Best Instagram WordPress plugin to display your feed

Here's a review of the 4 best Instagram WordPress plugins that will assist you in adding your Instagram feed to your WordPress-powered website.

Instagram is a visually driven social media platform with over one billion monthly active users. So, it is no wonder that Instagram is counted among the largest social media platforms on the web and has become a preferred choice for brands to showcase their products or services appealingly.

Moreover, the engagement rates on Instagram are also significantly higher compared to other social media platforms. And it translates to an increased chance for brands to connect with their audience and attract more leads.

Here's the thing.

Displaying your Instagram feed on your blog is an excellent way to improve the visual appeal of your website and increase engagement with your readers. If you are still on the fence about integrating your Instagram feed on your WordPress site or which plugins are best for it, keep reading.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of leveraging your Instagram feed on your WordPress site. We will also see how to display your Instagram feed on WordPress with and without plugins.

Let's get started.

What are the benefits of showing Instagram feeds on your website?

Honestly, there are many, so let's look at them one by one.

Increased engagement

When you display your Instagram feed on your website, you encourage your users to engage with your content on Instagram. And it helps you increase your Instagram followers as well as engagement rates.

Visual appeal

Instagram is a visually driven platform, so adding an Instagram feed to your website enhances and improves the overall user experience of your website.

Increased time spent on the website

When users engage with your Instagram content on your WordPress website, it encourages them to stay longer on the page and explore more.

Social proof

If you display your active Instagram feed on your website, it shows your audience you have a good presence on social media. It builds trust and improves the reputation of your brand.

Keeps website active

Whenever you publish new content on Instagram, it automatically appears on your website via your Instagram feed. And it shows that your website is active and is updated regularly.

Now you might wonder which are the easiest and best ways to integrate your Instagram feed on your WordPress site. Let's look at that now.

How do I show my Instagram feed on WordPress?

You can show your Instagram feed on your WordPress website by using several methods:

• Today, most of the popular WordPress templates support direct Instagram integration. If so, all you need to do is to enter your Instagram username in your theme settings. However, this will display a link to your Instagram profile. Most themes don't display your Instagram images directly on the website.
• If you are good at coding, you can manually integrate Instagram into your WordPress site by editing your theme files.
• What if you are not a coder and WordPress theme does not support automatic Instagram integration? Then you can easily display your Instagram feed on your website using Instagram WordPress plugins.
• And if you do not want to use a plugin and you only want to show individual posts on your website, then you can use the official Instagram "Embed" feature.

As you might have guessed, the easiest way to add an Instagram feed to your WordPress site is by installing a plugin. But how do you select an Instagram WordPress plugin when there are so many?

Well, there are some criteria to follow while choosing a plugin for your WordPress site.

Let's go through each of them!

Criteria for choosing the best Instagram WordPress plugin

Features

Look for a WordPress plugin that offers the specific features that you need. Just because a plugin is popular doesn't really mean that it will meet your requirements.

Customization options

If you are only looking for the basic features, always go for the free plugin (usually, the plugin with the most downloads will meet your requirements). However, if you are an advanced user, you probably need a plugin that offers more customization options.

User interface

Make sure the plugin you are considering has an intuitive and user-friendly interface so you can easily set up the plugin without any technical skills.

Performance

The plugin should be lightweight and optimized for performance so that it doesn't slow down your website.

Compatibility

Ensure that the plugin is compatible with the latest version of WordPress (or at least that it was updated within the last year).

Responsiveness

When you try a plugin, check that it works perfectly on desktop as well as mobile. Because not all plugins are optimized for mobile devices.

Documentation

See if the plugin provides reliable support and detailed documentation so you won't have to do endless Google searches for how-tos or tutorials.

Pricing

Finally, if it's a premium plugin, you must check its pricing and see if it fits your budget. Most Instagram WordPress plugins are free (or at least offer a free version), while others require either a subscription or a one-time fee.

Surely, by now, you might want to know:

What is the best plugin for displaying your Instagram feed on WordPress?

As mentioned before, you can display your Instagram feed on your website without a plugin. However, if you wish to use an Instagram plugin to display your Instagram feed, there are many free and premium Instagram WordPress plugins out there.

In the following section, we will review some of the best Instagram WordPress plugins to show your Instagram feed on your website.

But first, let's answer the obvious question:

How do I show my Instagram feed on WordPress without plugins?

It is not possible to show your Instagram feed on your WordPress website without using a plugin unless you know how to code. However, you can embed individual Instagram posts on your website without using any plugins by using the "Embed" feature on Instagram itself.

Here's how!

Step 1: Choose the Instagram post that you want to embed

Log in to your Instagram account and open the post you want to embed on your website. Click on the "three dots" at the right corner of the post.

You will see the "Embed" option on the popup window.

Just click on the "Embed" option and make sure that you also check the "Include caption" option. Now click on the "Copy embed code" button.

You have now copied the code to embed the Instagram post that you have selected. Next, you have to add the above code to your blog post or page where you want to display the post.

Step 2: Open the WordPress Post/Page where you want to embed the Instagram post

If you are using the new WordPress Gutenberg Editor, you need to click on the plus icon (+) to open the block inserter.

Just select the "Custom HTML" block (use the search function if you are unable to find it).

Now paste the Instagram embed code into the Custom HTML block.

You can click the "Preview" button to see what it looks like right inside the WordPress editor.

If you are using WordPress Classic Editor, switch to "Text" mode and paste the "embed code" where you want to show the Instagram post on your blog page/post.

What is the best Instagram WordPress plugin to display your feed?

Now, let's dive into the top four Instagram WordPress plugins to show your feed on your WordPress site.

1. Spotlight Instagram Feed

Spotlight is not just another Instagram feeds plugin; it's a powerful and user-friendly solution designed to effortlessly integrate your Instagram content into your WordPress website.

Ideal for users of all skill levels, Spotlight offers a streamlined approach to feature your Instagram feed, complete with shoppable feeds and a customizable link-in-bio feature to drive traffic and sales.

Features

• Multiple feed types: Display feeds from your own account, hashtags, or even mentions.
• Shoppable feeds: Turn your Instagram feed into a shopping experience by linking posts to your products.
• Link-in-bio: Drive more traffic and sales with a customizable Link-in-Bio feature.
• Filtering and moderation: Control what appears on your feed by filtering posts based on hashtags, captions, or types of posts. Moderate to show only the content you want.
• Real-time customization: See changes in real-time with the live interactive preview.
• Fully responsive: Your Instagram feed will look great on both desktop and mobile.
• SEO-friendly: Helps in improving your website's SEO by making your Instagram content discoverable.
• Easy embedding: Use a simple shortcode or a Gutenberg block to place your feed anywhere on your site.

Pricing

• Free plan: Free forever
• Essentials plan: $39 per year
• Pro plan: $59 per year
• Performance plan: $99 per year

Pros

Cons

Setup

Installing Spotlight is a breeze. Simply install and activate the plugin, connect your Instagram account, choose a layout, and you're good to go!

The intuitive interface will guide you through the customization options, and you can preview your feed live as you make changes.

Once you’re done, simply embed your feed at the click of a button!

2. Instagram Widget for WordPress (Freemium)

Instagram Widget for WordPress is a customizable and responsive plugin by WPZoom to show your Instagram feeds on your WordPress website. It's a highly customizable plugin that lets you change almost all the aspects of the plugin. You can use this plugin to show your feeds in WordPress posts, pages, and widgets.

Features

• Allows you to change the number of columns and the layout of the grid (Grid, Masonry, Full-width, and Carousel layouts).
• 100% compatible with the new WordPress Block Editor and Block-based Widgets Editor.
• Can connect multiple Instagram accounts and create separate feeds for each account.
• Allows you to create as many feeds as you want and can be customized individually.
• Allows customization of the Instagram widget header and color.
• Has the Toggle option to show/hide the date.
• All layouts (Grid, Masonry, Full-width, and Carousel) are mobile-friendly.
• Supports unlimited feed creation.
• Popup lightbox lets users open the post directly on your website.
• Supports "Load More" button for infinite scrolling.
• Lets you customize your Instagram widget with a custom avatar and bio.
• Supports the use of an in-built shortcode to embed your Instagram feed anywhere on your website.
• "Lazy Loading" integration ensures that your feed is loaded with minimal impact on your page loading speed.

Pricing

• Free Plan: Free forever
• 1 Site License: $49 per year
• 3 Sites License: $79 per year
• 10 Sites License: $99 per year

Pros

• It works great with almost all WordPress themes.
• You can show your feeds in multiple locations.
• You can embed your feed in popular WordPress page builders like Elementor and Beaver Builder.
• It is a lightweight plugin that doesn't affect the page loading speed of your website.
• You can customize the plugin to a great extent.
• You can try the free version before purchasing the premium version.
• There is a 14-day money-back guarantee period for the premium purchase.

Cons

• It is not a one-time purchase and costs $49 per year for one website license.
• If you want to install this plugin on multiple websites, you must buy multiple licenses.

Setup

Install and activate the Instagram Widget for WordPress plugin on your WordPress site. And you will have to connect your Instagram account with the plugin. Once connected, you can create and customize your Instagram feeds. When you are done, add the feed on your WordPress site using a shortcode or a widget.

3. Instagram Feed by Smash Balloon (Freemium)

Instagram Feed Pro by Smash Balloon is perhaps the most popular Instagram WordPress plugin with over one million active users (for the free version).

Features

• Easy set-up and customization.
• Allows you to combine multiple feed types into one so that you can show posts — from two profiles, or from one profile and a hashtag — in a single feed.
• Supports the use of different layout options like grid, carousel, masonry, and highlight to showcase your Instagram content.
• Creates good-looking feeds on any screen size and device.
• Allows easy set-up without any technical knowledge.
• Automatically resizes the images and shows the optimal image size on your website since Instagram image sizes can be too large.
• Supports display of Instagram posts from multiple accounts either in a single feed or in multiple different feeds.
• Supports shortcodes to display your feed anywhere on your website.

Pricing

• Free Plan: Free forever
• Personal: $49 for the first year; Renewals at $98 per year
• Business: $99 for the first year; Renewals at $198 per year
• Developer: $149 for the first year; Renewals at $298 per year

Pros

• It is easy to set up the plugin and is totally customizable.
• It doesn't affect the page speed of your website in a big way.
• Your posts will continue to display perfectly on your website even if there is a problem with Instagram.
• If you want to show a video feed on one page and an image carousel on another page, you can use their easy customization system.
• You can also display your Instagram stories on your website in a pop-up lightbox.
• It is even possible to display your Instagram Reels-only feed.
• You can hide specific Instagram photos (or users) from appearing on your feed with visual moderation.
• If your feeds are not updating on your website then you will get alerts.
• You can highlight specific posts on your feed using a set pattern, specific post IDs, or using specific hashtags in the captions.
• It is possible to link your Instagram posts to custom URLs of your choice by simply adding the URL to the caption of your post on Instagram (great for eCommerce businesses).
• You can display posts that you have been tagged with tagged feeds.
• It can show your Instagram comments on your website in a popup lightbox.
• You can try the free version before purchasing the premium version.

Cons

• It is more expensive at $98/year for one website license ($49 for the first year and then it renews at $98/year).
• You will have to buy multiple licenses if you want to install the plugin on multiple websites.

Setup

Install and activate Instagram Feed by Smash Balloon plugin on your WordPress site. Connect your Instagram account and choose a feed type (user timeline, public hashtag feed, tagged posts, social wall). Now add one or more sources to fetch content. Give a name to your feed and customize it. You are ready to embed your feed on your website using a shortcode.

4. Social Feed Gallery (Freemium)

Social Feed Gallery (aka Instagram Feed Gallery) is a simple-to-use plugin that lets you show the Instagram feed from specific Instagram accounts or even hashtags.

Features

• Supports unlimited user accounts.
• The highlight posts feature allows you to display posts in your feed using a predefined pattern, specific post IDs, or hashtags.
• Supports showing different feeds on the same page or across the website.
• It lets you customize individual feeds.
• Supports infinite scrolling.
• Allows you to show your bio in the feed header with your profile picture, username, and custom description.

Pricing

• Free Plan: Free forever
• Personal Plan: One-time $49 for one site license
• Agency Plan: One-time $99 for five site license
• Developer Plan: One-time $149 for unlimited websites

Pros

• It is responsive and mobile-friendly.
• You can customize the layout (gallery, carousel, masonry, highlight) of your feed.
• You can customize the colors of the feed with a custom background, spacing, and rounded border.
• The posts will open in a popup lightbox on your website so that your users won't leave your website while browsing your Instagram content.
• You can change the appearance, positioning, and layout of the feed.
• It's possible to customize the gallery of individual accounts so they can have their own layout and settings.
• You can create multiple feeds without any limitations.
• It's also possible to combine multiple feeds into one.
• It supports a load more button so that users can scroll infinitely.
• It shows the feed on your website even if Instagram is not working.
• It’s compatible with all themes.
• You can customize the colors.
• There's a free version as well with limited features.
• The premium version costs a one-time fee only with lifetime updates, unlike similar plugins that charge annually.

Cons

• You need the "Pro" version to connect multiple Instagram accounts.
• Most of the advanced features are in the paid version only.

Setup

Social Feed Gallery offers you a one-click setup. Just add your credentials, and then select an Instagram username or hashtags, by clicking on the “Add New Account” button, and your Instagram access token will be automatically generated and saved.

5. Feed Them Social

Feed Them Social is an easy-to-use WordPress plugin to show customizable social feeds on your website. It lets you display feeds from Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube on your website.

Features

• Shows Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube feeds.
• Allows you to create as many social feeds as you want.
• Supports the display of social feeds anywhere on your website.
• Responsive design.

Pricing

• Free Plan: Free forever
• Single Site: $50 per year
• 2-5 Sites: $75 per year
• 6-25 Sites: $150 per year
• Unlimited Sites: $199 per year

Pros

• It is a simple plugin to show Instagram feed on a WordPress website.
• It cannot only show feeds from your Instagram account but can also show your Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube feeds on your website.
• You can create and show as many social feeds as you want.
• You can show social feeds on WordPress posts, pages, or sidebars.
• It's got a responsive design.
• You can customize font colors.
• You can add the Like/Follow buttons above or below any feeds you create.
• It's compatible with all themes.

Cons

• Users won't be able to engage with your posts on your website.
• It lacks the advanced features that other premium plugins offer which forces you to consider premium plugins.

Setup

Install and activate the Feed Them Social plugin on your WordPress site. Go to FT Social menu on the left sidebar, and click "Add New Feed". Connect your Instagram account with the Feed Them Social plugin and then create and customize your feed. To add the feed to your blog, just copy and paste the Feed Shortcode.

So, what is the best WordPress Instagram plugin?

There is no denying that when it comes to social networks, Instagram is ruling the roost. Not only is it a repository of rich content, but it is also a visual treat for users who want quick access to relevant information.

Having said that, it is in your best interests to leverage your Instagram feed content on your WordPress website so your users can get easy access to your social content and spend more time on your website.

Of course, you can decide how to display your Instagram feed on your website, whether by using a plugin or without it. However, if you’re not technically savvy, a plugin is the best way to display your Instagram feeds.

Finally, we would recommend the Spotlight Instagram Feed for the best high quality, fully-featured Instagram WordPress plugin.

So, if you haven’t already, start displaying your Instagram feed on your WordPress blog today!