The 7 Best Apps for Creating Content for Instagram

The competition on Instagram can be very stiff, with millions of beautiful photos circulating on the Explore page. It can be challenging for new businesses and aspiring influencers to make it on the platform, especially if they don't have any photography and editing experience.

Fortunately, there are various apps for iOS and Android that can help beginners create high-quality content. To help you improve your craft, here are the top 7 Instagram apps for creating layouts and editing photos and videos.

1. Canva

If you're a frustrated Photoshop artist, Canva can make graphic design a breeze for you. It's a web-based platform with millions of drag-and-drop templates, illustrations, fonts, and filters, allowing non-designers and beginners to create eye-catching graphics.

It's the perfect tool for making Instagram stories. Once you've chosen a template, you can add design elements like images, stickers, frames, and text. It also comes with various tools you can use to edit and enhance photos.

• Pros
• Beginner-friendly graphic design tools
• Massive library of templates and design elements
• Offers a Pro version for more advanced content creators
• Cons
• Features are more limited on the mobile app

2. VSCO

Launched in 2012, VSCO was one of the first photo editing apps introduced to the public. There are many other options on the market now, but it's still a popular choice among content creators. It's simple to use and offers a wide range of filters, effects, and editing tools. It's ideal for beginners who want to spruce up their feeds with influencer-quality images.

The free version comes with a small selection of basic filters. You might find it worth paying for VSCO X if you want more advanced effects. The paid version is known for its film presets that lend photos a retro look. You can adjust these filters to mimic how various film types react in different conditions.

• Pros
• Beginner-friendly editing tools
• Wide selection of film presets in the paid version
• Option to save edits and apply them to other images
• Cons
• Not available on PC

3. Snapseed

Snapseed is a robust editing tool developed by Google. It can edit RAW and JPEG photos, making it suitable for both beginners and professional photographers. You can choose from the massive collection of presets if you want to edit your images quickly. But you can also be more intentional with your edits and create advanced effects.

There are 29 editing tools on the app that can help pro photographers achieve specific looks. They can remove objects and people from images, manipulate buildings' perspectives, and adjust color grading.

• Pros
• Suitable for beginners and advanced photographers
• Features are completely free
• Compatible with RAW and JPEG files
• Cons
• No Instagram integration

4. Adobe Lightroom Photo Editor

Adobe is known for its suite of powerful editing software, and the Adobe Lightroom Photo Editor doesn't disappoint. You can take pictures with the app and elevate the RAW images to professional-level quality. It also has various art camera modes and presets to help you transform your Instagram feed.

Get inspired by other creators on the app by looking through the Discovery page. You can also watch the interactive tutorials to help you level up your editing skills.

• Pros
• Various presets and camera modes
• Displays photos in a gallery for easy viewing
• Inspirational content on the Discovery page
• Cons
• Unable to edit multiple photos at once

5. InShot

InShot is one of the most popular video editing apps for Instagram. You can do everything with it, including splitting, merging, and trimming your videos. In addition, you can adjust video settings, such as brightness, saturation, and contrast. You can even add effects, music, and voiceovers. Despite the abundance of features, it's not complicated to use and is suitable for beginners.

It comes with different ratios to suit the various content formats on Instagram. You can make your videos square to match the rest of your feed. But if you like making Reels, you can switch to a 9:16 ratio.

• Pros
• Impressive library of filters and effects
• Various video editing tools
• Provides different video ratios
• Cons
• Leaves watermark on videos

6. Adobe Rush

Adobe Rush is another powerful software from the Adobe Suite that deserves a spot on this list. It gives video novices the right tools to create professional and polished videos. There are several editing templates and built-in camera modes to choose from, plus you can download your videos in HD. You can navigate these features within a user-friendly interface.

While it's easy enough to use for beginners, it also has features and customization options that advanced Instagram content creators will appreciate. You can have as many as four video layers and three audio layers.

• Pros
• Beginner-friendly interface
• Rich in features
• Works efficiently on all devices
• Cons
• No audio features

7. Magisto Video Editor

Magisto Video Editor uses artificial intelligence technology to edit your videos. You can upload any footage, and it will identify the most eye-catching parts and create a video out of them. In addition, its algorithm will choose the best transitions and effects to make your video even more interesting for your Instagram audience.

While it will do most of the work for you, you have the option to tweak and customize your video. You can choose from various video ratios, presets, themes, and music tracks. It also has more advanced editing tools, such as trimming and adjusting the effects.

• Pros
• AI technology edits your videos for you
• The algorithm chooses effects for you
• Has customization and editing tools
• Cons
• Occasional glitches

The Bottom Line

Videos are the most effective format on Instagram right now. It's especially beneficial to post Reels because it's the newest feature, and the algorithm favors them heavily. It's the best time to hone your video editing skills and find the best editing apps that suit your style and content.

While Instagram videos are trending at the moment, high-quality images will always be at Instagram's core. To succeed as a content creator on the platform, you must know how to edit your photos and make them look as eye-catching as possible.