27 Best Hootsuite Alternatives in 2026 (Cheaper & Better)

Hootsuite's pricing jumped to $99/month for the Professional plan (no free tier anymore). Here are 27 alternatives that cost less and often do more.

Quick Comparison: Best Hootsuite Alternatives

Tool	Starting Price	Best For	Free Plan
Buffer	$6/channel	Simplicity	✅ 3 channels
Pallyy	$15/mo	Creators, visual planning	✅ Limited
Later	$18/mo	Instagram-first brands	✅ 30 posts
SocialBee	$29/mo	AI + content recycling	14-day trial
Vista Social	$39/mo	Social listening value	✅ Yes
Agorapulse	$79/mo	Agencies	30-day trial
Sprout Social	$249/mo	Enterprise	30-day trial

Create content, post everywhere

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

Start your free trial

Why Switch from Hootsuite in 2026?

Hootsuite was the pioneer, but the landscape has changed:

Price increases: Professional plan now $99/mo (was $49), Team plan $249/mo
Free plan eliminated: No more free option for small users
Simpler alternatives exist: Tools like Buffer and Pallyy offer 80% of features at 20% of the price
Better AI tools available: Newer platforms include AI content generation Hootsuite charges extra for

For Twitter-specific management with multiple accounts, see our guide to managing multiple Twitter/X accounts.

Top Hootsuite Alternatives

1. SocialRails - Best Overall Alternative

Price: Starting at $29/month Best for: Growing businesses and agencies

SocialRails offers everything Hootsuite does, plus:

Unlimited scheduled posts
Advanced AI content generation
Visual content calendar
Team collaboration tools
White-label options for agencies
24/7 customer support

Try SocialRails Free

Schedule unlimited posts, manage all your accounts, and grow faster with AI-powered tools.

2. Buffer - Best for Simplicity

Price: Starting at $15/month (see full Buffer pricing) Best for: Small businesses and solopreneurs

Key features:

Clean, minimalist interface
Instagram first comment automation
Best times to post suggestions
Limited to 3 social accounts on basic plan

Looking for even better value? Check out our guide on tools cheaper than Buffer that offer more features at lower prices. For teams on a budget, PostFlow offers unlimited users starting at $12/month. Or compare Planable vs Buffer, Publer vs Buffer, Sendible vs Buffer, and SocialPilot vs Buffer.

3. Statusbrew – Best for Agencies & Growing Teams

Price: Starting at $129/month Best for: Agencies and growing brands managing multiple social profiles

Agency features:

Unified inbox for comments, DMs, reviews & ad replies
Custom reporting with 250+ KPIs
Social listening with sentiment tracking
Approval workflows, automation rules & role-based permissions

Price: Starting at $249/month (see full Sprout Social pricing) Best for: Large organizations

Enterprise features:

Advanced social listening
Comprehensive reporting suite
CRM integration capabilities
Workflow automation

Need enterprise features without the enterprise price? Read our in-depth comparison of affordable alternatives cheaper than Sprout Social.

5. Iconosquare - Best for Instagram Analytics

Price: Starting at $59/month (see full Iconosquare pricing) Best for: Instagram-focused businesses and agencies

Analytics-heavy features:

Deep Instagram & Facebook analytics
Competitor benchmarking
Automated reporting
Hashtag tracking

Want analytics without the high price? Check our comparison of affordable alternatives cheaper than Iconosquare.

6. Later - Best for Visual Content

Price: Starting at $25/month (see full Later pricing) Best for: Instagram and visual marketers

Visual-first features:

Drag-and-drop calendar
Visual content planner
Link in bio tool
User-generated content management

Want visual planning tools at a better price? Explore cost-effective options cheaper than Later perfect for visual-first brands. Compare Planable vs Later, Publer vs Later, Sendible vs Later, and SocialPilot vs Later.

Price: Free/$79/month (see full Vista Social pricing) Best for: Teams wanting social listening without Hootsuite pricing

Social listening features:

Brand mention tracking
Sentiment analysis
Competitor monitoring
11 platforms including Reddit, Threads, Bluesky

Included in paid plans, not a costly add-on like Hootsuite. Compare Vista Social vs Hootsuite to see the full breakdown.

8. Agorapulse - Best for Agencies

Price: Starting at $79/month (see full Agorapulse pricing) Best for: Marketing agencies

Agency features:

Unlimited team members
Client approval workflows
Competitor analysis
Social inbox management

Managing multiple clients on a budget? See our comparison of affordable alternatives cheaper than Agorapulse with excellent agency features. Also compare Agorapulse vs Buffer, Agorapulse vs Loomly, and Sendible vs Agorapulse.

HeyOrca - Best for Agency Per-Calendar Organization

Price: Starting at $59/calendar (see full HeyOrca pricing) Best for: Agencies wanting per-client calendar separation

Agency-specific features:

Per-calendar pricing model
Unlimited users per calendar
Clean client separation
Approval workflows

Per-calendar pricing adds up with many clients. Compare HeyOrca alternatives, HeyOrca vs Hootsuite, or see our HeyOrca review.

9. Tailwind - Best for Pinterest Marketing

Price: Starting at $14.99/month (see full Tailwind pricing) Best for: Pinterest-focused businesses and bloggers

Pinterest-specific features:

SmartSchedule for optimal Pinterest times
Pinterest Communities
Pin design templates
Pinterest-specific analytics

Need multi-platform support beyond Pinterest? Read our guide on alternatives cheaper than Tailwind for tools covering TikTok, LinkedIn, and more.

10. Publer - Best for Simple Scheduling

Price: Starting at $12/month (see full Publer pricing) Best for: Solo creators wanting basic scheduling

Simple scheduling features:

Clean interface
Calendar view
Bulk scheduling
Basic analytics

Want scheduling PLUS AI content creation? Check alternatives cheaper than Publer with unlimited AI and video templates. Compare Publer vs Buffer, Publer vs Loomly, Publer vs Hootsuite, and Publer vs Later.

11. Crowdfire - Best for Content Curation

Price: Starting at $9.99/month Best for: Curators sharing industry news

Curation features:

Article discovery
RSS feed automation
Content suggestions
Competitor monitoring

Need original content vs. curation in 2026? Explore alternatives cheaper than Crowdfire focused on AI-powered original content. For pure RSS automation, see our Dlvr.it review (free plan available).

Price: Starting at $59/month (see full Sked Social pricing) Best for: Instagram-first visual brands

Instagram-specific features:

Visual grid planner
First comment scheduling
User-generated content tools
Instagram Stories planner

Read our Sked Social review for the full breakdown. Managing multiple platforms beyond Instagram? See Sked Social alternatives or cheaper than Sked Social with native TikTok and full LinkedIn support.

13. Kontentino - Best for Collaboration Workflows

Price: Starting at $16/month per user (see full Kontentino pricing) Best for: Agencies with approval workflows

Collaboration features:

Client approval workflows
Multi-user access controls
Content calendar management
Basic analytics

Need AI content generation instead of manual collaboration? Compare Kontentino alternatives with unlimited AI and video templates.

14. Plann - Best for Instagram Grid Aesthetic

Price: Starting at $17/month Best for: Visual brands focused on Instagram grid

Grid planning features:

Drag-and-drop grid preview
Visual feed planning
Instagram Stories scheduling
Pinterest support

When Reels drive 10x more reach than grid posts, explore Plann alternatives with native TikTok and AI content.

15. Hopper HQ - Best for Instagram Auto-Posting

Price: Starting at $6/account (see full Hopper HQ pricing) Best for: Simple Instagram automation

Auto-posting features:

Instagram auto-posting
Multi-platform scheduling
Visual calendar
Bluesky support

Per-account pricing gets expensive at scale. Read our Hopper HQ review, compare Hopper HQ alternatives, or see Later vs Hopper HQ.

16. Pallyy - Best Budget Visual Planner

Price: Starting at $15/month (see full Pallyy pricing) Best for: Solo Instagram creators

Visual planning features:

Instagram grid preview
Drag-and-drop calendar
Bio link tool
Approval workflows at $99

No AI content generation. Read our Pallyy review, compare Pallyy alternatives, or see Buffer vs Pallyy.

17. Laterly - Best for Link-in-Bio Management

Price: Starting at $16/month Best for: E-commerce with shoppable feeds

Link features:

Link-in-bio landing pages
Shoppable Instagram feeds
Visual scheduling
Basic analytics

Spending 8+ hours weekly on content? Compare Laterly alternatives with unlimited AI content generation.

18. StoryChief - Best for Multi-Channel Publishing

Price: Starting at $60/month Best for: Content teams distributing blog posts

Publishing features:

Blog-to-social distribution
Multi-channel publishing
SEO optimization
Team collaboration

Need simple social scheduling without enterprise complexity? See StoryChief alternatives at $19-39/month.

19. Onlypult - Best for Basic Scheduling

Price: Starting at $10.50/month Best for: Simple scheduling needs

Basic features:

Multi-platform scheduling
Basic analytics
Simple interface
14 platforms including VK, Telegram

Missing AI content? Explore OnlyPult alternatives, read our OnlyPult review, or check OnlyPult pricing for full details.

20. Viraltag - Best for Pinterest-First Strategy

Price: Starting at $29/month Best for: Pinterest-focused brands

Pinterest features:

Pinterest scheduling
Image-focused interface
Visual content management
Multi-platform support

When Pinterest is 5-10% of traffic, compare Viraltag alternatives with balanced multi-platform support.

21. SendPilot - Best for Campaign Automation

Price: Starting at $30/month Best for: Automated campaign scheduling

Automation features:

Campaign scheduling
Basic automation workflows
Multi-platform posting
Basic analytics

Content creation the real bottleneck? See SendPilot alternatives with unlimited AI content generation.

22. Sociamonials - Best for Contests & Campaigns

Price: Starting at $19/month (see full Sociamonials pricing) Best for: Businesses running social media contests and sweepstakes

Contest & campaign features:

Photo/video/essay contest builder
Sweepstakes and referral programs
Built-in landing page creator
UGC collection workflows
Basic social scheduling

Read our full Sociamonials review, compare Sociamonials alternatives, or see cheaper than Sociamonials for general scheduling needs.

23. SocialOomph - Best for RSS Automation

Price: Starting at $0/month (see full SocialOomph pricing) Best for: Publishers and content curators needing RSS automation

RSS automation features:

Best-in-class RSS feed automation
Keyword filtering for feeds
Queue-based evergreen scheduling
Bluesky support
Budget pricing ($25/mo for 10 profiles)

Trade-off: Dated interface, no mobile apps, no visual calendar.

Read our SocialOomph review or explore SocialOomph alternatives for modern interfaces.

Price: Starting at €19/month (see full PostPickr pricing) Best for: European businesses wanting GDPR-compliant scheduling with budget-friendly pricing

EU-focused features:

10 platforms including Threads and Telegram
European servers for GDPR compliance
Free plan with 3 channels
Plan-based pricing (not per-channel)

Trade-off: No AI content generation. Italian-first documentation.

Read our PostPickr review, compare PostPickr alternatives, or see Buffer vs PostPickr for pricing comparison.

25. Ripl - Best for Small Business Video

Price: $14.99/month (see full Ripl pricing) Best for: Small businesses needing quick branded video content

Video creation features:

Thousands of video templates
500,000+ stock media library
Brand customization tools
Simple mobile-first interface

Trade-off: Only 5 platforms (no TikTok or Pinterest). No team features.

Read our Ripl review, compare Ripl alternatives, or see Buffer vs Ripl for scheduling vs video focus.

26. Swello - Best for French Teams

Price: Starting at €19/month (see full Swello pricing) Best for: European businesses wanting Euro billing with monitoring included

European-focused features:

Social monitoring in all paid plans
Clean scheduling interface
French language support
50% nonprofit discount

Trade-off: No AI content generation, no video templates, Euro-only pricing.

Read our Swello review, compare Swello alternatives, or see cheaper than Swello for USD options with AI.

25. SocialDog - Best for X/Twitter Analytics

Price: Starting at $9/month (see full SocialDog pricing) Best for: X/Twitter specialists wanting deep analytics and keyword monitoring

X-focused features:

Excellent follower analytics
Keyword monitoring (5-10 keywords)
Engagement tracking
Best time insights
Competitor analysis

Trade-off: X-focused only, no AI content, limited multi-platform.

Read our SocialDog review, compare SocialDog alternatives, or see cheaper than SocialDog for multi-platform options.

26. TweetDeck (X Pro) - Best Budget X/Twitter Tool

Price: $8/month (requires X Premium) (see full TweetDeck pricing) Best for: X/Twitter power users wanting real-time monitoring without expensive tools

X-focused features:

Multi-column real-time feed
Multiple account management
Search and list columns
Basic scheduling

Trade-off: X/Twitter only. No other platforms. Requires X Premium subscription.

Read our TweetDeck review, compare TweetDeck alternatives, or see TweetDeck vs Hootsuite for detailed comparison.

27. Viraly - Best for AI Content on Budget

Price: Starting at $19/month (see full Viraly pricing) Best for: Small businesses wanting AI features without enterprise pricing

AI-focused features:

AI caption generation
Hashtag suggestions
10+ platforms including Threads, Bluesky
Content recycling
Link in bio

Trade-off: Post limits (200-500/month on lower plans).

Read our Viraly review, compare Viraly alternatives, or see Viraly vs Buffer for post limit vs pricing comparison.

Essential Features When Choosing Alternatives

Must-Have Features

Multi-platform support: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok
Bulk scheduling: Upload and schedule multiple posts at once
Analytics dashboard: Track engagement, reach, and growth
Team collaboration: Assign tasks and manage permissions
Mobile apps: Manage accounts on-the-go

Advanced Features to Consider

AI content generation and suggestions
Social listening capabilities
Competitor tracking
Automated reporting
RSS feed integration
Hashtag research tools

When to Switch from Hootsuite

Consider switching if you experience:

High monthly costs without proportional value
Difficulty navigating the interface
Limited customer support response
Missing platform integrations you need
Team collaboration challenges

Pinterest Publishing Requirements

When publishing to Pinterest from any social media tool, including Hootsuite alternatives, you must include two essential items:

A vertical image (2:3 aspect ratio recommended)
A destination URL (where the Pin links to)

Without these elements, Pinterest posts will fail to publish properly.

Cost Comparison Table

Tool	Starting Price	Free Plan/Trial	Best Feature
Hootsuite	$99/mo	❌ None	Industry standard
Buffer	$6/channel	✅ 3 channels	Simplicity
Pallyy	$15/mo	✅ Limited	Visual planning
Later	$18/mo	✅ 30 posts	Instagram grid
Planoly	$16/mo	✅ 30 posts	Grid aesthetics
SocialBee	$29/mo	14-day trial	AI + recycling
Vista Social	$39/mo	✅ Yes	Social listening
Agorapulse	$79/mo	30-day trial	Team collaboration
Sprout Social	$249/mo	30-day trial	Enterprise analytics

Making the Right Choice

Select your Hootsuite alternative based on:

For Small Businesses: Choose SocialRails or Buffer for affordability and ease of use.

For Agencies: Consider Agorapulse or SocialRails with white-label options. See our guide on social media management reseller programs for white label options.

For Nonprofits: Check out our best social media tools for nonprofits guide with nonprofit discounts up to 50% off.

For Visual Brands: Later excels at Instagram and Pinterest management.

For Social Inbox & Moderation: NapoleonCat offers unified inbox with auto-moderation for high-volume engagement.

For Evergreen Content Recycling: SmarterQueue automates reposting of evergreen content with category-based scheduling.

For Enterprises: Sprout Social offers comprehensive features for large teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a free Hootsuite alternative?

Yes, SocialRails offers a generous free trial, and Buffer has a limited free plan for up to 3 social accounts.

Can I migrate from Hootsuite easily?

Most alternatives offer migration guides and customer support to help you transition smoothly. Export your Hootsuite data and import it into your new platform.

Which alternative has the best analytics?

Sprout Social leads in analytics depth, but SocialRails offers the best balance of comprehensive analytics at an affordable price.

Do these alternatives support TikTok?

SocialRails, Later, and Sprout Social all support TikTok scheduling and analytics.

Start with the Best Alternative

Ready to upgrade from Hootsuite? SocialRails combines powerful features, intuitive design, and affordable pricing to help you manage social media more effectively.

Switch to SocialRails Today

✓ Save 50% compared to Hootsuite
✓ Unlimited scheduled posts
✓ AI-powered content creation
✓ All major platforms supported
✓ 3-day free trial

Tool Alternatives:

Content Marketing Tools:

Hootsuite Comparisons:

AI Content Tools:

Enterprise Visual Platforms:

Enterprise Tool Alternatives:

Emplifi Review
Emplifi Pricing
Emplifi Alternatives
Emplifi vs Hootsuite
Emplifi vs Sprout Social
Khoros Review
Khoros Pricing
Khoros Alternatives
Meltwater Review
Meltwater Pricing
Meltwater Alternatives
SOCi Review
SOCi Alternatives
Sprinklr Alternatives for Enterprise
Sprout Social Alternatives
Brandwatch Alternatives
Supermetrics Alternatives
Oktopost Review
Oktopost Pricing
Oktopost Alternatives
Oktopost vs Hootsuite
Contently Review - Enterprise content platform
Contently Alternatives
Kapost Review - B2B content operations
Kapost Alternatives

Agency Tools:

Visual Planner Tools:

All-in-One Tools:

Cost & Value Guides:

Reddit & Regional Tools:

Tool Reviews:

LinkedIn & Content Distribution:

TL;DR - Quick Answer