If you’re all about aesthetics and appreciate a carefully-curated social media feed, here are five apps that will help you up your own Instagram story game
Although Instagram stories appear for just a few fleeting seconds and last for only 24 hours, they can leave a lasting impression. These days, more and more content creators, such as Canada-based photographer and filmmaker Peter McKinnon and Will Paterson, a graphic designer from Britain, have started using their Instagram accounts as part of their portfolio.
It’s a great way to show off your style and creativity to the world. Young Post has listed five of the best apps that can help you create polished-looking stories, even if it’s just for fun.
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Unfold
Unfold is extremely popular among beauty bloggers and even celebrities like Camila Cabello and Olivia Culpo. With everything from sleek and minimalistic, to vintage, old-school designs, Unfold helps users elevate their Instagram story game to the next level.
The app includes seven different packages of templates in different styles, each containing 10 to 15 pages of distinctive layouts. However, not all templates are free and can cost from HK$8 to HK$15 per package.
Users can import both photos and videos on Unfold to create aesthetic collages. It also lets people add text, and change colours, styles, and sizes. This app is available both on the App Store and Google Play.
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Storyluxe
Storyluxe’s uniqueness lies in the fact that its templates imitate the look of film rolls from different camera brands, such as Kodak, Fuji, and Ilford. There are also eight other themes, including flowers and neon lights.
Similar to Unfold, you can find a number of different templates under each theme. But what’s special about this app is that users can frame their photos and videos and change the pattern of the frame if they think a plain white background is boring. Though the app doesn’t allow you to customise the templates, it does give you plenty of stylish options. Unlimited access to all templates, backdrops and filters costs HK$23 per month.
Storyluxe is only available on the App Store.
Adobe Spark Post
This app provides quick and easy ways to create professional-looking Instagram stories. There are a number of templates to choose from, which you can add your photos and text to.
If you want to further customise the templates, the app allows you to change the colour palettes and typography. You can also add little animations to bring your stories to life.
Most designs on the app are free and made by the creators of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. It’s available on both the App Store and Google Play.
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Prequel
The best Instagram stories incorporate videos as well as static photos. Prequel offers 15 themes ranging from retro film, 80s-style home videos, and glitch, to modern, stylish, mirrored effects and crystal-like filters.
Although Prequel can seem a bit dramatic, it’s fun to play with. Not only can users take videos or photos on the app, they can also import existing media. Most of the effects are free, but, the downside is that there will be a watermark on the final product. (At HK$23 a week, you can have the watermark removed, as well as full access to all effects, filters, and beauty tools.) Prequel is only available on the App Store.
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StoryArt
StoryArt is a colourful app that incorporates a lot of beautifully themed templates such as Elegant, Fresh and Watercolour. There are11 themes available altogether, and you can select different layouts under each theme.
The app’s bright interface is easy on the eyes, which in turn makes it easy to use. Users can import both photos and videos, change the colour palette of the template and add text. You can find it on both the App Store and Google Play.
Edited by Nicole Moraleda