Editor's note, November 1, 2026: Rebuilt list: the old list of 12 social media tools re-ranked and rewritten as 11 current tools for publishing, inbox, analytics, design and listening, with prices, free plans 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
Agorapulse is the best social media tool for most marketing teams. Its first paid plan covers publishing, a shared inbox for comments and messages, and reports for 10 social profiles at $79 per user per month billed annually, and you can try it free for 30 days without a card. Sprout Social and Hootsuite go further on analytics and monitoring for larger teams, and Buffer is the best choice on a small budget, with a free plan for 3 channels.
Other tools here do one job especially well. Metricool gives low-cost analytics and competitor tracking, Sendible is built for agencies with many clients, Later suits visual planning, and Loomly suits teams that need approvals. Canva covers design, Brand24 covers listening across the web, and Meta Business Suite is free if you only use Facebook and Instagram.
When you choose, check how the price grows: per user (Agorapulse, Sprout Social, Hootsuite), per channel (Buffer), per brand (Metricool) or per client workspace (Sendible). Then check whether the plan you can afford includes the shared inbox, approvals and the reports you need, and whether listening costs extra. Prices below were checked on 1 November 2026. To decide what to measure once you have a tool, read how to measure social media marketing success.
The list at a glance
| # | Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan | Team |
|---|
| 1 |  Agorapulse | Marketing teams that publish, answer and report from one tool | $79 per user per month, billed annually | No | Marketing |
| 2 |  Sprout Social | Larger teams that want deep analytics and a polished shared inbox | $79 per seat per month, billed yearly | No | Marketing |
| 3 |  Hootsuite | Teams that want brand monitoring and an inbox on the first plan | $99 per user per month | No | Marketing |
| 4 |  Buffer | Small teams and solo marketers who want simple scheduling on a budget | $5 per channel per month, billed yearly | Yes | Marketing |
| 5 |  Metricool | Small teams that want low-cost analytics and competitor tracking | $20 per month, billed yearly | Yes | Marketing |
| 6 |  Sendible | Agencies that manage social media for many clients | $30 per month, billed yearly | No | Marketing |
| 7 |  Later | Brands that plan visual content for Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest | $18.75 USD per month | No | Marketing |
| 8 |  Loomly | Teams that need approval workflows before posts go live | $49 per month | No | Marketing |
| 9 |  Canva | Marketers who design their own social graphics and videos | $18 per month for one person | Yes | Marketing |
| 10 |  Brand24 | Marketers who need to track brand mentions beyond social media | $199 per month, billed yearly | No | Marketing |
| 11 |  Meta Business Suite | Small businesses that only use Facebook and Instagram | Free | Yes | Marketing |
How we chose
We ranked each tool on the five points of our published method, in this order. First, fit for marketers: how much of the daily social media work it covers, from planning and publishing to answering comments, reporting and monitoring your brand. Second, the features that matter for that work, such as the networks supported, the number of profiles and users on each plan, the shared inbox, approvals, analytics and listening, taken from vendor pricing pages and documentation. Third, price and how clearly it is stated, including free plans and trials. Fourth, what users report in public reviews on G2 and Capterra. Fifth, whether the product is actively developed.
Every tool was researched on its own website, pricing page and help documentation, and in public reviews. All-round management suites rank highest because they cover the most of the job in one place. Tools that do one part of it, such as design, listening or Meta-only management, rank lower, even when they lead in their own category. For more on specific channels, see our lists of Instagram tools, Facebook tools and content calendar tools, and read why social media marketing is important.
Best for marketing teams that publish, answer and report from one tool
1. Agorapulse
Marketing- Starting price
- $79 per user per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best all-round choice for marketing teams. Its first plan covers publishing, a shared inbox and reports for 10 social profiles, and the 30-day free trial needs no credit card.
Why it's on the list
Agorapulse publishes to 10 social networks and collects comments, private messages, mentions, reviews and ad comments from every profile in one inbox, with moderation rules that hide, label or assign items by keyword. Reports with white-label exports come on every plan, and a Google Analytics connection shows the traffic, leads and revenue that social posts bring in. Standard costs $79 per user per month billed annually, or $99 month to month, for 10 social profiles, and the 30-day free trial needs no credit card. Listening is a paid add-on; Agorapulse bought the listening tool Mention in 2025 and now sells it as Agorapulse Listening. 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
- Publishing, shared inbox and reports on every plan
- 10 social profiles on the Standard plan
- 30-day free trial without a credit card
- 4.5 out of 5 on G2 and 4.6 on Capterra
Cons
- Priced per user, so the bill grows with the team
- The free plan closed in July 2026
- Listening is an add-on sold through sales, and G2 reviewers mention features held back for higher plans
Who it's for
In-house marketing teams and agencies that manage several brands, answer comments as a team and report results to managers or clients.
Who should skip it
Solo marketers who mainly schedule posts. Buffer or Metricool cost far less.
More about Agorapulse: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for larger teams that want deep analytics and a polished shared inbox
2. Sprout Social
Marketing- Starting price
- $79 per seat per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
A premium suite with strong reporting. Its consolidated inbox starts on the $199 Standard plan, so it costs more than Agorapulse for the same core work.
Why it's on the list
Sprout Social covers publishing, profile and post reporting, optimal send times and its Trellis AI agent on every plan. Essentials costs $79 per seat per month billed yearly, or $99 month to month, for 5 social profiles. The consolidated inbox, keyword and location monitoring and review management start on Standard at $199 per seat per month billed yearly. Professional, at $299, adds unlimited profiles and competitor, tag and paid performance insights, and listening and premium analytics are add-ons from Standard. The 30-day free trial needs no credit card. It holds 4.4 out of 5 on G2 from more than 6,900 reviews, where ease of use and support are praised and price per seat is the most common complaint.
Pros
- Detailed reports, with competitor and paid insights from Professional
- 30-day free trial without a credit card
- Listening and premium analytics available as add-ons
- 4.4 out of 5 on G2 from more than 6,900 reviews
Cons
- The consolidated inbox starts at $199 per seat per month billed yearly
- Only 5 social profiles on Essentials and Standard
- Price per seat is the top complaint on G2
Who it's for
Mid-size and large marketing teams that report social performance to leadership and need a strong shared inbox.
Who should skip it
Small teams on a budget. Agorapulse gives an inbox and 10 profiles from $79 per user.
More about Sprout Social: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for teams that want brand monitoring and an inbox on the first plan
3. Hootsuite
Marketing- Starting price
- $99 per user per month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
One of the most complete suites, with brand and competitor monitoring on its first plan, but it has the highest starting price on this list.
Why it's on the list
Hootsuite's Standard plan covers 10 social accounts with unlimited scheduling, one inbox for replying to messages, monitoring of your brand and competitors, and analytics with benchmarking against five competitors. Professional adds unlimited accounts, automated inbox replies, searches over 30 days of conversations and trend forecasts up to 90 days ahead. Standard costs $99 per user per month billed annually and Professional $199, and both have a 14-day free trial. It holds 4.3 out of 5 on G2 from more than 7,500 reviews, where scheduling across networks is praised and price and fewer features on lower plans are the main complaints.
Pros
- Brand and competitor monitoring from the Standard plan
- One inbox and competitor benchmarking on the first plan
- 14-day free trial
- More than 7,500 reviews on G2
Cons
- Highest starting price here, at $99 per user per month billed annually
- G2 reviewers say lower plans have fewer features than before
- Some reviewers report failed posts and upload limits
Who it's for
Marketing teams that want listening and publishing in one tool without buying a separate listening product.
Who should skip it
Small teams and freelancers. Buffer, Metricool or Sendible start far lower.
More about Hootsuite: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for small teams and solo marketers who want simple scheduling on a budget
4. Buffer
Marketing- Starting price
- $5 per channel per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best value. A free plan covers 3 channels, and paid plans cost $5 or $10 per channel, so you pay only for the accounts you use.
Why it's on the list
Buffer schedules posts to 12 networks, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and Google Business Profile, with analytics and a community inbox for replies. The free plan covers 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel and one user. Essentials costs $5 per channel per month billed yearly, or $6 month to month, and Team costs $10 per channel per month billed yearly, with unlimited users and approval workflows. Paid plans have a 14-day free trial. It holds 4.3 out of 5 on G2 from 1,042 reviews, where its simple design and easy scheduling are praised; teams that need deep analytics or listening say they outgrow it.
Pros
- Free plan for 3 channels
- Paid plans from $5 per channel per month billed yearly
- 12 networks, including Threads, Bluesky and Google Business Profile
- Unlimited users and approvals on Team
Cons
- No social listening
- One user on the Free and Essentials plans
- Analytics are lighter than in the suites above, according to G2 reviewers
Who it's for
Freelancers, founders and small marketing teams that mainly need to plan and schedule posts.
Who should skip it
Teams that answer a high volume of comments and messages or need listening. Agorapulse or Hootsuite fit better.
More about Buffer: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for small teams that want low-cost analytics and competitor tracking
5. Metricool
Marketing- Starting price
- $20 per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best low-cost tool for analytics. It combines scheduling, reports and competitor tracking for several brands at a price close to Buffer's.
Why it's on the list
Metricool schedules posts and reports on social networks, your website and ad accounts in one place, with competitor tracking and PDF and PowerPoint reports. The free plan covers 1 brand with 20 scheduled posts a month, 5 competitor profiles and 30 days of analytics, but not LinkedIn or X. Starter costs $20 per month billed yearly, or $25 month to month, for up to 5 brands and adds LinkedIn, while X needs a paid add-on. Team access and post approval start on Advanced at $53 per month billed yearly. It holds 4.4 out of 5 on G2 from about 100 reviews, with ease of use, the calendar and analytics praised.
Pros
- Free plan with 20 scheduled posts a month
- Priced per brand, not per user
- Competitor tracking and PDF or PowerPoint reports
Cons
- LinkedIn needs a paid plan, and X a paid add-on
- Team access and approvals start on Advanced
- Some G2 reviewers report unexpected renewal charges
Who it's for
Freelancers, small businesses and small agencies that want reports and competitor data without paying per user.
Who should skip it
Teams that need a strong shared inbox. Agorapulse or Sprout Social do that better.
More about Metricool: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for agencies that manage social media for many clients
6. Sendible
Marketing- Starting price
- $30 per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
Built for agencies. Every plan includes unlimited users, and plans grow by client workspace, with approvals and client reports on the higher tiers.
Why it's on the list
Sendible groups profiles into workspaces, one per client or brand, and includes unlimited users on every plan. It schedules to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube, Threads and Bluesky, with bulk uploads, queues and a Priority Inbox for replies. Core costs $30 per month billed yearly, or $35 month to month, for 1 workspace with 6 profiles; Plus, at $84 per month billed yearly, adds approvals and 3 workspaces, and branded reports start on Premium at $169. The 14-day free trial needs no credit card. It holds 4.5 out of 5 on G2 from about 900 reviews, where ease of use and time saved across clients are praised and disconnected accounts are a common complaint.
Pros
- Unlimited users on every plan
- Client workspaces, and clients can connect profiles without sharing passwords
- 14-day free trial without a credit card
Cons
- Approvals start on Plus, and branded reports on Premium
- G2 reviewers report accounts disconnecting, especially LinkedIn
- White label is a paid add-on
Who it's for
Agencies and multi-location brands that run social media for many clients or locations.
Who should skip it
In-house teams with one brand. Buffer or Agorapulse fit better.
More about Sendible: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for brands that plan visual content for Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest
7. Later
Marketing- Starting price
- $18.75 USD per month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
A low-cost visual planner with Link in Bio, best for brands that lead with images and short video.
Why it's on the list
Later plans posts, Reels, Stories and carousels on a visual calendar and publishes to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads and Snapchat. Link in Bio turns an Instagram or TikTok profile link into a small page of clickable posts. Starter costs $18.75 per month billed yearly for 1 social set of 8 profiles, 1 user and 30 posts per profile a month. Growth, at $37.50 per month billed yearly, adds a second user, approvals, the social inbox and 180 posts per profile, and every plan has a 14-day free trial. On G2, reviewers of Later Social praise its ease of use and visual calendar, and limited analytics on lower plans is the most common complaint.
Pros
- Starts at $18.75 per month billed yearly for 8 profiles
- Visual calendar and Link in Bio
- 14-day free trial
Cons
- 30 posts per profile a month and 1 user on Starter
- The inbox and approvals start on Growth
- Analytics are limited on lower plans, according to G2 reviewers
Who it's for
Consumer brands, creators and small teams whose social media is mostly visual.
Who should skip it
B2B teams that live on LinkedIn and need reporting. Agorapulse or Metricool fit better.
More about Later: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for teams that need approval workflows before posts go live
8. Loomly
Marketing- Starting price
- $49 per month
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
A calendar-first tool with approvals on every plan, a good fit for teams that need sign-off from managers or clients.
Why it's on the list
Loomly organises posts in calendars and includes approval workflows, analytics and link shorteners on its Starter plan, which costs $49 per month billed yearly, or $65 month to month, for 12 social accounts and 3 users. Beyond, at $249 per month billed yearly, covers 60 accounts with unlimited users, custom roles and scheduled reports. Both include a few social listening uses a month, and the free trial needs no credit card. Bending Spoons bought Loomly in January 2025, and it is still sold as Loomly. It holds 4.6 out of 5 on G2 from 1,796 reviews, where ease of use and client collaboration are praised and basic analytics and Instagram limits are common complaints.
Pros
- Approval workflows from the first plan
- One flat price for 12 accounts and 3 users
- 4.6 out of 5 on G2 from 1,796 reviews
Cons
- Big jump from Starter at $49 to Beyond at $249, billed yearly
- Analytics are basic, according to some G2 reviewers
- Some Instagram features cannot be scheduled in advance
Who it's for
Small marketing teams and agencies that must get posts approved before they publish.
Who should skip it
Teams that need deep analytics or listening. Sprout Social or Hootsuite go further.
More about Loomly: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for marketers who design their own social graphics and videos
9. Canva
Marketing- Starting price
- $18 per month for one person
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
Not a management suite, but the design tool many social teams rely on. Pro also schedules finished designs to social networks.
Why it's on the list
Canva gives marketers templates, stock media, brand kits and AI tools such as resizing and background removal, so they can make posts, stories and videos without a designer. The free plan includes more than 1.6 million templates and 5GB of storage. Pro, at $18 per month or $144 a year for one person, adds premium templates and stock, 5 brand kits and social content scheduling, and Business, at $25 per person per month, adds team collaboration. It ranks here because design is part of most social workflows, and Hootsuite, for example, builds Canva into its planner. It holds 4.7 out of 5 on G2 from more than 7,800 reviews, where ease of use and templates are praised and limits for advanced design work are the main complaint.
Pros
- Free plan with more than 1.6 million templates
- Brand kits keep posts on brand
- Pro includes social content scheduling
Cons
- Not built for inbox, listening or detailed social analytics
- Pro covers one person; teams need Business
- G2 reviewers find it limited for advanced design work
Who it's for
Marketers and small teams that create their own social visuals.
Who should skip it
Teams with an in-house designer using professional design software. They gain little from it.
More about Canva: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for marketers who need to track brand mentions beyond social media
10. Brand24
Marketing- Starting price
- $199 per month, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- Yes
- Price checked
- October 31, 2026
A dedicated listening tool. It finds mentions of your brand and competitors on social networks, news sites, blogs, forums, podcasts and review sites.
Why it's on the list
Brand24 collects mentions of any keyword from social networks such as X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit and TikTok, plus news, blogs, forums, podcasts and reviews, and labels each one positive, negative or neutral with AI. The Individual plan costs $199 per month billed yearly, or $249 month to month, for 3 keywords and 2,000 mentions a month, updated every 12 hours; hourly updates start on Team at $299 per month billed yearly. The 14-day free trial needs no credit card. It holds 4.6 out of 5 on G2 from 384 reviews, where ease of use and the dashboard are praised.
Pros
- Mentions from social networks, news, blogs, forums, podcasts and reviews
- AI sentiment on every plan
- 14-day free trial without a credit card
Cons
- Starts at $199 per month billed yearly
- 3 keywords and 12-hour updates on Individual
- No publishing or scheduling
Who it's for
Marketing and PR teams that track brand reputation, competitors and campaign buzz across the web.
Who should skip it
Teams that only need to know who mentions their own social accounts. The inbox in Agorapulse or Hootsuite covers that.
More about Brand24: pricing, features and alternatives
Best for small businesses that only use Facebook and Instagram
11. Meta Business Suite
Marketing- Starting price
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- No
- Price checked
- November 1, 2026
The best free option if Facebook and Instagram are your only channels. It covers posting, messages and insights, but no other networks.
Why it's on the list
Meta Business Suite is Meta's free tool for managing Facebook, Messenger and Instagram from one place. You can create and schedule posts, stories and ads, answer messages in one inbox and see insights, on desktop or in the mobile app. Ads are paid for separately. It ranks last because it covers only Meta's own platforms. G2 has no dedicated listing; on Capterra the Facebook Business Suite listing holds 4.3 out of 5 from 194 reviews, where the free price and single inbox are praised and slow loading and changing features are common complaints.
Pros
- Free
- Posts, stories, ads and messages for Facebook and Instagram in one place
- Desktop and mobile app
Cons
- Only Facebook, Messenger and Instagram
- Reviewers report slow loading and features that move after updates
Who it's for
Local and small businesses whose social media is only on Facebook and Instagram.
Who should skip it
Anyone who also posts on LinkedIn, TikTok or YouTube. Buffer's free plan covers more networks.
More about Meta Business Suite: pricing, features and alternatives
Also considered
- Planable: Built around content approvals with clients and colleagues, so it fits our list of content calendar tools better than a list of all-round social media tools.
- Iconosquare: Strong analytics and competitor benchmarks, best known for Instagram. It is covered in our list of Instagram tools.
- Quuu: Now an AI agent that writes and publishes posts to X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Bluesky. It suits founders who want hands-off posting more than marketing teams that need an inbox and analytics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free social media tool for marketers?
Buffer's free plan covers 3 channels, with 10 scheduled posts per channel and one user. Metricool's free plan covers 1 brand and 20 scheduled posts a month, but not LinkedIn or X. Meta Business Suite is free for Facebook, Messenger and Instagram, and Canva's free plan covers design. Agorapulse closed its free plan on 6 July 2026.
Is Sprout Social or Hootsuite cheaper?
Sprout Social's Essentials plan is cheaper at $79 per seat per month billed yearly, against $99 per user for Hootsuite Standard. But Sprout's consolidated inbox starts on Standard at $199 per seat, while Hootsuite Standard already includes an inbox, brand monitoring and 10 social accounts. Prices were checked on 1 November 2026.
Do I need a separate social listening tool?
Not always. Hootsuite includes brand and competitor monitoring from its Standard plan, and Sprout Social and Agorapulse sell listening as add-ons. A dedicated tool such as Brand24, from $199 per month billed yearly, also covers news sites, blogs, forums, podcasts and reviews.
What happened to Mention?
Agorapulse bought the listening tool Mention in 2025. Since 1 July 2026 Mention is no longer sold on its own; its successor, Agorapulse Listening, is sold through Agorapulse's sales team as an add-on or a standalone package. Existing Mention customers can keep their plan.
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