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Keeping up a cohesive Instagram feed theme requires lots of editing, planning and scheduling of your content, which can feel overwhelming at times. While it can be restrictive to stick with a particular theme, it can also help strengthen your brand and grow your Instagram account.
So, to help you stay on track, I’ve put together a list of Instagram theme apps that will ensure your feed always looks its best!
What is an Instagram Theme?
An Instagram theme is when you edit and organize your Instagram posts in a strategic and streamlined way.
When you have an Instagram feed theme, your Instagram will be put-together and visually pleasing to the eye.
There are many different types of Instagram feed themes:
- moody
- bright and airy
- pink
- colorful
- black and white
- monotone
and much more! You can create any type of theme you’d like for your Instagram.
Here’s an example of my Instagram feed when I wasn’t using any theme:
As you can tell, the images from my Instagram feed above don’t feel very cohesive. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
You can still have a successful Instagram marketing strategy without an Instagram theme. However, some prefer to have a theme to their account.
After a little bit of planning, work, and using the right Instagram feed apps, I began to implement a pink Instagram theme:
For me, I noticed I was able to attract and retain more followers with a strong theme, largely because those who landed on my account for the first time were drawn into my images right away.
The Best Instagram Theme Apps
I’m breaking these Instagram feed apps into two categories:
- apps to help you edit your photos to match your theme
- apps to help you plan, visualize and schedule your theme
1. Instagram Theme Apps for Editing Content
Editing your photos consistently is one way to achieve a cohesive look. Here are some of the best photo editing apps for Instagram.
VSCO (iOS, Android)
VSCO is a highly popular photo + video editing app that comes with a lot of nice presets you can apply to your photos in one easy click.
It has many different filters to choose from, and I like that you can adjust the strength of the filter on your photos. You can also use VSCO for other edits, such as sharpening and adjusting contrast.
While VSCO has some free presets available, you can also pay to upgrade to a VSCO membership to access more.
Lightroom (iOS, Android)
Lightroom is my personal favorite photo editing app. It’s quite powerful but can be overwhelming for beginners.
Once you’ve narrowed down the theme you’d like your Instagram to have, you’ll want to download some apps to help you edit, plan and schedule your Instagram content.
Lightroom doesn’t come with as many pre-installed presets as VSCO does, however, you can buy Lightroom mobile presets and add them to the app!
Read: Everything You Need to Know About Lightroom Mobile Presets
Snapseed (iOS, Android)
Snapseed is another powerful editing app for your Instagram photos. Snapseed is more beginner-friendly than Lightroom and has the power to do Photoshop-type edits, right in the palm of your hand (and for free).
Two tools I like to use in Snapseed are the perspective tool and the expand tool.
Snapseed’s perspective tool will help you change the perspective of photos that have been taken at an unflattering angle. You can see the perspective tool at work below:
The “expand tool” can be used to expand the background.
The photo on the left shows that the background on the original image doesn’t expand to the left as far as I’d like. The expand tool will help expand a simple background (seen with the picture on the right).
Prisma Photo Editor (iOS, Android)
Prisma can be used to turn your photos into paintings using various effects! It’s much different than the above apps as its purposes isn’t to retouch photos. If you need an Instagram theme app to create dramatic and unique content, Prisma could be the app you are looking for!
Afterlight (iOS, Android)
Like the other apps, Afterlight has basic and advanced editing, but one feature that stands out is the ability to add light effects onto your images.
In the above image, I’ve added peach lighting effects to it. There are different types and colors of light you can add, and you can also control the strength of the effect!
TouchRetouch (iOS, Android)
Retouch helps eliminate any unwanted objects or people in your photos. This function is normally reserved for pricey photo manipulation software (such as Photoshop).
From my experience, it is very accurate and can edit out the items you’d like removed.
In the three photos below, the first photo shows some unwanted items. By using the brush tool, we can easily paint over top of the unwanted items, and Retouch will eliminate them.
Over (iOS, Android)
You can use Over to add text and graphics to your images. Over is perfect for making Instagram Stories, as you have options to more typography than what the native Instagram Stories app provides.
If you tend to post quotes on your Instagram feed, you will love using Over.
PicsArt (iOS, Android)
PicsArt is an artistic app that can help you develop and create an incredibly creative Instagram feed theme.
PicsArt is perfect for when your photos need a little something extra. My favorite features are the blur effect and the sketch effect, which can be applied with a click of a button.
Remini (iOS, Android)
Picture this: you are in the moment and have to snap a quick pic with no time to set up the shot. After you’ve taken your picture, you realize that your photo is blurry but it’s too late to retake it.
Remini is here to save the day and will enhance your photos, helping to remove any blur that has accidentally occurred.
2. Instagram Theme Apps for Planning and Scheduling Content
After you’ve edited your content, it’s time to plan your feed. Planning your feed can help you organize your images and videos cohesively.
Most Instagram theme planning apps allow you to see your current posts, along with how your new posts will look when uploaded, and repost content to Instagram!
UNUM (iOS)
Unum is a free and premium app that allows you to plan your feed to see a visual of how it will look.
The grid gives users the ability to upload their new photos will showing them their current Instagram feeds. You can easily drag and drop new photos to rearrange and organize your content.
Preview (iOS, Android)
Preview is another planning app with both free and premium plans.
Much like UNUM, Preview’s free plan includes drag and drop feed planning grids, unlimited posts, photo editors and more.
Preview also lets you download free stock photos to incorporate into your feed. And if user-generated content is part of your Instagram strategy (and it should be), Preview will let you see what your re-posted content will look like in your feed.
Planoly (iOS, Android)
Another highly-acclaimed Instagram feed scheduling tool is Planoly. Unlike other Instagram schedulers and planners, Planoly allows users to create multiple feed grids, giving you the ability to compare and contrast many different ideas.
HopperHQ (Desktop)
HopperHQ is another premium Instagram scheduling tool, that let’s you perform hashtag research, schedule your content and review your analytics for a comprehensive Instagram marketing strategy.
You can read my full HopperHQ review if you’d like to know more.
Tailwind (Desktop)
Tailwind’s Instagram scheduling tool is popular for many reasons. First, it’s incredibly intuitive to use. But my favorite aspect of Tailwind is their hashtag tool finder.
Tailwind’s hashtag tool is one of the best Instagram hashtag finders. Using hashtags for business on Instagram is crucial if you want to reach more people.
With Tailwind’s Instagram scheduler, you can not only plan your content and see how your Instagram theme looks, but you can also find hundreds of easy-to-rank-for hashtags.
You can sign up for a free account with Tailwind here. I highly recommend giving the hashtag finder a try!
Buffer (iOS, Android)
Buffer is a popular scheduling tool. The free plan is fairly basic, but it’s perfect for those with the need to plan a few weekly posts.
Buffer’s free plan doesn’t include a visual of your feed, so it’s not an app you can use to plan your content, however, if you use the free version of UNUM, you can pair it with Buffer’s free plan to schedule your content!
Plann (iOS)
Plann is only available for iOS but will be available for Android in the future.
Plann offers photo editing, post management, feed planning, hashtag finders, Instagram feed templates, re-posting ability and much more.
How Do You Get an Instagram Feed Theme?
To start your Instagram feed theme, you first need to decide what type of feed you’d like.
You can search for inspiration by searching on Pinterest for “Instagram account theme ideas”, or by scrolling through your favorite accounts on Instagram.
You should also take your brand into consideration! For example, if you are a vintage fashion influencer, you may want to consider a vintage Instagram feed theme.
To make theme research easier for you, I have compiled over 20 different Instagram feed theme ideas, along with instructions to replicate those themes on your own!
Tips for Selecting the Right Instagram Theme Apps
When choosing the best Instagram theme apps to help plan your feed, you need to take a look at your needs as a user. There are many free apps that allow you to edit, plan and schedule content.
Alternatively, you can purcahse premium memberships to acesss apps that let you edit, plan and schedule all in one.
With the right tools, you’ll be able to achieve your an Instagram feed theme that attracts the right followers and improves your engagement!
Pin me:
What’s your ideal (or current) Instagram feed theme? Let me know below!
This article may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Dana Nicole is an award-winning freelance writer for MarTech/SaaS who was rated one of the best SaaS writers by Software World. She specializes in writing engaging content that ranks high in search engines and has been featured in publications like Semrush, ConvertKit, and Hotjar.
Dana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has over 15 years of experience working alongside national brands in their marketing departments.
When Dana’s not working, you can find her dancing en pointe, cooking up new recipes, and exploring the great outdoors with her two big dogs.
Your articles are very thorough and helpful.
Thank you !