Best Later Alternatives 2026: Top Visual Social Media Schedulers
TL;DR - Quick Answer
20 min readTips you can use today. What works and what doesn't.
Later raised prices. Features got restricted. You need a better option.
Here are the best Later alternatives ranked by value, features, and ease of use.
Why compare? Get more for less with SocialRails
Post images, videos & carousels to 9 platforms. AI helps with captions.
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Why People Leave Later
Quick Comparison Table
What's the biggest complaint about Later in 2026?
1. SocialRails — Best Overall Alternative
Price: $29/month | Posts: Unlimited | Trial: Free
Why it wins:
- AI writes your captions and suggests content
- 350+ video templates included
- No per-post or per-profile limits
- Visual calendar like Later, but better
2. Planoly — Best for Visual Planners
Price: $16/month | Posts: 60/profile | Trial: Free
Planoly keeps Later's visual-first approach at a lower price.
Strengths:
- Instagram grid preview
- Clean drag-and-drop interface
- Pinterest support
- Affordable entry tier
Weaknesses:
- Only 3 platforms
- No AI content tools
- Post limits apply
Full Planoly Review → | Planoly Pricing → | Later vs Planoly →
3. Buffer — Best for Simplicity
Price: $6/month per channel | Posts: Unlimited | Trial: Free forever
Buffer strips away complexity. Just schedule and post.
Strengths:
- Cheapest per-channel option
- Dead-simple interface
- Reliable auto-posting
- Good mobile app
Weaknesses:
- Per-channel pricing adds up fast
- Basic visual planning
- No advanced analytics
Which Later alternative offers unlimited posts at the lowest flat rate?
4. Vista Social — Best for Social Listening
Price: $79/month | Posts: Unlimited | Trial: Free plan
Vista Social includes social listening that Later doesn't have.
Strengths:
- Social listening included (brand mentions, sentiment)
- 11 platforms including Threads, Bluesky, Reddit
- Free plan available
- AI content assistant
Weaknesses:
- AI credits are limited
- No visual grid preview like Later
- Mobile app needs improvement
5. Hootsuite — Best for Scale
Price: $99/month | Posts: Unlimited | Trial: 30 days
Need 10+ platforms and enterprise features? Hootsuite delivers.
Strengths:
- 35+ social platforms
- Social listening (paid add-on)
- Team collaboration tools
- Deep analytics
Weaknesses:
- 3x+ the price of alternatives
- Steep learning curve
- Social listening costs extra ($8K+/year)
6. Tailwind — Best for Pinterest + Instagram
Price: $20/month | Posts: 200/month | Trial: Free
Tailwind's SmartSchedule picks optimal posting times automatically.
Strengths:
- Pinterest communities built-in
- Hashtag finder
- SmartSchedule technology
Weaknesses:
- Limited to Pinterest/Instagram
- Interface feels dated
- No other platforms
7. Pallyy — Best Budget Grid Planner
Price: $15-199/month | Posts: Unlimited (Pro) | Trial: 14 days
Similar visual focus to Later at lower price.
Trade-off: Single user on Pro. Team features at $99.
Pallyy Review →8. Hopper HQ — Best for Per-Account Pricing
Price: $6-12/account | Posts: Unlimited | Trial: 14 days
Pay only for accounts you use.
Trade-off: Gets expensive at scale. 10 accounts = $120/mo.
Later vs Hopper HQ →Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Visual Grid Preview
AI Content Generation
Which feature does Later completely lack compared to newer alternatives?
Pricing Reality Check
What you actually pay for a small business (5 social accounts):
How to Choose
Pick SocialRails if you want:
- AI-generated content
- Video templates
- Unlimited posts
- Best value overall
Pick Planoly if you want:
- Later-like experience
- Lowest entry price
- Instagram + Pinterest focus
Pick Buffer if you want:
- Maximum simplicity
- Just 1-2 accounts
- No learning curve
Pick Hootsuite if you want:
- 10+ social platforms
- Social listening
- Enterprise features
Switching from Later: Step by Step
Before You Leave
- Export your calendar, download scheduled posts
- Save your media, download images and videos
- Note your analytics, screenshot key metrics
- Document your hashtag groups, copy saved hashtags
- Check billing cycle, time your switch to avoid overlap
After You Switch
- Reconnect accounts, re-authorize social profiles
- Rebuild hashtag groups, import saved hashtags
- Set up scheduling, configure best times
- Test publishing, verify posts go live correctly
- Train your team, share new workflows
FAQ
Is there a free Later alternative?
Buffer offers a free plan with limited features. Preview App is free for basic Instagram grid planning. For full functionality, paid tools like SocialRails ($29/mo) offer better value than Later's restricted free tier.
What's the cheapest Later alternative?
Buffer at $6/month per channel. Planoly at $13/month. For unlimited posts with AI, SocialRails at $29/month offers the best value.
Which Later alternative is best for Instagram?
Planoly and Sked Social keep Later's visual-first approach. SocialRails adds AI on top of visual planning. All three handle Instagram well. See our Sked Social vs Later comparison.
Can I import Later content to another tool?
No direct imports exist. Export your media from Later, copy captions, then manually upload to your new tool. Future posts can be created fresh.
Does any tool match Later's visual grid preview?
Yes. Planoly, Preview App, Sked Social, and SocialRails all offer visual grid preview. It's now a standard feature. Compare Sked Social pricing to Later.
Bottom Line
Later was the visual scheduling pioneer. But in 2026, better options exist.
Best overall: SocialRails — AI content + unlimited posts at $29/month
Budget pick: Buffer — Simple scheduling at $6/month per channel
Visual-first: Planoly — Closest Later experience at $13/month
Done comparing? Try the Later alternative that does more
Post images, videos & carousels to 9 platforms. AI helps with captions. One flat price.
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Best-Of Guides
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Budget-Friendly Options
- SocialBu Review - $19/mo starting price
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- Circleboom Review - Twitter management at $24.99/mo
- Social Champ Review - 12 platforms from $4/channel
- Postcron Review - Bulk scheduling from $8/mo
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- Radaar Review - Social inbox at $9.99/mo
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- UNUM Review - Best grid preview at $7/mo
- UNUM Pricing - Most affordable visual planner
- UNUM Alternatives - Top grid planners
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- Sked Social Review - Instagram-first visual planner
- Sked Social Pricing - $59/mo starting
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Agency & B2B Tools
- HeyOrca Review - Per-calendar agency pricing
- HeyOrca Pricing - Unlimited users per calendar
- HeyOrca Alternatives - Agency tool options
- Oktopost Review - B2B enterprise with advocacy
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Niche Schedulers
- Postpone Alternatives - Reddit scheduling tools
- Lomavis Alternatives - German social media tools
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