# Username Availability Checker (`sync-network/username-availability-checker`) Actor

Check if usernames are available or taken across 36 platforms (GitHub, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, Spotify, and more). Uses fast API endpoint probing — no browser needed. Supports bulk username checking with configurable concurrency and rate-limit handling.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/sync-network/username-availability-checker.md
- **Developed by:** [Alam](https://apify.com/sync-network) (community)
- **Categories:** Developer tools, Automation, Social media
- **Features:** Limited permissions
- **Stats:** 298 total users, 31 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 1 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $0.50 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Username Availability Checker

Instantly check if a username is available or taken across **36 platforms**. Uses fast API/HTTP probing — no browser required, dirt cheap to run.

### Why?

- **Brand protection** — secure your username across platforms before someone else does
- **Domain investors** — find valuable available usernames
- **Social media managers** — check client name availability at scale
- **Security researchers** — detect impersonation or squatting

### Features

- **36 platforms** — GitHub, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, Spotify, Twitch, GitLab, Roblox, Chess.com, and more
- **API-first** — uses platform APIs (GitHub, Reddit, Hacker News, Mojang, Chess.com, Lichess, Codeberg, Roblox) for reliable results
- **Bulk checking** — check multiple usernames at once
- **Selective platforms** — check all platforms or pick specific ones
- **Fast & cheap** — HTTP probing only, no browser overhead (~$0.00004 per result)
- **Concurrent** — configurable concurrency for speed
- **Rate-limit friendly** — adjustable delay between requests

### Supported Platforms

#### Social Media (14)

GitHub, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, VK, Tumblr, Snapchat, Mastodon, Pinterest, Spotify, Twitch

#### Developer (3)

GitLab, Codeberg, Hacker News

#### Gaming (5)

Steam, Steam Group, Minecraft, Chess.com, Roblox, Lichess

#### Creative / Other (8)

SoundCloud, Letterboxd, Substack, Replit, BuyMeACoffee, Linktree, Product Hunt, About.me, Flickr, Last.fm, Patreon, Vimeo

> **Note:** Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium, WordPress, Discord, Telegram, and Signal are excluded — they require authentication or are behind Cloudflare, making HTTP-only checking unreliable.

### How to Use

#### Input

| Field | Description | Default |
|-------|-------------|---------|
| **Usernames** | Comma-separated usernames to check | `example_user` |
| **Platforms** | Comma-separated platforms (empty = all) | All 36 |
| **Concurrency** | Parallel requests (1–20) | `5` |
| **Delay Between Requests** | Seconds between requests | `0.5` |
| **Proxy Configuration** | Optional Apify proxy | Off |

#### Example: Check one username everywhere

```
usernames: coolbrand2026
```

#### Example: Check multiple usernames on specific platforms

```
usernames: mybrand, mybrand_, mybrandofficial
platforms: github, instagram, tiktok, twitter, youtube, gitlab, roblox
```

### Output

| Field | Description |
|-------|-------------|
| `username` | The username checked |
| `platform` | Platform display name |
| `url` | Profile page URL |
| `available` | `true` = available, `false` = taken, `null` = unknown/error |
| `error` | Error message if check failed |

### Pricing

\~$0.00004 per result in platform costs. Check 5 usernames across all 36 platforms (180 results) for less than a penny.

# Actor input Schema

## `usernames` (type: `string`):

Comma-separated list of usernames to check (the @ symbol is automatically stripped).

## `platforms` (type: `string`):

Comma-separated list of platforms to check. Leave empty to check all 36 platforms. Available: aboutme, buymeacoffee, chess, codeberg, flickr, github, gitlab, hackernews, instagram, keybase, lastfm, letterboxd, lichess, linktree, mastodon, minecraft, patreon, pinterest, producthunt, reddit, replit, roblox, snapchat, soundcloud, spotify, steam, steam_group, substack, threads, tiktok, tumblr, twitch, twitter, vimeo, vk, youtube

## `concurrency` (type: `integer`):

Number of concurrent requests (1–20).

## `delayBetweenRequests` (type: `number`):

Delay between each request to avoid rate limiting.

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Use Apify proxy to avoid rate limits and IP blocks.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "usernames": "example_user",
  "platforms": "",
  "concurrency": 5,
  "delayBetweenRequests": 0.5,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": false
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

Username availability status per platform

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "usernames": "example_user",
    "platforms": ""
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("sync-network/username-availability-checker").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "usernames": "example_user",
    "platforms": "",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("sync-network/username-availability-checker").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "usernames": "example_user",
  "platforms": ""
}' |
apify call sync-network/username-availability-checker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,sync-network/username-availability-checker"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/KUcdSyQcm7Vbbxf18/builds/87Ssaf48ughFv7Y8d/openapi.json