3 Best Hootsuite Alternatives in 2025
Last updated: February 2026 • 10 min read
Hootsuite is a popular tool for enterprises and agencies managing multiple social accounts at scale. With pricing starting at $99/mo, it can be expensive for many teams. Whether you're looking for a cheaper option, better features, or an open-source solution, we've compiled the 3 best Hootsuite alternatives to help you find the right fit.
📋 Quick Summary
- Total alternatives: 3
- Free alternatives: 2 (Buffer, Later)
- Best overall: Buffer
- Best free: Buffer
Why Look for Hootsuite Alternatives?
People commonly look for Hootsuite alternatives for several reasons:
- Cost: At $99/mo, Hootsuite isn't cheap, especially for small teams and startups.
- Feature gaps: Expensive entry point and ui feels cluttered are common complaints.
- Simplicity: Some users find Hootsuite overly complex for their needs and prefer simpler solutions.
- Data ownership: Organizations wanting data sovereignty prefer open-source, self-hosted alternatives.
- Better fit: Different tools excel at different use cases — you may find a tool that's specifically built for your workflow.
📊 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Free Tier | Starting Price | Rating | Open Source | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | ✗ No | $99/mo | ⭐ 4.1 | No | Enterprises and agencies managing multiple social accounts at scale |
| Buffer | ✓ 3 channels, 10 posts/channel | $6/channel/mo | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Small businesses and solopreneurs wanting simple social scheduling |
| Sprout Social | ✗ No | $249/mo | ⭐ 4.4 | No | Mid-market brands wanting premium social management with CRM |
| Later | ✓ 5 posts/profile/mo | $25/mo | ⭐ 4.3 | No | Instagram-focused creators and visual brands |
Detailed Reviews of Each Alternative
Buffer
Simple, affordable social media scheduling and analytics tool for small businesses and creators.
Buffer is one of the original social media management tools, known for its clean interface and focus on simplicity. It lets you schedule posts across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, and Mastodon. Buffer's analytics show you which posts perform best and when your audience is most active. The Start Page feature lets you create a simple landing page for your social bio links.
Pros
- ✓ Extremely simple to use
- ✓ Affordable per-channel pricing
- ✓ Great free tier
- ✓ Clean analytics
Cons
- ✗ Limited compared to Hootsuite/Sprout
- ✗ No social listening
- ✗ Basic reporting
- ✗ No inbox management on free
Sprout Social
Premium social media management with CRM and listening
Sprout Social combines social media scheduling, analytics, listening, and CRM into one platform. Known for its polished UI and detailed reporting, it serves mid-market and enterprise brands.
Pros
- ✓ Best-in-class UI
- ✓ Excellent reporting
- ✓ Social CRM unique
- ✓ Strong customer support
Cons
- ✗ Very expensive
- ✗ Per-user pricing adds up
- ✗ Overkill for small teams
- ✗ Some features require add-ons
Later
Visual-first social media scheduler built for Instagram, with a drag-and-drop content calendar.
Later started as an Instagram scheduling tool and has grown into a full social media management platform while keeping its visual-first approach. Its drag-and-drop calendar makes planning visual content intuitive. Later includes a link-in-bio tool (Linkin.bio), user-generated content collection, and the ability to schedule Instagram Stories and Reels. It also supports TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Pros
- ✓ Best visual planning UI
- ✓ Great Instagram features
- ✓ Linkin.bio included
- ✓ Easy to use
Cons
- ✗ Instagram-centric
- ✗ Limited analytics on lower plans
- ✗ No social listening
- ✗ Fewer platforms than Hootsuite
🏆 Our Recommendations
❓ FAQ
What is the best free alternative to Hootsuite?
The best free alternative to Hootsuite is Buffer, which offers 3 channels, 10 posts/channel.
Is there an open-source alternative to Hootsuite?
There are no widely-used open-source alternatives to Hootsuite at this time, but several affordable options exist.
What is the cheapest alternative to Hootsuite?
The cheapest alternatives are the free options: Buffer, Later. For paid alternatives, prices start from as low as $6/mo.
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