8 Best Hootsuite Alternatives We've Tried and Tested

Ever felt overwhelmed by the sea of social media management tools out there? You’re not alone.

While Hootsuite has been a favorite for years, it might not be the perfect fit for everyone. Whether you’re looking for something more affordable, easier to use, or packed with different features, exploring alternatives can lead you to the perfect tool for your needs.

But where do you even start?

Let’s talk about the top 8 Hootsuite alternatives we’ve tried and tested to help you find the ideal match for your social media management needs.

What is Hootsuite?

Hootsuite is a platform that lets you manage all your social media profiles from one place, which makes it a favorite among businesses and individuals alike.

Launched in 2008, Hootsuite has become a go-to tool for scheduling posts, monitoring social media activity, and diving into analytics. Let’s take a closer look at its key features.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite Features

Social media scheduling: Imagine setting up your social media posts for the week and then forgetting about them. Hootsuite lets you schedule posts across Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more. No more scrambling to post in real time.
Content calendar: The visual content calendar is a lifesaver. It helps you see all your scheduled posts at a glance, so it’s easy to plan and organize your content strategy.
Social media monitoring: Want to know what people are saying about you? Hootsuite’s monitoring tools let you track mentions, comments, and keywords across different social networks. You can jump into conversations and respond to your audience in real time.
Analytics and reporting: Numbers don’t lie, and Hootsuite’s analytics give you the lowdown on your social media performance. Track metrics like engagement rates, audience growth, and reach to see what’s working and what’s not.
Team collaboration: If you’re working with a team, Hootsuite makes collaboration incredibly easy. Assign tasks, approve posts, and manage permissions without the usual hassle.
Integrations: Hootsuite integrates with many third-party apps and tools, from CRM systems to email marketing software.

Why Look for an Alternative to Hootsuite?

While Hootsuite is a popular choice for social media management, it’s not the perfect fit for everyone. Here are some reasons why you might be on the hunt for a different tool:

Cost

Hootsuite can be pretty pricey, especially if you’re running a small business or just managing your personal brand.

The higher-tier plans come with a hefty price tag, and even the more basic plans might stretch your budget. If you’re looking to cut costs without sacrificing functionality, an alternative social media management platform might be the way to go.

Complexity

Let’s face it: Hootsuite can be a bit overwhelming. Its interface is packed with features, which is great if you need them all, but it can be a nightmare if you don’t.

For some users, the learning curve is just too steep, and they end up feeling lost in a sea of options and settings.

Features

Hootsuite is a jack-of-all-trades, but sometimes you need a tool that’s a master of one. Maybe you need better analytics, more integrations, or more robust collaboration tools.

Whatever the case, there might be another platform out there that offers the specific features you’re after.

User Experience

User experience matters a lot. If you find Hootsuite’s interface clunky or its workflow cumbersome, you’re not alone.

A tool that’s intuitive and easy to navigate can make your social media management tasks feel less like a chore.

Customer Support

Good customer support can make a huge difference, especially when you run into issues. Some users find Hootsuite’s support lacking, whether it’s slow response times or not-so-helpful answers.

If you value quick, reliable help, exploring other options might be worth it.

Innovation

The social media landscape is always changing, and so are the tools that help manage it.

Some alternatives to Hootsuite are constantly innovating and introducing new features that might be just what you need to stay ahead of the curve.

8 Top Hootsuite Alternatives for 2024

There are plenty of valid reasons to consider a Hootsuite alternative. Whether it’s cost, complexity, specific features, user experience, customer support, or the need for innovation, finding the right tool can make your social media management smoother and more effective.

Now, let’s check out some of the best alternatives for 2024. If Hootsuite isn’t a good fit, consider one of these social media management tools:

1. DGTLsuite

DGTLsuite

Looking for a social media management tool that won’t break the bank or make your head spin? DGTLsuite should be your first choice.

It’s a versatile platform designed to make managing your social media accounts a breeze with three main tools: Engage, Create, and Analyze. Let’s break down each one and its features.

DGTL Engage

One of the standout features of DGTLsuite is DGTL Engage. This tool is all about helping you connect with your audience more effectively with the following capabilities:

DGTL Engage

Control and manage your digital conversations: DGTL Engage’s unified inbox brings all your social media messages together in one place. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or even SMS and email, you can handle it all without jumping between apps.
Work smarter with more visibility: Transitioning to digital channels and keeping up with customer inquiries can be a hassle. DGTL Engage simplifies this with data categorization (tags, tiers, protocols) so you can respond consistently and promptly. Plus, with response protocols, you can store and quickly retrieve pre-written responses for common questions.
Understand your audience: Want to know your customers better? DGTL Engage provides essential customer details that help you deliver personalized service. Exceed their expectations by providing tailored experiences on their preferred communication channels.
Easy collaboration and automation where it matters: Collaboration is key, and DGTL Engage makes it easy with seamless in-app collaboration tools and response protocols. It also integrates intelligent and customizable automation into your workflow. Automated support, powered by chatbots, optimizes your social interactions and drives efficiency.

DGTL Create

DGTL Create is designed to take the hassle out of managing your social media presence, which is perfect for businesses and teams that want to optimize their workflow while increasing their online presence.

DGTL Create

Here’s a closer look at how it works:

Social content planning and scheduling: Plan and publish posts for all your platforms without breaking a sweat. This social media scheduling tool makes sure you don’t miss any important details. You can even start planning your content with just an idea—no final graphic or caption is needed.
Hassle-free content collaboration: DGTL Create makes it very easy to work with your internal team, freelancers, and clients. Manage content tasks smoothly, from brainstorming ideas to setting deadlines and assigning responsibilities. Everyone gets to see the most relevant info based on their role, so things are organized and efficient.
An easily accessible media library: This tool lets you organize all your media in a way that makes sense and access it from any device. The integrated library means your team can upload and manage media for future content without any hassle.
Streamline your workflow: Say goodbye to endless back-and-forth emails. With DGTL Create, you can leave comments right on your posts, see revision requests and status changes in real time, and communicate with your team using @mentions, public notices, private comments, and customizable notifications.

DGTL Analyze

DGTL Analyze is your go-to tool for diving deep into your social media and digital performance metrics. If you want to make data-driven decisions and truly understand how your digital efforts are paying off, this is the feature for you:

DGTL Analyze

Multiple dashboards and easy filtering: Ever get lost in a sea of numbers and graphs? DGTL Analyze provides intuitive dashboards where you can track performance and filter data easily. It’s all about making sense of your metrics without the headache.
Deep dive into all your analytics: Ready to uncover new insights? DGTL Analyze lets you dive deep into your analytics and understand what’s driving your strategy initiatives. You can track everything from response rates to sentiment analysis, giving you a complete picture.
Team insights: Analyze helps you measure ROI and team performance simultaneously. See how quickly and how often your team members reply to digital conversations and complete tasks, which can improve your customer service.
Reporting and metrics that matter: No more sifting through endless data. DGTL Analyze offers simple, intuitive, and filterable reports that quickly tell you what’s working and what’s not. Focus on the metrics that matter most to your business.

Pros

DGTLsuite combines content planning, engagement, and analytics in one platform to save you the hassle of juggling multiple tools.
The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate so it’s accessible for users of all skill levels.
Track performance metrics that matter to your business with detailed analytics that help you make informed decisions.
Features like the unified inbox, media library, and in-app collaboration tools simplify team workflows and improve communication.
Automate repetitive tasks and responses to save time and ensure consistency in your social media interactions.
DGTLsuite offers strong customer support, which means help is available when you need it.
The platform allows for customizable workflows and reports to help you tailor the tool to fit your specific needs.
Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or part of a large team, DGTLsuite’s features can scale to meet your needs.

Pricing

DGTLsuite offers a range of pricing plans tailored to different needs and business sizes. Here’s the pricing breakdown for single users:

Create Only: $9 per month for 1 user and 2 connected social media accounts
Engage Only: $29 per month for 1 user and 2 connected social media accounts
Basic: $59 per month for 1 user and 5 connected social media accounts

If you work with a team, here’s the pricing for team plans:

Pro: Starts at $179 per month plus $99 per month for each additional user; comes with unlimited connected social media accounts
Business: Starts at $299 per month plus $199 for each additional user; comes with unlimited connected social media accounts and more in-depth features than Pro
Enterprise: Pricing available upon consultation; comes with full features

Take note that all plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee. Plus, you can try premium features for free if you sign up for a Pro or Business trial.

2. Sendible

Sendible

Sendible is a popular social media management tool that can handle everything–and more.

This powerhouse is one of the favorites among agencies and businesses that need to manage multiple clients and accounts seamlessly. Let’s dive into what makes Sendible tick and see if it’s the right fit for you.

Key Features

Social media scheduling: With Sendible, you can schedule all your social media accounts in one go. It supports all the major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more.
Content curation: Finding and sharing great content has never been easier. Sendible helps you discover content that resonates with your audience and share it effortlessly.
Robust analytics: Sendible’s detailed analytics give you all the insights you need to track your social media success.
CRM integration: Manage your customer relationships without leaving the platform. Sendible’s CRM tools make it easy to keep track of your interactions and nurture your leads.
Team collaboration: Sendible makes collaboration a breeze with task assignments, content approvals, and internal messaging.
Customizable dashboards: Create dashboards that show you the metrics that matter most. It’s all about making the data work for you.
White-label solutions: Running an agency? Sendible’s white-label options let you customize the platform with your branding.

Pros

If you’ve got a team, Sendible is designed to help you work together efficiently. Assign tasks, approve content, and chat internally without breaking a sweat.
The analytics and reporting tools are top-notch, helping you make data-driven decisions to improve your social media strategy.
Sendible has a responsive and helpful support team.
Even if you’re new to social media management tools, Sendible’s intuitive design makes it easy to get started.
It integrates with a variety of tools and platforms to expand its functionality.

Cons

Sendible can be a bit pricey, especially for smaller businesses or individuals.
With great power comes a bit of a learning curve. Some users find it takes a little time to get the hang of all the features.
While generally reliable, some users have reported occasional glitches or slow performance.

Pricing

Creator Plan: $29 per month and great for solopreneurs and small businesses managing up to 6 profiles
Traction Plan: $89 per month and perfect for growing businesses with up to 24 profiles
Growth Plan: $199 per month and ideal for larger teams and agencies managing up to 49 profiles
Advanced Plan: $240 per month and perfect for businesses managing 60 profiles
Enterprise Plan: $750 per month and tailored for enterprises managing 300 profiles

3. Buffer

Buffer

Buffer is a straightforward social media management tool known for its simplicity and effectiveness. It’s perfect for businesses and individuals who want to streamline their social media efforts without getting bogged down by overly complex features. But how does it work?

Key Features

Easy post scheduling: Buffer lets you schedule posts across major social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram with ease. Simply queue up your content and let Buffer handle the rest.
Content planning tools: Plan your social media content in advance with Buffer’s intuitive planning tools. This helps make sure you always have fresh content ready to go.
Basic analytics: Gain insights into your social media performance with Buffer’s analytics. Track key metrics like engagement rates and follower growth to see how your content is performing.
Team collaboration: Work with your team to create and schedule content. Buffer makes it easy to collaborate and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
Browser extension: Buffer’s browser extension allows you to share content directly from the web to your social media accounts with just a few clicks.

Pros

Buffer is designed to be simple and easy to use, which makes it accessible even for social media newbies.
Buffer offers competitive pricing plans, so it’s a great choice for small businesses and individuals.
Users praise Buffer for its reliability and consistent performance, which means that your posts go out as scheduled.
Buffer’s planning tools help you maintain a consistent social media presence without the stress of real-time posting.

Cons

The basic plans may lack some advanced features available in more expensive tools.
While Buffer provides essential analytics, it may not be as comprehensive as some other tools.
Buffer requires you to use reminders for posting on Instagram, which can be a bit cumbersome compared to tools that offer direct posting.

Pricing

Free Plan: Manage up to three social accounts and includes planning and publishing tools, a landing page builder, and an AI assistant
Essentials Plan: $6 per month per social channel and includes all the Free Plan features, plus engagement tools and analytics report
Team Plan: $12 per month per social channel and adds team collaboration features
Agency Plan: $120 per month for 10 channels and offers custom access and permissions

4. Agorapulse

Agorapulse

Agorapulse is a comprehensive social media management tool that caters to businesses and agencies looking for a powerful solution to manage their social media activities.

With its intuitive features and user-friendly interface, Agorapulse helps streamline social media management, engagement, and analytics.

Let’s dive into what makes Agorapulse stand out.

Key Features

Scheduling and publishing: Easily schedule and publish posts across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. The calendar view makes it simple to see and manage all your scheduled content.
Social inbox: Manage all your social media messages, comments, and mentions from a unified inbox. This feature helps guarantee that you never miss an important interaction.
Advanced analytics: Get detailed insights into your social media performance with advanced analytics and customizable reports. Track engagement, follower growth, and the effectiveness of your social media campaigns.
Team collaboration: Agorapulse supports seamless collaboration with features that allow team members to assign tasks, approve posts, and manage permissions.
Listening and monitoring: Use social listening tools to keep an ear to the ground and stay informed about conversations relevant to your brand. These tools track keywords, hashtags, and mentions across the web.
Content management: Organize and store your media assets in a content library so it’s easy to access and use them for future posts.

Pros

Agorapulse is designed to be intuitive and easy to use, making it accessible for users of all skill levels.
The platform offers a wide range of features that cover all aspects of social media management, from scheduling to analytics and social listening.
The detailed analytics and reporting tools provide valuable insights that help in optimizing social media strategies.
Managing interactions across multiple platforms from a single inbox is a significant time-saver.

Cons

Agorapulse can be on the pricier side, especially for smaller businesses or individual users.
While Agorapulse offers several integrations, it may not have as many as some other social media management tools.
New users might find the extensive features a bit overwhelming at first.

Pricing

Free Plan: Ideal for individuals or small teams just starting out. It includes basic features to help you manage up to 3 social media channels
Standard Plan: $69 per user per month for 10 social profiles
Professional Plan: $99 per user per month for 10 social profiles. This plan is suitable for small teams or businesses and includes advanced features and more comprehensive analytics
Advanced Plan: $149 per user per month for 10 social profiles. This plan is designed for larger teams or agencies and offers full access to all features and higher limits on users and social profiles
Custom Plan: Custom pricing. Tailored for large organizations with specific requirements and needs

5. Metricool

Metricool

Metricool is designed to help businesses and individuals streamline their online presence while offering a range of features that make social media planning, posting, and performance tracking a breeze.

Let’s dive into what makes Metricool so engaging.

Key Features

Intuitive planning: Metricool’s drag-and-drop calendar lets you plan and schedule your posts across platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more.
Social media analytics: Metricool provides detailed analytics so you can track engagement, reach, follower growth, and more. Plus, it integrates with Google Analytics to give you a full picture of your web performance.
Ad management: The tool lets you manage and track your ad campaigns on Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads. You can monitor performance and optimize your spending all in one place.
Competitor analysis: The competitor analysis tool helps you keep an eye on their social media performance, so you can stay ahead of the game.
Custom reports: Metricool’s customizable reports let you showcase your social media and web performance in a way that highlights the metrics that matter most to you.

Pros

Metricool offers detailed insights into both social media and web performance, giving you a holistic view of your online efforts.
Even if you’re new to analytics tools, Metricool is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate.
Managing your ad campaigns across multiple platforms is a breeze with Metricool.
This tool provides valuable insights into your competitors’ strategies, helping you stay competitive.
You can create reports that are tailored to your needs, making it easy to communicate your results.

Cons

While the free plan is a great start, accessing advanced features will require upgrading to a paid plan.
There’s a lot to explore in Metricool, and it might take a bit of time to fully understand and use all its features.

Pricing

Free Plan: Perfect for individuals and small businesses starting out as it includes basic analytics and planning tools
Starter Plan: $22 per month for 5 brands; is ideal for small teams, offering advanced features and support
Advanced Plan: $54 per month for 15 brands and designed for medium-sized teams
Custom Plan: Offers custom pricing and starts at 50 brands; tailored for large organizations with extensive needs

6. Later

Later homepage

Later is your go-to social media management tool, especially if you love visual content and want to keep your social media presence fresh and engaging.

It’s perfect for businesses and individuals who want to plan, schedule, and analyze their posts without the hassle. Let’s explore what makes Later a favorite among social media enthusiasts.

Key Features

Visual content calendar: Later’s drag-and-drop calendar makes it easy to plan and schedule your posts. See all your upcoming posts at a glance so your feed looks cohesive and appealing.
Instagram scheduling: Later shines when it comes to Instagram. Schedule photos, videos, stories, and carousel posts with ease. Plus, you can visually plan your Instagram feed to see how your posts will look together.
Analytics and reporting: Later provides insights into your social media performance, including engagement metrics, best times to post, and follower growth. These analytics help you refine your strategy and boost your social media presence.
User-generated content tools: Find and share user-generated content effortlessly. Discover content that features your brand and repost it with proper credit to engage with your audience and build a community.
Link in bio: Transform your Instagram bio into a mini-website with clickable links that drive traffic to your website, blog, or product pages.

Pros

The visual content calendar is intuitive and perfect for planning a cohesive Instagram feed.
Later offers competitive pricing plans, which makes it accessible for individuals and businesses of all sizes.
Later excels at Instagram scheduling and analytics while offering features tailored specifically to this platform.
The platform is easy to use, even for those who are new to social media management tools.

Cons

While Later is excellent for Instagram, it supports fewer social media platforms compared to some competitors.
The analytics provided are useful but may not be as comprehensive as those offered by more advanced tools.
For some social networks, you’ll need to use reminders to manually post your scheduled content.

Pricing

Free Plan: Manage up to one social profile per platform and schedule up to 12 posts per month per social platform
Starter Plan: $25 per month for 1 social set (one profile for IG, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and LinkedIn) and is great for individuals or small businesses
Growth Plan: $45 per month for 3 social sets; suitable for growing businesses with more social profiles and advanced analytics
Advanced Plan: $80 per month for 6 social sets; designed for larger teams with multiple users and access to all premium features
Agency Plan: $200 per month for 15 social sets and is perfect for big teams handling multiple platforms and need access to all social media tools

7. CoSchedule

CoSchedule

CoSchedule is a versatile marketing management tool that combines project management, content scheduling, and team collaboration into one seamless platform.

It’s designed for businesses and marketing teams wanting to simplify their workflows and stay organized.

Key Features

Marketing calendar: CoSchedule’s calendar is a visual hub where you can drag and drop tasks, schedule social media posts, and plan your content strategy effortlessly.
Content organizer: Keep everything tidy with CoSchedule’s content organizer. Manage your blog posts, social media updates, and marketing campaigns from a single dashboard.
Social media scheduling: Plan and schedule your social media posts across multiple platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more.
Team collaboration: CoSchedule makes it easy to assign tasks, set deadlines, and communicate directly within the platform so everyone stays on the same page.
Task templates: Speed up repetitive processes with customizable task templates. This helps ensure consistency and saves you tons of time.
Analytics and reporting: CoSchedule’s analytics give you insights into what’s working and what needs tweaking.

Pros

CoSchedule covers all aspects of marketing management, from scheduling to analytics, which gives you everything you need in one place.
The platform is designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate, so you don’t have to be a tech whiz to use it.
CoSchedule’s collaboration tools help keep your team organized and productive.
Create and customize task templates to simplify your workflows and maintain consistency.

Cons

CoSchedule can be on the pricey side, especially for smaller businesses or individual users.
With so many features, it might take some time to get the hang of everything CoSchedule has to offer.
While CoSchedule integrates with many popular tools, it may not have as many integrations as some other platforms.

Pricing

Free Calendar: Perfect for individuals looking for basic social publishing; comes with 1 user account for 2 social media profiles
Social Calendar: Starting at $19 per user per month, this plan includes basic calendar and scheduling features
Agency Calendar: Starts at $49 per user per month for 3 users and 5 connected social accounts; great for agencies that need calendars for each client
Content Calendar and Marketing Suite: Custom pricing; designed for larger teams and enterprises, this plan includes advanced features like asset management, team collaboration tools, and in-depth analytics

8. Nextiva

Nextiva

Nextiva is a comprehensive business communications platform designed to unify your communication channels, which ultimately makes it easier to stay connected and productive.

Here’s what Nextiva has to offer:

Key Features

Unified communication: Nextiva combines phone, email, text, and video conferencing into one platform, simplifying communication and ensuring your team can stay connected through various channels without switching platforms.
VoIP phone system: This feature includes call routing, voicemail to email, call analytics, and more. It’s perfect for businesses needing a reliable and flexible phone system.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Integrated CRM tools help manage customer interactions and relationships. Track interactions, manage sales pipelines, and ensure your team has all the necessary information at their fingertips.
Team collaboration tools: With team messaging, video conferencing, and file sharing, your team can collaborate effectively, no matter where they are.
Advanced analytics: Gain insights into communication patterns and performance with advanced analytics. Track metrics like call volume, response times, and customer satisfaction to improve operations.
Automation and AI: Nextiva uses AI and automation to streamline workflows, such as automating customer follow-ups or routing calls to the appropriate departments.

Pros

Reduces the need for multiple platforms and simplifies business communications.
Suitable for both small businesses and large enterprises, with plans that grow with your business.
Designed to be intuitive, so it’s easy for users to navigate and utilize various features.

Cons

Can be expensive, especially for smaller businesses or startups with tight budgets.
The wide range of features can be overwhelming for new users or businesses transitioning from simpler systems.
While it integrates with many popular tools, some users may find it lacks the specific integrations they need.

Pricing

Digital Plan: $25 per user per month and includes basic communication tools
Core Plan: $35 per user per month; adds more advanced features like voicemail transcription and call recording
Engage Plan: Starting at $50 per user per month, this plan includes all the features of the Core plan plus advanced analytics and integrations
Power Suite Plan: Starts at $75 per user per month for businesses that need the full suite of Nextiva’s features, including advanced CRM and automation tools

Simplify Your Marketing Efforts With DGTLsuite

Finding the right social media management tool can feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack, but once you’ve got the perfect match, it’s a game-changer.

Whether you’re looking for something simple and effective like Buffer, a comprehensive powerhouse like CoSchedule, or a visually focused tool like Later, there’s a solution out there to elevate your social media game.

But if you’re after an all-in-one platform that combines ease of use, powerful features, and top-notch support, DGTLsuite should be on your radar. With its versatile tools for social media planning, engagement, and analytics, DGTLsuite is designed to make your social media efforts more efficient and impactful.

Ready to revolutionize your social media strategy?

Book a discovery call today!

FAQs About Hootsuite Alternatives

What makes a good Hootsuite alternative?

A good Hootsuite alternative should offer robust features for managing multiple social media accounts, scheduling posts, and analyzing performance. These tools should help you streamline your social media workflow, from planning and content creation to engagement and reporting.

Additionally, it should be intuitive and easy to use, ensuring that you can quickly learn and adapt to the platform without a steep learning curve. Budget-friendliness is also crucial; a good alternative should provide value without breaking the bank, offering various pricing plans to accommodate different business sizes and needs.

Are these alternatives suitable for small businesses?

Absolutely. Many of these tools offer affordable pricing plans that are perfect for small businesses. They are designed to scale with your business, meaning that as your social media needs grow, you can upgrade to more advanced plans that offer additional features and support.

Do these tools offer free trials?

Yes, most of these tools offer free trials or even free plans. This is particularly beneficial because it allows you to test out the features and user interface before making a financial commitment. Free trials usually range from 7 to 30 days, giving you ample time to explore the tool’s capabilities and see if it meets your requirements.

Can I use these tools to manage multiple social media accounts?

Yes. All the alternatives listed here are designed to support managing multiple social media accounts. This is crucial for businesses that have a presence on various platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and more.

Are there any tools better for visual content?

Yes, tools like DGTLsuite are specifically designed for visual content and are particularly strong on platforms like Instagram. Plus, these tools often include robust media libraries where you can store and organize your images and videos, making it easier to plan and execute a visually appealing social media strategy.