24+ Hootsuite Alternatives You Must Try for Social Media Management

As an analyst who has thoroughly examined various social media management tools, I present this guide as a comprehensive comparison of alternatives to Hootsuite. In this analysis, we delve into each alternative unique features, usability, and how they stand against Hootsuite. From Sendible expansive digital marketing tools to SocialPilot advanced scheduling capabilities, and Agorapulse robust engagement features, this guide offers an in-depth look at diverse options catering to different business needs. Our objective insights aim to assist decision-makers in finding the most suitable tool for their social media management requirements.

Businesses, small and big, are targeting social networks and media platforms as an integral part in connecting with their audience. Surveys and reports have established Facebook as the giant in this industry, followed by Twitter. Different social media networks like Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and LinkedIn are also being explored by marketers. Social Media management platforms like Hootsuite and other Hootsuite alternatives being used by marketers.

In order to cater to users on various social media platforms at one go, social media management apps are saving time and efforts of marketers.

Comparison of Alternatives

Comparison of top Hootsuite Alternatives

CriteriaSendibleSocialPilotAgorapulseSproutSocialLoomlyPlanableBufferSociamonialsPublerSocialBee
Feature Set and Capabilities⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ease of Use⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Integration with Social Media Platforms⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Scalability⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Collaboration Features⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Analytics and Reporting⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer Support and Training⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Compliance and Security⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cost-Effectiveness⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Reputation and Reviews⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Based on our evaluation, this table visualize how each Hootsuite alternatives tool stands against the others in various aspects important for social media management at small business team.

Hootsuite and Drawbacks

Understanding Hootsuite and Drawbacks

Social media content curation is another essential aspect where these apps are quite helpful. So, you will always have information about what is trending on the web and accordingly, you can post about it on your different social media channels and blog posts. While the app store is full of options, one of the most popular social media management app is Hootsuite. This third-party tool enables you to collate all your social media accounts and stream them on one dashboard.

Whether you have multiple social media accounts or use one account for multiple channels, Hootsuite simple dashboard allows you to schedule, compose, send and track your activities.

It requires no additional downloads, and you can add team members, monitor work-flow and analyse your social media activities as well.

hootsuite

Some of the feature highlights that makes Hootsuite a popular choice are:

  • It is easy to use and allows integration with a host of different social network channels like Facebook (profile, pages, events, groups), Twitter, Foursquare, LinkedIn (profile, pages and groups), Google My Business pages, WordPress, Mixi, Flickr, Vimeo, and so many more
  • It allows team collaboration and Scheduling social media updates
  • Save FAQ “tweets” as drafts to send out to commonly asked
  • Get weekly analytical reports via email, detailing the number of clicks, most popular links, geographical information, etc. You can also integrate your Google Analytics account with Hootsuite.
  • RSS integration
  • Mobile app (Android, iPad, and Blackberry) with a seamless UI
  • Freemium plans. With the free plan, you can add up to 3 social media channels.
  • It allows you to auto boost your Facebook posts in two ways. One is auto boost your most popular ugc content and the other is auto boost all your posts.
  • 30-day free trial plan
  • It also provides content suggestions that are more or less like a content library that is of great help for the post scheduler and social media manager.

Hootsuite is a wonderful social media management app but it has its shortcomings as well-

  • Analytics in detail can be a little expensive, although there are few free reports. Mostly it costs $50 per report
  • You cannot integrate a CRM system seamlessly
  • Team accounts cannot be handled in the mobile app

The Hootsuite review certifies it as a great social media management tool.

Recently, Hootsuite has released AI tools which simplify your social media content creation with OwlyWriter AI, it uses GPT technology and prompt engineering to generate new captions, repurpose top-performing posts, and create topical social posts. Yet we cannot ignore that there are many more alternatives out there in the market. So, after thorough research and going through various user review here are some Hootsuite alternatives that can help businesses with their social media platforms monitoring.

11 Best Hootsuite Alternatives

11 Best Hootsuite Alternatives in 2024

The first Hootsuite alternative is Sendible. It is not just a social media management tool but also caters to various other aspects of digital marketing.

An easy to use dashboard where you can engage with your users, a social CRM, analytics, publishing- Sendible has it all.

sendible

Pros of using Sendible

Sendible lets you grow as a brand. Even if someone has not tagged your company, yet is talking about your company, Sendible will let you know. You can bring in new users without having being tagged or mentioned

Sendible like other management tools lets you juggle multiple accounts seamlessly which makes this tool easy to use. The visual tick mark to the tweets that you have replied helps, in the long run, to filter among piles of tweets

Publish to multiple social networks like Facebook Twitter Instagram and blogs. You can schedule, queue, and maintain your consistency with RSS publishing

sendible review

Team collaboration. You can add and assign tasks to teams, review before publishing any content, and share customer records with the team.

Analyze data across all the social media channels that you use via Sendible. Mentions do not just happen over Twitter. If someone mentions your company anywhere like a blog post or any other channel, Sendible will notify you. You can monitor review on Yelp and CitySearch.

Sendible offers quickercustomer support. From generating to nurturing a lead, Sendible has all the tools needed to garner an effective social media outcome.

From emails to SMS marketing capabilities, Sendible goes beyond social media posting and sharing. You can use Sendible on the go with its mobile app.

Sendible is GDPR and CCPA ready and is providing the required features, which can be used inside the application. You can read complete detail about how to manage all the rights for the data subject, obligations of processors, data protection officer, privacy impact assessment and breach notification here.

Recently, we did in-depth Sendible Review.

Hootsuite vs Sendible

Sendible is one of the popular Hootsuite alternatives and is definitely so much more than social media sharing and managing. It’s a compact option for a marketer.

Here are two major ways in which Sendible surpasses Hootsuite-

Sendible has it all- posting, social media scheduling, sharing, sentiment analysis, auto-responder, auto-following, and so much more.

The 360-degree monitoring is unique on Sendible, unlike Hootsuite. Whether you want to go in to the depth of a post analysis based on reach sentiment, or consider geo/language targeting – Sendible has it all.

Sendible is much more beyond social media. Tracking campaigns, uploading HTML for email campaigns, setting auto-response for email, tweets, comments, etc and tracking popular bookmarking sites like Delicious- Sendible is a complete package.

hootsuite pricing

The best part is, you can do all of this from a single dashboard alone.

Price: You can get a Free trial plan for 30 days. Starting at $29 per month only.

Parameters Hootsuite vsSendible
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. In-built CRM
Intuitive and easy to use platform
Well rounded
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveExpensive not for small businesses
Best for Big businesses and agenciesAgencies and enterprises
PricingPaid plan starts at $29/moPaid plan starts at $29/mo
Hootsuite vs Sendible Comparison Table

2. SocialPilot

SocialPilot, which seems like an advanced Hootsuite alternative to me, is highly recommended for anyone who is looking for an alternative to Hootsuite and a good management tool.

SocialPilot is an all-in-one social media easy-to-use social media scheduling tool that helps marketing professionals and organization to organize their social media activities.

socialpilot

SocialPilot Features Highlight:

It has all the features that Hootsuite has but in a more advanced way.

  • You can create social media posts and schedule them for different time and day. Hence, your work goes on even if you are not online. The best part is, you can schedule posts in a different time zone as well.
  • Content curation platform to help you with creating good and up to date content
  • You can post a single update across various social media profiles in one go.
  • You can track your social media posts on your social media accounts via the scheduling calendar.
  • Your brand visibility can be enhanced with SocialPilot with its unique customized Facebook branding feature.

You can schedule hundreds of posts using bulk scheduling. All you need to do is create a CSV file or TXT file and specify the schedule for updating. You can make edits or delete them as and when you wish to.

Multiple team members can work on SocialPilot together. You can add some as contributors who have editing rights while others can be just moderators. That way, you are sure that only curated updates go live.

  • SocialPilot acts like an advanced digital companion with all its suggestions and custom feeds. You can choose content from several categories like business, travel, startups, and such. Isn’t that an awesome way to engage your audience and keep them glued?
  • SocialPilot is on mobile (both Android and iOS) and provides browser extension(Chrome) as well. It supports most social networks like Facebook Twitter and Instagram.

Pros of SocialPilot:

  • It is value for money in the digital marketing field
  • It offers a mobile app
  • Offer support for multiple social media networks
  • User-friendly dashboard

Cons of SocialPilot

  • Instagram support is limited
  • The iOS app is clunky
socialpilot review

SocialPilot vs Hootsuite

With a single glance at the above features, it is an easy task to spot the differences between these two social media management tools-

  • The social media scheduling feature on SocialPilot enables you to schedule posts for different days and time. Hootsuite, however, allows you to schedule for one time on different days.
  • Brand visibility on a personal level does not happen on Hootsuite. With SocialPilot, you can showcase a message like “Posted by XYZ” where XYZ denotes your brand name. Hence it gives a personal touch. This feature is not present with Hootsuite.
  • SocialPilot provides post suggestions, unlike Hootsuite.
  • Hootsuite tells you the best possible time and suitable time for your post update, which is unavailable on SocialPilot.
socialpilot pricing

The cheapest plan is priced @ $30.00/mo that allows:

  • 10 social media accounts
  • 1 user

The cheapest plan Hootsuite allows:

  • 10 social accounts
  • Unlimited posts
  • 1 user
  • Scheduling and app integration

Hootsuite integrates with Facebook (groups and pages), LinkedIn (groups and pages), Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, Google Business, WordPress, Tumblr, MailChimp, Vimeo, Storify and so many more.

SocialPilot allows posting on Facebook (groups and pages), LinkedIn (groups and pages), Twitter.

socialpilot extension

Price: Starts at $30.00 per month (for individuals and bloggers) and goes up to $200 per month (for online sellers and businesses).

All paid plans provide a 14-days free trial plan and it also has a free account which gives you the ability to connect 3 social accounts, schedule 30 posts and 10 posts sharing per day.

Read in-depth SocialPilot Review and comparison with Buffer.

Parameters Hootsuite vsSocialPilot
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. An affordable value for money tool
Browser extension for Chrome and Firefox
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveDoesn’t offer any advanced features like chatbot creation and social listening
Best for Big businesses and agenciesStartups and social media professionals
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $25.50/mo
Hootsuite vs SocialPilot Comparison Table

Update: In October-19; SocailPilot released major updates, which include a new user interface, content suggestions, and more browser extensions. GDPR and CCPA related information can be found here.

3. Agorapulse

Another social media scheduling tool, Agorapulse also provides you with a social inbox system and an advanced queueing option. It started as a Facebook apps-driven tool. Today it automatically lets you re-queue content that engages most.

agorapulse

Agorapulse is best used for Facebook marketing. You can run a quiz, sweepstakes, contests and much more. It is a great choice for people having mid-sized businesses.

Agorapulse Features Highlight:

Single dashboard to manage social media profilesEasy post scheduling
Never miss a tweet or comment or message or any other response with the social inbox
Notifications at a glanceAutomated moderation
Publish at once to all networksSchedule and queue posts
Republish contentsMonitor hashtags and places on Instagram
Get an overview of your most engaged usersYouTube publishing and image resizer
Know who posts about you the most and engage with them.
Create Categories of the audience like influencers, clients, prospects, etc.
Features of Agorapulse

With the Agorapulse Facebook timeline contest app, you get a variety of contest types, sweepstakes filtering options and other time-saving features to filter the results.

agorapulse reports

Refund policy for monthly subscription.

Price: Medium plan for solo marketers start at $69 per month for upto 10 profiles and 2 users. It goes upto $149 per month for enterprises (60 profiles and upto 20 members).

Pros of Agorapulse

  • A great tool for increasing Twitter engagement.
  • Saved reply option
  • Let’s you publish, monitor and engage from a single dashboard

Cons of Agorapulse

  • Doesn’t support Google my business posts
  • Need you to sign in every single time which is not very convenient
  • Doesn’t have a very impressive bulk scheduling
  • It does provide the best time for posting but this information is not readily available as in other tools like sprout social.

Hootsuite vs Agorapulse

After going through the features of Agorapulse it is evident that this tool is much more advanced than Hootsuite.

When it comes to CRM features Agorapulse offers a deeper insight into your audience behaviour that helps you craft better content around these details.

Also, I feel that the dashboard approach of Agorapulse is better than Hootsuite.

I will just walk you through the points of differences once more before we reach any conclusion.

Hootsuite has “streams” which I personally like because it lets me get an overview of everything. However, Agorapulse smart social inbox is definitely much more organised.

The complication with Hootsuite grows when you start adding more than two or three streams. It looks cluttered and you can have a hard time managing the series of tabs. Agorapulse is a lifesaver in this regards.

You have an inbox for every channel and everything is properly organized here.

One dashboard, one overview but very organised.

Hootsuite requires you to have 5 different streams for each social profile.

For instance, with Twitter you will need to install inbox message stream, an outbox stream, mentions, tweets mentioning your name, your tweets and keyword dedicated stream. This means a lot of hopping around! With Agorapulse everything is grouped properly.

Messages that are sent to you are in a separate inbox while those posts that are about you are in another inbox.

  • You cannot measure competitors’ social activity in Hootsuite, unlike Agorapulse.
  • Interacting with users and nurturing prospects is possible on Agorapulse unlike Hootsuite.
  • Agorapulse’s keyword monitoring tool is much more advanced compared to that of Hootsuite’s.
  • Hootsuite does not sync your contacts when you are away. Agorapulse will keep you up-to-date even if you are on a vacation.
  • You can create Facebook apps with Hootsuite, unless you are using app making tools like Shortstack or Antavo.

The pro version of Hootsuite will give you 3 basic reports every month. If you are using more than three social profiles, then you will definitely require reports on every profile you have.

That will cost you $49 for each additional report (up to a maximum of 10 reports per month).

agorapulse pricing

Agorapulse gives you unlimited reports. Enough said!

In terms of price, Hootsuite’s Pro plan starts at $79 per month for upto 10 social profiles, an advanced message scheduling feature, and publishing and monitoring of unlimited RSS feed.

In Agorapulse for 10 social profiles, you pay $119 per month and nothing else.

Parameters Hootsuite vsAgorapulse
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything
Multiple team users
One of the best data reports
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveExpensive
No Pinterest integration
Best forBig businesses and agenciesMedium and Enterprise businesses
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $49/mo
Hootsuite vs Agorapulse Comparison

4. SproutSocial

SproutSocial, an advanced and unique Hootsuite alternative which is a social media scheduling tool equipped with numerous features like scheduling messages, task assignments, statistics overview and integration with various social media platforms.

SproutSocial tool is apt for various categories such as enterprise, agencies and small businesses.

If you are looking for a social media management tool that allows you to reply to your client’s query quickly and efficiently you should definitely consider sprout social.

sprout social

You can always take care of your customer sentiment with the smart inbox feature and manage all your communication at one place.

SproutSocial Features Highlight:

  1. Smart social inbox to manage social media accounts of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Business, TikTok and many more
  2. Collaborative content calendar
  3. Easy scheduling across multiple networks
  4. Post queueing with ViralPost
  5. Tracking activities across all channels
  6. Discover trends and influencers with Sprout’s proprietary Trends Report
  7. Available for android and iOS devices (iPhone and iPad)
  8. Automation tools such as bot builders and advanced Twitter automation.
  9. Offers integration with tools like ZenDesk and UserVoice.

Price: Every plan offers a 30-Day trial period. The paid plans start at $199/month (Standard).

Hootsuite vs SproutSocial

SproutSocial is touted as one of the popular Hootsuite alternatives, where you get the overall features like Hootsuite but with slight differences.

To give a better picture I have articulated the differences under five major sections that is publishing, team collaboration, reports and analytics, UI and cost.

Publishing:

Hootsuite dashboard has multi-column streams for all the information. This helps you to have a glance at all your social media accounts on a single page.

These streams are customisable.

SproutSocial’s dashboard and the user interface are different. There are social inboxes for all social channels that you are accessing.

The messages, updates and other information for each channel are sent to its respective inboxes. I think it is really helpful for business that wants to focus on one social media channel at a time. For example, if your prime focus is on Linkedin you can check that particular inbox.

The ViralPost technology in paid plans lets you publish posts when the engagement is high and helps in category also.

sproutsocial smart category

Also, the Discovery feature helps you discover the audience based on keywords and locations, and connect with them.

Team Collaboration:

Hootsuite lets your team members join a conversation thread and comment without having a social media account.

SproutSocial lets you store comments and information of your followers. Any team member can see all the past conversations with contact and post a reply appropriately.

This feature helps in nurturing a lead through social media.

Integration with customer service operating systems like UserVoice and ZenDesk lets you have a seamless collaboration with customers via social media platforms.

Reports and analytics:

Reports from Hootsuite are somewhat detailed and customized. The “Quick Analytics” feature will give a screenshot of most popular tweets.

The basic UI of these reports are intuitive and simple.

SproutSocial presents a report that is beautiful. The home dashboard will give you a quick overview of how your social media channels are performing.

You can get a deeper insight like how many percentage followers are male and female, what are the age demographics and so on. You can assess your customer reach and what will work in your favour.

Also, SproutSocial gives you unlimited reports for any plan you choose.

Mobile UI:

Hootsuite’s mobile version has one drawback- you cannot access the pre-scheduled tweet feature that is available on web.

SproutSocial, on the contrary, gives you full access to the CMS over your smartphone. Hence, you can easily keep track of all the activities like replies, mentions, and so on over all your social media channels.

As per my experience, it is an important feature to be able to access information on your smartphone on the go. It makes a lot of difference in terms of productivity and efficiency.

Cost:

sproutsocial pricing

Both Hootsuite and SproutSocial offer a 30-day free trial period.

  • Hootsuite: $99/month for one user for Professional Plan; 10 social profiles.
  • SproutSocial: The paid plans start at $199/month for Standard plans and 5 social profiles ( No credit card needed).
Parameters Hootsuite vsSproutSocial
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everythingComes with a smart inbox to manage all your data in one place
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveBecomes expensive as your work requirements scale.
Best forBig businesses and agenciesLarge social media teams and agencies
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $249/mo
Hootsuite vs SproutSocial Comparison Table

More Alternatives

More Alternatives you should checkout

Apart from above mentioned alternatives to the HootSuite, you should checkout following tools too.

6. Radaar.io

Radaar.io is another Hootsuite alternative that help to streamline all the social media management processes from scheduling to Facebook analytics. It is a well-rounded tool that works well for both small businesses as well as enterprises.

radaar.io features

It boasts of a feature set that is a boon for social media marketers that is affordable and efficient at the same time. Some of the features of Radaar are free while some are paid.

Now let us deep dive and analyse what Radaar offers and what it does differently?

  1. Workspaces: With this feature, you can manage multiple brands from one dashboard. You can create different workspaces for different brands and keep their social media content organized.
  2. Scheduler: Plan and publish content with three easy steps draft, approve and publish. You can also duplicate content and export content to PowerPoint when needed.
  3. Social media Inbox: A social media inbox helps you keep a track of all the replies, comments and messages in one place. So, you never miss replying to it and improve your customer relationships.
  4. AI Social Post Builder: Radaar has introduced AI powered social media content builder, which generate highly engaging social media posts, along with image social media post title and post content. You can select the AI generated post idea and publish the post.
  5. Analytics: A social media management tool is incomplete without analytics. Get a detailed overview of your audience, their demographics, competitor performance and more. The analytics feature measures organic, owned, and earned metrics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Pricing

The pricing of Radaar.io is very affordable, and it comes in three plans, with each having a 14-day free trial.

The pricing on the website shows for the number of profiles, but the user can always increase the number of profiles or posts and pay extra for each of them.

radaar.io pricing

The pricing plans are:

  • Small : $9.99/mo (3 profiles and 90 posts) when paid annually
  • Medium : $19.99/mo (6 profiles and unlimited posts) when paid annually
  • Professional : $59.99/mo (12 social profiles and unlimited posts) when paid annually
Parameters Hootsuite Radaar.io
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. Efficient and affordable
Unified social inbox
What is not good?Analytics is expensive. Some people may find integrations limited.
Best for Big businesses and agenciesSmall businesses 
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $7.99 /mo
Hootsuite vs Radaar Comparison Table

7. SocialOomph

SocialOomph, another alternative with features like HootSuite, was originally built to focus on Twitter only.

In 2009, this Canadian-based web app expanded into other social media networks like Facebook, RSS, WordPress, App.net and Plurk.

In many ways, SocialOomph is similar to Hootsuite, like scheduling and updating posts, and analytics updates.

The scheduling features of SocialOomph allow you to do text updates, image updates as well as group updates.

socialoomph

The thing about SocialOomph is that it doesn’t try to do a lot of things or confuse you with a variety of categories. It is specifically for scheduling on social media platforms. The USP of SocialOomph is tweet scheduling which comes with a lot of advanced configuration options.

With SocialOomph you can search keywords for your Twitter social media profile and you will get a list of the tweets that have the mentioned keyword in your email inbox. It is a great feature if your target audience is primarily on Twitter.

Hootsuite vs SocialOomph

Although the social media management platform of SocialOomph has features like Hootsuite it also offers some categories of features that are unique to itself:

  • Auto-responder function in SocialOomph sets it apart from Hootsuite
  • You can get notified when someone retweets or mentions you
  • SocialOomph uses Microsoft word file for bulk uploads unlike Hootsuite that uses a CSV file
  • WYSIWYG editor for in-software editing in SocialOomph
  • Analytics is slightly more detailed in SocialOomph
  • An unlimited account in the free version as well
  • You can schedule and publish blog posts from unlimited blogs

Hootsuite has the advantage of letting you access more social media channels than SocialOomph and mobile integrations.

Pricing plans: Free version available in personal suite. 30-days refund policy. 

Parameters Hootsuite vsSocialoomph
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. A great scheduling tool
What is not good?Analytics is expensive. The support is not good and the interface is not intuitive.
Best for Big businesses and agenciesSmall businesses 
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $15 annually.
Hootsuite vs Socialoomph Comparison Table

8. Buffer

Buffer, a Hootsuite Alternative, is a powerful social media management tool that has all the features to compete with Hootsuite fiercely.

In nine years, Buffer has more than two million active users. You can schedule, track and access more than one social media channel with this tool.

A great option to improve your social media presence and grow as a brand. Buffer is an excellent platform for social media monitoring for small businesses and any individual who needs to improve their customer service.

buffer

Buffer Feature Highlights

  1. Buffer allows you to plan and schedule your content for different social media platforms from one place. You can also collaborate with your team to plan your marketing strategy.
  2. You can schedule your retweets as well with Buffer
  3. Custom scheduling enables you to choose the right day and time for an update that deals with sensitive topics. You can target the right set of audience in a specific time
  4. You can now add TikTok, Shopify, Mastodon, Google Business and LinkedIn pages in Buffer
  5. You get scheduling options to schedule posts with Buffer Inside Echofon without having to leave your Twitter window
  6. You also get details insights into analytics and reporting.
  7. The “Top post” icon in Buffer lets you know which post is performing better than the others
  8. Buffer AI-powered tool generates a never-ending supply of fitting post ideas, permits effortless customization, and adapts existing content for multiple platforms.
  9. By transforming long-form content into attention-grabbing, succinct posts, the AI Assistant helps marketers achieve more successful social media campaigns.

Compare various blog titles to see which one works best for you. Each profile you use has a separate analytics history stored in separate tabs for reference.

Hootsuite vs Buffer

The learning curve of Buffer is still better than Hootsuite and it has a better user interface. So, any individual looking for a tool with easy social media management features can opt for Buffer.

There are few ways in which Buffer surpasses Hootsuite-

  • RSS Feed integration in all plans
  • Buffer has a great social media image editor and creation tool called Pablo; which is another great addon.

Pricing plans: Free plan for individuals. Pricing starts at $6/month per social channel for social media geeks and $6/month per social channel for teams.

buffer pricing
Parameters Hootsuite vsBuffer
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. Easy to use especially for scheduling and posting
What is not good?Analytics is expensive. Advanced features are very expensive
Best for Big businesses and agenciesAffordable for startups
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $5/mo per social channel
Hootsuite vs Buffer Comparison Table

9. Sociamonials

Socialmonials is another social media management tool that comes with a unique feature termed analytical social media campaign manager.

sociamonials

Sociamonials allows you to manage your various social media accounts from one single dashboard.

You can post, track campaign performance, and at the same time interact with your customers.

The sociamonials mobile app allows you to keep a track of your campaigns while on the go.

Sociamonials is a good option for small agencies, solopreneurs, and even a good option for people who are just starting out. It maintains a perfect balance between affordability, functionality and ease of use.

Socialmonials Features:

Brand targetingContent management
Conversion trackingPost scheduling
Contact databaseEmail marketing
Lead management Multi-account management
Event trigger actions
Features of Sociamonials

Pricing:

pricing

Sociamonials is available in 4 plans:

  • Social Pro : $19/mo
  • Social and campaigns: $49/mo
  • Business: $149/mo
  • Enterprise: $399/mo
Parameters Hootsuite vsSociamonials
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everythingEasy to get started
Set a lot of campaigns quickly
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveThe templates are slightly restrictive in their design and built.
Best forBig businesses and agenciesSmall businesses 
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $15/mo.
Hootsuite vs Publer Sociamonials Table

10. Publer

Publer allows you to collaborate, schedule, and analyze your posts for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and even YouTube.

With this tool, you can also schedule your posts based on a pre-defined posting schedule.

The Publer free plan gives access to several many advanced features such as auto-scheduling, link shortening, and post preview.

Publer is an affordable tool that offers in-depth analytics and a lot of advanced features. It allows you to connect Google my business (GMB) accounts to Publer and start scheduling.

Publer features:

  • Automated publishing
  • Collaboration
  • Post scheduling
  • Social media
  • Content management
  • Reporting/analytics

Pricing:

Publer is available in 3 plans (all pricing is for 5 social media accounts):

  • Free: $0
  • Argentum: $12/mo
  • Aurum: $21/mo
Parameters Hootsuite vsPubler
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. All in one tool at an affordable price.
In-depth analytics
What is not good?Analytics is expensive. Doesn’t allows social monitoring
Best for Big businesses and agenciesSmall businesses 
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $12/mo.
Hootsuite vs Publer Comparison Table

11. Crowdfire

Crowdfire is a powerful tool that has been designed to help businesses of all sizes that help to drive customer engagement.

Key features of this tool are content curation, content scheduling, bulk scheduling, and post analytics amongst others. It also allows admins to create RSS feeds before publishing.

crowdfire pricing

Crowdfire features:

  • Automated publishing
  • Customer engagement
  • Post scheduling
  • Social media scheduling
  • Brand tracking
  • Multi-account management
  • Reporting/Analytics

Pricing:

Crowdfire is available with 4 plans:

  • Free
  • Plus: $9.99/mo
  • Premium: $49.99/mo
  • VIP: $99.99/mo
Parameters Hootsuite vsCrowdfire
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. Good for starting out building up your social media profile
What is not good?Analytics is expensive. The interface can be confusing if you have connected it with a lot of social profiles
Best forBig businesses and agenciesIf you are looking for a social media tool at an affordable price.
Doesn’t offer anything out of the box
PricingPaid plan starts at $99/moPaid plan starts at $7.48/mo
Hootsuite vs Crowdfire Comparison Table

12. ContentStudio

Contentstudio allows you to share, discover and compose the best content for your business keeping in mind your market audience.

With Contentstudio you will never run out of content ideas and will be able to find the most trending content from various categories at all time. Whatever your market is you can always find some content that helps make your marketing successful.

Features of Contentstudio:

  • Content scheduling
  • Collaboration
  • Post scheduling
  • Content management
  • Reporting and analysis
  • Multi-account management

Pricing:

Contentstudio is available in four pricing plans:

  • Starter: $25/mo
  • PRO : $49/mo
  • AGENCY: $99/mo
contentstudio pricng
Parameters Hootsuite vsContentstudio
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. Great for posting across multiple social channels.
Very easy to use.
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveSearch and discover section need improvement.
Best forBig businesses and agenciesIf you are looking for a social tool that helps with scheduling content on various platforms.
PricingPaid plan starts at $49/moPaid plan starts at $49/mo.
Hootsuite vs Contentstudio Comparison Table

13. PostPlanner

Simple to use social media management tool that helps with content planning, post scheduling, and performance tracking.

A great option for managing your Facebook social media campaigns. It comes with a star rating feature that helps you find the most catchy and engaging content and promises 650% more engagement. Well, that is a big promise that can do wonders for business and marketing.

You can always connect with their customer support for help with your social media marketing services.

Features of PostPlanner:

Planned postsStatus ideas
SharebarEmail-optin
Post targetingTop articles
Custom domain
Features of PostPlanner

Pricing:

Postplanner is available in 3 pricing plans:

  • Starter : $4.83/mo
  • Growth: $15.71/mo
  • Buisness: $27.79/mo
Parameters Hootsuite vsPostplanner
What is good?A lot of integrations that accommodate almost everything. One of the simplest tools to get started
What is not good?Analytics is expensiveNot an option if you want to build social media presence outside Facebook and Twitter
Only offers basic features
Best forBig businesses and agenciesIf you are just in need of basic features
PricingPaid plan starts at $49/moPaid plan starts at $5/mo
Hootsuite vs PostPlanner

New Hootsuite Alternatives

New Hootsuite Alternatives for Social Media Scheduling

14. Loomly

Loomly’s intuitive interface, offer real-time collaboration and advanced analytics, presents a refreshing alternative to Hootsuite. Imagine streamlining your social media marketing akin to having a personal assistant, that’s Loomly for you!

15. TailWind

TailWind triumphs over Hootsuite with a strong emphasis on Pinterest and Instagram marketing, allowing for in-depth analytics and smart scheduling. Its visual-focused approach is like a breath of fresh air, making social media strategies feel less like hard work and more like storytelling.

With TailWind, you’re not just managing, you’re engaging.

16. SocialBee

SocialBee’s unique edge over Hootsuite lies in its streamlined, user-friendly approach to social media management. It offers a captivating blend of robust automation, extensive customizability, and strategic content recycling.

Its advanced categorization feature truly stands out, revolutionizing the way you curate and schedule content, much like organizing a bustling digital beehive.

17. PosttoPlan

PosttoPlan takes social media scheduling to new heights. Unlike Hootsuite, it uniquely tailors and schedule your content for optimal engagement, ensuring your posts stand out in a sea of sameness. Plus, with advanced analytics and an intuitive, user-friendly interface, it’s like having your very own social media scheduling guru in your pocket.

18. Missinglettr

Missinglettr is the ultimate solution for all your social media needs. Unlike Hootsuite, Missinglettr not only schedules your posts but also creates engaging evergreen campaigns with blog post feeds that drive traffic and increase your online presence.

With its user-friendly interface and intelligent automation, Missinglettr takes the hassle out of social media management. Say goodbye to the tedious tasks and hello to effortless social media success!

19. Planable

Planable offers a seamless and collaborative social media management experience, allowing teams to effortlessly plan, create, and schedule content. With its user-friendly interface and real-time feedback system, Planable simplifies the approval process.

Its intuitive design makes it easy for teams to stay organized and maintain brand consistency.

20. Zoho Social

oho Social stands out with its comprehensive suite of features, including social media management, analytics, and monitoring. It enables businesses to efficiently manage multiple social media platforms from a single dashboard.

With its powerful scheduling capabilities and advanced reporting, Zoho Social empowers businesses to enhance their social media presence.

21. Martenly

Martenly revolutionizes social media management with its AI-powered automation features for free. It automates repetitive scheduling tasks, freeing up time for businesses to focus on strategic activities.

22. Uniclix

Uniclix offers a simplified approach to social media management, allowing users to schedule and publish content across various platforms with ease. With its intuitive interface and powerful analytics, Uniclix enables businesses to optimize their social media strategy.

It provides valuable insights and helps increase brand visibility and audience engagement.

23. Circleboom

Circleboom provides a user-friendly platform for social media management. It offers an array of features such as post scheduling, analytics, and content curation. Circleboom’s intuitive interface and robust search functionality make it effortless to find and share relevant content.

It helps businesses streamline their social media activities and enhance their online presence.

24. Ocoya 2.0

Ocoya 2.0 is a comprehensive social media management tool that excels in its advanced analytics capabilities. Imagine you having Canva, Hoosuite and GPT, all together. It provides in-depth insights into audience demographics, engagement metrics, and campaign performance.

With its intuitive interface and customizable reporting, Ocoya 2.0 empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions and optimize their social media strategies.

While we are still on Hootsuite alternatives, here are some other social media marketing tools that people have used and liked as well- Viralheat, TweetDeck, Sprinklr, NetBase, Tracx, and so many other platform.

There are a host of social media management tools and Hootsuite alternatives to choose from, and your choice may vary depending on your business needs.

Comparisons at a Glance

Comparing Price, Integration, Pro and Cons

Hootsuite AlternativesPricingQuick Round-up
AgorapulseAgorapulse offer 3 plans:
Standard: $49/mo
Professional: $79/mo
Advance: $119/mo
All the pricing is based on annual billing
Integrations: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Google Business.
Pros:
All in one social media management tool
Multiple team users
One of the best data reports
Cons:
Expensive
No Pinterest integration
Does not allow for blog schedule
Best for:
Medium and Enterprise businesses
SocialPilotSocialPilot offer 4 plans:
Professional: $25.50/mo
Small Team: $42.50/mo
Agency: $85/mo
Agency+: $170/mo
All the pricing is based on annual billing
Integrations: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google My Business, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, TikTok
Pros:
An affordable value for money tool
Browser extension for Chrome and Firefox
Easy to use as compared to Buffer and Hootsuite
Cons:
Doesn’t offer any advanced features like chatbot creation and social listening
No automated posting with Instagram
Best for:
Startups and social media professionals who want to manage multiple social media accounts at an affordable pricing.
SendibleSendible offer 4 plans:
Creator: $29/mo
Traction: $89/mo
Scale: $240/mo
All the pricing is based on monthly billing
Integrations: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google My Business, Instagram, Pinterest, WordPress and Youtube
Pros:
Support a lot of popular as well as less common social platforms
An intuitive and easy to use platform
In-built CRM
Well rounded and all in social media tool
Cons:
It is expensive
Not a tool for entrepreneurs
Best for:
Sendible is mainly suitable for agencies and enterprises who know how to leverage the extensive feature set that it offers
BufferBuffer offer 3 plans:
Essential: $6/mo
Team: $12/mo
Agency: $120/mo
All the pricing is based on monthly billing
Integrations: Facebook, Twitter, Google My Business, Mastodon, Shopify, TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, Pinterest
Pros:
Very easy to use platform
The scheduling and publishing posts is super easy
Cons:
Not very good support
If you want advance features you need to pay a lot more
Best for:
Affordable social media tool if you are just starting out with your social media marketing.
SocialOomphSocialOomph offer 4 plans:
Personal Suite: Free
Advanced suite: $162 annually
Professional suite: $270 annually
Business suite: $594 annually
The pricing differs if you go for monthly plans
Integrations: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest
Pros:
A great scheduling tool
Good option for small businesses
Cons:
Not very good support
Not very intuitive as you would want it to be
Best for:
Small businesses who want to save some time in doing social media marketing.
SproutSocialSproutSocial offer 3 plans:
Standard: $249/user/mo
Professional: $399/user/mo
Advanced: $499/user/mo
Integrations: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn,Instagram, Google My Business
Pros:
Comes with a smart inbox to manage all your data at one place
Helps to streamline your social media activities
Cons:
Can become expensive as you opt for more features
Best for:
Large social media teams and agencies that tend to spend a lot of time to develop their social media marketing strategy.
Comparison of all available Hootsuite alternative tools

Our experience

Select tools based on features and factors

When choosing a Hootsuite alternative for your small business, it’s crucial to weigh various factors to find the best fit for your social media management needs. Here’s a table to guide you through the process, focusing on key features, pricing, usability, and support options.

FeatureDescriptionWhy It Matters
Pricing & ScalabilityConsider the cost of the tool and its scalability options as your business grows.Ensures the tool fits your budget and can grow with your business without significant changes or additional costs.
Ease of UseThe user interface and overall ease of learning and using the tool.A user-friendly platform can save time and resources in training and daily operations.
Integration CapabilitiesCompatibility with other tools and platforms you use (e.g., CRM software, analytics tools).Streamlines workflows and enhances efficiency by allowing data sharing across tools.
Analytics & ReportingQuality and depth of analytics and reporting features for tracking social media performance.Provides insights into campaign effectiveness, audience engagement, and helps refine strategies.
Customer Support & TrainingAccess to customer service and the availability of training resources to help you maximize the tool’s potential.Ensures you can get help when needed and fully utilize all features of the tool.
Social Network CoverageNumber and variety of social networks the tool supports.Makes sure the tool covers all social platforms where your business is active or plans to be.
Scheduling FeaturesAdvanced scheduling capabilities, including the ability to queue posts, view calendars, and auto-schedule.Improves efficiency in managing and planning your social media content.
Collaboration ToolsFeatures that facilitate teamwork, such as task assignments, workflow approvals, and team communication.Enhances team coordination and ensures a consistent social media management approach.
SecuritySecurity measures in place to protect your social media accounts and data.Protects your business online presence and sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Social media features to consider for Hootsuite alternative selection

When evaluating alternatives, consider your business’s specific needs, the size of your team, the volume of your social media activity, and your growth expectations. Each platform has its strengths, so it’s worth trialing a few to see which one aligns best with your business requirements.

Also, if you want to concentrate on just one social media channel, then some social media management tools let you manage specific social media platforms. For instance Tweetdeck is an excellent option for managing Twitter platform.

The table below outlines key aspects to consider when selecting a social media management tool, alongside some popular Hootsuite alternatives.

FactorDescriptionHootsuite AlternativeWhy Consider?
PricingCost is a crucial factor for small businesses. Look for solutions that offer a good balance of features and affordability.BufferOffers a free tier with basic features, making it an excellent choice for businesses on a tight budget.
Ease of UseThe platform should be user-friendly and require minimal time to learn.Sprout SocialKnown for its intuitive interface and ease of use, allowing teams to get started quickly without extensive training.
FeaturesConsider what features are most important for your business. This could include scheduling posts, analytics, or team collaboration tools.SendibleProvides a comprehensive suite of features, including advanced scheduling options and robust analytics.
IntegrationThe ability to integrate with other tools and platforms your business uses can streamline your workflow.Zoho SocialOffers extensive integration options with other Zoho products and third-party applications.
Customer SupportReliable customer support is essential, especially for businesses that rely heavily on social media.AgorapulseOffers excellent customer support with quick response times and helpful resources.
ScalabilityThe tool should be able to grow with your business, offering more advanced features as your needs evolve.CoScheduleOffers a marketing calendar for planning and automation that scales with the complexity of your marketing efforts.
Analytics & ReportingComprehensive analytics and reporting features will help you track performance and ROI.LaterProvides detailed analytics and visual reporting, making it easier to understand your social media performance.
Several Factors to consider while selecting Hootsuite Alternatives

When choosing an alternative social media management tool, it’s important to weigh these factors against your business’s specific needs and budget constraints. Take advantage of free trials or demos offered by these platforms to get a hands-on feel for how they fit with your workflow and social media strategy.

If you think I have missed out any such tool that can be used as a Hootsuite alternative, feel free to comment and let me know.

Social Media Leadership Chart from G2:

24+ Hootsuite Alternatives You Must Try for Social Media Management 1

FAQs

Questions asked while looking out for Hootsuite Alternatives

What are the best alternatives to Hootsuite that are budget-friendly or free?

Best HootSuite alternative to try out are:
a.) Sendible: USP of Sendible is Social CRM functionality, Plans starting at $29/month
b.) SocialPilot: It has the lowest price as compared to others and Plans starting at: $25.50/m
c.) AgoraPulse: Good for small businesses, Plans starting at: $49/month

Among the Sendible, SocialPilot, and Agorapulse which one is well suited for small businesses?

SocialPilot is a tool that offers a number of features and some more that are at par with HootSuite and some more but at a much lower price. So, it could be a good option for small businesses.

How does TweetDeck fare against Hootsuite?

TweetDeck is for Twitter while HootSuite is a full functional social media tool. So, the comparison between these two is not a valid one as both will have a different suite of tools.

What is the difference between Hootsuite and Buffer?

Buffer helps you with content publishing while HootSuite helps to schedule posts, manage your team and also manage the social media accounts.

Which is the best alternative to HootSuite which makes posting on Instagram easier?

The best alternative to HootSuite for Instagram is Agorapulse. With Agorapulse you are able to monitor a competitor social media channel that is something HootSuite doesn’t offer. There are other social media tools like TailWind, Later that are dedicated specifically to Instagram platform.

Does HootSuite allow you to edit posts just a minute before the post is scheduled?

No you cannot make edits a minute before. If You want to make changes then it should be 5 minutes before and in case of videos it should be done 15 minutes before.

Which Hootsuite alternatives offer unlimited scheduling?

As of now, there are no alternatives that offer unlimited scheduling. All tools come up with some sort of limited scheduling with free plans.

Is Hootsuite free?

Yes, Hootsuite does have a free plan but it is very limited in terms of features that you get.

Does the image quality declines with Hootsuite posting?

No, it doesn’t compress or degrade the image quality but it won’t upload images if they are beyond prescribed sizes or dimensions.

Can you post videos using Hootsuite on Instagram?

Hootsuite allows you to “schedule and queue” a video post and you will be alerted before the schedule and requested to press the send button.

How does Linkedin work with Hootsuite?

There is a token system that works between these two parties. Linkedin provides time-bound tokens to Hootsuite to access your profile. When the time expires LinkedIn automatically connects from Hootsuite.

How safe is Hootsuite?

Hootsuite is safe as it doesn’t contain adware.

Who should use Hootsuite?

Hootsuite is perfect for small businesses and bloggers or who are just starting out their social media marketing.

Does Hootsuite support posting on personal Facebook?

No publishing to personal accounts is not supported by Hootsuite.

Pritha Bose
Pritha Bose

I am an accomplished content marketing and communications expert with over 10 years of experience in the EdTech and SaaS industries. In my current role as a content marketer, I create engaging stories and campaigns focused on #marketingb2b, #contentdesign, #marketingdesign, #contentmarketing, and #marketingautomation. I have deep expertise in marketing automation, ecommerce tools, email marketing, project management, and content strategy. I have a proven track record of working cross-functionally to build brand awareness and promote products through immersive storytelling and campaigns. Previously, I have led content and communications initiatives for various EdTech businesses and internet products. I am skilled at developing content that resonates with key stakeholders while positioning brands strategically. With my passion for team collaboration and hands-on approach, I thrive at managing freelancers, designers, and engineers to deliver impactful campaigns across digital channels and domains. My breadth of experience allows me to be a trusted advisor to companies seeking to amplify their message and connect authentically with target audiences.

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  1. Great article, Pritha! The way you’ve detailed each app and compared it with Hootsuite is really helpful when making an informed decision. Another app you might want to look into is DrumUp-social media management, content discovery, promotion and curation. It’s great for finding and scheduling fresh and relevant content from reputable sources onto multiple social media platforms. You can also track content from your favorite blogs by adding their RSS feeds, and store interesting content in your content library. It’s fairly new (released Jan 2015) and not too expensive (pricing goes from $19-$199). Check it out here: https://drumup.io/, and please consider adding it to your list (or future lists) if you find it interesting.

  2. Awesome Hootsuite alternative list, I recently moved to a new tool socialdraft.com and I think it deserves a spot here as well. I have multiple clients and what I love about this one is because I can schedule everything from Facebook pages, groups, pinterest, linkedin, and even instagram. Also love their calendar and CSV bulk uploading which is perfect for my clients. They also have monitoring, reporting, and team collab for my other team members, cool tool to check out!

    • Thats great to hear Alex!
      I will try out Socialdraft tool.

      • Hi Ankit, thanks for this article. It was very helpful and I almost switched to Social Pilot except they do not automatically post to Instagram. So far all I have found that auto post to Insta are Buffer, Hootesuite, Sendible and Sprout Social and they appear to all be the same price. Any advice on or insight regarding other options available that might be more affordable with this option.

        • Ankit Prakash July 16, 2018 at 2:55 AM

          Hey Pamm, thanks for highlighting the requirement. Until Instagram doesn’t allow direct posting of IG updates; so everyone needs to take the same approach.

  3. Your article on Hootsuite Alternatives was extremely intriguing to a relative online social media newcomer like me. I am an independent advertiser and marketing specialist and two of my customers have requested that I deal with their online social media on an entirely low spending plan. If it’s not too much trouble would you be able to tell me which organization would be best might be best for me to utilize and whether you’d suggest me setting up a record for every customer or one record to oversee both?

  4. Why do you need to look out for hootsuite alternatives? Although hootsuite is certified as an excellent social media management app but it too has its shortcomings. The hootsuite analytics are pretty expensive as they cost over $50.

    • Yes Vincent, price can be one of the reason why all are looking for hootsuite alternatives. Other than price, there can many other factors.

  5. All the types of businesses, whether small or big, are making their efforts to gain more and more popularity on social media; because there is are a great number of people who use these platforms of Facebook and Twitter on daily basis. So the owners of any kinds of businesses try using this strategy to become more popular.

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