28 best Instagram marketing tools you should know about

With people spending as much time on Instagram as on Facebook, it has long become one of the major marketing platforms. Everyone from micro influencers to huge brands uses Instagram to reach younger audiences.

But doing everything manually and relying on your gut only won’t cut it in the competitive world of Instagram. Whether you’re only trying to monetize your Instagram or already have a business you want to promote, you need these 27 tools to make this job easier.

Photo editing Instagram tools

You don’t have to be a pro and use advanced graphic design tools to make your Instagram imagery look fresh. Use these tools for quick and appealing designs.

28. PosterMyWall

PosterMyWall is an Instagram one-stop solution. With this tool you will have access to hundreds of amazing post and story templates that will help you quickly improve your social media content.

You don’t need to be an expert graphic designer to use PosterMyWall. Its templates are specially designed to be easily customized and quickly shared with all your followers.

27. Repost

Repost is a straightforward tool that allows you using user-generated content in a couple of clicks. All you have to do is copy the URL of the picture you want to repost, paste it in the app, and there you go. It tags the content creator as well, so it’s all fare.

This tool is useful for both Instagram novices that need to post a lot of content, and for brands that want to mention users with their products.

26. VSCO

VSCO is your basic software for image enhancement. You get all the basic presents for free, which allows you to make your photos look sharper. For $19.99 a year, you can get all VSCO filters to support your creativity.

These $20 may be a good investment since VSCO offers a lot of tutorials and inspiration. In the image-driven world of Instagram that may make or break your success.

25. Word Swag

A large part of Instagram content is all about inspiration. The best way to deliver your message to the audience is to overlay a text over a great image.

It’s especially good for getting your message across to the audience who look at photos but don’t read texts. For instance, if you’re selling organic eyeshadows or other beauty products.

Word Swag helps you do just that for the price of $3.99. The app has plenty of overlay options and fonts to experiment with. Since you pay upfront, you won’t be limited to a small number of fonts when you start.

It’s especially good for getting your message across to the audience who look at photos but don’t read texts. For instance, if you’re selling organic eyeshadows or other beauty products.

24. Afterlight

Afterlight is a pocket photo editor for those Instagram aficionados who don’t want to mingle with Photoshop. It allows both using present filters and creating something truly unique with advanced tools. You can create a double exposure in a couple of clicks or shift the whole color palette of your photo.

The newest version is only available for iOS at $2.99, which is a great price for such a great tool. There’s an old version at Google Play, but it doesn’t have the great features Afterlight 2 has.

23. Over

Over is a tool that combines all the features you need for Instagram image editing. Create texts, overlay images, and apply filters to make your imagery stand out. The app supports teamwork, so if you have to approve the imagery first, it’s going to be seamless.

The app on Google Play is available for a 7-day free trial with $14.99 a month after it ends. This amounts to $180 a year, which can be an overkill for a novice.

Instagram scheduling tools

As a brand owner or an influencer, you’re not always there to make a post when you need to. Here are the tools that let you do that remotely.

22. Later

Later is a simple tool that lets you schedule Instagram and other social media posts with a drag-and-drop interface. It also has tons of other handy features.

You can see how you feed would look like to create a beautiful account, run simple analytics, and create a shoppable feed.

Later is free if you only need 30 posts per month. If you need more or want to use multiple accounts, it’s going to cost from $9 to $49 per month.

21. Buffer

Buffer is definitely on the professional side of things. It’s not a tool you would you for scheduling if you only have one account and no budget to promote it.

There’s a free plan, but it only allows for reminders, not direct Instagram publishing. If you go for the business plan for $99 per month, you have a lot more opportunities open for you.

You can directly schedule hundreds of posts, incorporate teamwork into the workflow, and respond to customers on many social networks. There’s a pretty good analytical tool as well.

20. Tailwind

Tailwind also comes at a price, but for the $15 you’re billed monthly, you’re getting quite a lot of features.

You can schedule posts in a drag-and-drop interface, repost Instagram posts, and repost your own best-performing images. On top of that, you get great guidance in Instagram trends and hashtags and pretty good analytics.

It works with Pinterest as well, but not other social platforms.

19. Grum

Grum doesn’t have the advanced features other tools in the list have. The only thing it allows you to do is schedule posts and publish them on Instagram. You can mass-upload posts and use multiple accounts.

The pricing starts at $3.95 per account, which makes it one of the most affordable marketing tools in the list. However, there’s a downside. Due to a large number of visitors, they are currently not accepting clients without a coupon code.

If that changes in the future or you get a coupon code, definitely give them a try.

18. Hopper

Hopper comes at a price but gives you the full range of features when it comes to social media scheduling. Mass-upload Instagram posts, plan your account grid and manage multiple accounts.

The analytics Hopper provides is quite minimalistic, but enough to track your most performing posts. The app costs $19 a month or $192 a year.

17. Sked Social

Sked is feature-heavy and rather pricey. The basic plan starts at $25 a month. This money buys you the ability to schedule and queue posts with direct posting on Instagram, image editing, and post templates that include hashtags and mentions.

It’s a great tool for freelancers who manage multiple accounts and brands, but may be too pricey for beginners. There’s a 14-day trial if you want to check it out.

Marketing tools

Most of these tools involve scheduling capabilities, but it’s not the main thing in them. The focus in these tools is advanced marketing features.

16. Plann

On top of all the typical Instagram scheduling tools, Plann has an offer that may spell success for your business. The platform offers content enhancement tool that helps you form a captivating strategy.

You get inspired and guided in what and when to post to achieve success. Combine that with advanced analytics that allows you to see your own fails and your competitors’ wins, and you’re on the right track.

The best thing is that you can use Plann for free if you only need 30 posts per month. If you want more, pricing starts at $7 a month.

15. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is one of the most popular Instagram marketing tools. Its fame has a reason behind it.

Hootsuite has a great scheduling tool that covers most needs, both professional and amateur. It also functions as an HR software that lets you manage employees who work on content. Hootsuite analytics allow you to monitor competition and see engagement rates on your posts.

One of the best features of the app is the ability to find relevant conversations on social media and participate in them to grow your brand authority.

The pricing starts at $19 a month.

14. Socialinsight

This tool is a complex solution that combines scheduling, analytics, and user research. If you pay $29 a month for a basic plan, you get access to advanced analytics and all the basic features.

The platform allows you to search your subscribers, including searching their bios. It also provides subscriber list statistics that can be a gateway to finding influencers for collaboration.

13. Shorby

Shortby is a simple app that lets you weaponize your bio. With this app, the link in your bio leads to an intermediate website that features multiple links. It’s ideal for bloggers and for Sellfy e-commerce websites that need to show customers a lot of content.

The app costs $9 a month.

12. Linktree

Linktree is basically Shortby with a free plan. You can get all the benefits of having multiple links in the link in your bio for free, and it’s not a free trial.

If you upgrade to pro version at $6 a month, you’ll get access to a bigger variety of themes for the link website, and some analytical capabilities.

11. Iconosquare

Iconosquare is one of the most popular Instagram marketing tools because it combines so many things. You can schedule posts, run analytics on to assess the impact of paid advertising, and compare yourself to competitors.

The app costs a minimum of $29 a month, but it’s billed annually, so that translates to a hefty $348 upfront payment. The $29 plan only includes analyzing up to three competitors, so you have to choose wisely for maximum results.

Overall, Iconosquare is a great tool that can help small businesses understand how to improve their Instagram presence. If you’re just a person trying to monetize their Instagram, it may be too pricey as a starting tool. You can still give it a try since the first 14 days are free.

10. MailChimp

You may think that MailChimp is a tool that only deals with email lists, but they’re conquering new media. You can use the app to manage your Instagram advertising campaign.

MailChimp lets you segment the audience, define the budget, and perform all the advertising management tasks. On top of that, you can leverage your website’s email list to show the ads to your current followers and their friends. MailChimp also shows you detailed analytics that help decide what advertising works and what doesn’t.

You can use a free version, but all the best features are gathered in the $14.99 Standard plan.

9. CrowdFire

Crowdfire is one of those all-in-one Instagram promotion apps. It gives you the tools to schedule your posts on the platform and suggest the best time to post them.

You can get some analytics for free, but access to historical data starts at $7.48 a month. This rather cheap plan also gives you plenty of posts and access to multiple accounts.

CrowdFire’s main selling point is suggested content. Even in the free plan, you can see articles and hashtags that are relevant to your niche and are being discussed right now.

8. Facebook Power Editor

Facebook owns Instagram, and both platforms use the same ad editor to fine-tune marketing campaigns. It’s not a tool you may want to use, it’s a tool you must master in order for your Instagram marketing efforts to be successful.

If you don’t, your ad campaign can reach the wrong audience, or lose too much money.

Instagram analytics tools

Trying to get the most for your money is an understandable goal. However, sometimes you have to go the extra mile to make sure you’re on top of your game.

These tools are not complex solutions. They’re crafted only to analyze Instagram and they do their job well. Despite somewhat large price tags, they give you the knowledge you need to succeed.

7. Snoopreport

Snoopreport is something different in the family of Instagram marketing tools. This tool allows you to have a sneak peek into any Instagram profile. You can see what they like on the platform, who they follow,  what do they comment, and what hashtags do they search.

You can use this to see what is your competitor’s strategy, what your target audience finds interesting, and what influencers can you collaborate with. Snoopreport starts at $14.99, but you get the most of it if you pay $44.99 per month for a business plan.

6. SocialRank

The possibilities that its analytics open before you are quite appealing. You can see timelines of each post and get notified on what drives likes and engagements. SocialRank is also a great tool for finding influencers that matter most for your business and segmenting your target audience based on real data.

There’s a free plan with a reduced number of features. Premium costs $49 a month.

5. Owlmetrcis

Owlmetrics is an analytics tool that lets you dive deep into the reasons behind your successes and failures. It allows you to see data on each post, measure engagement and find correlations between hashtag usage and inflow of followers.

The best thing about it is that for the minimum plan that costs $25 a month, you get access to API. That allows you to do much more than the platform itself is capable of.

4. Hashtags for Likes

Hashtags for Likes is a service that allows you to search Instagram for hashtags and see advanced analytics on them. You can look up similar hashtags and hashtag engagement for free. At $14.99 a month, you can see the hashtags that are trending right now, and access an analytics dashboard.

Instagram e-commerce tools

Whether you decided to create your photography website to monetize your passion, or made a Sellfy store for your clothing brand, you need to integrate Instagram with your shop and make the most of shoppable products.

Here are the tools that help you do that.

3. Curalate Like2Buy

Curalate’s Like2Buy is Instagram’s shoppable posts for those who don’t qualify for them from the platform itself. This app forms a unique link in your bio that copies your Instagram feed with shoppable images.

2. Foursixty

Foursixty leverages user-generated content for better performance. You can add Instagram posts of people using your products on your website and make them shoppable.

Foursixty also lets you create Instagram reels with links to products on your own website. You can use this tool for free, but it shines with the Premium plan that starts at $49 a month.

1. Sellfy

Sellfy lets you create an e-commerce store in a couple of minutes, and it will have everything you need to start selling on Instagram. This includes great design, shopping cart, and payment processing.

Instagram shoppable posts are only available for physical products, so Sellfy is a great alternative to monetize your Instagram by selling digital products. Integrate your Sellfy website with a multi-link tool like Shorby or Linktree, and you’ll have a list of links that lead directly to your goods.

PRO TIP: Many Instagram users use Sellfy to give away digital freebies and build their email list.

The ultimate tip for selling on Instagram

It can be challenging to start monetizing your Instagram account or to get acquainted with the marketing on a new platform. It’s going to be way simpler once you get to it, fail a couple of times, and learn the basics.

If you’re a beginner, go for free or cheap tools, but don’t hesitate to use free trials. Two weeks of free trial on an advanced analytics tool can teach you a lot about how Instagram works. With that knowledge, you’ll soon be making enough on Instagram to pay for an annual subscription.