Social media scheduling, inbox and reporting tools, compared on the unit that decides the bill: channel, brand, profile set or user.
This category is for anyone publishing to several social networks for themselves or for clients: planning posts, answering comments in one inbox, and reporting what worked. Buffer, Later, Metricool, Hootsuite, SocialBee and Vista Social overlap on scheduling; they differ on who they are priced for.
The pricing unit is the whole story here. Buffer charges per connected channel, Metricool per brand, Later, SocialBee and Vista Social per account with a set number of profiles and users, and Hootsuite per user. The same five client accounts can cost very different amounts depending on that unit, and Hootsuite's headline figure assumes yearly billing.
Buffer and Metricool have free plans; Hootsuite, Later, SocialBee and Vista Social offer a free trial instead. Free plans cap channels or brands, so they suit one business testing the tool rather than an agency running clients.
Some tools on this page carry a partner link (3 of 6), marked next to their button. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes which tools we list, their order, a recorded price or a documented limit. How partnerships work →
Buffer · Social media
Hootsuite · Social media
Later · Social media
Metricool · Social media
SocialBee LABS (WebPros) · Social media
Vista Social · Social media
6 tools tracked in this category, 2 of them with a permanent free plan. Every price is read on the vendor's own pricing page, on the monthly view, and dated on the record.
Lowest entry price, per currency (never converted): Buffer $6.00/mo · Metricool €20.00/mo.
