Comparisons

Sked Social vs Hopper HQ 2026: Which Visual Planner Wins?

Matt
Matt
8 min read

TL;DR - Quick Answer

10 min read

Hopper HQ 2026 offers better value with more features at a lower price. Sked Social excels in simplicity but costs more for similar functionality.

Quick answer: Hopper HQ is cheaper for 1-5 accounts ($6-30/month). Sked Social ($59/month) wins for 6+ accounts with unlimited users included.

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Quick Comparison

FeatureSked SocialHopper HQ
Pricing modelFlat ratePer account
Starting price$59/month$6/account
Best forTeams, 6+ accountsSolo, few accounts
UsersUnlimited1 (Grow) / Unlimited (Scale)
Grid previewExcellentExcellent
AI contentNoBasic AI

Pricing Side-by-Side

Sked Social Pricing

PlanCostAccountsUsers
Launch$59/month3Unlimited
Grow$149/month6Unlimited
Accelerate$399+/month20+Unlimited

Extra accounts: $8-12/month each.

Hopper HQ Pricing

PlanPer AccountUsersTeam Features
Grow$6/month1No
Scale$12/monthUnlimitedYes

Quick Quiz
Easy

You manage 3 Instagram accounts solo. Compare costs: Sked Social Launch vs Hopper HQ Grow.

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


Cost Comparison by Account Count

Solo User

AccountsSked SocialHopper HQ Grow
1$59$6
3$59$18
5$75$30
10$99$60

Breakeven: ~10 accounts. Below that, Hopper HQ wins.

Team (Multiple Users)

AccountsSked Social LaunchHopper HQ Scale
3$59$36
5$75$60
6$149 (Grow needed)$72
10$149 + $40$120

Pattern: Hopper HQ stays cheaper until higher account counts.


When Sked Social Wins

Scenario: Agency with 8 Accounts, 5 Team Members

ToolMonthly CostNotes
Sked Social Grow$149 + $20 = $1696 included + 2 extra
Hopper HQ Scale$968 × $12
WinnerHopper HQSaves $73/month

Scenario: Large Agency with 20 Accounts, 10 Team Members

ToolMonthly CostNotes
Sked Social Accelerate$39920 included
Hopper HQ Scale$24020 × $12
WinnerHopper HQStill cheaper

Reality check: Hopper HQ's per-account model often beats Sked Social on pure price.


Quick Quiz
Medium

Why would anyone choose Sked Social over Hopper HQ if Hopper is often cheaper?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


Features Comparison

Visual Planning

Sked Social:

  • Instagram grid preview
  • Stories planning
  • Reels scheduling
  • Multi-platform calendar
  • Drag-and-drop

Hopper HQ:

  • Instagram grid preview
  • Bulk upload
  • Visual calendar
  • Drag-and-drop
  • Simple interface

Winner: Tie. Both excellent for visual planning.


Platform Support

PlatformSked SocialHopper HQ
Instagram
Facebook
TikTok
LinkedIn
Twitter/X
Pinterest
YouTube
Threads
Google Business

Winner: Sked Social. Broader platform coverage.


Team Features

Sked Social:

  • Unlimited users on all plans
  • Approval workflows (Grow+)
  • Branded review portals
  • Advanced permissions
  • Activity tracking

Hopper HQ:

  • Grow: Single user only
  • Scale: Unlimited users
  • Content approvals
  • Basic permissions

Winner: Sked Social. More advanced team features.


Social Inbox

Sked Social:

  • Unified inbox
  • Instagram DMs
  • Facebook messages
  • Comments management

Hopper HQ:

  • Basic engagement features
  • No unified inbox

Winner: Sked Social. Full inbox solution.


Quick Quiz
Medium

Your team needs approval workflows before posting to client accounts. Which tool?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


Pros and Cons

Sked Social Pros

  • ✅ Unlimited users on all plans
  • ✅ More platforms supported
  • ✅ Social inbox included
  • ✅ Advanced approval workflows

Sked Social Cons

  • ❌ Higher base price ($59)
  • ❌ Steep tier jumps
  • ❌ No AI content
  • ❌ Overkill for simple needs

Hopper HQ Pros

  • ✅ Lower starting price ($6/account)
  • ✅ Simple, focused tool
  • ✅ Basic AI assistant
  • ✅ Efficient bulk upload

Hopper HQ Cons

  • ❌ Costs add up with accounts
  • ❌ Fewer platforms
  • ❌ Basic team features
  • ❌ No social inbox

Who Should Use Which?

Pick Sked Social if you:

  • Need approval workflows
  • Want a social inbox
  • Use YouTube/Threads/Google Business
  • Have complex team structures
  • Want all-in-one platform

Pick Hopper HQ if you:

  • Manage 1-5 accounts
  • Work solo or small team
  • Need simple visual scheduling
  • Want lowest possible price
  • Focus on Instagram/Facebook/TikTok

Neither Has Strong AI Content

Both lack AI content generation. Hopper HQ has basic AI assistance.

If you need AI content:

ToolAI FeaturesPrice
SocialRailsUnlimited AI content + 350 video templates$29-99/month
Hopper HQBasic AI assistant$6+/account
Sked SocialNone$59+/month

Best Alternative: SocialRails

If neither fits perfectly:

FeatureSked SocialHopper HQSocialRails
Pricing modelFlatPer accountFlat
Starting price$59/mo$6/account$29/mo
5 accounts$75/mo$30/mo$29/mo
AI contentNoBasicUnlimited
Video templatesNoNo350+
Visual plannerExcellentExcellentYes
Try SocialRails free →

Quick Answers

Is Sked Social or Hopper HQ cheaper? Hopper HQ for 1-8 accounts. Price depends on account count.

Which has better visual planning? Both excellent. Similar quality grid preview.

Which supports more platforms? Sked Social. Includes YouTube, Threads, Google Business.

Which is better for teams? Sked Social. Unlimited users, advanced approvals, social inbox.

Does either have AI content? Hopper HQ has basic AI assistant. Neither has full AI content generation.


Summary

Sked Social: Best for teams needing advanced features, approval workflows, and 6+ accounts.

Hopper HQ: Best for solo users or small teams with 1-5 accounts wanting simple visual scheduling.

Price decision: Calculate your account count × Hopper HQ rate vs Sked Social flat rate.

Best alternative: SocialRails at $29/month with 10 accounts and unlimited AI content.

Create content, post everywhere

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

Start your free trial

Sked Social Guides:

Hopper HQ Guides:

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