Instagram is my favorite social media network and as time passed by, I tried different apps to help me with posting content on the platform.
Here is a list of the best apps for creating Instagram posts. Hope you will try them and find them helpful!
Best apps for creating Instagram posts
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Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom is one of the most popular photo editing software out there, used by professionals and amateurs alike.
It gives you total control over your images, but the number of tools it offers can be a bit daunting for beginners. However, once you learn a bit about how the software works, it’s totally worth it!
There are 3 main versions of Adobe Lightroom:
- Lightroom: it is a cloud-based app that it’s designed to be used online, on desktop and on mobile.
- Lightroom Mobile: it can be used on your phone.
- Lightroom Classic: the original desktop version of the software.
While the desktop and cloud versions are pay-only (subscription-based), the mobile app is free. But (and this is a big BUT), not all its options are free. Some tools inside the app can only be used if you pay a subscription.
The best part about Lightroom is that it gives you the ability to use presets. These are saved image adjustments that you can then apply to any image with a single click (or tap if you are using the mobile app), and this speeds up the editing process a lot.
You can either buy or make your own presets. You’ll also find a lot of free and paid presets on the web since Lightroom is such a popular tool.
Since Instagram is a social media app that heavily emphasizes the visual and aesthetic aspects of images, Lightroom is naturally one of my top picks for the best apps for creating Instagram posts.
I use the paid version of Lightroom Mobile, meaning I pay a monthly fee to have all the app’s tools unlocked.
One of my main reasons for getting the subscription is the Geometry function that helps straighten an image. It does wonders and I love using it.
Adobe also offers several subscriptions for photography, the best ones are in my opinion Lightroom (1T) and Photography (1T), the latter offering you 1T of cloud storage and all the Lightroom and Photoshop apps. Their plans start at $9,99/month + tax.
Vsco
VSCO is another photo editing app that you can use on your phone. It is more beginner-friendly than Lightroom, but it does allow you to make some manual basic adjustments to your images.
However, the best part about VSCO is its filters. The app has a lot of both free and paid filters that you can apply to your pictures, changing their look in an instant.
You can buy new filters (one-time only payment) or you can make a subscription for all their filters plus some app features.
Since the app became pretty popular, you’ll find a lot of recipes (set of adjustments + filter; it’s the same idea as with LR’s presets) online, that will help you achieve different looks in your photos.
I don’t use VSCO every time I edit a photo, but rather from time to time when I feel like the photo is still missing something after I already edited it in Lightroom.
CapCut
With the introduction of Reels, I was on the lookout for a good video editing app that would include a stabilization feature.
I found what I was searching for in CapCut and the best thing about it is that it’s free.
Plann (Unum, etc)
Did you ever spend a lot of time editing to perfection a photo, only then to post it and noticed it simply didn’t fit within your feed? I sure did.
This issue is simply resolved with an app that will help you plan your feed like Plann, Unum, Later, Planoly, or Preview.
As you can see there are a lot of options and most of these apps will do a lot more than just help you plan your feed. But those extra features usually come with a price tag.
I use Plann simply because I like its interface. I also tried the other 4 and while they’re also good apps for planning your feed, I just like to use Plann more. It’s a simple matter of personal preference.
The app also has a lot of paid features, including scheduling your posts, but I just use it for previewing my feed. So the free version is enough for me.
How does it work?! Well after you connect your Instagram to Plann, it pulls all your past posts inside the app.
Then when you want to post new pictures, you first upload them here to see how they look in your feed and if they match your past photos. You can also shuffle the new pics around until you’re satisfied with the look.
Now planning your feed is not something you absolutely need to do (I admit I sometimes fail at it too), but if you are like me and you fancy an esthetic Instagram feed, you might want to take this extra step.
I also need to mention something here: be very careful with what apps you give access to your Instagram account and what they do.
That’s because Instagram pays a lot of attention to any automation and you don’t want to get on their bad side. It could be the end of your account.
For example, I already mentioned that the paid version of Plann allows you to schedule your posts which is in fact an automated way of posting. Well, that’s actually fine because Plann is one of the apps approved by Instagram.
However, other apps out there might not be approved. So always do a quick check before granting an app access to your IG account, to see if it breaks Instagram’s TOS or not.
HishHash
HishHash is a simple app for organizing your hashtags. As you might already know, Instagram doesn’t like it when you use the same hashtags over and over and in the same order.
This app allows you to create lists of hashtags. Then when you post something all you have to do is to check from what lists you want to extract your hashtags and the app will randomize a set for you. You can customize the number of hashtags you want to use.
Canva
Canva is a popular free/subscription web-based app you can use to create really nice-looking stories, posts, or Reels cover photos. It has lots of templates you can edit, some free some you need to pay for.
I mainly use Canva (the free version) for my Reels covers and when I’m not lazy, to create stories.
TouchRetouch
TouchRetouch is one of the best free photo retouching apps out there for mobiles. It does a great job at removing unaesthetic things from your photos or even people.
So here you have it, my list of the best apps for creating Instagram posts. And if you want to try only one app out of all of them, I’d recommend Lightroom.
Also, make sure to check out this post to learn how to write the perfect travel bio for your account profile.
May the algorithm be ever in your favor!~
