About instapdown-mcp
instapdown-mcp is an MCP server for Instagram creators and workflows, with 16 tools for public-media downloads, engagement analysis, and content planning.
Key features
- 01Download public Reels, videos, Stories, photos, and carousels
- 02Extract Reel audio and profile pictures
- 03Analyze engagement and creator hashtags
- 04Find hashtags and generate Reels hooks
- 05Get posting-time data and a 2026 content calendar
Use cases
- 01Save a public Instagram Reel or carousel
- 02Review an account’s engagement and hashtag use
- 03Plan posts using locale-specific timing and calendar data
MCP support
Exposes 16 Instagram tools to MCP clients, including media downloading, analytics, and content-planning functions.
Configuration
Local server config is the same for every client. Copy it into your client’s MCP config file.
Tools
16Saved tool list · updated 2w ago
| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| url | string | Yes | Public Instagram Reel URL, e.g. https://www.instagram.com/reel/ABC123/ |
Details
From the project READMEinstapdown-mcp
16 Instagram creator tools as a Model Context Protocol server. Wraps the public API and data behind instapdown.com so any MCP client — Claude Desktop, Cursor, Cline, Zed — can download Reels, audit engagement, search hashtags, generate Reels hooks, get country-specific best-time-to-post data and browse a 2026 content calendar directly from a chat turn.
Part of the TapDown family alongside xtapdown-mcp (X / Twitter).
Install
npx -y instapdown-mcp
That's the whole install path. No account, no API key, no config.
Claude Desktop config
Add to ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json (macOS) or %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json (Windows):
{
"mcpServers": {
"instapdown": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "instapdown-mcp"]
}
}
}
Restart Claude Desktop. In a new chat:
"Download this reel for me: https://www.instagram.com/reel/ABC123/"
Claude will call download_reels and hand back the direct MP4 URL and audio track.
The 16 tools
Downloaders
| Tool | Input | Returns |
|---|---|---|
download_reels | Reel URL | Original 9:16 HD MP4, no watermark |
download_video | Feed video URL | Original MP4, no re-encoding |
download_story | Username | Every active Story in the 24h window |
download_profile_picture | Username | Full-resolution profile JPG |
download_carousel | Carousel URL | Every slide as a media array |
download_photo | Single-image post URL | Original full-resolution JPG |
extract_reel_audio | Reel URL | Source m4a audio track URL |
Public accounts only. Private accounts return HTTP 422 by design.
Analytics
| Tool | Input | Returns |
|---|---|---|
engagement_health_check | Username | Weighted ER, save rate, comment rate, tier benchmark from the last 12 posts |
engagement_calculator | Followers + interactions | Weighted ER (like×1 + comment×2 + save×3 + share×4), tier benchmark, performance rating |
Content strategy
| Tool | Input | Returns |
|---|---|---|
generate_reels_hooks | Niche + optional country/language | 10 verified 2026 hook templates from the 900-hook library |
search_hashtags | Topic + locale | Real Instagram post counts for the returned hashtags |
get_hashtag_niche | Optional category | 25 curated seed niches |
audit_creator_hashtags | Username | Hashtag frequency map from the last 12 posts |
generate_instagram_fonts | Text + optional style | 22 Unicode font variants (Bold, Italic, Script, Fraktur, Double Struck, Monospace, Small Caps, Circled, Upside Down, …) |
get_best_time_to_post | Country code | 5 prime slots + 7-day heatmap, sourced from Buffer 2026 (30M+ posts) |
get_content_calendar | Market + date range + niche | Instagram content dates for 2026, each with a native-language Reels hook and hashtag set |
Supported markets for country-varied tools: US, GB, CA, AU, BR, MX, ES, IT, DE, FR, NL, SE, TR, JP, SA, AE, RU.
Environment
Override the API host when developing locally against a staging Instapdown:
INSTAPDOWN_BASE_URL=http://localhost:3000 npx -y instapdown-mcp
Default: https://instapdown.com.
Development
git clone https://github.com/farukkolip/instapdown-mcp
cd instapdown-mcp
npm install
npm run build
node dist/test/smoke.js # in-memory smoke test — 16 tools + 6 offline callable
License
MIT © Ömer Faruk Kolip
Instapdown is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Meta Platforms, Inc. or Instagram. Public content only.
Comments
New to MCP?
From what the protocol is to installing your first server, these answers cover most first questions.
An open protocol that defines how AI applications connect to external tools and data in a uniform way. Clients talk to the model; MCP servers provide tools, resources and prompt templates. They exchange standard messages, so one server can be reused by many clients.