Free Hootsuite Alternative: 7 Better Options in 2026
Hootsuite killed its free plan in 2023.
Now the cheapest plan costs $99 per month.
That's ridiculous for individual creators and small businesses.
Good news: Better free alternatives exist.
Why You Need a Hootsuite Alternative
Hootsuite was the go-to social media scheduler for years.
Then they:
- Discontinued the free plan entirely
- Raised prices to $99/month minimum
- Limited features on lower-tier paid plans
- Made the interface more complex
According to industry reviews, Hootsuite is now one of the most expensive options with the steepest learning curve.
You deserve better.
7 Best Free Hootsuite Alternatives (2026)
1. Socialync - Simplest for Creators
What you get free:
- 10 posts per month
- All major platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
- Upload once, post everywhere
- No credit card required
Socialync strips away Hootsuite's complexity and focuses on what creators actually need: posting to multiple platforms quickly.
No learning curve. No complicated dashboards. Just cross posting.
Paid upgrade: $9/month for unlimited posts.
Best for: Content creators who want simple cross posting without Hootsuite's enterprise bloat.
2. Buffer - Best Free Calendar
What you get free:
- 3 social channels
- 30 posts total per month
- Drag-and-drop calendar
- AI assistant
Buffer offers a clean, visual interface that's easier to learn than Hootsuite.
The free plan is actually usable (unlike Hootsuite's old free plan which was extremely limited).
Paid upgrade: $6/month per channel.
Best for: Creators who love visual calendar planning.
3. Metricool - Most Generous Free Plan
What you get free:
- 50 posts per month
- 10+ platforms supported
- Basic analytics
- Multi-account management
Metricool gives you the highest post volume of any free plan.
50 posts per month is more than most creators need.
Paid upgrade: Starts at $18/month.
Best for: High-volume posters who need 30-50+ posts per month.
4. Pallyy - Best Budget Upgrade Path
What you get free:
- 15 posts per month
- Auto-publishing
- Basic scheduling
If you outgrow the free plan, Pallyy's paid plans start at just $15/month - way cheaper than Hootsuite's $99/month.
Best for: Creators planning to upgrade eventually but want affordable options.
5. Social Champ - Cheapest Paid Option
What you get free:
- Limited features on free plan
Social Champ's paid plans start at just $4/month - the cheapest in the industry.
Even the lowest paid tier offers more than Hootsuite's $99/month plan.
Best for: Creators ready to pay but need the absolute cheapest option.
6. Planable - Best for Teams
What you get free:
- 50 posts per month
- Team collaboration features
- Approval workflows
Planable focuses on team collaboration, making it great if you work with others.
Best for: Small teams managing multiple brands.
7. Post Planner - Best Content Discovery
What you get free:
- Basic scheduling features
Post Planner includes content discovery features to help you find trending content to share.
Paid plans start at $7/month (vs Hootsuite's $99/month).
Best for: Curators who share a mix of original and curated content.
Feature Comparison: Free Plans vs Hootsuite
| Feature | Hootsuite | Socialync | Buffer | Metricool |
|---------|-----------|-----------|---------|-----------|
| Free plan | None | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Posts/month | N/A | 10 | 30 | 50 |
| Platforms | N/A | 6+ | 3 | 10+ |
| Starting price | $99/mo | $9/mo | $6/mo/channel | $18/mo |
| Complexity | High | Low | Low | Medium |
Hootsuite is the most expensive with the steepest learning curve.
Every alternative listed above is cheaper, simpler, or both.
What You're Actually Giving Up
Let's be honest: Hootsuite has some features the free alternatives don't.
Hootsuite's advantages:
- Advanced team collaboration (approvals, roles, permissions)
- Enterprise-level analytics
- Social listening features
- Integration with 150+ apps
- White-label reports for agencies
But here's the thing: Most creators and small businesses don't need any of that.
You need to:
- Schedule posts across platforms
- See basic analytics
- Maybe collaborate with 1-2 other people
Free alternatives like Socialync handle these perfectly.
Save Hootsuite-level tools for when you're managing 10+ brands with a team of 5+ people.
How to Migrate from Hootsuite
Switching is easier than you think:
Step 1: Pick your alternative based on your needs
- Need simplicity? Socialync
- Want a calendar? Buffer
- Need high volume? Metricool
Step 2: Export your data from Hootsuite (if you have any)
Step 3: Set up your new tool
- Most tools walk you through connecting social accounts
- Takes 5-10 minutes max
Step 4: Schedule your next week of content
Step 5: Cancel Hootsuite and save $99/month
Start with Socialync free if you want the quickest migration - the interface is so simple you'll be posting in 2 minutes.
The Real Question: Why Pay $99/Month?
Hootsuite charges $99/month for features most creators never use.
Ask yourself:
- Do you need advanced team permissions? (Probably not)
- Do you need social listening? (Probably not)
- Do you need white-label reports? (Probably not)
If you answered "no" to all three, you're overpaying.
Free alternatives give you 90% of what you need at 0% of the cost.
Bottom Line
Hootsuite is enterprise software with enterprise pricing.
You're not an enterprise.
You're a creator who needs to:
- Post to multiple platforms
- Schedule content in advance
- See basic analytics
Free tools like Socialync, Buffer, and Metricool do this perfectly.
Start with free. Upgrade only when you actually need more features.
You'll save $1,188 per year by switching from Hootsuite to a free alternative.
That's money better spent on content creation, equipment, or literally anything else.
Ready to ditch Hootsuite? Try Socialync free - 10 posts/month, all platforms, no credit card.
Sources: