Free Instagram MCP: No-Code Setup

  • Free forever plan: unlimited connected accounts, up to 30 days of history (15 days in AI chats) and 100 automation credits a month.
  • Official Instagram API: a Business account or Creator account linked to a Facebook Page. No developer app, no password.
  • Run Instagram end to end: posts, Reels, Stories, followers, publishing and comments.
  • Safe by default: posts, replies and deletes wait for your approval.
Try free

By Kashmala Malik · Last updated November 9, 2026 · All Instagram destinations

What is a Instagram MCP server?

A Instagram MCP server lets an AI assistant like Claude or ChatGPT reach your Instagram data through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). You ask in plain language, and the assistant calls the Instagram API for posts, Reels, Stories, followers, publishing and comments.

  • Quick setup: paste https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp into Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor and sign in with your Porter account. Full steps
  • Works in: Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and Codex
  • Data: reach, engagement and followers for posts, Reels and Stories on your Business or Creator account
  • Changes: posts, comment replies and deletes, each after your approval
  • Price: free plan, paid plans from $15 per account a month
  • Official Instagram server: Meta’s MCPs cover ad accounts, not organic Instagram
Use cases

Instagram MCP use cases

Porter Metrics connects your Instagram account to Claude, ChatGPT and other AI clients through one Instagram MCP server. Ask which Reels earned saves, publish a carousel or answer comments, all from the chat.

Reports

Analytics

  • Formats compared: Reels vs carousels vs single images, by reach and engagement.
  • Stories that hold attention: Story reach, Story exits, Stories taps (forward) and Stories replies for each Story.
  • Followers: Total followers and Profile new followers by day, plus Online followers by hour.
  • Audience: followers by city, country, age and gender, for accounts with 100+ followers.
  • Profile actions: Profile views and Taps on website link, next to the posts that drove them.

Every metric and dimension is in the Instagram fields list. For a ready-made view, open the free Instagram dashboard template for Claude.

Comments

  • Read: every top-level comment on a post, with replies on request.
  • Hide or unhide: spam and off-topic comments, without deleting the thread.

What stays in the Instagram app

  • DMs: you read and answer direct messages in Instagram as usual.
  • Boosts: you boost posts in Instagram. Paid campaigns have their own Meta Ads tools.

Research

  • Competitor profiles: followers, posts, likes and comments for any public Business or Creator account.
  • Hashtags: top and recent posts for a hashtag, up to 30 unique hashtags every 7 days.
  • Benchmarks: your posting rhythm and engagement next to the accounts you watch.

Audits

  • Quota first: Porter checks how many posts Instagram still allows today before it publishes.

Management

  • Top posts: ranked by Post reach, Post saves and shares, so you see what people kept, not only what they scrolled past.
  • Posts, Reels and carousels: Claude prepares the post, and Porter publishes it once you approve.
  • Captions from the chat: draft and rework the caption with Claude, then publish the version you pick.
  • Post settings: turn comments on or off and tag people on a published post.
  • Reply: answers drafted in the chat, posted after you say yes.
  • Delete: comments your own account wrote.
  • Mentions and tags: posts and Stories where other accounts @mentioned or tagged you.
  • Scheduling for later: Porter publishes now, after approval; you schedule future posts in Instagram or your scheduler.
  • Stories publishing: you post Stories from the app. Porter still reads live Stories and their results.
  • Caption edits and post deletes: you make them in Instagram.

Example answer

Demo data, from a fictional account. Prompt: “Show my posts from the last 30 days with Post reach, Post saves, Post engagement and Reels shares, with the save rate for each.”

PostTypePost reachPost savesPost engagementSharesSave rate
Reel · Studio tourReel48,2001,8402,2105123.8%
Carousel · 5 styling tipsCarousel22,6002,41098018810.7%
Photo · New dropImage15,400320640742.1%
Reel · Behind the shootReel31,9007601,4902362.4%

Carousels earn the highest save rate, so Claude suggests two more carousels next week.

Reference

Instagram MCP server reference

One MCP server: Porter connects Instagram to the AI clients, fields, metrics and workflows social media marketers already use. The same server URL works in Claude, ChatGPT and any MCP client that supports remote servers. Porter refreshes Instagram data once a day, and posts go back years.

Instagram objects

Account objects: account · posts · Reels · carousels · Stories · comments · mentions · tags · hashtags

Instagram metrics

Reach: Profile reach · Post reach · Story reach

Engagement: Post saves · Post engagement · Reels plays · Reels shares · Post comments count

Followers: Total followers · Profile new followers · Online followers

Profile: Profile views · Taps on website link

Stories: Story exits · Stories taps (forward) · Stories replies

Porter has 90+ Instagram fields. Each one is in the full Instagram field reference.

Dimensions

Posts: Post type · Post date · Post caption · Post link · Post hour of day

Account and Stories: Account name · Story date

Time: Date · Week · Month

Other destinations

The same Instagram connection also sends data to Data Studio (formerly Looker Studio), BigQuery and Google Sheets, at no extra cost.

Meta retired impressions for new posts: Meta’s Instagram API changelog deprecated the metric in v22.0 and added views, so Porter reports reach and views instead. Meta’s Instagram insights docs say some metrics need 100+ followers and account metrics are stored for up to 90 days. Daily Profile reach in Porter starts in January 2025.

Security and trust

Safety and security

Porter’s Instagram MCP reads first, works through Meta’s official API and asks before anything appears on your account. Reporting, publishing and comment replies are separate actions. An AI client working through Porter never needs your Instagram password, and nothing posts until you approve it.

Read-only first

Analyze posts, Reels, Stories and followers without writing anything back. A report can’t publish a post or touch a comment.

Reporting priced per account

Reporting is billed per connected Instagram account. One more question about the same account adds nothing to the bill.

Official API, no password or cookies

Porter connects through Meta’s official Instagram API with Facebook Login. It never asks for your Instagram password and never logs in as you in a browser.

Facebook Login permissions you can see

You pick the Facebook Page and Instagram account on Meta’s consent screen. The permissions you grant there are the only ones Porter gets.

Posts and replies after you approve

Claude shows you the post, the caption or the reply first. Porter publishes it only after you say yes.

Publishing quota checked first

Meta’s Instagram content publishing limits allow 100 published posts in 24 hours, and a carousel counts as one. Porter checks what’s left before it publishes.

Permanent actions flagged

Publishing a post, posting a comment or reply and deleting a comment can’t be undone through the API. Claude asks before each one.

Revoke access anytime

Disconnect Porter from your connection settings whenever you want. Access lives in your approved Meta connection, never in a token file on someone’s laptop.

Setup

How to set up the Instagram MCP server

Porter’s Instagram MCP uses the same server URL in every AI client, and each client has its own place to paste it. Claude takes it as a plugin or a custom connector. ChatGPT takes it through the Porter Metrics app or a custom MCP server, and both reach the same Instagram accounts.

https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp

What you need

How to install Instagram MCP in Claude

  1. Open claude.ai and go to Settings → Connectors.
  2. Click Add custom connector.
  3. Name it Porter and paste https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp.
  4. Click Add, then sign in with your Porter account and approve access.
  5. Connect Instagram when Porter asks: sign in with Facebook.
  6. Ask an Instagram question, like “Which of my posts got the most saves this month?”

On Team and Enterprise plans, an owner adds the connector first. Anthropic’s custom connector guide covers the same steps.

Watch the Claude setup demo

How to install Instagram MCP in ChatGPT

ChatGPT has two routes to the same data. The Porter Metrics app in ChatGPT’s app directory works on any plan with apps. The Porter MCP gets every new tool the day Porter ships it, on Business, Enterprise and Edu workspaces.

Porter Metrics app: in ChatGPT, open Apps, search “Porter Metrics”, click Connect and sign in with your Porter account, then connect Instagram: sign in with Facebook.

Porter MCP:

  1. Open ChatGPT on the web and go to Plugins.
  2. Click +, then Add custom MCP server.
  3. Name it Porter and paste https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp under Connection.
  4. Choose OAuth, tick “I understand and want to continue” and click Create as a plugin.
  5. Sign in with your Porter account.

Pro accounts can add it with read access only, per OpenAI’s custom MCP server guide.

The Instagram connector for ChatGPT page covers the ChatGPT side in full.

Watch the ChatGPT setup demo

How to install Instagram MCP in Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code and Codex

Pick your coding agent. Each one uses the same server URL and a Google sign-in, so no API key or credentials file sits in a config.

  1. Add Porter’s plugin in Claude Code. It installs the Porter connector and Porter’s skill in one step.
    /plugin marketplace add portermetrics/porter /plugin install porter-metrics@portermetrics
  2. Ask for your data. The first time, your browser opens: sign in with the Google account you use in Porter.
  3. No plugins? Add the server directly instead:
    claude mcp add --transport http porter https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp
  4. Check: /mcp shows porter as connected. Ask: “Which Instagram accounts can you see?”
  1. Open Cursor Settings → Tools & Integrations and click New MCP Server. Cursor opens mcp.json.
  2. Paste this and save.
    { "mcpServers": { "porter": { "url": "https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp" } } }
  3. Click Connect next to porter and sign in with the Google account you use in Porter.
  4. Check: porter shows a green dot in Tools & Integrations. Open an Agent chat. Ask: “Which Instagram accounts can you see?”
  1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P) and run MCP: Add Server → HTTP.
  2. Paste https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp, name it porter and choose Global. Or add it to .vscode/mcp.json:
    { "servers": { "porter": { "type": "http", "url": "https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp" } } }
  3. Allow the sign-in prompt and sign in with the Google account you use in Porter.
  4. Check: open Copilot Chat in Agent mode; Porter’s tools appear under the tools icon. Ask: “Which Instagram accounts can you see?”
  1. Add Porter from your terminal.
    codex mcp add porter --url https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp
  2. Sign in. Your browser opens: sign in with the Google account you use in Porter.
    codex mcp login porter
  3. Check: codex mcp list shows porter as logged in. Start codex. Ask: “Which Instagram accounts can you see?”

The same URL works in Windsurf, Cline, Zed and any client that supports remote MCP servers over HTTP.

Add Porter’s skill

Porter’s skill teaches Claude which Porter tools to call for each Instagram task, so answers need fewer retries. In claude.ai, download https://mcp.portermetrics.com/skill.zip and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills. In Claude Code, Porter’s plugin adds it for you, and other agents can run npx skills add portermetrics/porter.

Test the connection

Paste this into a new chat. It only reads data.

Use Porter only. List the Instagram accounts I've connected, then show Total followers and Profile reach for each over the last 7 days. Say so if an account returns no data.

Guides and videos

How to connect Instagram to Claude (no code)VideoHow to connect Instagram to Claude (no code)Porter Metrics on YouTubeConnect Instagram to Claude and build an Instagram dashboard in minutesVideoConnect Instagram to Claude and build an Instagram dashboard in minutesPorter Metrics on YouTube
→TutorialHow to connect Instagram to Claude→TutorialHow to connect Instagram to ChatGPT

Porter’s walkthrough connects an Instagram Business account to Claude without code and asks for the first report. The same server URL works in ChatGPT.

Prompts

Instagram MCP prompts

Copy a prompt into Claude or ChatGPT, then change the dates or thresholds to fit your account. Every change waits for your approval.

Reporting prompts

Top posts

Rank my posts from the last 30 days by Post saves, then by Post reach. Show Post type, Post date and Post link for the top 10.

Reels vs carousels vs images

Compare Post reach, Post saves and Post engagement by Post type for the last 90 days. Tell me which format to post more of.

Follower growth

Show Profile new followers and Total followers by Date for the last 30 days, and point out the posts published on the best days.

Stories retention

For my Stories this week, show Story reach, Stories taps (forward), Story exits and Stories replies, and flag where people dropped off.

Weekly Instagram report

Write a weekly Instagram report in simple words: what we posted, what grew, what dropped and what to post next week.

Research and audit prompts

Competitor comparison

Compare my account with @brand1 and @brand2: followers, posts in the last 30 days, and average likes and comments per post.

Hashtag scan

Show the top posts for #skincareroutine right now, with post type, likes and comments, and what they have in common.

Instagram next to Meta Ads and GA4

Put my Instagram Post reach by week next to Meta Ads spend and GA4 sessions from Instagram for the last 90 days.

The cross-channel skill blends Instagram with the GA4 connector for Claude and your Meta Ads account.

Management prompts

Publish a carousel after review

Build a carousel from these 5 image URLs with the caption I paste next. Check my publishing quota, show me the preview and publish only after I say yes.

Reply to new comments

List comments on my last 3 posts that have no reply. Draft a reply for each and post them only after I approve.

Hide spam comments

Find comments on my last 10 posts that look like spam or links to other accounts. Show them, then hide the ones I confirm.

Weekly summary by email

Every Monday, email me a short Instagram summary: reach, new followers, top post and one idea for the week.
Who this is for

Who this is for

Social media marketers who report on Instagram and also post to it get the most from Porter’s Instagram MCP. Agencies, in-house social managers, small business founders and analysts use it to turn an Instagram question into a report, a post ready for approval or a cleaner comment section.

Social media agencies

  • Every client account: one prompt covers each Instagram account you manage.
  • Client reports: the monthly social report is ready before the call.

Your client isn’t asking about reach. They’re asking whether Instagram is worth the time.

In-house social media managers

  • Format decisions: Reels, carousels or images, chosen on saves and reach.
  • Posting from the chat: the carousel you planned goes live without switching apps.

Small business founders

  • Ten-minute check-in: what grew this week and what to post next.
  • Comments handled: spam hidden and questions answered after a quick review.
Comparison

Instagram MCP options vs. Porter

Instagram MCP servers come in two shapes: a self-hosted server you run, or a hosted MCP like Porter’s. Both connect Instagram to Claude, ChatGPT and other AI clients through Meta’s API. Porter hosts the server, handles the Meta connection and adds your other channels, reporting and skills.

A self-hosted server gives your AI the Instagram API. Porter gives it Instagram plus the rest of your marketing, already set up.

Both read insights, publish posts and manage comments through Meta’s official API. Here is where they part.

PorterTypical self-hosted Instagram MCP
Same job, different reach
SetupPaste one hosted URL, sign in with FacebookInstall, configure and host it yourself
Meta developer appNot neededUsually your own
Access tokensHandled by PorterYou create and refresh them
ApprovalsClaude asks before every post, reply and deleteDepends on the server
Publishing quotaChecked before each postDepends on the server
Stories and follower historyStored daily on paid plansWhat Meta keeps
PriceIncluded in every Porter plan, the free plan tooFree to download; you host it
Only one side
Other channels30+ data sources: Meta Ads, GA4, TikTok and more—
Blending sources into one numberYes—
Live dashboards on your own brandingYes—
Scheduled reports and alertsYes—
Data Studio, Google Sheets, BigQueryYes—
Skills: whole social tasks, already writtenYes—

Use a self-hosted server if you want to own the code and run it on your own machine. Everything under Only one side is what happens when Instagram is one channel of several.

Is there an official Instagram MCP?

Meta’s official connector, Meta Ads AI connectors, covers ad accounts: Meta’s Ads MCP server docs describe a server that “lets you manage Meta ads directly from an AI agent.” For organic posts, Reels and comments, Porter’s Instagram MCP works on Meta’s official Instagram API. For paid campaigns, Porter has a separate Meta Ads MCP.

And the third-party Instagram MCPs?

Plenty of them rank for this search, and they split by job. Name the job first and the list gets short.

  • DM automation tools: they answer direct messages and run keyword replies.
  • Publishing schedulers: they queue posts for later dates.
  • Open-source servers: free and self-hosted, with your own Meta app and tokens.
  • Scrapers: they read public pages, and some ask for your password or browser cookies. Porter never does.

Porter covers analytics, publishing and comments from one hosted server, starting on the free plan.

Porter vs other hosted Instagram MCPs

Hosted Instagram MCPs such as Composio, Gumloop and Zapier also skip the setup. Porter is built for teams that report on several accounts and channels:

1

Every account at once

One prompt answers for all your Instagram accounts and clients, not one account per setup.

2

Instagram next to 30+ sources

GA4, Google Tag Manager, Meta Ads, TikTok and YouTube, blended in one answer.

3

Competitor research

Competitor ads, keywords and search results, next to your own Instagram numbers.

4

Reports outside the chat

Live dashboards, scheduled email reports, and the same data in Data Studio, BigQuery and Google Sheets.

5

Changes with approval

Every Instagram change is shown first and waits for your yes.

6

Claude and ChatGPT both covered

A remote MCP URL, plus an approved app in ChatGPT’s app directory.

Instagram MCP pricing

The Instagram MCP is included in every Porter plan, the free-forever plan too. Reporting is billed per connected account.

  • 14-day trial: everything unlimited, no credit card.
  • Free forever: unlimited connected accounts, 30 days of history (15 days in AI chats), 100 automation credits a month.
  • Paid Reporting: from $15 per account a month, or $12.50 billed annually.
  • Unlimited questions: AI chats, queries and dashboards are included. Reads are free; each completed change uses 1 automation credit.
5 accounts
Monthly billing
$40
Annual billing, per month
$33.33
Per account
$8.00

Reporting price for connected accounts, in USD. AI chats, queries and dashboards are unlimited. Annual billing is 10 months for 12.

The more accounts you connect, the lower the price per account. See the full calculator on Porter pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Instagram MCP on GitHub?

Yes, community servers such as mcpware/instagram-mcp. Each runs on your machine with your own Instagram credentials. Porter's is hosted, so there's nothing to install.

Is there an official Instagram MCP?

Meta's official connector, Meta Ads AI connectors, covers ad accounts. Porter's Instagram MCP runs at https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp on Meta's official Instagram API. It reads insights, publishes posts after approval and manages comments.

What is the Instagram MCP server URL?

Porter's Instagram MCP server URL is https://mcp.portermetrics.com/mcp. Paste it into Claude, ChatGPT or another AI client as a custom connector, then sign in with Facebook. The same URL also reaches your other Porter sources.

Is the Instagram MCP free?

Porter's Instagram MCP is included in every Porter plan, the free-forever plan too. The free plan covers unlimited connected accounts, up to 30 days of history, 15 days in AI chats and 100 automation credits a month. Paid Reporting starts at $12.50 a month per data source account, billed annually.

Do I need a Business or Creator account and a Facebook Page?

Yes. Porter connects Instagram Business and Creator accounts linked to a Facebook Page you manage, and you tick that Page when Meta asks for consent. Personal Instagram accounts can't connect through Meta's API.

Can it publish posts and Reels?

Yes. Porter publishes single images, Reels and carousels once you approve them in the chat. It checks your daily publishing quota first, and the post goes live straight away.

Can it schedule Instagram posts?

Porter publishes when you approve, not at a later date. You schedule future posts in Instagram or your scheduler as usual.

Can it read or send DMs?

Porter works with posts, Stories, comments and insights. You handle direct messages in Instagram as usual.

Can it look at competitors' accounts?

Yes. Porter reads public Business and Creator profiles, including followers, recent posts, likes and comments. Ask Claude to compare your account with two or three competitors on the same numbers.

Troubleshooting

Why don't the numbers match Instagram Insights?

Porter refreshes Instagram data once a day, so today's numbers can trail the app. Meta also keeps account metrics for up to 90 days, and some need 100+ followers. Compare the same dates and the same metric, reach with reach and views with views.

Why does a metric come back as 0?

Meta returns no data for metrics it doesn't have for that post or date, such as audience breakdowns on accounts under 100 followers. Check the date range first, since the default is the last 30 days. Then ask Claude for a metric that applies to that post type.

What happened to impressions?

Meta deprecated impressions for new posts in API v22.0 and added views in its place. Porter reports reach and views for recent posts. Older posts can still show impressions where Meta keeps them.

Start free

Connect Instagram to Claude or ChatGPT and start with post reports, competitor reads and posts that wait for your approval.

Start free: unlimited connected accounts, no credit card. Or take the 14-day trial with everything unlimited.

Start free
  • Agencies: every client's Instagram answers to one prompt.
  • In-house social managers: the next carousel goes live from the chat, after your yes.
  • Small business founders: a weekly check-in that tells you what to post.
  • Analysts: Instagram next to Meta Ads and GA4, with Meta's metric changes handled.

Automate marketing reporting and analysis with AI like it's 2026.

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