With more than one billion monthly active users, Instagram has opened up huge opportunities for brands to find new customers and get their products seen. But while tactics like running Instagram ads and reaching out to influencers are effective, without the right tools, it can be tough to learn what to post on Instagram and get the results you want.
To help you turbocharge your Instagram account, we’ve put together this list of the best Instagram tools and apps for businesses—that will set your business apart, drive more customers to your online store, and help you understand how to make money on Instagram most effectively.
The best Instagram tools for design
One of the most important parts of having an effective Instagram presence is filling your feed with stunning visuals that clearly communicate your brand’s identity and the value of your products.
Even if you aren’t a professional photographer, you can create great images with your smartphone and a few of the best Instagram design apps.
1. VSCO (iOS, Android)
It’s been a while since Instagram’s default filters were the bleeding edge of mobile photo editing. In the meantime, VSCO has emerged as the premier Instagram tool creating beautiful photos on the go. Part photo-editing platform and part social media network, VSCO should be at the heart of every Instagram strategy.
VSCO has an in-depth editing suite and a slew of high-quality default filters that can take your smartphone photos to a completely new level. There’s also a huge library of filters available on the premium plan, giving you endless options for customizing your photos and setting them apart from the pack.
Price: Free for basic presets and standard editing tools; $19.99/year for access to VSCO’s full suite of presets and image/video editing tools.
2. Snapseed (iOS, Android, macOS, Windows)
Snapseed is another photo-editing app that gives you the option to fine-tune your photos. While Instagram’s default filters edit your entire image at once, Snapseed’s Instagram tool lets you apply effects with a brush so you can perfect the details of each photo.
Snapseed’s Stacks is another great feature, letting you save groups of filters as a template. These Stacks can then be applied to future photos, giving your entire feed a consistent look and saving you time.
Price: Free.
3. Afterlight (iOS)
Afterlight is a photo-editing app that boasts a default set of dozens of filters, textures, and frames, giving you lots of different options for tweaking your photos right off the bat. You can create and save your very own filters and work with multiple image formats. Afterlight also includes typography tools to help your images stand out.
With its sleek and straightforward design, Afterlight is an easy-to-use, must-have tool for making your Instagram photos pop.
Price: $2.99/month or $17.99/year after a seven-day free trial.
4. Canva (web, iOS, Android)
Canva is an app you can use to create images that stand out, whether it’s in your Instagram feed or in your Stories. You can superimpose text, create multi-image layouts, and pull in a wide range of predesigned graphics to level-up your posts and get your followers’ attention.
It’s especially useful for creating Instagram Stories that stand out, and if you stick to a few consistent image formats and fonts, you can start to make sure your followers always recognize your content.
Price: Free for image design with pay-per-use premium graphics; from $12.95/month for Canva Pro, which includes transparent backgrounds and animation/GIF creation.
5. Photoshop Express (iOS, Android, Windows)
That’s right, you can use Photoshop on your phone.
While the mobile app doesn’t come with every feature of the desktop app, it does offer a powerful image editing experience that gives you a lot of control over your photos. It streamlines the work you’d do on your desktop with handy tools like blemish removal, which can get rid of spots, dirt, and dust from your photo with a single touch.
You also get access to multiple controls, filters, presets, and options you wouldn’t get elsewhere, like the ability to add a watermark to your photos.
Price: Free.