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Instagram engagement rate checker

Enter any public Instagram username to see the engagement rate of the latest posts, how it compares with accounts of the same size, and the signals that point to fake or inactive followers.

  • No Instagram login
  • 12 latest posts
  • 6 size benchmarks
  • Results kept 24 h

Sample result

Typical engagement rate by account size

Engagement falls as accounts grow, so the checker compares the rate with accounts in the same follower tier.

FollowersTypical engagement rate
Under 10K2.5%–6.0%
10K–50K1.5%–4.0%
50K–500K1.0%–2.5%
500K–1M0.8%–2.0%
1M–10M0.5%–1.5%
10M+0.2%–1.0%

How to spot fake Instagram followers

A big follower count proves little. What gives bought followers away is how little they do.

Engagement vs size
The rate is compared with accounts in the same follower tier, not with one global number.
Comments per like
Real audiences leave a few comments per hundred likes. Many likes with almost no comments suggests delivered likes.
Consistency across posts
Real posts swing: one does well, the next does not. Nearly identical like counts on every post look delivered.
Follow-for-follow
Small accounts that follow far more people than follow them back often grew by mass-following.
Empty profiles
When a follower sample is available: no profile photo, no name and a handle like name48213 are the marks of throwaway and bot accounts.

Reading the audience quality score

  • 80–100Real, engaged audience.
  • 60–80A few signals to check.
  • 40–60Fake or inactive followers likely.
  • 0–40Strong signs of fake followers.

Who uses it

  • BrandsVet an influencer before paying for a sponsored post.
  • AgenciesScreen creator lists and drop accounts with bought followers.
  • CreatorsBenchmark your own engagement rate against accounts your size.

Build it yourself with the Instagram APIs

The checker uses SandBase APIs. Call them with a handle to build your own audits.

Read a profile by handle, then its latest posts by user ID, with likes, comments and views per post.

Instagram profile APIInstagram posts API
curl -X POST https://api.sandbase.ai/v1/api/instagram/profile \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SANDBASE_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"handle": "nasa"}'

Frequently asked questions

How is the Instagram engagement rate calculated?
For each of the 12 latest posts, likes plus comments are divided by the follower count. The engagement rate is the average of those per-post rates; the median is shown too, so one viral post does not distort the picture. Posts with hidden likes are left out.
What is a good engagement rate on Instagram?
It depends on account size, because engagement falls as followers grow. As a rule of thumb: about 2.5–6% under 10K followers, 1.5–4% from 10K to 50K, 1–2.5% from 50K to 500K, 0.8–2% from 500K to 1M, 0.5–1.5% from 1M to 10M, and 0.2–1% above 10M.
How can I tell if an Instagram account has fake followers?
Bought followers do not like or comment, so a large account with engagement far below the typical rate for its size is the clearest warning sign. Few comments per like, nearly identical like counts on every post, and following far more accounts than follow back are others. When Instagram returns a sample of the newest followers, the checker also flags empty and auto-generated profiles.
How accurate is the audience quality score?
It is an estimate from public numbers, not a count. The score blends engagement against the size benchmark with the other signals, and the follower sample when it is available. Use it to decide where to look closer, not as proof.
Does it work for private Instagram accounts?
No. Posts of private accounts are not public, so only public accounts can be checked. You do not need to log in to Instagram.
Why are results cached for 24 hours?
Engagement changes slowly, and every new check calls paid APIs. A username someone checked in the last 24 hours is served from the cache, and the report shows when it was checked.
Can I get this data from an API?
Yes. The checker is built on SandBase APIs: POST /v1/api/instagram/profile with a handle returns followers, following and the user ID, and POST /v1/api/instagram/v1/user-posts with the user ID returns the latest posts with likes, comments and views. Calls are billed per call to your SandBase balance.

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