Instagram removed the ability to see who someone recently followed back in 2021. Since then, a handful of third-party apps have filled that gap — but not all of them are free, and not all of them actually work as advertised. Here's an honest look at the best options in 2025, ranked by how useful they actually are for most people.
1. Radarrr — Best Overall
Free tier: Yes | iOS: Yes
Radarrr is the most capable free Instagram recent follow tracker available. Enter any username and instantly see their latest follow activity in chronological order. Turn on push notifications and you'll be alerted the moment they follow someone new — no manual checking required.
Radarrr is a native app built for iOS and Android, which means faster performance and more reliable notifications compared to web-based tools.
Best for: anyone who wants real-time tracking with push notifications and a genuine free tier before committing to anything.
2. The Ick — Most Recognisable Brand
Free tier: Limited | iOS & Android: Yes
The Ick (theick.io / theick.ai) is probably the most-marketed app in this space, with strong TikTok and social presence driving downloads. It tracks recent follows on Instagram profiles and sends notifications when new activity is detected.
The main limitations: updates run on an hourly schedule rather than in real time, the free tier is heavily restricted, and user reviews flag issues with the refresh not working unless manually triggered. At $12/month for the full subscription, it's also the most expensive option here.
Best for: users who discovered it through social media and want a recognised brand name.
3. Katch — Best New Entrant
Free tier: Limited | iOS & Android: Yes
Katch (katch.io) is a newer app that's grown quickly since launching in mid-2025. It covers recent follow tracking, unfollower detection, and anonymous story viewing — a broader feature set than most competitors. Data is fetched locally, which Katch positions as a privacy advantage.
The downside is that a premium subscription is required to access most of what makes it useful, and with limited reviews so far, it's harder to verify real-world reliability.
Best for: users who want follow tracking bundled with story viewing and unfollower tools in one app.
4. Dolphin Radar — Best for Deep History
Free tier: Limited | iOS & Android: No
Dolphin Radar has been around longer than most competitors and focuses on deeper historical follow data rather than just real-time notifications. If you want to understand patterns in someone's follow behaviour over weeks or months, Dolphin Radar provides that context better than most.
It's more expensive and less intuitive than Radarrr for simple day-to-day tracking, but the historical depth is genuinely useful for certain use cases.
Best for: users who want long-term follow history and trend analysis rather than instant notifications.
Comparison Table
| App | Free Tier | Real-Time | Push Notifications | iOS | Android |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radarrr | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| The Ick | Limited | Hourly | Yes (delayed) | Yes | Yes |
| Katch | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dolphin Radar | Limited | No | Limited | Yes | Yes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free Instagram recent follow tracker? Yes — Radarrr offers a free tier that lets you see who anyone recently followed on Instagram without a subscription.
Which recent follow tracker is most accurate? Radarrr and Katch both fetch data frequently. The Ick operates on hourly checks, which means it can miss activity that happens and is reversed within the same hour.
What happened to the Instagram following activity tab? Instagram removed the Following Activity tab in October 2021, citing user privacy concerns. Third-party apps like Radarrr now provide this functionality for public and private profiles.
If you just want to get started for free, Radarrr is the quickest way to see someone's recent Instagram follows.