Marketing
Social media scheduling tools
Social media scheduling tools let you write a post once, adjust it for each network, and publish it to several accounts at a time you choose, from a shared queue and calendar. Most add AI help with captions, approvals for teams and clients, and analytics; some also offer an API or an MCP server, so other apps and AI assistants can post through them.
PostWharf
Schedules one post to every social account, priced per brand, not per channel
Buffer
Schedules social posts and handles comment replies, priced per connected channel
Hootsuite
Social media suite for publishing, inbox, listening and analytics, billed per user
Later
Visual social media planner and scheduler, priced by social sets and users
Sprout Social
Social publishing, inbox, listening and reporting for teams, priced per seat
Metricool
Schedules posts and reports on social and ads, priced by number of brands
Publer
Schedules social posts and threads, priced per social account and team member
SocialPilot
Schedules posts across 10 social networks, with plans priced by number of accounts
SocialBee
Schedules posts by content category with AI help, priced by social profiles
Sendible
Social media scheduling for agencies, priced by workspace with unlimited users
Agorapulse
Social media inbox, publishing and reporting, priced per user with 10 profiles
Open source
Postiz
Open-source scheduler for 34 platforms; hosted plans are priced by channel count
Side by side
| Tool | Free plan | Starting price | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PostWharf | $10/mo (annual) | No | Web, CLI | |
| Buffer | $5/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android, Browser extension | |
| Hootsuite | $99/user/mo | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| Later | $18.75/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension | |
| Sprout Social | $79/seat/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| Metricool | $20/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| Publer | $4/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| SocialPilot | $25.50/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| SocialBee | $24/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| Sendible | $30/mo (annual) | No | Web | |
| Agorapulse | $79/user/mo (annual) | No | Web, iOS, Android | |
| Postiz | $23/mo (annual) | Yes | Web |
How to choose
- 1
How does it bill: per channel, per user, per brand or per workspace? Price your real setup, such as six brands across five networks, because the same plan name can cost several times more at your account count.
- 2
Does it publish to every network you use, including TikTok, Threads, Bluesky or YouTube, on the plan you would buy, and does it say whether each post was actually delivered?
- 3
Do you need a team or client side, with approvals, separate brands and client access, or is it only you?
- 4
Will other tools post through it? Check for a public API, webhooks or an MCP server if Zapier, Make, n8n or an AI assistant should send posts.
Guides
Marketing
11 Best Social Media Posting APIs for Developers in 2026
Marketing
10 Best Social Media Schedulers for Agencies in 2026
Marketing
9 Best Social Media Schedulers for Small Business in 2026
Marketing
10 Best Social Media Schedulers in 2026
Marketing
8 Best Buffer Alternatives in 2026 (No Per-Channel Fees)
Questions
What are social media scheduling tools?
Social media scheduling tools let you write a post once, adjust it for each network, and publish it to several accounts at a time you choose, from a shared queue and calendar. Most add AI help with captions, approvals for teams and clients, and analytics; some also offer an API or an MCP server, so other apps and AI assistants can post through them.
Which social media scheduling tools have a free plan?
Of the 12 listed here, 3 have a free plan: Buffer, Metricool and Publer. Free plans are limited; each tool's page lists the limits.
Which of these social media scheduling tools costs least to start?
Of the tools here with a published price, the lowest entry price is Publer's Professional plan at $4/mo billed annually, as published on its pricing page on 16 October 2026. The cheapest plan is not always the best value: check what each plan includes.