The subzeroid blog.
Honest comparisons of Instagram APIs, TikTok APIs, Python libraries, and MCP servers — including the projects we maintain. We compare where we win, where competitors win, and how to choose.
insta-dl vs instaloader
Async cloud-backed downloader vs the original public-web tool. Ban risk, throughput, metadata handling.
insto vs Osintgram
Two Instagram OSINT CLIs. REPL + dossier mode + Maltego export vs the original community classic.
instagrapi vs instaloader
Private API client vs public-web scraper. Login required vs not. Feature parity vs simplicity. Honest breakdown.
HikerAPI vs RocketAPI
2.7× more endpoints, lower price-per-request, stable RapidAPI listing. Where RocketAPI wins, and where HikerAPI does.
Best MCP Servers for Social Media in 2026
Connect Instagram and TikTok to Claude Code, Cursor, Codex. hikerapi-mcp, lamatok-mcp, datalikers-mcp — and what's actually shipping.
Best Instagram Python Library in 2026
instagrapi, aiograpi, instaloader, instabot, instauto — sync vs async, private vs public API, when to pick each.
Best TikTok API in 2026
Lamatok, EnsembleData, Apify TikTok Scraper, Bright Data, Scrape Creators — and TikTok's official Research API. Honest tradeoffs.
Best Instagram API in 2026
HikerAPI, RocketAPI, EnsembleData, Apify, Bright Data — endpoints, pricing, free tier, and what to pick for your use case.
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