The 5 Best Instagram Apps to Boost Engagement

Motivate your followers to interact more with your Instagram content

By
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau
Freelance Contributor
  • University of Ontario
  • George Brown College
Elise Moreau is a writer that has covered social media, texting, messaging, and streaming for Lifewire. Her work has appeared on Techvibes, SlashGear, Lifehack and others.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on January 1, 2021

Instagram is a top social network for individuals and businesses. Whether you want to build a personal brand or use the site as a sales platform, Instagram engagement apps help you reach and interact with your followers, boosting your appeal and presence on the social media platform.

Here are our picks for the five best Instagram engagement apps based on features, ease of use, and effectiveness.

01
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Best for Scheduling Posts: Buffer

Buffer Instagram engagement app
What We Like

  • The Free plan lets you schedule up to ten posts.

  • Add multiple images or videos to a post.

  • Access past reminders.

  • Prepare and schedule Instagram stories.

  • Schedule a first comment.

What We Don't Like

  • You'll need to upgrade to a paid plan for more scheduled posts and social accounts.

Posting at the right time of day can make a difference in the number of followers who see, like, and interact with your content. Buffer makes it easy to schedule posts to appear at the specific days and times you want. Buffer also includes default posting times based on when Instagram sees the highest traffic.

Buffer is simple and easy to use. Select an image or video file, create a caption, and then add it to your queue to post it immediately. Or, schedule it to post at a time you specify. Customize your queue and reset scheduled times whenever you want.

Buffer is a set-it-and-forget-it tool. Line up posts in advance, pause posting, tag users and locations, set a first comment, use emojis in your captions, and more. Use Buffer with Instagram and other social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.

Buffer is free to download and use on an iOS or Android mobile device, but you're limited to three social accounts and ten scheduled posts. Upgrade to Pro for $15 per month and schedule up to 100 posts. Use Buffer on the desktop in a browser, as well. The free version isn't accessible in a browser, but you can try a 14-day free trial of the Pro version.

Download For:

02
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Later Instagram engagement app
What We Like

  • Search for and repost user-generated Instagram content.

  • Easy-to-use scheduling calendar.

  • Unlimited media library storage.

  • Use filters on photos.

What We Don't Like

  • You'll need a paid plan to post videos.

Later (formerly Latergramme) is another top Instagram app for post scheduling, but this app is a more complete Instagram management solution. Use it on an iOS or Android mobile device or from the website. Like Buffer, Later can be used with other social sites.

With a free account, schedule up to 30 photo posts and collect user-generated Instagram content to repost to your profile. Search a hashtag, and Later grabs the original, high-quality photo for you to repost.

Later is free to download and use. Still, more features are available with Later's paid plans. View, manage, and reply to comments from the Later dashboard, so you never miss anything. Schedule video posts, plan and schedule stories, tag locations and users, and optimize post timing.

Later's paid plans include Starter ($12.50 per month), Growth ($20.50 per month), and Advanced ($49.50 per month). The higher the tier, the more features you'll get.

Download For:

03
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Best for Instagram Analytics: Iconosquare

Iconosquare Instagram engagement app on an iPhone
What We Like

  • Preview a post before it goes live.

  • Track competitors and compare against them.

  • Monitor conversations.

  • Detailed analytics and reports.

What We Don't Like

  • You'll need a monthly subscription starting at $29.

Instagram users who are serious about increasing engagement know that statistics give vital information about what's working or not working. Iconosquare delivers comprehensive social media management for Instagram along with advanced analytics, so you'll get a deeper understanding of your followers and how they engage with your content.

Track your competitors to see how your performance measures up to them, see your post reach and impressions, understand your video views, check your Stories analytics, and gain follower demographic information such as age and gender. Iconosquare also has traditional engagement tools, including scheduling posts, managing comments, and tracking hashtags.

Iconosqure is meant for serious influences, so take advantage of its 14-day free trial and see if you need all its features. Download the tool for free, and then pay $29 monthly for the Pro version or $59 monthly for the Advanced version.

Iconosquare works on Android and iOS mobile devices as well as on the desktop in a browser or through a Chrome extension. The tool can also be used with Facebook.

Download For:

04
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Best for Professional Photo Posts: Canva

Canva.com, with professional photos to boost Instagram engagement
What We Like

  • Easy and intuitive to use.

  • Range of visual elements (free and paid) to add to designs.

  • An Instagram post template is available.

What We Don't Like

  • The best visual elements cost money.

  • No photo-specific editing features.

With Canva, add visual elements to your photo posts to inform and inspire your followers, grabbing their attention. This free graphic design tool has virtually no learning curve and comes stocked with amazing, high-quality elements to use.

Upload your own photos to Canva or use one of its premade templates. Search for elements to add from Canva's huge library, including stock photos, illustrations, shapes, lines, arrows, symbols, frames, and more. Many images are free, but premium images have a price. When you're done, download your design instantly.

Canva isn't as advanced as Photoshop. Still, it's a powerful free graphic design tool for creating a professional-looking Instagram post in minutes.

Use Canva's iOS or Android app, or use it on the desktop at Canva.com. Canva's free features are plentiful. If you need more customization options and more templates and images, consider Canva Pro ($9.95 per month).

Download For:

05
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Best for Instagram Graphics and Video Posts: Adobe Creative Cloud Express

The interface for Adobe Creative Cloud Express

Adobe
What We Like

  • Templates for photo and video posts.

  • Intuitive video editor for simple video creation.

  • Attractive selection of visual icons for photo designs.

What We Don't Like

  • You'll need a paid upgrade to remove the Adobe watermark.

  • No vertical full screen template option for videos.

  • Limited music library.

If you want to spruce up your video posts and Instagram Stories, Adobe Creative Cloud Express is an excellent tool for creative and engrossing content. It also incorporates graphic design functions, similar to Canva.

When you start a new project and select Video, choose from a selection of existing video templates or create a custom template. Add as many clips as you want and use the video editor to edit each scene with a text overlay, music, or anything else.

Adobe CCE is easy to learn and use, and you'll quickly create dazzling videos and other content.

If you have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription plan, you may have access to the premium version of Adobe Spark.

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