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10 best apps like Instagram for Android

Instagram is one of the most popular social media networks in the world, but it's not for everyone.
By
July 13, 2021
Instagram In App Logo - best apps like instagram

Instagram is one of the most popular social media networks on the planet. It’s the de facto place for people to share pictures of almost everything. At its core, it’s a service for sharing photos, life events, and short videos. Instagram is not the only one that does so. Thus, you have options if you want to try something else to share your photos and videos with your friends. At this point, there are plenty of alternatives. We focused mostly on the ability to share photos publicly to a large audience. Here are the best apps like Instagram!

The best apps like Instagram

Facebook

Price: Free

Facebook screenshot 2021

Facebook and Instagram share a lot of the same features, mostly because they are owned by the same company. You can share images, add filters, and more. You can even add Stories that expire after 24 hours. The stories feature allows you to use both video and photo content. Both allow you to go live. However, Facebook has an edge in popularity, proliferation, and it has its own messenger service. Facebook owns both companies also. Thus, the similarities are understandable. You can also log into Instagram with your Facebook account and that’s helpful. Facebook is definitely among the best apps like Instagram.

Friendly for Instagram

Price: Free / Up to $9.99

Friendly for IG screenshot 2021
Joe Hindy / Android Authority

Friendly for Instagram is an Instagram alternative. The developer also does Friendly for Facebook and Friendly for Twitter. The app does a lot of things right. It blocks ads and sponsored posts from IG. Additionally, it lets you download videos and view stories without letting people know you did it. Of course, this is on top of the usual IG stuff like posting photos, leaving comments, and sending direct messages to folks. The app has some bugs here and there so you may run into issues while using it. However, the app gets consistent updates (at least at the time of this writing) so it should improve over time. 

Imgur and Reddit

Price: Free

Imgur - best apps like instagram

Imgur is a lot like Flickr, but more popular. You can upload an unlimited number of photos. Photos are shareable to the Imgur community or on other websites. Some sites, like Reddit, even prefer Imgur links. The app itself allows you to upload your stuff. You can also browse stuff that other people have uploaded. It’s a great place to find random stuff. People post memes, photos, wallpapers, funny content, and all kinds of other stuff. Much like Flickr, the feature set isn’t quite as robust as Instagram. Still, it’s one of the better apps like Instagram. Reddit is an obvious choice as well.

Instagram

Price: Free

Adding Instagram to this list is a weak pick. We know. However, it does have a lot in common with other apps like Instagram. You can post photos, do live video, post stories that delete after 24 hours, and more. That was a little tongue-in-cheek. We apologize. Those looking at this list are looking for good Instagram alternatives. However, Instagram’s experience is difficult to emulate. Those who only have a few superficial problems with Instagram may as well stick with this one. Plus, you don’t get Internet famous with most of these other apps.

Pinterest

Price: Free

Pinterest screenshot 2021
Joe Hindy / Android Authority

Pinterest is another weaker option when it comes to apps like Instagram. However, it fits the mold in a lot of ways. You can upload pictures of a variety of things and talk more about it. It’s not a social media service in the traditional sense. However, it’s a good spot for things like food, fashion, and similar interests. There is a strong photo element. Aside from that, they’re two different experiences. We said it was a weak pick and we weren’t kidding. It’s still a great app for sharing photos of stuff. You just have to go an extra mile with it too.

Snapchat

Price: Free

Snapchat screenshot 2020 2

Snapchat is one of Instagram’s main competitors. It makes sense that it’s on a list like this. It’s a camera-first app that lets you message people with photo and video. You can also post stories that last for 24 hours. It also has augmented reality features and filters. You can’t post anything permanently there like on Instagram. However, it serves a lot of the same functions in a different sort of way. It’s definitely among the best apps like Instagram, mostly because the two services consistently borrow each other’s features.

Threads from Instagram

Price: Free

Threads from Instagram screenshot 2021
Joe Hindy / Android Authority

Threads from Instagram is actually an app from Instagram. This one takes a different approach to the popular social network. The app focuses more on small group interactions rather than a massive audience. Posts are shared with close friends only and you’re closed off from the rest of the social network. It otherwise looks and functions much like Instagram itself. The app is relatively new so Instagram is still working out some issues, but it’s a good overall idea.

Tusky for Mastodon

Price: Free

Tusky screenshot 2021
Joe Hindy / Android Authority

Mastodon is a newer social network. . That means you can make individual servers based on your interests. There are servers for things like photography, tech, and all kids of other stuff. It’s a basic social site for now. You can’t do a lot of the same stuff as you can on other networks. There aren’t a ton of people there yet, either. It does have a lot of interesting people. The premise and idea is fresh and different as well. Tusky for Mastadon is an app that helps you use the network, similar to how Reddit had third party apps for all those years before it got its own official app.

Twitter

Price: Free

Twitter and Periscope are two apps that can be like Instagram. They feature live video, a feed of ever-updating stuff, and you can post photos there. Twitter is one of only a few social networks left that still use hashtags. Of course, many Instagram users also have Twitter profiles anyway and post between the two. Really, we’re not treading new ground here. You know what Twitter and Periscope are and what they bring to the table.

Tumblr

Price: Free

Tumblr is probably the best place to go if you don’t like Instagram. It lets you do image, video, or text posts. Those posts can be searched via hashtag. It’s heavy on sharing. It can’t do the Stories feature or live content. However, it does the rest of it good enough. You can even make your own GIFs there. It also has that old MySpace feel of being able to customize virtually everything about your profile page. You can add as many photos and videos as you want, but it doesn’t have the Stories feature or anything like that.


If we missed any great apps like Instagram, tell us about them in the comments! You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists!