PilotPostQuick picks
- Many networks, flat price, team included: PilotPost
- A few channels, free: Buffer or Publer
- Analytics first: Metricool
- Instagram-first visual planning: Later or Sked Social
- Big teams needing listening: Hootsuite or Sprout Social
- Busy inboxes: Agorapulse · Client approvals: Loomly
- Facebook and Instagram only: Meta Business Suite (free)
Pricing and free options at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Paid from | Free plan or trial | Networks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PilotPost | Small businesses, creators and agencies posting to many networks | €19/month | 7-day free trial (card required) | 11 |
| Buffer | Solo users and small teams posting to a few channels | $5 per channel/month | Free plan: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel | 12 |
| Hootsuite | Large marketing teams that need listening and enterprise reporting | $99 per user/month | 14-day free trial | Major networks |
| Metricool | Analytics-minded users and single brands on a budget | €16/month | Free plan: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts per month | 11 |
| Publer | Budget-conscious users who want many networks and bulk tools | $5/month | Free plan: 3 accounts (no X), 10 scheduled posts at a time per account; trials of 7 days (Professional) and 14 days (Business) | 13 |
| Later | Instagram-first, visual brands and creators | $18.75/month | 14-day free trial | 8 |
| Sprout Social | Larger organizations with budget for an all-in-one suite | $79 per seat/month | 30-day free trial | 11 |
| Agorapulse | Teams handling lots of comments and messages | $79 per user/month | 30-day free trial | 11 |
| Loomly | Teams and agencies that need approval workflows | $49/month | Free trial | 9 |
| Sked Social | Brand and agency teams focused on polished Instagram content | US$58/month | 14-day free trial | 9 |
| Meta Business Suite | Businesses that only post to Facebook and Instagram | Free | Free | 2 |
Features compared
| Tool | Comment inbox | AI caption help | Link-in-bio page | Team members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PilotPost | Yes | Yes | Yes (Start Page) | Included: 1 / 5 / 20 |
| Buffer | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 user on Essentials; Team plan for more |
| Hootsuite | Yes | Yes | No | Paid per user seat |
| Metricool | Yes | Yes | Yes | Team and roles on Advanced |
| Publer | No (not listed in its plans) | Yes (unlimited on Business) | Yes (Linkie) | Extra members on paid plans |
| Later | From the Growth plan | Yes (monthly credits) | Yes | 1 user on Starter; extra users paid |
| Sprout Social | Yes | Yes | No | Paid per seat |
| Agorapulse | Yes (advanced) | Yes | No | Paid per user |
| Loomly | Yes | Yes (limited on Starter) | No | 3 users on Starter |
| Sked Social | Yes | See their site | See their site | 3 users on Grow |
| Meta Business Suite | Yes | See Meta's site | No | See Meta's site |
Supported networks
| Tool | Networks it publishes to |
|---|---|
| PilotPost | Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Bluesky, Telegram, WhatsApp Business |
| Buffer | Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business Profile, Mastodon, YouTube Shorts, Threads, Bluesky, Substack Notes |
| Hootsuite | The major networks (see Hootsuite's site for the current list) |
| Metricool | Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X (paid add-on), YouTube, Google Business Profile, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Bluesky, Twitch |
| Publer | Facebook, Instagram, X (paid plans only), LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, YouTube, WordPress, TikTok, Telegram, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky |
| Later | Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat |
| Sprout Social | Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube |
| Agorapulse | Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, TikTok, Bluesky, Reddit |
| Loomly | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Threads, and more |
| Sked Social | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, X, Google Business Profile, Threads and Snapchat (by notification) |
| Meta Business Suite | Facebook, Instagram |
How we compared them
Every tool here publishes automatically through the networks' official connections. We looked at what a small business, creator or agency actually pays and gets: the starting price and how it grows (per channel, per user, per account or flat), the networks supported, free plans and trials, and the day-to-day features that matter: a comment inbox, AI help with captions, a link-in-bio page and team access. We read each company's own pricing, plan and help pages; where a detail wasn't published, we say "see their site" rather than guess.
1. PilotPost
PilotPost is a social media scheduler that auto-posts to eleven networks from one calendar. It's our product, so instead of a sales pitch, here are the facts you need to judge it, including what it doesn't do.
Plans and limits
| Plan | Price | Networks | Scheduled posts | Team members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | €19/month | Up to 5, 1 account each | 100 a month | 1 |
| Pro | €49/month | All 11, 1 account each | 1,000 a month | 5 |
| Agency | €129/month | All 11, 1 account each | 10,000 a month | 20, plus priority email support |
Free trial: 7 days of the Starter plan. You add a card at sign-up and nothing is charged during the trial; if you don't cancel before it ends, Starter continues at €19 a month. Plans are monthly with no contract, billed through Whop, and you can cancel any time. One brand per workspace: each plan connects one account per network.
Networks
Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Bluesky, Telegram, WhatsApp Business.
Features
- Publish: calendar scheduling, a posting queue and bulk scheduling to every connected network.
- Create: drafts, saved hashtag sets and a media library.
- AI Assistant: write, improve and shorten captions, suggest hashtags and adapt a post for each network.
- Community: reply to comments from one inbox.
- Insights: views, likes, comments, shares and saves, top posts, best times to post and follower growth for Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky.
- Collaborate: team members are included in every plan, not charged per seat.
- Start Page: a free link-in-bio page.
- Website and app available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
Our honest assessment
PilotPost's strongest point is price for coverage: Pro includes all eleven networks, 1,000 scheduled posts and five team members for €49 a month, where per-channel and per-user tools usually cost more for the same setup. It also covers Telegram and WhatsApp Business, which few schedulers support. It's a newer, smaller product than Buffer or Hootsuite.
Strengths
- Flat monthly price with team members included
- Eleven networks, including Bluesky, Telegram and WhatsApp Business
- Inbox, AI help, Insights and link-in-bio in every plan
Limitations
- No free plan; the trial needs a card
- One account per network per workspace
- No social listening, ads management or influencer tools
- Insights don't cover X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Telegram or WhatsApp yet
- Starter is capped at 5 networks and 100 posts a month
Start the 7-day free trial → · See pricing · All integrations
2. Buffer
Pricing and limits
Free plan, then Essentials from $5 per channel per month (billed yearly). Team plan from $10 per channel per month (yearly) for more users.
Free option: free plan with 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel.
Networks
Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business Profile, Mastodon, YouTube Shorts, Threads, Bluesky, Substack Notes.
Our assessment
Buffer is still one of the easiest schedulers to learn, and its free plan is genuinely useful for up to three channels. Because paid plans are priced per channel, it suits people with a small, stable set of accounts better than growing brands or agencies.
Strengths
- Clean, simple interface
- Generous free plan for a few channels
- Wide network support, including Mastodon and Substack Notes
Limitations
- Cost rises with every channel you connect
- More users require the Team plan
- Some channels (e.g. Instagram personal, Facebook groups) post by notification, not automatically
3. Hootsuite
Pricing and limits
Standard from $99 per user per month, Professional from $199, Advanced up to $399 (billed yearly; monthly billing costs more). Enterprise is custom.
Free option: 14-day free trial.
Networks
The major networks (see Hootsuite's site for the current list).
Our assessment
Hootsuite is a mature, enterprise-grade suite. Its strengths are social listening, brand monitoring, workflows and reporting for big teams. For a small business that mainly needs to schedule posts, the per-user price is hard to justify.
Strengths
- Social listening and brand monitoring
- Advanced workflows and reporting
- Long track record
Limitations
- Per-user pricing adds up quickly
- Standard includes 10 social accounts
4. Metricool
Pricing and limits
Free plan, then Starter from €16 per month billed yearly or €20 monthly (up to 5 brands, excl. VAT). Advanced from €43 per month (yearly) adds team and client management.
Free option: free plan with 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts per month.
Networks
Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X (paid add-on), YouTube, Google Business Profile, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Bluesky, Twitch.
Our assessment
Metricool started as an analytics tool and it shows: reports, competitor tracking and long-term data are its strong points. The free plan is a good entry point for one brand, but X costs extra per account.
Strengths
- Strong analytics and competitor analysis
- Free plan for one brand
- Covers Twitch and Google Business Profile
Limitations
- X is a paid add-on (€10 per account per month)
- Team management needs the Advanced plan
5. Publer
Pricing and limits
Free plan, then Professional from $5 per month and Business from $10 per month; the price grows with the social accounts and team members you add (every 10th one is free). Yearly billing is 20% cheaper.
Free option: free plan with 3 accounts (no X), 10 scheduled posts at a time per account; trials of 7 days (Professional) and 14 days (Business).
Networks
Facebook, Instagram, X (paid plans only), LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, YouTube, WordPress, TikTok, Telegram, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky.
Our assessment
Publer packs a lot into a low starting price: a long list of networks including Telegram, Mastodon and WordPress, bulk and recurring posts, and a link-in-bio page. Pricing is per account and member, so check the total for your setup. We didn't find a comment inbox in its plans.
Strengths
- Low entry price and a free plan
- Very wide network support, including WordPress and Telegram
- Bulk, recurring posts and analytics on Business
Limitations
- Price scales with accounts and members
- X only on paid plans
- Free plan keeps only 24 hours of post history
6. Later
Pricing and limits
Starter from $18.75 per month billed yearly; Growth and Scale add posts, users and features.
Free option: 14-day free trial.
Networks
Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat.
Our assessment
Later is built around a visual planner that shows how your Instagram grid will look. It's a natural fit for image- and video-led brands. Starter is limited (30 posts per profile per month, 1 user), and it doesn't list X.
Strengths
- Visual grid planner
- Link-in-bio page
- UGC and benchmarking on higher plans
Limitations
- Starter: 30 posts per profile per month
- Inbox from Growth plan
- No X support listed
8. Agorapulse
Pricing and limits
Standard from $79 per user per month billed yearly ($99 monthly); Professional and Advanced cost more. 10 social profiles per plan.
Free option: 30-day free trial.
Networks
Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, TikTok, Bluesky, Reddit.
Our assessment
Agorapulse is the inbox specialist: assignments, saved replies and moderation rules make it strong for community managers. Reporting is solid, and listening is an add-on. Per-user pricing makes it a bigger commitment for small teams.
Strengths
- Deep inbox and moderation
- ROI and advanced reports
- Reddit and Google Business support
Limitations
- Per-user pricing
- Listening is a paid add-on
9. Loomly
Pricing and limits
Starter from $49 per month billed yearly ($65 monthly), with 3 users and 12 accounts; higher plans add users and accounts.
Free option: Free trial.
Networks
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Threads, and more.
Our assessment
Loomly is a collaborative content calendar with approvals and roles, so clients or managers can sign off before anything is published. A good fit for agencies with formal review processes.
Strengths
- Approval workflows
- 3 users and 12 accounts on Starter
- Google Business Profile
Limitations
- AI usage limited on Starter
11. Meta Business Suite
Pricing and limits
Free to use. Meta also offers optional Meta One business plans from $14.99 per month.
Free option: Free.
Networks
Facebook, Instagram.
Our assessment
If you only post to Facebook and Instagram, Meta's own tool is free and covers scheduling, messages and insights for both. As soon as you add another network, you'll need a second tool.
Strengths
- Free
- Made by Meta
- Scheduling, inbox and insights for both apps
Limitations
- Facebook and Instagram only
Visit Meta Business Suite's website → · PilotPost vs Meta Business Suite
How to choose the right tool
- List your networks. Check every one you post to is supported, including newer ones like Threads and Bluesky, or messaging apps like Telegram and WhatsApp.
- Work out the real price. Multiply per-channel, per-account or per-user prices by your setup. A low starting price can become the most expensive option.
- Count your posts. Some plans cap scheduled posts per month or per profile. Plan for a busy month, not an average one.
- Decide who helps. If a colleague, client or assistant needs access, check whether team members are included and whether you need approvals.
- Test it for a week. Use the free plan or trial to post for real, including on your phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is a social media auto posting tool?
It's an app that publishes your posts for you at the time you choose. You connect your accounts once, write and schedule posts in advance, and the tool posts them automatically, so you don't have to be online when they go out.
Which auto posting tool is best for small businesses?
It depends on how many networks you use. For one to three channels, Buffer's or Publer's free plans may be enough. For five or more networks or a small team, flat-priced tools such as PilotPost usually cost less than per-channel or per-user tools. If you only use Facebook and Instagram, Meta Business Suite is free.
Which tools have a free plan?
Of the 11 tools here, Buffer, Metricool and Publer have free plans, and Meta Business Suite is free for Facebook and Instagram. PilotPost, Hootsuite, Later, Sprout Social, Agorapulse, Loomly and Sked Social offer free trials instead.
Is auto posting allowed by Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn?
Yes, when the tool uses each network's official publishing connection, as these tools do. Avoid apps that ask for your password or automate likes, follows or comments, which breaks most networks' rules.
Is this comparison independent?
We make PilotPost, so this page isn't neutral, and we say so. To keep it fair, every price and limit for other tools comes from that company's own website, each tool has a section on what it does better, and PilotPost's limitations are listed as plainly as everyone else's.
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