The Best Instagram Alternatives If You’re Sick of the Meta
There are a million reasons not to use Instagram, from the fact that it takes up too much of your time to not wanting to support Mark Zuckerberg . While the best alternative might be to simply give up social media, hey, who’s perfect? Perhaps you’re just tired of the doomscroller or want more control over your feeds. There are better options for you.
Here are a few of my favorite photography social networks that aren’t owned by Meta (yet).
Instagram Alternatives for the Social Butterfly
Pixelfed
Pixelfed is trying to take you back to the old days of Instagram . Back when all you saw was a wall of photos. No stories, no videos, no videos, nothing. Just people you knew or who inspired you sharing their photos. No ads, no algorithms, just photos of people you follow or topics that interest you. Pixelfed used to only work on its website or through third-party apps, but now it has native apps for both iPhone and Android, making it much easier to use.
Pixelfed is an integrated app, meaning it runs on the same technology as Mastodon, so you can simply log into your Mastodon account and post photos to Pixelfed and your Mastodon channel at the same time. However, you don’t have to combine the two if you don’t want to. You can create a new account on a separate Pixelfed server to separate these two lives. And if you don’t like starting over, you can import your Instagram feed into Pixelfed using its import tool .
Photographers especially like Pixelfed, calling it a ” breath of fresh air .” If you manage to properly tag your posts and add strong captions, you’ll get quality engagement, which is much harder to find on Instagram with all the sponsors and bots.
Pinksky
Pinksky is a really interesting third party app built for Bluesky using the ATProtocol network. Bluesky is proving to be a popular alternative to X and Threads , and this third-party app also turns Bluesky into an Instagram alternative of sorts.
You log in using your Bluesky account (secured with OAuth) and the app will filter all content from your feed to only show photos and videos. Unlike Pixelfed or other Instagram alternatives, Pinksky requires no setup at all. Just follow people who post great media content and open Pinksky to filter everything but that.
Pinksky adds one unique feature that Bluesky doesn’t yet have – stories. You can use the app to post photos or links, which will disappear after 24 hours (although they will still be visible in your Bluesky account). Additionally, Bluesky also supports custom channels, so you can create a photo-focused channel in Bluesky and then use Pinksky to view it.
Pinksky is available on iPhone, Android and even as a web app.
Flashes , a similar design app, is currently available in beta and should be available to the public soon.
Snapchat
It may seem strange, but if you’re experiencing Instagram burnout, it might be time to take another look at Snapchat . No, it’s not a sexting app (at least it’s intended to be one), nor is it an app just for teens. In the age of doom scrolling, an ephemeral platform like Snapchat, which removes most content after a period of time, can be a way to connect with people beyond sharing clips.
If your goal on social media is to share your life in a visual form and connect with friends, Snapchat is a great way to do it. You can post stories, view and reply to messages, and there are always Snapchat filters to play with. Of course, there are no reels or even an algorithmic feed here, but isn’t that the point?
Tumblr
Yes, Tumblr is still around, and depending on who you ask, it’s doing very well. Using a traditional blogging platform, you can post text, images, videos, audio, or even GIFs here. You can also repost whatever you want to your blog. There are communities you can join, a Explore page for finding new content, and profiles you can follow to create your own channel. If you are looking for a variety of content, Tumblr may be a good choice for you.
Instagram Alternatives for Serious Photographers
VSKO
Technically, VSCO is a photo and video editing app. But over the years, it has amassed a niche but active community of photographers who use the app to post their own creations.
VSCO’s strengths lie in its photo filters and suite of editing tools. You can customize filters with amazing ease to create a unique style. The app has a minimalist design and is devoid of ads and any scrolling tactics. Posting on VSCO is free, but access to these coveted presets and filters will cost you $29.99 per year.
Flickr
Flickr continues to be a strong pillar in the photography community. First, you can upload full-resolution images without compression and organize your photos using albums, galleries, and tags. You also get 1,000GB of data for free, which is more than enough for most users. There are ads, but a Flickr Pro subscription will remove them along with the space limit.
Glass
Glass is a relatively new player in this space and can be seen as a new-age Flickr alternative. It focuses on providing you with a beautifully designed photo showcase without algorithms or ads, and creating a safe community. There are no free plans here, so people who get into Glass take what they do seriously. A Glass subscription costs $40 per year.
Alternatives to Instagram Reels
Tik Tok
TikTok isn’t really an alternative to most Instagram content, but it is definitely the king of short videos. The TikTok For You page algorithm is tuned to show you more of what you’re into, and judging by the app’s popularity, it’s working. If you just want to watch a video, TikTok can be a great alternative to Instagram Reels. Additionally, you can post photos, although they need to be uploaded as “slideshows,” which can be a little more difficult to scroll through than videos.
YouTube shorts
With YouTube Shorts, you may end up scrolling through content, but you can do so in peace. That’s how I like to think of it. The social element here is much less prominent and comments are easy to ignore. Plus, YouTube’s recommendation system knows you very well, at least in my experience. If you want a more relaxing alternative to Instagram Reels, where you won’t be bombarded with notifications about the 17 videos your friend shared that day, this is a good choice.