 |
| 500,000 | $1,150–1,300 | $315 |
| 1,000,000 | $2,300–2,600 | $690 |
Third-party actors on Apify list from about $0.50 to $2.30 per 1,000 results, so a cheaper actor can narrow the gap; their reliability and maintenance vary. Our price above 100,000 comments is $14.99 plus $0.75 per 1,000 comments over 100,000, rounded up to a whole dollar, and you see it before paying.
What’s different besides price
| Apify | IGComments | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Apify account, pick an actor, set input (URLs, limits), run it, export the dataset | Paste a link |
| Billing | Per result, plus your Apify plan | One-time per post; free up to 200 comments |
| Max post size | No published hard cap | 2,000,000 comments |
| Instagram login | Not needed for the official actor (logged-out-visible comments) | Not needed |
| Output | Raw dataset (JSON, CSV, Excel and more) to clean up yourself | Ready-made Excel, CSV (UTF-8 with BOM) and JSON; replies linked to their parent |
| Search and stats | Build your own | Search, filters, unique commenters, top commenters, mentions, hashtags, words, emoji |
| Automation / API | Yes — schedules, API, integrations | No |
| Other Instagram data | Profiles, posts, hashtags and more | Comments only |
When Apify is the better choice
- You need many posts, on a schedule. Apify’s scheduling, API and integrations are built for that; IGComments does one post at a time by hand.
- You’re building a product or pipeline. If the comments feed a database, a dashboard or a model, a developer platform fits better.
- You need more than comments. Profiles, posts, hashtags and other data sources are all available on Apify.
- Your posts are small. At a few thousand comments, per-result pricing can be very cheap — though IGComments is free up to 200 comments.
How a big export works on IGComments
- Paste the public post or Reel link above. We read the comment count and show the one-time price.
- Pay once. Posts above 100,000 comments are collected in the background over one to three days; the page shows live progress and we email you when it’s done.
- Download Excel, CSV or JSON, or search and filter first and export only what you need.
On a real 82,096-comment post in October 2026 we measured about 550–630 comments per minute, with automatic resume after interruptions. Instagram’s list sometimes ends early on very large posts, so we walk it again and keep only new comments — on that post, the second walk took the export from 71% to about 90% of Instagram’s count.
Expect about 85–92% of Instagram’s count — from any tool
Instagram’s displayed count includes comments it doesn’t show the public: spam-filtered, hidden-word filtered, from restricted accounts, or from deleted accounts. Neither Apify’s actor nor IGComments can retrieve those. On large giveaway posts we typically deliver about 85–92% of the displayed count; if we deliver less than 85%, we refund the difference. Details: why the Instagram comment count doesn’t match.
See also all Instagram comment export tools compared and exporting 1 million+ comments. IGComments is independent and not affiliated with Apify, Instagram or Meta.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Apify charge to scrape Instagram comments?
As of October 2026, Apify’s official Instagram Comment Scraper costs roughly $2.30–2.60 per 1,000 results, about $230–260 per 100,000 comments, plus any Apify plan fee. Third-party actors list from about $0.50 per 1,000. Check Apify’s current pricing.
Is there a no-code alternative to Apify for Instagram comments?
Yes. IGComments exports comments from any public Instagram post or Reel by pasting a link — no code, no account, free up to 200 comments and up to 2,000,000 comments with a one-time pass.
What does it cost to export 1 million comments without Apify?
With IGComments, a one-time $690 Huge Post Pass for a 1 million-comment post.
Can IGComments replace Apify for scheduled scraping?
No. IGComments has no API or scheduling. For recurring scraping across many posts, Apify or a similar developer platform is the better fit.
How long does a huge export take?
One to three days for posts with hundreds of thousands of comments. We measured about 550–630 comments per minute, so 1 million comments takes roughly a day to a day and a half. You get an email when it’s ready.
Does IGComments need my Instagram login?
No. Public posts and Reels only, and we never ask for an Instagram password.