When you extract data from an Instagram post using Social Flex, you choose between two modes: Basic and Detailed. Each mode returns a different depth of data at a different cost. This guide explains exactly what you get from each mode and when to use them.
What Is Basic Mode?
Basic mode extracts the publicly available metadata from an Instagram post. It is fast, lightweight, and completely free.
Data returned in Basic mode:| Field | Example |
|-------|---------|
| Username | @brandname |
| Caption | Full post caption text |
| Like count | 4,532 |
| Comment count | 287 |
| Post date | 2026-03-15 |
| Media type | Image, video, or carousel |
| Post URL | Original permalink |
Basic mode does not return any individual comments. You get the total comment count as a number, but not the comment text or commenter details.
Cost: 0 credits per post.What Is Detailed Mode?
Detailed mode returns everything from Basic mode plus every individual comment on the post. Each comment includes its own set of structured fields.
Additional data returned in Detailed mode:| Field | Example |
|-------|---------|
| Commenter username | @user123 |
| Comment text | "Love this product! Where can I buy it?" |
| Comment like count | 12 |
| Comment timestamp | 2026-03-15T14:32:00Z |
| Is reply | true/false |
| Parent comment ID | (if it is a reply) |
When you enable the Include Replies option, threaded replies beneath top-level comments are also extracted with the same field structure. Each reply is marked with a flag and linked to its parent comment.
Cost: 1 credit per comment extracted. The post metadata itself is included at no extra cost.When to Use Basic Mode
Basic mode is the right choice when you do not need individual comment content. Common scenarios include:
Quick post checks. You want to see how a specific post performed in terms of likes and comments without digging into the comment section. Basic mode gives you the numbers in seconds. Volume analysis. When comparing engagement across dozens or hundreds of posts, you often only need the top-level metrics. Basic mode lets you scan many posts without spending credits, making it ideal for building engagement benchmarks across an account or competitor set. Post discovery. Before deciding which posts deserve a deeper look, use Basic mode to identify high-engagement posts. Once you know which posts have the most comments, you can selectively run Detailed mode only on those. Content auditing. If you are cataloging an account's posting history, Basic mode captures post dates, captions, media types, and engagement counts, which is usually sufficient for an audit spreadsheet.When to Use Detailed Mode
Detailed mode is necessary when the actual content of comments matters. Key use cases include:
Sentiment analysis. To understand how people feel about a post, product, or campaign, you need the comment text itself. Detailed mode gives you every comment so you can run sentiment analysis using tools like Excel formulas, Google Sheets add-ons, or Python libraries. Engagement quality analysis. A post might have 1,000 comments, but are they genuine? Detailed mode lets you inspect comment content to distinguish authentic engagement from bot activity or spam. This is critical for influencer vetting and partnership decisions. Content research. Comments often contain questions, suggestions, and topics that your audience cares about. Extracting them in Detailed mode lets you mine for content ideas, FAQ material, and product improvement insights. Customer support monitoring. For brand accounts, Detailed mode captures every customer question and complaint in a structured format. Teams can sort, filter, and assign follow-ups instead of scrolling through the Instagram app. Competitor deep dives. When you want to understand what a competitor's audience is saying, not just how many people commented, Detailed mode provides the full picture.The Include Replies Option
In Detailed mode, you can toggle Include Replies on or off.
- Off: Only top-level comments are extracted. Replies nested beneath them are excluded.
- On: Both top-level comments and all replies are extracted. Each reply is flagged and linked to its parent comment ID.
Include Replies is useful when conversations in the reply threads contain context you need. For example, a brand might respond to a complaint in a reply thread, and capturing that exchange gives you the full interaction.
Keep in mind that replies count toward your credit usage at the same rate: 1 credit per reply extracted.
Pricing Comparison
| | Basic Mode | Detailed Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Post metadata | Included | Included |
| Individual comments | Not included | Included |
| Replies | Not included | Optional |
| Cost per post | 0 credits | 0 credits (metadata) |
| Cost per comment | N/A | 1 credit |
| Cost per reply | N/A | 1 credit |
Example: A post with 300 comments and 150 replies.- Basic mode: 0 credits (metadata only).
- Detailed mode without replies: 300 credits (300 comments).
- Detailed mode with replies: 450 credits (300 comments + 150 replies).
Choosing the Right Mode
Start with Basic mode to survey the landscape. Identify which posts or accounts have the engagement volume worth investigating. Then switch to Detailed mode for the specific posts where comment content will drive decisions.
This two-step approach keeps costs low while ensuring you get deep data where it matters. Social Flex makes it easy to switch between modes on a per-post basis, so you are always in control of how many credits you spend.