Is There a Best Time to Post on Instagram for Each Day of the Week? What to Know

You’re not going to want to read this, but there is no consensus as the best time to post on Instagram. Sorry, there just isn’t. It all depends on where you are, which depends on what time zone you’re in, and what you’re posting, because certain content performs better at certain times.

All is not lost. While there are multiple sources of data, you can heed or ignore what we’re telling you. We’re presenting what four different social media marketers and social media management services have found. All of their reporting is from 2024, which definitely matters because what’s true on social media posting rules in 2014 rarely applies in 2024.

We’re pulling data from Buffer, Influence Marketing Hub, Later, and SocialPilot. Our recommendations are the consensus findings. Unfortunately, there are outliers for certain days and times that may make it seem like there might not be a "best" or "worst" time for posting.

Finally, the Influencer Marketing Hub is mostly drawn from people in the Central Time Zone and SocialPilot is mostly drawn from people in the Pacific Time Zone. Buffer and Later took into account each user zone when figuring out peak hours. Keep in mind that your target audience time zone is more important than your time zone.

Unfortunately, our four experts do not have a consensus time. In fact, there’s not even one hour they all recommend posting. Later says 4 a.m. is best, Influence Marketing Hub says 5 a.m., Buffer says 7 a.m. and SocialPilot says 9 a.m. There may not be a perfect hour but all agree that when the sun is about to rise until the sun is at high noon is a good idea.

According to Buffer and Influence Marketing Hub, 7 a.m. is the way to go. Both Influence Marketing Hub and SocialPilot also like the 9 a.m. hour. Once again, early risers benefit.

Influence Marketing Hub and SocialPilot like the 5 a.m., with Later going a bit earlier with 3 a.m. and Buffer going a bit later with 7 a.m. Notice a trend?

Finally, a day you can sleep in. Influence Marketing Hub and SocialPilot like noon for posting and Later thinks noon is the second best time to post on Thursdays.

It makes sense that the last hour of the work week is the ideal time to post on Instagram. Buffer and Influence Marketing Hub like 4 p.m. and SocialPilot likes 5 p.m.

Seems like people want to see what happened on Friday night when they wake up Saturday morning. Influence Marketing Hub and SocialPilot like the 8 a.m. hour.

The four sources gave the widest ranges of times for ideal postings for Sundays. But Bugger and Influence Marketing Hub both recommend the 7 p.m. hour. Conversely, Later recommends the 4 a.m. hour and SocialPilot likes 10 a.m.

Regardless of when you post, what you post matters most. In addition to posting at the same time (or times), it’s more important to post engaging content. Then again there’s nothing clear about what makes something engaging, so … good luck with whatever you’re posting!