Marketing for Instagram requires the best tools available to create campaigns and posts that get the most engagement. Knowing the best Instagram apps is hard without trying each one – and who has time for that?
To save you a ton of time and random searching, we’ve researched the best Instagram apps and assembled them into a handy, categorized list for you.
The Apps
For each app below, we’ve outlined the best features, which platform it’s for, and included a quick tip that sets it apart from the others in the same category. Let’s get into the list!
Photo Editing Apps
Photos are the bread and butter for an Instagram marketer. The more unique and engaging the photo, the better chance you have of stopping a visitor from scrolling past your post. Let’s go over the best apps we know for editing photos for Instagram.
Snapseed
Developed by Google, Snapseed tools include the usual crop and rotate, plus artful image tools like Grunge and Grainy Film. The app lets you add text to your photos, with several banner styles and the ability to change font color and opacity.
Snapseed also allows you to save “Looks” so you can access favorites on the fly.
Tip: The app includes tutorials so you don’t have to hunt around the internet to figure out how to use a feature.
Price: Free.
Available on: iOS and Android.
VSCO
With VSCO, you can import and edit your RAW photos right from the Photo app on iOS. It comes packaged with free editing tools like Saturation, Contrast, and Perspective. The free editing tools aren’t much different than what you already have access to in the Photo app.
Where VSCO shines is in the advanced photo editing tools. They include vintage film looks by Kodak, Fuji, Agfa, and others. Effects like distressed, scratch, and borders will give you plenty to play with.
Tip: With a VSCO Membership you get access to a library with over 200 presets.
Price: Free; Pro features available with a subscription ($7.99/mo or $29.99/yr).
Available on: iOS and Android.
Layout by Instagram
Sure, you can post a photo of your latest product, which might get some likes. What if you could post multiple shots of the same product in one image? Instagram offers an app that does exactly that.
Layout by Instagram lets you combine photos into more exciting layouts with effects like flip, reverse, and borders.
Tip: There’s also a feature that shows you all your photos with faces in them.
Price: Free.
Available on: iOS and Android.
Video Apps
Peppering your feed with moving images is a great strategy for pulling in eyeballs. While you can shoot a quick vid using Instagram, your videos can be much more engaging when you apply styling and edit with an external app. Here are our recommendations:
A Color Story
While A Color Story advertises itself as being a filter app for photos, it works just as well on your videos. On the surface, it looks like the same tools you can use from inside of Instagram, but there’s so much more here to make your videos pop. The flare and color burn tools are really fun to play with and the interface is super intuitive and smooth.
Tip: Their website hosts some useful tutorials that might also inspire your work.
Price: Free, with pro packages available for purchase.
Available on: iOS and Android.
Premier Rush
If you’re serious about your videos, then you need Premiere Rush.
The app lets you edit and add transitions to create the kind of professional videos that make other Instagrammers drool with jealousy. The Free Starter version has plenty of functionality. It also lets you add titles and soundtracks from the free Adobe library.
Tip: Adobe Express is worth the cost if you like to share your work between your phone and desktop.
Price: Free Starter, add Adobe Express for $9.99/mo.
Available on: iOS and Android.
Giphy
Giphy is all about making things weird. But as an Instagram marketing app, it’s perfect for livening up a dull social media campaign.
The stickers alone are worth downloading this app. You can get a ton of value from Giphy, from searching for the right GIF to tell your story to getting funky with stickers on faces.
Tip: If you’re on iOS, you can use stickers from iMessage on Giphy!
Price: Free.
Available on: iOS and Android.
Reposting Apps
One of the best strategies for marketing on Instagram is reposting other users’ content. Done respectfully, reposting content that aligns with your branding is a kind of social proof. Here are some apps that help you accomplish that easily:
Repost: for Instagram
As simple as it gets. Click the options button on the Instagram post you want to share. It will show up in Repost, ready to share back to your feed.
With the Repost app, you can not only repost posts, but you can also copy stories, reels, IGTV, and posts with multiple images.
Tip: The app lets you share posts from private accounts.
Price: Free.
Available on: iOS and Android.
Reposta
As far as apps go, reposting apps are pretty bare-bones simple. Reposta is no different — there are no confusing menus or multiple tabs with lots of settings to adjust. The simple UI means that you can work without distractions. Positioning the watermark, making it light or dark, and copying the caption is all right in front of you. Easy peasy.
Tip: The app allows you to separately copy the full caption or just the hashtags.
Price: Free.
Available on: iOS.
Regrann
Regrann stands out because you don’t have to leave Instagram to do your reposting. Two clicks and you’re ready to share. The app also lets you repost without adding watermarks.
Tip: You can add a preset signature to your reposts.
Price: Free.
Available on: Android.
Analytics Apps
Analytics. We all know how valuable they are, but who loves staring at graphs and spreadsheets all day? However, because tracking data about your Instagram account is still an essential part of your job as a marketer, we’ve found some apps to help make it easier and more fun.
🚀 Grow, track, and improve your Instagram feed using Spotlight Analytics – actionable insights to optimize your Instagram feeds’ performance. Learn more.
Iconosquare
Iconosquare lets you manage all your social media profiles in one place —which, for a pro-Instagram marketer who handles multiple clients, makes you super-efficient. Along with showing you data on engagement stats and hashtag performance, the app also gives you the ability to schedule posts.
Tip: The app lets you track data on Twitter and Facebook as well as Instagram.
Price: Free.
Available on: iOS and Android.
Hashtags
For marketers, tossing out a few hashtags isn’t very effective. Knowing the best tags to use for your content and your brand goes a long way in getting traction for your posts. Here are some of the best Instagram apps to help you find and manage hashtags:
Hashtags for Instagram Likes
One of the coolest features of this app is AI. It uses image recognition to find the right hashtags for your posts automatically. You can also create libraries of custom hashtag sets you use frequently.
Price: Free trial with a monthly subscription.
Tip: Switch to Dark Mode and save your eyes!
Available on: iOS.
Tagify
The Tagify app offers you a vast collection of categories to find the best tags for your post. It will show you 30 randomly-generated tags that match your search terms.
Tip: There’s a feature that lets you copy hashtags and automatically open other social media apps to use them there.
Price: Free with some in-app purchases (not necessary to use the app).
Available on: Android.
Conclusion
While there are plenty more apps for each category available, these are the best we’ve found — specifically with Instagram marketers in mind.
Like any skill, marketing for Instagram takes time to learn. Besides understanding best practices and being creative in many areas, Instagram marketing requires the best tools available to create posts that get the most engagement.
In addition to the best Instagram apps we’ve covered here, another arrow to have in your marketing quiver is Spotlight for Instagram. Spotlight PRO allows you to easily embed your Instagram content on your website, and get even more followers for your Instagram accounts. It’s responsive, SEO-friendly, and completely customizable. Give it a try right now!
