Hootsuite Review 2026: Best Social Media Marketing Tool?

Is Hootsuite Worth It?

★★★★★ 4.1/5

Quick Verdict: Hootsuite is a solid social media management tool for teams that manage multiple social media accounts. It shines at scheduling posts, tracking sociale media analytics, and keeping all your social channels in one dashboard. But at $99/month, it’s pricey for solo users. You get better value if you manage 5+ social accounts.

✅ Best For:

Social media teams managing multiple social media platforms from one dashboard

❌ Skip If:

You’re a solo creator on a tight budget — the free version is gone

📊 Users	18M+ worldwide	🎯 Best For	Social media marketing teams
💰 Price	$99/maand	✅ Top Feature	Social media dashboard
🎁 Free Trial	30 days	⚠️ Limitation	No free plan anymore

How I Tested Hootsuite

Managing multiple social media accounts is exhausting.

You jump from Facebook to Instagram to LinkedIn. You forget to post on Twitter. Your YouTube channels sit empty for weeks.

Sound familiar?

Enter Hootsuite.

It promises to manage all your social media from one place. But does it actually work? I tested it for 90 days to find out.

In this Hootsuite review, I’ll show you the real results, honest pricing, and who should skip it.

I’ve read dozens of Hootsuite reviews online. Most are surface-level. This one goes deep.

Hootsuite

Stop juggling 10 different social media tabs. Hootsuite lets you schedule posts, track analytics, and manage your entire social media presence from one dashboard. Trusted by 18 million users. Try it free for 30 days.

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Wat is Hootsuite?

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that helps you control all your social accounts from one place.

Think of it like a remote control for your social media.

Here’s the simple version:

You connect your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube channels. Then you schedule content, track performance, and reply to direct messages — all from the Hootsuite dashboard.

The Hootsuite platform focuses on saving you time.

Instead of logging into each social network one at a time, Hootsuite works by pulling everything into one screen. You can publish content to multiple social networks at once.

Hootsuite has been around since 2008. It’s one of the oldest social media management tools in the game.

Wie heeft Hootsuite bedacht?

Ryan Holmes started Hootsuite in 2008.

The story is simple. He ran a digital media agency called Invoke Media. He needed a tool to manage various social media accounts. Nothing on the market fit his needs.

So he built one.

Today, Hootsuite has:

• Over 18 million users worldwide
• 1,600+ employees across 13 offices
• 800+ Fortune 1000 companies as customers

The company is based in Vancouver, Canada. Irina Novoselsky is the current CEO.

Hootsuite launched as a simple scheduling tool. Now it’s a full social media platform with analytics, social listening, advertising tools, and more.

Top Benefits of Hootsuite

Here’s what you actually get when you use Hootsuite:

• Manage Everything in One Place: You can control all your social media accounts from a single dashboard. No more switching between apps. Many users describe Hootsuite as a “life-saver” and “time-saver” for this exact reason.
• Save Hours Every Week: Schedule posts across multiple platforms in advance. With bulk scheduling, you can plan up to 350 scheduled posts at once. That means your social media calendar stays full without daily effort.
• See What’s Working: Hootsuite analytics shows you which posts perform best. You can access reports that track your social media performance across every platform. No more guessing.
• Never Miss a Message: De verenigde inbox pulls in direct messages and comments from all your social channels. You respond faster. Your customer feedback gets handled in one spot.
• Ontwikkel de vaardigheden van je team: Hootsuite Academy offers courses and certifications in social media marketing. Your team members learn while they work. It’s built right into the platform.
• Work Better as a Team: Team management features let you assign tasks, approve posts, and manage workflows. Your social media teams stay organized. No posts go live without approval.
• Connect Your Favorite Tools: The Hootsuite app directory includes over 150 integrations. It connects to other tools you already use for digital marketing.

Best Hootsuite Features

Let’s dig into the key features that make Hootsuite stand out from other social media management tools.

1. Publiceren & Plannen

This is where Hootsuite shines the brightest.

You can schedule posts across all your social media platforms at once. Or you can customize each post for each social network.

The social media calendar lets you see everything planned for the week or month. Drag and drop posts to change dates. Use bulk scheduling to plan hundreds of posts in minutes.

You can also publish immediately if you need something live right now. The tool suggests the best times to post based on your audience.

2. Sociale media-analyse

Hootsuite’s analytics feature gives you a clear picture of your social media performance.

You can track engagement, reach, clicks, and growth across all social platforms. The advanced analytics dashboard lets you build customized reports for your team or clients.

Hootsuite analytics helps you see which content works. It also shows you the best time to post for maximum reach.

You can compare your results against competitors too. This is huge for tracking your social media efforts over time.

3. Contentcreatie met behulp van AI

Hootsuite launched OwlyWriter AI in 2023. It helps you write social media posts faster.

Type in a topic. The AI creates bijschriften, hashtags, and post ideas for you. It can turn web pages and trending topics into fresh relevant content.

Not gonna lie — I was skeptical at first. But the AI actually saved me about 2 hours per week on content creation.

You still need to edit the output. But it’s a great starting point for scheduling posts quickly.

4. Betrokkenheidsinstrumenten

Managing direct messages across multiple social accounts is a nightmare.

Hootsuite fixes this with a unified inbox. All your messages, comments, and mentions from every social channel land in one place.

You can reply to Instagram stories comments and Facebook messages without switching apps. Tag team members to handle specific conversations.

This alone makes Hootsuite a great tool for customer service teams.

5. Sociale reclame

You can manage paid social ads right inside Hootsuite.

Create, manage, and track ads on Facebook and Instagram. See your organic and paid results side by side. This helps you understand which social media posts deserve a paid boost.

The advertising dashboard shows your ad spend and results in real-time. No need to jump between the Hootsuite platform and Facebook Ads Manager.

6. AI-assistent voor sociale media

In 2025, Hootsuite launched OwlyGPT — a built-in AI-assistent.

It goes beyond content creation. The AI helps you pick the best posting times. It suggests improvements to your social media presence based on your gegevens.

Think of it as having a digital marketing expert sitting next to you. It watches your social media performance and gives you tips to improve.

7. Hulpmiddel voor sociaal luisteren

Want to know what people say about your brand online?

Hootsuite’s social listening tracks mentions, keywords, and hashtags across social platforms. You can monitor your brand reputation in real-time.

After acquiring Talkwalker in 2024, Hootsuite’s features for social listening got much stronger. You can track sentiment and spot trends before they go viral.

This is powerful for brands that care about their social media presence.

8. Belangenbehartiging door werknemers

This feature helps your team share company content on their personal social accounts.

You create approved posts. Your team members share them with one click. This extends your reach without extra ad spend.

One company reported a 450X increase in LinkedIn followers using this feature. That’s not a typo.

It’s especially useful for B2B companies where personal social network connections matter.

9. Advertentiedashboard

See all your paid social campaigns in one view.

The advertising dashboard combines data from Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn ads. You see what’s working across all social channels without opening separate tools.

Build customized reports that show both organic and paid performance. Share them with your team or clients in just a few clicks.

Hootsuite Pricing

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Hootsuite pricing has gone up a lot over the years.

The Pro plan used to cost $5.99 per month. Now the cheapest plan is $99 per month. That’s an increase of over 2,387%.

Here’s what each plan costs right now:

Gratis proefperiode: Yes — 30 days on all paid plans. No credit card needed to start.

Geld-terug-garantie: No official guarantee, but you can cancel during the trial.

📌 Opmerking: Annual billing saves you up to 38%. You can also skip the free trial for an extra 10% off. Hootsuite pricing is per user, so costs climb fast when you add team members.

Is Hootsuite Worth the Price?

Here’s my honest take after 90 days.

Hootsuite is worth it if you manage 5+ social media accounts and need team features. The time you save on scheduling posts and tracking analytics pays for itself.

But the Hootsuite pricing structure has raised concerns among many users. Some report price hikes of over 400% compared to what they used to pay.

You’ll save money if: You manage multiple social accounts for clients and need one tool for everything.

You might overpay if: You’re a solo creator posting to 2-3 social platforms. Buffer or Later cost less for basic needs.

Hootsuite Pros and Cons

✅ What I Liked

❌ What Could Be Better

Is Hootsuite Right for You?

✅ Hootsuite is PERFECT for you if:

• You manage multiple social media accounts across different social media platforms
• You need team management with approval workflows
• You want advanced analytics to track social media performance
• You run social media marketing for clients or an agency
• You need social listening and social advertising in one tool

❌ Skip Hootsuite if:

• You’re a solo creator on a tight budget — Buffer is a better fit
• You only post on Instagram — Later is particularly strong for visual-heavy platforms
• You need built-in CRM features — Sprout Social integrates CRM features unlike Hootsuite

My recommendation:

Hootsuite stands out as the best choice for social media teams that manage 5+ social accounts. If you need one tool for scheduling, analytics, and team coordination, Hootsuite is hard to beat.

But if you’re managing 2-3 accounts solo, you’re overpaying. Look at Buffer or SocialPilot instead.

Hootsuite vs Alternatives

How does Hootsuite stack up? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Quick picks:

• Best overall: Hootsuite — most features under one roof for large social media teams
• Best budget option: Buffer — starts at $6/month and is perfect for small businesses
• Best for beginners: SocialPilot — easy to use with great pricing for new users
• Best for agencies: Agorapulse — powerful client management and reporting tools

🎯 Hootsuite Alternatives

Looking for Hootsuite alternatives? Here are the top options:

• 🌟 Sprout Social: Best for teams that need built-in CRM and deep social media analytics in one platform.
• 👶 Buffer: A straightforward social media scheduling tool and excellent choice for beginners on a budget.
• 🎨 Later: Particularly strong for visual-heavy platforms like Instagram with drag-and-drop planning.
• 🚀 Agorapulse: Great for agencies with strong inbox management and client reporting tools.
• 💰 SocialPilot: Budget-friendly option with bulk scheduling and white-label features for agencies.
• 🔧 Sendible: Perfect for agencies that need white-label dashboards and customized reports.
• ⚡ Zoho Social: Best if you’re already in the Zoho ecosystem with affordable pricing for small businesses.
• 📊 Metricool: Strong analytics focus with competitive pricing for tracking social media performance.
• 🧠 Loomly: An excellent alternative to Hootsuite especially for larger teams that need content approval flows.
• 🏢 Sprinklr: Enterprise-level tool for huge organizations managing hundreds of social accounts.
• 🎨 Content Studio: Great for content discovery and scheduling with AI-powered suggestions.
• ⚡ Heldenpost: Simple and affordable option for quick social media posting.
• 🔧 Planbaar: Best for teams focused on content collaboration and visual approval workflows.

⚔️ Hootsuite Compared

Here’s how Hootsuite stacks up against each competitor:

• Hootsuite versus Sprout Social: Hootsuite is cheaper. Sprout Social has better CRM features. Pick Sprout if customer relationships matter most.
• Hootsuite versus Buffer: Buffer is simpler and cheaper. Hootsuite wins on analytics, social listening, and team features.
• Hootsuite versus Later: Later is better for Instagram-first brands. Hootsuite covers more social platforms overall.
• Hootsuite versus Agorapulse: Agorapulse has a better inbox. Hootsuite has more integrations and a bigger user base.
• Hootsuite versus SocialPilot: SocialPilot costs less for similar features. Hootsuite offers deeper analytics and social listening.
• Hootsuite versus Sendible: Sendible is better for white-label agencies. Hootsuite is stronger for enterprise teams.
• Hootsuite versus Zoho Social: Zoho Social is much cheaper. Hootsuite has more features and better social listening tools.
• Hootsuite vs Metricool: Metricool is a budget-friendly analytics tool. Hootsuite is a full social media management platform.
• Hootsuite versus Loomly: Loomly is better for content approval workflows. Hootsuite has more integrations and analytics.
• Hootsuite versus Sprinkler: Sprinklr is for massive enterprises. Hootsuite is better for mid-size social media teams.
• Hootsuite versus Content Studio: Content Studio has better content discovery. Hootsuite has stronger social listening.
• Hootsuite versus Heropost: Heropost is simpler and cheaper. Hootsuite offers far more features for serious teams.
• Hootsuite versus Planable: Planable wins on visual content planning. Hootsuite wins on analytics and integrations.

My Experience with Hootsuite

Here’s what actually happened when I used Hootsuite for 90 days:

The project: I managed social media for 4 client accounts across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Tijdlijn: 90 days of daily use.

Resultaten:

What surprised me: The bulk scheduling feature changed everything. I could plan an entire month of content on Monday morning. That freed up the rest of the week for actual engagement and strategy.

What frustrated me: The Hootsuite account setup took longer than expected. I contacted Hootsuite support 5 times in the first week. Hootsuite customer service was helpful but slow — average response time was 4-6 hours. Also, the user interface felt clunky at times compared to newer tools.

Would I use it again? Yes — but only for accounts with 5+ social media channels. For anything less, I’d pick a cheaper tool.

Slotgedachten

Get Hootsuite if: You manage multiple social media accounts for a team or agency and need scheduling, analytics, and social listening in one tool.

Skip Hootsuite if: You’re a solo creator or small bedrijf that only needs basic scheduling. The Hootsuite Enterprise plan is overkill for most.

My verdict: After 90 days, I see why Hootsuite has been around since 2008. It has robust features and does a lot. But the pricing has gotten steep. Hootsuite stands as the best option for mid-size teams who need everything under one roof.

For everyone else? There are cheaper Hootsuite alternatives that get the job done.

Rating: 4.1/5

Veelgestelde vragen

Is Hootsuite worth it in 2026?

Yes, if you manage multiple social media accounts for a team or agency. The Hootsuite platform saves hours with bulk scheduling, analytics, and a unified inbox. But solo users might find it too expensive at $99/month when tools like Buffer start at $6/month.

How much does Hootsuite cost?

Hootsuite pricing starts at $99/month for the Standard plan. The Advanced plan costs $249/month. The Enterprise plan has custom pricing. All prices are per user, so costs grow as you add team members. Annual billing saves up to 38%.

Is Hootsuite free or not?

No. Hootsuite removed its free plan in March 2023. There is no free version available anymore. However, Hootsuite offers a 30-day free trial for its paid plans so you can test the service before paying.

Does Hootsuite actually work?

Yes. Hootsuite works well for scheduling posts, tracking analytics, and managing multiple social accounts. Over 18 million users trust it worldwide. The tool supports Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube channels.

How hard is it to learn Hootsuite?

Hootsuite has a moderate learning curve. The user interface is designed to be intuitive, but the many features can feel overwhelming at first. Hootsuite Academy provides free courses to help you learn faster. Most users feel comfortable within 1-2 weeks.