The best time is not in a table,it is in your data.
Smart Scheduling calculates your posting time from your own posts' engagement first. If data is thin it says so, and you schedule at the suggested time in one click.
Rather hand the job over? In our Social Media Management service we run this tool for you; scope and monthly price are published.
Social media management servicesWhy generic best-time tables mislead
"Best time to post on Instagram" tables average millions of accounts. They cannot tell you when your followers are on their phones; a café's audience and a software company's audience do not wake up at the same time.
- Averages erase edge audiences: night shifts, students, customers in other time zones.
- When everyone uses the same table, the same hours get crowded.
- Even platform-specific tables do not split by your industry or city.
- The only reliable source is how much engagement your own posts got at each hour.
Which data the time comes from
- 1Measured engagement
If enough posts have measured engagement, the time is calculated from them.
- 2Publishing history
Without measurements but with enough history, the hours you published at are used.
- 3Sector average
With neither, it falls back to a sector average for the platform and country, and says so.
- 4Confidence
The screen shows a confidence percentage based on data coverage.
- 5Schedule
Plan a post at the suggested time with one click.
When you have your own measurements, the sector average only enters the mix with a small weight; your data decides. Confidence rises as your post count grows.
What you see on the Smart Scheduling screen
| Section | What it shows | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Strongest time of the week | The highest-scoring day and hour | Schedule a post there with one click |
| Heat map | Every day and hour of the week | Unmeasured cells stay blank; no made-up scores |
| Why this time | The data source used and a confidence percentage | Know how far to trust the suggestion |
| Upcoming windows | Strong times coming up | Each one can be scheduled |
Scheduled posts show on the content calendar and can go through post approval before publishing. After publishing, see the result on the social media analytics screen.
Finding your own time without Smart Scheduling
- 1List the last few weeks of posts with their publishing time.
- 2Record each post's engagement with the same measure; do not mix likes with saves.
- 3Group the hours and look at each group's median engagement; one viral post skews the average.
- 4Post at your two best hours for two weeks, then measure again.
Which plan, which networks
- Smart Scheduling is included from Pro up; Pro is $149 a month, excluding VAT.
- Scheduled posts publish directly to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
- Suggestions are calculated per platform; your Instagram and TikTok audiences may not be active at the same time.
Compare plans on the pricing page. If you would rather leave timing and publishing to our team, our social media management service uses this screen for you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time to post on Instagram?
There is no single time for everyone. The right time comes from how much engagement your own posts got at each hour. Generic tables average millions of accounts.
What does Smart Scheduling base its suggestion on?
First on measured engagement of your posts, then on your publishing history, then on a sector average for the platform and country. The screen says which source it used.
What if I have no data yet?
The suggestion comes from the sector average and the confidence percentage shows as low. As your post count grows, the suggestion shifts to your own data.
Is it separate for each platform?
Yes. Suggestions are calculated per platform; the same brand's Instagram and TikTok audiences can be active at different times.
Does it publish at the suggested time automatically?
You schedule a post at the suggested time with one click, and it publishes to the connected account at that time. You can change the time by hand whenever you like.
Which plan includes it?
Pro and above. Pro is $149 a month, excluding VAT.
Can I use it for free?
The full panel is free with no time limit: brand, accounts, reports. Allowance: 10 captions a month, 2 images a month, 1 videos a month, 1 brand, 1 user. The Smart Scheduling screen is gated to the Pro plan.
Sources
The official documentation behind the technical points on this page:
- [1]Meta for Developers: Instagram account insights
The online-followers metric is unavailable under 100 followers and limited to the last 30 days.
- [2]Meta for Developers: Instagram media insights
Official definitions of per-post engagement and reach metrics.
- [3]TikTok Support: Using TikTok analytics
Where TikTok audience and post analytics are read from.
Related pages
- Social media management serviceHand planning, timing and publishing to our team.
- Content calendarThe month's plan and spread.
- Social media analyticsPost performance in detail.
- Content poolStore ideas and produce them at the right time.
- Social Media AutomationSocial media automation means handing repetitive work to software: building the month's plan, publishing on time and catching requests in the comments. You still decide what gets said and what goes live.
- Publishing ApprovalPublishing approval shows every scheduled social post in one list before it goes live; a post you have not approved is not published.
- Brand AgentThe Brand Agent starts from a goal: followers, engagement, sales, awareness, community or a product launch.
Pick the time with data, not guesswork.
The full panel is free with no time limit: brand, accounts, reports. Allowance: 10 captions a month, 2 images a month, 1 videos a month, 1 brand, 1 user.