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Since everyone and their mother (and their dog) is on Instagram, it can be tough to separate the bland, average accounts from the truly great ones. But we're here to help!
We've listed 34 absolute best instagram accounts — in no particular order, beyond being grouped with somewhat similar pages. To be clear, there are certainly plenty of fantastic Instagram pages we've left off. We can't rank them all! But this is what we really love, the best in oureyes.
We also tried to feature a mix of accounts. Some will make you laugh, others are our favorite famous Instagrammers, and still others will help you appreciate beautiful photography. Here goes nothing.
The best ubiquitous celebrity Instagram accounts
If you only followed celebs, Instagram would become a pretty boring place. But there are few accounts that are genuinely good — and several you kind of have to follow, because of the conversation they generate.
@badgirlriri
Rihanna is stylish, funny, effortlessly cool, and imagine not following her?
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@Beyoncé
Did you think there was anyway we would make this list and not include Beyoncé?
@arianagrande
Ariana Grande is genuinely good at Instagram, sharing short tidbits of her life alongside your typical celeb glamour shots. She's also one of the most famous people alive — with some 176 million followers — and dominates headlines. If you want to keep up with the times, you've got to follow her.
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@iamcardib
Cardi is hilarious and her Instagram is full of intimate peeks into her life — like the time she downed chicken feet and decided to post it.
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Cutest animal Instagram accounts
The internet is pretty much dominated by cute animals, and Instagram is no exception. Read on for some of our faves.
@thedogist
The Dogist is one of the best-known accounts for quality dog snaps. The account also documents (often adorable) moments in the dog's life.
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@caenhillcc
The Instagram account for the UK's Caenhill Countryside Centre is just delightful. The charity works to teach young people the joys of farming and dealing with animals. There's also a good chance you've met Cuthbert, the Centre's world-famous goose who went viral on TikTok alongside farmer Chris Franklin.
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@farmanimalrefuge
The posts from this animal rescue in San Diego is a gold mine for cute animal videos.
@yaboi_toby_toad
Just a little toad, doing everyday tasks.
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@bagdogs
Sometimes it takes a little bit of creativity to tote your pup around town. Bag Dogs chronicles all the ways we carry our dogs. It's amazing.
@kittenxlady
If you need a steady diet of kitten pics, it seems pretty obvious that Hannah Shaw (aka Kitten Lady) is a must-follow.
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@prissy_pig
Prissy and Pop are adorable little pigs, and you'll love the cute adventures they get into.
The *other* random celebrities
These celebs might not be ubiquitousfollows, but they're still great.
@leomessi
Soccer is the world's most popular sport, OK? It doesn't hurt to follow perhaps the best player to ever lace up cleats. Also, you'll be treated to photos of Lionel Messi's adorable kids and his truly massive French mastiff named Señor Hulk.
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@mindykaling
Mindy Kaling — of The Officeand The Mindy Project— is everything you'd expect her to be on Instagram: witty, fashionable, and poignant.
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@aoc
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a prolific user of Instagram. The 30-year-old posts all kinds of updates and behind-the-scenes moments to her Instagram Story, making her perhaps the most powerful American political figure on the platform.
@amysedaris
Actress Amy Sedaris is weird and fun, and her Instagram is also weird and fun.
Most delicious food Instagram accounts
We've all gotta eat, and food accounts will keep you fed well. Or, at the very least, they'll help you build up an appetite with their gorgeous photos.
@bonappetitmag
Bon Appétit’s test kitchen, somewhat improbably, has created some of the most beloved food personalities on YouTube. BA's Insta page is full of great video clips and pictures of plates that'll make your mouth water. And, not for nothing, Bon Appétit has consistently great recipes if you're actually stopping by their Instagram for kitchen inspiration.
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@meme_appetit
If you like Bon Appétit, then you'll probably like Meme Appétit. They make jokes about the BA test kitchen folks. It's funny, and it's good.
@chrissyteigen
It's tough to place Chrissy Teigen in any box, so we're going with the food section. You must know Teigen by now: You'll get funny posts, great food pictures, and adorable family snaps.
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@bingingwithbabish
Andrew Rea runs the uber-popular Binging With Babish YouTube channel that recreates food from popular culture. The corresponding Instagram page is great as well. Check out the massive cheese-pulls and gooey breakfast sandwiches.
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@nytcooking
NYT Cooking, simply put, is a must-stop for amazing food photos.
@alisoneroman
Alison Roman is a star at New York Times' Cooking. Her food posts are relatable, fun, and — if you want to make great, simple recipes — a great resource for cooking at home.
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Funniest Instagram accounts
@museumbums
It's butts in museums. Not too much else we need to explain.
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@nightopenings
It's a real trip to see celebrities in odd outfits at the openings of random movies. A person favorite: this classic, denim Jason Alexander fit.
@fashiondads
Just look at this guy. That's what you'll get over at Fashion Dads.
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@overheardnewyork
Apologies for being NYC-centric, but New Yorkers really do say wild things.
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Some good government accounts
It's not common that government accounts are savvy with social media, but here a couple that are actually pretty good.
@tsa
You wouldn't believe what people try to get onto planes.
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@usinterior
The Department of the Interior posts some truly stunning photographs of nature.
Pretty Photo Instagram accounts
Sometimes you just want to take in the world in all its beauty. We've got accounts for that.
@natgeo
National Geographic's photography is legendary, and for good reason. If you make your way over to its Instagram account, you can see its amazing work documenting the natural world.
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@pnwcabinland
This account, belonging to Jacob Witzling and Sara Underwood, displays amazing cabins built in forests.
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Artists and creatives Instagrammers
If you're not supporting creatives on Insta, you should. It's a great forum for finding and appreciating those who do interesting work. We've got a few here.
@manjitthapp
Thapp is a U.K.-based artist whose work has taken off on Instagram.
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@humansofny
By now you almost certainly know about Humans of New York. That doesn't mean you shouldn't follow it. The account tells amazing stories of everyday people, accompanied by stunning photos.
@snitchery
If you're into make-up and cosplay, snitchery is a great follow.
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@nathanwpylestrangeplanet
Strange Planet takes all the seemingly mundane things we do and morphs them into fun alien comics.
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@diet_prada
Diet Prada shames rip-offs in fashion. So if you live for drama (or clothing), it's the account for you.
Those should get you started, at least.
TopicsInstagramSocial MediaCelebrities