According to Instagram, 81% of people use the platform to research products and services. What will they find when they land on your profile? Is your profile visually appealing and engaging? Does it show the best possible image of your brand? If you're serious about creating an Instagram profile that really wows your audience, you should be using an Instagram grid. In this article, you'll find some of our favorite Instagram grid examples that you can use to inspire your own Instagram grid design.
7 Instagram Grid Examples to Inspire Your Own:
What Is an Instagram Grid?
Instagram grids are themes you can use to create stunning designs from your profile feed. Instagram grids are sometimes called Instagram "puzzles," and you can create them by uploading related posts to your feed, combining the images to create a cohesive image. They typically consist of nine or 12 posts and there are several different types of Instagram grids that are popular with Instagram marketers.
7 Instagram Grid Examples to Inspire
Instagram grids follow a specific pattern using colors and imagery to let customers learn more about your brand. Of course, there are different types of Instagram grids that you can use, depending on what works for your content and your audience. Here, we'll cover 7 different types of grids along with real-life Instagram grid examples for each type. We encourage you to not copy the examples but rather use them as inspiration for creating your own Instagram grids that really make your brand pop.
1. Squares
If you're looking for an Instagram grid layout that doesn't require tons of planning but still looks like it does, just sticking with one or two colors for your images and using a consistent filter on each image is your best bet. Using similar colors makes your profile feed look intentional without spending tons of time thinking about which images to include.
Here's an example of this Instagram grid from The Minimalist Instagram feed showing that you don't need flashy colors to create a stunning profile feed:

Source: instagram.com
Of course, if you want to use flashy colors, this example from Sam Ushiro's Instagram shows that it works just as well:

Source: instagram.com
2. Rows
This Instagram grid example is based on a 3x3 grid with a total of nine squares. For this grid, you'll be using a visual pattern for each set of three posts. This might mean using specific color schemes, using complementary colors with a cohesive theme, or something else.
Here's an excellent Instagram grid using rows from William.Wanderlust:

Source: instagram.com
Here's an example from a brand that opted to use alternating image and text post groups in each row:

Source: instagram.com
3. Columns
This Instagram grid type is similar to rows except the content is arranged vertically. Some Instagrammers use colorful images in the first and last columns with a simpler image or text in the middle column. Let's take a look at a couple of Instagram grid examples for this grid type.
Here's an example from My Simple Gram using two images on the outer edges with simpler images in the center column:

Source: instagram.com
In this example, the brand has opted to use images for the first two columns with text-based post images in the final column:

Source: instagram.com
4. Checkerboard
The checkerboard Instagram grid is visually appealing whether your content is image-heavy or text-based. The best part is that it looks really fancy, but all it takes is two different types of posts that contrast one another. Then, you just alternate the post images for the checkerboard effect.
Here's an example of the checkerboard pattern using text-based images only:

Source: instagram.com
This example from Be Seen Optics SD shows a checkerboard pattern using a combination of image and text-based posts:

Source: instagram.com
5. Borders
As you'll see in the Instagram grid examples below, borders add an air of elegance to your Instagram profile feed. The images tend to be simple with light backgrounds and a minimalist feel. You're likely to see this Instagram grid type on the Instagram feeds of high-end, luxury brands.
While the images are a bit busier than you normally see when borders are used, we absolutely love the black borders on this example from Beautiful and Yummy:

Source: instagram.com
This example uses thicker borders for a much more dramatic effect:

Source: instagram.com
6. Diagonals
Diagonal grids are a fun play on the row- or column-based grids. They look really complicated and, to be frank, they can be. If you want to create an entirely diagonal feed, you'll need four general themes for the images you use. Some Instagrammers end up feeling stuck with the themes they've chosen, so we recommend not getting too specific on your theme.
Here's one of our favorite diagonal Instagram grid examples:

Source: instagram.com
As you can see, this grid uses diagonal text-based posts to break up the rest of the images. This isn't an entirely diagonal grid, but does offer an alternative if you'd rather just choose a single theme for your diagonal posts.
7. Puzzle
The last of the Instagram grid examples we're going to cover is the puzzle layout. The puzzle layout is fairly dramatic to look at. It involves images that come together to make a complete image out of your entire Instagram profile grid. This takes a lot of planning, but it's stunning to behold. For best results, each of your images should be able to stand on its own as well as come together with the pictures around it to create a single image. Here's one of our favorites from the Netflix series Dark:

Source: instagram.com
How to Create a Powerful Instagram Grid
Creating an impressive Instagram grid takes a little bit of planning, but it doesn't have to be complicated. By following the tips we outline here, you'll be able to build an Instagram grid that shares your brand's story and gets your followers excited. Let's dive into five steps you can follow to make the process easier.
Apps to Help You Create a Visually Powerful Instagram Grid
While it's entirely possible to build your Instagram grid on your own, it's much easier to do if you have the right tools. Here are some of the best tools you can use to quickly and easily create an Instagram grid you're proud of.
Planoly
Planoly started out as the first visual planner for Instagram and has grown into an industry-leading social media marketing platform. As an Instagram partner, Planoly is often on the cutting-edge in terms of Instagram features and tools. You can use Planoly to:
- Draft, plan, schedule, and publish content
- Analyze your business profile data
- Schedule and automatically post to Instagram using Instagram direct publishing
- Share content to Facebook
Preview App
Preview App makes it easy to plan Instagram posts, Reels, IGTV videos, find the best Instagram hashtags, analyze your data, find caption ideas that engage, and more. You can upload as many photos, videos, and carousels as you want and rearrange them just so. Then, preview your Instagram feed before you post.
PhotoSplit for Instagram
PhotoSplit for Instagram lets you slice-and-dice any photo into 1x2, 1x3, 2x3, 3x3, and 4x3 grids without losing resolution. This makes it ridiculously easy to split an image to show it as a single image on your profile feed. You can even move, zoom, or rotate the image for the best look.
ImageSplitter
ImageSplitter is a free Instagram image splitter that you can use to create multiple Instagram images for your grid from a single image. You can divide a single image into 3x1, 3x3, 3x4, 3x5, and 3x6 grids. Just upload your image, choose the size of your grid, click "split" and download your sliced image. Then, automatically post them to Instagram.
PineTools
PineTools is packed with free online tools. One of those tools is perfect for splitting an image into smaller images that you can use for your Instagram grid. You can split images horizontally, vertically, or both, as well as choosing the size and quantity of images you want to be created. Just upload your image, choose how you want the image split, and choose your output format (JPG, PNG, BMP, WEBP).
Instant Squares
Instant Squares is an Android app that you can use to split images for your Instagram grid. Just choose your image, adjust your settings, and publish or save. You can cut images into 3x1, 3x2, 3x3, 3x4, 3x5, 3x6, 3x7, 3x8, and 3x9 pieces. Instant Squares also lets you zoom, rotate, align, move, and crop images, as well as post them directly to Instagram and configure your captions and hashtags.
Wrapping Up
Creating the perfect grid design for your Instagram profile feed is easy with the Instagram grid examples we've shared here. Use these designs to inspire your own eye-catching Instagram grid and really take the time to consider how you want your audience to feel about your brand when they see it. Then, use the steps we've included on how to create a powerful Instagram grid to make your vision a reality.