- Instagram feed plugins compared side by side
- Ten Instagram feed plugins, one line each
- Why personal Instagram accounts stopped working
- Check the last-updated date before you install
- What the directory rules mean for feed plugins
- Picking by layout and where the feed goes
- My plain advice on Instagram feed plugins
- Frequently asked questions
An Instagram feed plugin shows your latest Instagram posts on your WordPress site, but it now needs a professional account, Business or Creator, because personal accounts lost access when Meta turned off the Instagram Basic API. Switch the account first, then pick a plugin by layout and by how recently it's been updated. Ten free plugins follow in no particular order.
An Instagram feed on your site does a quiet job. It shows visitors you're active, fills a sidebar or footer with something fresh, and gives people a reason to follow you. Setting one up used to take a personal account and a few clicks. Now the account type comes first, and the plugin second.
The ten below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and each description comes from the plugin's own WordPress.org plugin directory page. If you'd like more people landing on your profile from the site, my tips on getting people to engage with your Instagram profile will help.
Instagram feed plugins compared side by side
Every plugin here is free in the WordPress.org plugin directory, as of Oct 2026, which is why the free plan column says Yes. Some makers sell extra layouts or features on their own sites, so check the plugin's page for what the free version covers.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Social Feed | Multi-network social feed plugin | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube on one social wall | Yes |
| Feed Them Social | Custom social feed plugin | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube feeds | Yes |
| Simple Photo Feed | Instagram feed plugin | A connect-your-account feed with no developer setup | Yes |
| Smash Balloon Instagram Feed | Instagram feed plugin | Responsive feeds from several accounts | Yes |
| Social Feed Gallery | Instagram feed plugin | Instagram galleries, carousels and reels | Yes |
| Social Media Feed Gallery | Instagram feed plugin | A grid gallery with a lightbox | Yes |
| Social Slider Feed | Instagram feed plugin | Instagram, Facebook and YouTube feeds in widgets | Yes |
| Spotlight Social Photo Feeds | Instagram feed plugin | Accessible feeds with a live preview editor | Yes |
| Widgets for Social Photo Feed | Instagram feed plugin | Instagram widgets by username, hashtag or location | Yes |
| WPZOOM Social Feed Widget | Instagram feed plugin | Photos, videos and reels in a block, widget or shortcode | Yes |
Ten Instagram feed plugins, one line each
Easy Social Feed
Best for: A GDPR-compliant social wall that brings Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and X feeds together in one place.
Feed Them Social
Best for: Custom Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube feeds that work with Elementor, Beaver Builder and Gutenberg blocks.
Simple Photo Feed
Best for: An easy way to connect your Instagram account and show your photos on your WordPress site.
Smash Balloon Instagram Feed
Best for: Clean, customizable and responsive feeds from multiple Instagram accounts, with support for Instagram oEmbeds.
Social Feed Gallery
Best for: Showing Instagram feeds on WordPress as galleries and carousels, with Instagram reels supported too.
Social Media Feed Gallery
Best for: A responsive feed and photo gallery of your photos and videos, using shortcodes, a grid layout and a lightbox.
Social Slider Feed
Best for: Placing Instagram, Facebook and YouTube feeds in widgets, posts, pages or anywhere else on your website.
Spotlight Social Photo Feeds
Best for: Embedding responsive, accessible feeds and photo galleries anywhere on your site with a block, shortcode or widget.
Widgets for Social Photo Feed
Best for: Instagram feed widgets that put your feed on your website, chosen by username, hashtag or location.
WPZOOM Social Feed Widget
Best for: Displaying your Instagram photos, videos and reels with a Gutenberg block, widget, shortcode or Elementor.
Why personal Instagram accounts stopped working
Simple Photo Feed's FAQ on WordPress.org answers the question most people ask: does this work with personal accounts? Not anymore. Meta deprecated the Instagram Basic API and turned it off on December 4th, 2024. That was the API personal accounts used, and the FAQ says the way to embed your images now is through Meta's business APIs, with a Creator or Business account.
Another plugin's directory page says Instagram is supported for professional Business and Creator accounts. So before you install anything, switch your Instagram account to a professional one in the app. That's the step that decides whether any of these plugins can show your posts.
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Check the last-updated date before you install
A feed plugin leans on Meta's API, so how recently it's been updated matters more than it does for most plugins. Two of the ten were updated on 28 Oct 2026, and the oldest update in the list is 30 Jun 2026, going by the directory as of Oct 2026.
An older date isn't proof of a problem. It's a reason to read the plugin's support tab and changelog before you rely on it, especially if the feed sits on your homepage, where a blank box is the first thing visitors see.
What the directory rules mean for feed plugins
The WordPress Plugin Directory guidelines say trialware is not permitted, Software as a Service is permitted, and plugins may not track users without their consent. So a free plugin in the directory can't be a time-limited trial in disguise, and a plugin that pulls your feed through an outside service is allowed, as long as it doesn't track your visitors without consent.
If consent matters to your visitors, and it should, read what each plugin says about privacy. One here describes itself as GDPR-compliant on its directory page.
Picking by layout and where the feed goes
- A grid with a lightbox: a gallery-style plugin that opens posts in a lightbox.
- Reels as well as photos: look for reels in the description, as several name them.
- Instagram plus other networks: a social wall that adds Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
- A sidebar or footer widget: a widget plugin, some of which work by username, hashtag or location.
- The block editor: a plugin with its own block, plus a shortcode and widget for older themes.
Do you make an Instagram feed plugin for WordPress? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on Instagram feed plugins
Switch your Instagram account to Business or Creator first, then choose the plugin by layout: a grid, a carousel, a widget or a wall with other networks. Check the last-updated date before you install, and if a feed ever goes blank, reconnect the account in the plugin's settings before you blame the plugin.
If you're sending people from Instagram to your site, my comparison of link-in-bio tools for Instagram and TikTok covers the other direction.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
This guide is part of my Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my Instagram feed stop working on WordPress?
If it was connected to a personal account, that's the likely reason. Meta turned off the Instagram Basic API, which personal accounts relied on, on December 4th, 2024. Switch to a Business or Creator account and reconnect.
Do I need a business account for an Instagram feed plugin?
You need a professional account, Business or Creator. Personal accounts no longer work with feed plugins.
Can I show Instagram reels on my WordPress site?
Yes. Several plugins here name reels in their descriptions, alongside photos and videos.
Are Instagram feed plugins free?
All ten here are free plugins in the WordPress.org plugin directory, as of Oct 2026. Some makers sell extra features separately.
Can I show Instagram and Facebook in one feed?
Yes. Some plugins here combine Instagram with Facebook, TikTok and YouTube in one social wall or set of widgets.
