Instagram Reels Vs Carousels: Which Format Wins in Engagement & Reach?

Instagram is now home to a fourth of the world’s population. So why is it that many businesses and brands, even those with significant follower counts, struggle to find engagement? One major factor is the choice of format.

Instagram algorithms are complicated, comprehensive, and dynamic. Depending on the company’s policy of the day, it could prioritize short-form reels, encourage storytelling carousels, or simply consider relevance as its top factor. Understanding the flavor of the season can have a huge impact on eventual engagement and reach.

So let’s settle this in the ring.

In one corner, we have the reel — Instagram’s darling short-form video format. On the other, we have the storytelling carousel, an emerging contender designed to hook and inform. Both are powerful communication tools. But only one can emerge on top. 

In this Instagram reels vs carousels battle, we’ll attempt to declare a winner. Along the way, we’ll weigh factors like engagement rate benchmarks, audience growth potential, and other social media metrics. It’s a lot to unpack, so let’s dive in.

What Are Instagram Reels? 

Instagram reels were introduced in April 2020, as various parts of the world were either in the clutches of a coronavirus lockdown or just emerging out of one. As you’d imagine, it quickly became a popular format — as most of us stayed home glued to our phones. It didn’t take long for businesses, influencers, and social media marketers to jump on the trend either. Here’s what you need to know about this format.

Instagram Reel Structure and Design

Typically ranging from a few seconds to up to 90 seconds, reels were essentially Instagram’s answer to TikTok. The best-performing reels were those that grabbed attention in a few seconds and delivered a punch.

Instagram has several built-in tools to help create these short videos. This includes an audio library, as well as dozens of filters, effects, transitions, and templates.

This rich feature set makes it easy for anyone to get as creative as they’d like with their video messaging. Several third-party tools, such as InShot, are also incredibly popular, allowing you to make polished, on-trend videos without highly technical skills.

Algorithm and Discoverability

Since its launch, the Instagram reel has been largely favored over other formats.

In fact, at one point, the average reach of short-form video on Instagram was 20.59%. This means that approximately one in five followers would see your reel on their homepage. By contrast, the figure for the average post was 2.41%.

Similarly, several other statistics indicated that reels are worthy of attention. A recent study that compared 2,000 content posts found that the format has: 

These numbers are by no means insignificant — and go a long way in setting the reel up as one of the most popular formats of them all.

What Are Instagram Carousels?

While reels have dominated much of the Instagram landscape for five years, carousels have been quietly gaining momentum. In fact, in 2022, Instagram’s head, Adam Mosseri, indicated there would be a significant shift in platform priorities.

As suggested by HootSuite, this meant that Instagram would likely return to its roots as a primarily image-led platform. The announcement was the turning point for carousel content, which began its meteoric rise to the top. 

According to SocialInsider, carousel posts have consistently outperformed statics and reels in terms of average engagement rate. This presents a huge opportunity for brands that know how to leverage this format effectively.

Carousel Structure and Design

Carousels allow users to share up to 10 photos or videos in a single post that followers swipe through. This multi-slide format creates unique storytelling opportunities that single photos or reels simply can’t match. 

The most effective carousels follow a similar structure:

-The first slide acts as the hook, typically featuring an attention-grabbing visual or statement that compels users to swipe for more. 

-The middle slides act as the narrative, and hold the bulk of the main content. 

-The final slide is the call-to-action, directing viewers toward a desired next step, such as saving the post, leaving a comment, or following for more. 

Moreover, consistency across slides helps create more polished carousels that keep viewers engaged.

User Engagement Actions

What makes carousels particularly powerful is that they’ve effectively introduced a new metric to judge posts on — swipe engagement. Unlike other formats that primarily generate passive likes and views, carousels now actively involve the audience.

Moreover, they’re an exceptional way to break down complicated ideas with little effort  — making them an incredibly powerful tool in the hands of more technical businesses.

As a result of all these factors, carousels are also twice as likely to be saved as reels, and naturally boast longer viewing times than regular posts — both factors that Instagram’s algorithm increasingly favors when deciding to boost your page. 

Key Differences Between Reels and Carousels

While reels and carousels have so far proven their significant value, several features differentiate the two.

User Consumption Patterns

Both formats are designed to hook and engage, but in very different ways. Users generally consume reels passively, often in a continuous stream via the Explore or Discover Reels tabs. As a result, users could end up consuming hours of content without active engagement.

Carousels, by contrast, require participation. Users must consciously swipe to see more, resulting in longer times spent interacting with your content.

Content Type

Each format naturally suits certain types of content more than others.

Reels, for example, can be used by brands for quick demonstrations, entertainment-focused content, and to show off their products and teams. They are ideal for content produced by fashion brands, entertainment studios, and other artistic industries.

Carousels, meanwhile, shine brighter when sharing in-depth educational material, multi-step tutorials, before-and-after showcases, and data visualizations. 

With that said, one should never draw a hard line in the sand. The most successful brands and businesses are those that focus on injecting personality and creativity into their content first, and let the choice of format naturally follow.

Audience Attention

A more significant difference is how the formats capture and hold attention. It is generally estimated that reels have between 3 to 5 seconds to surprise and engage viewers. This creates a high-stakes environment for content creators, but one that’s rewarded with incredible virality when done right.

Carousels require a distinct approach. A lot of the heavy lifting here is done by the initial slide, which must be compelling enough to swipe. Once viewers reach slide two, they’re more likely to swipe to the end — allowing for more sustained attention. 

Comparing Performance Metrics

Introductions out of the way, it’s time to take the gloves off and measure the most crucial factor in this content formats comparison — performance. This is especially important for small to mid-sized businesses with limited marketing budgets.

Reach and Impressions

Reach refers to the number of unique accounts where your content is promoted. And, as it currently stands, most post reach strategies still continue to favor Reels.

Here are some takeaways from a survey conducted in April 2025.

• Reels make up 35% of total Instagram screen time. 
• Reels reach a combined 726 million users. 
• Between Facebook and Instagram, reels get 140 billion plays a day.

It’s clear then that Instagram’s algorithm still prioritizes short-form videos on the Explore page. In fact, it’s suggested that Instagram reel’s performance for accounts with less than 5,000 followers can be up to 10 times more than carousels.

When considering impressions, however, we see an interesting pattern emerge. While reels generate more initial impressions, carousels often accumulate more views over time, as they are more likely to be saved and shared. 

Engagement Rates

Which brings us to engagement — a metric where carousels are slowly emerging as the clear winner. Carousels, on average, generate significantly more comments than reels, especially those that contain detailed information that encourage discussion.

Similarly, Instagram has also indicated that carousels dramatically outperform reels when it comes to saves, a criterion used to determine the quality of a post.

Data backs these theories. The average engagement rate of carousels (1.92%) has overtaken that of reels (1.74%) for the first time. While there are no hard statistics to prove this, most industry experts also agree that reels get more shares when they are humorous, while carousel post engagement depends more on the quality of the content.

When To Use Reels vs Carousels

Ultimately, the decision of which format works best depends on your marketing objectives. Each format excels for different reasons — and the most successful strategies typically employ both. Still, here are some specific considerations to aid your decision between reels vs feed posts. 

Use Reels for Brand Awareness

Reels remain the best way to expand audiences and introduce your brand to new followers. This makes them ideal for: 

• Growing an account
• Participating in Instagram trends 
• Visual displays of products and features
• Potentially viral ideas and concepts 

While the choice of topic is critical, don’t forget about consistency. Accounts that post frequently benefit more from the increased brand awareness that the format offers.

Use Carousels for Storytelling

While reels excel at discovery, carousels are associated with more conversions. They are also particularly more effective when used for storytelling purposes, including:

• Breaking down complex concepts that require sequential explanation
• Showcasing products, including features, benefits, and inspiration
• Presenting case studies, or before-and-after results
• Visualizing data from research findings

Simply swiping a single slide significantly increases the chance of the post reappearing on a timeline — hence resulting in more engagement. Buffer research suggests that carousels are 12% more likely to be saved and liked than reels, and a staggering 114% more than a single static post. This has a snowball effect, which can potentially result in more clicks, more form completions, and more inquiries in your DMs.

Reels vs Carousels for Small Business Growth

Instagram reels vs carousels: Which works better for businesses? The broad answer is both — as brands should leverage reach and engagement. However, small businesses may need to take a more nuanced approach, and also consider factors like: 

Budget and Resources

Reels may offer more reach, but also expend more production resources, including equipment and time. Considering how competitive the space is, most templates and formats have a very short life span, and can quickly become generic and irrelevant.

Businesses should not only assess whether they can create a reel, but also whether they have the resources to make it stand out from the crowd. Think professional lighting, an original soundtrack, and complicated editing tools.

Carousels, by comparison, are more accessible and flexible. User-friendly platforms like Canva offer comprehensive carousel design tips. Combined with thoughtful copywriting, it should be enough to make content stand out.

Company Growth Stage

Brand awareness reels, as you’d imagine, are a powerful tool for startups trying to gather their first few thousand followers. In fact, the lower your follower count is, the more significant the growth will be. On the other hand, established small businesses see better results with a mixed strategy.

Community Insights & Instagram Trends

Since the launch of social media, many experts have tried and failed to develop an exact formula for what works. As a result, you’ve probably noticed that the most popular research tells two very distinct stories.

This is largely because of how dynamic social media platforms are.

For instance, we’ve already covered how, during 2020 to 2021, reels were prioritized above all other formats, but recent data suggests that carousels are slightly outperforming short videos on most metrics.

Industry experts are now beginning to realize that the true distinction doesn’t have anything to do with the formats themselves, but the fact that Instagram prioritizes content that keeps users on the platform longer. This benefits high-quality reels, as well as comprehensive carousels that generate multiple swipes.

Case Studies From the Experts

Behind these findings are several thousand successful social media managers who test and share Instagram insights on a daily basis. Consider these three examples:

The Hootsuite Hypothesis 

In 2023, the Hootsuite team set out to test the hypothesis that carousels now perform better than reels. What they found was enlightening: 

After posting a carousel and a reel each for a few weeks, they found that for the first time, carousels were not only offering more engagement (200 likes vs 126 likes), but also boasted more reach (2316 views vs 2,052). This was a significant test as it supported what many experts had suspected all along. 

Comparative Study by Chloe’s Creative Studio

A year prior to the Hootsuite test, the team from Chloe Creative conducted another test to see if it was worth investing in reels.

After posting 2 to 3 reels a week consistently for three months, founder Chloe discovered that the results could be significant. She found that 69.2k new users found her page from reels alone, while posts by comparison contributed a humble 3,542 views.

Jenn Herman’s Consistency Test 

To figure out just how much consistency matters, Instagram expert Jenn Herman conducted a mini experiment late in 2024. She focused on increasing her reel frequency by 2 to 3 per week, along with a single carousel and static post, for two entire months. 

Here’s a firsthand account of what she found: 

“Prior to starting, I was averaging a reach of about 10,000 people per month. After two months of adding 2-3 reels per I averaged reaching 20,000 people per month… I was (also) averaging about 40,000 views per month and after the test, I averaged 66,000 views per month…. My reach doubled and my views increased by 65% as a result of posting 2-3 reels per week.”

Tips for Maximizing Your Instagram Content

All social media experts agree that there are certain best practices that brands should follow, regardless of whether they’re creating reels or carousels. These include:

• Clever Captioning: Instagram may be visually dominated, but captions play a big part in driving engagement. Make sure you include (non-generic) calls-to-action, break paragraphs to improve readability, and include the most critical info first.
• Hashtag Optimization: It’s tricky to use hashtags on Instagram because they have a tendency to put off readers. However, to increase reach, make sure you use 3 to 5 relevant hashtags, spread across general and niche categories.  
• Posting Frequency: Many businesses believe posting too often drives down rankings. But this is a myth that was busted by founder Adam Mosseri himself. Aim for a minimum of 1 to 2 reels a week with 2 to 3 carousels.
• Posting Times: There’s no consensus on this, but some data suggest that reach peaks on weekdays — especially around 3 pm.

Instagram Reels vs Carousels: The Final Winner

The judges’ votes are in and — drumroll please — the outcome of this battle is a draw.

We apologize for the anticlimax, but the truth is these formats offer so much that businesses and brands would be silly not to leverage the benefits of both.

Still, if you’re keen for a stronger conclusion, here’s a quick recap:

• If you’re starting a new business and need followers, prioritize reels.
• If you’re a brand looking to solely engage followers, choose carousels.

But if you instead take the time out to experiment with a mix — and follow generally accepted posting best practices — the results could be transformational.