Comparisons

Best Planable Alternatives 2025: Top Social Media Tools Compared

Matt
Matt
8 min read

TL;DR - Quick Answer

9 min read

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

Planable does approvals well. But $33/user/month adds up fast.

Skip to: Quick Decision · Top 5 Alternatives · Feature Comparison

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Quick Decision

Your situationBest pickMonthly cost
Need AI to write postsSocialRails$29
Want flat pricing (no per-user)SocialRails$29
Instagram/visual focusLater$25
Similar approval workflowsLoomly$42
Simple schedulingBuffer$6/channel
Enterprise featuresHootsuite$99

Why Switch from Planable?

Per-user pricing hurts. Planable charges $33/user/month. A 5-person team pays $165/month.

No AI content. Planable helps you approve posts. It won't help you write them.

Limited analytics. You can schedule and approve. Tracking performance? Minimal.

🤔 Quick Knowledge Check

An 8-person agency uses Planable Starter. Monthly cost?


Top 5 Planable Alternatives

1. SocialRails

$29-99/month · Flat pricing, AI included

FeaturePlanableSocialRails
5 users cost$165/month$29/month
AI contentNoneUnlimited
Video templatesNone350+
ApprovalsExcellentGood

Best for teams who need content creation, not just content approval.

Try SocialRails free →

2. Loomly

$42-175/month · Similar workflows

What you get:

  • Multi-level approval chains
  • Daily post ideas
  • Version history
  • Client workspaces

Similar approval features. Lower per-workspace cost than Planable's per-user model.

Read Loomly Review →

🤔 Quick Knowledge Check

Which Planable alternative includes AI content generation?


3. Later

$25-80/month · Visual-first

What you get:

  • Instagram grid preview
  • Drag-and-drop calendar
  • Linkin.bio pages
  • Best posting times

Limited collaboration. Strong visual planning for Instagram.

Read Later Review →

4. Buffer

$6-12/channel/month · Simple scheduling

What you get:

  • Clean interface
  • Per-channel pricing
  • Basic analytics
  • AI assistant for ideas

No complex approvals. Good for small teams who don't need workflows.

Read Buffer Review →

5. Hootsuite

$99-739/month · Enterprise features

What you get:

  • OwlyWriter AI
  • Social listening
  • Advanced analytics
  • Compliance tools

More features than Planable. Also more expensive and complex.

See Hootsuite Alternatives →

Feature Comparison

FeaturePlanableSocialRailsLoomlyBufferLater
Price modelPer userFlatPer workspacePer channelFlat
Starting cost$33/user$29$42$6/ch$25
AI contentNoUnlimitedNoIdeas onlyNo
Video templatesNo350+NoNoNo
Visual previewExcellentGoodGoodBasicExcellent
ApprovalsExcellentGoodExcellentBasicBasic

🤔 Quick Knowledge Check

Solo creator needs approvals AND AI content. Best choice?


How to Switch

Step 1: Export from Planable

Download your scheduled posts and content calendar.

Step 2: Pick your new tool

PriorityChooseWhy
AI contentSocialRailsUnlimited generation
Save moneySocialRailsFlat $29 vs per-user
Visual planningLaterBest grid preview
Complex workflowsLoomlyMulti-level approvals
Maximum simplicityBufferClean interface

Step 3: Set up workflows

Most tools let you recreate approval chains in 20-30 minutes. Connect accounts and invite team members.


🤔 Quick Knowledge Check

Which pricing model saves money for growing teams?


When Planable Still Makes Sense

Keep Planable if you:

  • Have a small team (2-3 people)
  • Love their visual preview
  • Only need approval workflows
  • Don't need AI content
  • Budget allows per-user pricing

Quick Answers

Cheapest option? Buffer at $6/channel. SocialRails at $29 flat with AI.

Best approval workflows? Loomly matches Planable's approval depth.

Best visual preview? Later for Instagram. Planable's preview is actually strong.

Need AI content? SocialRails for unlimited. Hootsuite for OwlyWriter.


Bottom Line

Planable excels at visual approvals. But per-user pricing and no AI content creation limits its value.

Our recommendation: SocialRails at $29/month. AI content, video templates, flat pricing.

Create content, post everywhere

Let AI do the work. Ideas, posts, images, carousels. Scheduled in seconds.

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