Best Later Alternatives 2025: Top Visual Social Media Schedulers

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 People Leave Later

Quick Comparison Table

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

Try SocialRails free →

2. Planoly — Best for Visual Planners

Price: $13/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

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

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

Vista Social vs Later comparison →

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

Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

Visual Grid Preview

AI Content Generation

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

1. Export your calendar, download scheduled posts
2. Save your media, download images and videos
3. Note your analytics, screenshot key metrics
4. Document your hashtag groups, copy saved hashtags
5. Check billing cycle, time your switch to avoid overlap

After You Switch

1. Reconnect accounts, re-authorize social profiles
2. Rebuild hashtag groups, import saved hashtags
3. Set up scheduling, configure best times
4. Test publishing, verify posts go live correctly
5. 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.

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.

Bottom Line

Later was the visual scheduling pioneer. But in 2025, 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

Related

Later Content

• Later Review 2025
• Later Pricing 2025
• Cheaper Than Later
• SocialBee vs Later
• Metricool vs Later
• Later vs Loomly
• Later vs Buffer

Tool Comparisons

• Tailwind vs Later
• CoSchedule vs Later
• Iconosquare vs Later
• Sprout Social vs Later
• Planable vs Later
• Zoho Social vs Later
• Publer vs Later
• Agorapulse vs Later
• Sendible vs Later
• SocialPilot vs Later
• Loomly Review
• SocialBee Review
• Metricool Review

Best-Of Guides

• Best Social Media Schedulers 2025
• Best Instagram Management Tools
• SocialBee Alternatives
• Metricool Alternatives
• Hootsuite Alternatives
• Sprout Social Alternatives
• Buffer Alternatives
• Loomly Alternatives
• Tailwind Alternatives
• Planoly Alternatives
• Iconosquare Alternatives
• ContentStudio Alternatives
• SocialBu Alternatives
• Crowdfire Alternatives

Budget-Friendly Options

• SocialBu Review - $19/mo starting price
• Crowdfire Review - Content curation
• ContentStudio Review - Content discovery