Instagram has evolved into a gigantic platform for creators and brands. Its rich features like reels, stories, product tags, shoppable feeds, AR filters, and whatnot hook a billion users for hours at a stretch.
Despite the benefits and added ways to get your product or message out there in front of your target audience, brands often struggle with maintaining a consistent posting schedule.
Whether managing your business account or a client’s profile, you have to dedicate some time to building an impactful Instagram marketing strategy.
And one way to ensure success on this visual-first platform is to use Instagram schedulers. To make things convenient for you, we have curated a list of the best paid and free Instagram scheduling tools that can do the job for you.
How we analyze and select these tools:
We have meticulously curated this list of premier instagram schedulers through detailed research and hands-on testing. We considered various factors such as user satisfaction, G2 ratings and reviews, pricing structure, and scalability. We also actively analyzed the abilities of these tools in automation, developing content, visualization, analytics, and collaborative workflows. We have assembled this list to provide marketers with essential insights, enabling them to make well-informed decisions on the best tools to expand their businesses.
These tools will not just enable you to schedule your posts automatically but also assist with analytics, insights, and get maximum engagement.
To help you decide which Instagram scheduler would suit your needs the best, we’ve curated a list of top options, categorized by user segment, with details on minimum pricing and overall ratings.
|
Suitable For |
Minimum Pricing |
Overall Star Rating |
|
|---|---|---|---|
 SocialPilot |
SMBs, Agencies, Multi-Location Brands | $30/Month | 4.5/5 |
 Later |
Influencers, Small Business | $40/Month | 4.5/5 |
 iconosquare |
Freelancers, Agency, Enterprise | $52.12/Month | 4.4/5 |
 Buffer |
Freelancer, Small Business, Agency | $0/Month | 4.3/5 |
 Sendible |
Freelancers, Startup Agencies, Growing Agencies | $29/Month | 4.3/5 |
 SproutSocial |
Small Business, Enterprise, Agencies | $249/Month | 4.3/5 |
 Sked Social |
Freelancers, Agency, Small Business | $25/Month | 4.2/5 |
 Hootsuite |
Professional Teams, Small business, Enterprises | $99/Month | 4.1/5 |
Hootsuite, a versatile social media tool, offers a comprehensive solution for all aspects of social media management. With its adaptable feature set, the tool effortlessly addresses the diverse Instagram marketing needs of brands, ranging from solo entrepreneurs to large enterprises and marketing agencies managing multiple clients.
This software simplifies the formidable challenge of maintaining a consistent social media presence not only on Instagram, but across multiple platforms. By automating daily tasks, Hootsuite not only streamlines operations but also saves valuable time, enabling users to unlock the full potential of social media.
This overview highlights the primary capabilities of Hootsuite and SocialPilot for comparison.
|
Hootsuite |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | ||
| Minimum Pricing | $99/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | 35 | 30 |
| Number of Team Members | 5 | 6 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | Email, Chat, Tweet for Support | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Diverse industries, including retail, finance, healthcare, and education, have acknowledged its value. Regardless of your specific objectives, Hootsuite provides a centralized platform tailored for the efficient management of all your social profiles. This lets you use social media marketing for what it’s truly worth.
The innumerable integrations in the app make it more of a marketing hub than a scheduling tool. However, the complex design and feature-heavy dashboard can be difficult for inexperienced marketers to learn.
Pros
- You can monitor all activities and view all the results from the dashboard. It gives you swift and effortless reporting to review your successful campaigns.
- You can connect with over 150 apps for a more efficient scheduling process.
Virgina
As a Hootsuite user for 7 years now, it is my favorite social media management software. Creating, optimizing, and posting social media for different platforms, etc
Cons
- It is difficult to use for beginners, and the vast options it offers could become overwhelming to new and small business owners. It’s a more enterprise-focused tool.
- The customer service team isn’t responsive. If you want to upgrade the support available to you, you need to pay an extra sum each month.
Brie
The user interface is weak. It’s not user-friendly, nor is it practical or modern looking. It tends to leg, it also isn’t mobile-friendly, they do have an app, but again it’s not easy to navigate.
Buffer seamlessly accommodates the diverse needs of today’s digital landscape for all types of business requirements. Whether it’s a lone marketer, an agency, a startup, or a or an established brand, Buffer caters to them all.
Buffer’s main user base comprises non-governmental organizations (NGOs), educational institutions, sports teams, and e-commerce businesses. The tool allows users to add links to their bios, which helps to drive traffic and boost sales. Moreover, Buffer offers valuable insights about their audience’s perceptions in the audience.
Gain a bird’s eye view of the primary capabilities of Buffer alongside SocialPilot for a better understanding.
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Buffer |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | ||
| Minimum Pricing | Free | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | 10 | 30 |
| Number of Team Members | Unlimited | 6 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | 2000 | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | English & Spanish | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | FAQs, How-To-Guides, Video Tutorials, Social Media Support & Email Support | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
The tool offers a free plan, which allows users to manage three social profiles. This is a good way to test out whether the tool is a fit for their business or not. However, for higher plans and added features, you need to pay Buffer based on the number of accounts connected, which can be a costly affair.
It eliminates the clutter of going to multiple apps. Buffer can assist you right from strategizing and execution to monitoring the results. And it is also considered as one of the most user-friendly tools among its competitors.
Despite being a highly capable, Buffer’s absence of chat support can impact the user experience.
Pros
- It gives you the ability to schedule and publish posts on the intended time and date.
- It offers basic analytics and link shortening.
- It comes with a basic free version for those wanting to test their services.
Marcos
Over many projects and jobs, I’ve used Buffer as my go-to social media management tool. Link your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts (others, if you wish), and you are ready to rock and roll.
Cons
- You need a third-party app called BulkBuffer for bulk uploads.
- You have to upgrade to a whole different plan to analyze your social media accounts.
- It costs extra to access hashtag manager, publish Instagram stories, and create a shop grid.
Duane
They raised their price for individual accounts from 10 to 15 a month. Go for the free plan, and then you lose posting abilities. The software has always had issues with it, as each “upgrade” can result in a loss of features. I hesitate to upgrade because of this.
Tailwind is another free Instagram scheduling tool that’s aimed at small businesses. It is also used for posting and scheduling Pinterest boards. Easy to use and simple to navigate for even the less tech-oriented people, Tailwind offers something many other apps lack. It has the ability to bulk upload posts with drag and drop functionality. You can also track your profile metrics, trend reporting, and engagement benchmarks.
Pros
- The ability to bulk upload Instagram and Pinterest posts.
- It offers the ability to schedule the date and time of your posts.
- Simple and clear design.
Joanna
This software is mostly beneficial for planning, tracking, and evaluating progress for posts on Instagram and pins on Pinterest. This software addresses the issue of posting scheduled pins to Pinterest, which for a long time was not an option with other scheduling sites.
Cons
- It is only available for Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.
- Tailwind for Pinterest and Instagram are two separate products and will need to be purchased separately. You can’t manage both social media accounts from one dashboard.
- It can’t be used to schedule posts for other social media accounts like LinkedIn and Twitter. Quite a lot of limitations when using this as a complete social media tool.
Kate
The main menu could be a little more basic, than offering options to navigate away from the main screen. I feel the main screen jumps right into the product, which can be a bit overwhelming.
Another best Instagram scheduler that allows users to schedule both images and videos as social media posts directly is Sendible. It enables users to choose and select specific time slots before adding them to a queue to be posted automatically.
Here’s a comprehensive comparison of the primary capabilities of Sendible along with SocialPilot as a reference point.
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Sendible |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | ||
| Minimum Pricing | $29/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | 49 | 30 |
| Number of Team Members | 7 | 6 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | 300 | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | English, Dutch, Spanish and few others | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | Email, Chat (9am - 10pm GMT) | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Sendible even offers users the ability to recycle their old content and reshare them. An all-in-one tool that allows users to schedule, design, create and promote posts across a range of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even Tumblr.
Pros
- It comes with a built-in inbox that allows users to manage and respond to comments and mentions across various social media platforms.
- Sendible also features a built-in CRM with a team management system.
- You can review keywords and hashtags searched by your target audience.
Nikki
Sendible provides the features most important to me at a price that doesn’t break my budget. I feel their support team has been responsive, and I look forward to continued improvements with this product.
Cons
- Users have highlighted that adding and setting up new users and teammates to the tool can be confusing and time-consuming.
- The mobile app has been reported to be prone to glitches and crashes. Editing Instagram posts can be challenging too.
- It has also been found that sometimes posts are shared without images and need additional monitoring.
Caitlin
This software is so glitchy. I often have to log out and back in to make features work. Sometimes they disappear altogether, or when I click them, they don’t fire.
Later is the official partner of Instagram and serves as an excellent Instagram posting app. This app for scheduling Instagram posts is used by over 1 million users worldwide and comes with loads of handy features.
Compare the primary capabilities of Later and SocialPilot providing an you an overview of both these tools.
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Later |
SocialPilot |
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|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | ||
| Minimum Pricing | $40/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | 36 | 30 |
| Number of Team Members | 6 | 6 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | Email & Live Chat | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Whether you are an agency, an influencer, or a small business, this tool can prove to be quite valuable. Some of the main features include planning and preparing content through a calendar view and previewing them on Laters’ Instagram Scheduling app.
Pros
- Users can bulk upload posts at one time and sync images from Dropbox, Drive, or even their desktop.
- It offers users the ability to track and review performance with its in-built analytics.
- There is an added option for eCommerce users to sell products by including Linkin.bio integration.
Laura G
Later has legitimately changed the way I do business and how I think about social media as a whole. Social media is not a burden anymore, but something that I am very intentional with.
Cons
- Later is definitely a good Instagram scheduler app but lacks the ability to help you with your overall social media strategy.
- Some scheduled Instagram posts are not always processed before being posted. However, this appears to be a fault within the app.
- The analytics option available is fairly limited and is nowhere as in-depth as other Instagram scheduling tools offer.
Laura P.
The analytics part would improve if it could give more details about the overall engagement of our profile. This means it would be great if we could have graphics that sum up all the reactions for our stories, posts, and clicks on our link altogether.
Hopper HQ is one of the simple Instagram scheduling tools for businesses of all sizes. It is an effective Instagram tool that allows you to schedule and prepare posts in advance by editing and uploading posts in bulk. Hopper enables users to post, track and review the analytics of their Instagram activity. Within this Instagram scheduler, users can also collaborate with other team members and auto-publish on Instagram.
Pros
- It allows teams to collaborate, create, schedule, and bulk post on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
- Hopper enables users to post and schedule videos onto carousels on Instagram automatically.
Anne
I find Hopper to have functionality and ease of use that I’ve not had before. When we have had issues with the software, customer service has always been top-notch!
Cons
- Some users have found that the software disconnects from the login details. Regular connectivity check is recommended.
- Hopper does not allow the option to tag people within the posts at present.
- It can be expensive for influencers and those on a budget to manage multiple accounts on multiple social media.
Cara
It’s constantly disconnecting. There is no point in scheduling posts if you have to go back and check that your scheduling tool is working every day.
Sked Social is viewed by many to be an all-in-one time-saving tool. This Instagram scheduling tool allows users to schedule, auto-post, and track the performance of every post, along with measuring the ROI of social media efforts.
We present an overview of the primary capabilities, comparing Sked Social with SocialPilot.
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Sked Social |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | ||
| Minimum Pricing | $25/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | 25 | 30 |
| Number of Team Members | Unlimited | 6 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | English | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | Email, FAQs, Live Chat | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Like many other Instagram posting apps, Sked Social offers bulk uploading of content. It also comes with an in-app photo editor allowing users to edit both text and filters while adding stickers. Besides being an app for scheduling Instagram posts, Sked Social can also help you post on other platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
Pros
- You can create a Sked link which, on clicking, will show multiple destinations a user can go to.
- They offer a free 7-day trial to gauge the platform’s functionality better.
- It has good in-app photo editing features for adding stickers and overlaid texts.
Alexa
The interface is very fast and is very user-friendly software. It has all the features that you need to post on Instagram. The calendar view allows you to plan ahead of time. I just put the information there, and Sked does all the work for me!
Cons
- Some users have found that it would be useful if this scheduling tool offered them the option to edit and update posts before scheduling them.
- The monthly cost of Sked Social can rapidly add up if you add more users and social accounts.
Amen
Even though it has IG story options, it doesn’t have all the options to add the polls links, which we all know are very powerful. Also, customer support isn’t the greatest. I was a loyal customer on an ‘old’ plan paying £32/month where on their website it’s advertised from £19.
Combin is a free Instagram scheduling tool for those who are unsure of where to start or not yet ready to commit to a more developed app. Not just posts, you can even schedule and post Instagram stories with Combin. It allows users to drag and drop images and combine them, so you create engaging and meaningful stories. Once created, you can publish them directly to your profile. Though the tool is free, you need to pay to add more accounts and use all of its features to their full potential.
Pros
- It allows users the option to schedule ahead or post immediately.
- Along with creating and scheduling bulk posts, Combin enables users to edit the image sizes.
- Users can even choose the locations of followers, so their posts are geo-targeted.
Patrice
I like how much time it saves me from liking photos, commenting, and following users. I like how I can add in my own comments, select specific accounts and hashtags, and automate a lot of the tedious parts of growing an Instagram account.
Cons
- It lacks analytics options and the ability to review which followers have engaged with your posts.
- Some users have discovered that Instagram will sign them out of their account and regularly ask them to change their password when using Combin.
- Free accounts come with limits letting you connect with only a few social profiles.
Patrik
Most features did not work properly. After contacting support and trying their alternative ways, it didn’t really change much at all. In the end, it didn’t work at all, even to like one image.
Apphi is a simple tool that allows users to schedule multiple Instagram posts and is ideal for those Instagram users who have tight deadlines. It offers the ability to save their most-used captions and hashtags.
This Instagram posting app can be used on both desktop and mobile and offers an analytics option for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. What sets this Instagram software tool apart from others is its ability to schedule not just Instagram posts but also videos, stories, and even IGTVs while receiving valuable information on their followers’ activity.
This ensures that the content is being received and viewed at optimal prime time.
Pros
- Apart from being an app that auto posts to Instagram, Apphi allows users to schedule videos, stories, and IGTVs.
- Users can also gain insight into their followers’ activity to ensure that they share content at prime time.
- Manage Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter from a single place.
Helen
I have been using this app for a few days now, managing more than one IG account, and when they say you can schedule your posts in advance, you literally plan, schedule, and then forget about it. It does it for you!
Cons
- Many users have found that auto-scheduling doesn’t always work.
- Some users complain that their Instagram accounts were blocked because of this third-party app usage.
- Customer service is not always helpful for fixing and recommending a solution to the bugs and failures within the tool.
Ella
However, the auto-post doesn’t work for me as whenever I schedule something to post after it’s supposed to have been posted, it just says expired and doesn’t post, even though I haven’t used any of my free auto-posts.
Iconosquare is an excellent Instagram scheduling tool that is also known for its robust analytics. You can use it for scheduling posts, monitoring your competitors, and working earnestly towards community building for your brand.
Within this analytical tool, you can keep track of diversified analytics like post impressions, reach, and trends related to engagement. You can even use its hashtag tracking feature to get better visibility.
Pros
- You can use this tool for getting Instagram story analytics.
- The interface is quite intuitive and can be used by anyone.
- It also lists demographic details of your content.
Eirik V J
I love the simplicity and the impressive underlying data set and all the great analytics that they share. I also enjoy the fact that I can dig into the data as deeply as I want.
Cons
- You need to resize images if you are using Iconosquare for scheduling and posting.
- Multiple breakups of categories and content can be overwhelming.
Devyn D
Some of the categorizations of features are a little confusing. The names of the categories are not necessarily user-friendly, but once you get the hang of it, it’s fine.
Sprout Social is a premium social media management tool that lets you use a social media calendar to publish on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. With its content library, you can store images and videos.
Explore the primary capabilities of Sprout Social and using SocialPilot as a benchmark.
|
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | ||
| Minimum Pricing | $249/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | Unlimited | 30 |
| Number of Team Members | 1 | 6 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | 10000 | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | ||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | Priority Email & Chat Support | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Additionally, you can track the performance of hashtags through its analytics dashboard. Team management becomes super seamless, you can set up the entire approval process to avoid any hiccups.
Pros
- Schedule your posts and use the content calendar to publish them.
- Through its analytics dashboard, you can track your engagement.
- The interface is clean and easy to use.
Daniella L
The platform is easy to use and took us very little time to get comfortable with. It offers our social team a lot of value, from scheduling our posts to tracking engagement and social listening for campaigns.
Cons
- The tool is highly expensive.
- The tool needs to be manually set up and takes a lot of time.
- Lacks in customer support.
Verified user
Sprout requires a lot of manual set up, and you don’t ever receive updates on support tickets even when promised.
Conclusion
With the functions of Instagram constantly changing and our priorities switching, using Instagram scheduler is a must for upscaling. They help you stay relevant with the latest advances.
Along with ensuring that your chosen Instagram scheduler can complete the essential tasks, finding a tool on an appropriate budget is crucial too. They keep your marketing efforts in line with your company’s requirements and support your ever-growing needs at all times.
Whether you are looking for a free, straightforward, or multi-functional tool that can review the trending hashtags, and inform you of your audience’s activities while recommending the best time and date to post, the tools listed above will surely come to your rescue.
If you want a tool that gives you master control of every major social media platform, then SocialPilot is the ultimate choice. Take its free trial and let us know your first-hand experience of using it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Instagram scheduling app?
The best Instagram scheduling apps are:
- SocialPilot
- Hootsuite
- Buffer
- Tailwind
- Sendible
- Later
- Hopper HQ
- Sked Social
- Combin
- Apphi
- Iconosquare
Can you schedule posts on Instagram for free?
Yes, there are a couple of free Instagram scheduling tools which let you post to Instagram directly for free. However, it allows you only to publish single photos and videos directly. To share carousel posts, you will still need to use the notifications. Tailwind and Combin are the tools that let you do it for free.
Does SocialPilot allow direct Instagram scheduling?
Yes, you can now directly publish to your Instagram business account with SocialPilot.
You can automatically schedule image, reels, stories, and video posts without using a reminder or third-party tool.
What is the best time to post on Instagram?
The best time to post on Instagram largely depends on your business niche and target audience. However, the general best time frames to post on Instagram are 6 am-9 am, 12 pm-2 pm, and 5 pm-7 pm.
What day is best to post on Instagram?
Tuesday is the best day to post on Instagram. Since Mondays are the busiest for most people and weekends reserved for leisure, your audience is less likely to respond to business posts.
Should I post every day on Instagram?
Yes, you should post at least once a day on Instagram and share multiple stories throughout the day. This will increase your chances of more profile visits and followers. It also keeps you active on your followers’ feeds.
How to schedule Instagram posts for free?
The best way to schedule Instagram posts for free is by using free plans from third-party tools like Buffer and later.
About the Author
SocialPilot
$30
per month
If you are looking for an affordable yet reliable Instagram scheduling app, SocialPilot is the undisputed choice. It is a solution-driven tool that combines all branding elements with direct Instagram scheduling.
Straightforward and simple to use, SocialPilot allows you to schedule Instagram posts, reels, and stories. Besides Instagram, it also supports other major social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business Profile, Tumblr and YouTube.
It allows users to create, integrate and schedule posts from one dashboard. But what’s most exciting is how SocialPilot constantly updates its features to match the latest trends.
One of SocialPilot’s newest features is Watermark. With its in-built image watermarking feature, you can create and schedule unique content for multiple clients effortlessly. Additionally, its latest Unsplash integration gives you access to more than 2 million high-quality royalty-free images, so creating captivating visual content is no longer a hassle.
The analytics feature of SocialPilot provides in-depth data of your social media profiles. You can see just how the audience has interacted with your content, with all the engagement rates, top-performing posts, and hashtags. You can consolidate all this data to create detailed PDF reports to share with or send to relevant stakeholders.
If you are stuck somewhere, you can reach out to its customer support. They are available round-the-clock via phone, email, chat, and social media.
Features of SocialPilot
What People Say About Us
Dan Fuoco
SocialPilot’s ability to bulk schedule content is a giant time-saver. Having that feature plus an intuitive dashboard that was friendly to the new and intermediate user is a recipe for success. Lastly, SP is at the forefront of advancements and new technology.