ExportComments alternative for Instagram comments: Lection vs ExportComments
ExportComments is a dedicated comment exporter covering many platforms, with a no-signup free tier of 100 results per post and larger limits on paid plans. Lection has a free Instagram comments exporter that runs in your own browser with the Chrome extension, and a general AI scraper for everything else on the page. If you export comments across many networks in bulk, ExportComments is purpose-built for that.
TL;DR
ExportComments is a dedicated comment exporter covering many platforms, with a no-signup free tier of 100 results per post and larger limits on paid plans. Lection has a free Instagram comments exporter that runs in your own browser with the Chrome extension, and a general AI scraper for everything else on the page. If you export comments across many networks in bulk, ExportComments is purpose-built for that.
When to choose ExportComments
- You export comments from many networks (it lists Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Reddit and more).
- You want bulk upload of many post URLs into one ZIP, or file delivery to S3, Drive or Dropbox.
- You need very large exports with a fixed per-export cap tier.
When to choose Lection
- You want a free Instagram comments exporter that uses your own browser session and the Chrome extension.
- You also need followers, following, posts, YouTube comments or other pages from the same tool.
- You want to schedule recurring exports to Google Sheets, Airtable, Notion or a webhook.
Feature and pricing comparison
Entries marked Not verified are things we could not confirm from the vendor's own pages.
| Feature | Lection | ExportComments |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | General AI scraper plus free one-click exporters | Comment exporter for many platforms |
| Instagram comments | Free Instagram comments exporter tool | Yes |
| Free limit | Tool is free; Free plan adds 5 cloud credits/month | 100 results per post, no signup |
| Larger exports | See Lection pricing for cloud limits | Personal 5,000; Premium 50,000; Business 250,000 per export |
| Export formats | CSV, Excel, JSON | Excel, CSV, JSON |
| Login handling | Runs in your own logged-in browser | Public posts need no login; private accounts via authenticated mode on paid plans |
| Bulk URLs | Bulk URLs per run on Standard (20) and Pro (50) | Paid feature (CSV of URLs, ZIP output) |
| Scheduled exports | Yes, depending on plan: Sheets, Airtable, Notion, email, webhooks | Paid feature (S3, Drive, Dropbox, webhook) |
| Other platforms | Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Maps, YouTube and any page via the AI scraper | Lists 12 named platforms and claims 20+ |
| Dollar pricing | Free; Standard $24/mo billed yearly; Pro $83/mo billed yearly | Not verified (see its pricing page) |
Switch in 5 minutes
- Install the Lection Chrome extension.
- Open the free Instagram comments exporter and paste the post URL.
- Run the export and download CSV, Excel or JSON.
- For recurring exports, save the scrape and schedule it with Google Sheets or a webhook as the destination.
- Keep ExportComments for networks Lection does not cover.
Get the Lection Chrome extension. Using Claude or ChatGPT? Connect the MCP server at https://www.lection.app/mcp.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free ExportComments alternative for Instagram?
Lection has a free Instagram comments exporter that works with the Chrome extension in your own browser. ExportComments also has a free tier capped at 100 results per post.
Do I need to log in to Instagram?
Lection uses your own browser session, so it works as you. ExportComments says public posts need no login and private accounts need authenticated mode on a paid plan.
How many comments can I export?
ExportComments lists 100 (free), 5,000, 50,000 and 250,000 per export by plan. Lection limits depend on the tool and your plan; see the pricing page.
Does Lection support platforms other than Instagram?
Yes, including YouTube comments, LinkedIn connections and Google Maps businesses, plus any page through the AI scraper. It is not a dedicated comment exporter for every social network.
Sources
Try it on your own page.
The extension and one-click tools are free. Standard has a 30-day free trial.