One Dashboard. Every Platform.Zero Chaos.
Manage all your accounts, schedule weeks ahead, and post everywhere, without the tab juggling.
Most scheduler comparisons list features. That is rarely what decides it, because the feature lists overlap far more than the marketing suggests: almost every tool here schedules to the same networks, previews the same posts and reports the same basic numbers.
What actually differs is how you are charged. One tool bills per social channel, another per seat, another per brand or workspace. Two products with an identical entry price can be three times apart by the time you have connected the accounts you actually use. Each comparison below leads with that.
Every comparison
| Comparison | Entry prices | Free plans |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer vs Hootsuite | $5/mo per channel (Essentials) / ~$99/user/mo (Standard, list) | Yes / No |
| Sprout Social vs Hootsuite | $79/seat/mo Essentials (annual), $99 monthly / ~$99/user/mo (Standard, list) | No / No |
| Later vs Buffer | $18.75/mo Starter (annual, 25% off) / $5/mo per channel (Essentials) | No / Yes |
| Metricool vs Buffer | $20/mo (Starter, 5 brands) / $5/mo per channel (Essentials) | Yes / Yes |
| Metricool vs Hootsuite | $20/mo (Starter, 5 brands) / ~$99/user/mo (Standard, list) | Yes / No |
| Buffer vs Sprout Social | $5/mo per channel (Essentials) / $79/seat/mo Essentials (annual), $99 monthly | Yes / No |
| Later vs Hootsuite | $18.75/mo Starter (annual, 25% off) / ~$99/user/mo (Standard, list) | No / No |
| Planoly vs Later | Around $16/mo Starter (annual) / $18.75/mo Starter (annual, 25% off) | Yes / No |
| Agorapulse vs Sprout Social | $79/mo Standard (annual) / $79/seat/mo Essentials (annual), $99 monthly | Yes / No |
| SocialPilot vs Hootsuite | $20/mo Essentials ($17/mo annual) / ~$99/user/mo (Standard, list) | No / No |
What 15 connected accounts cost
PostNext Premium includes 15 connected accounts. This is what the same fifteen cost on the tools people compare it with, taken from each vendor's own pricing page on 5 September 2026, billed monthly, in the currency the vendor lists.
| Tool | Plan that covers 15 accounts | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| PostNext | Premium, 15 connected accounts | $19 |
| Post Bridge | Creator, 15 connected accounts | $39 |
| Postiz | Pro, 30 channels (Standard stops at 5) | $49 |
| Buffer | Essentials, $5 per channel, times 15 | $75 |
Buffer prices per channel, so fifteen channels is fifteen times the Essentials price. Postiz's entry plan stops at 5 channels; the next plan up carries 30. Post Bridge's Creator plan carries exactly 15. Prices move, so check the vendor pages before you decide.
Checked (2026-09-05)
The three pricing models, and why they matter
Every tool on this page uses one of three billing shapes. Working out which one suits how you post is worth more than any feature checklist.
Per channel
You pay for each connected social account. Cheap to start and it scales linearly, so a creator on two networks pays very little and an agency on forty pays a great deal. Buffer is the clearest example.
Per seat
You pay for each person who logs in. Channels are usually generous or unlimited, so this suits a small team running many accounts, and punishes a large team running few. Sprout Social and Hootsuite work this way.
Flat, or per brand
One price covers a bundle of channels and users. Predictable, and usually the cheapest way to run several networks alone or in a pair. Metricool and PostNext sit here.
What each comparison covers
- The real entry price, including the annual discount where one exists, and what the cheapest usable tier actually includes.
- Whether there is a genuine free plan or only a trial, and what the free tier is limited to.
- Who each tool is honestly best for, and where the other one wins instead.
- The alternatives worth looking at if neither of the two fits.
Common questions
Are these prices current?
Why only ten comparisons?
Do you only recommend PostNext?
What if I have not narrowed it to two tools yet?
Looking for one tool, not two?
A head-to-head only helps once you have narrowed it to two. If you have not, the alternatives directory compares each tool against the whole field instead.
Grow your social media presence with confidence
The social media management tool for creators and brands. Schedule, publish, and analyze across all your channels, all in one place.
