Best Free Cross Posting Apps for Social Media in 2026 (Tested & Ranked)

Best Free Cross Posting Apps for Social Media (2026 Edition)

"Just use Hootsuite!"

$99/month.

"Try Buffer!"

$36/month for 6 platforms.

WTF? I'm not paying $100/month to post videos.

Good news: You don't have to.

I tested every free cross-posting app. Here are the 5 that actually work — and their hidden catches.

What "Free" Actually Means

Let's be real. "Free" usually means:

• ❌ 3 posts per month (useless)
• ❌ Only 2 platforms (defeats the purpose)
• ❌ Watermarks on your content
• ❌ No video support
• ❌ "Free trial" that requires a credit card

I looked for tools with:

• ✅ Actually free tier (no credit card)
• ✅ Supports video uploads
• ✅ At least 3 major platforms
• ✅ Enough posts to test (10+ per month)
• ✅ No watermarks

Only 5 tools passed.

1. Socialync — Best Free Tier Overall

Free Plan Includes:

• 5 posts per month
• All 6 platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
• Full video uploads
• Custom captions per platform
• No watermarks
• No credit card required

The Catch:

• 5 posts/month isn't enough if you post daily
• But perfect for testing or low-volume creators

Upgrade Cost:

• $10/month for unlimited posts

Why It's #1:

Most "free" tools give you 2-3 platforms. Socialync gives you ALL 6. That's a $36/month value in Buffer.

Plus, 5 posts/month = 30 pieces of content if you cross-post to all platforms.

That's more than most "free" tiers.

Try Socialync free →

Best For: Creators testing cross-posting or posting 1-2x/week

2. Metricool — Most Generous Free Tier

Free Plan Includes:

• 1 brand
• Unlimited scheduled posts
• TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google My Business, Twitch
• Analytics dashboard
• Competitor analysis

The Catch:

• Only 1 "brand" (so 1 set of social accounts)
• Mobile app is buggy
• Video uploads crash sometimes
• Interface is confusing AF

Upgrade Cost:

• $22/month for advanced features

Why It's #2:

The free tier is genuinely unlimited. That's insane.

BUT, the bugs are annoying. Expect crashes, especially on mobile.

If you can tolerate jank, this is the best free option for unlimited posting.

Best For: Creators who don't mind bugs and want unlimited free posting

3. Buffer Free — Best for Twitter + LinkedIn

Free Plan Includes:

• 3 channels
• 10 posts per channel
• Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest (NO TikTok or YouTube)

The Catch:

• No TikTok support
• No YouTube support
• Only 10 posts total per month (not per platform)

Upgrade Cost:

• $6/month per channel

Why It's #3:

If you're focused on Twitter and LinkedIn (text-heavy platforms), Buffer is solid.

But for video creators? Skip it. No TikTok or YouTube = missing the biggest growth platforms.

Best For: B2B creators, writers, LinkedIn-focused marketers

4. Later Free — Best for Instagram

Free Plan Includes:

• 10 posts per month
• 1 social set
• Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest
• Visual calendar
• Link in bio tool

The Catch:

• Only 10 posts TOTAL (not per platform)
• Video upload experience sucks
• TikTok support is limited
• Desktop only (mobile app is trash)

Upgrade Cost:

• $25/month for 30 posts

Why It's #4:

The visual calendar is beautiful. But 10 posts/month across all platforms? That's like 2 posts/week if you cross-post.

Great for testing. Not great for serious creators.

Best For: Instagram-first creators testing cross-posting

5. Publer Free — Best Budget Option

Free Plan Includes:

• 3 social accounts
• 10 posts per month
• Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Google My Business

The Catch:

• 10 posts total
• Interface is cluttered
• AI features don't work well
• Customer support is slow

Upgrade Cost:

• $12/month for professional plan

Why It's #5:

It's cheap when you upgrade. But the free tier is limited (10 posts).

If you're going to pay, Socialync is $10/month for unlimited and much simpler.

Best For: Super budget-conscious creators who will upgrade soon

The Comparison Table

| Tool | Free Posts/Month | Platforms | Video Support | Best For |

|------|-----------------|-----------|---------------|----------|

| Socialync | 5 posts | All 6 major | ✅ Yes | Creators (best UX) |

| Metricool | Unlimited | 9 platforms | ⚠️ Buggy | Unlimited free |

| Buffer | 10 posts | 5 (no TikTok/YT) | ⚠️ Limited | Twitter + LinkedIn |

| Later | 10 posts | 6 platforms | ⚠️ Clunky | Instagram-first |

| Publer | 10 posts | 8 platforms | ✅ Yes | Budget option |

What I Actually Recommend

If You Post 1-2x/Week:

Use Socialync free

5 posts/month = 1-2 posts/week to all platforms. Perfect for testing or part-time creators.

If You Post 3-5x/Week:

Upgrade to Socialync Premium ($10/mo)

Unlimited posts, all platforms, no hassle. Cheaper than Netflix.

If You're Broke and Need Unlimited:

Use Metricool free

Unlimited posts. Expect bugs. But it's free.

If You Only Care About Twitter + LinkedIn:

Use Buffer free

10 posts/month on 3 channels is fine for text-heavy platforms.

The Hidden Costs of "Free"

Free tools save money upfront. But they cost you time.

Time I wasted with free tools:

• Metricool: 45 mins/week dealing with crashes
• Buffer: 30 mins/week because no TikTok (had to post manually)
• Later: 30 mins/week because video uploads failed

Time I spend with Socialync:

• 5 mins/week

Math:

• Free tools: "Saved" $10/month, wasted 2 hours/week
• Socialync: Spent $10/month, saved 2 hours/week

Your time is worth more than $2.50/hour. Pay for the better tool.

My Free Tier Strategy

Here's how I'd use free tiers if I was starting from $0:

Month 1: Test Everything Free

• Sign up for Socialync free (5 posts)
• Sign up for Metricool free (unlimited)
• Post to both, see which you prefer

Month 2: Pick Your Winner

• If you like Socialync's UX → Upgrade to $10/mo
• If you're okay with bugs → Stay on Metricool free
• If you post 1x/week → Stay on Socialync free

Month 3: Scale

• Now that you're consistent, invest in the paid tier
• Use saved time to create more content
• Grow faster

Don't stay on free forever. It's a testing ground, not a strategy.

Common Free Tier Limitations

Every free plan has hidden limits:

1. Post Limits

• Most free tiers = 10 posts/month
• Sounds like a lot until you cross-post to 5 platforms
• 10 posts ÷ 5 platforms = 2 videos/month
• Not enough to grow

2. Platform Limits

• Buffer: No TikTok or YouTube
• Later: Limited TikTok support
• Metricool: Supports all, but buggy

3. Feature Limits

• Analytics locked behind paywall
• Scheduling limited to 7 days ahead
• No team features
• No priority support

4. Quality Limits

• Video compression on free tiers
• Slower upload speeds
• Crashes and bugs

Free tiers are for testing. Not for serious growth.

When to Upgrade from Free

Upgrade when ANY of these happen:

1. You hit your post limit 2 months in a row

• Means you're consistent enough to invest

1. You start making money from content

• $10/month is a business expense, not a cost

1. You're wasting 1+ hour/week on workarounds

• Your time is worth more than $10

1. You want to post daily

• Free tiers don't support this volume

Most creators should upgrade after 30-60 days of consistency.

The Bottom Line

Best free cross-posting app: Socialync

• 5 posts/month free
• All 6 major platforms
• Clean interface
• No credit card required
• Upgrade to unlimited for $10/month

Start with the free tier. Upgrade when you're ready to scale.

Try Socialync Free →

Already using a free tool? Which one and what's your experience? Drop it below.