Looking to add a dynamic Instagram gallery to your WordPress website?
In this article, we’ve researched and compiled the best Instagram gallery plugins. These plugins let you easily showcase your Instagram content (posts, stories, reels) and engage visitors with interactive and dynamic galleries that capture their interest and keep them exploring.
Table of Contents
- Reasons to Insert an Instagram Gallery in Your WordPress Site
- The Best Instagram Gallery Plugins for WordPress
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Related Information
5 Reasons to Insert an Instagram Gallery in Your WordPress Site
So, why bother putting your Instagram feed on your WordPress site? Good question. It's not just for the looks; there are solid reasons every business should consider it. Think more engagement, better visibility, and basically, more reasons for visitors to stick around.
Here are the main reasons to integrate your Instagram feed:
- Fresh and Dynamic Content
One of the biggest headaches for website owners is keeping content fresh. An Instagram gallery solves this. Once set up, it automatically pulls your latest posts, stories, or reels directly onto your site. This means your visitors always see something new, without you having to manually update your website every time you post on Instagram. - Boost User Engagement
People love visual content, and seeing a feed of your latest Instagram posts keeps them exploring your site longer. They can scroll, click, and discover more about your brand in a fun, familiar way. This extended time on your page signals to search engines that your content is valuable, which is great for your SEO. - Showcase Your Brand and Products Naturally
Your Instagram feed is a powerful visual portfolio of your brand, products, or services. Embedding this feed on your WordPress site gives visitors an authentic, up-to-date look at what you do. It's a natural way to display product shots, behind-the-scenes glimpses, testimonials, or even user-generated content, all of which help build customer relationships and strengthen your brand exposure. - Increase Your Instagram Following
While your Instagram drives traffic to your site, your website can also send visitors directly to your Instagram profile. Adding feed on your WordPress pages gives visitors an easy way to connect with you on Instagram. This seamless cross-promotion helps grow your Instagram audience and build a stronger community around your brand. - Improve SEO
While direct SEO impact might seem subtle, an Instagram gallery contributes significantly. Active, engaged users spending more time on your site is a strong signal to Google. Fresh content from automated updates is another plus. Plus, you can use relevant keywords in your Instagram captions, which, when pulled into your site, can subtly reinforce your site's topic relevance to search engines. It builds authority and improves overall site stickiness.
The 6 Best Instagram Gallery Plugins for WordPress
Now, let's explore the top Instagram gallery plugins that will help you beautifully display your Instagram content on your WordPress site. We'll break down each one, so you know exactly what to expect.
1. Elevated Instagram Feed
Elevated Instagram Feed offers a refreshingly simple approach and focuses on providing beautiful, template-driven galleries that you can set up in minutes.
Its guided wizard puts all your settings on a single page, showing you a live preview as you make changes. This removes the guesswork and saves you from clicking back and forth between different settings pages.
Price
Elevated Instagram Feed keeps its pricing straightforward with several premium plans. While there's no free version, plans start at $49/year for a single site. It also offers an attractive all-access plan that covers unlimited sites for a one-time payment of $199.
Pros
- The setup wizard is incredibly intuitive, making it perfect for beginners.
- You can see your changes in real-time with the live preview feature.
- Start with polished templates like Grid, Mosaic, and Slider to ensure your feed looks great from the start.
- Easily show or hide elements like likes, comments, and profile headers, and filter posts by specific words or hashtags.
- The plugin is lightweight and embeds images directly from Instagram’s servers, preventing your site from slowing down.
Cons
- There is no free version for those on a tight budget.
- It currently focuses on user timeline feeds, so it may not be ideal if you need to display feeds from hashtags or tagged posts.
Reviews
As a newer plugin, Elevated Extension has a smaller track record compared to more established competitors.
Recommended For
It is ideal for anyone who values both simplicity and a high-quality aesthetic. It’s a perfect fit for brand-conscious businesses, designers, and bloggers who want a polished feed without navigating complex settings.
To read our complete review, see the Elevated Instagram Feed review.
2. Smash Balloon's Instagram Feed Pro
Smash Balloon's Instagram Feed Pro is a popular plugin that comes with a user-friendly interface and allows you to display various types of Instagram photo feeds, including user accounts, hashtags, and even shopping feeds, all without any coding knowledge.
Price
Plans start at $98 per year for the Basic (1 site) license, $198 per year for the Plus (5 sites) license, and $298 per year for the Elite (10 sites) license. If you need access to all Smash Balloon plugins, their All Access Bundle with unlimited licenses is available for $598 per year.
All plans include one year of updates and support. A free version is also available on WordPress.org with more basic features.
Pros
- Extremely user-friendly with Gutenberg editor support for easy customization.
- You can display feeds from various sources, such as user timelines, hashtags, and tagged posts. It also supports Instagram Stories, Instagram TV, and Reels.
- You get excellent control over how your feed looks. Choose from masonry grid layouts, horizontal layouts, carousels, and more.
- If you run an online store, you can create shoppable feeds with lightbox popups and social sharing buttons.
- It comes with a smart feed cache and backup functionality that won’t slow down your site. Plus, your Instagram photos will still display even if the Instagram API temporarily goes down.
- Includes moderation features to filter and gives complete control over your content.
Cons
- While the free version is good, many of the powerful features, like multiple layouts and shoppable feeds, require the paid Pro version.
- You get some discount during the first year; however, the full price of the Pro version tends to be more expensive than some alternative plugins.
Reviews
- Trustpilot: 3.2 out of 5 stars with 7 reviews
- WordPress.org: 4.9 out of 5 stars with over 4,281 reviews.
Recommended For
Businesses that maintain an active Instagram presence and want a feature-packed Instagram plugin for WordPress. It’s perfect if you need diverse feed types, shoppable integration, and fast performance.
To read our complete review, see the Smash Balloon review.
3. Elfsight's Instagram Feed
Elfsight's Instagram Feed, while technically a cloud-based widget rather than a traditional WordPress plugin, lets you easily display your Instagram content on your WordPress site.
It lets you integrate photos and videos from usernames, hashtags, or locations. You also get various customization options, including layout options, predesigned post templates, lightbox popups, color schemes, and much more. It even lets you create shoppable feeds with CTAs.
Price
Elfsight offers a tiered pricing that varies based on views, widgets, and sources. It has a free version with limited features, and pricing for paid plans starts at $48 per year.
Pros
- It works seamlessly across various platforms, including WordPress, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, and many HTML-based sites.
- You get over 50 options to customize its appearance. There are 12 predefined color schemes, customizable interface elements, and even custom CSS options.
- You can pick how your feed appears. It includes options such as grid, slider, carousel, profile, hashtag, post, or social wall templates.
- Easily control what appears in your feed using "Exclude" filters for specific profiles/hashtags, or "Only" filters to show content from specified public accounts, tags, or photo URLs.
- For online stores, you can add CTA buttons to your Instagram posts that link them directly to product pages or other content.
- The live editor lets you customize your feeds in real-time.
- It offers over 90 different widgets in its suite. This is great if you need more than just an Instagram feed for your site.
Cons
- Not a native WordPress plugin. It can be added to your site using Gutenberg’s Custom HTML block.
- The free and Basic plans have very low view limits. Also, the tiered pricing with various limits on sources, widgets, and views can be a bit confusing when planning your budget.
- The free plan includes Elfsight branding.
Reviews
- Trustpilot: 4.6 with 121 reviews
- WordPress.org: N/A
Recommended For
Elfsight’s Instagram Feed is best suited for multi-platform website owners or users who need a comprehensive suite of different website widgets beyond just Instagram.
To read our complete review, see Elfsight's Instagram Feed review.
4. Quadlayers’ Instagram Feed Gallery
Quadlayers’ Instagram Feed Gallery is another solid choice that lets you showcase your photos, stories, reels, and tagged posts in either gallery or carousel layouts.
While it might not offer the same extensive customization options as some competitors, it provides enough flexibility with tweakable layouts, colors, and interactive elements like lightbox popups to ensure your feed looks great and performs well.
Price
Quadlayers offers both free and premium versions of its Social Feed Gallery plugin. The premium version starts at $49 per year for a single site. It also offers lifetime licenses for a one-time payment.
Pros
- Unlimited user accounts to show different feeds from various sources on the same page or throughout your site.
- Each feed can have its own layout and settings.
- Lightbox support to display photos and videos in a popup gallery box and allow users to view your content without leaving your site.
- Easily highlight specific posts in your feed. You can use a set pattern, specific post IDs, or even a particular hashtag in the caption.
- Caching support to improve performance and minimize API requests.
- Several built-in layout options, such as Grid, Carousel, Masonry, and Highlight, allow you to showcase your feed in different ways.
- Native Elementor widget to add and visually style your feed inside the Elementor editor.
- Lifetime licenses are available that provide long-term value for your investment.
Cons
- Some basic customization options like masonry/highlight layouts, "Load More" button, and feed color customization are only available in the paid version.
- Does not support Instagram shoppable feeds, which might be a drawback for e-commerce sites.
Reviews
- Trustpilot: N/A
- WordPress.org: 4.5 out of 5 stars with 279 reviews
Recommended For
WordPress users who need to display feeds from multiple Instagram accounts on their WordPress site, with granular control over each feed's appearance. It's also a great option if you value a one-time payment for lifetime updates and support.
To read our complete review, see Quadlayers’ Social Feed Gallery review.
5. WPZOOM's Instagram Widget
WPZoom's Instagram Widget offers a clean, performance-focused solution for integrating your Instagram content into WordPress. It lets you easily embed Instagram posts directly in widget areas, or via blocks and shortcodes, anywhere on your site. You can display images from specific usernames or filter by hashtags, with options for full-width banners or multi-column layouts.
Price
WP Zoom’s Instagram Widget provides both a free and a premium version. The free version is fully functional for basic needs, and premium plans start at $49 per year for a 1-site license.
Pros
- Create multiple feeds with support for multiple Instagram accounts.
- Offers flexible display options, including grid, full-width, masonry, and highlight. You can also adjust image sizes for thumbnails or full-screen.
- Lazy loading support to only load images as the user scrolls down the page.
- Multi-language support for those who have an international audience.
- Includes a customizable lightbox for viewing images.
Cons
- Lacks some advanced features found in other premium plugins, such as shoppable feeds or extensive layout options.
- The free version has basic customization. It limits you to one Instagram account and a maximum of 12 photos.
Reviews
- Trustpilot: 4.6 with 23 reviews.
- WordPress.org: 4.2 out of 5 stars with 41 reviews.
Recommended For
WordPress users who primarily use widget areas, prioritize site speed, and don't need extensive customization or advanced features like shoppable feeds or support for stories and reels.
To read our complete review, see WPZOOM's Instagram Widget review.
6. 10Web’s Instagram Feed
10Web's Instagram Feed plugin is a great plugin, particularly if you're looking for advanced filtering and layout options. It allows you to create feeds from usernames, hashtags, or a combination of both, with a focus on customizable themes and diverse display styles.
However, there are some important considerations, especially concerning its free plugin. The plugin hasn’t been updated for a while and was last tested with an older WordPress version.
Price
10Web offers a free version on WordPress.org and its premium bundle, which includes 50 other plugins, along with the Instagram Feed plugin, starts at $85 for six months.
Pros
- Conditional Filtering allows you to show feeds based on usernames, hashtags, mentions, descriptions, or media links. This lets you precisely choose which photos appear.
- You get masonry and grid layouts. There are also "blog style" and image browser options.
- Lightbox includes advanced options to display comments, apply transition effects, display comments and add social sharing buttons.
- Show Instagram metadata, like comments, captions, likes, and profile information. This is a great way to gain social proof.
- You can combine feeds from user accounts and hashtags into a single stream.
- Create your own custom themes or use pre-designed ones.
Cons
- The free version is outdated, which could pose compatibility or security risks.
- The premium version is only available as part of a larger bundle of 10Web plugins, which can be expensive if you only need the Instagram gallery feature.
- 10Web is heavily focused on AI tools now. This might mean less attention on ongoing updates and new features for their individual plugins, including the Instagram feed.
Reviews
- Trustpilot: 4.8 with 2k reviews (for the bundled product/overall reviews).
- WordPress.org: 4.5 out of 5 stars with 352 reviews (Many recent reviews have been 1-2 stars, indicating the free plugin no longer works.
Recommended For
10Web’s Instagram Feed is recommended for users who are already invested in other 10Web plugins or are considering buying their entire bundle.
To read our complete review, see 10Web’s Instagram Feed Review.
Summary: Which Is the Best Instagram Gallery Plugin for WordPress?
As we wrap up our list of the five best Instagram gallery plugins for WordPress, the key takeaway is clear: most plugins offer similar features, but they each bring their own distinct value.
Here’s a quick overview of what each plugin excels at:
| Plugin Name | Key Strengths | Considerations | Best For |
| Elevated Instagram Feed | Template-driven with live preview & granular customization. | No free version. | Users wanting a quick, beautiful setup without complex options. |
| Smash Balloon's Instagram Feed Pro | Feature-rich, fast, and native. | Premium features vary based on plans | Businesses looking for an intuitive |
| Elfsight's Instagram Feed | Multi-platform support with extensive customization and a live editor. | Cloud-based solution with pricing based on views. | Multi-site owners with diverse widget needs. |
| Quadlayers’ Instagram Feed Gallery | User-friendly interface with native blocks and a lifetime option. | No support for shoppable feeds and Content filtering options. | Businesses that have multiple accounts and are looking for long-term value. |
| WPZOOM's Instagram Widget | Easy setup with performance-focused basic display. | Supports account feeds only, with limited advanced features. | WordPress users needing a basic feed display, especially in widget areas. |
| 10Web’s Instagram Feed | Advanced filtering and diverse layouts. | Comes as part of a bundle, and the free version is no longer supported. | 10Web bundle users or those with niche filtering requirements. |
Instagram Gallery for WordPress — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Instagram feed plugin for WordPress?
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to Instagram feed plugins. However, Elevated Instagram Feed is a top choice if you value a fast, simple setup and a beautiful, professional result. Its template-driven approach and guided wizard let you create a stunning gallery in minutes, making it perfect for users who want great aesthetics without the complexity.
How to embed an Instagram feed on WordPress without plugins?
Embedding an Instagram feed without a dedicated WordPress plugin is possible. You can use Instagram's native embed code for individual posts, or use a cloud-based widget like Elfsight’s Instagram Feed, by pasting its gallery code directly into your WordPress site via Gutenberg’s Custom HTML block or a similar method for custom code.
How do I add an Instagram gallery in WordPress?
The easiest way is by using a dedicated plugin like Elevated Instagram Feed. It simplifies the process with a guided setup wizard that lets you customize your layout, filters, and styles on a single page. Once you’re happy with the live preview, you can embed your beautiful, dynamic gallery anywhere on your WordPress site using a simple shortcode.
How do I embed an Instagram feed on my website for free?
WordPress plugin repository has many great Instagram feed plugins, such as Smash Balloon's Social Feed or QuadLayers' Social Feed. Alternatively, you can also use cloud-based widgets like Elfsight's free plan, though they often come with limitations like branding or view restrictions.
How to connect WordPress to Instagram Shop?
Connecting WordPress directly to your Instagram Shop involves syncing your shop via your Instagram Business Profile. Just head to your Profile Menu (top right) > Business tools and controls > Link profile to shops, then tap Link shop to accept the request.
