When’s the last time you upgraded your Instagram tools?
Because there’s no better time than now to level up.
Sure, Instagram has rolled out a ton of business-friendly features recently (think: IG shopping updates, Reels analytics and fresh video editing options).
That said, Instagram’s native tools leave a lot to be desired for brands.
From making your content pop to gathering deeper audience insights, there are tons of third-party tools out there to make your IG presence stand out from the crowd.
In this guide, we’ll highlight some of the best Instagram tools you can test-drive today (including a few you probably haven’t heard of).
- Instagram tools for publishing and scheduling
- Instagram editing tools for photos, videos, Stories and Reels
- Instagram tools for hashtags, listening and trendspotting
- Instagram tools for custom bio links and landing pages
- Instagram tools for insights and analytics
Instagram tools for publishing and scheduling
Instagram publishing tools are a must-have for brands, businesses and influencers alike.
This is especially true if you’re pushing out content on a regular basis.
The ability to schedule and queue up content is a game-changer if you’ve been stuck publishing in real-time or on the fly.
And although Instagram scheduling can be done natively, the process is a bit roundabout.
Instead, consider the value of having a central hub to plan your content calendar and execute your Instagram campaigns in one place. The tools below can help you do exactly that.
1. Sprout Social
Hey, we gave ourselves the top spot for a reason.
Sprout Social represents the best all-in-one Instagram tool for brands that are serious about Instagram growth.
Strategic scheduling. In-depth analytics. Cross-publishing and collaboration.
And that only scratches the surface. When it comes to publishing, Sprout Social is a powerhouse with baked-in features like ViralPost which allows you to schedule content at times when your audience is most likely to be engaged.
Looking to add a first comment for posts as well? Look no further. An Instagram link in bio landing page? We got it.
Coupled with a comprehensive content calendar, you can manage all of your social campaigns in a single platform (including ones beyond Instagram).
Collaboration options mean multiple colleagues and stakeholders can work within the app at the same time. Want to set up approvals or go back-and-forth with your creatives? Go for it!
Built-in hashtag analytics and the ability to identify top-performing content are a game-changer for winning more followers and engaging the ones you have. Our platform lets you know exactly what’s working, what isn’t and where to go next with your content strategy.
Oh, and did we mention you can do all of the above for your other social channels via Sprout’s Smart Inbox?
Pricing: Sprout’s Standard plan starts at $89/mo per user.
2. Loomly
Loomly’s brand success platform emphasizes approvals and workflows to streamline social publishing among teams. For Instagram specifically, Loomly is notable for its in-depth post previews, built-in first comment publishing and the ability to schedule Stories and Reels.
Simple, straightforward and affordable, the app is a no-frills tool for smaller teams and agencies looking to collaborate on Instagram content.
Pricing: Base plan starts at $25/mo for two users.
3. Sendible
Sendible is another social publishing tool with features tailor-made for agencies looking to schedule and promote social posts for clients.
The platform’s drag-and-drop functionality allows users to quickly move posts to different dates and platforms, while features like team chat and approvals make client content management a breeze. Another notable feature of the app is the ability to edit Instagram photos directly with the platform thanks to Sendible’s Canva integration.
Pricing: Creator plan starts at $29/mo.
Instagram editing tools for photos, videos, Stories and Reels
Creativity counts on Instagram.
Not only does your content need to grab your audience’s attention but also be totally unique to your brand.
If you’re only using the tools Instagram offers natively, you run the risk of publishing run-of-the-mill content despite your best efforts. This is a particular problem if you’re going hard on Stories or Reels.
From flashy filters to eye-popping effects and beyond, the following Instagram tools can foster creativity and make your content feel more “must-see.”
4. CapCut
CapCut offers surprisingly powerful Instagram video editing for both Apple and Android totally for free. Speed controls and quick editing cuts coupled with a massive library of sounds and filters represent an awesome all-in-one tool for brands looking to step up their video marketing.
Pricing: Free!
5. Stencil
If you’ve exhausted your photo editing options and filters on Canva or just want to try out a new graphic editor, give Stentical a go. Its easy-to-use drag-and-drop functionality allows you to mock up quotes, blog posts previews or just about any other text-based post in a matter of seconds. Built-in templates for Stories are a plus for brands and influencers.
Pricing: Free plan available; full-featured Unlimited plan is $12/mo.
6. Vixer
Exclusive to Apple, Vixer is a simple tool that can help you create more stylish Instagram Reels. The app’s filters, slideshows, voiceovers, and custom text are definitely an upgrade from default Reels editing. The platform also makes it a cinch to cross-post and share your Reels to TikTok (hint: don’t do the opposite).
Pricing: Free; in-app purchases required for full features.
7. Mojo
Animated tutorials and how-tos are all the rage on social media, particularly for businesses and brands.
Mojo’s mini Instagram studio makes it easy to whip up animated Stories with customer text effects, stylish cutaways and moving backgrounds. The app’s premium version allows you to save your brand creatives for repeat Stories and provides users with fresh templates each month.
Pricing: Free; in-app purchases required for full features.
Instagram tools for hashtags, listening and trendspotting
It’s no secret that Instagram moves quickly when it comes to trends.
With dedicated hashtag and social listening tools, you can master the art of trendspotting and keep a pulse on what your followers want to see from you. Consider how the tools below can help you:
- Find fresh hashtags to extend your brand’s reach and introduce yourself to new audiences
- Craft more impactful Instagram captions that people will actually engage with
- Uncover trends and conversations related to your brand, industry and top competitors
8. Inflact
Inflact’s free hashtag generator uses advanced AI targeting to create a list of potential hashtags based on existing tags and related terms.
The tool also allows you to generate hashtags based on uploaded photos. Although the list provided can be pretty exhaustive, it’s a great place to start brainstorming potential tags to insert into your first comment on Instagram.
Pricing: Hashtag generator is free on-site; full listening and on Android and Apple devices; and hashtag features start at $9/mo (limited offer).
9. SISTRIX Hashtag Generator
This free hashtag generator allows you to input 25 queries a day for fresh hashtag ideas.
What sets SISTRIX’s tool apart is the ability to cross-reference relevant #tags to find the most appropriate for your audience. Doing so can help you refine your hashtag strategy if you’re staring at a long list of seemingly unrelated tags.
Pricing: Hashtag generator is free on-site for up to 25 queries per day.
10. Reputation
Not totally unlike Sprout’s own suite of Instagram listening tools, Reputation analyzes your mentions and customer sentiment to help you understand the crucial conversations happening about your business. For example, the app can highlight keyword terms associated with your brand and benchmark your engagement versus competitors.
Pricing: Contact company for demo.
11. Awario
Awario is an Instagram analytics tool that’s laser-focused on monitoring brand mentions and hashtags. The platform’s advanced listening features make it ideal for competitive analysis and big brands that need to respond to queries, call-outs and @mentions fast.
Pricing: $24/mo Starter plan; $74/mo Pro and $249/mo Enterprise plans available as well.
Instagram tools for custom bio links and landing pages
If you’re a business, your Instagram bio is seriously valuable real estate.
Maybe you’re trying to build your email list. Perhaps you’re an influencer or ecommerce brand pointing people to products and promotions.
Either way, Instagram by default only gives you a single link to funnel your followers.
Bummer, right?
The good news is that’s a new wave of Instagram tools that allow you to:
- Promote multiple links and calls-to-action as part of your Instagram bio
- Generate stylish social media landing pages from your bio link
- Promote additional social channels and websites within your bio
12. Linktree
Big among influencers and brands alike, Linktree transforms your bio into a unique landing page that links out to relevant promotions.
The platform boasts templates specific to goals such as social selling, content marketing and audience growth. Want to promote a newsletter or send traffic to your storefront? Linktree can help point people where you want them to go.
And although the customization of your landing page might not be the flashiest, the popularity of Linktree speaks for itself.
Pricing: Forever-free plan available; Pro version with full features $6/mo. Custom enterprise plan is also available.
13. hoo.be
hoob.be is (currently) an invite-only bio tool meant for creators looking to consolidate links to their various projects. The app scores serious style points for its interface and layout, not to mention customizable branding. Trendy and exclusive, it’s the perfect Instagram tool for influencers and vloggers alike.
Pricing: App is currently invite-only.
14. Link.bio
Link.bio creates a unique and customizable space for your various promotional links. Features such as unlimited links and over 90 icons to choose from, this app is a worthy Linktree alternative for anyone who wants their bio link to go beyond the ordinary.
Pricing: Free limited plan and paid plans start at $1/mo; $10 and $25 one-time plans are also available.
Instagram tools for insights and analytics
Making sense of your Instagram data is crucial to growing your presence.
For starters, you need to know what’s moving the needle in terms of followers, comments, “Likes” and clicks. Beyond that, consider how third-party Instagram tools can:
- Highlight your top-performing content (and the common threads between your best posts)
- Break down your account’s optimal posting time, publishing frequency and caption length
- Show your account’s growth rate in terms of followers and engagement
15. Analisa.io
Analisa.io is a simple Instagram tool that’s ideal for assessing the engagement of both influencers and competing accounts in your space. Calculating metrics such as engagement rate and average posts per week, you can get a strong sense of any given account’s Instagram activity at a glance.
Pricing: Free basic analysis based on the most recent six posts; premium plans between $59/mo and $199/mo.
16. HypeAuditor
Perfect for influencer marketing audits and assessing an account’s growth rate, HypeAudtior tracks historical data and engagement data for Instagram accounts. This tool is particularly useful for double-checking engagement rates and spotting fake influencers or sudden spikes of new followers.
Pricing: Free plan available with limited features; Basic plan starts at $400/mo.
17. Pixlee
Primarily for ecommerce brands looking to track their UGC, Pixlee makes it easy to assess the literal ROI from your Instagram presence. Custom analytics track revenue, conversion rates, and everything in-between when it comes to customer behavior and cash flow.
Pricing: Contact company for pricing.
18. SocialBakers
SocialBakers’ suite of Instagram analytics is seriously comprehensive, allowing you to dig into specific metrics with granular reporting or benchmark your performance versus your competitors. The platform’s Stories analytics are notable, breaking down past performance to inform your future content strategy.
Pricing: Essential plan starts at $200/mo.
Which Instagram tools are you using to boost your presence?
We get it: there’s almost an overwhelming amount of IG tools out there.
That said, upgrading beyond Instagram’s native features should be a top priority for brands eager to grow.
And again, there’s a reason why we rank Sprout Social among the best Instagram tools for brands that need powerful publishing, in-depth analytics and team collaboration features.
If you haven’t already, we invite you to experience a trial of Sprout Social today to see firsthand how you can improve your Instagram presence ASAP.
The post 18 of the best Instagram tools to level up your presence appeared first on Sprout Social.
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