📊 Our Test Results:
- 💰 Pricing Value: Metricool $18/month vs Hootsuite $99/month — Metricool wins
- 📊 Social Media Analytics: Both Metricool and Hootsuite offer strong analytics — Tie
- 👂 Social Listening: Hootsuite offers advanced social listening tools — Hootsuite wins
- 📅 Content Calendar: Metricool’s user interface is cleaner — Metricool wins
- 🔌 Integrations: Hootsuite offers 200+ app connections — Hootsuite wins
Struggling to manage your social media accounts across multiple social platforms?
You need a reliable social media management tool that saves time and delivers results.
Two names keep popping up in this space: Metricool and Hootsuite.
Both Metricool and Hootsuite promise to simplify your social media marketing strategy.
But which social media management platform actually delivers the best value for your business?
I tested both social media management tools head-to-head for over a month.
The results might surprise you.
Overview
To give you the most accurate comparison of Metricool vs Hootsuite, I spent weeks using both social media management platforms.
I scheduled posts across social channels like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
I analyzed social media analytics and tested every major feature.
I even put their customer support to the test.
Now I am sharing my firsthand experience to help you make the right choice.
What is Metricool?
Metricool is a social media management platform built for analytics lovers.
It helps you plan, schedule posts, and track your social media performance in one platform.
Think of Metricool as mission control for your social media strategy.
The tool offers features like competitive benchmarking, hashtag tracking, and unified ad campaigns management.
Over 70% of Metricool users report saving at least 5 hours per week on social media scheduling.
Metricool
Metricool is a user friendly social media management software that helps small businesses and agencies manage multiple social media accounts from one platform. It offers powerful social media analytics, content calendar planning, and ad campaigns tracking for Facebook, Instagram, Google, and TikTok.
Metricool Pricing
Metricool offers a free plan that many small businesses love.
Here’s what Metricool pricing looks like in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Small business owner testing the platform |
| Starter | $18/month | Social media managers handling up to 5 brands |
| Advance | $45/month | Agencies with team collaboration needs |
| Custom | Contact for the pricing | Enterprise businesses with custom analytics needs |
Free trial: Metricool offers a free plan forever with limited features. You can manage one brand and schedule up to 50 posts per month.
Money-back guarantee: Metricool uses a subscription model. You can cancel anytime and continue using paid plans until the billing cycle ends.
📌 Note: The Starter plan includes unlimited posts scheduling and management for up to 5 brands. You also get downloadable reports in PDF and PPT formats for clients.
⚠️ Warning: Twitter/X connection is not included by default. It costs an additional $5 per connected account per month.
Key Benefits of Metricool
Here’s why Metricool stands out among social media management tools:
- Best-Time Heatmaps: Metricool shows you when your audience is most active. No more guessing the perfect posting time for your social channels.
- Unified Ad Tracking: Monitor Facebook, Instagram, Google, and TikTok ad campaigns from one dashboard. This feature alone saves hours each week.
- Competitor Analysis: Track up to 100 competitor profiles with competitive benchmarking. See what works for them and improve your social media strategy.
- SmartLinks Tool: Create custom landing pages with the link-in-bio feature. Drive traffic from your social profiles to multiple destinations.
- Looker Studio Integration: Connect your data to Google Looker Studio for custom analytics and professional reports.
- User Friendly Interface: The visual content calendar makes planning feel intuitive. Drag and drop posts to schedule them easily.
Metricool Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan available forever for small businesses just starting
- Paid plans start at just $18/month — much cheaper than Hootsuite
- Clean, intuitive user interface that beginners love
- Powerful competitor tracking with competitive benchmarking
- Unified ad campaigns management for multiple social platforms
❌ Cons
- Limited social listening capabilities compared to Hootsuite
- Fewer integrations available — only Canva, Looker Studio, and Zapier
- Twitter/X connection requires extra paid plan add-on
- Team notifications only go to account owners on some plans
What is Hootsuite?
Hootsuite is the OG of social media management tools.
Founded in 2008, this enterprise plan platform has helped businesses manage their social presence for over 15 years.
Think of Hootsuite as the Swiss Army knife for enterprise social media managers.
Hootsuite offers advanced tools for social listening, team collaboration, and managing hundreds of social profiles.
The platform connects with over 200 third-party apps including Salesforce, Slack, and Adobe Creative Suite.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is an enterprise-grade social media management platform built for complex team workflows. It offers powerful social listening, bulk scheduling of up to 350 posts, and custom analytics dashboards. Hootsuite is ideal for large organizations that need deep reporting and advanced security features.
Hootsuite Pricing
Hootsuite discontinued its free plan in 2023.
This has left many small businesses and social media managers looking for alternatives.
Here’s what Hootsuite offers in their paid plans.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $99/per month | Solo professionals managing up to 10 social accounts |
| Advanced | $249/per month | Small teams needing team collaboration features |
| Enterprise Suite Custom | Custom Pricing | Large organizations with complex social media needs |
Free trial: Hootsuite offers a 30-day free trial on Professional and Team plans. No credit card required to start.
Money-back guarantee: Hootsuite bills annually. You can cancel anytime but the subscription continues until the billing period ends.
📌 Note: The Standard plan includes social ads campaign management, OwlyWriter AI assistant, and basic analytics. You can manage up to 10 social accounts.
⚠️ Warning: Advanced features like custom analytics, approval workflows, and social listening require the Advanced or Enterprise plan. The price jumps significantly for these features.
Key Benefits of Hootsuite
Here’s why Hootsuite remains popular among enterprise businesses:
- Advanced Social Listening: Track millions of real-time conversations about your brand online. Predict trends, measure sentiment, and respond to customer needs instantly.
- OwlyWriter AI: This AI assistant generates captions, images, and campaign strategies. It even answers your social media questions on demand.
- 200+ App Integrations: Connect with Salesforce, Slack, Adobe Creative Suite, Asana, Canva, and more. If you have an existing tech stack, Hootsuite probably connects to it.
- Bulk Scheduling: Upload and schedule up to 350 posts at once. The content calendar shows all your social accounts side by side.
- Enterprise Security: Hootsuite is FedRAMP certified and meets compliance requirements for regulated industries including government and finance.
- Team Collaboration: Built-in approval workflows, message assignments, and team permissions make it easy for large teams to work together.
Hootsuite Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Powerful social listening and sentiment analysis tools
- 200+ integrations with popular business software
- Bulk scheduling up to 350 posts saves time for social media managers
- Enterprise-grade security for regulated industries
- Built for team collaboration with approval workflows
❌ Cons
- No free plan available — Hootsuite discontinued it in 2023
- Expensive pricing starting at $99/month for basic features
- User interface feels cluttered compared to Metricool
- Many features locked behind enterprise plan with custom pricing
Feature Comparison
Ready to dive into a detailed Metricool vs Hootsuite comparison?
Let me break down 10 key features to help you determine which social media management tool fits your needs.
| Feature | Metricool | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $18/month | $99/month |
| Free Plan | ✅ | ❌ |
| Social Media Scheduling | ✅ Unlimited posts | ✅ 350 bulk posts |
| Social Media Analytics | ✅ Visual dashboards | ✅ Custom reports |
| Social Listening | ❌ Limited | ✅ Advanced |
| Ad Campaigns Tracking | ✅ Built-in | ✅ Built-in |
| Team Collaboration | ✅ On Advanced plan | ✅ On all plans |
| Integrations | Limited (Canva, Zapier) | 200+ apps |
| AI Assistant | ✅ Basic | ✅ OwlyWriter AI |
| Best For | Small businesses & agencies | Enterprise teams |
1. Social Media Scheduling
Metricool: The visual content calendar makes scheduling feel intuitive. You can drag and drop posts to reschedule them. Metricool offers best-time heatmaps that show when your audience is most active. The Starter plan lets you schedule up to 2,000 pieces of content per month. The user interface is clean and user friendly for beginners.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite offers bulk scheduling of up to 350 posts uploaded at once. The content calendar shows all your social accounts side by side. Built-in Canva templates speed up content creation. However, the user interface feels cluttered compared to Metricool. Many users find the learning curve steeper.
2. Social Media Analytics
Metricool: Metricool offers straightforward graphs and real-time dashboards for core metrics like reach and follower growth. The analytics show actionable insights without overwhelming you with data. Downloadable PDF and PPT reports make client presentations easy. The Looker Studio integration allows for custom analytics reports.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite provides customizable reporting tools for enterprise metrics. You can display data in thousands of unique ways by post, network, and more. The reporting is powerful but can feel overwhelming for beginners. Custom analytics dashboards require the Advanced or Enterprise plan.
3. Social Listening
Metricool: Metricool offers minimal social listening capabilities. The tool focuses on direct platform metrics rather than brand monitoring across the web. You can track competitor profiles and hashtags but cannot monitor brand mentions outside your connected social channels.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite includes social listening in every plan. You can track brand mentions and sentiment across the web. The tool monitors millions of real-time conversations. You can predict future trends and compare your engagement to competitors. This feature makes Hootsuite better for larger organizations focused on brand monitoring.
⚠️ Warning: If social listening is critical for your social media marketing strategy, Hootsuite is the clear choice here. Metricool simply does not compete in this category.
4. Ad Campaigns Management
Metricool: Metricool includes unified ad tracking for Facebook, Instagram, Google, and TikTok Ads in its basic paid plans. You can monitor ad campaigns performance from one dashboard. This feature saves hours each week for social media managers running multiple ad campaigns.
Hootsuite: Every Hootsuite plan includes social ads campaign management. You can plan, publish, and track your ad campaigns across social media platforms from within the Hootsuite dashboard. The tool also supports ad optimization and planning features for larger budgets.
5. Team Collaboration
Metricool: Team collaboration features require the Advanced plan at $45/month. You get role management, post-approval workflows, and client access. However, some users report that team notifications only go to account owners. The tool is designed more for agencies managing clients than large internal teams.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite was built for teams from the ground up. Message assignments, saved replies, and sentiment analysis help reduce inbox volume. You can turn your social media inbox into a full-scale customer care tool with message routing and CSAT surveys. Enterprise teams will find these features essential.
6. Integrations
Metricool: Metricool offers limited integrations compared to Hootsuite. You can connect Canva, Looker Studio, and Zapier on paid plans. Website analytics integration works with WordPress, Shopify, and Wix. For most small businesses, these resources are sufficient.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite offers over 200 app connections including Salesforce, Slack, Adobe Creative Suite, Asana, and Upfluence. If you have an existing tech stack, Hootsuite probably works with it. This makes Hootsuite the better choice for businesses with complex software requirements.
7. Content Calendar
Metricool: Metricool’s content calendar integrates heatmaps for best times to post directly into the calendar view. The visual layout is clean and easy to navigate. You can see scheduled content at a glance and make changes with drag-and-drop. This makes content planning feel natural.
Hootsuite: The content calendar shows all networks side by side. You can see your entire social media posting schedule in one view. Built-in templates help create content faster. However, the interface can feel overwhelming when managing multiple social accounts.
8. Competitive Benchmarking
Metricool: The competitor analysis feature lets you track up to 100 rival profiles. You can see what content performs best for competitors and adjust your social media strategy accordingly. The data helps you understand industry trends and improve your approach.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite offers competitive benchmarking tools on higher-tier plans. You can compare your mentions and engagements to competitors. The insights help larger organizations understand their market position and adjust strategy.
9. AI Features
Metricool: Metricool includes a basic AI social media assistant for generating copy ideas. The Advanced plan includes AI-powered scheduling that suggests the best posting times automatically. However, the AI features are more limited compared to Hootsuite.
Hootsuite: OwlyWriter AI is a powerful social media AI assistant. It generates captions, images, campaign strategies, and answers your social media questions. The AI never stores or uses your data for training, which matters for regulated industries. Hootsuite offers more advanced AI capabilities.
10. Pricing & Cost
Let’s compare what both Metricool and Hootsuite offer at each price point.
| Plan Level | Metricool | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month (1 brand, 50 posts) | ❌ Not available |
| Entry Paid | $18/month (5 brands, unlimited posts) | $99/month (1 user, 10 accounts) |
| Mid-Tier | $45/month (15 brands, team features) | $249/month (3 users, unlimited accounts) |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | Custom pricing (minimum $15,000/year) |
Metricool: Metricool offers significantly better value for money. The free plan works well for small business owners testing the platform. At $18/month, you can manage up to 5 brands with unlimited posts scheduling. This makes Metricool the budget-friendly choice for many small businesses and freelancers.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite pricing starts at $99/month with no free plan available. The tool is expensive for small businesses but offers more enterprise-grade features. If you need advanced social listening, 200+ integrations, and team collaboration tools, the higher price may be justified.
⚠️ Warning: Hootsuite discontinued its free plan in 2023. Many small businesses found this frustrating and switched to alternatives like Metricool. Consider your budget carefully before committing.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | Metricool | Free plan + $18/month starter |
| Social listening | Hootsuite | Advanced brand monitoring tools |
| 200+ integrations | Hootsuite | Connects with existing tech stack |
| Easy analytics | Metricool | Cleaner user interface |
| Small business tool | Metricool | Built for agencies & freelancers |
| Enterprise features | Hootsuite | Team workflows & security |
💰 Your Budget
If budget matters, Metricool is the clear winner. The free plan offers enough features for many small businesses. Even the paid plan at $18/month costs 82% less than Hootsuite’s $99/month entry price.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
If you use Salesforce, Slack, or Adobe Creative Suite, Hootsuite offers better integrations. Metricool connects with fewer tools but covers the basics like Canva, Zapier, and Looker Studio.
📊 Your Social Media Strategy
If you focus on data and competitive benchmarking, Metricool’s analytics dashboard is easier to navigate. Hootsuite offers deeper custom analytics but requires more time to learn.
🎓 Your Experience Level
If you’re new to social media management platforms, Metricool’s user friendly interface will help you get started faster. Hootsuite has a steeper learning curve but offers more power for experienced users.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Metricool lets you use the free plan forever with limited features. Hootsuite only offers a 30-day trial. Test both before making a decision on your social media management tool.
🛟 Support Options
Hootsuite offers dedicated account managers for Enterprise customers. Metricool provides email support and resources for all users. Enterprise businesses may prefer Hootsuite’s priority support.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these social media management tools?
Here’s what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from Metricool to Hootsuite?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Advanced social listening capabilities to monitor brand mentions
- 200+ app integrations with your existing tech stack
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance features
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The free plan — Hootsuite starts at $99/month
- Best-time heatmaps built into the content calendar
- Simple, clean user interface — Hootsuite feels more complex
📋 How to switch:
- Export your scheduled posts and analytics reports from Metricool
- Start a free 30-day trial on Hootsuite and connect your social accounts
- Import your content calendar and rebuild your posting schedule
🔄 Switching from Hootsuite to Metricool?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Free plan available forever for small business owners
- Save up to $81/month by switching to Metricool’s paid plan
- Cleaner user interface with better visual analytics
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Advanced social listening and brand monitoring tools
- 200+ integrations — Metricool has fewer connection options
- Bulk scheduling of 350 posts at once
📋 How to switch:
- Download your content calendar and reports from Hootsuite
- Create a free Metricool account and connect your social channels
- Reschedule your posts using Metricool’s drag-and-drop calendar
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Metricool |
| 📅 Content Calendar | Metricool |
| 📊 Social Media Analytics | Tie |
| 👂 Social Listening | Hootsuite |
| 🔌 Integrations | Hootsuite |
| 👥 Team Collaboration | Hootsuite |
| 👶 Ease of Use | Metricool |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Metricool |
🏆 WINNER: METRICOOL
Metricool wins 4 out of 7 categories.
Best for: Small business owners, agencies, freelancers, and budget-conscious social media managers.
Both Metricool and Hootsuite are powerful social media management platforms.
Metricool is designed for small businesses, agencies, and social media managers who want powerful analytics without the enterprise price tag.
Hootsuite offers more powerful tools for social listening and managing hundreds of social profiles across large organizations.
Hootsuite is excellent for enterprise businesses with considerable budgets and complex team workflows.
However, if you need a user friendly social media management tool that delivers great value for your money, Metricool is the better choice.
The fact that Hootsuite discontinued its free plan has made Metricool even more attractive for many small businesses.
Now go out and crush your social media marketing strategy!
More of Metricool Compared
Here’s how Metricool stacks up against other competitors:
Metricool vs Sprout Social
Metricool wins on: Pricing value, user interface simplicity
Sprout Social wins on: Enterprise features, customer service tools
Metricool vs Buffer
Metricool wins on: Ad campaigns tracking, competitor analysis
Buffer wins on: Team collaboration, content recycling
Metricool vs Later
Metricool wins on: Analytics depth, ad management features
Later wins on: Visual planning, influencer marketing tools
Metricool vs Socialpilot
Metricool wins on: Free plan availability, visual analytics
Socialpilot wins on: White-label options, agency features
Metricool vs Agorapulse
Metricool wins on: Entry pricing, ease of use
Agorapulse wins on: Social inbox, ROI reporting
Metricool vs Sendible
Metricool wins on: Ad tracking dashboard, competitor insights
Sendible wins on: White-label branding, agency workflows
Metricool vs Zoho Social
Metricool wins on: Standalone simplicity, visual reports
Zoho Social wins on: CRM integration, Zoho suite connection
Metricool vs Sprinklr
Metricool wins on: Affordability, quick setup
Sprinklr wins on: Enterprise scale, AI-powered insights
Metricool vs Loomly
Metricool wins on: Free tier access, analytics focus
Loomly wins on: Content inspiration, approval workflows
Metricool vs Content Studio
Metricool wins on: Pricing simplicity, clean interface
Content Studio wins on: AI content generation, blog publishing
Metricool vs Heropost
Metricool wins on: Feature depth, analytics reporting
Heropost wins on: Budget pricing, Shopify integration
Metricool vs Blaze
Metricool wins on: Established platform, proven reliability
Blaze wins on: AI content creation, brand voice tools
More of Hootsuite Compared
Here’s how Hootsuite stacks up against other competitors:
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social
Hootsuite wins on: App integrations, bulk scheduling
Sprout Social wins on: Customer care features, cleaner UI
Hootsuite vs Buffer
Hootsuite wins on: Social listening, enterprise features
Buffer wins on: Pricing, ease of use
Hootsuite vs Later
Hootsuite wins on: Platform support, team tools
Later wins on: Visual planning, Instagram focus
Hootsuite vs Agorapulse
Hootsuite wins on: Third-party integrations, brand monitoring
Agorapulse wins on: Inbox management, pricing value
Hootsuite vs SocialPilot
Hootsuite wins on: Enterprise security, social listening
SocialPilot wins on: Affordability, agency features
Hootsuite vs Sendible
Hootsuite wins on: Scale, compliance features
Sendible wins on: White-label options, agency pricing
Hootsuite vs Zoho Social
Hootsuite wins on: Standalone power, integration options
Zoho Social wins on: CRM integration, suite value
Hootsuite vs Loomly
Hootsuite wins on: Advanced features, enterprise tools
Loomly wins on: Content ideas, approval workflows
Hootsuite vs Sprinklr
Hootsuite wins on: Easier setup, better documentation
Sprinklr wins on: Enterprise AI, unified platform
Hootsuite vs Content Studio
Hootsuite wins on: Scale, compliance, brand monitoring
Content Studio wins on: AI blog generation, affordability
Hootsuite vs Heropost
Hootsuite wins on: Feature depth, professional tools
Heropost wins on: Entry-level pricing, simplicity
Hootsuite vs Planable
Hootsuite wins on: Post-publish analytics, social listening
Planable wins on: Collaboration focus, visual workflows
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Metricool better than Hootsuite?
For most small businesses and agencies, Metricool offers better value for money. It costs $18/month compared to Hootsuite’s $99/month starting price. Metricool also provides a free plan that works well for beginners testing social media management platforms. For example, a marketing company can achieve social media success with Metricool at a fraction of the cost. However, Hootsuite is better for large organizations that need advanced social listening and 200+ integrations with their existing tech stack.
Who is better than Hootsuite?
Metricool is better than Hootsuite for budget-conscious users and small business owners. Buffer and Later are also excellent alternatives with lower pricing. Sprout Social and Agorapulse compete with Hootsuite at similar price points but offer different strengths. The best tool depends on your specific needs for social media scheduling, analytics, and team collaboration.
Is Metricool better than Later?
Metricool and Later serve different purposes. Metricool excels at social media analytics, competitive benchmarking, and ad campaigns tracking. Later focuses more on visual content planning and influencer marketing tools. Both offer free plans, making them accessible for small businesses testing social media management software.
Do people still use Hootsuite?
Yes, many large organizations and enterprise teams still use Hootsuite. The platform remains popular for social listening, team collaboration workflows, and managing multiple social accounts at scale. However, since Hootsuite discontinued its free plan in 2023, many small businesses have switched to alternatives like Metricool that offer better pricing for their budget.
What is the difference between Buffer and Metricool?
Buffer focuses on simple social media scheduling with a clean user interface. Metricool offers more features including ad campaigns tracking, competitive benchmarking, and unified analytics across social platforms. Buffer is great for content recycling while Metricool provides deeper insights into post performance and competitor data. If you search for a well-rounded tool, both work well for small businesses managing social media accounts.
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