With so much competition between Instagram’s 1 billion monthly active users, for years the best way to grow your Instagram follower count has been debated.
It’s possible to achieve on your own; this takes a long time, however, and before you know it, you’ve already missed out on a lot of business.
A quick look at the top 5 working sites:
- GrowthViral (Best Reputation)
- MediaMister (Top Rated)
- Thunderclap (Fastest Delivery)
- Nitreo (Specialises on Instagram)
- AiGrow (USA based)
Because people are looking for speed and ease of use, Instagram bots and automation services have become popular in order to help users get more Instagram followers without lifting a finger.
While it was a popular endeavor for a while, it’s still a heavily controversial issue – do Instagram bots really still work, and can they help you get more real Instagram followers that will contribute to your overall account performance?
It’s quite a conundrum; people need cost-effective solutions to help them with their Instagram growth and finding these options is increasingly difficult.
Advertising through Facebook and Instagram is too expensive for most small businesses, brands, influencers, and those just starting out, so what’s the answer?
These days, finding a bot that actually works is rare; for this reason other strategies and companies have emerged to offer people effective Instagram follower growth that won’t bring harm to your account.
It can be a confusing task to navigate all of the different services available for Instagram; for that reason, we’ve put together this article to help you make the best choice.
After reading, you’ll know:
- What an Instagram bot is
- How Instagram monitors bot use
- Whether or not Instagram bots still work
- Instagram bot alternatives
- Top Instagram bots
We’re confident that with a little guidance you can decide which tool will help grow your Instagram followers most effectively without putting your account at risk.
Let’s get started!
What is an Instagram bot?
In order to understand the whole bot phenomenon, we’ve got to start with the basics. What is an Instagram bot, and how do they work?
An Instagram bot is an automated software, service, site, or program that will generate Instagram interactions for a user automatically. This typically includes things such as likes, comments, DMs, shares, story views, and more.
Engagement and interaction is a widely accepted method for getting more exposure on Instagram and growing your follower count; doing this yourself, however, is quite time-consuming and can take away from other important elements of your profile like content creation and hashtag strategy.
Bots, then, have taken the most important parts of getting more followers and created automated services to help users get them without taking away from their workflow and other priorities.
Perfect, right?
Well, unfortunately, it’s not as simple as it seems. To grasp the current bot environment on Instagram, we’ve got to go back to how it started.
Bots, on the surface, seem like an amazing solution for Instagram follower growth, but it’s a bit more complicated than that, unfortunately.
History of Instagram Bots
In the early days of Instagram, the best way to grow your Instagram account was to simply buy a bunch of fake Instagram followers. Because things were just getting started, it took users as well as Instagram a while to realize what was happening.
Even famous people like Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus have bought fake Instagram followers! Well, as soon as IG realized what was happening, they effectively shut down these companies and started removing fake followers.
After this, new services that created auto-generated interactions surfaced, and this began the bot craze. Everyone was using bots on Instagram; eventually, this led to a poor user experience loaded with spam and annoying interactions, causing Instagram to take action.
Instagram has been waging war against bot services for a good 3 to 4 years now, and they have been very effective in almost completely stamping out the use of bots on their platform.
How does Instagram mitigate bot use? Let’s take a look.
How Instagram monitors bot use
Before you sign up for a bot service that promises you the world, you should know that Instagram has very strict policies against bot use on the platform. In fact, it’s completely against the terms of use and can have very negative effects on your profile.
Not only will your profile appear spammy and attract attention from users that are irrelevant to your account and your niche, you can even get banned or suspended from Instagram.
These are a few of the ways that Instagram curbs bot use:
- Warning Messages: When you use a bot on Instagram, the system will flag you for using automation. There are a variety of ways that they can detect this; if you have been identified as using automation or bots on your profile, you will receive a warning message.
They have a couple of different ones that you could receive; they may say that your account has been compromised, or that you’ve been identified as using an automation service. If you don’t stop using them, further consequences ensue. If you receive this message and have been using bots, stop immediately. - Daily Engagement Limits: One of the most detrimental controls that Instagram has implemented is the limit on daily engagements per account.
Bots would perpetuate thousands and thousands of engagements daily because they were automated and could engage at this capacity. Instagram now has hidden and secret daily engagement limits that are set for your account; each account has a determined limit and if you surpass this limit, you will be restricted from further action on Instagram.
Bots have a very hard time staying under this limit, so you’ll see that when using them you’ll get flagged and restricted, or they will perform almost no interactions at all. In either case, you won’t be getting the results that you need. This was the biggest blow to bot services and forced many of them out of business. - Shutting Down Bot Companies: If the bot company didn’t go out of business on its own, Instagram has even forced them to do so by opening lawsuits and suing some of the top companies offering bot services.
Because of this, it’s tough to find bot services to begin with, and even if you do, the likelihood that they’ll provide services for a long period of time is low. - Instagram Bans: Finally, if Instagram flags you and warns you that you’ve been using a bot, your account can suffer the consequences.
You can be banned from Instagram for weeks at a time, which is a big roadblock to any kind of success because you are basically removed from the platform and can’t engage, can’t post – anything.
Instagram can even go so far as to limit the reach of your content through shadowbans, or even deactivate your account altogether if it gets very serious.
As you can see, Instagram is completely dedicated to upholding the integrity of their platform and curbing the use of bots and automation services; it’s wise to find a long-term strategy that doesn’t include automation because it is, unfortunately, not effective on Instagram as we know it today.
Do Instagram bots still work?
Well, if Instagram bots don’t work, why do companies still offer them? It’s a good question, and there are a couple different reasons.
Companies in social media growth are looking to make a profit first over everything. Even if their services don’t provide great results, bots can still operate at the lowest level possible, and they can still charge their clients.
You may not see what you were hoping for, but they can just claim the fault of Instagram and continue to charge.
So, for follower growth or automated interactions, bots don’t work. These, though, aren’t the only kind of bots. There are other types of bots that are actually effective for you, and using these bots can be beneficial contributions to your Instagram follower growth.
Front End Automation
Front end automation are the bot services that perform user-facing engagements such as likes, comments, DMs, etc. These are the engagements that are not allowed to be automated and Instagram will take action if you are caught using front-end automation.
While it seems very enticing to use these services, Instagram doesn’t allow them to work properly, ultimately bringing you more of a headache than anything.
Back End Automation
Back end automation is anything that is automated behind the scenes; users won’t know that you use these types of automation services, thus having little impact on the user experience. This is why Instagram still allows these types of services.
Some popular bot services for back end automation include Instagram schedulers, auto-posting services, hashtag generators as well as Instagram analytics. These tools can help you to have a simplified workflow and track your results better; they are safe to use, and these types of bots still work.
Instagram bot alternatives
So, if bots don’t work, how can you get more real Instagram followers? There are companies that can still help you, and the results that you’ll get are going to help your profile get real followers that will help your overall account performance.
Let’s review these options briefly before we get to our list.
Organic Instagram Growth Services
Organic Instagram growth services work in your place to grow your real Instagram followers through interactions. These services are manual and employ an account manager to help take over your Instagram growth workflow which helps you get organic followers that care about your content and what you post, on auto-pilot.
The great thing about these types of services is that it’s completely natural and you have an expert engaging with the right accounts, helping to enhance your overall results. It saves a lot of time because you don’t have to do it yourself.
If you need real Instagram followers that can help you to boost engagement levels and monetize your Instagram, using an organic Instagram growth service is the best thing you can do.
Bulk Follower Packages
Alternatively, if you need a quick infusion of real followers, you could buy a bulk follower package from a reputable company. It must be from a reputable company because otherwise, you’ll do more harm than good to your profile.
Many of these companies will send a bunch of fake followers that will simply pollute your account and you’ll waste both time and money; you should only choose from a company that will send real followers.
This is a short-term solution but can be a good option if you have really specific goals or need to use it as a way to help generate real follower growth over time.
10 Top Instagram bots for 2025
Now that we’ve discussed the current landscape of Instagram follower growth using bots, organic follower growth, as well as bulk packages, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 companies to help you get more real Instagram followers.
There are companies from all three methods so that you have options; since bots are very rare and can put your account in some serious trouble, use with caution – consider all options before opting for an Instagram bot that can’t guarantee results or safety.
Let’s take a look at the best companies to work with when you need more Instagram followers.
1. MediaMister
Regarding Instagram bots, MediaMister has a reputation no one can contest. They are paving the way for the industry with their latest technology and the outstanding results they’ve achieved for their customers.
You can quickly and easily purchase Instagram followers and other Instagram promotions to support your growth on Instagram.
When it comes to bots on Instagram MediaMister is highly regarded as the best bot available on the market, they are always upgrading their tactics so you can quickly boost your exposure on Instagram.
MediaMister has been featured as the #1 best site to buy 1000 Instagram followers.
A quick overview of what’s included:
- Highest Quality Results
- Dedicated Account Manager
- Refill guarantee
- Quick & effective results
Buy Instagram services from MediaMister Now
2. Kicksta
Do you need more real Instagram followers but don’t have time to wait for a bot or organic Instagram service? When you buy Instagram followers from Kicksta, you’ll be getting quality at excellent prices without having to lose out on quality.
Kicksta has worked for years to expand their network of users that will follow your account and engage with their content; this is how they provide genuine Instagram followers and likes that don’t compromise your profile’s quality.
Kicksta has a wide variety of quantities and price points available and they can also help you grow other social media accounts, making them very efficient as a one-stop-shop for social media needs.
3. Upleap
Completely changing the way people get more followers on Instagram, Upleap has worked diligently to build a service that not only delivers real followers but also keeps your account completely safe and contributes to a long-term Instagram growth strategy.
When you work with Upleap, you’ll get a dedicated account manager who will be your Instagram follower champion. They will be the experts in charge of finding and engaging with the right accounts.
This is another benefit that an organic service has over bots – they can actually gain you more targeted results. You don’t have to worry about getting a bunch of fake, irrelevant accounts. Upleap doesn’t use any bots nor do they send you any fake followers. It’s all real.
After signing up, you’ll provide your account manager with your targeting instructions; this means that your account manager can hand-tailor your growth specifically to your niche or business needs, making the service that much more valuable.
Upleap plans are affordable; they have two monthly options, both with no contract. They also have a money-back guarantee and the best support teams and account managers of any Instagram growth company around.
If you want to work with a top company that promotes high-quality Instagram growth by hand, you need to check out Upleap.
4. Nitreo
Following in the steps of Upleap, Nitreo is another fully-managed Instagram growth service that has emerged helping users to engage with the right accounts. Nitreo has some of the most advanced targeting in the industry and their account managers are definitely experts.
If you want to ensure that you get more real Instagram followers that are actually going to be interested in your content, you’ll have to work with a company that follows your targeting instructions just like Nitreo does.
Since they care about their clients’ results and do everything by hand, you’ll be sure to get exactly the kind of followers you need – none of those fake accounts or bots that make your profile look spammy.
Your account manager will do all of your profile’s interactions by hand and you will provide them with your criteria upon signing up for the service.
All of Nitreo’s plans are no contract, giving you the flexibility that you need to get more real Instagram followers on your terms, awesome.
5. More Likes
We haven’t discussed engagement much up until this point, but the true measure of success on Instagram is actually engagement. Since there were so many attempts to gain more followers on Instagram, Instagram changed its algorithm to reflect the real indicator of popularity – likes and comments.
If an account has a bunch of followers, that’s great, but if none of them like your content, are you really populary? No. Instagram uses engagements such as likes to decide which content is performing well. If you want to have more natural reach and generate more interest around your profile, you need to have more likes.
It’s for this reason that More Likes has created their one-of-a-kind service to help users get more real Instagram likes on all of their content. Instagram likes help you to not only build your reputation but also to bring in more users and followers to your profile.
Likes are small, but they are mighty; you won’t be able to grow your follower count if you have hardly any likes. You need Instagram likes to support your social proof.
More Likes is the perfect service – you post a photo, More Likes detects it, and boom! You get the set number of likes on your content. More Likes has built an extensive network of users to provide their clients with real, genuine Instagram likes on all of their content.
You can even decide how quickly you want your likes to come onto your content. No matter what, More Likes is the premier service for getting more Instagram likes. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without this service.
You can also get real Instagram followers from More Like’s network as well, so check them out today.
6. Grab Likes
If you need more Instagram likes to help generate more follower growth, Grab Likes has a variety of options that can help you out. You can get more real Instagram followers, more real Instagram likes and auto-likes, and more.
Grab Likes offers one-time purchases as well as a recurring service for Instagram auto-likes. If you have a consistent number of Instagram likes you’ll be able to grow your Instagram followers through reputation and social proof, and that’s just what Grab Likes can help you do.
Much like More Likes, you’ll choose the amount of likes that you want delivered to each post and then Grab Likes will employ their network of users to like your content, getting you genuine likes without having to lift a finger.
Don’t miss out on an awesome service like Grab Likes – you’ll love the results they provide.
7. Nitreo
Helping to speed up your Instagram growth through auto-generated engagements, Nitreo is one of the only bots available on the market today. They offer services for Instagram follower growth and have a pretty healthy track record.
Nitreo has two different monthly plan options and they also give you the option to pay yearly if that suits you better. They have limits to control the speed of interactions and they also offer a support team and a guarantee for their services.
Getting more real Instagram followers can be a tough endeavor and if you don’t have the help of a third party like Nitreo or others on this list, you might not reach your full potential.
8. Stellation Media
The Instagram stories feature is without a doubt the unofficial superstar of Instagram; a user adds on average 28 more minutes to their Instagram use viewing Instagram stories. It’s a huge opportunity to connect with more users and Stellation Media is taking advantage of it.
You can get a variety of different features from Stellation Media including mass story views, mass DMs, mass comments, and more. They claim to have some of the highest levels of growth of any social media service out there, so if you need high volume, they may be a good choice.
Their services are a bit more expensive than others out there, so if you don’t have a huge budget or are just looking for a support tool, this one might not be within your grasp. If you have some extra bucks to spend, check out Stellation Media and see how their newly renovated services boost your Instagram follower count.
9. Upleap
You can’t have an Instagram bot nowadays that isn’t managed by someone; when bots are left alone to do their thing, they get you flagged. For that reason, Upleap has employed the use of bot services but with human oversight.
Upleap will follow accounts in your target audience so that you can get noticed by them and then get a follow back. They’ll also view Instagram stories as well as live broadcasts to generate even more interest in your profile.
You can choose from three different plans offered by Upleap and you have the option to pay monthly or yearly. If you need to gain some more followers and want to try a bot, Upleap may be a good choice for you.
10. Social Viral
The final spot on our list goes to Social Viral, a company that has been around for quite some time helping users to get more Instagram followers. Not only can you get Instagram followers from them but you can also get Instagram likes and views as well.
Social Viral claims state-of-the-art processes to help deliver your followers and you can buy anywhere from 50 to 5000 Instagram followers; this could be just the infusion that you need to help generate more real Instagram growth.
Social Viral offers an extensive FAQ on their website and they also define what “high-quality followers” are, saying that their followers are natural and behave in a realistic way. That means they’ll keep your account safe and last over a longer period of time.
Wrap up – Best Instagram bots
Well, there you have it – the lowdown on Instagram bots and whether or not you should use them.
Don’t worry though; if you don’t trust Instagram bots and you don’t want to use them, you can always check out the other incredible services that are out there these days.
It can be hard to find real services that provide real Instagram followers and results for your growth, but they’re out there.
Do your research and check out the services on this list and you’ll be sure to find something that meets your needs and helps take your Instagram to the next level!
Happy growing.