Access to Instagram from Metricool: connection types and differences
When connecting Instagram to Metricool, you can do it in two different ways. Although both allow you to schedule content and access some metrics, they use different APIs provided by Meta, which means they offer different features and don’t share data.
Available connection options
You have two ways to connect your Instagram account:
Through Facebook (recommended)
Uses the Instagram Graph API, which is more mature and stable, with access to a greater number of features and more accurate data.
Connect your Instagram account as a professional account (business or creator) through a linked Facebook Page.
Recommended option to make the most of all Metricool features.
Instagram login only
Uses the Instagram Basic Display API —also known as the standalone connection—, a newer API that may cause some instability and limitations.
Log in directly with your Instagram username and password.
More limited option, valid only for certain basic features.
What happens if you change the connection method?
If you change the way your account is connected (for example, from direct Instagram connection to Facebook connection, or the other way around), that connection will act as a new connection, meaning you’ll lose access to the data history from the previous connection.
This means:
When you reconnect your account with the same method you used before, you’ll recover the historical metrics you had already stored.
Keep in mind that follower and story data are only recorded while the account is connected; the period when it was linked with the other connection cannot be recovered.
This happens because Meta provides two different connections to its API for Instagram, and each one accesses different data that are not shared with each other.
To learn more about how data history works, see Available data history.
What features do you get depending on how you connect Instagram?
The Facebook connection not only provides access to more features but is also more stable and shows fewer technical issues.
Feature | Facebook connection (recommended) | Instagram login only |
|---|---|---|
Full analytics [3] | ✅ | ❌ |
✅ | ❌ | |
Collaboration analytics [4] | ✅ | ❌ |
✅ | ✅ | |
✅ | ✅ | |
✅ | ✅ | |
✅ | ❌ | |
Boost posts [2] | ✅ | ❌ |
✅ | ✅ |
[1] Best time data depends on the connection type: with Facebook, you get audience-specific stats; without Facebook, a general behavior-based estimate.
[2] To boost posts, you also need to connect your Meta Ads account.
[3] No access to stories metrics or to the promoted data breakdown in posts and reels.
[4] Collaboration analytics are available only through the Facebook connection.
What option should you choose?
Now that you know there are two ways to connect your Instagram account to Metricool, and that each offers different features, you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
If you just need to schedule basic content or check some metrics, Instagram login may work for you.
But if you want access to all available features —like Inbox, Stories, product tagging, or advanced analytics— we recommend connecting your account via Facebook.
Choose the option that fits your needs best.