Social media marketing is an efficient way to amp up your reach with new followers, whether you are a small brand, an influencer, or a performer. Instagram is particularly popular.
However, it isn’t as easy as it used to be when platforms had fewer users. From choosing the target audience to figuring out your strategy, it can be overwhelming. You may not know where to start. But you’re definitely not alone!
There are Instagram marketing tools that help people around the world to engage audiences and optimize their goals.
I’m back with assessing them. Today, my focus is on Instato. Is it what you need?
Below is a much-needed Instato review based on the first-hand experience, as Instato reviews circulating around the Internet seem to be outdated or lacking some info.
What Is Instato?
Instato is an Instagram bot. Therefore, it automates tasks – likes photos, follows or unfollows people instead of you, etc. It also has a scheduler bundled into it, so it allows you to schedule your posts for later.
I like that the company is transparent about who they are – right up front, when you visit their official website, it says “Instagram Bot.” Why do I emphasize this? Is there something inherently wrong in using bots?
No, not necessarily. But let’s just say that Instagram doesn’t like them. So, if it detects automated activity, it may ban or block your account.
That’s why many tools try to conceal their real nature with something like “Instagram growth service” and vague descriptions of what they really do.
Unfortunately, this tool is not one of those that manage to go around Instagram’s policy unnoticed. Instato gets your account deleted.
Plus, it doesn’t work anymore, but they are still accepting new clients. Doesn’t sound promising, don’t you agree?
But let’s see what it offers and what are the possible reasons for its downfall.
Other Popular Instagram Growth Tools
| Service | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Flock Social | 4.8 | Check Price |
| Upleap.com | 4.6 | Check Price |
| Nitreo.com | 4.3 | Check Price |
| SocialFollow | 4.2 | Check Price |
| KENJI.AI | 4 | Check Price |
| Stim Social | 3.9 | Check Price |
How Does Instato Work?
Instato, just like any other Instagram bot, should automate your Instagram activity. This means that it should perform actions such as like and follow and engage you with other people, who will reciprocate.
Did you notice how I kept using the word “should”?
This is because Instato fails to do what it’s supposed to, even though they don’t provide any kind of warning to potential new customers that the service stopped working.
Yeah, you guessed it – customer service is unresponsive, and reviewers on websites such as Trustpilot.com claim that they kept charging them even after they canceled their subscription.
It is full of bugs, and it definitely won’t get you real followers, as it promises.
Popular reviews you should also read:
- Nitreo Review: Is It Really One Of The Best Instagram Growth Services?
- Upleap Review: Is It Safe To Grow Your Instagram Faster?
- Kenji Instagram Review – Is It Legit? All You Need to Know
How to Use Instato?
To use Instato, follow these steps:
- Select a pricing plan that you wish and sign up for a free trial. Here, they ask you for your Instagram username and password. After the end of the trial period, they will automatically charge you for the first month.
- You’ll be taken to Instato dashboard, where you can switch automated features on and off.
- Alternatively, you can also add the media that you want to schedule.
Instato Features
Here’s a breakdown of Instato features:
Automated Activity
This bot should perform a range of automated tasks instead of you:
- Comment
- DMs
- Repost
- Follow & Unfollow
- Like
But, as I explained earlier, it stopped working, and you won’t notice much activity from the bot’s side.
Post Scheduler
You can schedule your videos, photos, stories, or even whole photo albums with Instato.
While this feature is handy and saves you time, it doesn’t really do much engagement-wise.
Spintax Support
Spintax Support basically optimizes the syntax and language of the bot in order to leave more meaningful comments and DMs. However, I have to admit that they still sound unnatural most of the time.
Pricing of Instato
Instato offers a free-of-charge three-day trial. Ironically, this is when the service may work for you.
At the end of the offer, you’ll be charged for one of the packages (Personal, Team, Agency), and that’s when the bot will stop working.
That’s a pretty scammy strategy, don’t you agree?
Plus, they will renew the plans even if you want to cancel them.
Let’s see how much is Instato a month for different tariff plans:
Instato offers the same automated features across all three plans. The main difference is that, with the “Personal” package (billed at $29.95 a month), you can manage a single account, while the other two offer services for multiple accounts.
Also, “Team” ($49.95 per month) and “Agency” ($99.95 per month) plans allow you to use Spintax Syntax I mentioned above.
Is Instato Legit?
I must say that I don’t believe Instato is legit.
First of all, its features don’t work, so, essentially, you’re wasting your time. If you try to submit a complaint, they will get back to you with something like “we’re experiencing technical difficulties” and no solution. Their FAQ section isn’t helpful, either. Each answer is one sentence long, and it doesn’t provide any valuable info.
They have tons of positive reviews on their website, coming from noticeably fake accounts. If you consider Instato reviews on websites such as Trustpilot.com, you’ll get a true picture of the tool.
Secondly, there’s no option to cancel your subscription. You have to contact their customer support with the request to cancel your Instato account. But, most of the time, they continued to renew customers’ subscriptions even after the request.
There’s no way to cancel your account yourself, and they will keep charging you until you deactivate your payment method. This is borderline fraudulent activity, and I cannot believe that scammy companies like this still operate.
In my opinion, it’s just a matter of time before Instato shuts down. But before that, it’s important to draw attention to the fact that Instato is a scam.
Is Instato Safe?
There are two safe things about Instato: their website is https secure (so your info won’t get stolen), and they are using Stripe online payment processing, which is legit.
However, it isn’t safe for your Instagram account, as it will get banned if you use this bot. Plus, they will process payments even after you cancel the subscription.
PROS and CONS
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Their interface is okay | Puts your Instagram account at risk |
| Some people were overcharged | |
| Unresponsive customer support | |
| It doesn’t work | |
| They don’t issue refunds | |
| Requires your Instagram password |
Instato Review: Final Verdict
If you’re not taking advantage of Instagram marketing, you’re missing out! There are tons of potential customers and followers out there that are already interacting with brands and performers like you.
It can bring you remarkable success and drive your sales.
Is Instato one of the tools to go for?
No, not really. This one is a hard pass. It doesn’t work anymore, it gets your account blocked, and they keep charging you after canceling their services. All of this is synonymous with “scam.”
Without tools that can get you real followers, it’s difficult to succeed in the long run. Above are some alternatives that can help you with developing an organic expert plan.
Top 10 Instagram Bots
Looking for a legit and safe way to grow your Instagram account? Look no further!
We’ve tried and tested many services to find the best one on the Internet. Check out the table below for our favorites!
| Service | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Flock Social | 4.8 | Check Price |
| Upleap.com | 4.6 | Check Price |
| Nitreo.com | 4.3 | Check Price |
| SocialFollow | 4.2 | Check Price |
| KENJI.AI | 4 | Check Price |
| Stim Social | 3.9 | Check Price |