Instagram Grid Planner

The next nine posts, laid out the way your profile will show them.

The Grid Planner is a 3-column preview of any connected Instagram account, and every tile on it is a real post: a photo at the ratio it will publish in, a carousel of up to ten images, a Reel with its saved cover. Drag tiles to test the order, drag a draft in from the side tray, click any tile to see the full post. When the layout looks right, promote a mockup and it becomes a real Instagram draft with the media already attached.

3 days free. Cancel anytime.

Maeve Grid Planner with an account picker, an add visual mockup button, a drafts tray, and a 3-column planning grid of jewelry posts with empty slots and a next post marker

Build the post before it exists

Add a visual mockup from an upload, Google Drive, or the Media Room and it sits on the grid as a planning tile. Open it and the post renders as an Instagram-style preview at its real aspect ratio, with the carousel laid out beside it: up to ten media in one tile, dragged into order, swapped out, removed. One button promotes it to a real Instagram draft with the same media, and the Composer opens ready for the caption.

Maeve Instagram Preview modal for a visual mockup, with carousel media slots, upload and Google Drive buttons, an Instagram-style preview of a diamond bracelet, and a promote to draft button

The plan sits right above the real feed

Below the planning rows, the last 27 posts you actually published render in the same three columns, so you judge a new layout against what's already live, the way a visitor scrolling your profile would. Stories are left out because they never touch the profile, and Reels only show when Share to Feed is on. What's on the grid is what people see.

Maeve Grid Planner posted section showing the last published Instagram posts for a jewelry brand in a 3-column grid, including Reels with play icons and carousel covers

Send the grid to someone without a login

A snapshot link shows a visual-only version of the Planning and Posted grids and nothing else: no captions in progress, no internal notes, no schedule. Each link expires on its own, counts how many times it's been opened, and can be revoked early if plans change. If the client wants a file instead, the same view downloads as a PDF.

Maeve share grid dialog with buttons to create a snapshot link or download a PDF, and a list of recent snapshot links showing expiry dates and view counts

What the planner does

A profile-shaped view of the Instagram plan, with enough connection to the real posts that arranging the grid and building the content are the same job.

One grid per accountConnect more than one Instagram account and pick which feed to plan from the dropdown. The account rides in the URL, so a teammate opens exactly the same view.
Three columns, nine tiles minimumThe same shape as the profile. Add or remove planning rows as the plan grows, three slots at a time.
Drag without reschedulingMoving tiles in the Planning grid changes the layout only. Posting times stay where they are.
Visual-only mockupsAdd a tile from an upload, Google Drive, or the Media Room before any draft exists, and test a launch image against the posts around it.
Carousels up to ten mediaOne tile holds the whole carousel, the same limit Instagram uses. Reorder inside the tile, swap a shot out, remove one.
Custom covers for videoPick any image as the cover of a single-video mockup. Linked Reels use the cover saved on the actual post.
A drafts tray on the sideInstagram drafts for the selected account wait in the tray. Drag one onto a slot to plant it in the layout.
Click through to the full postEvery tile opens as an Instagram-style preview at the ratio it will publish in, cover and carousel included.
Promote to draftTurn a mockup into a real Instagram draft with the same media attached. The Composer opens, ready for the caption.
Posted, the last 27Your most recent 27 published feed posts render below the planner in the same three columns.
Coming up queueScheduled and pending-approval posts sit in publish order. Drag inside the queue and the existing time slots reshuffle across the moved posts.
Matches the public profileStories are excluded, and Reels appear only when Share to Feed is on. The grid shows what a visitor sees.
Snapshot links and PDFShare a visual-only link that expires and counts its views, revoke it early, or download the grid as a PDF.

The Grid Planner is the visual-feed view for Instagram. The other surfaces work the same posts in different shapes: by date, by approval stage, by caption.

Free tools and templates

Test a layout or draft the words before you sign in: free, open to everyone, no account needed.

Instagram Grid Planner FAQ

What is Maeve's Instagram Grid Planner?

The Instagram Grid Planner is a 3-column profile-style preview for any connected Instagram account. Each tile is a real post or a visual-only mockup. You drag tiles to test the layout, click into one to see the full post, and turn a mockup into a real Instagram draft from the same screen.

Is the Grid Planner Instagram-only?

Yes. The 3-column grid mirrors an Instagram profile, so it doesn't apply to other networks. LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and Pinterest posts use the Calendar and Composer like every other post.

How is this different from Later or Planoly?

Later and Planoly let you upload screenshots and arrange them. Maeve's grid is the same workspace the post lives in: a tile is a draft, a draft is a tile, and promoting a mockup creates a real Instagram draft you schedule from the Composer. One tool, not two.

What's the difference between the in-app planner and the free Grid Planner tool?

The free Instagram Grid Planner is a browser tool for a quick layout check. Upload images, drag them into order, screenshot or share. The in-app planner is connected to your Instagram account, your drafts, your media library, and your schedule.

Can I see my drafts on the grid before they're scheduled?

Yes. Drafts for the selected Instagram account sit in a side tray. Drag any draft onto the grid to plant it on a slot, or open the draft in the Composer when the caption or media needs work.

Does dragging tiles change my scheduled times?

No. The Planning grid is the layout view. Dragging tiles changes the order in the grid only. Posting times only change when you drag in the Coming up queue or move posts on the Calendar.

What happens when I reorder Coming up?

The existing time slots get reassigned across the moved posts. If Monday, Wednesday, and Friday are scheduled, dragging Friday into the first position gives that post the Monday slot and shifts the other two down. The slots stay. The posts swap.

Can I build a mockup before the post exists?

Yes. Add images or a video to a tile and it sits as a planning item, not a draft. When the layout looks right, hit Promote and a real Instagram draft is created with the same media. The Composer opens, ready for the caption.

Can one tile hold a carousel?

A planner tile holds up to ten media items, the same limit Instagram uses for a real carousel. Add media from upload or the Media Room, reorder it inside the tile, swap one out, and the cover updates.

Do Stories and Reels appear in the grid?

Stories are excluded because they don't appear on the profile. Reels only appear when Share to Feed is on. The grid matches the public profile, not the camera roll.

Can I set a custom cover for a video tile?

Yes for visual-only mockups: pick any cover image for a single-video tile. Linked Reel tiles use the cover saved on the actual draft, since that's what Instagram will publish.

Can I share the grid with someone who doesn't have a login?

Yes. Share or export grid creates a visual-only snapshot link that shows the Planning and Posted grids and nothing else. Links expire on their own, show how many times they've been opened, and can be revoked early. You can also download the same view as a PDF.

Can clients see the grid to approve it?

Client review batches show one post at a time today, not the full grid. When the visual sequence matters, send a snapshot link of the grid alongside the review batch, or promote the mockups to drafts and send them through Client Reviews for the actual sign-off.

Built by two founders who run their own brands on it

One grid to rule
them all.