Scheduling tools compared
The best social media scheduling tools, side by side.
The best social media scheduling tools differ on price, platforms and how they handle clients. Every fact below comes from each company’s own pricing page, with the date we read it on its comparison page. We say where each one is the better pick, including against us.
Where Dripost fits.
- Priced per client, not per channel or per seat.
- A link to each live post, confirmed on Instagram, Facebook, Threads and YouTube.
- Free is 1 client with 3 channels and 10 posts per channel a month, for as long as you like.
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The best social media scheduling tools compared
Buffer
Free plan: Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel. Essentials: From $6 per channel a month ($5 billed yearly), 1 user. Could suit you if you want: platforms Dripost doesn’t post to, such as TikTok, Pinterest and Google Business Profile. Pick it if: you need TikTok, Pinterest or Google Business Profile, or paying per channel suits the way you work.
Hootsuite
Free plan: None. Free trial: 14 days, no credit card. Could suit you if you want: enterprise plans and contracts for large organisations. Pick it if: you run a large team or need enterprise features, contracts and support.
Later
Free plan: None; a 14-day free trial. Starter: $18.75 a month, 1 social set (8 profiles), 1 user. Could suit you if you want: platforms Dripost doesn’t post to, such as TikTok and Pinterest. Pick it if: your posting is mostly visual and spread across many profiles, including TikTok or Pinterest.
SocialPilot
Free plan: None; a 14-day free trial. Essentials: $30 a month ($25.50), 7 social accounts, 1 team member. Could suit you if you want: more social accounts per plan, across more platforms. Pick it if: you manage dozens of accounts across many platforms today.
Publer
Free plan: Free forever: 1 user, 3 social accounts (not X), 10 scheduled posts per account. Paid plans: Professional and Business, priced per social account; every 10th account free. Could suit you if you want: a free plan with three accounts. Pick it if: you want to size a plan account by account across many platforms.
Metricool
Free plan: 1 brand, 20 posts a month, 30 days of analytics. Starter: From $20 a month for up to 5 brands, or $36 for up to 10. Could suit you if you want: competitor tracking alongside its analytics. Pick it if: reporting and competitor analysis matter as much to you as posting, or you manage dozens of brands and want them on one brand-based plan.
Sprout Social
Free trial: 30 days, no credit card. Essentials: $79 per seat a month billed yearly, $99 billed monthly, 5 social profiles. Could suit you if you want: platforms Dripost doesn’t post to, such as TikTok and Pinterest. Pick it if: you run a larger team that needs an all-in-one suite and pays per seat.
Loomly
Starter: $49 a month billed yearly ($588 a year), $65 billed monthly; 3 users, 12 social accounts. Beyond: $249 a month billed yearly ($2,988 a year), $332 billed monthly; unlimited users, 60 social accounts. Could suit you if you want: platforms Dripost doesn’t post to, such as TikTok, Pinterest and Google Business Profile. Pick it if: you need TikTok, Pinterest or Google Business Profile, or many accounts under one team.
Agorapulse
Free trial: 30 days, no credit card. Standard: $79 per user a month billed yearly, $99 billed monthly, 10 social profiles. Could suit you if you want: a social inbox for comments and messages. Pick it if: you need an inbox to answer comments and messages, or platforms Dripost doesn’t have.
Planoly
Free plan: On the mobile app, 10 uploads a month. Starter: $14 a month, 1 social set, 1 user, unlimited uploads. Could suit you if you want: a link-in-bio page and selling tools inside its Instagram planner. Pick it if: you live on Instagram, want a visual feed planner, link in bio or selling tools, or need TikTok and Pinterest.
Questions
Which is the best social media scheduler?
It depends on what you post and who pays. If you post to YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, LinkedIn and X and want proof each post went live, Dripost is built for that; each comparison page also says when another tool could suit you.
Where do these prices come from?
Each company’s own pricing page, read on the date shown on its comparison page. Prices change; check theirs before you decide.
Which platforms does Dripost post to?
Instagram, YouTube, X and LinkedIn. Threads and Facebook Pages are in live testing.
What are the best tools for social media management?
That depends on what you manage. Compare the tools on price per channel or client, the platforms they post to and approvals. Each comparison page lists where the other tool is better.
Is a scheduler the same as a content marketing tool?
It is one part of one. A content marketing tool can also cover research, writing and analytics; a scheduler handles the planning and the posting, with reports on what went out.