With an ever-expanding suite of apps for Instagram Stories, the possibilities for creativity are limitless.
And, while the content is transient, the impact is not. Instagram Stories provide a golden opportunity for social media marketers to reach and engage with the more than 500 million users who watch Stories every day.
So, are you new to Instagram Stories or are you having trouble getting your stories to convert? Continue reading to learn about our favorite Instagram Stories apps for creating beautiful, eye-catching content.
Bonus: If you’re looking for some inspiration for Instagram Reels, view the latest Reels trends here!
19 apps for Instagram Stories that marketers should know
Apps for Instagram Stories #1: Hootsuite
Best for: Scheduling your Instagram Stories
Hootsuite allows you to plan and create your Instagram Story content ahead of time, then find the best time to post it. In particular, Hootsuite’s Story scheduling feature even allows you to schedule your Stories for later, ensuring that you always reach your audience at the right time.
Essential features:
- Create content ahead of time to post at your leisure.
- Edit your images right in the dashboard.
- Upload Stories from your desktop or mobile device.
Price: Free trial (30 days)
Download: Desktop, iOS and Android
Apps for Instagram Stories #2: VSCO
Best for: Filters and edits for Stories
VSCO, widely regarded as the gold standard in photo editing, provides professional-looking editing presets as well as highly detailed tools for adjusting color, texture, light, and perspective. In fact, high-definition RAW photos from your professional camera can be easily imported and tweaked on the fly. So, ensure that your Instagram Stories look good even if your phone-tography skills aren’t flawless.
Essential features:
- 10 no-cost presets (200-plus available for paid subscribers)
- Textures and editing tools
- Color correction in video editing
- Make montages out of videos, photos, and shapes.
Price: Free & paid premium features
Apps for Instagram Stories #3: Unfold
Best for: Creating a unified brand presence
Unfold bills itself as “a storyteller’s toolkit.” In general, this Instagram Stories app includes a variety of photo and text layout templates, making each Story look like a mini digital magazine. Moreover, this Instagram Stories template app provides a consistent look and feel to your content.
Essential features:
- Over 200 template options (some paid)
- Advanced text editors provide a variety of fonts and styles.
- Built-in photo editing tools
- Early access to new templates is available to paid subscribers.
Price: Free & paid premium features
Apps for Instagram Stories #5: Patternator
Best for: Animated backgrounds for Stories
Using a library of GIFs and quirky images, you can use this Instagram Stories app to create playful animated backdrops for your stories. Alternatively, you can add your own photo stickers to truly personalize the experience. Moreover, to complete your delightfully dizzying personalized video wallpaper, Patternator allows you to adjust the speed and movement of the cascading graphics.
Essential features:
- 23 available pre-set animated templates, as well as tools for adjusting movement and layout.
- Export as a GIF, video, live wallpaper, or high-resolution image.
- Directly share to Instagram
Price: Free & paid premium features
Best for: Attention-grabbing stop-motion videos
Become an Instagram stop motion sensation! And, even the most inanimate objects come to life thanks to Life Lapse. Surprisingly, the app includes more than 50 lessons and tutorials to assist you in creating high-quality stop-motion videos. Plus, you can win prizes by participating in one of its Stop Motion Challenges!
Essential features:
- Ghosted image overlaps for easy shooting
- In-app video editing tools
- Add music (premium only)
- Interval timer and one-shot timer
Price: Free, with paid premium features
Apps #6: Storyluxe
Best for: Stylish photo collages
Storyluxe is the ideal app for Instagram Stories that require a consistent tone. Surprisingly, the app’s 700 templates resemble film strips or taped-together photos. For example, make use of neon elements to add a pop of color.
Essential features:
- Watermark for custom branding (premium only)
- Templates with a theme: Select from categories such as “paper,” “collage,” or “tape.”
- Text and patterned backgrounds can be added.
- Directly export to Instagram Stories
Price: Free & paid premium features
Download: iOS only
Best for: Adding motion to static pictures
Having trouble deciding between photos and videos? Motionleap combines the best of both worlds by animating static images to produce dynamic ones. In general, adjust the speed to customize the movement of elements and overlays.
For instance, move the clouds in the sky, blow your hair in the wind like there’s a Beyoncé wind machine! Whatever you want! Magic!
Key features:
- With simple functionality, you can add moving elements to still photos.
- Control your movement, direction, speed, and appearance.
- AI water animation and sky replacement technology
Price: Free & paid premium features
Apps #8: WordSwag
A picture is said to be worth a thousand words. What about a picture with text on it? , WordSwag is one of the best Instagram Story apps for adding beautiful typographic elements to your photos for a unique photo-text blend.
Essential features:
- 80 different fonts and typefaces to choose from (on the pro plan)
- Pixabay offers 1.3 million free backgrounds.
- Text effects such as foil, stamping, and watercolor
- Trendy frames and layouts
Price: Free & paid premium features
Apps #9: Boosted
Best for: Eye-catching photo & video Stories
Look no further for an Instagram Stories app that will make your content stand out. For example, using eye-catching video templates, Boosted allows you to create sleek videos (tutorials, Q&As, whatever!). So, you can also easily layer in text and music to really make your content stand out.
Essential features:
- Elegant video templates
- Branded filters, fonts, music, and color that can be added.
- Combine several video clips
- Getty Images’ video clip library that is available for use.
Price: Free & paid premium features