Instagram is more than just a casual pastime: It’s a powerful marketing platform for business owners everywhere.

With over half a billion monthly active users, Instagram has opened up huge opportunities for brands to find new customers and get their products seen. Tactics like running Instagram ads and reaching out to influencers are effective, but, without the right tools, it can be tough to get the results that you want.

To help you turbocharge your Instagram account, we’ve put together a top-notch toolkit of Instagram apps that will set your business apart and drive more customers to your online store.

Let’s get into it.

Tools for Taking Gorgeous Photos

One of the most important parts of having an effective Instagram presence is loading your feed with stunning visuals that clearly communicate your brand’s identity and the value of your products. But if you don’t have a fancy camera or professional training, taking great photos might seem out of reach.

Even if you aren’t a professional photographer, you can still create great Instagram content with just your smartphone and a few key apps:

VSCO

Cost: Free

Image credit: VSCO

While Instagram’s default filters were once the bleeding edge of mobile photo editing, VSCO has emerged as the reigning champ of creating beautiful photos on-the-go. Part photo editing platform and part social media network, VSCO should be at the heart of every Instagram strategy.

VSCO has an in-depth editing suite and a slew of high quality default filters that can take your smartphone photos to a completely new level. There’s also a huge library of filters available for purchase, giving you endless potential for customizing your photos and setting them apart from the pack.

VSCO is available for iOS and Android.

Snapseed

Cost: Free

Image credit: The Next Web

Snapseed is another photo editing app that gives you the option to fine-tune your photos. While Instagram’s default filters edit your entire image at once, Snapseed lets you apply your effects with a brush so that you can perfect the details of each photo.

Snapseed’s Stacks are another great feature, letting you save groups of filters as a template. These Stacks can then be applied to future photos, giving your entire feed a consistent look and saving you time.

Snapseed is available for iOS and Android.

Afterlight

Cost: $0.99 – $1.39

Image credit: Afterlight

Afterlight is a photo editing app that boasts a default set of 74 filters, 78 textures, and 128 frames, giving you tons of different options for tweaking your photos right off the bat. The app also includes 15 different tools for adjusting and editing your photos until you get them just right.

With its sleek and straightforward design, Afterlight is an easy-to-use, must-have tool for making your Instagram photos pop.

Afterlight is available for iOS, Android, and Windows.

Boomerang

Cost: Free

Developed in-house at Instagram, Boomerang is an app for creating fun, 1-second long videos with no audio. Basically, super short GIFS that loop back and forth. While it might sound a little silly at first, the results are fun and eye-catching—perfect for making casual scrollers stop in their tracks.

The best part about Boomerang is that it requires little-to-no-thought to create something that looks great. Since Boomerang videos don’t require a plot or dialogue, you simply need to capture the vibe of a single moment and click share!

Tools for Making Your Instagram Shoppable

This has probably happened to you: You’re scrolling through Instagram, a shot of someone’s outfit catches your eye and you wish you could buy everything that they’re wearing instantly.

While that might sound like a pipedream, it’s actually totally possible. With the right tools, you can transform your Instagram feed into a fully shoppable experience, letting your customers buy everything that they see and helping them get a better idea of how your products look and feel in real life.

If you have a Shopify store (and an Instagram feed filled with jaw-dropping product photos), you can use these handy apps from the Shopify App Store to make your Instagram shoppable:

Shoppable Instagram by Foursixty

Cost: $50 – $100/month

With Foursixty, you can make all of your Instagram photos fully shoppable, complete with links that attach every featured product to its product page and the ability to embed your feed directly onto your online store. Your customers can even add products to their cart without having to leave your store’s gallery.

Foursixty also lets you integrate curated Instagram feeds for specific products onto their respective product pages, giving your customers a look at your products in action and get suggestions for other related purchases.

Image credit: ban.do

Brands like ban.do, a fun retailer that sells everything from iPhone cases to apparel, use Foursixty to show off their products in everyday life shots, curated sets, and professional photoshoots.

Image credit: ban.do

When a customer clicks on a photo, they’ll be given a detailed breakdown of all the products in the photo along with “Add to Cart” buttons that let them make purchases immediately.

Image credit: Pura Vida Bracelets

Pura Vida Bracelets is another example of an online store using Foursixty to give customers a closer look at their products. They use inspiring lifestyle photos to show off their bracelets and give their customers ideas for how Pura Vida Bracelets might fit into their wardrobe.

Like2Have.it

Cost: $20/month

Like2Have.it is a great tool for creating embeddable Instagram feeds outfitted with links that drive customers directly to product pages.

With Like2Have.it, you’ll also be able to create embeddable feeds featuring photos of your current customers using your products. These user-generated feeds work well on product pages by giving shoppers some social proof and a gentle push towards adding products to their carts.

Image credit: Underables

Underables, an apparel shop for ethically-sourced sleepwear and intimates, uses Like2Have.it to show off their products with a dedicated feed on their store.

Image credit: Underables

They’ve even used Like2Have.it to slip exclusive discount codes to curious shoppers browsing their Instagram feed.

Showcase

Cost: Free – $29/month

Showcase is similar to the two apps featured above, but what really sets it apart is its price point and, more specifically, its free option.

With the free version of Showcase, you’ll be able to embed a customizable Instagram feed onto your online store which can still help your customers make more informed purchasing decisions. However, to add links to product pages and make your feed truly shoppable, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium version.

Image credit: KZ Gear

KZ Gear, an adventurous brand that sells sunglasses for outdoor living, uses the Showcase app to show customers a wide array of fun-in-the-sun lifestyle images.