You clicked because the promise was simple: save this pin, and you get a follow plus three of your own pins saved. That kind of small, generous gesture is exactly how Pinterest communities grow, but doing it manually for every pin is slow. The good news is there is a whole layer of the internet built for exactly this kind of save-for-save and follow-for-follow behavior, plus tools that help you organize, schedule, and track what you save. Below are 18 sites and tools that make saving, sharing, and growing your Pinterest presence genuinely easier, starting with the ones most directly tied to the promise you clicked.
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Why Pinterest Saves and Follows Matter More Than Ever
Pinterest is not a social network in the traditional sense. It is a visual search engine, and its algorithm treats saves as one of the strongest signals that a pin is worth showing to more people. When someone saves your pin, they are telling the platform “this is useful,” and that single action can push your content into feeds far beyond your current followers. The same logic applies to follows: a follow tells Pinterest you consistently create content worth returning for.
This is why save-for-save and follow-for-follow exchanges still work as a starter strategy, especially for new accounts trying to escape the zero-engagement zone. But manual exchanges only scale so far. The tools below help you create better pins, schedule them at the right time, understand which ones get saved, and keep your workflow organized so you can focus on the creative side. Each one earns its spot for a specific, practical reason.
1. Pinterest : The platform itself, and the only place saves truly count
What it is: The original visual discovery platform where pins, boards, and saves live.
Category: Core platform
Why it stands out:
- Its native “save” button is the exact action the pin promise is built around.
- Pinterest’s own analytics show which pins get saved most, so you can double down on what works.
- Creating a dedicated board for save-for-save exchanges keeps your feed tidy while you participate.
Best for: Anyone starting the save-and-follow habit from scratch.
2. Tailwind : Schedule pins at the times your savers are most active
What it is: A scheduling tool built specifically for Pinterest and Instagram.
Category: Scheduling
Why it stands out:
- Its SmartSchedule feature suggests posting times based on when your audience engages.
- You can queue weeks of pins in one sitting, which matters when you are pinning daily to stay visible.
- It includes basic analytics so you can see which scheduled pins earned the most saves.
Best for: Creators who want consistent output without logging in every day.
3. PinGroupie : Find group boards where saves actually happen
What it is: A searchable directory of Pinterest group boards.
Category: Community discovery
Why it stands out:
- You can filter boards by category, follower count, and contributor count.
- Group boards are where save-for-save culture thrives, and this directory surfaces active ones.
- It is free to browse, which makes it a low-risk first stop for new accounts.
Best for: Pinners looking for real communities rather than random exchanges.
4. Canva : Design pins people actually want to save
What it is: A drag-and-drop design platform with a large library of Pinterest pin templates.
Category: Design
Why it stands out:
- Its pin templates are sized correctly at 1000×1500 pixels, the ideal vertical ratio.
- Text overlays and brand kits keep your pins visually consistent across boards.
- The free tier covers most needs, though premium elements require a subscription.
Best for: Anyone who wants save-worthy pins without design software.
5. Buffer : Simple cross-posting so your pins reach more feeds
What it is: A social media scheduling tool with a clean, minimal interface.
Category: Scheduling
Why it stands out:
- You can schedule the same content across Pinterest and other networks from one dashboard.
- Its free plan supports a few channels, which is enough to test consistency.
- The queue system is simple enough that you can set it and forget it for a week.
Best for: Beginners who want one tool for multiple platforms.
6. Later : Visual planning that keeps your boards coherent
What it is: A visual content calendar and scheduler for social platforms.
Category: Planning
Why it stands out:
- Its drag-and-drop calendar lets you see your pin lineup before it goes live.
- You can preview how a board will look, which helps avoid clashing colors.
- Link-in-bio tools pair well with pin descriptions that lead to a landing page.
Best for: Visual planners who care about board aesthetics.
7. Pinterest Trends : See what people are searching before you pin
What it is: Pinterest’s own free trend discovery tool.
Category: Research
Why it stands out:
- It shows search volume trends by keyword and region over time.
- You can spot seasonal spikes and pin ahead of them instead of chasing them.
- It is completely free and requires only a Pinterest account.
Best for: Creators who want saves from search, not just exchanges.
8. Unsplash : Free high-quality photos for pin backgrounds
What it is: A library of free, high-resolution stock photography.
Category: Imagery
Why it stands out:
- All photos are free to use, even commercially, with no attribution required.
- The vertical-friendly collections make it easy to find pin-ready backgrounds.
- Its search filters help you find cohesive color palettes for a board theme.
Best for: Pinners who need clean backgrounds fast.
9. Pexels : Another free photo source with video clips too
What it is: A free stock photo and video library.
Category: Imagery
Why it stands out:
- It offers short video clips, useful for Pinterest’s growing video pin format.
- Photos are free under a simple license, making it safe for commercial boards.
- Its curated collections are organized by mood and color.
Best for: Creators experimenting with video pins.
10. Remove.bg : Cut out product images for clean pins
What it is: An automatic background removal tool.
Category: Image editing
Why it stands out:
- It removes backgrounds in seconds, which is ideal for product pins.
- The free tier handles standard-resolution images, with credits for higher quality.
- It works on complex edges like hair and fabric better than manual selection.
Best for: Shops pinning product photos with busy backgrounds.
11. TinyPNG : Compress pin images so they load fast
What it is: A free image compression tool.
Category: Optimization
Why it stands out:
- It reduces file size dramatically without visible quality loss.
- Faster-loading pins are more likely to be viewed and saved.
- It supports PNG, JPEG, and WebP, and you can batch up to 20 files at once.
Best for: Anyone whose pins look heavy or slow to load.
12. Bitly : Short links that make pin descriptions cleaner
What it is: A link shortener and tracking tool.
Category: Links and tracking
Why it stands out:
- Short links look tidier in pin descriptions and leave room for keywords.
- Click tracking shows which pins drive actual traffic, not just saves.
- The free plan includes a limited number of links per month.
Best for: Creators linking to blogs or shops from pins.
13. Google Analytics : See what happens after the save
What it is: Google’s free website analytics platform.
Category: Analytics
Why it stands out:
- You can filter traffic by source to see exactly how much comes from Pinterest.
- It shows which pages pins lead to and how long visitors stay.
- Setting up goals reveals whether saves turn into subscribers or buyers.
Best for: Anyone with a website behind their pins.
14. Feedly : Gather fresh content ideas to pin daily
What it is: A news and blog aggregator built around feeds.
Category: Content discovery
Why it stands out:
- You can follow niche blogs and get new article ideas in one place.
- Its keyword alerts surface trending topics before they peak.
- Boards let you organize sources by pin category.
Best for: Pinners who curate content from many sources.
15. Notion : Track your save-for-save exchanges in one board
What it is: A flexible workspace for notes, databases, and checklists.
Category: Organization
Why it stands out:
- You can build a simple database of people you have saved pins for and who saved yours.
- Templates make it easy to log pin ideas, publish dates, and results.
- It is free for personal use, which is plenty for a solo pinner.
Best for: Organized creators running manual exchanges.
16. Trello : A kanban board for your pin pipeline
What it is: A visual project management tool using cards and lists.
Category: Organization
Why it stands out:
- Columns like Idea, Designed, Scheduled, and Saved make progress obvious.
- Card attachments let you store the final pin image with its description.
- The free plan supports unlimited cards and up to 10 boards per workspace.
Best for: Visual thinkers who like moving cards across stages.
17. Zapier : Automate repetitive pin workflows
What it is: An automation platform connecting thousands of apps.
Category: Automation
Why it stands out:
- You can auto-save new blog posts to a spreadsheet that feeds your pin schedule.
- Triggers can notify you when a new pin is published so you can save it immediately.
- The free plan allows a limited number of automated tasks per month.
Best for: Creators who want fewer manual steps.
18. IFTTT : Lightweight applets for simple pin reminders
What it is: A simple automation service built on “if this, then that” applets.
Category: Automation
Why it stands out:
- Ready-made applets can send a daily reminder to save and follow back.
- It connects to calendars, email, and smart devices with minimal setup.
- The free tier supports a small number of active applets, enough for basic routines.
Best for: People who want gentle automation without complexity.
Bonus Mentions
Figma : Collaborative design for pin templates
A free design tool where you can build reusable pin templates and share them with a team. Its component system keeps text styles consistent across dozens of pins.
Adobe Express : Quick edits with brand presets
A lightweight editor with Pinterest-sized templates and font presets. Useful when you need one polished pin in under five minutes.
Coolors : Generate color palettes for cohesive boards
A free palette generator that helps you keep pin colors consistent. Lock a shade and generate complementary tones for a unified board look.
Screely : Turn screenshots into clean pin visuals
A tiny tool that wraps screenshots in a browser frame with a soft background. Great for tutorial pins that show a website or app.
Hootsuite : A heavier scheduler for multi-platform teams
A full social management suite with Pinterest support. It suits teams managing several accounts, though the pricing is higher than solo tools.
The Internet’s Best-Kept Secrets for Pinterest Growth
The promise behind that pin was small: a follow and three saves. But that small gesture points to something bigger. Pinterest rewards consistency and generosity, and the tools above make both easier to sustain. Start with the platform itself and one scheduler, add a design tool and a research tool once you have a rhythm, and only then layer in automation. Most people quit because they try to do everything at once. Pick two tools from this list, use them for two weeks, and watch which pins earn saves without any exchange at all. Those are the pins worth making more of. Which tool from this list are you trying first, or do you have a favorite I missed?
