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If you work with social media, you know that publishing posts manually isn’t always possible, especially if you work with multiple client accounts or different time zones. Preparing posts in advance and automatically publishing them when needed is better for staying productive.
In this article, we will share three ways how you can schedule Instagram posts, either in-app or through a scheduling tool. We’ll provide step-by-step instructions and an overview of the most popular tools.
No-code automation in your business can help you to:
Scheduling tools often allow you to use templates and built-in AI features to generate descriptions. They can also suggest repeating hashtags or first comments. All this will enable you to spend less time posting and more time on creativity.
Third-party tools enable you to schedule recurring tasks, such as announcing events every week. They also allow you to recycle posts naturally. In the long run, this functionality helps you post consistently and spend less time on routine.
Some scheduling tools for marketing automation allow you to review and approve posts directly in the app, without messaging back and forth in corporate apps. You can set up optional, required, or multi-level approval. Approved posts will be automatically published at the selected time.
For remote and distributed teams and partnerships, scheduling posts is crucial. You can plan content at a time that is convenient for you, even if you work internationally.
This method is especially valuable for marketing teams, content creators, and small business owners who must manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
If you manage a professional account, Instagram content planning is available directly within the Instagram app. Here’s what you need to do:
Switch to a Professional account (Business or Creator) if you don’t already have one.
Go to Settings, press Scheduled content, then press Schedule a post.
This feature allows you to schedule Instagram posts for free and supports single-image posts, videos, carousels, and Reels, but not stories. It doesn’t support recurrent posting.
Meta Business Suite offers a broader range of tools for managing Instagram and Facebook together. Ideal for small-to-medium businesses, it allows content scheduling without additional costs.
Steps:
Connect your Instagram Business account to your Meta Business Suite.
Select Create Post, Create Reel, or Create Story.
With Facebook, you can schedule Instagram stories, posts, and Reels. It also offers insights and cross-platform content management functions.
If you manage accounts for several clients or need advanced features like analytics and collaborative workflows, a third-party Instagram post scheduler may be more flexible than native options.
To plan your posts, you must create an account on the preferred third-party platform and connect your Instagram account.
Below are some of the top tools that you can use.
Later is great for visual planners. If you’re managing a very visual brand, Later makes it super easy to drag and drop posts onto a calendar and see your whole month at a glance. The Link in Bio feature is also solid—you can easily create mini landing pages matching your brand. They also have a basic AI caption helper, saving time if you schedule Instagram Reels.
What’s great:
Super easy to plan posts visually
Perfect for Instagram-heavy strategies
Link in Bio tool
What could be better:
Analytics are only for the last 3 months—not ideal for tracking long-term growth
Not the best tool if you're managing many brands/accounts (limited scaling)
Key features:
Visual content calendar
AI caption and hashtag suggestions
Link in Bio builder
Instagram product tagging
Pricing: Starts at $16.67/month.
Sked Social is an Instagram post planner for power users. This tool is for you if you need to schedule stories, add stickers, tag products, or plan carousel posts. It also has a built-in social inbox and approval system, which is super helpful if you're managing posts for clients or a big team.
What’s great:
Really detailed Instagram tools (stories, carousels, tagging)
Unlimited users and posts on most plans—good for agencies
Approval workflows that save you from messy client emails
What could be better:
The dashboard feels a bit cluttered; not so beginner-friendly
Some newer TikTok features are missing compared to other platforms
Key features:
Unlimited users/posts
Instagram story scheduling with stickers
Social inbox for DMs and comments
AI help for writing posts
Pricing: Starts at $30/month, has custom pricing for enterprise.
Buffer is the easiest to use. It’s perfect if you just need to schedule posts and keep things simple. Great for small businesses, solo marketers, and freelancers who don’t want a complicated dashboard. They recently added an AI content assistant, which is handy for brainstorming ideas.
What’s great:
Extremely easy to set up and use
Great free plan if you’re starting out
Clean, clutter-free interface
What could be better:
Limited advanced features—not ideal for agencies or big teams
No in-depth reporting unless you pay extra
Key features:
Basic post scheduling
AI content assistant
Engagement inbox for comments
Analytics (basic on lower tiers)
Pricing: There is a free tier with limited features, pricing starts at $5/month per channel.
Sprout Social is best for larger teams and agencies. It’s packed with powerful tools like detailed analytics, team collaboration features, and social listening (tracking what people say about your brand online). It’s polished and professional—but it comes with a high price tag.
What’s great:
Top-notch reporting and analytics
Amazing for managing multiple brands and teams
Deep social listening and competitor tracking
What could be better:
It’s expensive, especially if you need a lot of users
Some users find it slow when handling tons of data
Key features:
Advanced analytics and reporting
Social listening tools
Competitor analysis
Collaboration and approval workflows
AI content suggestions
Pricing: Starts at $199/month per user, has custom pricing for enterprise.
Now you know how to schedule an Instagram post and what tools to use. Here are a few extra tips that will help you improve your workflow and produce even better results.
For example, you can connect genAI models such as DeepSeek to your favorite tools.
Automated workflows can help you simplify crossposting.
Also, genAI can assist in creating beautifil images for your social media posts.
Instagram scheduling tools are no longer a luxury—they’re a requirement for scalable, strategic social media management. Whether using the free Meta Business Suite or a dedicated scheduling tool, planning allows creators and businesses to stay consistent, save time, and optimize their social strategy. Implementing a structured scheduling routine today can directly improve tomorrow’s engagement metrics.
With Albato, an integration platform(iPaaS), you can add even more power to your Instagram automation.
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