Top 10 Apps That Schedule Instagram Posts

Instagram is a powerhouse platform in the social media landscape, making it essential for digital marketing agencies to manage multiple clients. With over a billion monthly active users, the platform offers brands an unparalleled opportunity to engage with their audience and get more views on Instagram. However, managing multiple client accounts, ensuring consistent posting, and maintaining engagement across the board can be challenging. This is where Instagram scheduling apps come into play.

To schedule Instagram posts not only saves time but also helps maintain a consistent presence, which is crucial for algorithmic favor and audience engagement. In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 apps that help you schedule Instagram posts that offer unique features tailored for social media service providers.

Reasons to Opt for Schedule Instagram Posts

Digital marketing agencies and other social media marketing providers juggle multiple client accounts, each requiring a tailored content strategy and consistent posting schedule. Many third-party tools allow users to schedule Instagram posts from the desktop. Hence, the ability to schedule Instagram posts in advance is a game-changer, allowing agencies to:

• Save Time: Create and schedule Instagram posts for multiple clients at once, freeing up time for strategy and engagement.
• Ensure Consistency: Maintain a regular posting schedule, which is key to staying relevant and visible in your audience’s feed.
• Optimize Posting Times: Use analytics to determine the best times to post and schedule Instagram posts accordingly to maximize engagement.
• Streamline Workflows: Collaborate with team members and clients efficiently, with workflows that include content approvals and feedback loops.

Now, let’s dive into the top 10 apps that make it easy to schedule Instagram posts.

1. RecurPost

RecurPost Instagram scheduler stands out as a comprehensive social media management tool, especially for agencies that need to manage multiple accounts and recurring content. It’s more than just a scheduling tool. It’s designed to help you maximize the life of your content by allowing posts to be recycled, ensuring that evergreen content continues to engage your audience over time.

Key Features

• Recurring Schedules: One of the standout features of RecurPost is its ability to schedule recurring posts. This feature is particularly useful for content that remains relevant over time, such as promotional posts, tips, or industry news. With this Instagram post planner, you can set posts to repeat at intervals, ensuring continuous engagement without additional effort.
• Advanced Analytics: RecurPost offers robust analytics that allows you to track the performance of your Instagram posts. You can monitor key metrics such as likes, comments, and follower growth, providing insights into what content resonates best with your audience.
• Multi-Account and Team Management: RecurPost allows you to manage multiple Instagram accounts from a single dashboard. You can also collaborate with team members, assign roles, and manage client approvals seamlessly.
• Client Approval Workflows: Before posts go live, clients can review and approve content directly within RecurPost. This feature reduces the back-and-forth communication and ensures that the content aligns with client expectations.
• Instagram-Specific Features: RecurPost supports the scheduling of Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels. The visual calendar feature helps you plan your content strategy visually, ensuring a balanced mix of posts.

Pros: Unique recurring scheduling feature, detailed analytics, excellent customer support.

Cons: Slight learning curve for beginners due to its robust feature set.

Pricing: Starting at $25/month

Ideal users: If you are an Instagram marketing provider, stop wondering why can’t I schedule posts on Instagram. Your hunt for a tool that supports recurring content, detailed analytics, and client collaboration, all at an affordable price point, is over.

2. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a veteran in the social media management space, widely recognized for its ability to manage multiple social networks, including Instagram. It’s a versatile tool that caters to businesses of all sizes, offering a broad range of features from scheduling to analytics.

Key Features

• Comprehensive Analytics: Hootsuite provides detailed insights into your Instagram performance, helping marketing providers to track engagement, follower growth, and content performance over time. This data is crucial for refining strategies and demonstrating ROI to clients, including the best and worst times to post on Instagram.
• Team Collaboration: Hootsuite’s collaboration features make it easy for teams to work together, assign tasks, and manage content approvals. This is particularly useful for larger agencies with multiple team members handling different aspects of social media management.
• Content Curation: Beyond scheduling, Hootsuite helps you discover and curate content that resonates with your audience and helps you understand how the Instagram algorithm works. This can be especially useful for filling gaps in your content calendar.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Hootsuite allows you to schedule Instagram posts and Stories directly. Its visual content calendar makes it easy to plan and organize posts, ensuring a cohesive Instagram feed.

Pros: Extensive integration capabilities, strong analytics, large user community.

Cons: Higher pricing, particularly for advanced features, which may be costly for smaller agencies.

Pricing: Starting at $99/month

Ideal users: Larger businesses that require advanced features and comprehensive analytics to manage multiple clients.

Check the detailed comparison between Hootsuite and Agorapulse here.

3. Buffer

Buffer is a user-friendly tool known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a popular choice for small to medium-sized businesses. Buffer focuses on making social media management straightforward, with a clean interface and essential features that are easy to navigate.

Key Features

• Queue Management: Buffer’s queue system allows you to easily schedule Instagram posts in advance. Simply add your posts to the queue, and Buffer will automatically publish them at the scheduled times. This feature is particularly useful for maintaining a consistent posting schedule.
• Basic Analytics: While not as comprehensive as some of its competitors, Buffer provides essential analytics to help you monitor post-performance, including engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares.
• Post Previews: Buffer allows you to preview how your posts will appear on Instagram before they go live. This ensures that your content looks exactly how you want it to, maintaining the aesthetic of your clients’ Instagram feeds.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Buffer supports direct scheduling for Instagram, including posts and stories. The reminder feature is handy for manually posting Stories at optimal times.

Pros: Simple interface, easy to use, affordable for smaller agencies.

Cons: Limited features in lower pricing tiers, especially in analytics and team collaboration.

Pricing: Starting at $6/month 

Ideal users: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a straightforward, affordable solution for managing Instagram posts.

Buffer is an excellent choice for scheduling Instagram posts, but another great option available is Agorapulse.

4. Later

Later is a visual-first platform designed specifically for Instagram, making it an excellent choice for agencies that prioritize visual content. With its drag-and-drop interface and visual content calendar, Later simplifies the process of planning and scheduling not only Instagram posts but also Instagram carousels, stories, and reels.

Key Features

• Visual Content Calendar: Later’s drag-and-drop calendar allows you to plan your Instagram feed visually. You can see how your posts will appear in your feed before they go live, helping you maintain a cohesive aesthetic.
• Story and Reels Scheduling: Later supports scheduling for Instagram Stories and Reels, in addition to standard posts. This feature is particularly useful for businesses looking to diversify their Instagram content strategy.
• Hashtag Suggestions: Later provides top Instagram hashtags based on your content, helping you increase the reach and engagement of your posts. This feature is invaluable for optimizing your Instagram strategy.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Later is built with Instagram in mind, offering features like first comment scheduling (for hashtags) and Instagram-specific analytics.

Pros: Excellent visual planning tools, easy-to-use interface, strong focus on Instagram.

Cons: Limited features for non-visual content and cross-platform management.

Pricing: Starting at $25/month

Ideal user: Businesses focused on Instagram and visual content need a tool to help plan and maintain a visually appealing feed.

5. Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a robust social media management platform that offers comprehensive features for managing, scheduling, and analyzing content across multiple social networks. It’s particularly strong in analytics and reporting, making it a favorite among agencies that need to provide detailed performance reports to clients.

Key Features

• Robust Analytics: Sprout Social’s analytics are among the most detailed in the industry, offering insights into engagement, audience demographics, and content performance. These reports can be customized and branded, making them ideal for client presentations.
• CRM Features: Sprout Social includes CRM features that allow you to track interactions with followers, manage customer relationships, and streamline communication across channels.
• Team Collaboration and Task Assignment: Sprout Social’s collaboration tools enable teams to work together efficiently, with features for assigning tasks, managing workflows, and handling client approvals.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Sprout Social supports Instagram post and Story scheduling, as well as detailed analytics tailored to Instagram’s unique metrics.

Pros: Strong analytics, comprehensive feature set, excellent customer support.

Cons: Higher pricing, which may be prohibitive for smaller agencies.

Pricing: Starting at $249/month 

Ideal users: Social media marketing providers and businesses needing advanced analytics and reporting tools to manage high-profile clients.

Here’s a detailed comparison: Sprout Social vs Agorapulse

6. Planoly

Planoly Instagram planner is a visual planner that caters to online businesses focused on building a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed. It offers a range of features designed to help plan, schedule, and analyze Instagram content, including posts, Stories, and Reels.

Key Features

• Drag-and-Drop Grid: Planoly’s drag-and-drop interface allows you to design and organize your Instagram feed visually. This feature is ideal for agencies that need to maintain a specific visual style across their clients’ accounts.
• Story Planning: Planoly includes tools for planning and auto-schedule Instagram posts.
• Hashtag Management: The platform offers hashtag management tools, allowing you to save and organize hashtags for easy access and use in future posts.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Planoly’s focus is entirely on Instagram, making it an excellent tool for businesses looking to optimize their Instagram content strategy.

Pros: Strong visual planning tools, easy-to-use interface, focused on Instagram.

Cons: Limited features for other social networks, may not be suitable for businesses needing cross-platform management.

Pricing: Starting at $16/month 

Ideal users: Instagram-focused businesses that prioritize visual content and need a tool to help them plan and schedule Instagram posts effectively.

7. Zoho Social

Zoho Social is a versatile social media management tool that integrates seamlessly with other Zoho products. It is a great choice for businesses already using Zoho’s CRM, email marketing, or project management tools. It offers a range of features for scheduling, monitoring, and analyzing social media content.

Key Features

• Monitoring and Listening Tools: Zoho Social includes social listening tools that allow you to monitor brand mentions, keywords, and competitors, providing valuable insights for refining your content strategy.
• Customizable Reports: The platform offers customizable reports that can be branded with your agency’s logo, making them ideal for client presentations.
• Team Collaboration: Zoho Social’s collaboration tools allow team members to work together seamlessly, with features for task assignments, client approvals, and content scheduling.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Zoho Social supports Instagram post scheduling and provides analytics tailored to Instagram’s unique metrics.

Pros: Strong integration with other Zoho products, customizable reports, social listening tools.

Cons: Interface can be less intuitive than some competitors, limited features for agencies not using Zoho’s other products.

Pricing: Starting at $15/month

Ideal users: Businesses and Agencies already using Zoho’s suite of tools or those needing strong integration with a CRM.

8. Sendible

Sendible is a social media management platform designed with agencies in mind, offering features tailored to the needs of teams managing multiple clients. It’s particularly strong in team collaboration and client management, making it an excellent choice for agencies and businesses with complex workflows.

Key Features

• Content Calendar: Sendible’s content calendar provides a clear overview of all scheduled posts, making it easy to manage multiple clients and campaigns from a single interface.
• Client Approval Workflows: Sendible includes built-in workflows for client approvals, reducing the back-and-forth communication and ensuring that content aligns with client expectations before it goes live.
• Detailed Reporting: The platform offers detailed reporting features, allowing agencies to track post performance and engagement across all social networks.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Sendible supports Instagram post scheduling, including the ability to schedule Stories and use a visual content calendar.

Pros: Excellent for team collaboration and client management, strong reporting features.

Cons: Steeper learning curve, higher pricing for advanced features.

Pricing: Starting $29/month

Ideal users: Businesses with complex workflows that need a tool to manage multiple clients and team collaboration efficiently.

9. Agorapulse

Agorapulse is a comprehensive social media management tool that offers a wide range of features for scheduling, monitoring, and analyzing social media content. It’s known for its ease of use and strong customer support, making it a reliable choice for agencies of all sizes.

Key Features

• Social Inbox: Agorapulse’s social inbox allows you to manage all your social media messages and comments in one place, making it easier to stay on top of client communication.
• Robust Reporting: The platform offers detailed reports that provide insights into engagement, reach, and audience demographics, helping agencies demonstrate the value of their social media efforts to clients.
• Team Collaboration: Agorapulse includes features for team collaboration, including task assignment and client approvals, streamlining workflows, and reducing errors.
• Instagram-Specific Features: Agorapulse supports Instagram post scheduling, including direct publishing of Stories. The platform also offers Instagram analytics that tracks key metrics like follower growth and engagement.

Pros: Strong customer support, easy-to-use interface, robust reporting features.

Cons: Higher pricing for advanced features, limited customization options.

Pricing: Starting at $69/month

Ideal users: Businesses looking for a user-friendly platform with strong customer support and comprehensive social media management features.

10. SocialBee

SocialBee is a content scheduling tool that focuses on content categorization and recycling, making it an excellent choice for agencies that manage a lot of evergreen content. It’s designed to help you get the most out of your content by ensuring that it’s seen by your audience multiple times.

Key Features

• Category-Based Scheduling: SocialBee allows you to categorize your content and schedule it accordingly. This feature is particularly useful for businesses that manage different types of content, such as promotional posts, blog articles, and evergreen content.
• Content Recycling: SocialBee’s content recycling feature ensures that your evergreen content continues to engage your audience over time. Once a post has been published, it can be automatically re-added to the queue for future publication.
• Analytics and Reporting: The platform provides basic analytics that helps you track the performance of your Instagram posts, including engagement metrics like likes, comments, and shares.
• Instagram-Specific Features: SocialBee supports Instagram post scheduling and includes features for content categorization and recycling, helping you maintain a consistent posting schedule.

Pros: Great for content recycling, easy-to-use interface, affordable pricing.

Cons: Limited integrations, basic analytics compared to competitors.

Pricing: Starting at $29/month

Ideal users: Businesses with a focus on evergreen content need a tool to help them schedule Instagram posts and recycle content efficiently.

Don’t forget you can schedule Instagram posts without third-party apps. 

Conclusion

Choosing the right Instagram scheduling app is crucial for digital marketing agencies looking to streamline their workflows, leverage Instagram automation, and maximize their impact on social media. While each tool offers unique features and benefits, RecurPost stands out for its recurring scheduling capabilities, making it an excellent choice for agencies managing evergreen content across multiple client accounts. 

Which app is your ideal choice to schedule Instagram posts? 

Frequently Asked Questions