Best Time to Post on Instagram in 2026, by Day (Two Studies Compared)
· 4 min read
Best Instagram posting times for every day of 2026, from Buffer's 9.6M-post study and Sprout Social's data. Includes Monday, weekends and Reels.
The best time to post on Instagram in 2026 is midweek, with Wednesday and Thursday the strongest days. Buffer's study of 9.6 million posts finds the top slots are Thursday at 9am, Wednesday at noon and Wednesday at 6pm. Sprout Social finds the best windows are Tuesday 1–7pm and Wednesday noon–9pm. Both agree that Wednesday around midday to early evening is the safest bet, and that Friday and Saturday are the weakest days.
Buffer ranks slots by median engagement rate per post, (likes + comments + shares + saves) ÷ followers, across accounts that publish through Buffer, many of them creators and small businesses. Sprout Social measures engagement across its own customers, who are more often brands. Different accounts with different audiences are the most likely reason the peaks differ. Pick the column that looks most like your account, then test.
Day by day
Best time to post on Instagram on Monday
Buffer's best Monday slots are in the evening: 7pm, then 6pm and 8pm, after the working day. Sprout's are in the afternoon, 2–4pm. If your followers are mostly people with day jobs, start with 7pm.
Best time to post on Instagram on Tuesday
Tuesday is a strong day. Sprout's window runs 1–7pm; Buffer's top slots are 3pm, 5pm and 7pm, all inside it.
Best time to post on Instagram on Wednesday
Wednesday is the most reliable day in both studies. Buffer's best slots are noon and 6pm; Sprout's window is the widest of the week, noon to 9pm.
Best time to post on Instagram on Thursday
Buffer's single best slot of the whole week is Thursday at 9am, with 7–8am close behind: people scrolling before work. Sprout prefers noon–2pm.
Best time to post on Instagram on Friday
Friday is one of the weakest days. Buffer's best Friday slots are late, 9–10pm; Sprout finds no clear peak. Save your strongest posts for midweek.
Best time to post on Instagram on the weekend
Saturday is the lowest day in Sprout's data, and both weekend days are weak in Buffer's, which finds the best slots at 8–10pm. Weekend posts can still work for lifestyle, food and travel accounts whose followers have more free time.
Reels, carousels and Stories
Reels reach beyond your followers, so timing matters less than the first two seconds. Post when your followers are active to give the Reel a strong first hour.
Carousels get saved and revisited, so they earn engagement over a longer window. Midweek daytime suits them.
Stories last 24 hours and show to followers first. Post them when your own audience is online, usually morning and evening.
How to find your own best time on Instagram
Open Insights → Total followers → Most active times in the Instagram app (Professional accounts only).
Compare it with the table above and pick three slots that appear in both.
Post in each slot for two to four weeks, then compare engagement rate per post with the engagement rate calculator.
Keep the winners and test a new slot each month.
Once you know your slots, schedule into them. Our guide to scheduling Instagram posts covers Meta Business Suite and schedulers, and Tesselith recommends best times from your own results.
Questions people ask
What is the best time to post on Instagram in 2026?
Midweek, around midday to early evening. Buffer's top slots are Thursday 9am, Wednesday noon and Wednesday 6pm; Sprout Social's best windows are Tuesday 1–7pm and Wednesday noon–9pm.
What is the best time to post on Instagram on Monday?
Around 7pm according to Buffer (6–8pm is its best Monday window), or 2–4pm according to Sprout Social.
What is the best day to post on Instagram?
Wednesday is strong in both Buffer's and Sprout Social's data. Buffer also ranks Thursday among the best days.
What is the worst time to post on Instagram?
Friday and Saturday are the weakest days, and the early hours (3–7am) are poor on most days.
Does the time you post on Instagram really matter?
It matters less than the content, but posting when followers are online gives a post a stronger first hour, which helps it reach more people.
Should I post Reels at a different time than photos?
Reels are shown well beyond your followers, so the hour matters less. Start with the same slots, then compare Reel performance separately.
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