Instagram MCP server: post, reply and read insights from Claude
An Instagram MCP server exposes your Instagram account to an AI agent as a set of tools: publish, read comments, reply, pull insights. It talks to Meta's official Instagram API, not the app. PlugKit hosts one at https://api.plugkit.co/mcp. Here is what it can do, what Meta blocks, and how to connect it. Checked on September 22, 2026.
What an Instagram MCP server actually is
MCP, the Model Context Protocol, is an open standard for connecting AI applications to external systems. The official docs call it "a USB-C port for AI applications": one connector shape, many clients. Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and VS Code all speak it.
An Instagram MCP server is just an MCP server whose tools happen to wrap Instagram. Your agent asks for list_accounts and receives the connected accounts as structured data the model can reason about. Nothing is scraped and nothing is typed into the app.
That last part matters more than it sounds. Browser automation and an API integration take different routes. An MCP server built on the official API uses Meta's documented endpoints, but still has to follow platform rules and account permissions. I wrote up the line between the two in what Meta allows and what gets you flagged.
What it can do, and which limits come from Meta
PlugKit uses Meta's official Instagram API with Instagram Login, over standard OAuth 2.0 with long-lived tokens. You need an Instagram professional account, business or creator. A personal account cannot be connected, by anyone, through any tool.
Here is the capability split as the PlugKit Instagram docs describe it on September 22, 2026:
| Capability | Available | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Publish images with captions | Yes | Scheduling and drafts included |
| Read and reply to comments | Yes | Plus hide and delete |
| Read and reply to DMs | Yes | 24 hour window applies |
| Post insights | Yes | Views, reach, likes, comments, shares, saves |
| Account insights | Yes | Followers, reach, profile views, measured daily |
| Comment-to-DM automations | Yes | Keyword triggers, run history |
| Reels, carousels, stories | Not documented | Only image publishing is detailed today |
| Personal accounts | No | Meta requires a professional account |
| Following, liking, marking others' stories as viewed | No | Not offered by the documented integration |
Separate Meta's restrictions from the features a particular connector documents.
The 24 hour messaging window. Standard automated replies follow the 24 hour window after a user messages you. Comment-to-DM has a separate rule: Meta allows one private reply within 7 days of a post or reel comment. Follow-ups require the recipient to reply, then must arrive within 24 hours of that response. Do not assume an approved template bypasses Instagram's window. I covered the practical consequences in Instagram DM automation.
No engagement actions. The documented Instagram integration does not offer following, unfollowing, liking other users' posts or marking their stories as viewed. Do not confuse reading your own media with automating engagement on someone else's account.
Media types. PlugKit's Instagram page documents images with captions. That does not establish whether its connector supports other formats. Meta's publishing API supports videos, Reels and carousels too. Confirm your required format with PlugKit before buying; missing documentation is not a Meta restriction or proof that the product cannot do it.
The tools you get
The PlugKit MCP server exposes over 100 tools and 3 ready-made workflows as of September 22, 2026. The Instagram-relevant ones group like this:
| Group | Tools |
|---|---|
| Publishing | create_post, update_post, publish_post, delete_post |
| Comments | get_comments, reply_to_comment, hide_comment, delete_comment |
| Engagement queue | list_engagement, reply_to_engagement, mark_engagement_handled |
| Inbox | list_conversations, get_conversation, list_messages, send_dm, send_message |
| Automations | create_comment_automation, list_comment_automations, update_comment_automation, delete_comment_automation, get_comment_automation_runs |
| Analytics | get_analytics_summary, get_top_posts, get_analytics_timeseries, get_best_times_to_post, get_account_analytics, get_post_analytics |
| Connections | list_accounts, get_account, get_connect_url, subscribe_instagram_webhooks |
delete_post removes a post from PlugKit and cancels its schedule; it does not remove an Instagram post already live. The tools reference explicitly says unpublish_post cannot unpublish Instagram posts.
The three workflows are publish (fan a message out to eligible accounts with a preview step), inbox (sync messaging platforms and surface what is unanswered) and report (pull performance and suggest changes). They guide a sequence of tool calls; the preview is an instruction to the model, not an enforced approval gate. The full list is in the tools reference.
Claude Instagram MCP: connecting it in Claude Code
One command, per the PlugKit MCP docs:
claude mcp add -t http plugkit https://api.plugkit.co/mcp
-t http is the transport flag, short for --transport http. By default the server is added at local scope, which means this project only. Add --scope user to get it in every project:
claude mcp add --transport http --scope user plugkit https://api.plugkit.co/mcp
Then authenticate. PlugKit supports OAuth 2.1, which the Claude Code MCP docs say Claude Code handles automatically: run /mcp inside Claude Code, or claude mcp login plugkit from the terminal, and grant the scopes. PlugKit splits them into mcp:read and mcp:write, so you can run read-only for a week before letting an agent publish anything. I would do exactly that.
The alternative is an API key in a header:
claude mcp add --transport http plugkit https://api.plugkit.co/mcp \
--header "Authorization: Bearer sk_your_key"
Worth knowing: a PlugKit API key carries full access and has no scopes, per their MCP overview. OAuth is the better path if your client supports it. Check either with claude mcp list.
MCP for Instagram in Cursor, VS Code and other clients
MCP is a standard, so the same endpoint works anywhere. Cursor and VS Code both take a remote HTTP server in their MCP settings: the URL is https://api.plugkit.co/mcp and the auth is the same OAuth flow or bearer header. ChatGPT supports MCP connectors too.
Agents work the same way. Hermes Agent connects with one command and picks the tools up in every channel it runs, including cron jobs and WhatsApp. If you are weighing hosted servers against self-hosted ones, I compared what each vendor actually ships in social media MCP servers compared.
What it costs
Prices checked on September 22, 2026 against PlugKit billing. These are monthly prices; that page does not list an annual plan.
PlugKit is $29 a month for 5 connected accounts, cancel anytime, or $97 a month for 30. Accounts past 30 are billed in bands, $3.00 each from 31 to 100 and $1.50 from 101. There is a 7 day trial before charges begin. Every plan includes the full MCP tool set: there is no "API add-on" tier.
Instagram itself costs nothing extra. PlugKit lists no per-call Instagram surcharge. The one metered platform is X, which charges per call and is passed through without markup: $0.005 to read posts, $0.015 to publish without a URL ($0.200 with a URL), $0.010 to read DMs. Background polling on metered accounts is off until enabled. The default $20 monthly cap triggers a webhook at 80% and stops background polling at 100%; publishing and sending can continue and exceed it. More on how the platform APIs differ in the social media API guide.
FAQ
Is there an official Instagram MCP server?
The Meta documentation linked here describes the Instagram Platform API. PlugKit's MCP server is a third-party integration with that API, not a server supplied by Meta. Check both the connector's capabilities and Meta's account and messaging requirements.
Can Claude post to Instagram?
Yes, through an MCP server, and only to an Instagram professional account. Claude has no Instagram integration of its own. Once the PlugKit server is connected you can ask for a post in plain language and the model calls create_post and publish_post on your behalf.
Do I need an Instagram business account for an Instagram MCP server?
Yes. Meta's Instagram API requires a business or creator account, and the switch is free in the Instagram app settings. Personal accounts cannot be connected through the API by any tool, so anything that offers it is driving the app instead.
What is the difference between an Instagram MCP server and the Instagram API?
The API is the HTTP interface Meta publishes. An MCP server is a wrapper that turns those endpoints into tools an AI client can discover and call, with auth handled once. If you are writing code yourself you want the API. If you want an agent to do the work in a chat, you want the MCP server.
Can an Instagram MCP server get my account banned?
Using the official API is not a guarantee against account restrictions. Your app and activity still need to comply with Meta's rules. Avoid spam and unsupported engagement automation, respect messaging windows, and review what your agent will publish or send.
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