Cheaper Than Brand24: Save on Social Listening in 2026
TL;DR - Quick Answer
15 min readQuick tool comparison. Features, pricing, and what works best for your needs.
Cheaper Than Brand24: Save on Social Listening in 2026
Brand24 does one thing well: social listening. But at $79-399/month for monitoring only, with no scheduling, no publishing, no AI content, the total cost of your social media stack adds up fast. (See our full Brand24 review for details.)
Teams using Brand24 still need a separate scheduling tool, meaning two subscriptions, two dashboards, and $150-450/month total. Modern alternatives offer monitoring + scheduling in one platform, or you can pair a lighter monitoring tool with an AI scheduler for less.
This guide breaks down what Brand24 actually costs, where cheaper alternatives exist, and when Brand24's depth is worth paying for. If you're also considering Keyhole (which starts at $179/month), see our cheaper than Keyhole guide too.
About This Guide
This comparison is for teams paying $79-399/month for Brand24 while also paying for a separate scheduling tool. If you only need monitoring, Brand24 may still be your best option.
šÆ Key Takeaways
š” Brand24 Cost Reality
Monitoring-Only Tool: Brand24 doesn't schedule or publish posts. You need a separate tool, adding $29-99/month to your bill
Keyword Limits: Individual plan only tracks 3 keywords. Most teams need Team ($149/mo) for meaningful competitor tracking
All-in-One Option: Hootsuite ($99/mo) includes basic monitoring + scheduling, replacing both Brand24 and your scheduler
Best Value Combo: If you need deep monitoring, pair Brand24 Individual ($79/mo) with SocialRails ($29/mo) for $108/month total with AI content included
ā” Quick Decision Helper
š Switch from Brand24 if you:
ā Pay $149+/month for Team/Pro and mostly use basic mention tracking ā Also pay $29-99/month for a separate scheduler ā Don't use Brand24's advanced sentiment features ā Want scheduling + monitoring in one tool ā Need AI content generation (Brand24 doesn't offer this)
š Stay with Brand24 if you:
ā Need deep, dedicated social listening ā Use sentiment analysis for client reports ā Track 7+ keywords across many data sources ā Rely on Brand24's specific influencer scoring ā Have budget for monitoring + a separate scheduler
š° Brand24 Pricing Reality
Individual: $79/month (annual)
- 3 keywords, 2K mentions/month
- Updates every 12 hours only
- No LinkedIn or TikTok monitoring
- Reality: Too limited for most real use cases
Team: $149/month (annual)
- 7 keywords, 5K mentions/month
- Hourly updates
- All social platforms
- Reality: Minimum viable plan for most teams
Pro: $199/month (annual)
- 12 keywords, 25K mentions/month
- Real-time updates
- AI reports
- Reality: Needed if tracking many competitors
What Brand24 doesn't include at any price:
- ā Social media scheduling
- ā Post publishing
- ā AI content generation
- ā Video creation tools
- ā Content calendar
You're paying for Brand24 Team ($149/mo) + Buffer ($30/mo). What's your total annual cost?
š” Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
š Cost Comparison
Annual Cost Savings
*Loses monitoring. Only choose if you don't need it.
š§ What You're Missing with Brand24
No AI Content Generation
Brand24: Monitors mentions. Doesn't create content. SocialRails: Unlimited AI post generation included at $29/month.
Impact: Teams save 2-3 hours/week with AI content tools.
No Scheduling
Brand24: Finds what people say about you. Can't post your response. SocialRails: Schedule posts across 9 platforms with unlimited posts.
No Video Tools
Brand24: Text analysis only. No image or video features. SocialRails: 350+ video templates for TikTok, Reels, Shorts.
Which combo gives you brand monitoring + AI content creation at the lowest cost?
š” Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
š” Real Switching Scenarios
Scenario 1: Drop Monitoring Entirely
Current: Brand24 Team ($149) + Buffer ($30) = $179/month Switch to: SocialRails ($29/month) Save: $150/month = $1,800/year Trade-off: Lose monitoring. Gain AI content + video tools. Best if: You rarely act on Brand24 alerts anyway.
Scenario 2: Downgrade + Add Better Scheduling
Current: Brand24 Pro ($199) + basic scheduler ($50) = $249/month Switch to: Brand24 Individual ($79) + SocialRails ($29) = $108/month Save: $141/month = $1,692/year Trade-off: Fewer keywords (3 vs 12), slower updates. Best if: You only really track your brand + 1-2 competitors.
Scenario 3: Switch to All-in-One
Current: Brand24 Team ($149) + scheduler ($30-50) = $179-199/month Switch to: Hootsuite Professional ($99/month) Save: $80-100/month = $960-1,200/year Trade-off: Hootsuite's listening isn't as deep as Brand24. Best if: You need basic monitoring + solid scheduling in one tool.
Scenario 4: Keep Brand24, Upgrade Scheduling
Current: Brand24 Individual ($79) + free/basic scheduler Add: SocialRails ($29/month) = $108/month total Gain: AI content, video templates, unlimited scheduling Best if: You value Brand24's monitoring but need better publishing tools.
You rarely check Brand24 alerts and mainly need scheduling. What should you do?
š” Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
ā ļø When NOT to Switch from Brand24
Stay with Brand24 if:
ā You use sentiment analysis data in client reports ā Your team tracks 7+ keywords actively ā You need real-time crisis monitoring ā Brand24's influencer scoring drives your PR strategy ā You've built workflows around Brand24's alerts
Reality Check: If you log into Brand24 less than weekly, you're paying $79-199/month for alerts you don't act on.
š¬ Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brand24 worth $149/month for monitoring only?
For teams that actively use monitoring data, yes. Brand24's sentiment analysis and competitive tracking are among the strongest available. But if you check it once a week and rarely act on alerts, you're paying premium prices for a feature you don't fully use.
Can Hootsuite replace Brand24's monitoring?
For basic monitoring, yes. Hootsuite includes social listening at $99/month with scheduling included. But Hootsuite's monitoring isn't as deep as Brand24's, fewer data sources, less sophisticated sentiment analysis, fewer keywords.
Should I pair Brand24 with SocialRails?
If you value Brand24's monitoring depth, yes. Brand24 Individual ($79) + SocialRails ($29) = $108/month gives you dedicated monitoring + unlimited AI scheduling. Better than Brand24 + Buffer ($109/month) because SocialRails includes AI content.
What's the cheapest way to get social listening?
Free options like Google Alerts provide basic monitoring. Mention starts at $41/month. For mid-range, Brand24 Individual at $79/month. For listening + scheduling, Hootsuite at $99/month.
šÆ Bottom Line: Should You Switch from Brand24?
Switch if:
- ā You're paying for monitoring you rarely use
- ā Total stack cost (Brand24 + scheduler) exceeds $150/month
- ā You need AI content + video tools (Brand24 doesn't offer these)
- ā Basic monitoring from Hootsuite would suffice
Stay if:
- ā You actively use Brand24's deep sentiment analysis
- ā You track 7+ keywords and need dedicated monitoring
- ā Crisis monitoring is critical for your brand
- ā Brand24 data drives your client reporting
Best value: SocialRails at $29/month for scheduling + AI, paired with Brand24 Individual ($79/mo) if you still need monitoring = $108/month total.
Related Comparisons
Brand24 Content:
Monitoring Tools:
- Brandwatch Review
- Brandwatch Pricing
- Cheaper Than Brandwatch
- Best Social Listening Tools
- Best Media Monitoring Tools
Scheduling Alternatives:
- Best Social Media Schedulers 2026
- Hootsuite Alternatives
- Cheaper Than Hootsuite
- Cheaper Than Sprout Social
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