Scheduling

Best Linkedin Scheduler

SocialRails Team
SocialRails Team
8 min read
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TL;DR - Quick Answer

14 min read

Best times to post and tools to use. Get more engagement.

Best LinkedIn Scheduler 2025

LinkedIn rewards consistency. But posting manually every day? Nobody has time for that.

Here's which schedulers actually work well with LinkedIn's strict API.

Start scheduling posts today

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Quick Answer: Which Scheduler Should You Use?

Your SituationBest ToolPrice
Need document/carousel postsLinkedIn NativeFree
Simple multi-platformBufferFree-$6/mo
Budget with featuresPubler or SocialBee$12-29/mo
Team collaborationHootsuite$99/mo
Modern interface, affordableSocialRailsFree-$24/mo
EnterpriseSprout Social$249/mo

Important: What You Can't Schedule (On Any Tool)

LinkedIn's API blocks certain features. No third-party tool can schedule:

  • Document/carousel posts (PDF uploads)
  • Polls
  • LinkedIn articles
  • @mentions and tagging (limited)
  • First comments (unreliable)

This isn't a tool problem. It's a LinkedIn limitation.

The workaround: Use LinkedIn's native scheduler for these post types.


Quick Knowledge Check
Test your understanding

You want to schedule a LinkedIn carousel post (PDF document). Which tool should you use?

šŸ’”
Hint: LinkedIn's API doesn't allow third-party apps to schedule documents, polls, or articles. This applies to ALL tools.

The 9 Best LinkedIn Schedulers

1. LinkedIn Native Scheduler (Free)

Best for: Document posts, polls, and solo users

LinkedIn now lets you schedule posts directly. Click the clock icon when creating a post.

What you can schedule:

  • All post types (text, images, documents, polls)
  • Up to 3 months ahead
  • Personal profiles and company pages

What's missing:

  • No content calendar view
  • No team collaboration
  • No cross-platform scheduling
  • No bulk scheduling

Verdict: Use this for document posts and polls. Pair with a third-party tool for everything else.


2. Buffer (Free-$12/mo)

Best for: Simple scheduling across multiple platforms

Buffer is the easiest scheduler to learn. No complex features, just scheduling that works.

What you get:

  • Personal profile and company page support
  • Visual content calendar
  • Best time to post suggestions
  • Basic analytics
PlanPriceFeatures
Free$03 channels, 10 posts
Essentials$6/mo per channelUnlimited posts
Team$12/mo per channelCollaboration

LinkedIn limitations: No documents, no polls, limited tagging.

Verdict: Best free option. Simple and reliable.


3. Hootsuite ($99-249/mo)

Best for: Teams managing multiple platforms with approval workflows

What you get:

  • Content calendar
  • Team collaboration
  • Approval workflows
  • Bulk scheduling
  • Analytics and reporting

LinkedIn limitations:

  • Personal profile support limited
  • No document posts
  • No polls

The trade-off: Powerful features at a higher price. Worth it for teams, overkill for individuals.

See alternatives: Hootsuite alternatives


4. Sprout Social ($249-499/mo)

Best for: Agencies and enterprise teams

What makes it different:

  • Advanced content calendar
  • Team workflows and approval
  • Full analytics suite
  • CRM integration
  • Competitor tracking

The catch: Enterprise pricing. Per-seat costs add up fast.

Budget options: Sprout Social alternatives


5. Later (Free-$80/mo)

Best for: Visual content planners (especially Instagram-first)

What you get:

  • Visual drag-and-drop calendar
  • Media library
  • Best time to post
  • Link in bio tool

LinkedIn reality: Later is built for Instagram. LinkedIn features are secondary.

PlanPriceFeatures
Free$01 social set, 5 posts
Starter$18/moBasic features
Growth$40/moMore profiles
Advanced$80/moTeam features

Quick Knowledge Check
Test your understanding

You manage social media for a small agency and need approval workflows before posts go live. Budget is $150/month. Best option?

šŸ’”
Hint: Approval workflows usually start at the mid-tier of scheduling tools ($99+ range).

6. SocialBee ($29-99/mo)

Best for: Content categorization and recycling

SocialBee organizes content into categories (evergreen, promotional, etc.) and recycles them automatically.

What you get:

  • Content categories
  • Post recycling for evergreen content
  • Profile and company page support
  • Canva integration
PlanPriceProfiles
Bootstrap$29/mo5 profiles
Accelerate$49/mo10 profiles
Pro$99/mo25 profiles

Best feature: Set up once, let it recycle your best content automatically.


7. Publer (Free-$21/mo)

Best for: Budget-conscious users who need features

Publer packs features into affordable tiers.

What you get:

  • Personal and company page support
  • Visual calendar
  • Auto-scheduling
  • Link preview customization
  • Canva integration
PlanPriceFeatures
Free$03 accounts
Professional$12/moUnlimited posts
Business$21/moTeam features

Why choose Publer: Most features per dollar.


8. SocialRails (Free-$24/mo)

Best for: Multi-platform scheduling with a modern interface

What you get:

  • Personal profile and company page support
  • Visual content calendar
  • Best time to post recommendations
  • Analytics included
  • Team collaboration (paid plans)
PlanPriceFeatures
Free$0Limited features
Starter$12/moFull scheduling
Pro$24/moTeam collaboration

Why choose SocialRails: Clean interface, affordable pricing, combines scheduling and analytics.

Try it at SocialRails.


9. Metricool (Free-$54/mo)

Best for: Analytics-focused scheduling

Metricool combines scheduling with strong analytics. If tracking performance matters as much as scheduling, this is worth considering.

What you get:

  • Post scheduling
  • Detailed analytics
  • Competitor analysis
  • Best time to post
  • Report generation
PlanPriceFeatures
Free$01 brand
Starter$22/moMore brands
Advanced$54/moTeam features

Full Comparison Table

ToolPersonal ProfileCompany PagePrice StartBest For
LinkedIn NativeYesYesFreeDocuments/polls
BufferYesYesFreeSimplicity
HootsuiteLimitedYes$99/moTeam workflows
Sprout SocialLimitedYes$249/moEnterprise
LaterLimitedYesFreeVisual planning
SocialBeeYesYes$29/moContent recycling
PublerYesYesFreeValue
SocialRailsYesYesFreeModern interface
MetricoolYesYesFreeAnalytics

Best Times to Post on LinkedIn

Your audience might differ, but general benchmarks:

DayBest TimesWhy
Tuesday7-8 AM, 12 PM, 5-6 PMMid-week, high activity
Wednesday7-8 AM, 12 PM, 5-6 PMPeak engagement day
Thursday7-8 AM, 12 PM, 5-6 PMStrong before weekend
Monday8 AM, 12 PMBack to work
Friday8 AMEarly before weekend mode
WeekendAvoidLow professional activity

Better approach: Check your own analytics to find when YOUR audience is active.

More details: Best Time to Post on LinkedIn


Quick Knowledge Check
Test your understanding

You scheduled a post for 9 AM EST but forgot your audience is mostly in California (PST). What time did they see it?

šŸ’”
Hint: Set your scheduler's timezone to match your primary audience, not your own location.

How to Choose the Right Scheduler

Step 1: Check Your Needs

Need document/carousel posts? → Must use LinkedIn Native (only option)

Only LinkedIn, simple needs? → Buffer (free) or LinkedIn Native

Multiple platforms? → Buffer, SocialRails, or Publer

Team with approval workflows? → Hootsuite

Content recycling? → SocialBee

Enterprise needs? → Sprout Social

Step 2: Start Free

Every tool on this list has a free tier or trial. Test before paying.

  1. Start with free tier
  2. Use it for 2 weeks
  3. Note what's missing
  4. Upgrade only when you hit limits

Step 3: Combine Tools

Most pros use two tools:

  • LinkedIn Native for documents, polls, and articles
  • Third-party scheduler for regular posts and multi-platform

This gives you full feature access without workarounds.


Workarounds for LinkedIn Limitations

Document/Carousel Posts

Option 1: Use LinkedIn's native scheduler

Option 2: Create as draft, set reminder to publish

Option 3: Some tools offer "reminder" notifications to post manually

Polls

Only option: Post manually or use LinkedIn native scheduler

First Comment Strategy

The workaround: Set an immediate reminder after your post goes live. Add the comment manually within the first few minutes.

Some tools claim first comment scheduling, but LinkedIn's API changes break it regularly.


Common Mistakes

Scheduling and forgetting Scheduling is half the job. You still need to engage with comments. Block 15 minutes after each post to respond.

Wrong timezone Always verify your scheduler's timezone matches your audience's timezone.

Over-scheduling Don't schedule 100% of posts. Leave room for real-time content and trending topics.

Ignoring analytics Review what's working. Adjust your schedule based on data, not assumptions.



Summary

Quick picks:

  • Documents/polls: LinkedIn Native (free, only option)
  • Simple, free: Buffer
  • Budget + features: Publer ($12/mo) or SocialBee ($29/mo)
  • Modern interface: SocialRails (free-$24/mo)
  • Team workflows: Hootsuite ($99/mo)
  • Enterprise: Sprout Social ($249/mo)

No third-party tool can schedule documents or polls. Use LinkedIn Native for those, combine with another scheduler for regular posts.

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