8 Best Instagram Apps For Small Business
The best apps for the best results.
For the second installment of my series of articles for small businesses, I decided to share with you the best apps every small business should start using if they want to sell on Instagram.
In the list below you’ll find the best Instagram apps for each category, from photo editing to selling products.
I’ll tell you their best features, what platforms they support, and how much you have to pay for them.
I’ll also give you a few alternatives for each of them if you prefect to have more than one option.
So, let’s start with the most crucial one!
1. Taplink — Sales
Platforms: Web
SourceForge Rating: 4.9
Main Features:
What is the main goal of every business (small and big)? To sell products, of course!
And even though Instagram made it easier to sell through their platforms, it’s still not the best option.
That’s why I always recommend using Link in Bio tools for every small business owner client of mine. And nowadays my favorite one is Taplink. It just solves every problem an online seller has.
- Are your customers having trouble contacting you?
Just share all your messenger apps on your Taplink page. Add WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram to make your customers’ experience more pleasant.
- Using other social media platforms to advertise your product?
Just add links to all of them to your Taplink page and share it in your Instagram bio, so your audience can have access to all of it.
- Having trouble receiving payments from people around the world?
Just set up the needed payment providers on your Taplink page and start receiving payments without any problems.
Cost:
- Free version
- Pro version — $3 / month
- Business version — $6 / month
Alternatives:
- Linktr.ee
- Shor.by
- Beacons
2. Inflact — Hashtags
Platforms: Web | Android | iOS
SourceForge Rating: 4.76
Main Features:
Hashtags on Instagram are as powerful as they are dangerous. That’s why I always recommend using third-party tools when it comes to choosing the best hashtags.
The tool that proved itself the best is Inflact’s hashtag generator. After starting to use it, I stopped worrying about the “shadowban problem” completely.
The app can generate an optimal list of hashtags based on:
- A keyword
- A photo
- An Instagram post
After getting your input, their AI-based searcher will create a personal list of hashtags for you to copy.
If you want a step-by-step guide on how to use Inflact’s generator with maximum efficiency, make sure to check out my article about the best hashtags for small businesses.
Cost:
- Free trial
- Premium membership — $19 / month
Alternatives:
- Toolzu
- Best-Hashtags
- Sistrix
3. Zapier — Scheduling
Platforms: Web
SourceForge Rating: 4.66
Main Features:
When your business grows, it takes more and more time for you to create and post content. And that’s when Scheduling apps come in handy.
Regarding scheduling, my favorite app is Zapier.
The app makes posting less time-consuming by automating your post scheduling.
Zapier lets you create “Triggers” that activate when a certain event happens. Such Triggers can be:
- Date (useful if you decide to have a sale on a certain date)
- Timestamp (useful if you what to post daily Stories at the same time)
- Event (useful if you want to post something right after reaching a certain amount of followers)
With an app like Zapier, you can set all your posting schedule in one day, and focus on other things that’ll grow your small business without constant distractions during the week.
Cost:
- Free version
- Starter — $19.99 / month
- Professional — $49 / month
- Team — $399 / month
- Company- $799 / month
Alternatives:
- Buffer
- SocialPilot
- SocialBee
4. Hootsuite — Analytics
SourceForge Rating: 4.58
Main Features:
When it comes to Instagram Analytics, Hootsuite is one of the most powerful tools on the market.
The app lets you track posts’ metrics like:
- Followers growth
- Content reach
- Engagement
You can even create custom analytics reports based on specific metrics.
Besides tracking your achievements, Hootsuite helps you monitor the success of your business competitors.
If you want to learn what content works best for businesses in your field, Hootsuite should be your go-to option.
Cost:
- Professional — $49 / month
- Team — $179 / month
- Business — $739 / month
Alternatives:
- Later
- Iconosquare
- Sprout Social
5. VSCO — Photos
SourceForge Rating: 4.1
Main Features:
VSCO is one of the oldest and most popular photo editing apps on the market. Many popular Instagram photographers recommend it as their favorite photo editing app.
VSCO has a huge collection of exclusive filters and effects for you to explore.
Besides filters, the app lets you change saturation, contrast, and even grain. Using VSCO you can levitate the photo quality of your products to the next level.
Cost:
- Free version
- VSCO membership — $19.99 / year
Alternatives:
- Darkroom
- Adobe Lightroom
- Camera+
6. InShot — Stories
SourceForge Rating: 4.8
Main Features:
Among the best apps for Instagram Stories, InShot takes the crown.
The app not just provides every tool needed for quick editing, but also offers a big library of customizable templates. You can just set a specific resolution, saturation, and brightness and save time when creating future Stories.
With InShot searching and applying the needed effects and filters also takes seconds.
Cost:
- Free version
- InShot Pro — $3.99 / month
Alternatives:
- StoryArt
- Unfold
- A Color Story
7. Magisto — Reels
Platforms: Web | Android | iOS
SourceForge Rating: 4.8
Main Features:
Production of entertaining video content on Instagram can be time-consuming. Especially for a small business owner. That’s why I always recommend video editors that can make the process faster and easier.
Magisto Video Editor is an app that uses an artificial intelligence-enhanced algorithm. And believe me, it’s game-changing.
Their AI analyses your video and chooses the most catchy bits of the footage for you. Then it proposes the best transitions, graphics, and effects to make your video unforgettable.
Before I could easily spend hours editing one Reel, but now it rarely takes more than 15 minutes.
Cost:
- Free version
- Premium — $4.99 / month
- Professional — $9.99 / month
- Business — $34.99 moth
Alternatives:
- Clips
- KineMaster
- Splice
8. Design — Canva
Platforms: Web | Android | iOS
SourceForge Rating: 4.74
Main Features:
When it comes to creating content on Instagram, following a style guide is crucial for any small business. A developed style guide helps your business to have a recognizable presence and creates brand awareness.
But constantly thinking about colors, dimensions, and fonts when creating content is terrible for your productivity. That is why you need an app that helps you think less and post more.
Canva lets you develop your own templates for every piece of your Instagram content. You can change colors, and add images, texts, or infographics to your templates.
With such templates, all your posts, Stories, and Reels will be instantly recognizable in your followers’ feed.
Cost:
- Free version
- Canva Pro — $12.99 / month
- Canva for Teams — $14.99 / month
Alternatives:
- Framatic
- Unfold
- Snapseed
If you are a small business owner, I hope you did find a couple of apps here to upgrade your Instagram game!
What’s your must-have app when it comes to Instagram marketing? Let me know what you think in the responses.
