Instagram's own account (@instagram) has the most followers on Instagram: about 686 million as of late September 2026. The most followed person is Cristiano Ronaldo with about 679 million, followed by Lionel Messi with about 517 million. The most followed woman is Selena Gomez with about 403 million.
Below is the full top 20, how the top spot has changed over the years, and what these accounts can teach anyone who wants a bigger audience.
Top 20 most followed Instagram accounts (September 2026)
Figures are rounded to the nearest million and come from the public ranking on Wikipedia, updated September 22, 2026. Counts move every day, so treat them as a snapshot.
| # | Account | Handle | Followers | Who they are | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 686M | The platform itself | USA | ||
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | @cristiano | 679M | Footballer | Portugal |
| 3 | Lionel Messi | @leomessi | 517M | Footballer | Argentina |
| 4 | Selena Gomez | @selenagomez | 403M | Singer, actress | USA |
| 5 | Dwayne Johnson | @therock | 381M | Actor, ex-wrestler | USA |
| 6 | Kylie Jenner | @kyliejenner | 380M | Media personality | USA |
| 7 | Ariana Grande | @arianagrande | 362M | Singer, actress | USA |
| 8 | Kim Kardashian | @kimkardashian | 343M | Media personality | USA |
| 9 | Beyoncé | @beyonce | 299M | Singer | USA |
| 10 | Khloé Kardashian | @khloekardashian | 291M | Media personality | USA |
| 11 | Nike | @nike | 291M | Sportswear brand | USA |
| 12 | Justin Bieber | @lilbieber | 286M | Singer | Canada |
| 13 | Kendall Jenner | @kendalljenner | 277M | Model | USA |
| 14 | Taylor Swift | @taylorswift | 272M | Singer | USA |
| 15 | Virat Kohli | @virat.kohli | 271M | Cricketer | India |
| 16 | National Geographic | @natgeo | 268M | Magazine | USA |
| 17 | Neymar | @neymarjr | 241M | Footballer | Brazil |
| 18 | Jennifer Lopez | @jlo | 240M | Singer, actress | USA |
| 19 | Kourtney Kardashian | @kourtneykardash | 209M | Media personality | USA |
| 20 | Miley Cyrus | @miley | 205M | Singer, actress | USA |
A few patterns stand out:
- Athletes and musicians dominate. Three footballers, a cricketer and eight singers make the list. Sport and music travel across languages, so their audiences are global.
- One family owns five spots. Kylie, Kim, Khloé, Kendall and Kourtney together have well over 1.4 billion followers.
- Only three non-people make it: Instagram, Nike and National Geographic. Nike is the most followed brand; Nat Geo is the most followed media account.
- Most of the top 20 is American, but the top three people come from Portugal, Argentina and the US, and India's Virat Kohli is the most followed person from Asia.
The most followed person on Instagram: Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo has held the "most followed person" title since October 30, 2018, when he passed Selena Gomez with about 144 million followers. Since then he has set almost every milestone first. In 2022 he became the first person to reach 400 million and then 500 million. In August 2023 he became the first person to reach 600 million followers.
Why is he so far ahead? He posts steadily, he mixes football with family, training and brand deals, and he has played in England, Spain, Italy and Saudi Arabia, collecting fans in each league. His audience is also spread across Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, which few celebrities can match.
The most followed woman: Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez was the most followed person on Instagram before Ronaldo and is still the most followed woman, at about 403 million. Kylie Jenner (380M) and Ariana Grande (362M) follow her. Gomez is also known for taking breaks from social media and talking openly about mental health, which shows that a huge audience does not require posting every day.
How the #1 spot changed over time
Instagram launched in October 2010. In its early years, the top of the chart changed hands often among pop stars such as Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. Selena Gomez led among people for about two years, from 2016 until Ronaldo passed her in 2018. The @instagram account itself has been the largest account overall for most of the platform's history, since new users are often prompted to follow it.
Follower counts do not only go up. In spring 2026 several trackers reported that Meta ran a large cleanup of fake and inactive accounts, and many top profiles lost millions of followers within days. Ronaldo alone reportedly dropped by several million. That is a useful reminder: Instagram regularly removes bots, and even the biggest accounts feel it.
What the most followed accounts have in common
You will not reach 600 million followers, and you do not need to. But the habits behind the top 20 work at any size.
1. A clear identity
You know what you get from each account: football and family from Ronaldo, beauty and business from Kylie Jenner, wildlife photography from National Geographic. When someone lands on your profile, they should understand in three seconds why to follow.
2. Consistent posting
The top accounts post regularly across Feed, Reels and Stories. Consistency matters more than volume: three good posts a week beat ten rushed ones.
3. Reels and video
Reels reach people who do not follow you yet, which is how new followers find an account. Even the biggest stars now lean on short video.
4. Collaborations
Collab posts, cross-promotion and appearing on other people's profiles move audiences from one account to another. The Kardashian-Jenner family is the textbook case: each sister boosts the others.
5. Social proof
People follow accounts that other people already follow. A profile with 50 followers looks untested; a profile with 5,000 looks worth a look. Large numbers attract more numbers, which is why the top of the chart keeps pulling ahead.
How to use this for your own account
Small and new accounts face the same problem the stars solved years ago: getting the first audience. A practical plan:
- Pick a niche and fix your bio. One line on who you are and what people get by following.
- Post Reels 3–5 times a week in the first months, and look at which ones keep people watching.
- Reply to every comment early on. Engagement is the signal Instagram uses to show your posts to more people.
- Collaborate with accounts of a similar size in your niche.
- Give new posts a fast start. A post that gets early likes and views looks worth watching to both people and the algorithm.
For that last step, some creators and brands use a boost to get past the "empty profile" stage. At LikeMan you can buy Instagram followers with no password needed, delivery that starts right away and a 365-day refill guarantee. Pair it with Instagram likes on your best posts so new visitors see activity, not silence.
Be honest with yourself about what a boost does: it is social proof and a first push. It does not replace good content, and Instagram does not pay you for followers. Use it to get noticed, then let your posts do the work.
FAQ
Who has the most followers on Instagram in 2026?
The @instagram account has the most followers overall, about 686 million as of September 2026. Among people, Cristiano Ronaldo leads with about 679 million.
Who is the most followed woman on Instagram?
Selena Gomez, with about 403 million followers. Kylie Jenner (about 380 million) and Ariana Grande (about 362 million) are next.
Who was the first person to reach 600 million followers on Instagram?
Cristiano Ronaldo, in August 2023. No other person had reached 600 million as of September 2026; Lionel Messi is second among people with about 517 million.
What is the most followed brand on Instagram?
Nike, with about 291 million followers, is the most followed brand. National Geographic, at about 268 million, is the most followed media account.
Why do celebrity follower counts sometimes drop?
Instagram regularly deletes fake, spam and inactive accounts. When it does a large cleanup, big profiles can lose millions of followers in a few days, even though they did nothing wrong.
Conclusion
The most followed accounts on Instagram belong to the platform itself, two footballers and a group of global pop and reality stars. Their numbers are out of reach, but their methods are not: a clear identity, steady posting, short video, collaborations and early social proof. Start with those, give your best posts a fast start, and keep building from there.