What is the StoriesFly API?

StoriesFly API is a REST API for Instagram stories, profiles, highlights, media, follower tracking, and shadow ban detection. Developers authenticate with X-Api-Key header. Free tier: 25 requests/day. Paid plans: 500 to 50,000 requests/day.

How do I get an API key?

Sign up at storiesfly.com/developers, click Create Key, name it (e.g. Production), and copy the key. It is shown only once. Include it as X-Api-Key header in all requests.

What endpoints does the API offer?

Content: POST /api/stories (fetch stories), GET /api/profile (profile data), GET /api/highlights (highlight items), POST /api/media (post/reel URLs), GET /api/download (CDN proxy). Analytics: GET /api/analytics/shadowban (7-signal shadow ban check). Tracker: GET/POST/DELETE /api/tracker/accounts, GET /api/tracker (activity feed), GET /api/tracker/quota.

How much does the StoriesFly API cost?

Free tier: 25 requests/day, no credit card. Paid content API: Starter $9.99/mo (500/day), Growth $29.99/mo (5k/day), Scale $99/mo (50k/day). Tracker API: Starter $4.99/mo (1 account), Growth $14.99/mo (5 accounts), Scale $49/mo (10 accounts).

Does the API support real-time follower tracking?

Yes. The Tracker API monitors follower/following changes in real-time. Add accounts via POST /api/tracker/accounts, then poll GET /api/tracker for follow/unfollow events. Requires a paid Tracker plan or web subscription (Basic/Pro/Enterprise).

Content API

Download Instagram Content

Proxy download from Instagram CDN. Pass a CDN URL from stories, posts, or highlights to get the binary media file. Supports images and videos. URL must be from cdninstagram.com, fbcdn.net, or instagram.com.

GET/api/download

Auth: X-Api-Key header or Bearer JWTRate limits: Free: 25/day, Starter: 500/day, Growth: 5K/day, Scale: 50K/day. Burst: 60/min.

Parameters

Name	In	Type	Required	Description
url	query	string (URI)	Yes	Instagram CDN URL to download

Response

json

Binary media (image/jpeg, image/png, video/mp4) with appropriate Content-Type header

Code Examples

cURL

curl "https://storiesfly.com/api/download?url=https://cdninstagram.com/..." \
  -H "X-Api-Key: sf_live_your_key_here" \
  -o media.jpg

JavaScript

const res = await fetch(
  `https://storiesfly.com/api/download?url=${encodeURIComponent(cdnUrl)}`,
  { headers: { "X-Api-Key": "sf_live_your_key_here" } }
);
const blob = await res.blob();
// Save or process the media file

Python

import requests

response = requests.get(
    "https://storiesfly.com/api/download",
    params={"url": "https://cdninstagram.com/..."},
    headers={"X-Api-Key": "sf_live_your_key_here"}
)
with open("media.jpg", "wb") as f:
    f.write(response.content)

FAQ

Why do I need a proxy download?

Instagram CDN URLs have expiring tokens and CORS restrictions. The download proxy handles authentication and serves the content with proper headers for client-side consumption.

What domains are allowed?

Only URLs from cdninstagram.com, fbcdn.net, and instagram.com are accepted. Other domains are rejected with a 403 error.

Related Endpoints

Get Instagram Stories

POST /api/stories

Get Instagram Media URLs

POST /api/media

Get Instagram Highlights

GET /api/highlights

Ready to integrate?

Create a free API key and start making requests in minutes.

Get API Key Full Docs

Last updated: March 4, 2026