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Compare social media schedulers

Social media scheduler alternatives, compared side by side.

Short answer: if you want a scheduler that also does the work, Social9's AI Autopilot plans, drafts, schedules and publishes posts on 11 networks, with a free plan and paid plans from $12/mo. Below, see how it compares with 15 popular tools, and where each one is stronger.

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Prices checked October 2026.

Our pick

Start with Social9

Every competitor below links to its own pricing page so you can check the numbers.

Our pick

Social9

Best for: Small teams who want posts planned and written for them

Tell Social9 about your brand once. Its AI Autopilot plans the week, writes each post in your voice, waits for your OK and then publishes on every network you connect.

  • Publishes to all 11 networks, from LinkedIn and X to Bluesky and Mastodon
  • AI Autopilot plans and writes in your brand voice, then waits for your approval
  • Works with Claude through an MCP connector

Publishes to all 11 networks

Free plan

$0

1 brand, 3 accounts, 20 AI credits a month

Individual

$12/mo

3 accounts on any of the 11 networks

Add-ons on every plan: $4 a month per extra channel, $5 for 100 AI credits. Free plan accounts: LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon or Bluesky.

Why it costs less

From $12/month for 3 accounts on all 11 networks. 14 of the 18 other tools here list a higher starting price, and 10 start at $29/month or more, often per user or per channel.

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Prices from each vendor's pricing page, checked October 2026.

At a glance

Prices and free plans

Starting prices from each vendor's own pricing page, checked October 2026.

ToolStarting priceFree planApprovals
Social9Free; Individual $12/moYes: 1 brand, 3 accounts (LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon, Bluesky), 20 AI credits/mo, 10 queued posts per accountFrom Team ($39/mo)
HootsuiteFrom $99/user/moNo; 14-day free trialApproval workflows from Advanced ($399/user/mo)
BufferFree; then $5/channel/moYes: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 userTeam plan only
Sprout SocialFrom $79/seat/moNo; 30-day free trialNot listed on the pricing page
LaterFrom $18.75/mo yearlyNo; 14-day free trialFrom Growth
MetricoolFree; then $20/mo yearlyYes: 1 brand, 20 posts/month, 30 days of analytics, no LinkedInPost approval and roles from Advanced
PublerFree; then per accountYes: 3 accounts (not X), 10 scheduled posts per account, 1 userFrom Professional
SocialPilotFrom $30/moNo; 14-day free trialContent and manager approval from Standard; client approval from Premium
AgorapulseFrom $79/user/mo yearlyFree Archie AI plan only (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube; 10 credits/mo); 30-day trialOne-step approvals from Professional; multi-step on Custom
PlanableFrom $33/mo per workspaceNo plan; free trial of 50 posts with no time limitOptional on Basic, required on Pro, multi-level on Enterprise
SendibleFrom $35/moNo; 14-day free trialAssignment and approvals from Plus ($99/mo)
LoomlyFrom $49/moNo free plan; free trialApproval workflows and roles from Starter
Vista SocialFrom $99/moNo; 14-day free trialApproval workflows from Professional; client approvals from Advanced
SocialBeeFrom $29/moNo; 14-day free trialFrom Accelerate ($49/mo)
HubSpotFrom $800/moFree HubSpot tools exist, but social publishing is not includedNot stated on the pages we checked
JasperFrom $59/seat/mo yearlyNo; 7-day free trialNo social approval workflow listed; admin controls and groups on Business

Compare

Social9 vs each alternative

Side-by-side comparisons with price, networks, AI, approvals, analytics and who should pick which.

FAQ

Scheduler alternatives: FAQ

What is the best free alternative to Hootsuite or Sprout Social?

Neither Hootsuite nor Sprout Social has a free plan. Buffer, Metricool, Publer and Social9 do. Social9 Free includes 1 brand, 3 accounts (LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon or Bluesky), 10 queued posts per account and 20 AI credits a month for Autopilot drafts.

What makes Social9 different from other schedulers?

Most schedulers publish the posts you write. Social9's AI Autopilot plans, drafts, schedules and publishes posts for you on 11 networks, and you can review them before they go out.

How much does Social9 cost?

Free is $0 (1 brand, 3 accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, Mastodon or Bluesky, 20 AI credits a month). Individual is $12/mo or $120/yr (1 brand, 3 accounts on any network, 150 credits). Team is $39/mo or $390/yr (3 brands, 9 accounts, 5 members, 500 credits, approvals). Agency is $99/mo or $990/yr (5 brands, 25 accounts, 10 members, 1,500 credits, approvals). Enterprise is custom.

How were these comparisons checked?

Every competitor price and feature was read from that company's own pricing or feature page in October 2026. Each comparison links to its sources. Plans change, so check the vendor's page before buying.

Keep exploring

More ways to compare

Compare schedulers head to headSocial9 pricingFeaturesSupported channelsFree social media tools

Ready to put your posts on Autopilot?

Social9 plans, drafts, schedules and publishes your posts on 11 networks. Start on the free plan.

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