Comparisons

Cheaper Than UNUM 2026: More Affordable Instagram Grid Planners

Matt
Matt
8 min read

TL;DR - Quick Answer

9 min read

Quick tool comparison. Features, pricing, and what works best for your needs.

UNUM Pro costs $7/month. That's already cheap, but there are free options.

Here's what costs less.

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Quick Comparison

ToolPriceGrid Previewvs UNUM Pro
UNUM Free$0✅ Basic$7/mo cheaper
Later Free$0$7/mo cheaper
Buffer Free$0Basic$7/mo cheaper
Preview AppFree/PaidFree tier available

UNUM at $7/month is already one of the cheapest. Free options have limitations.


Free Alternatives

1. UNUM Free — Same Platform, Limited Features

Price: $0

FeatureUNUM FreeUNUM Pro
Price$0$7/mo
Users11
Workspaces12
AI credits5/moLimited
Unlimited scheduling

Best for: Testing UNUM before committing.

Limitation: Only 5 AI credits/month and limited scheduling.


2. Later Free — More Platforms

Price: $0

FeatureLater FreeUNUM Pro
Price$0$7/mo
Posts5/profileUnlimited
Grid preview
Linkin.bio
Platforms1 social set5

Best for: Those wanting Linkin.bio on a budget.

Limitation: Only 5 posts per profile.

Later Pricing →
Quick Quiz
Easy

You want free Instagram grid planning with link in bio. Best option?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


3. Buffer Free — Simplest Option

Price: $0

FeatureBuffer FreeUNUM Pro
Price$0$7/mo
Channels3Via workspaces
Grid previewBasic✅ Excellent
Scheduling
AIBasicLimited

Best for: Basic scheduling without visual planning focus.

Limitation: No dedicated grid preview feature.

Buffer Review →

4. Preview App — Visual-First Free Option

Price: Free with paid upgrades

FeaturePreview FreeUNUM Pro
Price$0$7/mo
Grid preview
Filters
SchedulingLimited

Best for: Grid preview without scheduling needs.

Limitation: Limited features on free tier.


UNUM Teams costs $10/month. These paid options offer more for similar price:

For Teams Under $10/month

ToolPriceTeam Sizevs UNUM Teams
UNUM Pro$7/mo1 user$3 cheaper
Buffer Essentials$6/channel1 userPer-channel
SocialBee Bootstrap$29/mo1 userMore AI

Quick Quiz
Medium

You need team collaboration for 5 people. UNUM Teams is $10/month. What's cheaper?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


What You Lose Going Cheaper

UNUM Pro ($7/mo) vs Free Options

FeatureUNUM ProFree Alternatives
Unlimited schedulingOften limited
Advanced grid preview✅ ExcellentBasic
More AI creditsVery limited
2 workspacesUsually 1
AnalyticsBasic or none

Reality check: UNUM Pro at $7/month is already excellent value. Free options have real limitations.


Cost Breakdown: Annual Savings

Switch FromSwitch ToAnnual Savings
UNUM ProUNUM Free$84/year
UNUM ProLater Free$84/year
UNUM ProBuffer Free$84/year
UNUM TeamsUNUM Pro$36/year

Note: Savings come with feature tradeoffs.


When Free Makes Sense

Go free if you:

  • Just starting out
  • Testing platforms
  • Very limited budget
  • Don't need scheduling
  • Only need basic grid preview

Pay $7/month if you:

  • Post regularly (need unlimited scheduling)
  • Want better AI assistance
  • Need multiple workspaces
  • Value your time
  • Serious about Instagram growth

Quick Quiz
Medium

You post 30+ Instagram posts per month and need grid preview. Free or paid?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


Is Cheaper Really Better?

UNUM Pro Value Analysis

MetricValue
Cost$7/month
Posts includedUnlimited
Cost per post (30/mo)$0.23
Cost per post (100/mo)$0.07
Time saved planning2+ hours/month

At $7/month, UNUM Pro is already extremely affordable. The question isn't whether cheaper exists—it's whether the limitations are worth the savings.


Best Free Setup

If you must go free:

  1. UNUM Free for grid preview
  2. Later Free for Linkin.bio
  3. Buffer Free for extra scheduling

Total: $0/month Limitation: Juggling multiple tools, limited features each

Or: Just pay $7/month for UNUM Pro and save the hassle.


Quick Answers

What's cheaper than UNUM Pro? UNUM Free, Later Free, Buffer Free, Preview App (all $0).

Is free good enough? For testing, yes. For regular posting, probably not.

Cheapest paid grid planner? UNUM Pro at $7/month is already the cheapest quality option.

Free with Linkin.bio? Later Free includes Linkin.bio.

Worth the $7/month? For regular posters, absolutely. Unlimited scheduling alone justifies it.


Summary

UNUM Pro at $7/month is already very affordable.

Free alternatives:

  • UNUM Free — Same app, limited features
  • Later Free — Includes Linkin.bio
  • Buffer Free — Basic scheduling
  • Preview App — Grid preview focused

Reality: If you post regularly, the $7/month for UNUM Pro is worth it. Free options work for testing or very casual use.

Create content, post everywhere

Create posts, images, and carousels with AI. Schedule to 9 platforms in seconds.

Start your free trial

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