Skweezer was once a popular Instagram automation service used by influencers and brands to grow their accounts. But you may have noticed Skweezer has disappeared – so what happened, and what are the best Skweezer alternatives now?
In this post, I‘ll share the full story on Skweezer along with my reviews of the top 6 services to replace it for authentic Instagram growth in 2023.
The Rise and Fall of Skweezer
Founded in 2018, Skweezer emerged as a leading Instagram growth service that promised to grow accounts through automated likes, followers, views and engagement.
The service offered bot-powered automation promising quick growth. By 2019, it claimed to have over 50k users and was attracting significant VC funding.
However, rumors soon surfaced that much of Skweezer‘s growth relied on fake accounts and bots to inflate numbers. This violated Instagram‘s terms of service.
By late 2020, Skweezer stopped accepting new signups. In mid-2021, the website shut down completely.
While never confirmed, industry experts suspect Skweezer was likely suspended by Instagram to crack down on artificially inflated engagement via bots and inauthentic accounts.
This highlights the risks of using growth services that rely on fake engagement. While numbers may temporarily increase, the results are unsustainable. Bots don‘t drive real value.
When Instagram detects inauthentic activity, accounts risk being banned. For these reasons, Skweezer had to shut down.
The demise of Skweezer leaves influencers and marketers searching for alternatives that offer real growth through genuine human engagement.
Why Instagram Growth Matters
With over 2 billion monthly active users, Instagram is a massive opportunity for influencer marketing and brand awareness.
In fact, 72% of US companies now use Instagram for marketing – more than any network besides Facebook.
But simply having an account isn‘t enough. You need followers engaging with your content.
Average engagement rates tend to be around 2-3% on Instagram. To hit 1,000 likes, you need over 50k engaged followers.
This is why responsibly growing your followers is critical for success on Instagram. Let‘s look at the top alternatives to Skweezer.
1. Growthoid – Best for Expert Targeting
My top recommendation for replacing Skweezer is Growthoid. In business since 2018, they‘ve perfected expert-led growth through custom targeting.
Here‘s how it works:
First, a Growthoid account manager conducts in-depth research into your brand, ideal audience, and growth goals.
Next, they implement a strategic outreach campaign to target and engage users who are most likely to follow and interact with your account.
This highly tailored approach leads to exponential yet natural growth – without bots, spam or fake engagement. Growthoid focuses purely on helping you make the right human connections.
Thomas, a fashion influencer, shared:
"I‘ve used Instagram automation tools in the past that turned out to be mostly bots. Growthoid is the first service that‘s helped me attract real, targeted followers who actually engage with my content and brand. My account is growing faster than ever thanks to their one-on-one expertise."
Growthoid‘s custom strategy is ideal if you want a seasoned Instagram expert tailoring a growth plan specific to your account and audience.
Key Features:
- Hands-on strategy tailored to your brand
- 1:1 expert account manager
- Targeted outreach for ideal followers
- All organic, real user growth
Plans start at $99/month
2. Growthsilo – Best for Simplicity
Growthsilo makes it easy to replace Skweezer with authentic growth. Their proprietary AI instantly analyzes your account and identifies who your ideal followers are.
Connect your profile, select preferences like locations and hashtags, and Growthsilo will target relevant users with content they‘re most likely to engage with.
The dashboard lets you monitor your growth and engagement metrics too.
Review from Natalie, a travel blogger:
"I don‘t have time to strategize how to grow my Instagram account – I just need it to happen! Growthsilo made it so simple with their AI targeting my perfect audience. I‘m getting very natural looking growth from real users. Highly recommend them for hands-off automation."
For those seeking an easy, set-and-forget solution to replace Skweezer, Growthsilo is a top choice.
Key Features:
- AI-powered targeting
- Simple set-up
- Dashboard to track growth
- Managed service
Plans from $49/month
3. Nitreo – Best for Authenticity
If authenticity is your top priority, Nitreo is a leading Skweezer alternative. They‘re fully transparent about what they don‘t do:
- No fake or bot accounts
- No spamming content
- No password access
Instead, Nitreo relies on proven organic tactics like strategic hashtag use, content optimization, and leveraging influencer partnerships.
I like that they share exactly how their service works so you know what to expect. Here‘s a review from one client:
"After being burned by shady services before, I vetted Nitreo thoroughly. Their total transparency and commitment to organic growth won me over. I‘m finally getting legitimate followers who engage with my baking account."
For risk-free, authentic growth, Nitreo is a great choice with plans starting at $99/month.
Key Features:
- Total transparency
- Strictly authentic growth
- Organic tactics explained
- In-depth targeting
Plans from $99/month
4. Ampya – Best Established Service
For a proven Instagram growth service, I recommend checking out Ampya. They‘ve been excelling at Instagram growth since 2014.
Ampya employs a diverse range of organic tactics to get your content seen by and engaging new targeted followers.
I especially like their focus on analytics and optimization. Their dashboard lets you closely track growth and engagement data so you can continually refine your approach.
They also remove limits on the number of followers you can gain each month, allowing accounts to scale quickly by signing up for multiple plans.
Here‘s quick proof from one Ampya user:
With an established 8+ year track record, Ampya is a reliable service to replace Skweezer.
Key Features:
- 8+ years experience
- Advanced analytics
- Scalable growth
- Uses multiple organic tactics
Plans from $99/month
5. SocialViral – Best Budget Option
If you want to replace Skweezer on a budget, SocialViral is a solid option with packages starting at just $14.
While more limited than premium services, they offer an affordable way to get your content in front of targeted potential new followers. Most orders complete within 1-2 days.
They provide decent options for expanding your likes, views and followers from real accounts. Just don‘t expect explosive growth – you get what you pay for.
Key Features:
- Growth starting at $14
- Fast delivery in 1-2 days
- Targeted reach
- Money-back guarantee
Packages from $14
6. Stormlikes – Best Flexible Service
Stormlikes stands out as a Skweezer alternative for offering you flexibility between managed growth or self-serve options.
Their managed service will execute targeted campaigns to grow your followers, likes or views on your behalf.
Or choose self-serve to control the growth and outreach yourself through their dashboard and tools. So you can choose the level of automation.
Pricing is competitive starting at $9/month, though fully managed plans cost more. With 24/7 chat support too, Stormlikes is a versatile replacement for Skweezer.
Key Features:
- Managed or self-serve options
- Dashboard to track growth
- Decent pricing from $9/month
- 24/7 live support
Plans from $9/month
Choosing the Right Skweezer Alternative
With many Skweezer replacements now available, make sure to select the right service for your specific needs:
- If you want expert targeting and strategy, Growthoid is likely the best fit. But it comes at a premium cost.
- For simple, automated growth, Growthsilo and Stormlikes are great set-and-forget options.
- If your #1 priority is authenticity, Nitreo‘s transparency sets them apart.
- Need budget growth? Check out SocialViral.
- And for proven results from an established provider, go with Ampya.
Avoid any service that promises massive overnight growth or "viral" shortcuts – these are red flags for inauthentic tactics. Vet services thoroughly and read reviews.
For the safest long-term growth, stick with services that grow your account organically through genuine user targeting and outreach.
My Top Tips for Growing on Instagram in 2023
Here are my top tips for organically expanding your reach and engagement on Instagram this year:
💡 Post Consistently. Stay active by sharing new content multiple times per week. Consistency keeps you top of mind.
💡 Engage With Your Audience. Reply to comments, ask questions in captions, and actively interact with other accounts by liking and commenting on their content. Building connections is vital.
💡 Optimize Hashtags. Research relevant hashtags with high volume but low competition for the best visibility. Combining popular tags with niche ones is key.
💡 Leverage Instagram Stories. Post daily stories and use highlights to grow your audience and impressions. The average user spends over 30 minutes per day on Stories!
💡 Analyze Performance Data. Use free analytics tools to identify your highest performing types of content, captions, filters and optimal posting times. Let data guide your strategy.
💡 Run Contests and Giveaways. These can rapidly boost followers and engagement when marketed to your audience – just be sure to follow Instagram‘s rules.
Let me know if you need any other Instagram growth tips! I‘m happy to answer questions and share more insider advice.
The Bottom Line
Skweezer failed largely because it relied on inauthentic growth methods, violating Instagram‘s guidelines.
The services I‘ve profiled in this post offer real, organic growth through targeted outreach and optimization – not bots or fake accounts.
Doing Instagram marketing the right way takes more work but delivers lasting results and loyal followers.
I hope this guide gives you expert direction on the best Skweezer alternatives to grow your Instagram account safely and effectively this year! Let me know if you have any other questions.
