Disclaimer:
The information presented in this blog post is based on publicly available data from official sources at the time of writing. Our intention is solely to provide accurate and helpful information. If you notice any inaccuracies, please feel free to contact us for corrections.
We all know that Gain is of of the best amazing tools for collaboration of team and client management, which is exactly why big agencies and growing enterprises love it.
But let’s talk about the reality for smaller teams: Don’t you think the $99 per month price tag for just three team members is a bit steep?
If you’re a lean, mean, content-making machine, that cost can feel significant.
Short Summary
- Gain’s $99/month starter plan includes only three team members, which feels expensive for small teams.
- Larger teams quickly outgrow the base plan and face costly upgrades or add-ons.
- Social Champ’s starter plan starts at $4/month with 1 user and offers affordable add-ons.
- It provides features like Social Inbox, Social Listening, and Competitor Analysis, which Gain lacks.
- Social Champ allows unlimited users in higher tiers, avoiding extra seat costs.
- Its toolkit includes engagement, analytics, and monitoring features beyond approvals.
And even if you are a larger operation, you’ll instantly need more than those 3 members, which means you’re looking at expensive add-ons or getting pushed into the much higher-priced plan.
Basically, that starting tier often doesn’t feel right for anyone.
So, where do we go from here? What’s the smarter financial move when it comes to social media management?
You don’t have to stress about the math! If you’re currently wrestling with Gain pricing tiers, we’re here to lay out all the facts
So, let’s get started!
Still Paying $99 for Just Approvals?
Social Champ gives you approvals and engagement, analytics, and listening, all for a fraction of the price.
Gain Pricing Plans Explained
Here’s a brief explanation of Gain’s pricing plans for your understanding!
| Feature | Starter | Agency | Agency Premium | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billed Annually | $99/month | $199/month | $399/month | Custom Pricing |
| Team Members (Included Seats) | Up to 3 | Up to 6 | Up to 20 | Custom / As many as you need |
| Workspaces/Client Calendars | Up to 6 | Up to 12 | Up to 30 | Custom |
| Storage | Up to 15 GB | Up to 100 GB | Up to 500 GB | Unlimited |
| Unlimited Reviewers | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Approval Workflows | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Unlimited Social Channels | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| White Labeling | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Priority Support | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dedicated Customer Success Manager | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom Billing/Invoicing | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Advanced Compliance/Security | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
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Popular Comparison: Social Champ vs. Gain
To make this more interesting, let’s compare Gain with a tough competitor, i-e. Social Champ!
| Feature | Gain (Starter Plan) | Social Champ (Starter Plan) |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Price/Month | $99/month (Billed Yearly) | Starts at $4/month (Billed Yearly) |
| Users Included | Up to 3 Team Members | 1 User (add-ons available) |
| Workspaces/Clients | Up to 6 Workspaces | 1 Workspace (add-ons available) |
| Unlimited Post Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ |
| Content Approval System | ✅ | ✅ |
| Social Inbox | ❌ | ✅ |
| Social Listening | ❌ | ✅ |
| Competitor Analysis | ❌ | ✅ |
| Dedicated Support | ✅ | ✅ |
Now you may get a better understanding of how much you’re paying for things that are available at a much more affordable rate.
And we’re not just talking about the features that Gain offers. With other tools (like Social Champ), you also get features like social listening, competitor analysis, and social inbox!
Doesn’t it make you want to switch?
$4 to Freedom: The Price That Changes Everything!
Gain charges $99. You pay $4 for Social Champ. Imagine what you could do with the extra $95 every month.
Why Social Champ Is a Smarter Alternative to Gain?
The Price is right, and the features are broader.
In this section, we explain exactly why moving from Gain to Social Champ is the savvy financial and strategic choice.
-
You Get Started Without Taking Out a Loan
The difference in entry price is huge!
If you’re a small business or a lean agency, you can get started with Social Champ for as little as $4 a month.
You just can’t beat that. Gain’s $99/month price tag is a massive barrier to entry. With Social Champ, you can spend the remaining budget on ads and building a creative team!
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You Don’t Get Penalized for Growing Your Team
This is a big one.
Gain makes you pay for every single extra seat past the initial three, six, or twenty.
But look at Social Champ’s higher-tier plan, it instantly gives you unlimited users!
That means as you hire new content creators or bring on more community managers, your bill doesn’t shoot up. You can grow your team without fear.
-
Your Toolkit is Much Bigger
Gain is incredible at one thing: client approval workflows. If all you ever do is send PDFs for approval, it’s great.
But marketing is more than just approvals! Social Champ gives your team the critical tools that Gain doesn’t even offer:
- Social Inbox: You can actually manage and respond to all your comments and messages in real-time, all in one place. Gain just isn’t built for day-to-day engagement.
- Social Listening and Competitor Analysis: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. Social Champ lets you see what your rivals are doing and track brand mentions across the web. That’s the intelligence your team needs!
In short: If you want a tool that saves you serious cash, lets you add team members freely, and actually equips you with a complete suite of modern marketing and engagement tools, Social Champ is the smarter, more well-rounded, and more budget-friendly alternative.
Unlock Unlimited Growth, Literally!
No seat limits. No restrictions. Add your whole team today and never pay extra per user again. Start your free trial with Social Champ today!
Choosing the Right Alternative for Your Needs
It’s time to move past the price tag and figure out what your team actually needs.
Here’s what you absolutely must look for when evaluating any social media management tool:
-
Does It Solve Your Biggest Pain Point?
Every tool has a focus. What’s your main challenge?
- If you’re a lean agency: Your pain point is often client communication and approvals (Gain is strong here, but often too expensive). Can the alternative offer a simple, client-friendly approval system without the high price tag?
- If you’re a brand or small business: Your pain point is likely engagement and time savings. Does the alternative offer a Social Inbox to manage comments quickly, and does it post to all the networks you actually use?
-
Can It Scale With Your Team, Not Against It?
Check the pricing page carefully!
- Users vs. Price: Don’t just look at the starting price; look at the cost of adding your 4th or 5th team member. Does the cost increase slightly, or does it force a massive jump to the next plan? Remember, the “unlimited users” feature is an enormous cost saver as your agency expands.
- Workspaces/Accounts: If you manage 10 clients, you need 10 separate, organized calendars. How many “workspaces” or “social accounts” are included, and what is the cost of adding more?
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What Critical Marketing Features Does It Offer?
A scheduler is just a scheduler. The extra tools are where true efficiency comes from:
- Analytics and Reporting: Can you export reports easily for clients? Are the reports customizable, and do they show you the performance metrics that actually matter to your business goals?
- Social Listening and Competitor Analysis: Do you need to know what people are saying about you when they don’t tag you? Do you need to track your rivals’ content strategies? If yes, you need a tool with these features built in (like Social Champ’s higher tiers).
- Asset Management: Does it have a good media library where your whole team can share graphics, videos, and client-approved assets easily?
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What Is the True Cost of Ownership?
Beyond the monthly fee, consider these long-term factors:
- Integrations: Does the tool connect easily with your essential software, like Bitly, Canva, HubSpot, or Zapier? Rebuilding processes just to fit a tool’s limitations is expensive.
- Support Quality: When something breaks, and it will, do you get quick, responsive help via live chat and priority email, or are you stuck waiting for a response? A dedicated account manager (like some high-tier plans offer) can be priceless.
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Conclusion
We’ve broken down the numbers and compared the features, and the conclusion is clear: There is a right tool for every business, but the right tool isn’t always the most expensive one.
Gain is a fantastic tool; we won’t deny its excellence in managing complex, multi-step client approvals.
If your agency’s single, defining challenge is getting that one-click client sign-off, and you have the budget to support it, Gain does the job well.
But for the vast majority of small businesses and growing agencies, Gain pricing might feel expensive, and Social Champ is the smarter, savvier alternative.
The choice is yours: Invest in a tool built primarily for high-cost client approval, or invest in a flexible, budget-friendly platform that truly empowers your entire team to manage, analyze, and grow your social presence.
Make the smart move. Choose the alternative that grows with you, not one that restricts you.
