The Later Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Later in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Later
The Insider’s Guide
Visual social media planner with link in bio and analytics
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among social media schedulers, read from Later’s own pages.
Made by Later · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Later’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Later’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 10 of the 19 other social media schedulers we grade
Later Social plans and auto-publishes posts to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube and Snapchat from a drag-and-drop calendar. It adds a link-in-bio page, AI caption and idea tools, and analytics whose history grows with the plan. The company also sells influencer and affiliate marketing; this listing covers the social media scheduling plans.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Later, taken from its own pages and our grades.
X and Bluesky aren't among the eight networks in its listing, though.
- 1
Best for planning Instagram and TikTok visually
Later is a drag-and-drop calendar built around Instagram and TikTok, with a link-in-bio page on every plan.
- 2
Paid plans start at $18.75 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $18.75 per month for up to 8 social profiles, billed annually.
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Visual planner and auto-publishing
Posts, Reels, Stories, Pins, Shorts and Snapchat Spotlight are dragged onto one calendar and published automatically, or by phone notification for Instagram and TikTok.
- 6
Best time to post
Suggested posting times for Instagram, TikTok and Facebook show in the calendar; seeing them across several profiles at once needs Growth or Scale.
- 7
AI captions and ideas
Caption Writer and Ideas run on monthly AI credits: 5 on Starter, 50 on Growth and 100 on Scale, where one credit is one caption or three ideas.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 10 of 19
That is against the other social media schedulers we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Later you would be making one mailbox that several people work at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Later at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $18.75 per month for up to 8 social profiles, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- Later
- Category
- Social Media Schedulers
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 2,532 ratings
The report card
Best for planning Instagram and TikTok visually
Later is a drag-and-drop calendar built around Instagram and TikTok, with a link-in-bio page on every plan. For two people it's Growth at $37.50 a month billed yearly, which also brings the inbox and approvals. X and Bluesky aren't among the eight networks in its listing, though.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | A team of two needs Growth, since Starter has one user: $37.50 a month billed yearly for 2 users and up to 16 profiles. That's above this category's $29 middle and under the $58 dearer quarter. Starter is $18.75 if you're on your own. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan, just a 14-day trial of the paid plans. That's enough to plan a couple of weeks of posts and see whether the calendar suits you. |
| Features | C | Visual planner, best times, AI captions, link in bio, an inbox and approvals are all here. The gaps it shows: its eight networks leave out X and Bluesky, the inbox covers only Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and Starter stops at 30 posts per profile a month. |
| Ease of use | B | Its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.55 from about 2,500 ratings, solid but just short of an A. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone, Android and a browser extension, with Canva, Mailchimp, Google Analytics and Mavely plugged in. No desktop app, which an A needs, and the integration list is short. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Later is for
- Great if Instagram and TikTok are where your business lives
- Handy when you want the link-in-bio page and the scheduler on one bill
- Good for agencies grouping each client's profiles into its own social set
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you post to X or Bluesky, which aren't in its list of networks
- Tight if you're on Starter, at 30 posts per profile a month and one user
- Not for you if you want a free plan, as there's only a 14-day trial
Good to know
Good for
- Creators and brands built around Instagram and TikTok
- Small teams that want a link-in-bio page and scheduler together
- Agencies grouping each client's profiles into a social set
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and the plans page shows annual-billed prices, which Later says are 25% below monthly billing.
- Starter has 1 user, 30 posts per profile a month and 3 months of analytics, with no add-ons; the social inbox and approvals need Growth.
- A social set holds one profile per network, so a second Instagram account needs a second set ($11.25 a month on Growth and Scale, billed annually).
- Competitor benchmarking, brand mentions and custom analytics are limited to Scale.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$18.75
A month to start
Later is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $18.75 per month for up to 8 social profiles, billed annually.
That's enough to plan a couple of weeks of posts and see whether the calendar suits you.
Starter
$18.75
per month for up to 8 social profiles, billed annually
1 social set (one profile per network), 1 user, 30 posts per profile a month, 5 AI credits and 3 months of analytics. No add-ons.
Growth
$37.50
per month for up to 16 social profiles, billed annually
2 social sets, 2 users, 180 posts per profile a month, social inbox, approvals, UGC collection and 1 year of analytics.
Scale
$82.50
per month for up to 48 social profiles, billed annually
6 social sets, 4 users, unlimited posts, custom and Meta ads analytics, benchmarks against 20 competitors, brand mentions and 2 years of data.
Trying it first
14-day free trial
Read from later.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
25% off with annual billing
Later says annual plans save 25% against monthly billing, which it describes as three months free.
Stated on later.comNonprofit
50% off the annual Growth plan for nonprofits
Later's pricing FAQ gives qualified nonprofit organizations 50% off the Growth plan when billed annually.
Stated on later.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: Web, iOS, Android and Browser extension
Visual social media planner with link in bio and analytics. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, calendar, shared inbox, reports.
Visual planner, best times, AI captions, link in bio, an inbox and approvals are all here.
- Visual planner and auto-publishing
- Posts, Reels, Stories, Pins, Shorts and Snapchat Spotlight are dragged onto one calendar and published automatically, or by phone notification for Instagram and TikTok.
- Best time to post
- Suggested posting times for Instagram, TikTok and Facebook show in the calendar; seeing them across several profiles at once needs Growth or Scale.
- AI captions and ideas
- Caption Writer and Ideas run on monthly AI credits: 5 on Starter, 50 on Growth and 100 on Scale, where one credit is one caption or three ideas.
- Link in Bio
- A link-in-bio page with clickable posts, product carousels, email sign-up forms and Mavely affiliate links comes with every plan.
- Social inbox and approvals
- From Growth up, Instagram and Facebook DMs and comments and TikTok comments are answered on the web, and posts go through internal or external approval.
- Analytics and listening
- History runs to 3 months, 1 year or 2 years by plan. Scale adds custom cross-network reports, Meta ads data, competitor benchmarks and brand mentions.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Canva
- Mailchimp
- Google Analytics
- Mavely
Later is made by Later.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
10/19
Other social media schedulers it is graded above
Later's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 10 of the 19 other social media schedulers we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 15 of 19) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $18.75 a month, against a middle price of $27.25 for the category: 6 of the 19 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 20 social media schedulers we grade, cut by the letter each got. Later’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 4 of 19
- CFree plan and trialAbove 1 of 19
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 19
- BEase of useAbove 15 of 19
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 19
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 20 social media schedulers. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Later is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Later you would be making one mailbox that several people work at once. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $225 a year.
What you could make
- Calendar and reports: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- One mailbox that several people work at once.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Later’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Planable and Metricool
The 5 tools Later is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Buffer
Free plan · from $5/mo
Social media scheduler priced by the channel, with a free plan.
- Buffer has a free plan. Later does not, though it has a free trial.
- Later also covers shared inbox.
- Buffer also covers templates.
- 2.6GPA
Hootsuite
Free trial · from $99/mo
Social media suite for publishing, inbox, listening and reports.
- Only Later lists a browser extension.
- 2.2GPA
Sprout Social
Free trial · from $79/mo
Social media management with a shared inbox, listening and reports.
- Only Later lists a browser extension.
- 2.2GPA
Planable
Free trial · from $33/mo
Social media planning and approvals for agencies and brand teams.
- Only Later lists a browser extension.
- Later also covers shared inbox and reports.
- 2.4GPA
Metricool
Free plan · from $20/mo
Social media planner and analytics priced by the number of brands.
- Metricool has a free plan. Later does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Later lists a browser extension.
- Later also covers shared inbox.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Later free?
No, Later is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial.
How much does Later cost?
Later lists 3 plans. Starter: $18.75 per month for up to 8 social profiles, billed annually.
What platforms does Later work on?
Later is available on Web, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Later offer any discounts?
Later publicly lists the following: 25% off with annual billing; 50% off the annual Growth plan for nonprofits.
How is Later rated?
Later's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2,532 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does Later have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Later is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Later have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. Later is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Later open source?
Later is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
What does Later integrate with?
Later's listing names Canva, Mailchimp, Google Analytics and Mavely. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Later?
Later is made by Later.
What are the alternatives to Later?
The closest alternatives to Later in our directory are Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Planable and Metricool.
How does Later compare with other social media schedulers?
Later's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 10 of the 19 other social media schedulers we grade, and level with 4.
Is Later good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Later C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $18.75 a month, against a middle price of $27.25 for the category: 6 of the 19 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Later?
To replace Later you would be making one mailbox that several people work at once.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Later’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Later's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Later. Prices change, so check later.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,880
Tools graded, in 47 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,880
tools graded
47
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Later, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/later
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Later: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/later
Know someone choosing between social media schedulers?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/later/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded social media schedulers after Later, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Social Media Schedulers Insider's GuideEvery one of the 20 social media schedulers we grade, compared
- Buffer Insider's GuideSocial media scheduler priced by the channel, with a free plan2.8 GPA
- Hootsuite Insider's GuideSocial media suite for publishing, inbox, listening and reports2.6 GPA
- Publer Insider's GuideSocial media scheduler priced by connected accounts and members2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Later’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Later is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Later. Prices and plans change: check later.com before you buy.