6 Apps That Will Make Your Instagram Stories Stand Out

Whether you use Instagram to make money — and you can make a lot of money — or to interact with your inner circle, the end goals are the same: You want to post images that will spark conversation, delight your followers, and, just maybe, incite a tiny bit of envy.

Instagram Stories are becoming an increasingly important place to post. While your feed post might get lost at the mercy of the non-chronological algorithm, your Stories are just a tap away for someone clicking through their tray. Still, standing out isn't easy: Everyone is using the tools Instagram has provided, from Gif stickers and emoji polls to new fonts and Boomerangs, to the point where everything you see can start to seem a bit one-note.

Fortunately, a number of third party apps offer more variety with animated text, additional typefaces, and augmented reality effects. Create your Story post in one of those, then instantly share it from the app to Stories. One caveat is that while many of these apps are free, you'll need to pay a minimal fee to remove watermarks and access premium designs and effects.

Ahead, a look at six of our favourite apps for taking Stories up a notch on the creativity scale.