Hootsuite has been the favorite tool of many for years, but it’s not the only tool in the toolbox anymore, and quite frankly, it’s not always the best tool for everyone.
Perhaps you’re sick of the cost increases. Perhaps the interface seems like it hasn’t kept pace with the way you work.
Or perhaps you simply want something that’s better suited to your expanding team, tighter budget, or changing priorities.
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Short Summary
- Hootsuite’s rising prices and a lack of a free plan, along with its complex interface, are driving users to explore other social media management tools.
- Social Champ, Buffer, Later, and SocialBee offer affordable, user-friendly alternatives with automation and scheduling features tailored for small teams.
- Sprout Social and Meltwater cater to enterprises with advanced analytics, social listening, and collaboration tools.
- Tools like Metricool and CoSchedule combine social scheduling with website and content analytics for deeper marketing insight.
- Many free or lower-cost options now compete directly with Hootsuite’s core capabilities, especially for small businesses and solo creators.
Whatever the cause, you’ve got choices, and good ones.
In this post, we’re digging into the top 12 Hootsuite competitors to check out in 2025.
Let’s find your perfect match.
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Why You Might Be Searching for Hootsuite Competitors
While Hootsuite has long been a staple in the social media management toolkit, it’s far from perfect, and lately, more users are starting to notice.
If you’ve found yourself side-eyeing your dashboard or wondering if there’s a better way to run your content calendar, you’re not alone.
Here are a few common reasons people are exploring other options:
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Rising Costs Without Clear Value
Let’s be blunt. Hootsuite has become pricey. For small teams and individuals, the price points feel quite steep, particularly when key features are reserved for still more costly plans.
What’s even more maddening is that the cost increase isn’t often matched with a discernible increase in functionality.
When your ROI begins to seem unclear, it’s only natural to question whether another tool might provide better value for money.
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Limited Features on Lower Tiers
You’d expect a premium platform to offer premium features, but with Hootsuite, many of those are locked behind pricey upgrades.
For instance, if you want in-depth analytics, you’ll need to pay more. Need team collaboration tools? Again, it’ll cost you.
For smaller businesses or creators operating on a tight budget, this creates a frustrating experience where the most useful tools feel just out of reach.
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No More Free Plan
Previously, Hootsuite had a free plan that was ideal for small brands or individuals starting out. That’s no longer the situation.
The elimination of its free plan has left many long-term users looking for alternatives that still provide simple scheduling and posting features for free.
When you’re just starting out or managing a side hustle, having any kind of free option makes a big difference, and losing that can feel like getting the rug pulled out from under you.
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Top 12 Hootsuite Competitors to Consider for Social Media Management in 2025
Here are 12 standout Hootsuite alternatives that are worth your attention.
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Social Champ
Social Champ’s Dashboard Social Champ is the new star in social media management that brings a well-balanced blend of strong features and simplicity.
It suits a wide range of users, including entrepreneurs, startups, and small marketing teams looking to remain consistent with their content strategy without having to dig through a complicated interface.
The platform enables scheduling and automation of posts to 11+ platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Threads, Mastodon, Bluesky, Instagram, Pinterest, WhatsApp Business, and Google Business Profile.
Its AI capabilities, evergreen content recycling, and visual calendar are features that make it a compelling platform for planning content and monitoring performance.
Key Features
- Plan and post content on all major social media platforms from a single dashboard.
- Re-share content that never goes out of date to keep your accounts active and engaging.
- Organize and plan your content with a visual drag-and-drop calendar.
- Track post performance, audience activity, and create detailed custom reports.
- Collaborate with multiple team members using role-based access and approval workflows for content.
- Connect with your audience through a unified social inbox.
- Schedule several hundred posts in bulk via CSV for streamlined bulk content planning.
- Share web content directly to your queue instantly with the Social Champ browser extension.
- Track all your brand mentions with social listening.
- Import and schedule content automatically from your blog or news sources of choice.
Pros
- Reasonable pricing levels
- Easy interface for beginners
- Powerful automation tools for the cost
Cons
- Limited capabilities on the free plan
- Minor learning curve with analytics configuration
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Sprout Social
Sprout Social’s Dashboard Sprout Social is one of the most professional social media management tools out there today.
It’s designed to scale, so it’s a top pick for large organizations, agencies, and enterprise teams that need advanced collaboration, security, and reporting.
With its sophisticated social listening features, audience CRM, and granular analytics, Sprout Social allows brands to make informed decisions.
It encompasses strategic content planning, real-time engagement, and team workflows all in one smooth interface.
Key Features
- Monitor brand mentions and trends with advanced social listening.
- Gain insights with analytics and reporting tools.
- Manage audiences effectively with built-in CRM capabilities.
- Streamline content reviews with team approval workflows.
- Handle all messages in one place with a centralized inbox.
Pros
- Strong analytics and insights
- Ideal for large teams
- Enterprise-level security and compliance
Cons
- Highly priced
- Overkill for individual users or small teams
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Later
Later’s Dashboard Later is a visually-led social media platform initially intended for Instagram but currently compatible with TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Facebook.
It distinguishes itself through its drag-and-drop calendar, management of media libraries, and clean design, making it well-suited for brands concerned about looks.
Influencers and marketers who would like to plan their feed visually will particularly benefit from Later. It also comes with good analytics and link-in-bio capabilities to help drive traffic.
Key Features
- Plan content easily with a drag-and-drop visual calendar.
- Schedule and publish across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
- Drive traffic with a customizable link in bio tool.
- Optimize reach with hashtag suggestions and performance tracking.
- Organize assets efficiently with a searchable, labeled media library.
Pros
- Excellent for visual planning and Instagram marketing
- Easy-to-use scheduling tools
- Solid mobile app
Cons
- Fewer post types on some platforms
- Basic analytics compared to others
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Buffer
Buffer’s Dashboard Buffer is still a favorite among users who appreciate simplicity and dependability in a social media automation tool.
It offers publishing, engagement, and analytics, and has just added AI-enabled capabilities for content generation.
It excels in its simplicity-focused interface, responsiveness, and simplified experience for freelancers, creators, and smaller teams.
It’s also among the last remaining platforms that still provides a very spacious free plan.
Key Features
- Publish and schedule content across multiple platforms with ease.
- Track interactions in real time with an engagement dashboard.
- Monitor performance with basic analytics.
- Share key links using a simple Start Page link-in-bio tool.
- Generate captions and post ideas with the help of an AI assistant.
Pros
- It’s user-friendly
- Has a free plan
- Good customer support
Cons
- Limited features on lower plans
- Analytics are relatively basic
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Agorapulse
Agorapulse’s Dashboard Agorapulse is a full-featured social media management solution designed for marketers. It’s particularly useful for agencies and businesses that require managing multiple brands or client accounts.
With customer interaction at its core, Agorapulse delivers an integrated inbox, in-depth performance reports, and CRM-style tagging to control audience relationships.
Its clean UI, along with approval workflows, makes it ideal for collaborative work.
Key Features
- Manage all conversations in one place with a unified inbox.
- Stay ahead with powerful competitor analysis tools.
- Collaborate efficiently with team roles and assignments.
- Plan and organize content using a publishing calendar.
- Build stronger relationships with a built-in CRM.
- Measure success with ROI reporting for social campaigns.
Pros
- Great for working with multiple clients or brands
- Strong analytics and reporting
- Great support
Cons
- More expensive than some options
- A bit steep learning curve
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Metricool
Metricool’s Homepage Metricool is an analytics-driven platform that integrates content planning with wide-ranging analytics.
It isn’t limited to social media platforms but can analyze website traffic, as well as paid ad performance on channels like Google, Facebook, and TikTok.
Its easy-to-use dashboard enables marketers and agencies to make informed decisions based on data.
Metricool is perfect for those who need a 360-degree analysis of their online performance without switching between tools.
Key Features
- Track performance in real time with live social media and web analytics.
- Streamline your strategy with content scheduling and planning.
- Analyze campaign impact with paid ad reporting for Google, Meta, and TikTok.
- Gain insights with in-depth competitor studies.
- Share insights professionally with white-labeled reports.
Pros
- Outstanding depth of analytics
- Competitive pricing plan
- Tracks social and website metrics
Cons
- UI might be more contemporary
- Some sync issues with platforms now and again
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Sendible
Sendible’s Dashboard Sendible is designed for digital marketing agencies with multiple clients. The platform is extremely customizable, with a number of branding, workflow, and client-facing features.
It accommodates scheduling, engagement, and monitoring on all major social sites.
What sets Sendible apart is its automation through RSS feeds and its capacity to schedule content well for large teams.
Key Features
- Visualize key metrics your way with customizable dashboards.
- Streamline operations with dedicated client management tools.
- Monitor conversations and trends with social listening.
- Keep content fresh with AI-powered suggestions.
- Maintain quality control with streamlined approval workflows.
- Automate content sharing with RSS feed integration.
Pros
- Scalable for teams and agencies
- Broad tool and platform integration
- Strong collaboration tools with clients
Cons
- Steep learning curve for premium features
- The interface may feel overly cluttered
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Loomly
Loomly’s Dashboard Loomly is an interactive social media planning tool made for organized content planning and brand alignment.
It has comprehensive approval workflows and content optimization advice that keeps marketing teams coordinated.
Regardless of whether you’re scheduling across channels or collaborating with several contributors, Loomly gives you a versatile workspace that keeps everything on schedule.
It’s perfect for agencies, in-house departments, and content strategists.
Key Features
- Get post ideas and optimization tips to boost engagement.
- Keep content aligned with streamlined workflow approvals.
- View your schedule in flexible calendar and list formats.
- Track content performance across channels with ease.
- Share and organize creative assets in a centralized team library.
Pros
- Collaboration tools integrated
- Excellent for content planning
- Useful post improvement suggestions
Cons
- No in-depth analytics
- Few social listening tools
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SocialPilot
SocialPilot’s Dashboard SocialPilot is a high-value choice for agencies that desire advanced features without the enterprise price level. It’s perfect for small agencies, consultants, and expanding organizations.
With multi-account support, white-labeled reports, and bulk scheduling, SocialPilot provides an effortless way to handle numerous clients or brands under one dashboard.
It’s also regarded as providing additional features compared to alternatives available at comparable price levels.
Key Features
- Save time by publishing at scale with bulk scheduling.
- Manage multiple clients seamlessly with dedicated tools.
- Plan and organize posts with a visual content calendar.
- Deliver branded insights with white-labeled reports.
- Work efficiently with built-in team collaboration features.
Pros
- Great value for the features
- Handles numerous accounts simultaneously
- Strong customer support
Cons
- UI is a bit outdated
- No social inbox or listening tools
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CoSchedule
CoSchedule’s Dashboard CoSchedule is a great tool for brands that primarily deal with content management.
Its Marketing Calendar allows you to plan blog posts, email campaigns, social content, and team tasks all in one place.
Ideal for content-driven teams, CoSchedule allows users to simplify the entire publishing process. Its ReQueue tool is handy for keeping evergreen content flowing automatically as well.
Key Features
- Coordinate campaigns with an integrated marketing calendar.
- Keep content fresh with ReQueue automation for evergreen posts.
- Publish and analyze content across social channels in one place.
- Stay organized with task assignments and workflow tools.
- Connect with WordPress and HubSpot.
Pros
- Excellent for handling complicated campaigns
- Perfect for editorial teams
- Highly developed project management features
Cons
- Social features are a second priority to content tools
- Higher learning curve for individual users
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SocialBee
SocialBee’s Dashboard SocialBee is a multipurpose and budget-friendly social media scheduler designed for small business owners, solopreneurs, and virtual assistants.
It emphasizes efficiency through content recycling and categorization, so your feeds remain active without constant human intervention.
It also provides concierge services for people who wish to outsource content generation and management. SocialBee delivers great value for money, with great support and onboarding.
Key Features
- Maximize value with content recycling and smart categorization.
- Schedule posts across all major platforms from one dashboard.
- Get expert support with optional concierge services.
- Use custom URLs with tracking to measure campaign impact.
- Automate workflows easily with Zapier integration.
Pros
- Smart content recycling features
- Budget-friendly
- Onboarding and tutorials
Cons
- UI isn’t the most polished
- Analytics are somewhat limited
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Meltwater
Meltwater’s Homepage Meltwater extends beyond general social media management with enterprise-level media monitoring, analytics, and PR tracking.
It’s intended for big businesses looking for full control over their online brand presence, including news media mentions and digital channels.
Meltwater is strongest in areas of social listening, influencer monitoring, and real-time campaign performance metrics.
It’s ideal for teams working on reputation management and strategic insights.
Key Features
- Stay informed with social media listening and monitoring tools.
- Measure performance with competitive benchmarking insights.
- Discover key voices with influencer identification tools.
- Track the impact of PR campaigns across channels.
- Visualize data your way with custom reporting dashboards.
Pros
- Very powerful analytics and insights
- Excellent for reputation management
- Scalable for big organizations
Cons
- Very costly
- Not suitable for beginners
Each of these platforms offers something different. The right tool is based on team size, budget, and the level of depth you want to achieve in analytics, automation, or collaboration.
The most important thing is finding one that feels like an extension of how you already work.
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Comprehensive Comparison: Hootsuite vs Its Top Competitors
To make it easier for you, here’s a quick comparison table between Hootsuite vs its competitors:
| Tool | Free Plan | Starting Price (Monthly) | Notable Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | ❌ | $99/month | – Publishing
– Analytics – Social listening – Ad management |
| Social Champ | ✅ | $4/month | – Publishing & scheduling
– Social media calendar – Engage – Social listening – Analytics |
| Sprout Social | ❌ | $199/month | – Engagement
– Analytics – Content planning – Customer care |
| Later | ✅ | $16.67/month | – Visual content calendar
– Post scheduling – Instagram link-in-bio – Analytics |
| Buffer | ✅ | $5/month | – Content creation
– Publishing – Analytics – Engagement – Collaboration |
| Agorapulse | ✅ | $79/month | – Publishing
– Collaboration – Engagement – Reporting – Listening |
| Metricool | ✅ | $18/month | – Basic scheduling
– Analytics – Inbox – Integrations |
| Sendible | ❌ | $29/month | – Smart queues
– CRM integration – White-label reports – Client collaboration |
| Loomly | ❌ | Not Listed | – Publish & schedule
– Collaboration – Content creation – Engagement – Reporting |
| SocialPilot | ❌ | $25.50/month | – Scheduling
– Analytics – Client management – White-label reporting – Team collaboration |
| CoSchedule | ✅ | $19/month | – Calendar
– Social publishing – Content creation – AI tools – Analytics |
| SocialBee | ❌ | $24/month | – Content categories
– AI assistant – Evergreen recycling – Concierge services |
| Meltwater | ❌ | Not Listed | – Social media scheduling
– Reporting & Analytics – Team collaboration |
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How Social Champ Compares to Hootsuite: Key Features and Benefits
Social Champ has gradually become a viable alternative to the social media management niche, particularly for users who no longer see Hootsuite providing the value it once did.
Both tools provide necessary features, such as scheduling, analytics, and multi-platform posting, but differ greatly in usability, cost, and automation capabilities. Here’s the comparison:
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Ease of Use and Interface
Social Champ is built with a sleek, easy-to-use interface that’s simple for newbies to grasp but still feature-rich enough for advanced marketers.
Its dashboard is light and streamlined, so day-to-day scheduling and tracking are quick and easy.
Hootsuite, however, boasts a cluttered and older interface. Though it’s powerful, it can be daunting, particularly for beginners.
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Scheduling and Automation
Social Champ is also superior in terms of automation. It provides evergreen content recycling, artificial intelligence-based content suggestions, and a visual drag-and-drop calendar.
These features enable users to have a consistent posting schedule with little human intervention.
Hootsuite has rudimentary scheduling and bulk uploading capabilities, but lacks in-built content recycling. Instead, it relies on integrations or workarounds for advanced automations.
This provides Social Champ with an evident advantage when it comes to long-term content management effectiveness.
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Analytics and Reporting
Hootsuite has one of the strongest analytics, but only available on more expensive plans. Basic plan users have limited access and have to pay extra for deeper reporting or custom dashboards.
Social Champ has significant analytics even in lower-cost plans. Not as in-depth as Hootsuite’s enterprise-level, the reporting included is far more than what small businesses and emerging brands need.
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Pricing and Value
One of Social Champ’s greatest strengths is how it prices its plans. It has clearly defined, affordable plans that provide users with most of its top features without needing to upgrade.
Starting at only $4/month, Social Champ is considered one of the most cost-effective Hootsuite competitors.
Hootsuite has been faulted for its expensive pricing and frequent plan changes, even stripping its free plan. Most users end up paying more and receiving less unless they lock into enterprise pricing.
Best For
- Social Champ is perfect for solopreneurs, small business owners, startups, large enterprises, and lean marketing teams that are looking for cost-effective automation, visual planning, and a sleek interface.
- Hootsuite is more suitable for large enterprises or agencies that require advanced features, in-depth analytics, and are willing to pay a premium for them.
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Conclusion
Ultimately, the best social media management tool is one that works for you, not necessarily the one with the most bells and whistles or the most fame.
Hootsuite might have been the leader of the pack for decades, but with increasing costs, the elimination of its free option, and a UX that’s starting to feel dated, users are understandably looking elsewhere for newer, more agile options.
Whether you’re a sole creator wanting ease of use, a startup pursuing value, or an agency running a dozen brands, there’s a platform out there that more accurately fits your objectives.
From Social Champ’s user-friendly design to Meltwater’s enterprise-grade capability, this list presents you with a broad assortment of tools to work with, each with its own capabilities, pricing, and specialization.
Seize free trials, check out demos, and consider what really counts in your process, automation? collaboration? analysis? Once you have that settled, you’ll be closer to the point where social media won’t feel like drudgery and more like a strategic asset.
1 comment
Jaxson Martin
I found your article super informative and helpful. I am always looking for ways to improve my workflow and find the best tools to help me achieve my goals.