I’m writing to introduce you to my new blog: Best Apps for Instagram Aesthetic . This blog is about helping you find the best apps for instagramming your pictures, and so much more. I personally enjoy using beautiful apps on my smartphone and computer to create a unique look for instagram.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Instagram Aesthetic
Canva
Canva is one of the very best free apps available. I use Canva to create Instagram stories, Pinterest Pins, blog graphics, Twitter graphics, cover photos, headers, my media kit, my rates, and even collaboration proposals. I love how easy it is to use, and how accessible it is on a variety of devices. I love the colossal range of fonts to replace Instagram’s standard story fonts. And if you’re not into designing, there are plenty of templates to customise and share straight away.
There’s a membership named Canva Pro, which is available for £99.99 a year. But there’s no need to invest straight away until you’re confident in the free app. And if you’re happy to get creative and make your own templates, feature your own photography, and clear out when storage fills, you’ll be just fine with the free version.
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
VSCO
VSCO is one of the best apps for adding ready-made presets to photos and videos. It’s the OG of editing apps too. I still use it regularly, for Instagram stories and Reels. However, editing video does require a VSCO X subscription which is £19.99 a year. Still, the free presets have plenty to offer, and it’s a great tool for quick and easy adjustments to your content. You can make your own recipe, which is essentially your own preset, and apply it to all your photos in one tap.
Pinterest is a great place to for inspiration if you’re looking for preset recipes too. By using the same or similar presets across your blog and Instagram feed, you’ll create an aesthetically pleasing, cohesive aesthetic with minimal effort. My favourite free presets are M5, M3, G3, and C1.
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
instagram story ideas, creative canva templates, cosy aesthetic inspiration
Snapseed
Snapseed is the ultimate free editing app – there are no additional purchases or memberships. I use Snapseed to enhance photos that have already been edited. It’s ideal for spontaneous shots that need a little boost before posting. Snapseed is another tool that intimidated me at first, because there seem to be a lot of icons and very little instruction. It can be overwhelming! But the Google-owned app has an extensive online manual that really helped me to get to know the features.
And there’s a lot to know. Snapseed has a good range of filters – all for free. You can make basic edits, like brightness, contrast, and shadows. One of my favourite features is the Healing tool, which is perfect for removing small objects, spots, and blemishes. Additionally, you can scroll through the Vintage, Grainy Film, and Glamour Glow to add an extra layer to the final image.
snapseed editing, iphone photography, instagram aesthetic, editing tips, ios app
snapseed editing, iphone photography, instagram aesthetic, editing tips, ios app
snapseed editing, iphone photography, instagram aesthetic, editing tips, ios app
Over
I use Over for my Instagram stories and the occasional Pinterest Pin. Like Canva, it has a range of templates on offer. But the variety is limited on the free plan. The best thing about Over is its blank transparent template and ability to save photos as PNGs. That’s how I create an Instagram story sharing my new in-feed post above a camera roll photo.
The app’s mask feature is the one I use the most. It allows you to erase parts of any image and avoid the plain white background. That then means you can create a whole graphic that includes multiple images on one background. It’s like a mini Photoshop for your phone.
creative instagram story, new post, blogger ideas, swipe up, over template, ios app
creative instagram story, new post, blogger ideas, swipe up, over template, ios app
creative instagram story, new post, blogger ideas, swipe up, over template, ios app
creative instagram story, new post, blogger ideas, swipe up, over template, ios app
Planoly
Planoly is the tool I use to plan my Instagram content ahead of time. It’s a great way to get captions out of your head and tied to a photo, so there’s no stress when it comes to posting time. As I work a secular job through most of the week, I shoot a lot of my content in bulk during the freelance days to keep on top of the workload. So, planning my Instagram feed in advance helps me to save time. I don’t schedule Instagram posts, but I always know what I’m going to share ahead of posting.
Planoly has its own analytics feature, which is a marvellous way to keep tabs on your Instagram content outside the app. I like to check it at the end of each week or month to see which photos are most popular, and plan blog content that’s similar. There is an option to upgrade, but I think the free plan has plenty to offer.
instagram planning, planoly inspiration, aesthetic feed, warm tones, bookstagram ideas
instagram planning, planoly inspiration, aesthetic feed, warm tones, bookstagram ideas
instagram planning, planoly inspiration, aesthetic feed, warm tones, bookstagram ideas
Filmm
I discovered Filmm through A Color Story’s founders, Elsie and Emma of A Beautiful Mess and their co-founder, Zoe Sugg. It’s amazing for adding film camera effects to existing photos and videos. A lot of apps don’t allow you to upload content – you must shoot through the app. But I don’t always have the time to find the app, I just want to use my phone’s camera! That’s where Filmm comes in. Interestingly, one of my most popular videos on Pinterest was made using the Filmm app.
I did pay £1.99 a few years ago to enable me to change the watermark, but the free version’s watermark isn’t all that noticeable. Filmm has a sister app named Template, which is designed for Instagram stories and feed templates. I have only used a few on my own story, but so far it’s pretty easy to navigate through too.
filmm app, iphone video, easy editing, instagram tips, cosy video, video filters, ios app
filmm app, iphone video, easy editing, instagram tips, cosy video, video filters, ios app
filmm app, iphone video, easy editing, instagram tips, cosy video, video filters, ios app
InShot
Since the introduction of Reels, I have relied on InShot. Before that, I’d mainly use the app to create graphics for my Instagram stories and blog content. But now, it’s my go-to for throwing together short clips to fit my feed. It’s incredibly easy to use, especially if you’re not a pro at editing footage. There are a horde of elements you can use, including music, to make a simple video look amazing.
I also really like InShot for its collage tool. You can pick your canvas size based on the platform you’re shooting for, and create a collage in less than a minute. Text can be added to even create your own watermark. Another great app for editing Reels or video content is Splice, but there’s less on offer in the free version in comparison to InShot.
inshot ios app, video editing, collage photos, instagram tips and tricks
inshot ios app, video editing, collage photos, instagram tips and tricks
inshot ios app, video editing, collage photos, instagram tips and tricks
Unfold
Unfold is the app I use when I want a clean and minimal edit. It has set templates that you can’t change, but can customise with your own photos to make unique. I mostly use it to showcase photography. It’s also great for throwing a bunch of photos together into one graphic with minimal effort. Since being taken over by Squarespace, the app has a lot more features such as Unfold Studio and Instagram feed planning. The Studio is a brilliant tool for adding filters to your stories (and they’re much better than Instagram’s standard set).
There’s also a ‘link in bio’ creator, which is an alternative to Linktree, Lnk.Bio, Canva, or Milkshake. Unfortunately, without a paid membership your URL will be a random mix of characters (here’s mine as an example). I currently have a custom links page made by my blog theme creator, Underline Designs. But if that option wasn’t available, Unfold would be my first choice!
unfold app, squarespace, template ideas, instagram story, minimal photos, link in bio, instagram tips and tricks
unfold app, squarespace, template ideas, instagram story, minimal photos, link in bio, instagram tips and tricks
unfold app, squarespace, template ideas, instagram story, minimal photos, link in bio, instagram tips and tricks
unfold app, squarespace, template ideas, instagram story, minimal photos, link in bio, instagram tips and tricks
Motionleap
Motionleap is made by Lightricks, a developer that has a number of apps that are popular among creatives. It is designed to help you create art on your phone and on the go. I actually found it through its YouTube channel, and downloaded the free app straight away. It has a few features that are fun to mix together, but I primarily use it to animate still photos. I like to add something subtle like candle flickers or steam to bring something simple to life.
Motionleap has a free plan, but like almost anything, it comes with limitations. Therefore, this app is best for small changes rather than huge creative projects. But it does allow you to add pre-made moving elements to existing photos if you don’t want to add the motion yourself, which is brilliant for beginners!
Best apps for instagram aesthetic free
- Filmm
Filmm was founded by Zoella and A Color Story to add effects and filters to videos. It allows you to add authentic film textures, light effects and VHS distortions to any video clip. You can also browse through the music options to add a track to your clip.
The effects are varied and they are continuously bringing out more. You can add light leaks, dust, grain and other film-like effects to your videos. The selection of over filters has been developed with aesthetics in mind.
You can edit the dimensions to various social media platforms, including Instagram Stories, which is its most common use. It even includes a story splitter that splits your video into 15-second clips as required by Instagram Stories.
The app itself is incredibly easy to use. It has been designed so that anybody could use it without having thorough knowledge or experience in video editing. It also allows you to add elements on top of each other – adding a filter and then inserting an effect on top. If you’d like to create some aesthetic Instagram videos, this is the app for you.
Price: Free to download, and it comes with 100+ filters and effects. You can also purchase other advanced Filmm packs with more filters and effects, or subscribe to get everything for one price.
Availability: Currently only available on iOS.
Rating: 10/10
Screenshots of Filmm App
Image credit: ProductHunt
- Prequel
Prequel is a video and photo editor which allows you to create aesthetic Instagram Stories with a high-quality finish. It allows you to add filters and effects, much like the Filmm app, but the effects and filters are completely different in style and colour schemes.
In this app, you can trim videos and quickly adjust video speed for short videos. It also includes a built-in camera app equipped with advanced tools you can use while taking pictures or videos.
The effects include glitch effects, origami, mirror, topical, instant camera, VHS and so much more. You can even add rose petals flying across the screen if you really want to. The options are fantastic.
The filters and effects aren’t separate on this app, like they are for Filmm. This means you cannot easily layer them on top of each other. The effects are a lot crazier too, rather than subtle, so it depends what kind of vibe you want to go with.
Price: Free to download. You can also subscribe to get unlimited access to all of Prequel’s features and tools.
Availability: Currently only available on iOS.
Rating: 9/10
Image credit: App Store
- Unfold
Unfold is the ultimate aesthetic app for Instagram Stories and Snapchat. It gives you minimalistic templates and advanced text tools with aesthetic fonts to create beautiful stories. The idea is for you to be able to tell your stories in a thoughtful and curated way with a design-focused tool.
Unfold is brought to you by SquareSpace and has been voted “Best of the Year: Best Apps” on the Google and Apple store.
Massive influencers and brands are using the app. The popularity is potentially down to people wanting to be more creative on social media. This app allows you to do that without having advanced skills in Photoshop or other major editing platforms.
Price: Free to download, and it comes with some free templates. To access more advanced templates and features, you have to subscribe to Unfold+.
Availability: Available to download on iOS and Android.
Rating: 9/10
Image credit: App Store
- VSCO
VSCO is a sophisticated editing app for creators. It allows you to use a variety of filters and tools to make your photos and videos aesthetically pleasing.
An article by Forbes states that “since VSCO launched its first mobile app in 2012, it has amassed 150 million-plus Android and iPhone downloads.” The success of this application comes down to them realising very early on that you don’t need a professional camera to take good photos. You simply need an app to make your mobile photos look just as great.
The filters on the app area all beautiful and have a variety of different styles available. You can also edit standard elements such as contrast, saturation, exposure and grain. There are some great, basic VSCO presets available for free.
You can even subscribe to VSCO Membership to get ALL of the presets. Although that costs money, it’s absolutely worth it, trust me, because I’ve been a subscriber for a long time now. As well as being able to access advanced filters and editing tools, it also allows you to edit videos too. You can transform your videos on mobile with presets and editing tools, and add vintage film looks. Totally worth the investment.
Price: Free to download, and it comes with some free presets. To access all of the presets and advanced tools for both photos AND videos, you would have to get VSCO Membership for $19.99 USD per year.
Availability: Available to download on iOS and Android.
Rating: 9/10
Image credit: App Store
- Motionleap by Lightricks
Motionleap by Lightricks is probably the coolest app of them all because it’s just so different from the rest. This app can bring your photos to life by creating moving elements in still photos. You can magically animate your photos by just swiping across your screen. It really does take photo editing to the next level.
Animation can sound like something difficult. This app makes it incredibly easy. In a few taps you can animate the sky so that clouds are moving, or make water move on a photo of a river. The options are endless. If the sky is looking a little bit dull, you can even change the sky by choosing one of their pre-made presets. Would you like towers and umbrellas to spin? You got it!
This allows you to get incredible videos made from your photos. You can use them for boomerangs or GIFs too, if you’d like.
Price: Free to download, and it comes with free tools. For unlimited access to all the features, you can subscribe to a yearly or monthly subscription plan called Pixaloop Pro. Alternatively, you can do a one-time payment and get all the features forever.
Conclusion
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