The best Hootsuite alternatives in 2026 (free and cheaper options, compared)
“Free alternative to Hootsuite” is up 850% in Australian searches this year, and “Hootsuite price” is up 350% in the US. The reason is not mysterious: Hootsuite killed its free plan years ago, its Standard plan costs $99 per user per month, and its Advanced plan went from $249 to $399 in under two years.
Hootsuite is still a solid tool for large teams. But if you are a small business, a solo marketer or a three-person agency, you are probably paying for a lot you never open. Here is what else is out there, with prices checked in October 2026.
Key takeaways
- Hootsuite: no free plan, $99/user/month (Standard, annual), $199 Professional, $399 Advanced.
- Cheapest paid options: Buffer ($5 per channel per month), Later (from $18.75/month annual), Metricool (around $20/month annual).
- Closest like-for-like for teams: Sprout Social (from $79/seat) and Agorapulse ($79/user, free plan dropped in 2026).
- Free options that really exist: Buffer (3 channels), Metricool (20 posts a month), Postiz if you self-host, and Perroly (free during beta, 6 networks).
- If you also need DM automation, most alternatives make you add ManyChat on top. Perroly does both.
What Hootsuite costs in 2026
Hootsuite prices per user. One person on Standard gets up to 10 social accounts for $99 a month on annual billing. Need approval workflows for clients? That is Advanced, at $399 per user. There is a free trial, but no free plan.
For a three-person team on Standard, that is close to $300 a month before any add-on. That is the number to beat.
Hootsuite plans, October 2026 (annual billing)
Entry prices side by side
Here is what the cheapest paid plan of each tool costs for one person. It is not a perfect comparison (Buffer charges per channel, the others per user), but it shows how wide the gap has become.
Buffer vs Hootsuite
This matchup is a breakout search in Australia, so let’s settle it. Buffer is the anti-Hootsuite: simple, cheap, priced per channel instead of per user, with a free plan (3 channels, 10 queued posts each). Hootsuite is a full suite: inbox, listening, approvals, deep reporting.
If you are one or two people scheduling posts and checking basic stats, Buffer will do the job for a fraction of the price. If you have a team answering hundreds of comments and messages a day with approvals and client reports, Hootsuite (or Sprout) earns its price. The awkward middle, a small team that needs scheduling and an inbox and some automation, is where neither fits well. Our full breakdown: Perroly vs Buffer and Perroly vs Hootsuite.
Buffer vs Hootsuite in one table
Sprout Social and Agorapulse: if you need a real team tool
Sprout Social has five tiers, from Essentials at $79 per seat (publishing only) to Standard at $199, Professional at $299 and Advanced at $399. Its reporting and inbox are among the best on the market. It is not cheaper than Hootsuite once you need the inbox, but many teams find it nicer to use.
Agorapulse costs $79 per user per month on annual billing ($99 monthly), with 10 social profiles, unlimited scheduling, a unified inbox and branded reports. It shut down its free plan in mid-2026, so ignore older lists that still mention it. There is a 30-day trial with no card.
The cheap and free options
- Buffer: free for 3 channels, then $5 per channel per month. Best for solo creators and very small teams who mainly schedule.
- Metricool: free for 1 brand and 20 posts a month (no LinkedIn or X), paid from around $20 a month. Strong analytics for the price.
- Later: no free plan anymore, from $18.75 a month on annual billing. Very visual, built around Instagram and TikTok.
- Postiz: open source. Free if you self-host on your own server, otherwise $29 a month for 5 channels and 400 posts. Interesting for technical teams, up 800% in US searches this year.
- Perroly: free during the beta with every feature, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and Threads. Scheduling, inbox, analytics and DM automation in one place. €40 a month for Premium after the beta.
The part most comparisons skip: DMs
A lot of Hootsuite users stay for the inbox. When they switch to a cheaper scheduler, they lose it, and end up paying for ManyChat on top to automate Instagram DMs. Two tools, two bills, two places to check.
That is the gap Perroly was built for. You schedule a Reel that says “comment PRICE and I will DM you the menu”, and the same tool sends the DM, logs the conversation in the inbox, and shows you how many people it reached. No contact caps during the beta. If that is your use case, read how to replace Metricool and ManyChat with one tool.
Which Hootsuite alternative should you pick?
Our pick by situation
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free version of Hootsuite?
No. Hootsuite has no free plan in 2026, only a free trial. Its cheapest plan, Standard, costs $99 per user per month on annual billing.
What is the best free alternative to Hootsuite?
Buffer’s free plan (3 channels) for simple scheduling, Metricool’s free plan (20 posts a month) for analytics, or Perroly, free during its beta with 6 networks, scheduling and DM automation.
Is Buffer better than Hootsuite?
For solo users and small teams who mostly schedule, yes: it is far cheaper and simpler. For large teams that need an advanced inbox, listening and approvals, Hootsuite does more.
How much is Hootsuite per month?
$99 per user for Standard, $199 for Professional and $399 for Advanced, on annual billing. Enterprise is custom.
Does Agorapulse still have a free plan?
No. Agorapulse shut its free plan in mid-2026. It now offers a 30-day trial, then $79 per user per month on annual billing.
Sources
- SocialPilot : A Complete Guide to Hootsuite Pricing in 2026
- eesel AI : Sprout Social pricing 2026, every plan and seat cost
- SocialPilot : Agorapulse Pricing in 2026, Plans and Per-User Costs
- Buffer : Pricing
- Later : Pricing Plans
- CostBench : Metricool Free Plan 2026
- Postfast : Postiz alternatives and pricing (juil. 2026)