How to Export Instagram Followers to CSV (Free Guide 2026)

Published April 15, 2026 · 6 min read

Method 1: Browser Extension (Recommended)

A browser extension is the fastest way to export Instagram followers to a spreadsheet. No API keys, no coding, no account registration with third-party services. Here's how to do it with IG Follower Exporter:

Step 1: Install the extension

Add IG Follower Exporter from the Chrome Web Store or Edge Add-ons. It takes about 10 seconds. No sign-up required.

Step 2: Open any Instagram profile and click Export

Open Instagram in your browser and go to the profile whose followers you want to export. Click the extension icon — you'll see the follower and following count. Choose Followers or Following, select Quick mode or Detailed mode, then click Start Export.

Step 3: Watch progress and download your file

The extension shows real-time progress with a live counter. Smart rate limiting automatically pauses and resumes to keep your account safe. For large exports, the checkpoint feature saves your progress so you can close the browser and resume later.

When the export finishes, click Download CSV (free) or Download Excel (Pro) to save your file.

What you get:

• Quick mode (free): username, full name, profile URL, verified status, private status, profile picture URL — up to 600 records
• Detailed mode (Pro): all Quick fields plus bio, email, phone, WhatsApp, follower count, following count, post count, external URL, business category, city — 24 fields total, unlimited records

Method 2: Manual Copy-Paste (Free but Slow)

If you only need a handful of usernames, you can do it manually:

1. Go to the Instagram profile and click the Followers count
2. Scroll through the follower list to load more names
3. Select and copy the usernames, then paste them into a spreadsheet

Limitations:

• You can only see usernames and display names — no email, bio, or other fields
• Instagram loads followers in batches, so you must scroll repeatedly for large accounts
• Copying thousands of names manually is not practical — it would take hours for an account with 10K+ followers
• No export to CSV; you have to format the spreadsheet yourself

This method works for 50-100 followers. For anything larger, use a tool.

Method 3: API Tools (PhantomBuster, Apify)

SaaS platforms like PhantomBuster and Apify offer Instagram scraping through their cloud APIs. They are powerful but come with trade-offs:

• Setup required: Create an account, configure an Instagram "phantom" or "actor," paste your session cookie, and set up the scrape parameters. Expect 10-20 minutes of configuration.
• Cost: PhantomBuster starts at $69/month for their Starter plan. Apify charges per compute unit. Both are significantly more expensive than browser extensions.
• Cloud processing: Your Instagram session data (cookies) is sent to their servers, which has privacy implications.
• Learning curve: These tools are built for developers and growth hackers. Non-technical users may struggle with the setup.

API tools make sense if you need to scrape thousands of profiles on autopilot. For exporting followers from specific accounts, a browser extension is simpler and cheaper.

IG Follower Exporter vs Exporter for Followers: Comparison

Exporter for Followers is the most-installed Instagram follower export extension on Chrome Web Store (500K+ users). Here's how it compares to IG Follower Exporter:

The biggest differences: IG Follower Exporter is 5x cheaper, accepts credit card payments (no crypto needed), captures 10 more data fields, and supports checkpoint resume for large exports. Both process data locally in the browser.

Frequently Asked Questions