If you're building on the Modash API, understanding how and when data refreshes is essential to building a reliable integration.
This guide breaks down exactly how Modash keeps 350M+ creator profiles fresh, so you can make smart decisions about caching, re-fetching, and keeping your product's data accurate.
How Modash refreshes profile data
Modash organises profile data into three tiers, each refreshing on its own cycle in the background:
Very basic data - followers, full name, and username. Updated at least weekly, or whenever a profile is viewed.
Basic data - full name, username, URL, profile picture, followers, engagements, engagement rate, verified status, bio, recent posts, and post count. Refreshed roughly every 1-2 weeks.
Analysed data - audience demographics, average likes, popular posts, growth trends, and past brand collaborations. Updated about once per month.
Each profile runs on its own individual cycle. Popular and frequently viewed profiles refresh faster than less-searched accounts.
💡 Pro tip: Check the last_updated field in the report response to know exactly how recent a profile's data is before deciding whether to re-fetch.
Discovery API data freshness
When you pull a profile report through the Discovery API, you're getting Modash's pre-analysed data. Here's what to expect:
Profile reports refresh every 2-4 weeks
Search indices update approximately once per month
Report cache TTL is 7 days when using
cached: true- after that, a fresh report is generated
The Discovery API is built for scale and efficiency. You don't need to poll constantly - the data won't change faster than the refresh cycles above.
RAW API data freshness
The RAW API works differently. It fetches data directly from social platforms at the time of your request, so you're always getting the latest available information.
This makes the RAW API ideal when you need real-time data - like checking a creator's most recent posts or verifying current follower counts.
If you need the absolute freshest data for a specific profile, supplement your Discovery API reports with RAW API calls.
Caching best practices for API customers
Smart caching saves your credits and keeps your integration running efficiently:
Cache Discovery API report data locally and only re-fetch when data is older than 30 days. Polling more frequently won't give you new data and will consume your quota unnecessarily.
Use the
cached: trueflag on report requests. The cache TTL is 7 days - within that window, you'll get the cached report instantly without triggering a new data pull.Store what you need. Not every use case requires the freshest data. If you're displaying audience demographics, monthly updates are more than enough.
For RAW API data, refresh as needed since it returns live data. But be mindful of your request quota.
New creator profiles
Found a creator who isn't in the Modash database yet? No problem.
Request their profile through the API and Modash automatically triggers data collection. You'll have their full profile data within approximately 48 hours. No extra steps required - just make the request and the system handles the rest.
Monitoring your usage
Keep an eye on your API usage in Account Settings:
Requests per endpoint
Rate limit consumption
Monthly usage against your plan limits
Set up alerts on your side to track when you're approaching rate limits or monthly quotas. Stay ahead of interruptions and keep your integration running smoothly.
FAQs
FAQs
How often should I re-fetch a creator's profile report?
Profile reports refresh every 2-4 weeks. Re-fetching more frequently won't give you new data and will consume your quota unnecessarily. For most use cases, caching for 30 days is a good baseline.
What's the difference between Discovery API and RAW API data freshness?
Discovery API returns Modash's pre-analysed data, which refreshes on set cycles (weekly to monthly depending on the data tier). RAW API fetches data directly from social platforms in real time at the moment of your request.
Do all profiles update at the same time?
No. Each profile runs on its own individual cycle. Popular and frequently accessed profiles refresh more often than long-tail accounts.
How do I know when a profile was last updated?
Check the
last_updatedfield in the report response. This tells you exactly when the data was last refreshed, so you can decide whether to use the cached version or trigger a new pull.What happens when I request a profile that isn't in the database?
Modash automatically triggers data collection. The full profile will be available within approximately 48 hours.
What does
cached: truedo on report requests?It returns a cached version of the report if one exists and is less than 7 days old. After 7 days, a fresh report is generated. This helps you save credits when you don't need the very latest data.
💡 For full API documentation and endpoint details, visit docs.modash.io. If you need help, email hello+api@modash.io.