Instagram’s all about influencers, ads, and algorithms that often prevent you from seeing the creators you follow. With Irys, there are no ads and the focus is solely on great photography, not random social media trends.
What is the Irys Social Network?
Photographers aren’t exactly front and center on Instagram, despite it being an image-based social network. Irys was created by photographer Alan Schaller to be a home for photographers to share their work and enjoy the work of their peers.
Schaller used Instagram successfully, garnering over a million followers. But, he got tired of chasing changing algorithms and feeling like social media was working against photographers. Instead, he wanted to create a space that feels more like a real community.
It’s still new, so you’re not going to find millions of users. What you will find is a growing community of photographers.
Currently, it’s only available for iOS and Android. A web version would be nice, though, just to view photos on a larger screen. You can always cast your Android phone to your TV or your iPhone to your Mac.
What Sets Irys Apart from Instagram?
Two words – no ads. That’s right. There are no ads at all, even in the free version. Since there aren’t any ads, the network doesn’t have any need to gather your data to create ad profiles.
Another noticeable and welcome difference is Irys is all about your photography, not your follower count. With Instagram, it’s all about building your followers, getting likes, getting more comments, and putting the focus more on engagement than anything else.
You won’t see any follower numbers on profiles. This is completely private to the account owner.
The platform’s also optimized to show your photos in their best light. Some of the best features include:
- Support for up to 30mb photos (50mb photo support is coming soon)
- Full screen viewing
- Built-in support for all aspect ratios, no cropping required
- Create collections to organize your photos
- Shows EXIF data, if you enable it (you’re free to keep this private if you want)
Irys feels like a stripped down version of Instagram. Everything works at a slower, more relaxed place. Instead of doom-scrolling, you immerse yourself in stunning photography.
Finding Photographers to Follow
Unlike most social networks, including Instagram, you’re not bombarded with suggestions and trending posts the moment you open Irys for the first time. I wondered if I had the right app when I tapped the Home button and saw nothing but a suggestion to follow others.
To get started, tap the Search button (magnifying glass) at the bottom of the app. Tap either Posts or Users to view suggestions. By default, Irys shows you a small collection called Highlights, which is curated by the platform’s small team. Or, scroll down to see the latest uploads.
Tap any photo to view the photo and suggested photos. Tap the photographer’s name to view their profile and other photos. If you like what you see, tap Follow to follow them.
If you don’t see anything right off that you like, search for a term. This shows you photos that match your criteria. While you can’t follow a topic or keyword, you will find photographers who specialize in specific niches.
One important thing to remember is once you follow someone, you’ll only see their new photos pop up in your home feed. So, don’t be concerned if you don’t see a huge feed (or anything at all) at first.
Joining Groups
One of my favorite parts of Irys is the groups. You’re not just shouting into the void like you do on Instagram. Sure, you have comments, but it’s not the same as a group focused on the same topic. In this case, Irys feels more like Facebook.
Tap Search and choose Groups at the top. Browse through the various groups. Just like with Posts and Users, there’s also a Highlights section with some of the most active groups.
Tap Join at the top right to join the group. You don’t have to post anything in the group yourself. Joining lets you participate or just enjoy the view.
Starting in October 2025, Irys added contests. Groups can now post challenges to encourage more participation. Some are just for exposure, while others offer cash prizes.
Adding Photos and Creating Collections
Irys doesn’t require you to post anything if you don’t want to. You’re free to just look and engage with other users.
But, if you’re a photographer, whether an amateur like me or a professional, you can upload up to three photos at once. Tap the + icon to upload your image, choose your resolution, and set your other options. If you don’t want any EXIF data shown, tap EXIF Data and turn it off.
Add a title and description to make it easier for others to find your photo(s). By default, new images post to your Gallery. If you want to create a collection to organize your photos, tap Post to -> Create Collection. Choose a name for your collection. In the future, you’ll see your collection in the list of available options.
Limitations for Free Users
Irys offers two tiers – free and premium. To keep everything ad-free and keep the Instagram alternative running, the social network puts some features behind a paywall.
Free users can only upload up to 100 total images with a limit of 10 per day. It’s important to remember Irys isn’t a photo storage service. Instead, it’s a social network focused around photography.
Free users are also limited to hi-res photos only versus higher resolutions. Plus, you can only create two collections and join five groups.
If you want to upload higher resolution images and post as much as you want, it’s $60/year or $6/month.
Instagram is for creators, influencers, and those who love a more traditional social media network. If you’re serious about photography or just love great photography, try Irys, the photo social network that Instagram could never be. You can also check out these other Instagram alternatives for photographers.
