Extensive temperature-dependent phonon studies and low-temperature magnetic measurements of CoCr2−xFexO4 (for x=0.5, 1 and 2) and Co0.9Ni0.1Cr2O4 polycrystalline powders are presented. The main aim of these studies was to obtain information on phonon and structural properties of these compounds as well as strength of spin–phonon coupling in the magnetically ordered phases. IR and Raman spectra show that doping of CoCr2O4 with Fe(III) ions leads to broadening of bands and appearance of new bands due to the formation of inverted spinel structure. In contrast to this behavior, doping with 10mol% of Ni(II) ions leads to weak increase of band width only. Magnetization measured as a function of temperature and external magnetic field showed that magnetic properties of Co0.9Ni0.1Cr2O4 sample are similar to those reported for pure CoCr2O4, i.e., partial substitution of Ni(II) for Co(II) leads to slight shift of the ferrimagnetic phase transition at TC and spiral spin order transition at TS towards lower values. The change of crystallization preference induced by incorporation of increasing concentration of Fe(III) ions in the spinel lattice causes significant increase of TC and decrease of TS. The latter transition disappears completely for higher concentrations of Fe(III). The performed temperature-dependent IR studies revealed interesting anomalous behavior of phonons below TC for CoCr1.5Fe0.5O4 and Co0.9Ni0.1Cr2O4, which was attributed to spin–phonon coupling. Visualization of normal spinel-type AB2O4 structure, where blue octahedrons denote BO6 and red tetrahedrons AO4 units as well as IR and Raman spectra of Co0.9Ni0.1Cr2O4 powder. Display omitted •TC (TS) increases (decreases) with increasing Fe(III) concentration.•Ni(II) ions doping up to 10mol% does not change remarkably TC and TS.•Doping with Fe(III) ions causes increase of spinel inversion parameter.•Spin–phonon interactions in Co0.9Ni0.1Cr2O4 and CoCr1.5Fe0.5O4 were evidenced.