10 Instagram Marketing Tools to Grow Your Business

Select the best among these Instagram marketing tools with specialized features to boost your brand's content game on the ultimate visual platform.

Instagram Marketing Tools

Instagram is a mandatory social media platform for marketers.

But your presence on the same won’t make a difference unless you make it impactful. And for that, you need to rely on Instagram marketing tools to grow your business.

It goes without saying that developing a foolproof Instagram marketing strategy is challenging. Generating leads, spreading brand awareness, building social proof, and increasing engagement are just a handful of the aspects you should consider to grow your brand profile rapidly.

This list of tools for Instagram marketing will help you nail most of your goals, right from direct Instagram publishing, analyzing posts to learning about customer personas, scheduling your Instagram posts, and much more.

How We Analyze & Select Instagram Marketing Apps:

We have compiled the following list of top-notch tools through extensive research and evaluation. Our process involved actively weighing factors like user experience, G2 ratings and reviews, cost, and scalability. We assessed the proficiency of these tools in automation, crafting content, visualization, analytics, and teamwork to rank them. We have dedicated immense effort to curating this list, with the aim of equipping marketers with insightful data for choosing the right tools that will help grow their businesses.

A Quick Overview of the Instagram Marketing Tools

In the next section, we explore the details of Instagram marketing platforms. We’ve handpicked the best options and compared their key features to help you easily identify the right tool for your needs.

SocialPilot

SocialPilot

Buffer

Buffer

Later

Later

Pricing $25/Month $36/Month $30/Month
Best for Agencies & Small Businesses SMBs & Brands Brands & Creators
Instagram Profiles 10 6 3
Ease of Use
Support
Publishing
Direct Instagram Publishing check check check
Story Scheduling check Direct publishing and mobile notifications check Direct publishing and mobile notifications check Only from desktop app
Collaboration Post check check check
Smart Queues check check check
Repeat Posts check check check
Calendar View check check Confusing
Auto Post From RSS Feeds check check check
Bulk Scheduling check (500 Posts) check check
First Comment Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn Instagram only check
Link Shorteners check Bitly, Sniply, and Rebrandly check Unknown check
Post Creation
Draft Your Posts check check check
Image Editor check Custom Instagram sizing check check
AI Assistant check check check
Hashtag Generator check (Aligned with captions) check check Limited capability
Holiday Calendar check check check
Canva Integration check (On all plans) check check
Media From External Sources check check (Not from cloud storage) check Only Google Drive and Dropbox
Content Library check check check
Image Tagging check check check
Auto-Watermarking posts check check Not automation check Manually
Location Tagging check check (Only for Instagram) check
Custom Reel thumbnail check check Only stills from video check
Link-in-bio check check check
Instagram Collaboration Post check check check
Team Collaboration
Content Approval Workflows check (Quick and Easy) check (Basic) check
Multi-User Collaboration Per Post check check check
Comments on Post check check (No tagging) check
Client Management check (Unlimited clients) check check
Engagement
Social Inbox check (Unified Inbox) check (Limited features) check Limited
Reply to DMs & Comments check check (Only Facebook & Instagram) check Partial
Reply to Reviews & Queries check check check
Analytics
Detailed Social Media Analytics check (Easy to read) check (Lacking depth of insights) check
Post Performance check check check
Custom Report Builder check check check
Auto-Schedule Report Sharing to Clients check check check
White Label
White Label Dashboard check check check
Branded Downloadable Report check check check
Support
Priority Customer Support check check check
Try for Free Learn More Learn More

10 Instagram Marketing Tools To Grow Your Business

1. SocialPilot

$30

per month

Best for:

Marketing Agencies, SMBs, Multi-Location Brands & Professionals

Rating:

4.5 (G2)

Apps:

Web-version, Android & iOS apps, Chrome, Firefox and Edge web extensions

Integrations:

Instagram, Facebook, Instagram Threads, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Google Business Profile

Key Features:

  • Advanced scheduling options
  • Multi-format post scheduling
  • Bulk scheduling of up to 500 posts
  • Geo-tagging 
  • Hashtag suggestions
  • Direct publishing for personal accounts
  • AI-Powered Instagram caption generation
  • Visual content calendar
  • First comment scheduling
  • Automatic RSS feed scheduling
  • Customizable watermarks
  • Authentic visual post previews
  • Canva Integration
  • Team Collaboration Tools 

Pros

  • The platform makes the process of scheduling Instagram posts on multiple accounts easy and less time-consuming.  
  • The content calendar gives a clear vision of your upcoming scheduled posts in one place. 
  • SocialPilot is very user-friendly, having an intuitive and streamlined dashboard. 
  • Compared to its alternatives, SocialPilot is a considerably affordable option for small businesses and agencies managing multiple client accounts. 

Kathleen M.

Everything about SocialPilot makes scheduling your content from articles to post easy. The formatting of your calendar and scheduled activities with mutiple social accounts could not be more clear or intuitive. If you are an entreprenuer, a small to medium business, or just an individual who wants to schedule their content, SocialPilot is a no-brainer and the price point is perfect. I use SocialPilot to manage 8 accounts and once a week I can load everything in and have it work with all of my social channels – integration and implementation could not be easier.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Users need to sometimes reconnect their accounts due to automatic disconnection. But that is easily done from SocialPilot with a few clicks.
  • Sometimes, published posts have broken links.

Tammy

Occassionally (especially in the past), we had issues with broken social links, but this hasn’t happened in a while. Otherwise, Social Pilot has worked great for our needs.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience:

SocialPilot proves to be one of the best Instagram marketing tools that helps users manage their presence on the visual platform. It is well-versed in automating the process of content scheduling along with multiple other functions including analytics, reporting, engagement management, team collaboration and many more.

What makes SocialPilot a distinct tool is that it supports not only Instagram but many other social channels with the key functions we mentioned above.

Now, let’s dive deeper into all that SocialPilot brings to the table:

Advanced Instagram Scheduling:

Users go for SocialPilot as it can streamline the process of regular manual posting by enabling the scheduling of all types of IG posts for business and private accounts. With the web version and the mobile app, you can schedule and publish content on Instagram anytime you want.

The social media calendar gives a clear view of all saved drafts and scheduled posts, which helps you monitor the consistency of your Instagram feed. You can set up weekly scheduling slots, ensuring posts are being published at the best times to get the most engagement.

Other than these, SocialPilot makes it possible for you to plan and schedule weeks or a whole mothn’s worth of posts through bulk scheduling.

AI Assistant and Content Creation:

SocialPilot has remarkably strong features not only for content scheduling but also for custom content creation for Instagram. The most noteworthy capability in this regard is the AI Assistant which generates Instagram-worthy ideas and captions for your visual posts. You can get evergreen pposts repurposed or suitable hashtag recommendations for your posts with this AI-powered feature.

However, the platform, being a proficient Instagram marketing tool, provides a lot of support for visual content assets. Canva integration helps in seamless designing, a stock image library to access professional images, and Google Drive and Dropbox to retrieve media from.

SocialPilot also has its own storage archive in the Media library, which helps you store images, texts, hashtag groups, etc. Furthermore, an inbuilt image editor helps you customize or resize any media asset to Instagram’s exact requirements.

The post composer has especial amenities for Instagram posts like adding location tags, first comment scheduling, image tagging and mentions. You can even invite other public profiles to create collaboration posts through this platform. All these customizations help boost the reach of your posts, bringing in extra engagement.

Analytics and Reporting:

SocialPilot other than creating and posting content, also has the capability to track their reception and performance with the audience. You will be able to gauge the content’s reach and engagement as well as the growth of your audience based on their vital characteristics.

You can access important metrics such as followers activity online, clicks, audience demographics, hashtag performance, post-related data, and much more. Instagram analytics presents post specific metrics which means you get separate analytics for posts, Reels and Stories.

Additionally, you can create reports out of the above-mentioned analytics data for one or multiple accounts. These reports can be customized using the whitelabel features to reflect your brand’s aesthetic. These reports can be exported as PDFs and shared periodically with clients and team members.

Instagram Inbox:

Lastly, you can also manage the engagement activities on your Instagram profiles with the integrated social inbox. This inbox dashboard brings all the comments and messages from your connected Instagram accounts into a single space. You can monitor them and respond as required.

Proactively managing the communication of your brand with the followers creates a good public image for you, benefiting you at the end.

Collaboration Workflow:

Being a marketing tool, SocialPilot is equipped to support a whole team and even their clients to seamlessly work together. Features like permission-based access, role assignment, and content approval workflow help reduce the chances of any hiccups while creating perfect content for Instagram.

SocialPilot Pricing

SocialPilot offers a 14-day free trial and access to all premium features (no credit card required &cancel any time). Choose a plan that fits your needs.

Ultimate Premium Standard Essentials
$170.00/mo
$200
Billed annually (Save 15%)
$85.00/mo
$100
Billed annually (Save 15%)
$42.50/mo
$50
Billed annually (Save 15%)
$25.50/mo
$30
Billed annually (Save 15%)
Streamline Instagram Marketing with SocialPilot

Final Verdict:

SocialPilot is a perfectly tailored solution for Instagram marketing needs of businesses of all sizes. Its pocket-friendly plans and Instagram-friendly features allow for the best content output with minimum effort.


2. Buffer

$120

for 10 profiles

Buffer cover

Best for:

Social media managers, professionals, entrepreneurs, and small businesses

Ratings:

4.3/5 (G2)

Apps:

Web, iOS, Android App, Chrome Browser Extension

Integrations:

Instagram, Facebook, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Pinterest, Shopify, Threads, TikTok, Twitter / X, YouTube

Key Features:

  • AI assistant for content ideation and creation
  • Automated scheduling plan
  • Integration with Canva, Giphy, DropBox, One Drive, and Google
  • Collaboration on content
  • Instagram analytical insights
  • Replying to comments

Pros

  • Buffer’s post-publishing dashboard is user-friendly so people need no training to get the hang of it.
  • The tool’s free AI feature makes crafting captions a breeze, seriously cutting down on time.

Tracy W.

Buffer is extensively used in our company in marketing and corporate communication departments. It enables users to schedule and track scheduled posts across all major social networks. The analytics are great that show the performance of each post and aslo buffer is pretty affordable.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Users often have faced problems using the bulk scheduling feature in Buffer. 
  • The mobile app of Buffer is not as effective as the web-version. 

Victory J.

The mobile app isn’t as seamless as the web version. I guess this isn’t an issue for many as most people prefer to work on their computers. I do a lot of repetitive tasks on the move so it kind of is a big deal for me.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Buffer is considered an ideal tool for users who are new to using marketing apps due to its user-friendliness. It covers multiple aspects of Instagram marketing, making it a diverse tool for businesses to use. 

Buffer helps users in creating Instagram-worthy content creation with its AI-powered caption and idea generator, Canva integration and customization options like mentions and geo-tags. The main key capability in Buffer is content scheduling and publishing for Instagram and other social platforms. This way the tool enables users with all-around content management without having to go to different apps. 

Buffer also provides Instagram analytics which presents a complete picture of your profile’s performance and the audience you are reaching. And with all this information, you can create visually comprehensive reports to showcase your profile’s growth to share with relevant stakeholders. 

There are specific features that allow users to directly interact with their audience online. The social inbox is a dashboard which allows you to see all the incoming comments on your profiles connected to your Buffer workspace. You can monitor and respond to all these comments on different Instagram profiles from a single space. 

Last but a very notable feature is the start page creation feature. Buffer allows users to create simple but attractive landing pages for Instagram, which can provide visitors with a window of your brand or products or directly take them to your homepage.  

Despite having all these features, Buffer’s absence of chat support can impact the user’s experience with the tool.

Pricing:

Buffer provides a range of four pricing options along with a 14-day trial period for each. There is a free plan for beginners. Paid plans range from $6 a month for one account to a monthly $120 for 10 accounts.

Overall verdict: 

Buffer is a streamlined and easy-to-use Instagram marketing software with multiple features for content creation, scheduling, and analysis. However, its customer support and pricing structure make it a less-than-sustainable option for the long term. 


3. Iconosquare

$59

per month

Iconosquare cover

Best for:

Freelancers, large enterprises, medium and small-sized business

Ratings:

4.5 / 5  (G2)

Apps:

Web-version, Android and iPhone/iPad with iOS apps

Integrations:

Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and TikTok

Key Features:

  • Instagram grid planner
  •  Content calendar with filters
  • Media library integration
  • Collaboration posts
  • Hashtag manager
  • Instagram post analytics 
  • Automated reporting
  • Socia Inbox
  • Competitor monitoring

Pros

  • The interface is straightforward, making it accessible for anyone to use.
  • Iconosquare’s support team makes the onboarding process incredibly smooth and easy. 

Cem G.

The team that helps with Iconosquare installation and when support is required provides a rapid solution. Your user-friendly interface and the KPIs you offer are great. We prepare the sharing text with integrated AI. I almost don’t need to make any changes to the text.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • When users don’t post images of just the right sizes, Iconosquare faces problems in publishing them. 
  • The absence of white label is inconvenient for agencies and social media managers. 

Verified User

I can’t add audio to my reels which means I have to post these directly in the Instagram app.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Iconosquare is another versatile Instagram marketing platform allowing you to manage multiple aspects of your activities on the platform. With publishing, you can schedule posts, stories, and first comments, even tagging locations and users.

AI content generator, hashtag manager and content library support post creation and make the process swifter. The Instagram grid view in Iconoquare helps manage your profile’s aesthetic feed. The platform also allows you to crosspost your best Instagram posts to other channels, helping you gain traction on those channels. 

The analytics and reporting section in Iconosquare provides vital insights that reveal how your content has been performing over the selected time frame. You can generate reports or export this data to your team members or clients. 

 The collaboration tool allows team-based approval workflows, keeping everyone aligned. The conversations feature consolidates DMs and comments for easy interaction, while social listening offers competitor and trend analysis for proactive engagement. Each feature aims to streamline Instagram management in a structured yet accessible way. 

Pricing:

Iconosquare has two defined pricing plans, with some visible loopholes. The Single plan starts at $59 with a single user, supporting 5 profiles and the Teams plan at $99 supports 10 users for the same number of accounts. The price of these plans increases with every 5 accounts you add on. However, the Single plan can’t be stretched to manage more than 10 accounts.

Overall verdict:

Iconosquare is a considerably proficient tool for Instagram marketing for businesses and agencies. But the pricing plan for individuals is quite costly when managing more than five Instagram accounts. Hence the tool is more suitable for businesses and agencies which dont have a tight budget to stick to. 


4. Later

$80

per month for 6 users

Later cover

Best for:

Creators, freelancers, agencies, social media managers, and small businesses.

Ratings:

4.5/5 (G2), 4.4/5 (Capterra)

Apps:

Web, iOS, and Android versions

Integrations:

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter)

Key Features:

  • Auto Instagram publishing
  • Link In Bio
  • AI-Powered Captions
  • Best time to post recommendations 
  • Hashtag suggestions
  • Instagram Visual planner
  • Curation of UGC

Pros

  • With Later, you can set up your content scheduling for months ahead all at once.
  • Link-in-bio helps in tracking traffic and clicks by letting users add customizable links in the bio.

Julianna O.

I love using Later for social media scheduling! My small business uses it for Instagram ad Facebook scheduling daily. Thanks to Later, we are able to schedule out a months worth of content in just a few hours saving us hours and hours every week. It’s so easy to use, easy to check the traction of a post, and helps us stay sane during busy season when social media is the last thing we want to worry about.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Later can’t post videos when there are size issues, requiring users to edit them manually.
  • Instagram posts sometimes don’t process correctly before going live. 

Casey G.

I really dislike when Later tells me a video I’m posting is too long, or the dimensions aren’t right and when I try to edit the content in Later, it doesn’t update. I then have to manually send myself the content, edit it on my phone, and post it manually. It is very time consuming and seems glitchy.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Later supports many social media channels but it boasts the most advanced and versatile features for Instagram marketing. Instagram Scheduler is a comprehensive tool designed to streamline Instagram content management. 

It lets you schedule single images, carousels, Stories, and Reels in advance. You can schedule and reschedule content to make your feed look aesthetic with Later’s grid view feature with drag and drop to move content cards. 

Additionally, AI content writer, image editor, hashtag suggestions, and many other such features contribute to streamlined content creation. You can also add and schedule the 1st comment with your Instagram posts in Later. 

The link-in-bio feature is especially tailored on Later to enable users to bring referral traffic to their intended product pages or blogs. You can create custom trackable links and compact landing pages. 

The analytics in Later is another major strength, offering data to track engagement metrics, find optimal posting times, and analyze post-performance. Also, the social listening features provide a centralized hub for you to monitor comments and brand mentions on Instagram. 

However, the lack of structured collaborative workflows in Later make it difficult for users with larger teams to work with the tool. 

Pricing:

Later presents three subscription choices, each accompanied by a 14-day complimentary trial period. The system presents a no-cost option, followed by paid levels starting with Starter, valued at $25, Growth at $45, and the final choice, the Advanced option, priced at $80.

Overall verdict:

Later is a great tool for scheduling Instagram posts, perfect for creators, freelancers, and small businesses. It has strong Instagram features but can be limited with video and broader social media needs. With various pricing options and a free trial, it’s accessible to many users.


5. Blog2Social

$119

Blog2Social cover

Best for:

Large Enterprises, Mid-Size Businesses, and Small Businesses

Ratings:

4 / 5 (G2)

Apps:

Web-version only

Integrations:

Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, YouTube, TikTok, X (Twitter), Reddit, Mastodon, Tumblr, Bluesky, Flickr, Medium, Vimeo, Telegram and more. 

Key Features:

  • Content planning
  • Auto-posting
  • Best-time recommendations
  • AI Assitant
  • Video posting
  • Content calendar
  • Team management

Pros

  • Blog2Social allows you to automate and share across a vast number of social media platforms.
  • You can see the best time to share your posts based on where your target audience lives. 

Madison

I like that you can connect your social networks and schedule content to post directly from the WordPress platform. I also like that you can now do image or video posts. 

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Lacks the ability to report your old blog posts. You can only upload posts as they go live.
  • There’s a steep learning curve with little training information.
  • The free version does not allow you to schedule posts or engage with a majority of the social platforms offered in the premium versions.

Francisco G.

Very expensive in its PRO version for a single user and a single blog

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Blog2Social is a WordPress plugin that gives you full access to your social media accounts from your blog. It offers tools for managing Instagram posts that are tailored for users. Users can create posts, share website content, RSS feeds and custom Instagram posts. 

The platform allows you to schedule your website feed to be auto-posted on your Instagram business accounts connected to Blog2Social. As far as creating content manually, it supports various formats of posts, including images, Instagram videos, carousels, and Reels. The tool also enables the setup of custom post templates, which helps speed up the posting process if you’re regularly publishing similar types of content.

Blogs2Social allows you to set up specific intervals for auto-posting and even recommends the best times to post on your profiles. However, the tool lacks in-depth insights as compared to other Instagram marketing tools. 

Pricing:

Blog2Social comes in two formats, which have different prices. The WordPress plugin has three plans, starting from $7. The Pro and Business plans for the plugin cost $11 and $29 when billed monthly. The webapp too has separate pricing plans. Solo comes at $11 and Team at $39.

Both versions also offer free plans with minimal features. 

Overall verdict:

When you can use all your website content for your Instagram posts, you’ll save time and streamline your workflow. Instead of swapping back and forth between an uploader and your WordPress site, this Instagram growth tool lets you keep track of all activities in one place.


6. Awario

$89

per month

Awario cover

Best for:

Brands, large enterprises, and mid-sized businesses

Ratings:

4 / 5 (G2)

Apps:

Web app only

Integrations:

Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo

Key Features:

  • Real-time tracking of mentions
  • Alerts for new mentions
  • Lead generation capabilities
  • Influencer identification
  • Monitoring of marketing progress
  • Competitive analysis
  • Tracking hashtags and comments.
  • Advanced Boolean search
  • Option to blacklist irrelevant accounts

Pros

  • You can track down relevant keywords in your industry, so you connect with your target audience by using appropriate hashtags and descriptions in your posts.
  • Up-to-date, personalized reports give you all of the information you need to tweak your social media marketing strategy. 

Amir C.

One of the best things about Awario is its 360 social media monitoring. Their technology keeps track of every mentions from multiple social media platforms like Twitter, Reddit, Meta, Etc

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Fine-tuning specific search criteria can pose a challenge if you’re not sure what you’re looking for.
  • You can’t track your LinkedIn mentions with Awario, which could be a deal-breaker for people interested in growing their personal brand with LinkedIn.

Verified User in Computer Software

Even if you add specific keywords, it yields irrelevant outcomes. The statistics provided are way off compared to the actual ones from the platform. The customer service sucks. We were asking nicely about something, and I have never encountered such reply. 

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Being a social listening tool for Instagram,  Awario lets you monitor important conversations about your industry. If you are looking for a way to easily track brand mentions, analyze sentiments and keep an eye on competitor activity on Instagram, Awario has real-time capabilities to do all that. 

The tool can set up alerts for dedicated keywords you want to track that are relevant to your brand. Analytics in Awario are basic but cover essentials: you can review metrics such as reach, mention volume, and comparative alert performance. However, the tool doesn’t dive deeply into engagement metrics or follower demographics, which might feel limiting

You can use Awario for influencer identification. The platform scans the Instagram landscape for prominent users mentioning your brand. These people are more likely to promote and collaborate with your brand. They might be the avenue to connect with your target audience effectively. 

Small and medium-sized businesses can benefit from Instagram tools like Awario. Alternatively, if you are working for several clients, this software will let you track multiple accounts at the same time.

Pricing:

Awario has three paid plans ranging from $49 to the enterprise plan for $399 per month. The plan meant for small and medium businesses comes at $149 supporting a team of 10 members.

Overall verdict:

Awario is well-suited for brands focused on social listening and influencer discovery and keyword tracking. But due to the lack of deeper analytics and audience demographic insights, might leave users looking for broader Instagram insights wanting more.


7. Socialinsider

$83

per month

Socialinsider cover

Best for:

Enterprises, agencies, and major businesses

Ratings:

4.6 / 5 (G2)

Apps:

Web-version

Integrations:

Key Features:

  • Quick report downloads 
  • Examine competitors’ branded hashtags
  • Dynamic QR code insights
  • Multi-channel measurement feature
  • Social media campaign reporting 
  • Social media metrics tagging

Pros

  • Socialinsider offers an in-depth analysis of social media activity with an easy-to-use interface. 
  • The team offers outstanding post-purchase support, resolving each problem a customer encounters. 

Verified User

Socialinsider comes from its in-depth social media analytics and easy-to-use interface, though I wish it offered more customization options for reports. The customer support is almost instant which made everyday usage a blast. Adding new profiles only required one clicks and the details are amazing.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • SocialInsider is pricey for what it offers. 
  • You can’t view reports that are 6 months older

Su Tar H.

Subscribing rate is a little bit expensive.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Socialinsider is another one of the Instagram marketing tools designed mainly for larger businesses. To put it simply, it helps in Instagram marketing with a suite of analytics reports that help you learn more about the people who visit your site. 

The tool dives deeply into metrics, from engagement rates and reach to audience demographics, giving users a detailed breakdown of how content performs across various formats—whether Reels, Stories, or static posts. You can even benchmark your content performance against industry standards and competitors, which is helpful for understanding where you stand. 

However, the multitudes of robust metrics might prove to be overwhelming and hard to comprehend. 

The ability to analyze how people engage with your brand can help you improve customer relationships and create relevant content. You can also use Socialinsider for rigorous competitive analysis so you stay ahead in adding value.

Pricing:

Socialinsider provides a 14-day free trial. The basic plans begin at US$ 99 per month per user. The next plans cost $149 and $239 monthly, with more advanced features and historical data dating further back.

Overall verdict:

SocialInsider is an intuitive tool dedicated to monitoring social media analytics and competitor analysis. It covers multiple social media networks under its watch, helping you to get a keen sense of all thats happening surrounding your brand and the audience. However, the pricing of even the most basic plan is quite high which also lacks deeper insights. This makes it difficult for smaller businesses to afford.


8. Kicksta

$99

per month

Kicksta cover

Best for:

Creators, agencies, social media managers, and brands

Ratings:

2.1 / 5 (G2)

Apps:

Web version only

Integrations:

Instagram

Key Features:

  • Automated Engagement
  • Real-time Growth Analytics
  • Follow/Unfollow Automation
  • Hashtag-based Targeting
  • Audience Targeting
  • Daily Instagram Audit
  • DM Automation
  • Advanced Engagement Insights
  • AI-Generated Comments

Pros

  • It automates Instagram posting and engagement and promotes organic growth.
  • Kicksta allows you to target specific audiences based on interest and competition.

Sheffy B.

Kicksta helps to increase your reach on Instagram by gaining more followers and that too organicly. It is an automated system to like your recent posts, help understand what page and hashtag is useful to follow and which has more reach.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Kicksta only offers the ability to automate Instagram, making it a very expensive pricing tool.
  • It does not have scheduling, publishing, analytics, and team collaboration abilities.
  • Kicksta does not have popular automation features like hashtag analytics.

Jordan W.

The product fails repeatedly, with no notice, and until you notice you’ve been charged for time it was not working. Tech team seems to be completely negligent. Huge waste of time and energy. Avoid.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Kicksta is an Instagram marketing software that helps you get more followers through targeted, AI-driven engagement. Normally, users would have to manually go through accounts liking and following everyone they think might follow their account back. The tool aims to engage real users by interacting with posts from accounts that follow influencers in your niche. 

While this method theoretically draws organic followers, Kicksta’s engagement tactics rely heavily on curiosity—hoping users will notice the interaction and check out your profile. 

For granular selection, the “Instagram Blacklist” feature lets you exclude specific accounts, ensuring the AI doesn’t engage with competitors or conflicting interests. This is useful for brands with niche audiences or specific brand positioning.

With this app, you can search tags and rival profiles for your target audience. For instance, if you’re an email marketer, you might look up the hashtag #EmailMarketing. Now you can set parameters around who you want to follow under that group. The AI technology used with this program helps you fine-tune your Instagram strategy and reach your target audience.

Pricing:

When we came down to the pricing plans of Kicksta, we found it has 4 plans that start with a reasonable price of 49/month, which guarantees you 800+ followers every month. Apart from these plans, you can even take a 7-day free trial on Kicksta to see if this tool is what you need.

Overall verdict:

Kicksta can be a good option for freelancers and Instagram influencers, but it can be difficult for brands and businesses with multiple accounts. It is because Kicksta only supports Instagram and no other social media platforms. It does not allow scheduling, content creation, and team collaboration, and it has limited analytics abilities, making it difficult to digest its pricing, at which you can get all social networks supported.


9. Smartly.io

free

Smartly cover

Best for:

Advertisement agencies, brands, and performance marketing teams

Ratings:

4.4 / 5 (G2)

Apps:

Web-version only

Integrations:

Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Marketing Platform

Key Features:

  • Campaign management
  • Performance metrics
  • Real-time data
  • Customizable reports
  • Data visualization
  • A/B testing
  • AI/Machine learning
  • Automated publishing
  • Customer segmentation

Pros

  • The platform allows you to create multiple ad variants so you have options before finalizing a marketing campaign.
  • Plenty of flexible payment options are designed to help business owners based on their ad budget.

Ryan E.

We are a multi-location franchise with nearly 100 locations and offers every month. It would take forever to launch new ads every month and scale them nationwide with localized content. With smartly, we can now do that in minutes.

Verified G2 Review

Cons

  • Smartly’s UI varies depending on the product within the catalog you’re using. This change in design can be overwhelming to new business owners.
  • Only capable of supporting ads on a limited number of platforms. 

Andrea B.

Bugs and glitches are too frequent, the consequence is low quality in campaigns. 

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Smartly.io is an automated Instagram marketing tool that helps you get the most out of your advertising campaign. If you have to manage large number of ads, this tool can generate thousands of different variations of your ad so you can find what suits you the best.

You can create, change, and measure your social ad performance. You’ll also get the added benefit of knowing what kind of ads work for your followers and which ones lack engagement. 

A key feature here is Smartly’s dynamic ad creation. With it, you can link your Instagram ads to various data points. By leveraging these data connections like product catalogs, APIs, and other sources, Smartly users can dynamically update Instagram ad visuals. 

While powerful, setting up these dynamic templates requires a deeper understanding of ad personalization and an initial time investment, which may feel like a commitment for smaller teams or those new to automated ad solutions.

Pricing:

The pricing information of Smartly is not open to public.

Overall verdict:

Smartly.io shines in its flexibility and ability to personalize Instagram ads at scale, though the learning curve and the level of customization might be overkill for users looking for simpler ad solutions.


10. Phlanx

$50

Phlanx cover

Best for:

Small businesses

Ratings:

3.5 / 5 (G2)

Apps:

Android and iOS

Integrations:

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, Blogs and Web

Key Features:

  • Instagram engagement calculators
  • Unlimited audits for Instagram accounts
  • Brand mention tracking across channels
  • Influencer directory
  • Instagram engagement calculator 
  • Social media campaign manager
  • Competitor tracker
  • Collaborations

Pros

  • Phlanx has an intuitive UI that allows easy navigation.
  • Engagement calculators and search tools are robust and helpful.

Travis Taborek

Phlanx is a useful tool for influencer marketing campaigns. I use their Instagram and Twitter engagement calculator all the time. They also have a good customer service support team. They took a few days to respond to my concern, but when they did, they were courteous and eager to help solve my problem.

Verified Trustpilot Review

Cons

  • Customer support isn’t responsive.
  • Social listening and scheduling features are missing.
  • People end up automatically subscribing and getting billed after the free trial. 

Tonda Vavrda

I read here that I’m not the only one who woke up one day and the free version became paid. And for $300. I wrote an email, but I don’t know if correctly. Where did you send it to please? Me: info a phlanx.com… Because the contact form on that page doesn’t work. Thank you very much for your help.

Verified G2 Review

Our Experience

Phlanx is an essential Instagram analytics tool to surge your engagement rates. You can use this tool specifically for influencer marketing along with amazing audit features.It enables you to find the right influencer to promote your campaigns across multiple platforms like Twitch, Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter, apart from Instagram. Filter active and inactive followers so you can work towards a dedicated follower strategy.

The tool’s most popular feature is its Engagement Calculator, which allows users to assess the engagement rate of any public Instagram account. This can be handy when vetting influencers or determining whether an account’s audience is actively engaging or just passive fans.

Phlanx offers a Directory of Influencers—a searchable database for discovering potential collaborators across various niches. To further the agenda, the platform provides Campaign Management tools to streamline communication with influencers, such as in-platform contracts and agreements.

Pricing:

Phlanx has three paid subscriptions starting from the Basic plan at $49 for individual users. The next two plans are for teams, Premium costing $70 per month, which allows three users, and Business, priced at $100 for eight users.

Overall verdict:

Phlanx can be effective for basic influencer research and engagement checking on Instagram, it may fall short for those requiring deeper analytical insights or more robust influencer vetting. Larger teams or those requiring extensive insights might find themselves looking for a more sophisticated platform.


Key Factors in Choosing an Instagram Marketing Tool

In the previous section, we’ve tried to curate a combination of varied Instagram marketing tools. However, selecting a particular tool out of all the above-mentioned options can be a confusing feat.  

Its recommended that you evaluate the requirements of your business to understand what key functionalities should the tool you opt for possess. Here are a few common factors necessary to consider while analyzing your options. 

  • Pricing: The most important factor to consider is the pricing options provided by the tool and your own budget. 
  • Content publishing automation: To establish a steady presence on Instagram, it’s important that you regularly publish content on your feed. Hence its imperative that your tool has the capability to schedule and publish Instagram posts automatically on multiple profiles you have. 
  • Team Collaboration Workflow: It’s important that the tool you go for has in-bulit collaboration capabilities that facilitate people in your team to work together seamlessly. This includes having means to communicate, share progress, provide feedback, and participate in the approval process. 
  • Instagram Analytics: Instagram offers limited Insights to users, but marketers need a more detailed view of their content’s performance. A scheduler that provides in-depth Instagram analytics would be ideal. 
  • Customer Support: Responsive support is essential for resolving technical issues and making the most of the features, helping you stay on track and avoid disruptions in your social media strategy. Reliable support adds value and boosts confidence in using the tool.

Why Do We Need Instagram Marketing Software?

If you are on this page, you definitely must be in need of assistance with your Instagram marketing activities. Tools such as the ones we have listed help users achieve variety of purposes and make the work of marketers simpler and less time-consuming. 

However, we want to point out some of the key benefits an Instagram marketing tool would provide its users: 

Save Time

When you use tools for the purpose of Instagram marketing, they automate multiple repetitive tasks. This takes mundane things off users’ plates, which in turn lets them work on more strategic side of things. So a major reason of incorporating Instagram marketing tools in your workflow is to save precious time. 

Some of the more advanced platforms can schedule hundreds of Instagram posts in one go. Using this capability, you can hash out a whole month’s publishing calendar, which if done manually time take a good chuck of a day regularly. 

Building Better Network

Using Instagram as a medium to market your business involves keeping in touch with your audience’s sentiments and actively engaging with them. It is a platform where people try to communicate with the brands they are interested in in the form of comments, DMs, UGC, or public discussions. 

Some Instagram tools help streamline the process of monitoring and responding to all incoming messages and other forms of communication from your audience. This helps promote a proactive image for your brand online. 

Monitoring Competitors

Some Instagram marketing tools have capabilities that allow brands to keep an eye on the activities of other relevant accounts, namely, of their competitors. It is a huge advantage for users if they know about emerging industry trends and the sentiments of the audience about their competitors. 

This knowledge can save brands from falling behind from its peers in the eyes of their potential customers. 


Conclusion

Instagram is constantly releasing newer features to support small businesses. That’s why you need a tool that also evolves with time so you can make the most out of your presence on Instagram. With reels being the biggest trend on Instagram now, it’s important to focus especially on this feature.

In this article, we have listed several tools for Instagram marketing, taking varying business sizes, experiences, needs, and budgets into consideration so you can make the right choice to grow your social media account.After comparing all of these tool stacks together, our number one pick is SocialPilot. All in all, this Instagram marketing tool has the most features, including features like Reels scheduling, posting, and analytics at an affordable price. It is easily accessible for new users with the ability to scale quickly. Get a 14-day free trial to boost your Instagram growth now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best Instagram marketing tools?

The best Instagram marketing tools every marketer should have are:

  1. SocialPilot
  2. Buffer
  3. Iconosquare
  4. Later
  5. Blog2Social
  6. Awario
  7. Socialinsider
  8. Kicksta
  9. Smartly.io
  10. Phlanx

What are the promotional tools on Instagram?

The tools that help you promote your brand better on Instagram are:

  1. SocialPilot
  2. Later
  3. Awario
  4. Kicksta

How do I promote my business on Instagram?

The best way to promote your business on Instagram is to post consistently with a scheduling tool like SocialPilot. You can also partner with influencers, run ad campaigns, or boost your best-performing posts.

What is the best scheduling tool for Instagram?

SocialPilot is one of the best scheduling tools for Instagram. It supports major platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, VK, Google My Business, and more. It also offers a free trial of 14 days before you make a final call for the purchase.

What is the best time to post on Instagram?

The best time to post on Instagram is different for every niche. But 6 am to 11 am on weekdays and till 2 pm on weekends are preferable.

Should you post on Instagram every day?

Unlike LinkedIn or Facebook, you should post on Instagram every day. Aim for posting 2-3 posts each day when your followers are most active on the platform. Track your analytics to find the perfect time frame for that.

social media marketing using socialpilot

About the Author

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Jimit Bagadiya

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