Creating and displaying visually appealing social media feeds has become a fundamental part of brand building in the 21st century. Instagram and Facebook have become more popular than ever and brands now have the opportunity to make their social media pages stand out by editing their photos, which you should consider to be brand images, to perfection! If this doesn’t convince you why you should continue reading this blog post, you will miss out on these amazing free Instagram apps!
As a self-taught photographer, I have come to know the many high-quality mobile applications which are available to download for free, to edit your photos on the go. Here are five of my favourite go-to editing apps which you can use to create the Instagram feed of your dreams – and the best part you ask? They’re all absolutely free!
1. VSCO (Android & IOS)
Formerly known as VSCO Cam, the first free Instagram app I love is VSCO. It is a mobile photography application which allows users to capture photos and edit them, using a variety of preset filters and editing tools.
Housing all the tools that you’d expect from an incredible photo editing app, VSCO is an A for convenience. Along with the option to pay $1.67 USD a month ($19.99 USD for the year) for a VSCO membership, individuals may access more than 200 presets, video editing, and advanced tools like HSL.
Fun tip:
VSCO can also be used as a visual planner for Instagram! In addition to editing your images, spend your time using the app to predict what your feed will look like before you post anything on Instagram. After all, a consistent feed can really have a massive impact on the overall aesthetic of your profile.
2. Lightroom Mobile (Android & IOS)
Lightroom for mobile is probably one of the most powerful, yet simple apps you can use to edit your photos and the best part is that it is absolutely FREE! This is hands down one of the best editing apps in my opinion that you could have on your phone. When it comes to editing capabilities, Lightroom for mobile gives you the full editing freedom which is nearly as complete as the full desktop one! Not only was Lightroom planned to be an editing tool, but it was also designed to be a photo organisation hub. Users have access to a library which can be neatly organised into separate folders and albums, making the experience holistic across any platform!
Fun tip:
If you want to download free presets to your phone and apply them to your images, Lightroom mobile is the perfect platform which allows you to do so! Visit olives.com to access a variety of free Lightroom mobile presets which can be used straight away.
3. Canva (Android & IOS)
Not a design expert? Looking for a simple but effective way to create appealing graphics that your brand can use without having to pay a fortune? In that case, Canva is your BEST FRIEND that can do just about everything. It can often become extremely overwhelming at the thought of having to learn how to use the Adobe Suite and if you are a start-up business especially, it may be an expense you are not willing to pay right now. The Canva application makes it easy to stay on-brand with its range of beautiful, free graphic-design templates, from logos and business cards to posters and Instagram posts. This amazingly simple and fun graphic-design tool application has thousands of pre-made graphics available to edit using a drag-and-drop format. You’ll have access to millions of free design elements including stock images which can turn your feed into a masterpiece!
4. Unfold (Android & IOS)
The Unfold mobile application is the perfect tool to take your stories to the next level, with a choice of over 150 templates to choose from. The application has a variety of advanced editing tools including the option to add text, change the background colour as well as add stickers to your posts. Unfold allows users to upload photos or videos from their camera roll and create the most simple yet effective stories and post them directly to Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Pinterest and more. What makes this app amazing is that you are not required to create an account, which makes it all the more easy to use!
5. Creator HUB (Android & IOS)
The Creator HUB app is a free-to-download mobile application which allows you to make your video stand out from the crowd. The app gives users an opportunity to create the most beautiful videos by providing a selection of limited free filters which have been created by a few of Instagram’s most talented creators. Individuals are able to colour grade their videos with filters, export their videos in high resolution and share them on Instagram to WOW their followers. There are currently a total of 9 preset packs which consist of six exclusive filters each and are available for purchase for R99,99 a pack.
