Editor's note, November 1, 2026: Rebuilt list: the 2021 list of Facebook tools, including name generators, scrapers, video downloaders and auto-likers, was rebuilt for businesses and marketing teams, with 10 tools for publishing, community management, ads, Messenger and creative compared on features, price and public reviews, checked on 1 November 2026.
How we choose: we research each tool on its own site, check prices at the source and read what users say in public reviews. Our method
Meta Business Suite is the best Facebook tool for most businesses. It is free, comes from Meta, and handles scheduled posts and stories, messages, comments and insights for your Facebook Page and Instagram account in one place. Use Meta Ads Manager, also free to use, for paid campaigns.
Add a third-party tool when Facebook is one of several networks or a team shares the work. Agorapulse is the strongest for moderating organic and ad comments, Buffer is the cheapest way to post to Pages and Groups, and SocialPilot suits agencies with many Pages. Sprout Social and Hootsuite suit larger teams that report to management. For specific jobs, AdEspresso tests many ad variations, Manychat automates Messenger conversations and Canva makes the images.
A business uses Facebook for four jobs: publishing to a Page, answering comments and messages, running ads, and measuring what works. Start with Meta's free tools, then add others only for the jobs they do better, such as approvals, moderation rules, cross-network reports or ad testing. If you advertise, install the Meta Pixel on your site so you can measure results and retarget visitors. For tactics, see how to use Facebook to outgrow your competitors and attract more leads with Messenger bots. Prices below were checked on 1 November 2026.
The list at a glance
| # | Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Team |
|---|
| 1 |  Meta Business Suite | Businesses that want to run their Facebook Page and Instagram account for free | Free | Yes | Marketing |
| 2 |  Meta Ads Manager | Running and measuring paid campaigns on Facebook and Instagram | Free; you pay for the ads you run | Yes | Marketing |
| 3 |  Agorapulse | Teams that publish to Facebook and moderate comments, including comments on ads | $79 per user per month, billed annually | No | Marketing |
| 4 |  Buffer | Small businesses that want simple Facebook scheduling at a low price | $5 per channel per month, billed yearly | Yes | Marketing |
| 5 |  SocialPilot | Agencies and multi-location businesses that schedule to many Facebook Pages | $25.50 per month, billed yearly | No | Marketing |
| 6 |  Sprout Social | Larger teams that report on Facebook performance against competitors | $79 per seat per month, billed yearly | No | Marketing |
| 7 |  Hootsuite | Large teams that manage organic posts and Facebook ads from one dashboard | $99 per user per month | No | Marketing |
| 8 |  AdEspresso | Advertisers that test many Facebook and Instagram ad variations | $49 per month | No | Marketing |
| 9 |  Manychat | Automating Messenger conversations that turn into leads | $14 per month, billed yearly | Yes | Marketing |
| 10 |  Canva | Making Facebook posts, covers and ad creatives without a designer | $18 per month for one person | Yes | Marketing |
How we chose
We ranked each tool on the five points of our published method, in this order. First, fit: how much it helps a business or marketing team publish, engage, advertise and measure on Facebook. Second, the Facebook features that matter for those jobs, taken from each vendor's own documentation: supported post formats, inbox and moderation, ad management and testing, Messenger automation and reporting. Third, price and how clearly it is stated, including free plans and trials. Fourth, what users report in public reviews on G2, or on Capterra and Google Play where a tool has no G2 listing. Fifth, whether the product is actively developed.
Every tool was researched on its own website, pricing page and help documentation, and in public reviews. We did not test the tools ourselves. Meta's own free tools rank first because every business on Facebook needs them. Management tools follow, ranked by Facebook features, price and reviews, and specialists for ad testing, Messenger and design come last because each covers one job. Name generators, scrapers, video downloaders and auto-like tools from the earlier version of this page were left out because they do not help a business market itself on Facebook. Browse more in our social media tools.
Best for businesses that want to run their Facebook Page and Instagram account for free
1. Meta Business Suite
Marketing- Starting price
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best Facebook tool for most businesses. Meta's own free tool schedules posts and stories, gathers messages and comments in one inbox and shows insights for your Page and Instagram account.
Why it's on the list
Meta Business Suite is free and comes from the company that runs Facebook. Its planner creates and schedules posts, stories and ads for Facebook, Instagram or both, on a computer or in the mobile app. The inbox collects messages and comments from your Facebook Page, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Business account, and you can set automated responses to common questions. Insights show how your content performs and who your audience is. It covers only Meta's apps, which is why teams that also post to LinkedIn or TikTok add a third-party tool. Capterra's Facebook Business Suite listing holds 4.3 out of 5 from 194 reviews, with one dashboard and one inbox at no cost praised most.
Pros
- Free, with no subscription
- Schedules posts and stories to Facebook and Instagram
- One inbox for Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Business
- Automated responses for common questions
Cons
- Covers only Meta's own apps
- Lighter analytics and no competitor tracking
- Capterra reviewers mention slow loading and features that change after updates
Who it's for
Small and mid-size businesses that market mainly on Facebook and Instagram.
Who should skip it
Teams that manage many brands or networks and need approvals and reports. Agorapulse or Sprout Social fit better.
More about Meta Business Suite: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for running and measuring paid campaigns on Facebook and Instagram
2. Meta Ads Manager
Marketing- Starting price
- Free; you pay for the ads you run
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The essential tool for Facebook ads. Every campaign runs through it, it costs nothing to use, and it holds Meta's full targeting, testing and reporting.
Why it's on the list
Meta Ads Manager is where you build campaigns, choose a budget and audience, and track results across Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and the Audience Network. Meta recommends Advantage+ placements, which let its system show each ad where it is likely to do best, and with the Meta Pixel on your site you can build custom audiences from visitors and lookalike audiences of people like your customers. A/B tests compare two versions that differ in one variable, such as image, text, audience or placement, for 1 to 30 days. The tool has no fee. You set a daily or lifetime budget, and Meta says there is no minimum. The Meta Ads Manager app holds 4.0 out of 5 on Google Play from about 599,000 reviews.
Pros
- Free to use; you pay only for ads
- Custom and lookalike audiences with the Meta Pixel
- Built-in A/B testing on separate audiences
- Mobile app to manage budgets and campaigns
Cons
- Covers only paid ads, not organic posts
- Menus and feature names change often
- Reviewers mention slow support and ad rejections that are hard to resolve
Who it's for
Any business that advertises on Facebook or Instagram, from a small daily budget upward.
Who should skip it
Businesses that only post organically. Meta Business Suite is enough for them.
More about Meta Ads Manager: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for teams that publish to Facebook and moderate comments, including comments on ads
3. Agorapulse
Marketing- Starting price
- $79 per user per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best third-party tool for Facebook community management. Agorapulse brings organic and ad comments into one inbox with moderation rules, and reports on several Pages at once.
Why it's on the list
Agorapulse schedules Facebook content with copy tailored per account, a first comment, labels for campaigns and Canva for images, and you can boost posts from the same place. Its inbox lets a team moderate organic and ad comments together, and automated rules can assign, hide, label or delete comments, which matters when ads attract spam or complaints. Reports cover one or several Pages, and its ROI reports connect Google Analytics to show the traffic and leads that came from social posts. Standard costs $79 per user per month billed yearly, or $99 month to month, for 10 social profiles, and there is a 30-day free trial without a card. It holds 4.5 out of 5 on G2 from more than 950 reviews and 4.6 on Capterra from more than 700, with the interface, support and inbox praised most.
Pros
- One inbox for organic and ad comments
- Moderation rules that assign, hide or label comments
- Boost posts and report on several Pages
- 30-day free trial without a card
Cons
- Priced per user, from $79 per month billed yearly
- No free plan since July 2026
- Approvals need Professional at $119 per user
Who it's for
Marketing and community teams that run busy Facebook Pages and ads and answer comments together.
Who should skip it
Small businesses that only schedule posts. Buffer or SocialPilot cost far less.
More about Agorapulse: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for small businesses that want simple Facebook scheduling at a low price
4. Buffer
Marketing- Starting price
- $5 per channel per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The simplest and cheapest way to post to Facebook regularly, with a free plan and support for Pages and Groups.
Why it's on the list
Buffer schedules text, image, Reels, multi-photo and link posts to Facebook Pages and Groups, and Stories to Pages. Page posts publish automatically, while Group posts and Page Stories arrive as a phone reminder to finish by hand. You can monitor and reply to Facebook and Instagram comments, and its insights cover reach, impressions, engagement and follower growth, with boosted and organic posts tracked separately and your best day to post. The free plan covers 3 channels, and Essentials costs $5 per channel per month billed yearly, or $6 month to month, with a 14-day free trial. It holds 4.3 out of 5 on G2 from 1,042 reviews, with its simple design praised most.
Pros
- Free plan for 3 channels
- Supports Facebook Pages and Groups
- Comment replies and insights included
- Low price per channel
Cons
- Group posts and Page Stories need a phone reminder
- No competitor tracking
- G2 reviewers say larger teams can outgrow its analytics
Who it's for
Small businesses, solo marketers and lean teams that post to Facebook and a few other networks.
Who should skip it
Teams that moderate busy Pages or report to management. Agorapulse or Sprout Social do more.
More about Buffer: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for agencies and multi-location businesses that schedule to many Facebook Pages
5. SocialPilot
Marketing- Starting price
- $25.50 per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
A good-value option for many Pages. SocialPilot publishes every Facebook format and can bulk-schedule hundreds of posts, with an inbox and reports from its Standard plan.
Why it's on the list
SocialPilot publishes Facebook text, link and carousel posts, Stories and Reels, and lets you add call-to-action buttons with links to landing pages. From Premium you can upload a CSV file and schedule up to 500 posts to several Facebook accounts at once, which suits agencies and brands with local Pages. Standard, at $42.50 per month billed yearly, adds the social inbox, analytics and manager approval for 15 accounts and 3 users, and Essentials starts at $25.50 per month billed yearly. There is a 14-day free trial that SocialPilot says needs no card. It holds 4.5 out of 5 on G2 from about 850 reviews and 4.4 on Capterra from about 375, with easy scheduling and value praised most.
Pros
- Publishes posts, carousels, Stories and Reels to Facebook
- Bulk scheduling of up to 500 posts on Premium
- Several users included without per-seat pricing
Cons
- Essentials has no analytics or inbox
- Bulk scheduling and competitor reports need Premium at $85 per month billed yearly
- Reviewers mention missing features and occasional posting errors
Who it's for
Agencies, franchises and multi-location brands that post to many Facebook Pages.
Who should skip it
A single business with one Page. Buffer or Meta Business Suite are cheaper.
More about SocialPilot: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for larger teams that report on Facebook performance against competitors
6. Sprout Social
Marketing- Starting price
- $79 per seat per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The strongest reporting here, including a Facebook competitor report, but priced per seat and best suited to larger teams.
Why it's on the list
Sprout Social's Facebook Competitors Report tracks public Facebook Pages and compares their fans, engagement and audience growth with yours, and its Smart Inbox gathers messages and comments for a team to answer, tag and assign. Professional adds competitor, tag and paid performance insights, so organic and paid results sit in one place. Essentials costs $79 per seat per month billed yearly, or $99 month to month, but the Smart Inbox needs Standard at $199 and competitor insights need Professional at $299. There is a 30-day free trial without a card. It holds 4.4 out of 5 on G2 from more than 6,900 reviews, where ease of use is praised most and price is the main complaint.
Pros
- Facebook competitor report on fans, engagement and growth
- Smart Inbox with tagging and assignment
- Organic and paid performance in one reporting tool
Cons
- Priced per seat, from $79 per month billed yearly
- Inbox and competitor reports need higher plans
- G2 reviewers mention no scheduling to private Facebook groups
Who it's for
Mid-size and larger marketing teams that report Facebook results to management.
Who should skip it
Small businesses. Meta Business Suite and Buffer cover the basics for little or nothing.
More about Sprout Social: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for large teams that manage organic posts and Facebook ads from one dashboard
7. Hootsuite
Marketing- Starting price
- $99 per user per month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
A broad platform that schedules posts, answers messages and tracks Facebook ads in one place, but the most expensive tool here for one user.
Why it's on the list
Hootsuite schedules Facebook photos and videos with built-in post templates and a Best Time to Publish feature that suggests when to post based on a goal you choose. Its inbox shows Page private messages, comments and replies in one place, and its analytics show paid and organic Facebook results side by side, with benchmarks against competitors and your industry. You can post, schedule and track Facebook ads from the dashboard. Standard costs $99 per user per month billed yearly for up to 10 social accounts, with a 14-day free trial that limits posting. It holds 4.3 out of 5 on G2 from more than 7,500 reviews, with scheduling across networks praised most and price criticised most.
Pros
- Best Time to Publish based on your goal
- Paid and organic results side by side
- Manage Facebook ads next to organic posts
- Competitor and industry benchmarks
Cons
- No free plan, and $99 per user per month on the first plan
- The free trial limits posting
- G2 reviewers mention failed posts and fewer features on lower plans
Who it's for
Larger marketing teams that run several brands or regions on Facebook and other networks.
Who should skip it
Small businesses with one Page. Buffer or SocialPilot do the job for far less.
More about Hootsuite: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for advertisers that test many Facebook and Instagram ad variations
8. AdEspresso
Marketing- Starting price
- $49 per month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
A specialist for ad testing. AdEspresso builds many ad variations at once and pauses weak ones by rule, but its reviews are weaker than the other tools here.
Why it's on the list
AdEspresso's Grid Composer combines creatives and targeting options into many ad variations at once so you can split test them, and its automatic optimisation and custom rules pause ads that underperform. It can also promote organic Page posts automatically when they meet rules for engagement or keywords, sync lead ad contacts to other tools and send scheduled PDF reports. Starter costs $49 per month for up to $1,000 in monthly ad spend, Plus costs $99 per month with unlimited spend, and there is a 14-day free trial. It holds 3.6 out of 5 on G2 from 74 reviews, where the interface and time saved are praised and support is the main complaint.
Pros
- Bulk ad variations and split tests
- Rules that pause weak ads automatically
- Automatic promotion of organic Page posts
- 14-day free trial
Cons
- Starter caps monthly ad spend at $1,000
- Lower G2 rating than the other tools, from a small number of reviews
- Covers only Facebook and Instagram ads
Who it's for
Performance marketers and agencies that run many Facebook and Instagram ad tests.
Who should skip it
Businesses that run a few simple campaigns. Ads Manager's own A/B tests are enough.
More about AdEspresso: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for automating Messenger conversations that turn into leads
9. Manychat
Marketing- Starting price
- $14 per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best tool for Facebook Messenger automation. Manychat builds no-code conversations that answer questions, qualify leads and hand over to a person when needed.
Why it's on the list
Manychat's Flow Builder creates multi-step Messenger conversations with tags, custom fields, sequences and A/B tests, and you can take over a chat by hand from the live chat inbox. The same account can also automate Instagram, TikTok and other channels. Manychat says it works through Meta's official API, which generally allows automated replies within 24 hours of a person's last message, so it suits replies to people who contact you rather than cold messaging. The free plan covers 25 active contacts a month on up to 2 channels, and Essential costs $14 per month billed yearly, or $17 month to month, for 250 contacts. It holds 4.5 out of 5 on G2 from about 165 reviews, with ease of use and automation praised most.
Pros
- Visual flow builder for Messenger, with no code
- Tags, sequences and A/B tests
- Live chat takeover
- Free plan to start
Cons
- Price rises with the number of active contacts
- Messaging rules limit when you can send automated messages
- G2 reviewers mention restrictive features and support
Who it's for
Businesses that get many questions through Messenger or run lead campaigns that end in a chat.
Who should skip it
Pages with few messages. Meta Business Suite's automated responses may be enough.
More about Manychat: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for making Facebook posts, covers and ad creatives without a designer
10. Canva
Marketing- Starting price
- $18 per month for one person
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The easiest way to make on-brand Facebook images and ad creatives, with a free plan and brand controls for teams.
Why it's on the list
Canva gives marketers templates and stock photos, videos and graphics for social posts and ads, and Brand Kits keep logos, colours and fonts consistent across every design. On Pro, Magic Resize turns one design into other formats, and Pro also adds social content scheduling. Canva's Grow tools add ad insights and AI-generated ad creatives. The free plan includes 1.6 million templates, Pro costs $18 per month or $144 a year for one person, and teams need Business at $25 per person per month. It holds 4.7 out of 5 on G2 from more than 7,800 reviews, with ease of use and templates praised most.
Pros
- Large template library for posts and ads
- Brand Kits keep designs consistent
- Free plan, with resizing and scheduling on Pro
Cons
- Pro is for one person; teams need Business
- G2 reviewers mention limits for advanced design work
Who it's for
Marketers and small teams who create their own Facebook posts and ad images.
Who should skip it
Teams with a designer working in a full design tool.
More about Canva: pricing, features and alternatives
Also considered
- Loomly: A content calendar with approval workflows that publishes to Facebook and other networks. It was left out because Agorapulse and SocialPilot cover Facebook in more depth, and Loomly starts at $49 per month billed yearly.
- Smartly: An enterprise platform for large paid social programmes across several ad networks, priced on request. Too large for most businesses reading this list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free Facebook marketing tool?
Meta Business Suite is free and handles posts, stories, messages and insights for your Page and Instagram account, and Meta Ads Manager is free to use for paid campaigns. Buffer, Manychat and Canva also have free plans.
What is the difference between Meta Business Suite and Ads Manager?
Business Suite is the hub for organic posts, messages and insights, and it can create simple ads. Ads Manager is the full advertising tool, with campaign structure, detailed targeting, A/B tests and ad reports.
Do I need the Meta Pixel?
You do not need it to run ads, but it helps. The [Meta Pixel](/glossary/facebook-pixel/) is a piece of code on your website that reports actions such as page views and purchases to Meta, which uses them to measure results, improve delivery and build custom and lookalike audiences. Meta recommends pairing it with the Conversions API.
Can I schedule posts to Facebook Groups?
Some tools support it with limits. Buffer schedules to Facebook Groups but sends a phone reminder so you finish the post yourself. G2 reviewers of Sprout Social say it cannot schedule to private Facebook groups.
Should I use auto-like or follower tools on Facebook?
No. Meta's spam policy covers buying, selling or exchanging engagement such as likes, follows and shares, and inflated numbers tell you nothing about real customers. That is why this list leaves those tools out.
Missing a tool?
Software companies can submit their tool for review. Whether it's added is an editorial decision. Submit a tool
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