How to Track Instagram Followers: Free Methods & Tools (2026)
TL;DR - Quick Answer
16 min readTips you can use today. What works and what doesn't.
How to Track Instagram Followers (2026)
Quick Answer: Best Tracking Methods
Why track followers? Understand growth patterns, measure campaign success, identify what content drives follows, and set realistic goals.
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Method 1: Instagram Insights (Free)
Requirements: Business or Creator account
How to Access Follower Tracking
- Open Instagram app
- Go to your profile
- Tap "Professional dashboard" or menu → Insights
- Select "Total followers"
- View follower growth over 7, 14, 30, or 90 days
What Instagram Shows
Limitation: Only shows last 90 days. For longer tracking, use external tools.
Method 2: Free Follower Tracker Tool
Use our Instagram Follower Tracker to:
- Log your follower count daily
- See growth charts and trends
- Calculate average daily/weekly growth
- Project future milestones
- Track best and worst growth days
How to Use
- Open the tracker tool
- Enter today's date and follower count
- Add entries regularly
- View your growth statistics automatically
No login required. Your data stays on your device.
Method 3: Spreadsheet Tracking
Simple manual method for full control:
Columns to track:
- Date
- Follower count
- Daily change
- Notes (campaigns, posts, events)
What's the most reliable way to track Instagram followers long-term?
Track Instagram Followers Over Time
Why Historical Tracking Matters
Benefits:
- Identify seasonal trends
- Measure campaign ROI
- Spot growth or decline patterns
- Set data-based goals
- Prove results to clients or stakeholders
Best Practices
Daily tracking tips:
- Log at the same time each day
- Note major posts or campaigns
- Track unfollows, not just new follows
- Compare week-over-week, not day-over-day
- Use the data to adjust your content strategy
Weekly review:
- Total followers gained/lost
- Average daily growth rate
- Best performing day
- Correlation with posting schedule
- Comparison to previous weeks
Track Who Followed and Unfollowed
What Instagram Shows
Third-Party Unfollow Trackers
Popular options:
- Social Blade (web-based, public data)
- Followers+ (iOS/Android)
- Reports+ (follower analytics)
⚠️ Important warnings:
- Never share your Instagram password with apps
- Apps requiring login may violate Instagram ToS
- Stick to analytics-only tools that use public data
- Risk of account suspension with unauthorized apps
For detailed insights about profile views, see our guide on who viewed your Instagram profile.
Is it safe to use apps that track who unfollowed you?
Growth Rate Benchmarks
What's Normal Growth?
Red Flags
Growth Rate Formula
Growth Rate = (New Followers / Starting Followers) × 100
Example: Started with 1,000, gained 150 = 15% growth
Track Competitor Followers
How to Monitor Competitors
Manual tracking:
- List 5-10 competitor accounts
- Record their follower counts weekly
- Track growth rates over time
- Note their posting frequency and content types
Tools for competitor tracking:
- Social Blade (free public tracking)
- Our Instagram competitor analysis tool
What to Learn from Competitors
Analyze their growth:
- Which posts correlate with follower spikes?
- What's their posting frequency?
- Which content types perform best?
- When do they post?
Apply insights to your own Instagram growth strategy.
Tracking for Business Accounts
Professional Dashboard Features
Creating Follower Reports
Monthly report template:
- Overview: Starting vs. ending follower count
- Growth: Net change and percentage
- Demographics: Any significant shifts
- Top content: Posts that drove most follows
- Insights: Recommendations for next month
For full analytics, see our Instagram analytics guide.
What should you include in a monthly Instagram follower report?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who unfollowed me on Instagram?
Instagram doesn't show who specifically unfollowed you. You can only see total follower count changes in Insights. Third-party apps claim to track this, but many violate Instagram's terms of service and may risk your account.
How often should I track my Instagram followers?
Daily tracking provides the most useful data for identifying trends. At minimum, track weekly. Log your count at the same time each day for consistency. Use our free Instagram follower tracker to automate calculations.
Why did my Instagram followers suddenly drop?
Sudden follower drops usually result from Instagram removing fake/bot accounts, people unfollowing after you follow them, or changes in your content. Check if the drop correlates with any specific posts or Instagram-wide bot purges.
How can I track my Instagram follower growth over a year?
Instagram Insights only shows 90 days. For longer tracking, manually log your follower count in a spreadsheet or use our free tracker tool consistently. Third-party tools like Social Blade also maintain historical public data.
Is it safe to use follower tracking apps?
Be cautious with third-party apps that require your Instagram login. These may violate Instagram's terms and risk your account. Safer options include analytics-only tools that use public data, Instagram's built-in Insights, or manual spreadsheet tracking.
What's a good Instagram follower growth rate?
Growth rates vary by account size. Small accounts (under 1K) might see 10-30% monthly growth, while larger accounts (100K+) typically grow 1-3% monthly. Focus on consistent, organic growth rather than comparing to viral accounts.
Related Resources
Instagram Growth Strategy:
- How to Grow Instagram Followers - 15 proven growth strategies
- Increase Instagram Engagement - get more likes and comments
- Best Times to Post on Instagram - optimal posting schedule
- Instagram Analytics Complete Guide - understand all metrics
- Instagram Insights Guide - native analytics explained
Monetization & Ecommerce:
- Sell on Instagram - Instagram Shopping setup
- Social Commerce Guide - sell on social platforms
- SocialRails Pricing - schedule and grow your Instagram
Free Instagram Tools:
- Instagram Follower Tracker - track growth daily
- Engagement Calculator - calculate your rate
- Instagram Competitor Analysis - benchmark competitors
- Hashtag Generator - find relevant hashtags
Start tracking your Instagram followers today to make data-driven decisions about your content strategy.
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