Sometimes you have niggles or doubts, and you know the answers lie in their Instagram DMs. Whether you’re a parent concerned about a child, or a sister concerned about their brother, knowing how to spy on Instagram direct messages can help save a whole load of heartache and worry. Here are ten apps to help you.
Top 10 Apps to Spy on Instagram
Thankfully, there are loads of choices when it comes to spy apps. Though many people trawl search engines looking for how to spy on Instagram DMs for free, there aren’t really any free ways to do this properly. That said, lots of apps do have reasonable subscriptions that can provide the answers you need with great value for money.
App 1. Moniterro
Moniterro is a powerful spy app that allows you to see what’s going on in their Instagram DMs but offers much more besides, too. For Instagram, it allows you to see what photos and videos are being shared as well as all the chats, including the secret ones that are hidden away.
Moniterro is based on subscriptions. The longer you choose to subscribe, the less you pay per month. The price starts at $9.71 per month.
Pros:
- The app has lots of features, like GPS location tracking.
- You can explore all their social media accounts.
- It is cheaper the longer you take out your subscription.
Cons:
- You can only spy on one person.
App 2. Haqerra
Another method on how to see Instagram DM without opening the app on the target phone is Haqerra. This is another way to get into their Instagram accounts and find out what’s being said or shared.
Haqerra’s pricing is similar to Moniterro with the choice of subscribing for 1 month, 3 months, or 12 months.
Pros:
- You have access to Instagram DMs, feeds, and stories.
- You can also look at SMS and emails, as well as other social media accounts.
- It has GPS location tracking.
Cons:
- If you only want to look once, it’s an expensive way of doing it.
App 3. mSpy
Another way to spy on Instagram is with mSpy. mSpy is a popular way of reading someone’s Instagram direct messages and you can also use it for other social media accounts, GPS location, SMS, email, photo gallery, and more. mSpy is cheaper than most other packages (at least on a long-term subscription) and offers the same functionality.
Pros:
- It has geofencing, which means you can be alerted when the person leaves or arrives somewhere.
- You’ll be able to see disappearing messages as well as deleted messages on social media accounts, including Instagram.
- You can find out where the person is and where they have been, as well as the routes they took.
- There is a free trial.
- The one-month subscription is cheaper than other similar apps.
Cons:
- You can’t monitor more than one device.
App 4. Eyezy
Eyezy is another tracker that allows you to monitor someone’s Instagram, including their DMs. It allows you to see their pictures—both sent and received—and view their chats. The time and date information is also there, so you’ll know when things were sent and received.
Pros:
- It’s easy to get started.
- There is 24/7 customer support available.
- The dashboard tells you lots of information about the target phone, not just about Instagram.
- There’s also keystroke capture.
Cons:
- You aren’t alerted if your child receives or sends inappropriate message content.
App 5. Spynger
Another popular Instagram DM spy app is Spynger. This shows you what posts they’re hitting ‘like’ on, as well as what they’re posting and sending in DMs. You’ll be able to see the gallery they’ve shared and read their direct messages. What’s more, these are all available with time stamps, so you can see when they are chatting.
Pros:
- You can see other social media accounts like Snapchat, Hangouts, Skype, Tinder, WhatsApp, Facebook, and more.
- It has a user-friendly interface.
- You can use it on Android or iOS.
- You can be notified when they use specific words.
Cons:
- It is more expensive than other apps.
- There is no free trial.
App 6. XNSPY
Another method on how to see DMs on Instagram is through XNSPY. This powerful app is packed with features, including camera and microphone control capabilities. Pricing starts at $7.50 per month if you subscribe for a year. There is a 10-day money-back guarantee.
Pros:
- You can remotely lock the phone.
- It’s easy to create custom alerts.
- It’s simple to get started.
- You can screenshot remotely.
Cons:
- It doesn’t offer a free trial.
- You’ll need iCloud login details for iOS users.
App 7. uMobix
This app is one of the more expensive, even when you consider an annual plan. However, it does have some good features. You can explore the person’s Instagram freely, but you’ll also be able to control it. uMobix makes it possible to remotely uninstall it too, which is handy to know. If removing the app makes them head to the website, you can block this too.
Pros:
- It has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
- The dashboard is simple to navigate.
- It doesn’t affect the battery life or performance of their phone.
Cons:
- It is expensive compared to similar apps.
- You can’t monitor keywords.
App 8. Cocospy
Cocospy isn’t as feature-rich as some Instagram trackers, but if you do want to focus on Instagram, it’s no different. It’s possible to read DMs and group messages, as well as Instagram stories and posts. The pricing is the same as uMobix, so it is more expensive than other apps.
Pros:
- It runs undetected on the target device.
- It has a keylogger tool, so you can see everything they type.
- You can see deleted messages.
- You can find out when they change their SIM card.
Cons:
- It is expensive.
- There is no free trial.
App 9. Spyic
This is generally a parental control application that has an in-built Instagram account spy tool. You can see what they’re doing on the app and find out what they’re sharing and with whom. You’ll also be provided with timestamps for everything, so you can monitor when they’re active and what they’re doing. You can choose the number of devices you’d like to monitor, which is good for parents of more than one child.
Pros:
- Options to monitor more than one device.
- Prices start at $9.99 on the annual plan.
- There is a 60-day money-back guarantee.
- It’s very difficult to detect Spyic.
Cons:
- Some social media accounts can’t be monitored on iOS devices.
- There is no free trial or demo version.
App 10. KidsGuard
Our final app for how to spy on Instagram direct message is KidsGuard. This is primarily a tracker used by parents to monitor their children’s activities. Its Instagram monitoring is somewhat basic, but you can access their messages and photos. Prices start at $8.32/month.
Pros:
- The app works on a VPN.
- It has lots of geofencing options.
- You can add lots of child profiles to one account.
- There are lots of content-blocking features.
Cons:
- If they use more than one device, the time tracking doesn’t sync across them.
- There are different prices for iOS and Android devices.
How Do Instagram Tracking Apps Work?
In most cases, these apps work by being installed on the target device in most cases. You might also need to root or jailbreak the target device or get their iCloud credentials. When the spy app is installed, it will be hidden as a system setting or app.
The apps work in a range of ways, including keylogging, screenshots, and notifications. You’ll be able to get a good picture of what they’re up to on Instagram this way. Apps like these allow you unlimited access to their posts, Instagram stories, and DMs. Some apps can even limit access to the target and uninstall it altogether.
Is It Necessary to Have Access to the Target Phone?
Most of the time you will need to access the target phone at least once. This is because the spy app itself needs to be downloaded. This is true more for Android devices than iOS ones, which can work just fine with iCloud access. Once you’ve installed and set up the spy app, you won’t need to touch the phone again, as you’ll be able to monitor it remotely.
What Are the Signs That Someone Is Spying on Your Instagram Profile?
Sometimes a spy app will be traceable. You might notice small changes that highlight the fact that someone is looking at your Instagram account and profile. For example, you might notice more data is being used or that your battery life is low. There might also be a difference in screen activity or phone temperature.
Generally, though, most people won’t notice that there is someone tracking their Instagram profile.
How to Spy on Instagram DM Free
Most people keen to spy on someone’s Instagram want to know how to spy on someone’s Instagram DM free of charge. However, this isn’t often easy to do. Some spy apps do have free trials you can sign up to so that is an idea to try if you’re keen to see how useful it is first.
Final Thoughts
So, here are our top 10 apps to spy on Instagram in 2023. Whatever your reasons for using such an app, make sure you do your research first. Check out the compatibility of iOS or Android devices, for example, and see what features each one has. Also, look into free trials and compare prices. That way, you know you’re getting the best value for money before you sign up for a 12-month deal.