You can schedule Instagram posts free in two ways: with Meta's own tools, or with a social media scheduler that has a free plan. Meta's tools are the simplest if you only post to Instagram and Facebook; a scheduler makes sense once you also post to TikTok or YouTube, run several accounts, or want your posting and your DM automation in one place. Here's how the options compare, including the detail that surprises most people — how each tool counts your accounts.
Prices and limits as of September 21, 2026.
The Instagram app and Meta Business Suite both let a professional account schedule posts at no cost. It's the natural first step:
If you post only to Instagram and Facebook, Meta's tools may be all you need. The rest of this article is for when they aren't.
| Tool | Free plan | How accounts are counted | First paid step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craft | 1 account, 3 posts a month | one shared limit, any networks | Solo $12/mo ($6 annual), unlimited posts |
| Buffer | 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel | per channel, any network | $6 per channel/mo ($5 annual) |
| Metricool | 1 brand, 20 posts a month | brand = one profile per network | Starter €20/mo ($25) for up to 5 brands |
| Publer | up to 3 accounts | per account, any network | about $5 for the first account |
| Postiz | no free cloud plan (7-day trial, or self-host) | any channels | Standard $29/mo ($23 annual), 5 channels |
| Later | no free plan | social set = one profile per network | Starter $25/mo ($18.75 annual) |
💡 Publer's per-account price comes from a third-party review; we didn't confirm it in Publer's calculator.
For the full picture with 10 tools and several setups, see Best social media schedulers.
Schedulers use two very different models, and it matters most if you run more than one Instagram account.
"One profile per network" (Later, Metricool). A Later social set or a Metricool brand holds one Instagram, one TikTok, one YouTube and so on. A second Instagram means a second set or brand. So:
"Any accounts, any mix" (Buffer, Postiz, Publer, Craft). Every profile counts once, whatever the network. 5 Instagram accounts cost the same as 5 different networks.
More detail: Craft vs Later and Craft vs Metricool.
Craft publishes through the official Meta, TikTok and Google APIs:
You can post right away or schedule, then reschedule or cancel anything that's queued. Stories aren't supported.
Plans:
| Plan | Accounts | Posts | Price (monthly / annual per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | 1 | 3 a month | $0 |
| Solo | 1 | unlimited | $12 / $6 |
| Pro | 5, any networks | unlimited | $39 / $19 |
| Agency | unlimited | unlimited | $249 / $125 |
On Pro, the 5 accounts can be 5 Instagram profiles or any mix — for example 2 Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and a Telegram bot.
Why that's useful: the same accounts also run your automation. On the same plan, an Instagram account you post to can reply to comments by keyword and send a DM funnel, and a Telegram bot can run funnels and broadcasts. With most schedulers, that part is a second subscription.
You can also schedule by describing it in words: with the MCP connector, tell Claude or ChatGPT "schedule this video to Instagram and TikTok for tomorrow at 10:00". Setup: Connect your Claude.
Honest: Craft doesn't post to Facebook, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X or Telegram channels, has no team approval calendar and no deep reach analytics. If you need those, Buffer, Metricool or Postiz fit better. Compare: Craft vs Buffer, Craft vs Publer.
Yes. Meta's own tools schedule Instagram and Facebook posts at no cost. For TikTok and YouTube too, schedulers with free plans include Buffer (3 channels), Metricool (20 posts a month), Publer (up to 3 accounts) and Craft (1 account, 3 posts a month).
Buffer's free plan covers 3 channels and Publer's up to 3 accounts. Beyond that you'll pay: 5 Instagram accounts cost $30 a month on Buffer ($25 annual), $29 on Postiz ($23), €20 on Metricool (€16) and $39 on Craft ($19 annual, with DM funnels included).
Later's social set holds one profile per network, so each extra Instagram needs its own set at $15 a month. Metricool counts the same way but includes up to 5 brands in Starter.
No. Craft publishes photos, multi-photo posts, Reels and video to Instagram, video to TikTok, and Shorts and video to YouTube.
Try it free: https://app.craftopen.space