Remember the early days of Instagram, when your customization options were limited to which hazy, oversaturated, or sepia filter to apply to your photos?
I wouldn’t quite call them the good ol’ days since, as a long-time Instagrammer, I love all the platform’s new options for tailoring your user experience. But as much as I enjoy all these choices, they can get a little overwhelming at times.
One particular sticking point for new Instagrammers — or those creating a new Instagram account from scratch — is which account type to choose.
Instagram offers three distinct types of accounts: you can choose between a personal, creator, or business account. Each account type comes with unique features tailored to specific needs. Choosing the ‘wrong’ account for your goals might mean you don’t have access to specific options you need as, say, a creator or business owner.
But if you think you might fall into this category, don’t stress — it’s really easy to switch your Instagram account type, no matter how old (or new) it is.
In this guide, I’ll break down the differences, key features, and best-fit recommendations for each, along with instructions on how to change your account type on Instagram.
1. Instagram Personal Account
A personal account is the default Instagram account type, designed for individual users who want to connect with friends and family, share personal moments, and explore content at their own pace.
It’s also the only account type you can make private.
Key features of personal accounts
- Privacy options: Personal accounts can be set to private, allowing you to control who sees your content.
- No professional tools: You won’t have access to insights, professional dashboards, or advanced messaging features.
- Simple sharing: Ideal for casual posting and connecting with a small, personal audience.
Who is a personal account best for?
- Individuals who primarily use Instagram for personal enjoyment.
- Those who value privacy and prefer not to use the platform for professional or promotional purposes.
2. Instagram Creator Account
The creator account, one of the two professional Instagram account options, was designed for influencers, content creators, and public figures who want advanced tools to manage their online presence, analyze growth, and interact with their audience.
As a marketer building my personal brand across Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn, a creator account is my account type of choice.
Features I really love are the account insights, segmented inboxes, access to the full music library for trending audio, and Instagram Broadcast Channels (I’d love to spin up my own one day).
Here’s a look at some unique features you’ll have as a creator account on your profile:
Key features of creator accounts
- Professional dashboard: Offers growth insights, performance tracking, and access to educational resources.
- Instagram ads: Get access to advertising and boosting tools to help you reach more people.
- Monetization options: Become eligible for features such as ‘bonuses’ and ‘subscriptions.’
- Insights: Detailed analytics about your followers, post performance, and audience engagement.
- Messaging tools:
- Secondary inbox with primary, general, and requests folders.
- Ranked requests for prioritizing messages.
- Saved replies for common responses.
- Category labels: Highlight your niche (e.g., “Blogger,” “Athlete”) with an optional label on your profile.
- Follower management: Review and remove potential spam followers.
- Contact options: Add a “Contact” button with email, phone number, or directions.
- Facebook integration: Connect to a Facebook Page to crosspost from one to the other.
- Access to the full music library: Since you’re not classified as using Instagram’s vast music library commercially, you’ll be able to use it all in Instagram Stories and Reels.
- Instagram Broadcast Channels: A way to send mass messages to followers who opt in. (Only for accounts with more than 1,000 followers.)
- Schedule content: Natively schedule feed posts up to one month in advance.
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Who is a creator account best for?
Instagram Creator accounts are best for content creators, influencers, artists, and public figures looking to grow their audiences.
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Quick note: Instagram often groups creator and business accounts together under the bucket ‘Professional Accounts,’ but this can get a little confusing. For the purpose of this guide, we’ll keep these two types separate.
3. Instagram Business Account
An Instagram Business Account (sometimes referred to as an Instagram business profile) is designed for companies, organizations, and brands aiming to promote their products or services and connect with customers.
There aren’t a ton of differences between an Instagram Business Account and an Instagram creator account (we’ll get into that below).
Key features of business accounts
- Professional dashboard: Offers growth insights, performance tracking, and access to educational resources.
- Instagram ads: Get access to advertising and boosting tools to help you reach more people.
- Monetization options: Become eligible for features such as ‘bonuses’ and ‘subscriptions.’
- Insights: Detailed analytics about your followers, post performance, and audience engagement.
- Messaging tools:
- Secondary inbox with Primary, General, and Requests folders.
- Ranked requests for prioritizing messages.
- Saved replies for common responses.
- Category label: Showcase your business type directly under your profile picture (e.g. “Social media agency,” “Restaurant.”
- Follower management: Review and remove potential spam followers.
- Contact options: Add a “Contact” button with email, phone number, or directions.
- Facebook integration: Connect to a Facebook Page to crosspost from one to the other.
- Limited access to the full music library: Not all of Instagram’s music library is available for commercial use.
- Instagram Broadcast Channels: A way to send mass messages to followers who opt in. (Only for accounts with more than 1,000 followers.)
- Schedule content: Natively schedule feed posts up to one month in advance.
Who is a business account best for?
Instagram Business Accounts are best for retailers, service providers, and local businesses aiming to drive sales or grow their customer base.
Wait, what’s the difference between a business account and creator account?
As you’ll likely have guessed, there’s really not much difference between the two Instagram professional account types. At the time of writing, the only noticeable difference between these two account types is what music you’ll have access to in creating your posts, stories, and reels.
A business account will only be able to use commercially available audio, while a creator account will have access to the full music library. (TikTok’s personal and business accounts work much the same way.)
Here’s an example of what happens when I search for ‘Taylor’ in the music library with a business account vs. a creator account.
As a business owner or marketer, you might be tempted to switch your business account to get access to all the latest and greatest songs. I’d caution against this, however — technically, you’re in violation of copyright laws if using certain songs in your content as a business, whether you’re explicitly talking about your product/service or not.
Stick with a business account to be on the safe side — it’s actually a huge advantage to know what audio you’re legally allowed to use! Plus, there are some great sounds available for commercial use with a business account and plenty of trending music too.
How to change your account type on Instagram
Chosen the wrong Instagram account type? Want to test the waters with something different? Easy. Switching between personal and professional accounts is simple and can help you figure out what features are best suited to your needs.
Follow these steps:
From personal to creator account
- Go to your profile and tap Edit profile.
- Tap Switch to professional account.
- Tap Creator and follow the prompts to complete the setup.
From personal to business account
- Go to your profile and tap Edit profile.
- Tap Switch to professional account.
- Tap Business and follow the prompts to complete the setup.
From creator to business account (or vice versa)
- Go to your profile and tap the menu icon in the top right.
- Tap Creator tools and controls or Business tools and controls.
- Scroll down to tap Switch account type and select the desired account type.
Which Instagram account type should you choose?
- Stick with a personal Instagram account if you’re a casual user who values privacy and simplicity.
- Opt for an Instagram Creator Account if you’re creating content in the hope of building your following and your personal brand.
- Choose an Instagram Business Account if you’re running a brand, business, or organization that sells products or services.
No matter which account type you select, Instagram offers some pretty powerful tools to help you make the most of your time on the platform.
More Instagram resources
Looking to grow your Instagram account? We’ve got you covered with these must-read guides:
📚 When’s the Best Time to Post on Instagram?
📚13 Ways to Get More Followers on Instagram in 2024
📚Data Shows Instagram Reels are Best For Reach — But Not Engagement
📚 How the Instagram Algorithm Works in 2024: New Update from CEO Adam Mosseri
📚 Instagram Image and Video Size and Dimensions in 2024 — for Posts, Stories, and Reels
