Managing social media in 2026 means juggling more networks than ever: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest and, for some brands, X. A social media management tool puts publishing, a shared calendar, a unified inbox, analytics and approvals in one place, so a small team can keep up. The hard part is choosing: there are dozens of tools, they price in six different ways, and many hide the details that decide the real cost.
This guide compares the 20 best social media management tools for 2026. Every price, plan limit and supported network below comes from the vendor’s own website, checked on 6 October 2026. Where a vendor does not publish a fact, or two of its pages disagree, we say so and do not guess.
Key Takeaways
- Pricing models differ: tools charge per user, per channel, per brand or workspace, per flat plan, per conversation, or by quote. Compare the total for your setup, not the headline price.
- Cheapest for 10 profiles and 3 users: Publer Professional comes to about $32 per month on annual billing, and Zoho Social, Later and SocialPilot are also under $50 (see our table for assumptions).
- Free plans exist: Buffer, Publer, Metricool, Iconosquare and Zoho Social offer free plans with limits, and DMpro has a free plan for DM automation.
- X can cost extra: Agorapulse, Metricool, Vista Social and CoSchedule charge an add-on for X, and Later does not list X among its supported networks.
- Enterprise suites publish no prices: Sprinklr and Brandwatch are sold by quote only.
- Agencies save on seats: Sendible includes unlimited users on every plan, and Planable prices per workspace with unlimited users.
Best Social Media Management Tools at a Glance
| Tool | Best for | Pricing basis | Entry paid price (annual billing) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMpro | Selling through DMs and comments | Per conversation | $15 per month (Pro), free plan available |
| Hootsuite | Teams that want publishing, inbox and listening in one suite | Per user | 99 per user per month (Standard) |
| Sprout Social | Mid-size and enterprise teams | Per seat | $79 per seat per month (Essentials) |
| Agorapulse | Teams that want a built-in inbox and reporting | Per user | 79 per user per month (Standard) |
| Sprinklr | Large enterprises | Quote | Contact sales |
| Brandwatch | Enterprise listening and consumer intelligence | Quote | Contact sales |
| Buffer | Creators and small teams | Per channel | $5 per channel per month (Essentials) |
| Later | Visual-first Instagram and TikTok brands | Flat plan | $18.75 per month (Starter) |
| Publer | Budget scheduling across many networks | Per account | $4 per account per month (Professional) |
| SocialPilot | Agencies on a flat plan | Flat plan | $25.50 per month (Essentials) |
| Metricool | Analytics-led planning, free tier | Per brand count | $20 per month (Starter, 5 brands) |
| SocialBee | Evergreen, category-based scheduling | Flat plan | $290 per year (Bootstrap) |
| Sendible | Agencies with many users | Per workspace | $30 per month (Core) |
| Planable | Client approvals | Per workspace | $33 per workspace per month (Basic) |
| Loomly | One calendar with approvals | Flat plan | $49 per month (Starter) |
| Vista Social | Many networks, DM automation and listening | Flat plan | $950 per year (Professional) |
| CoSchedule | Social plus marketing calendar | Flat plan | $29 per month (Starter) |
| ContentStudio | Content discovery, AI and agencies | Flat plan | $19 per month (Standard) |
| Iconosquare | Analytics for Instagram and TikTok | Per plan and profile tier | EUR 9 per month (Starter) |
| Zoho Social | Zoho users and low-cost teams | Per brand | $10 per month (Standard)* |
*Zoho Social’s price comes from the pricing data its page loads, because the amounts did not render as visible text during our check. Confirm on the page before you buy.
How Social Media Management Tools Are Priced
Before you compare plans, know which meter the tool charges on. A per-user tool gets expensive as your team grows. A per-channel tool gets expensive as you add accounts. A per-workspace or flat tool can be cheap for agencies but caps your profiles.
What to Look For in a Social Media Management Tool
- Networks. Check the exact networks, and whether publishing, inbox and analytics all work on each. Several tools cover fewer networks for the inbox than for publishing.
- Seats and profiles. Know how many people and how many connected profiles each plan includes, and what extra ones cost.
- Approvals. Client and manager approval flows are usually on higher plans.
- Inbox and listening. Many tools include a unified inbox, while listening is often a paid add-on.
- Reporting. Look for white-label and scheduled reports if you serve clients.
- Pricing model. Calculate the cost for your real setup, as we do below.
- Contract terms. Annual plans are often billed upfront, and some cannot be cancelled early.
1. Engagement and DM Automation
Schedulers get posts out. They do not turn comments and DMs into sales. DMpro covers that part of social media management, and it works alongside a scheduler from the lists below.
1. DMpro
Best for creators, brands and agencies that sell through DMs and comment replies.
Disclosure: DMpro is our own product. It is a DM and comment automation and inbox tool, not a post scheduler, so it does not replace the tools below. It fills the engagement gap they leave open.
DMpro connects six channels in one inbox: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram and Messenger. Its AI flow builder lets you type a flow in plain words, for example “when someone comments PRICE on my reel, DM them the pricing link and tag them as a hot lead”, and it builds the automation. Replies can follow your tone, and DMs can be translated into 180+ languages.
DMpro also has a separate Chrome extension for outreach: it writes a personalized first DM for each Instagram or TikTok profile you pick and sends it from your own account, one at a time or as a paced campaign with Safety Mode on by default.
Key features
- Six channels in one inbox: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger
- AI flow builder: describe a flow in plain English
- Comment-to-DM triggers, keyword triggers, broadcasts and sequences
- Replies to DMs, comments and mentions
- Unlimited social accounts, campaigns, templates and automations on every plan
- Store and tool integrations, including Shopify, Stripe and Calendly, with CRM sync (HubSpot, Salesforce, Notion) on Pro
- Shared inbox, assignments and notes for teams on Pro
- Chrome extension for outreach from a CSV of Instagram or TikTok handles, with randomized 42 to 90 second delays
DMpro Pros
- Free forever plan, no card required
- Unlimited accounts, campaigns and automations; only conversations are metered
- Includes comment and mention automation, not only DMs
- Pairs well with any scheduler
DMpro Cons
- Does not schedule or publish posts
- Free plan lets a campaign use one social account at a time
- AI usage is billed per token on top of the plan
Pricing: Free: $0, 250 conversations per month, with $3 of AI credits each month. Pro: $19 per month billed monthly or $15 per month billed annually, 1,000 conversations per month, $0.045 per extra conversation, unlimited team seats. Enterprise: custom, from about $499 per month. A conversation is one unique person you message in 30 days. The Chrome extension is priced separately by AI messages: free for 10 AI DMs a month, then $19 for 500, $49 for 2,000, $149 for 8,000 and $299 for 30,000 per month.
2. All-in-One Suites for Teams and Enterprises
These platforms combine publishing, a unified inbox, reporting and, on higher plans, listening and approvals. They suit larger teams and are priced accordingly.
2. Hootsuite
Best for teams that want publishing, inbox, listening and AI in one suite.
Founded in 2008, Hootsuite describes its platform as made of Perch (planning and publishing), Nest (inbox and customer care), Lumen (insights and listening), Wisdom (AI) and Parliament (employee advocacy).
It publishes to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Threads, Pinterest and Bluesky, supports a WhatsApp inbox, and offers a mobile app on iPhone, iPad and Android.
Key features
- Post scheduling unlimited on all plans; bulk scheduling of up to 350 posts on paid plans
- Calendar, recommended times to publish and a content library on all plans
- Unified inbox on all plans, with AI smart replies from Professional
- Social listening: Quick Search on all plans, longer history on higher plans
- Link in bio (Hootbio) on all plans
- 100 AI credits per month on Standard, Professional and Advanced
- Over 100 app integrations, including Canva, Slack and Salesforce
Hootsuite Pros
- Wide network coverage, including Threads and Bluesky
- Suite covers publishing, inbox and listening
- 14-day free trial with no credit card
Hootsuite Cons
- No free plan
- Standard is capped at 10 social accounts
- Approvals and internal comments start on Advanced (399 per user)
Pricing: Per user per month, billed annually: Standard 99 (10 social accounts), Professional 199 (unlimited accounts), Advanced 399 (unlimited accounts), Enterprise custom. Hootsuite displays the amounts in euros or dollars depending on region. Monthly billing costs more, but the figure is not shown. 14-day free trial, with daily posting limits during the trial.
3. Sprout Social
Best for mid-size and enterprise teams that need deep reporting, approvals and listening.
Sprout Social launched in 2010 and lists offices in Chicago, Dublin and Krakow. It covers publishing, engagement, analytics and listening, and its AI teammate is called Trellis.
Networks in every plan include Instagram, X, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat, TikTok, Threads, YouTube and Reddit, with Bluesky and WhatsApp listed on its integrations pages.
Key features
- Content calendar, Sprout Queue and optimal send times on all plans
- Unified inbox from Standard; not on Essentials
- Message approval workflow from Professional; external approvals on Advanced
- Bulk scheduling on Professional and Advanced
- Competitor reports, paid social reports and custom branding from Professional
- Scheduled report delivery and BI integration on Advanced
- Listening and Premium Analytics sold as separate add-ons
- Mobile app on iOS and Android
Sprout Social Pros
- Strong reporting and approvals on higher plans
- 30-day free trial, the longest in this list
- Profiles are unlimited on Professional and Advanced
Sprout Social Cons
- Per-seat pricing grows quickly with team size
- Essentials has no inbox and no keyword monitoring
- Standard and Essentials are capped at 5 social profiles
Pricing: Per seat per month: Essentials $79 billed annually or $99 monthly (5 profiles); Standard $199 or $249 (5 profiles); Professional $299 or $399 (unlimited profiles); Advanced $399 or $499 (unlimited profiles); Enterprise custom. No free plan; 30-day free trial. The Trellis Plus add-on is $28 per user per month billed annually.
4. Agorapulse
Best for teams that want a unified inbox, publishing and reporting at a clear per-user price.
Agorapulse covers publishing, a unified inbox, listening, reporting and ROI measurement. Its pricing page lists Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Bluesky and Google Business.
X is available only through paid add-ons, X Lite at 29 and X Plus at 69 per connected X profile per month.
Key features
- Unlimited post scheduling, calendar and content library on all plans
- Unified inbox on all plans; assignments from Professional; saved replies and sentiment from Advanced
- Bulk scheduling and publishing queues on Advanced and Custom
- Link in bio (PulseLink) from Professional
- Simple approval workflows from Professional
- AI writing assistant, alt text and summaries on all plans
- ChatGPT and Claude (MCP) integrations on all plans
- Data retention of 6, 12 or 24 months depending on plan
Agorapulse Pros
- Inbox on every plan
- Clear per-user pricing with profiles included
- 30-day trial
Agorapulse Cons
- X needs a paid add-on per profile
- The free plan ended on 6 July 2026, per its help center
- Advanced listening and competitor benchmarking are add-ons
Pricing: Per user per month, annual or monthly: Standard 79 or 99, Professional 119 or 149, Advanced 149 or 199, Custom tailored. Each plan includes 1 user and 10 social profiles; extra profiles cost 10 (annual) or 15 (monthly) each. The page shows euros in some regions and dollars in others. 30-day free trial.
5. Sprinklr
Best for large enterprises with complex, multi-team social needs.
Sprinklr describes Sprinklr Social as an AI-native, enterprise platform for listening, publishing, engagement, advertising and customer service, sold within a four-suite platform (Insights, Marketing, Social, Service). It was founded in 2009 and, per its latest SEC filing, has principal offices in New York.
It claims 30+ social and messaging channels. Its help center lists publishing and engagement for Facebook, Instagram (Business accounts), LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and Bluesky, plus messaging channels such as WhatsApp Business and Telegram.
Key features
- Omnichannel publisher with AI-recommended send times and an editorial calendar
- Bulk import of posts by CSV or Excel
- Engagement dashboard with sentiment, routing and automated responses
- Multi-level and parallel approval workflows
- Paid, owned and earned reporting in one dashboard
- Social listening sold as part of the separate Insights suite
- Link-in-bio micro-site, digital asset manager and 100+ integrations
Sprinklr Pros
- Very wide channel coverage, including messaging apps
- Built for governance and approvals at scale
- Combines social with customer service
Sprinklr Cons
- No published pricing
- Instagram publishing works for Business accounts only
- Its own blog calls it a premium, enterprise-tier investment
Pricing: Custom pricing, contact sales. Sprinklr publishes no plan names, prices, free plan or trial.
6. Brandwatch
Best for enterprise teams that need social listening and consumer intelligence next to social management.
Brandwatch describes a suite of tools for consumer intelligence, social media management and influencer marketing aimed at enterprise teams. Falcon.io is now part of Brandwatch.
Its social media management product has Publish, Advertise, Engage, Measure, Benchmark and Listen modules. The inbox covers Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and YouTube, and listening draws on 100 million+ sources.
Key features
- One calendar for organic and paid content with approval flows and roles
- Unified inbox with automation rules
- Social listening with 12 months of consumer data and 7 years of competitive channel analytics, per its site
- Dashboards, competitor benchmarking and share of voice
- Iris AI assistant in Consumer Intelligence
- 17 listed integrations, including Salesforce
Brandwatch Pros
- Listening depth is its strength
- Unlimited channels for suite customers, per its site
- Covers consumer research and influencer marketing under one brand
Brandwatch Cons
- No published pricing, plans or trial
- Aimed at enterprises, not small teams
- Separate products and add-ons sit outside the social suite
Pricing: No prices published. Brandwatch’s plans page mentions standard to enterprise plans for each solution and routes you to a demo.
3. Schedulers and Planners for Creators and Small Teams
These tools focus on getting posts out on schedule, with lighter inboxes and analytics. Most are priced per channel, per account or as a flat plan.
7. Buffer
Best for creators and small businesses that want simple, per-channel pricing.
Buffer started as a project in November 2010, founded by Joel Gascoigne, and has been fully remote since 2013. It publishes automatically to Bluesky, Facebook pages, Google Business Profile, Instagram business and creator accounts, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok business, YouTube Shorts and X.
Instagram personal profiles and Facebook groups use reminder notifications instead of automatic publishing.
Key features
- Queue and visual content calendar
- Ideas library and hashtag manager
- Community inbox for comments, with saved replies and AI replies
- Analytics, with advanced analytics for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X
- Start Page link in bio
- AI assistant for ideas, rewriting and repurposing
- Browser extension, API access and integrations including Canva, Zapier and Claude
Buffer Pros
- Free plan for up to 3 channels
- Per-channel pricing is easy to predict
- Volume discounts above 10 channels
Buffer Cons
- Essentials includes only 1 user; unlimited users, approvals and branded reports need Team
- Free plan allows 10 scheduled posts per channel and 30 days of insights
- Upgrading means paying for every channel, including the 3 free ones
Pricing: Per channel per month: Free $0 (3 channels); Essentials $5 billed yearly or $6 monthly; Team $10 billed yearly or $12 monthly. Channels 11 to 25 cost $4 each on monthly billing, then less at higher volumes. 14-day trial. Scheduling is unlimited under a fair-use cap of 5,000 posts per channel. 50% nonprofit discount.
8. Later
Best for visual-first brands that publish mostly to Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.
Later, which says it grew out of Splashscore and Mavrck and acquired Mavely in 2025, offers a visual planner, auto-publishing, link in bio and an inbox. Its pricing page lists Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Snapchat; X is not on that list.
Plans bundle social sets (one profile of each supported network) and users, so pricing is per plan, not per profile.
Key features
- Visual planner, drafts and saved captions
- Best Time to Post for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
- Link in bio and a mobile app on all plans
- Social inbox, approvals and calendar sharing on Growth and Scale
- Social listening, competitive benchmarking and custom analytics on Scale only
- AI caption writer and ideas, with credits per plan
Later Pros
- Bundled profiles per plan are easy to price
- Link in bio included
- Includes Snapchat
Later Cons
- No free plan shown
- Starter has 1 user, no inbox and no approvals
- Post caps apply on Starter and Growth (30 and 180 per profile per month)
Pricing: Billed in USD: Starter $18.75 per month billed yearly or $25 monthly (1 social set, 1 user); Growth $37.50 or $50 (2 social sets, 2 users); Scale $82.50 or $110 (6 social sets, 4 users). Extra social sets $11.25 per month billed yearly on Growth and Scale. 14-day trial. Yearly billing saves 25%.
9. Publer
Best for budget-conscious creators and agencies who want a lot of networks.
Publer started as a side project in 2012. It supports Facebook (profiles, pages, locations and groups), Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Mastodon, Google Business Profile, YouTube, Telegram, Bluesky and WordPress.
Where a network does not allow automatic publishing, Publer sends a reminder notification.
Key features
- Queue, calendar and feed previews
- Bulk scheduling by CSV and multi-media uploader, on paid plans
- Recurring posts and post recycling on paid plans
- Approval workflows and unlimited workspaces with roles on paid plans
- Analytics, best times to post, hashtag and competitor analysis on Business
- AI Assist for text and images, with unlimited prompts on Business
- Link in bio (Linkie), mobile app, browser extension, API and MCP
Publer Pros
- Free forever plan
- Very low per-account prices
- Broad network list, including Telegram and WordPress
Publer Cons
- X is only available on paid plans
- Free plan keeps only 24 hours of post history
- Pricing is per account plus per additional member, so costs add up with scale
Pricing: Per social account per month: Free $0 (3 accounts, except X); Professional $4 billed yearly or $5 monthly; Business $8 billed yearly or $10 monthly; Enterprise custom. Trials of 7 days (Professional) and 14 days (Business). The page shows euros in some regions and dollars in others. 50% nonprofit discount.
10. SocialPilot
Best for agencies and small teams that want flat per-plan pricing with client seats.
SocialPilot supports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube, Pinterest and Google Business. Its plans are flat, with accounts and users included and extra accounts and users sold as add-ons, and a white-label option on higher plans.
Bulk scheduling of up to 500 posts by CSV, a social inbox with automation, approvals and an AI assistant are among the features it lists.
Key features
- Calendar with drag and drop, queues, repeat posts and first comment
- Bulk scheduling up to 500 posts by CSV (Premium and Ultimate only)
- Social inbox with auto-replies (Standard and up, not on Essentials)
- Custom, scheduled and white-label reports on higher plans
- Approvals and role-based permissions
- AI Pilot for captions, hashtags and brand voice
- Mobile app, browser extension and a ChatGPT and MCP integration
SocialPilot Pros
- Standard covers 10 profiles and 3 users at a competitive list price
- Client seats on higher plans
- 14-day trial, no card required
SocialPilot Cons
- No free plan
- Essentials lacks bulk scheduling, approvals and PDF reports
- Annual plans are not refundable under its refund policy
Pricing: Billed in USD: Essentials $25.50 per month billed yearly or $30 monthly (7 accounts, 1 user); Standard $42.50 or $50 (15 accounts, 3 users); Premium $85 or $100 (25 accounts, 6 users, unlimited client seats); Ultimate $170 or $200 (50 accounts, unlimited users); Enterprise custom. Extra account $4 per month and extra user $5 on Standard and Premium. Yearly billing saves 15%. 14-day trial, no card, no free plan.
11. Metricool
Best for individuals, small businesses and agencies who want a free plan and analytics-led planning.
Metricool started in 2014 and joined team.blue in 2024. Pricing is by number of brands, where one brand is one profile per network. It covers Web or blog, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile, plus ad accounts for Facebook, Google and TikTok.
X needs a paid add-on, and LinkedIn is not on the Free plan.
Key features
- Planner and calendar with best times and recurring posts
- Inbox for messages and comments
- Analytics and competitor analysis, with Looker (Data) Studio connector
- Reports in PDF and PowerPoint
- Smartlinks for link in bio; Flows for DM automation on Starter and up
- Approval system and API on Advanced and up
- AI assistant, credit-based
- Mobile app, Chrome extension, Zapier, Make and MCP
Metricool Pros
- Free plan with 1 brand
- Unlimited analytics history on paid plans
- Brand-based pricing suits agencies
Metricool Cons
- Free plan allows 20 posts per month and 30 days of analytics
- X costs $10 per month per account on top
- No free trial found for paid plans
Pricing: Per month, USD: Free $0 (1 brand); Starter $20 billed annually or $25 monthly for 5 brands, $36 or $45 for 10 brands; Advanced $53 or $67 for 15 brands, $85 or $107 for 25, $159 or $210 for 50; Custom on request. Annual billing saves up to 24%. Prices exclude VAT.
12. SocialBee
Best for solopreneurs and small agencies that want category-based, evergreen scheduling.
SocialBee says it has been a social media management tool since 2016. Its category-based calendar recycles and expires content. It posts directly to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, X, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Google Business Profiles and Bluesky, and uses its mobile app for networks without direct posting.
It also sells ConciergeBee, an in-house agency service.
Key features
- Category-based content calendar with recycle and expire
- Bulk editor, CSV uploads and RSS sources (not on Bootstrap)
- Social inbox with notes and boards
- Analytics with PDF export
- Workspaces, user roles and post approval
- AI Copilot and unlimited AI content generation on all plans
- Integrations including Canva, Unsplash, Zapier and Make
SocialBee Pros
- Evergreen recycling is built in
- Unlimited AI generation on every plan
- 14-day trial with full Pro access
SocialBee Cons
- No free plan
- Bootstrap lacks approvals and bulk tools and keeps 3 months of analytics
- A profile counts every connected account
Pricing: USD: Bootstrap $29 monthly or $290 per year (5 profiles, 1 user); Accelerate $49 or $490 (10 profiles, 1 user); Pro $99 or $990 (25 profiles, 5 workspaces, 3 users per workspace). Agency plans: Pro50 $179, Pro100 $329, Pro150 $449 per month. 14-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
4. Tools for Agencies and Client Approvals
13. Sendible
Best for agencies, franchises and multi-location brands that need many users without per-seat fees.
Sendible started in London in 2009 and has been part of ASG since 2021. Every plan includes unlimited users, and pricing is by workspace, each with 6 social profiles. It lists Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Google My Business, YouTube, WordPress, Threads and Bluesky.
Sendible does not support answering Instagram direct messages.
Key features
- Workspaces per client, with Client Connect so clients do not share passwords
- Bulk scheduler and CSV upload, smart queues, RSS auto-poster
- Priority inbox and real-time comment monitoring
- Standard, custom and automatically emailed reports
- Approvals from Plus; branded reports and content libraries from Premium
- AI Assist with unlimited AI credits
- Chrome extension, Canva, Google Drive, Dropbox and Zapier
Sendible Pros
- Unlimited users on every plan
- Built around client workspaces
- 14-day trial, no card required
Sendible Cons
- No free plan
- Daily sending limits per workspace (100 to 500)
- White label is a paid add-on on Elite and Enterprise
Pricing: Per month, USD view, per its pricing table: Core $35 monthly or $30 billed yearly (1 workspace, 6 profiles); Plus $99 or $84 (3 workspaces); Premium $199 or $169 (7); Elite $299 or $254 (15); Enterprise $750 or $638 (50). Yearly billing saves 15%.
14. Planable
Best for agencies and multi-brand teams that run client approvals.
Planable began at a hackathon in 2016 and joined SE Ranking in 2025. It prices per workspace (one client, brand or location) with unlimited users. It schedules to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Google Business Profile and Threads.
Analytics, the social inbox and social listening are paid add-ons on every plan.
Key features
- Calendar, feed, grid and list views
- Approval flows: optional on Basic, required on Pro, multi-level on Enterprise
- AI post generation and rewriting
- Recurring posts, first comment scheduling and a media editor
- Mobile app, Canva, Slack and Zapier integrations, MCP connector
- Public API on Pro and up
Planable Pros
- Unlimited users on every plan
- First 50 posts free, with no time limit
- Clear approval tiers
Planable Cons
- Post caps per workspace (60 on Basic, 150 on Pro)
- Analytics, inbox and listening cost extra
- Volume discount only above 5 workspaces
Pricing: Per workspace per month, USD, excluding taxes: Basic $33 billed yearly or $39 monthly; Pro $49 or $59; Enterprise custom. Add-ons per workspace per month: Analytics $12 yearly or $14 monthly, Social inbox $7.50 or $9, Social listening $82.50 or $99. 30-day trial on the analytics and inbox add-ons.
15. Loomly
Best for small to mid-size brands and agencies that want one calendar with approvals.
Loomly, founded in 2015, supports Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile and Threads, with Snapchat through push notifications. Its integrations page and footer do not list X.
Its unified inbox covers Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok.
Key features
- Calendar per brand, with list, calendar and post views
- Approval workflows with roles, comments and version history
- Unified inbox with saved replies and assignments
- Bulk and recurring posting, hashtag manager and ideas board
- Social listening with monthly limits (2 on Starter, 5 on Beyond)
- AI assistant and post generation
- iOS and Android apps
Loomly Pros
- Unlimited calendars and scheduling
- Approvals included
- Simple two-plan structure
Loomly Cons
- Beyond jumps to $249 per month billed yearly
- Scheduled reports and custom branding are not on Starter
- Yearly plans cannot be terminated early
Pricing: USD: Starter $65 monthly or $49 per month billed yearly ($588 per year) for 12 social accounts and 3 users; Beyond $332 monthly or $249 per month billed yearly ($2,988 per year) for 60 social accounts and unlimited users; Enterprise (61+ accounts) custom. 7-day trial, no card. Yearly billing saves 25%.
16. Vista Social
Best for teams that want many networks plus listening, reviews and DM automation.
Vista Social says it was founded in 2022. Its integrations page lists Bluesky, Facebook, Google Business, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Tumblr, X and YouTube, and it also handles review sites such as Yelp and Trustpilot.
X is a $29 per month add-on on every plan.
Key features
- Unlimited posts on all plans, calendar, bulk scheduling and optimal times
- Unified inbox, DM automations, saved replies and sentiment analysis
- Single and multi-stage approvals
- Reports: social, post performance, competitor, scheduled and custom
- AI credits, “Ask Vista” and MCP
- Vista Page link in bio
- Chrome and Firefox extensions and mobile apps
Vista Social Pros
- Broad network list including Reddit and Tumblr
- Review management and DM automation included
- 14-day trial, no card
Vista Social Cons
- No free plan
- Listening ($75 per month) and X ($29 per month) are add-ons
- Its FAQ and plan table disagree on the number of users
Pricing: USD: Professional $99 monthly or $950 per year (15 profiles, 2 users); Advanced $199 or $1,910 (30 profiles, 3 users); Scale $449 or $4,310 (70 profiles, 4 users); Enterprise custom. Yearly billing saves 20%.
5. Calendars, Content Creation and Analytics-First Tools
17. CoSchedule
Best for solo marketers and small teams that also want a marketing calendar and project work.
CoSchedule launched its calendar on 23 September 2013 and was founded by Garrett Moon and Justin Walsh. It publishes to Bluesky, Facebook, Google Business Profiles, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Pinterest, TikTok, Threads, YouTube and X.
X is not in base plans and costs $16 per profile per month.
Key features
- Drag and drop calendar, color labels, campaigns and kanban
- Unlimited social scheduling, best time scheduling and ReQueue automation
- Bulk import of up to 365 messages
- Link in bio for Instagram and TikTok
- Social inbox, saved replies and AI replies
- Analytics, scheduled and white-label reports
- Chrome extension, mobile app, Zapier and WordPress
CoSchedule Pros
- Free calendar for up to 15 posts per profile
- Marketing calendar and project tools included
- Unlimited social messages on all plans
CoSchedule Cons
- Starter is limited to 1 user and Professional to 3
- Extra profiles cost $5 per month and extra seats $29 per month
- The Suite price is shown as both “starting at $69” and “talk to sales”
Pricing: USD: Starter $29 billed annually or $39 monthly (1 seat, 3 profiles); Professional $49 or $59 (2 seats, 5 profiles); Suite custom. 14-day trial. 30% nonprofit discount.
18. ContentStudio
Best for small teams and agencies that want AI content tools, discovery and flat pricing.
ContentStudio was founded in 2017 and is remote-first. Its pricing page lists Facebook, Instagram, X, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest and Telegram.
Plans are flat, not per user.
Key features
- Multi-platform publishing, smart scheduling and recurring posts
- Bulk CSV upload, RSS autoposting and evergreen campaigns on Advanced and up
- Calendar, list, feed, Instagram grid and TikTok grid views
- Unified inbox (not on Standard)
- Approval workflow and client dashboard on Advanced and up
- AI Studio for text, image and video, with brand voice
- Mobile apps, Chrome extension, Zapier, Make, n8n, API and MCP
ContentStudio Pros
- Low entry price
- Agency plan with unlimited workspaces and users
- White-label and reseller add-ons
ContentStudio Cons
- No free plan, 7-day trial only
- Social listening is a paid add-on
- Competitor analytics covers Facebook and Instagram only
Pricing: USD: Standard $19 per month billed annually or $29 monthly (5 accounts, 1 user); Advanced $49 or $69 (10 accounts, 2 users); Agency Unlimited $99 or $139 (25 accounts, unlimited workspaces and users); Enterprise custom. Extra social account $5, extra user $10 per month. Social listening add-on from $99 per month. 7-day trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee for first-time subscribers.
19. Iconosquare
Best for brands and agencies that want analytics first, mainly for Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.
Iconosquare launched in 2011 as Statigram and was renamed in 2015. It supports Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, Pinterest, Threads and YouTube, with X only on Launch and above.
Its unified inbox covers Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Key features
- Scheduling and auto-publishing for posts, Reels, Stories, TikToks, Shorts and carousels
- Calendar with drag and drop and best time to post
- Inbox for comments, DMs and mentions, with an Instagram giveaway picker (Launch and up)
- Listening for competitors, hashtags and brand mentions (Scale and up)
- Custom dashboards, scheduled reports and white-label reports on Custom
- Uma AI Analyst on paid plans, and an MCP integration in beta
- Mobile companion app, Zapier and Adobe Express
Iconosquare Pros
- Free plan with 2 profiles
- Analytics-first, with 2 years of history on Scale
- 14-day trial with all features
Iconosquare Cons
- The Free plan allows 10 posts per profile per month and 1 month of analytics
- Inbox and listening are locked to higher plans
- Prices were shown in euros, and the vendor says pricing varies by region
Pricing: Displayed in euros: Free EUR 0; Starter EUR 9 per month billed yearly (3 profiles) or EUR 15 (5 profiles), EUR 11 or 18 monthly; Launch from EUR 33 yearly or 39 monthly; Scale EUR 69 to 219 per month billed yearly depending on profile count; Custom from EUR 116. Annual billing gives 2 months free.
20. Zoho Social
Best for Zoho users and teams that want a low-cost plan with agency options.
Zoho Social is a product of Zoho Corporation. Its pricing page lists 14 channels per brand on Standard and Professional (Facebook Pages, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, Snapchat and Arattai), and 16 on higher plans with WhatsApp and Telegram business accounts.
The Free plan covers 6 channels, and Zoho says availability can vary by region.
Key features
- Multi-channel scheduling, drafts and a publishing calendar
- Bulk scheduling on Professional and up
- Unified inbox and SmartQ best-time predictions on Premium and up
- Monitoring columns for keywords, mentions, hashtags and reviews
- Approvals on Premium and up
- Zia AI assistant built on OpenAI
- Integrations with Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk and Canva, mobile apps and a browser extension
Zoho Social Pros
- Free plan, plus a 15-day trial
- Per-brand pricing that suits agencies
- Part of the Zoho ecosystem
Zoho Social Cons
- Inbox, approvals and SmartQ need Premium
- Standard has no bulk scheduling or post insights
- Listening is monitoring columns, not a separate listening product
Pricing: From Zoho’s pricing data, USD: Free $0; Standard $10 per month billed yearly or $15 monthly; Professional $30 or $40; Premium $40 or $65 (3 team members); Agency $230 or $320 (10 clients); Agency Plus $330 or $460 (20 clients). Zoho says prices adjust by region, so confirm on its page.
Social Media Management Tools Compared: Networks
This matrix shows the main networks each tool lists for publishing. Always confirm the exact capabilities per network on the vendor’s page, because inbox, analytics and publishing do not always match.
| Tool | TikTok | X | YouTube | Threads | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sprout Social | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Agorapulse | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sprinklr | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ |
| Brandwatch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ~ |
| Buffer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ~ | ✓ |
| Later | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Publer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SocialPilot | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Metricool | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SocialBee | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sendible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | ✓ | ✓ |
| Planable | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Loomly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Vista Social | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CoSchedule | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ContentStudio | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Iconosquare | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Zoho Social | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ available in at least one plan + paid add-on, extra cost or separate product ~ limited – not offered or not listed ? not confirmed on the vendor’s pages
Notes: Buffer lists YouTube Shorts only. Sprinklr lists Threads on its channel list without detailing capabilities. Brandwatch does not say which networks support publishing and which are listening only. DMpro is excluded because it is not a scheduler.
Social Media Management Tools Compared: Features
| Tool | Unified inbox | Social listening | Approvals | Link in bio | Bulk scheduling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sprout Social | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Agorapulse | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sprinklr | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Brandwatch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ? | ? |
| Buffer | ~ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ? |
| Later | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ? |
| Publer | ? | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SocialPilot | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Metricool | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ? |
| SocialBee | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Sendible | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Planable | + | + | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Loomly | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Vista Social | ✓ | + | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CoSchedule | ✓ | ? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ContentStudio | ✓ | + | ✓ | ? | ✓ |
| Iconosquare | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ? | ? |
| Zoho Social | ✓ | ~ | ✓ | + | ✓ |
✓ available in at least one plan + paid add-on, extra cost or separate product ~ limited – not offered or not listed ? not confirmed on the vendor’s pages
Features are shown when they appear on the vendor’s pages, often only on higher plans. Buffer’s inbox covers comments only. A “?” means we could not confirm the feature on the vendor’s pages, not that it is missing.
Free Plans and Free Trials
| Tool | Free plan | Free trial |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer | 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 30 days of insights | 14 days on paid plans |
| Publer | 3 accounts (except X), 10 scheduled posts per account, 24-hour post history | 7 days (Professional), 14 days (Business) |
| Metricool | 1 brand, 20 posts per month, 5 competitor profiles, 30 days of analytics | None found for paid plans |
| Iconosquare | 2 profiles, 10 posts per profile per month, 1 month of analytics | 14 days, all features |
| Zoho Social | 1 brand with 6 channels, 1 team member | 15 days |
| CoSchedule | Free calendar, up to 15 posts per profile | 14 days |
| Planable | First 50 posts free, no time limit | Add-ons have a 30-day trial |
| DMpro | 250 conversations per month, with $3 of AI credits | $1 first month of Pro |
| Hootsuite, Sprout Social, SocialPilot, SocialBee, Sendible, Loomly, Vista Social, ContentStudio, Later | No free plan | 7 to 30 days (Sprout Social 30 days, Loomly 7 days, ContentStudio 7 days, the rest 14 days) |
Agorapulse had a free plan that its help center says ended on 6 July 2026. It now offers a free Archie plan, an AI content tool with 10 credits per month, which is not a scheduler.
What Does It Really Cost? 10 Profiles and 3 Users
Headline prices are not comparable, because tools charge on different meters. To make a fair comparison, we calculated the cheapest listed plan that covers 10 social profiles and 3 users on annual billing.
| Tool | How we got there | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Publer* | Professional: 10 accounts (10th free) plus 2 extra members at $1.60, per Publer’s price selector | about $32 |
| Zoho Social* | Premium: 1 brand with 16 channels, 3 team members | $40 |
| Later | Growth ($37.50, 16 profiles, 2 users) plus 1 extra user at $3.75 | $41.25 |
| SocialPilot | Standard plan: 15 accounts, 3 users | $42.50 |
| Loomly | Starter: 12 accounts, 3 users | $49 |
| SocialBee | Accelerate ($40.83, 10 profiles, 1 user) plus 2 extra users at $100 a year each | $57.50 |
| ContentStudio* | Advanced ($49, 10 accounts, 2 users) plus 1 extra user at $10 | $59 |
| Sendible | Plus: 3 workspaces, 18 profiles, unlimited users | $84 |
| Buffer | Team: 10 channels at $10 each, unlimited users | $100 |
| CoSchedule | Professional $49 (5 profiles, 2 seats) plus 5 profiles at $5 and 1 seat at $29 | $103 |
| Iconosquare | Scale, 10 profiles, 3 users, billed in euros | EUR 119 |
| Vista Social | Advanced: 30 profiles, 3 users (card shows $160 rounded) | about $160 |
| Agorapulse | Standard: $79 per user for 3 users, 10 profiles shared | $237 |
| Hootsuite | Standard: 99 per user for 3 users, up to 10 accounts | $297 |
Assumptions: list prices from the vendors’ pages on 6 October 2026, annual billing, before tax, X excluded where it is an add-on. *Zoho Social is taken from the pricing data its page loads, and ContentStudio’s extra user is priced at its listed monthly add-on rate, Publer’s total comes from the price selector on its plans page, which can change, and SocialBee’s total uses its listed yearly add-on price for extra users. Metricool, Planable, DMpro, Sprinklr and Brandwatch are not in this table because their pricing bases make the same comparison inaccurate or they publish no prices.
How to Choose the Right Tool
- Start with your networks. List the networks you publish to and confirm each tool supports them, including for the inbox, not just for publishing.
- Count seats and profiles. Per-user tools cost more for bigger teams. Flat and workspace tools cost more for more profiles.
- Match your workflow. If clients approve posts, look at Planable, Sendible, Loomly or SocialPilot. If you need listening, look at Sprout Social, Brandwatch, Sprinklr or the add-ons on Vista Social and Planable.
- Test with a trial. Most tools offer 7 to 30 days. Connect your real accounts and run a week of posts.
- Pair tools when needed. A scheduler plus DM automation, for example, often beats a single suite.
Common mistakes
- Choosing on the headline price, without checking what is included at that price.
- Forgetting that X, listening or extra profiles may cost extra.
- Signing an annual plan before testing the inbox and approvals.
- Buying an enterprise suite when a scheduler would do.
- Assuming every network supports publishing, inbox and analytics equally.
Turn Social Traffic Into Revenue With brandID
A management tool solves distribution. It does not solve monetization. If your posts send people to a single link, a bio page on brandID can turn that link into a shoppable home for your products, links and subscriptions. It works alongside whichever scheduler you choose: the scheduler gets the post out, and brandID captures the click.
brandID does not publish or schedule posts. It is a link-in-bio and creator monetization platform, so you still need one of the tools above for scheduling.
Conclusion
There is no single best tool, only the best fit for your networks, your team and your budget. Use the comparison tables to shortlist two or three, run a trial with your real accounts, and calculate the cost for your actual setup. If your revenue depends on conversations, add DM automation with DMpro, and send your traffic to a bio page that sells with brandID.
Related reading: Ainfluencer’s guide to managing multiple creator accounts covers the creator side of social media work.
Social Media Management Tools FAQs
What is the best social media management tool in 2026?
It depends on your team and budget. Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Agorapulse suit teams that want one platform, Buffer, Later and Publer suit creators and small teams, and Sendible, Planable and SocialPilot suit agencies. For selling through DMs and comments, DMpro works alongside a scheduler.
What is the cheapest social media management tool?
For a team of 3 managing 10 profiles on annual billing, Publer Professional comes to about $32 per month in our comparison. For solo use, Buffer, Publer, Metricool, Iconosquare and Zoho Social offer free plans with limits.
Are there free social media management tools?
Yes. Buffer, Publer, Metricool, Iconosquare and Zoho Social have free plans, CoSchedule has a free calendar, and Planable lets you publish your first 50 posts free. All have limits on channels, posts or history.
Which tools charge extra for X (Twitter)?
Agorapulse (X Lite and X Plus add-ons), Metricool ($10 per month per account), Vista Social ($29 per month) and CoSchedule ($16 per profile per month) charge for X. Publer supports X only on paid plans. Later does not list X among its supported networks.
Which tool is best for agencies?
Sendible includes unlimited users on every plan, Planable prices per workspace with unlimited users, SocialPilot offers client seats and white label on higher plans, and Vista Social and ContentStudio offer agency-oriented plans.
Do these tools include social listening?
Some do. Hootsuite includes Quick Search, Later has benchmarking on Scale, and Iconosquare has listening on Scale and above. Sprout Social, Agorapulse, Planable, Vista Social and ContentStudio sell listening as an add-on, and Sprinklr and Brandwatch offer it through their enterprise suites.
What is the difference between a scheduler and a management suite?
A scheduler focuses on planning and publishing posts. A management suite adds a unified inbox, listening, approvals and deeper reporting, and usually costs more.
Does DMpro replace Hootsuite or Buffer?
No. DMpro automates DMs and comment replies and does not schedule or publish posts. Most teams pair it with a scheduler.
How accurate is the pricing in this guide?
Every price comes from the vendor’s own website as of 6 October 2026. Prices change, some vendors show different currencies by region, and enterprise vendors publish no prices, so confirm on the vendor’s page before you buy.
How do I choose between per-user and per-profile pricing?
Per-user pricing suits small teams with many profiles. Per-profile, per-workspace and flat pricing suit larger teams or agencies. Calculate your total for your real number of users and profiles, as we do in the cost comparison.
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