Best apps to see who someone recently followed on Instagram
By the Stalkie teamUpdated · 5 min read
Quick answer
The apps that show who someone recently followed all work the same way: they read a public profile's following list again and again and show what changed, with no Instagram login. In 2026 the main ones are Stalkie, The Ick, Lurk, Recent Follow and Snoopreport, and they differ in platform, how often they check and how many profiles you can follow.
Instagram has no list of recent follows, so a whole category of apps grew around that gap. They look alike at first glance. The differences show up in the details: whether you need an iPhone app, how quickly a new follow appears and how many people you can keep an eye on.
Stalkie is our product. Every other app here is described from what its own site or store listing says, checked in November 2026, and we point out where the others do more.
The five apps at a glance
| App | Where it runs | How often it checks | Profiles at a time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stalkie | Any browser, on phone or computer | Several times a day | Up to 3 |
| The Ick | Web and Android | Every hour | Up to 5 |
| Lurk | iPhone, Android and web | Not stated; promises instant alerts | Unlimited |
| Recent Follow | iPhone, Android and a Chrome extension | Varies | Not stated |
| Snoopreport | Web and iPhone | Weekly or monthly reports | Not stated |
All five read public profiles only for the following list and none of them asks for your Instagram password. That is the baseline; anything that asks for a login or promises private profiles is a different kind of app, covered in how to choose a safe tracker.
Stalkie: best for iPhone users and for alerts in one place
- Runs in the browser, so it works the same on iPhone, Android and computer with nothing to install.
- Shows follows and unfollows with the time each one was detected, new followers, and changes to name, bio and photo, including when a profile goes private.
- Keeps the full following list searchable and downloadable, and puts two profiles side by side to see whether they follow each other.
- Sends alerts to your phone or by email and a weekly summary per profile.
- Available in English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Where others do more: The Ick and Lurk let you follow more profiles at once, and Lurk adds a story viewer.
The Ick: the best-known name
The Ick grew on TikTok and is the app most people hear about first. It checks every hour, follows up to 5 profiles, and shows new follows, unfollows and new followers in a timeline with phone alerts. It runs on the web and on Android.
Follows that happened before you started are shown without a date, which is true of every app here: Instagram doesn't publish when a follow happened. If you're looking for something similar, see The Ick alternatives.
Lurk: the most profiles and a story viewer
Lurk runs on iPhone, Android and the web. Its site lists unlimited profiles, follows sorted by most recent, a full activity timeline and a built-in story viewer. It doesn't say how often it checks, only that alerts are instant.
Recent Follow: lists you can export
Recent Follow, from IGExport, is a phone app and a Chrome extension. It sorts a profile's follows newest first, shows latest followers and exports lists to a spreadsheet. Its own help pages note that the time shown is when the app first saw the account, and that how often it checks varies.
Snoopreport: reports instead of alerts
Snoopreport works differently: instead of alerting you to each follow, it sends weekly or monthly reports with follows, unfollows, liked posts and the hours the profile is most active. It suits people who want a summary more than a live feed.
What no app can show
- The exact moment of a follow. Apps see a change when they check, so the time shown is when it was detected.
- Dates for old follows. Instagram doesn't publish them. Some apps sort existing follows newest first; treat that as a hint, as explained in what the order of a following list means.
- Private profiles. Their following list is only visible to approved followers.
- Profile visitors and story views by others. Instagram doesn't share them with anyone.
How to choose
- Your phone. On iPhone, pick a browser app like Stalkie or an iPhone app like Lurk. On Android, all of them work.
- How many people. One to three profiles fits any of them; more than five points to Lurk.
- Alerts or reports. If you want to know when it happens, choose an app with alerts. If a weekly overview is enough, Snoopreport fits.
- Safety. Skip anything that asks for your Instagram password or promises private profiles.
Whatever you pick, the history starts on the day you add the profile. To understand what you can find out before that, read how to see who someone recently followed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to see who someone recently followed?
It depends on your phone and how many profiles you follow. Stalkie works in any browser, The Ick checks hourly on web and Android, and Lurk follows the most profiles.
Is there an iPhone app to see who someone followed?
Yes. Lurk and Recent Follow have iPhone apps. Stalkie runs in Safari, so there is nothing to install, and sends alerts by email or to the home screen.
Do these apps work on private profiles?
No. A private profile's following list is only visible to approved followers, so no legitimate app can read it.
Will the person know I'm using one of these apps?
No. These apps only read what a public profile shows to anyone, without following it or using your account.
Can an app show when someone followed an account?
Only from the day it starts checking. It shows when a change was detected; Instagram doesn't publish dates for older follows.
Do I need to give my Instagram password?
No. None of the apps compared here asks for it, and you should avoid any app that does.
