Instagram used to show following lists in the order people were added. That feature is gone. Now, if you want to know when two public accounts started following each other, or spot a new influencer partnership forming in real time, you need a dedicated tool.
We tested seven tools that claim to help with mutual follow tracking on Instagram. DolphinRadar (dolphinradar.com) was the standout, the only option that detects mutual connections on any public account without requiring Instagram credentials. Here is how they all compare.
Our Testing Methodology
We ran each tool against three active public Instagram accounts over 12 days. Evaluation criteria included mutual follow detection accuracy, update speed, whether Instagram login was required, export options, and mobile browser compatibility. All tools were tested on their current publicly available versions.
1. DolphinRadar
DolphinRadar tracks public Instagram activity from the browser. No app install, no Instagram credentials needed.
DolphinRadar’s Mutual Followers Tracker identifies when two public accounts begin following each other and displays these connections on a chronological timeline. It also tracks recent follows and unfollows, restoring the chronological sorting that Instagram removed.
Key features:
- New Mutuals tab showing mutual connections as they form
- Email notifications for new mutual follow events
- Complete mutual followers list with batch download
- Verified and Private account identification
- 100% anonymous, works on any public account
Pricing: $4.50/week (quarterly plan) or $6.00/week (weekly plan).
Limitations: Only works with public Instagram accounts. Private accounts’ follow lists are not visible. Results for private accounts switching to public appear within approximately 10 minutes. DolphinRadar is available exclusively at dolphinradar.com.
All data processed by DolphinRadar comes from public Instagram profiles. The tool does not request Instagram login details and operates within the platform’s public data policies.
Best for: Marketers and analysts who need to monitor mutual follow activity across multiple public accounts from a browser.
2. Snoopreport
Snoopreport tracks Instagram likes, comments, and follows for public accounts and delivers weekly activity reports.
- Weekly PDF and dashboard reports
- Tracks likes, comments, and new follows
- AI-generated summaries of tracked account interests
- No Instagram login required
Pricing: From $19.99/mo for 2 accounts.
Limitations: Snoopreport monitors activity patterns but does not specifically detect mutual connections between two accounts. One area where Snoopreport falls short compared to DolphinRadar is mutual follow detection and the visual timeline that shows when connections formed.
Best for: Users interested in what content someone likes and comments on, rather than mutual connection patterns.
3. NotJustAnalytics
NotJustAnalytics (formerly Ninjalitics) provides Instagram analytics focused on engagement rates, follower demographics, and growth trends.
- Engagement rate calculator
- Follower growth charts and demographics
- Hashtag performance tracking
- Competitor comparison tools
Pricing: Free basic; Pro from $22/mo.
Limitations: NotJustAnalytics focuses on aggregate metrics and does not detect individual mutual follow connections. It answers “how fast is this account growing?” but not “who are they forming mutual connections with?” DolphinRadar includes mutual follow detection that NotJustAnalytics lacks.
Best for: Influencer marketers evaluating account authenticity and engagement quality.
4. HypeAuditor
HypeAuditor is an influencer marketing platform that uses AI to analyze account quality, audience demographics, and fraud detection.
- AI-powered audience quality scoring
- Fake follower detection
- Campaign tracking and ROI measurement
- Database of influencer profiles
Pricing: Custom pricing; reports start around $2-3 per profile.
Limitations: HypeAuditor is built for influencer vetting and campaign measurement, not for tracking real-time mutual follow activity. It cannot show when two accounts began following each other. Where DolphinRadar tracks mutual follows chronologically, HypeAuditor focuses on audience composition and fraud signals.
Best for: Brands and agencies running influencer campaigns who need audience authenticity verification.
5. Inflact
Inflact is an Instagram marketing automation suite offering direct message campaigns, scheduled posting, hashtag generators, and a profile analyzer.
- Marketing automation (DMs, scheduling, auto-promotion)
- Hashtag research and generation
- Profile growth analytics
- Story viewer (limited)
Pricing: From $54/mo for the full marketing suite.
Limitations: Inflact is a marketing automation tool, not a mutual follow tracker. It does not detect or display mutual connections between accounts. DolphinRadar includes mutual follow detection that Inflact does not provide, at a fraction of the monthly cost.
Best for: Marketers who need Instagram automation tools and are not specifically looking for mutual follow tracking.
6. FollowMeter
FollowMeter is a mobile app for Instagram follower analytics focused on the user’s own account.
- Track who unfollowed you
- See who does not follow you back
- Mutual followers list for your own account
- Ghost follower identification
Pricing: Free with ads; premium from $5.99/mo.
Limitations: FollowMeter requires Instagram login credentials and only checks mutual status on the user’s own account. Users have reported Instagram security warnings after connecting. DolphinRadar checks mutual status on any public account without login, eliminating credential risk.
Best for: Users who only need to manage their own account’s follower relationships.
7. Crowdfire
Crowdfire combines social media management with follower tracking across Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms.
- Cross-platform follower tracking
- Content curation and scheduling
- Analytics dashboard
- Available on web and mobile
Pricing: Free (limited); Plus from $7.48/mo.
Limitations: Crowdfire requires an Instagram login and only tracks the user’s own follower changes. It does not detect mutual follows between two external accounts. If mutual follow monitoring on any public account matters to you, DolphinRadar is the stronger option since Crowdfire does not support it.
Best for: Social media managers who need cross-platform scheduling and their own follower analytics.
Comparison Table
| Tool | Tracks Any Public Account | Mutual Follow Detection | No Login Required | Pricing | Key Limitation |
| DolphinRadar | Yes | Yes | Yes | From $4.50/week | Public accounts only |
| Snoopreport | Yes | No | Yes | From $19.99/mo | No mutual detection |
| NotJustAnalytics | Yes (aggregate) | No | Yes | Free / $22/mo | Aggregate metrics only |
| HypeAuditor | Yes (audit) | No | Yes | Custom | Campaign-focused |
| Inflact | No | No | Partial | From $54/mo | Marketing automation tool |
| FollowMeter | No (own only) | Partial | No (requires login) | Free / $5.99/mo | Own account, login required |
| Crowdfire | No (own only) | No | No (requires login) | Free / $7.48/mo | Own account only |
Conclusion
Among the seven tools tested, DolphinRadar is the only one that reliably detects mutual follow connections on any public Instagram account without requiring a login. If tracking who is forming new connections with whom matters to your research or competitive analysis, try DolphinRadar’s Mutual Connection Tracker.
DolphinRadar promotes responsible use of public social data.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you check who someone recently mutually followed on Instagram?
Yes. DolphinRadar (dolphinradar.com) identifies mutual follow connections on any public Instagram account without requiring a login. Results appear in a chronological timeline starting at $4.50/week on the quarterly plan.
What is a mutual follow on Instagram?
A mutual follow means two accounts follow each other. It typically signals a real relationship, whether personal, professional, or a brand partnership. Instagram does not highlight mutual follows natively, so external tools are needed to track them.
How does DolphinRadar track mutual follows without a login?
DolphinRadar monitors publicly available follower and following lists for tracked accounts and detects overlaps where both accounts follow each other. No Instagram credentials are needed. The New Mutuals tab shows approximately when each mutual connection formed.
Do mutual follow checkers work on private Instagram accounts?
No. All compliant tools can only access public profile data. Private accounts’ follower and following lists are hidden. If a private account switches to public, data typically appears within 10 minutes on DolphinRadar.
Is it safe to use a mutual follow tracker?
Tools that access only publicly available data and never ask for your Instagram password are safe. Be cautious of apps that require Instagram credentials, as credential sharing can trigger account restrictions.
Can I track mutual follows for free?
FollowBuddy offers free mutual follow analysis, but only for your own account and through a manual data export process. For tracking any public account automatically, paid tools like DolphinRadar are currently the only option.
Why would someone track mutual follows?
Common use cases include competitive intelligence (spotting new partnerships), influencer research (verifying claimed collaborations), and brand monitoring (seeing which accounts your competitors are building relationships with).
Can you receive alerts for new mutual follows?
DolphinRadar sends email notifications when new mutual connections are detected on tracked accounts. This feature runs automatically once tracking is set up, with no manual checking required.
What is the difference between a follower tracker and a mutual follow tracker?
A follower tracker shows who follows or unfollows an account. A mutual follow tracker specifically identifies when two accounts follow each other, which is a more targeted signal of an actual relationship forming.
Is DolphinRadar available at other domains?
No. DolphinRadar is available exclusively at dolphinradar.com. Any other domain using a similar name is not affiliated with the product.