Alternatives · Social Media
Hootsuite alternatives
Hootsuite compared with 12 alternatives: Sprout Social, Agorapulse, Sendible, SocialPilot, Vista Social and 7 more.
Hootsuite is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $99 per user / month, billed annually. 3 of the 12 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 9 more offer a free trial.
12 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 17, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| HootsuiteThis tool | Free trial · from $99/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Sprout Social | Free trial · from $79/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Agorapulse | Free trial · from $79/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Sendible | Free trial · from $29.75/mo | Trial only | Web, Browser extension |
| SocialPilot | Free trial · from $25.50/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Vista Social | Free trial · from $99/mo | Trial only | Web, macOS, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Buffer | Free plan · from $5/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| ContentStudio | Free trial · from $19/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Iconosquare | Free plan · from €9/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Later | Free trial · from $18.75/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
| Planable | Free trial · from $33/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Sked Social | Free trial · from $58/mo | Trial only | Web, iOS, Android |
| Zoho Social | Free plan · from $10/mo | Yes | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
Price against what you get
Hootsuite starts at $99 a month for each person and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. None of the 12 alternatives on this chart both scores higher and starts lower.
Sprout Social, Agorapulse, Sendible, SocialPilot, Buffer, ContentStudio and 5 more start lower without scoring higher.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
How each one differs from Hootsuite
- Free trial · from $79/mo
Sprout Social
Social media management with a shared inbox, listening and reports
- Sprout Social starts at $79 per seat / month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
Suits: Marketing teams that handle social customer care in the same tool
- Free trial · from $79/mo
Agorapulse
Social media inbox, publishing and ROI reports, priced per user
- Agorapulse starts at $79 per user / month, billed annually ($99 billed monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
Suits: Teams that spend much of their day answering comments and DMs
- Free trial · from $29.75/mo
Sendible
Social media management for agencies, with unlimited users
- Sendible starts at $29.75 per month for up to 6 profiles, billed yearly ($35 billed monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Sendible lists a browser extension.
- Only Hootsuite lists iOS and Android apps.
Suits: Agencies that want every team member and client to log in without seat fees
- Free trial · from $25.50/mo
SocialPilot
Social media scheduler for agencies and small teams, priced by plan
- SocialPilot starts at $25.50 per month for up to 7 accounts, billed annually ($30 billed monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only SocialPilot lists a browser extension.
- Hootsuite also covers shared inbox.
Suits: Small agencies that want client approvals and branded reports at a flat price
- Free trial · from $99/mo
Vista Social
Social media management with inbox, DM automations and reviews
- Vista Social starts at $99 per month for up to 15 social profiles, billed monthly ($950 yearly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Vista Social lists a macOS app.
- Only Vista Social lists a browser extension.
Suits: Agencies managing many client profiles with a small team
- Free plan · from $5/mo
Buffer
Social media scheduler priced by the channel, with a free plan
- Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Buffer has a free plan. Hootsuite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Buffer lists a browser extension.
- Buffer also covers templates.
- Hootsuite also covers shared inbox.
Suits: Solo creators and small businesses posting to a handful of accounts
- Free trial · from $19/mo
ContentStudio
Social media planner with AI content, inbox and agency workspaces
- ContentStudio starts at $19 per month for up to 5 social accounts, billed annually ($29 monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only ContentStudio lists a browser extension.
Suits: Agencies running many client brands with unlimited users
- Free plan · from €9/mo
Iconosquare
Social media analytics and scheduling for brands and agencies
- Iconosquare starts at €9 per month for up to 3 social profiles, billed annually. Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Iconosquare has a free plan. Hootsuite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Hootsuite also covers shared inbox.
Suits: Brands that care most about reporting on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook results
- Free trial · from $18.75/mo
Later
Visual social media planner with link in bio and analytics
- Later starts at $18.75 per month for up to 8 social profiles, billed annually. Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Only Later lists a browser extension.
Suits: Creators and brands built around Instagram and TikTok
- Free trial · from $33/mo
Planable
Social media planning and approvals for agencies and brand teams
- Planable starts at $33 per workspace / month, billed yearly ($39 billed monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Hootsuite also covers shared inbox and reports.
Suits: Agencies that need clients to review and approve posts before they go out
- Free trial · from $58/mo
Sked Social
Social media scheduler for teams that need approvals and reports
- Sked Social starts at $58 per month for up to 6 social profiles, billed annually ($69 monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
Suits: Brand teams that need sign-off before anything is posted
- Free plan · from $10/mo
Zoho Social
Social media scheduler priced per brand, with agency plans
- Zoho Social starts at $10 per month for 1 brand (14 channels), billed annually ($15 monthly). Hootsuite starts at $99 per user / month, billed annually.
- Zoho Social has a free plan. Hootsuite does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Zoho Social lists a browser extension.
Suits: Small businesses with one account on each of many networks
Limits worth knowing in Hootsuite
- There is no free plan. Trial accounts are limited to 10 to 20 posts a day and cannot bulk schedule.
- Every user is a paid seat, and Standard stops at 10 social accounts; unlimited accounts need Professional at $199 per user / month.
- Approval workflows and message assignment need Advanced at $399 per user / month; single sign-on is Enterprise only.
- Monthly billing is offered at a higher rate than the annual figures the plans page shows, but the monthly price is not published there.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to Hootsuite?
The alternatives to Hootsuite in this directory are Sprout Social, Agorapulse, Sendible, SocialPilot, Vista Social, Buffer, ContentStudio, Iconosquare, Later, Planable, Sked Social and Zoho Social. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Hootsuite.
Is there a free alternative to Hootsuite?
Yes. Buffer, Iconosquare and Zoho Social have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which Hootsuite alternatives work on macOS?
The Hootsuite listing does not include a macOS app. Vista Social lists one.
When were these prices checked?
Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 17, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.