---
title: "Hootsuite alternatives for 2026"
canonical: "https://weekbird.app/alternatives/hootsuite"
language: "en"
type: "alternative"
updated: "2026-10-11T16:53:57.005Z"
---

# Hootsuite alternatives for 2026

Weekbird is a Hootsuite alternative for small teams: $24, $49 or $149 a month per plan, with unlimited posts and approval links from $49. Hootsuite bills per user, from $99 a month billed yearly, and puts approvals on Advanced at $399. Sprout Social, Buffer, Metricool and Publer follow, with prices checked on each vendor's page on 10 October 2026.

## 1. Weekbird: a Hootsuite alternative priced per plan

Weekbird costs $24, $49 or $149 a month ($228, $468 or $1,428 a year), with unlimited posts on every plan and no charge per user on Team. You write one post and adjust a version for each channel; Weekbird checks each version against that network's limits before you schedule it. Team and Agency add approval links that reviewers open without an account, and an Inbox for comments, replies and Google Business Profile reviews.

Hootsuite does more. Weekbird has no social listening, no competitor monitoring, no mobile app and no direct messages in the Inbox.

**Best for:** small teams and agencies that schedule and approve posts and do not need listening. See Weekbird pricing.

## 2. Sprout Social: listening, mobile apps and reviews

Sprout Social charges per seat: Essentials $99 a month ($79 billed yearly) for 5 profiles, Professional $299 billed yearly with no cap. Listening is an add-on with sentiment tracking and spike alerts. iOS and Android apps come with every plan.

**Best for:** teams that work from phones and handle reviews and support next to social.

## 3. Buffer: priced per channel, with a free plan

Buffer charges $6 per channel a month on Essentials and $12 on Team ($5 and $10 billed yearly). Team adds unlimited users and approval workflows. The free plan covers 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts each.

**Best for:** a handful of channels and a tight budget.

## 4. Metricool: priced by brand, with ads reporting

Metricool sells tiers of brands. Advanced costs $67 a month for up to 15 brands ($53 billed yearly) and adds team management and post approvals. It reports on Facebook, Google and TikTok ads next to organic posts. X costs extra.

**Best for:** marketers who report on organic and paid results together.

## 5. Publer: priced per account

Publer charges $5 per account a month on Professional and $10 on Business ($4 and $8 billed yearly), with every tenth account free. Business adds approvals, an API and MCP access; extra members cost more.

**Best for:** one owner with many accounts.

## Questions

### What is the best Hootsuite alternative?

It depends on what you use Hootsuite for. For scheduling with client approvals at one price per plan, Weekbird. For listening with mobile apps, Sprout Social. For a few channels on a budget, Buffer. For organic and ads reporting, Metricool.

### Is there a free Hootsuite alternative?

Buffer, Metricool and Publer have free plans. Buffer's covers 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts each. Weekbird and Hootsuite have no free plan.

### How does Hootsuite pricing compare with Weekbird?

Hootsuite charges per user, from $99 to $399 a month billed yearly, with approvals on Advanced. Weekbird charges per plan: $24, $49 or $149 a month, with approval links on Team at $49.

### Can I import my Hootsuite queue into Weekbird?

No. Weekbird has no import from other tools. Connect your channels and schedule the next week again.

### Who should stay on Hootsuite?

Teams that need listening, competitor monitoring, many accounts per person, or Enterprise SSO and compliance.

## Plan next week in one sitting

[See Weekbird plans](https://weekbird.app/)

## Hootsuite

Last verified: 2026-10-10

## Hootsuite: plans

| Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Standard | — | 99 | USD | per-user | n/a | 10 social accounts | 1+ (buy seats) | Posts: Unlimited scheduled posts; AI: Wisdom AI included (no credit counts published); Approvals: No; Inbox: Single inbox | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 |
| Professional | — | 199 | USD | per-user | n/a | Unlimited social accounts | 1+ (buy seats) | Posts: Unlimited; AI: Wisdom AI; Approvals: No; Inbox: Inbox with automated replies and workflows; Custom performance reports, trend forecasting to 90 days | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 |
| Advanced | — | 399 | USD | per-user | n/a | Unlimited social accounts | 1+ (buy seats) | Posts: Unlimited; AI: Wisdom AI; Approvals: Yes (review and approve content); Inbox: Assignment and auto-routing | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | USD | — | custom | Unlimited | Custom | Approvals: Yes; SSO, advanced listening, advanced analytics | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 |

## Hootsuite: strengths

| Claim | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Social listening and competitor monitoring are in the product; advanced listening on Enterprise. | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |
| Unlimited accounts from Professional. | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |
| Purchase as many user seats as needed with SSO and compliance on Enterprise. | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |
| Inbox (Standard): Single inbox | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |
| Approvals (Advanced): Yes (review and approve content) | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |

## Sprout Social

Last verified: 2026-10-10

## Sprout Social: plans

| Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Essentials | 99 | 79 | USD | per-user | n/a | 5 social profiles | 1+ seats | AI: 100 AI agent credits per seat/month; Mobile app | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Standard | — | 199 | USD | per-user | n/a | 5 social profiles | per seat | AI: 100 credits/seat/month; Inbox: Consolidated inbox and collaboration tools; 10 brand keywords per group, review management | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Professional | — | 299 | USD | per-user | n/a | Unlimited social profiles | per seat | AI: 100 credits/seat/month; Inbox: Message tagging; Competitor, tag and paid insights | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Advanced | — | 399 | USD | per-user | n/a | Unlimited social profiles | per seat | AI: 100 credits/seat/month; Inbox: Sentiment in Smart Inbox; API: Sprout API and helpdesk integrations; 20 brand keywords per group | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | USD | — | custom | custom | custom | SSO, priority support | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |

## Sprout Social: strengths

| Claim | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Listening and Premium Analytics available as add-ons; Listening has Sentiment tracking and Spike Alerts. | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) |
| Native iOS and Android mobile app on every plan. | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) |
| Review management and Helpdesk integrations (Zendesk-style) on higher plans. | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) |
| Enterprise SSO and onboarding. | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) |
| Inbox (Standard): Consolidated inbox and collaboration tools | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) |
| API or MCP (Advanced): Sprout API and helpdesk integrations | [Source](https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/) |

## Buffer

Last verified: 2026-10-10

## Buffer: plans

| Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | 0 | 0 | USD | per-channel | 1 account | Up to 3 channels | 1 | Posts: 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 threaded post; AI: AI Assistant included; Approvals: No; Inbox: Community inbox included, AI replies 5/week; Analytics: Basic analytics, 30-day history; API: 1 API key, 3,000 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |
| Essentials | 6 | 5 | USD | per-channel | n/a | Per channel purchased | 1 user | Posts: Unlimited scheduled posts; AI: AI Assistant, unlimited AI replies; Approvals: No; Inbox: Community inbox, unlimited saved replies; Analytics: Unlimited (advanced analytics); API: 3 API keys, 7,500 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |
| Team | 12 | 10 | USD | per-channel | n/a | Per channel purchased | Unlimited | Posts: Unlimited scheduled posts; AI: AI Assistant; Approvals: Content approval workflows and access levels; Inbox: Community inbox; Analytics: Unlimited (advanced analytics); API: 5 API keys, 15,000 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |

## Buffer: strengths

| Claim | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Free plan covers 3 channels with AI Assistant and community inbox. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| Pricing is per channel, so a single channel costs $5/month annual. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| Publishes to Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, Google Business Profile, Pinterest and YouTube Shorts with community engagement on most of them. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| Includes a public API on every plan, including Free. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| Inbox (Free): Community inbox included; AI replies 5/week | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| API or MCP (Free): 1 API key, 3,000 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| Analytics (Free): Basic analytics, 30-day history | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |
| Approvals (Team): Content approval workflows and access levels | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) |

## Metricool

Last verified: 2026-10-10

## Metricool: plans

| Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | 0 | 0 | USD | per-brand | 1 brand | All networks except LinkedIn and X | n/a | Posts: 20 posts/month; AI: AI social media assistant; Analytics: 30 days; API: Metricool MCP; 5 competitor profiles | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Starter (up to 5 brands) | 25 | 20 | USD | per-brand | up to 5 brands | Networks per brand | n/a | Posts: Unlimited publishing\*; Analytics: Unlimited; X is an add-on, 100 competitors, PDF and PPT reports, Flows | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Starter (up to 10 brands) | 45 | 36 | USD | per-brand | up to 10 brands | Networks per brand | n/a | Posts: Unlimited publishing\*; Analytics: Unlimited | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Advanced (up to 15 brands) | 67 | 53 | USD | per-brand | up to 15 brands | Networks per brand | Team and client management | Approvals: Post approval system; API: Metricool API (Zapier, Make); Role management, report templates, Data Studio connector | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Advanced (up to 25 brands) | 107 | 85 | USD | per-brand | up to 25 brands | Networks per brand | Team and client management | Approvals: Yes | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Advanced (up to 50 brands) | 210 | 159 | USD | per-brand | up to 50 brands | Networks per brand | Team and client management | Approvals: Yes | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |
| Custom | Contact sales | Contact sales | USD | — | custom | custom | custom | White-label: White Label; Dedicated account manager, custom AI credits | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) | 2026-10-10 |

## Metricool: strengths

| Claim | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Free plan includes MCP and AI assistant. | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |
| Unlimited analytics history on Starter and above. | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |
| Ads reporting (Facebook, Google, TikTok Ads) alongside organic. | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |
| Brand tiers go to 50 brands for $159/month annual, cheaper than most agency plans. | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |
| API or MCP (Free): Metricool MCP | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |
| Analytics (Free): 30 days | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |
| Approvals (Advanced (up to 15 brands)): Post approval system | [Source](https://metricool.com/pricing/) |

## Publer

Last verified: 2026-10-10

## Publer: plans

| Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Free | 0 | 0 | USD | flat | 1 workspace | 3 social accounts (no X) | 1 | Posts: 10 scheduled posts per account, 25 drafts; Analytics: 24-hour post history | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |
| Professional | 5 | 4 | USD | per-channel | Unlimited workspaces | Starts at 1 account (slider) | Plan owner included; extra members priced separately | Posts: Unlimited scheduling & drafts; Eternal post history, X integration, every 10th account free | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |
| Business | 10 | 8 | USD | per-channel | Unlimited workspaces | Starts at 1 account (slider) | Plan owner included; extra members priced separately | AI: Unlimited AI prompts; Approvals: Collaboration and approval workflows (with additional members); Analytics: Analytics insights and reports; API: Publer API and MCP; Competitor analysis, best times, recycling | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |
| Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | USD | — | custom | custom | custom | Bank/wire payment, 1:1 onboarding, unlimited daily posting | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 |

## Publer: strengths

| Claim | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Per-account pricing from $4/month annual with every 10th account free. | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |
| Business includes API and MCP access. | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |
| Supports Mastodon, Bluesky, Telegram, WordPress and Google Business updates. | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |
| Free plan with 3 accounts. | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |
| Analytics (Free): 24-hour post history | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |
| Approvals (Business): Collaboration and approval workflows (with additional members) | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |
| API or MCP (Business): Publer API and MCP | [Source](https://publer.com/pricing) |

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Weekbird | Hootsuite | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Inbox for comments, replies and reviews | Comments and replies from Facebook Pages, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and X, and Google Business Profile reviews, in one list. | Inbox (Standard): Single inbox | [Source 1](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |
| Approvals from a link | Send a reviewer a link to approve or request changes. Reviewers need no account. Links last 30 days and can be revoked. | Approvals (Advanced): Yes (review and approve content) | [Source 1](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) |

## Switching reasons

| Text | Source |
| --- | --- |
| Hootsuite retired its free plan, and small businesses that relied on it report being priced out of every remaining paid tier. | [https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/hootsuite-profile/reviews/](https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/hootsuite-profile/reviews/) |
| Plans are billed per user seat, so reviewers say the cost becomes hard to justify as a team adds members or add-ons. | [https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite](https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite) |
| Content approval workflows sit only in the Advanced plan and advanced analytics require higher tiers, so teams pay top-tier seat prices for collaboration basics. | [https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite](https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite) |
| Reviewers describe slow customer support when an account is locked or a cancellation and refund needs resolving. | [https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/hootsuite-profile/reviews/](https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/hootsuite-profile/reviews/) |
| Some network-specific publishing is limited, such as long posts for X Premium, files over 5 MB and scheduled LinkedIn PDF uploads. | [https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/hootsuite-profile/reviews/](https://www.softwareadvice.com/collaboration/hootsuite-profile/reviews/) |
| Users find the interface cluttered and complex, with a learning curve that smaller teams may not have time for. | [https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite](https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite) |
| Reviewers report occasional bugs in streams and integrations and individual channels intermittently disconnecting. | [https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite](https://www.getapp.com.au/software/20432/hootsuite) |

## Who should stay

Teams that use social listening and competitor monitoring every week, manage many accounts per person, or need SSO and compliance on Enterprise.

## Migration steps

| Text |
| --- |
| List your channels and the posts scheduled in Hootsuite for the next two weeks. |
| Connect the same channels in Weekbird. |
| Schedule next week's posts again in Weekbird; it has no import from Hootsuite or any other tool. |
| On Team or Agency, send approval links to the people who sign off. |
| Let Hootsuite publish its last scheduled post, then cancel. |