In 2025, managing your social media presence requires more than just scheduling posts. While Later has long been a popular tool for planning and automating content across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, it may no longer be the perfect fit for everyone.
From content creators and small businesses to agencies and marketing teams, more users are now switching to tools that offer better analytics, more flexible publishing options, or stronger collaboration features. If you’re one of them, you’re in the right place.
To help you find the ideal replacement, we’ve put together a carefully curated list of the 11 best Later alternatives in 2025. Let’s find out.
Why consider Later alternatives?
While Later has built a solid reputation as a social media scheduling tool, it’s not without its limitations. If you’ve felt held back by any of the following issues, it might be time to explore alternatives:
- Expensive for What You Get: Later’s pricing can be a dealbreaker, especially for freelancers, small businesses, or growing teams.
- Integration Issues: A number of users have faced challenges when trying to connect Later with other tools or platforms.
- Limited Features: Later might work well for basic scheduling, but it lacks some advanced features like in-depth analytics, social listening, team collaboration tools, or AI-assisted content generation.
- Platform Restrictions: Users often point out Later’s restrictions on the number of scheduled posts, limited access to features on lower-tier plans, or caps on social profiles.
Quick Overview of the Later Alternatives
Before we dive deeper into each tool, here’s a side-by-side comparison to give you a quick snapshot of what each Later alternative offers. Whether you’re looking for better analytics, broader integrations, or more flexible scheduling features, this overview will help you narrow down the tools that fit your specific needs.
 SocialPilot |
 Hootsuite |
 Buffer |
 Agorapulse |
 Sprout Social |
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| Pricing | Starts at $30/month | Starts at $99/month | Starts at $36/month | Starts at $69/month | Starts at $199/month |
| Best For | Agencies and Small Businesses | Brands and Enterprises | Mid-Size Businesses | Brands and Big Businesses | Brands and Enterprises |
| Social Profiles | 7 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 5 |
| Ease of Use | |||||
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| Publishing | |||||
| Bulk Scheduling | 500 Posts | 350 Posts |  |
200 Posts | 350 Posts |
| Smart Queues |  |
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| Repeat Post | Very Easy |
Complex |
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| First Comment | |
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Only Facebook and Instagram |
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| Audience Targeting | |
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| Content Planning & Creation | |||||
| Calendar View | Easy to Read |
Complex |
Hard to Read |
Confusing |
Overwhelming |
| AI Assistant | |
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| Custom Call-to-Actions | |
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| Content Library | |
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| Instagram Collab Posts | |
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| Location Tagging | |
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Instagram |
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| Holiday Calendar | |
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| Engagement | |||||
| Social Inbox | Unified Inbox |
Multiple Inboxes |
Limited Features |
Multiple Inboxes |
Complex |
| Reply to Reviews & Queries | |
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| Reply to DMs & Comments | |
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Only Facebook & Instagram | Separated Inbox |
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| Analytics | |||||
| Detailed Social Media Analytics | Easy to Read |
Complex |
Complex |
Complex |
Complex |
| Custom Report Builder | |
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| Auto Schedule Report Sharing to Clients | |
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| Team & Client Collaboration | |||||
| Client Management | |
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| Approval Workflows | Advanced |
Confusing |
Basic |
Technical Glitches |
Tracking Glitches |
| Per Post Multi-User Collaboration | |
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| Approval On-the-Go | |
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| White Labeling | |||||
| White Label Dashboard | |
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| While Label Downloadable Report | |
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| Learn More | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More | ||
How We Analyze and Select these Tools:
Our process of curating a list of relevant tools involves thorough research and evaluation. Factors considered include platform compatibility, automation, content creation, visualization, analytics, collaboration, pricing, scalability, and user experience. These tools, curated by seasoned professionals, empower marketers with valuable insights to make informed decisions and scale their businesses.
11 Best Later Alternatives for all business types
Best for:
Marketing Agencies, SMBs, Multi-Location Brands & Professionals
Rating:
4.5 (G2)
Apps:
Web version, Android and iOS apps and Chrome, Firefox and Edge web extensions
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Instagram Threads, and Bluesky.
Core Features of SocialPilot:
- Advanced Scheduling & Targeting
- Multi-Format Post Scheduling
- Alt Text & Custom Fields
- AI-Pilot (AI Powered Content Generation)
- First Comment Scheduling
- Notes on Content Calendar
- Automatic RSS feed scheduling
- Content Library Storage
- Customizable watermarks
- Team Collaboration Tools
- TikTok Analytics
- Feedback Sharing
- Streamlined client approvals
- Social Inbox Management
- 24×5 Customer Support
Pros
- SocialPilot provides an intuitive interface for easy post creation and editing across major social media platforms.
- The platform boasts efficient customer support, responding promptly to user inquiries.
- Known for its cost-effective and transparent pricing, SocialPilot offers excellent value compared to competitors.
- SocialPilot supports high-level organization, allowing users to manage and effectively group multiple location pages.
- The setup process is simple, enabling users to easily connect and group various pages.
Kathleen M.
Everything about SocialPilot makes scheduling your content from articles to post easy. The formatting of your calendar and scheduled activities with multiple social accounts could not be more clear or intuitive. If you are an entrepreneur, a small to medium business, or just an individual who wants to schedule their content, SocialPilot is a no-brainer and the price point is perfect. I use SocialPilot to manage 8 accounts and once a week I can load everything in and have it work with all of my social channels – integration and implementation could not be easier.
Cons
- Sometimes the connected social media accounts need re-authentication to stay integrated to the platform.
- Users have faced the issue of publishing posts with broken links.
Tammy C.
Occasionally (especially in the past), we had issues with broken social links, but this hasn’t happened in a while. Otherwise, Social Pilot has worked great for our needs.
About SocialPilot
SocialPilot is a social media automation tool built for businesses of all sizes, from small to enterprise-sized. We found this platform to be extremely versatile, equipped with a ton of features which help users integrate and manage multiple accounts from different social networks. These capabilities include social media scheduling, calendar management, AI Pilot, robust analytics, client management, and more.
Advanced Scheduling
The process of creating a post on the scheduler is pretty streamlined, where we could upload our media and customize our caption for multiple accounts we had selected to post on. But the smart scheduling feature will let you create weekly time slots for each account which would be ideal to garner the maximum engagement from the audience. Users could simply queue posts to be scheduled at any of them or they could set a date and time manually to publish their post.
There are more granular strengths in the publishing suite of SocialPilot such as staggered post which spreads content publishing at convenient gaps and repeat posts that lets you set the number of times you want a particular post to be published which is ideal for evergreen content.
Dynamic Content Calendar and Bulk Scheduling
The content calendar provides a convenient dashboard which acts as a central hub to visualize all your content plans. You can filter the view of the calendar with different criteria, seeing upcoming planned posts, drafts in the making, posts for a particular platform, or from a certain member from your team. The most remarkable ability in this calendar is that you can simply drag a content card from one place to another to reschedule it to make tweaks in your publishing plans.
SocialPilot proves itself to be a great automation tool with its bulk scheduling powers. You can essentially schedule hundreds of posts in a matter of minutes. It’s as simple as adding all your content in an .CSV file and uploading it to SocialPilot. The tool will automatically schedule the posts to the designated times and all these posts will be visible in your SocialPilot calendar.
Easy Approvals and Collaboration
SocialPilot makes the often complex and tedious process of working with a team to manage social media, a smooth-sailing one. With ‘Approvals-On-The-Go’, the approval and feedback workflow becomes quicker. Your clients are not required to log in to SocialPilot to approve or give feedback on posts, ensuring efficient management and preventing any posting slip-ups on social media.
Clients can even access the content plan in the calendar view with magic links you share. You can make the approval and feedback process seamless by sharing calendar view for specific accounts with clients from where they can monitor the publishing schedule ar well as approve content on the go.
AI Pilot with Hashtag Generator
The AI Pilot in SocialPilot simplifies the process of ideating, generating, and rewriting posts and hashtags for every social media platform. It allows effortless adjustments to tone, seamless rephrasing, and quick hashtag generation, ensuring every post resonates with its audience.
With multilingual support, AI Pilot translates content into 10 different languages, expanding your reach across global markets. It also keeps character limits in check, so every post is perfectly tailored for platform-specific requirements.
Analytics and Reporting
Finally, SocialPilot users can analyze their social media post-performance basis how engaged their audience, influencers, demographics, and competitors are. Advanced reporting automation streamlines client analytics by generating consolidated social media campaign reports across multiple accounts and platforms.
Users can create, customize, and schedule reports, which are automatically delivered to clients’ inboxes. The platform offers presentation-ready PDFs, white-label options, and detailed comparative insights to optimize strategies. Reports include performance data, audience demographics, and engagement trends, allowing for refined strategies and better ROI.
Now SocialPilot also offers TikTok analytics that provides detailed and advanced metrics to help marketers and creators track their performance, check trends and more within a single dashboard.
SocialPilot Pricing
SocialPilot offers a 14-day free trial and access to all premium features (no credit card required & cancel any time). Choose a plan that fits your needs.
| Ultimate | Premium | Standard | Essentials |
$170.00/mo$200
Billed annually (Save 15%)
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$85.00/mo$100
Billed annually (Save 15%)
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$42.50/mo$50
Billed annually (Save 15%)
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$25.50/mo$30
Billed annually (Save 15%)
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Streamline Social Media Management
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Final Verdict:
SocialPilot is an automation tool which is tailor-made for SMBs and agencies especially. It can expertly streamline all the repetitive and tedious tasks like regular social media posting, performance monitoring, reporting creation, content creation and overall efficient planning. The intuitive dashboard and UI make the tool highly user-friendly which even new users get the grasp on instantly. The affordable pricing tiers make the platform truly fit the bill, making marketing on social networks scalable, and sustainable.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Ratings:
4.5/ 5 (G2), 4.4/ 5 (Capterra)
Apps:
Web version, Android, and iOS apps
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok
Key Features:
- Content Scheduling
- Advanced Analytics
- AI-Powered Caption Generator
- Competitor and Industry Tracking
- Customizable Dashboards
- Multi-Account Management
- Team Collaboration Tools
- Hashtag and Mention Analytics
Pros
- It offers detailed insights into social media performance, aiding in strategic planning.
- It lets you easily manage multiple accounts, making it suitable for agencies and businesses with diverse portfolios.
- IconoSquare offers tailor reports to focus on key metrics, facilitating targeted analysis.
Karli W. (5 Star)
The insights available made monthly reporting a breeze at our agency. The format of everything was super intuitive and it not only saved our team time but gave deeper insights than most platforms allow.
Cons
- Iconosquare’s pricing can be on the higher side, which may be a barrier for smaller businesses or individual creators.
- Some users find the platform initially overwhelming, especially with its rich analytics features
Jamie O. (2.5 Star)
Support is not very responsive. Email support responds once daily at 2-4AM my time, and doesn’t do enough to respond to/resolve the issue, so I end up having what should be a 5 minute conversation that takes 5 days. Chat support is non-existent though the feature seems to exist, or just doesn’t keep US business hours. One of our accounts keeps getting disconnected for some unknown reason. Have had other accounts become disconnected only for specific Iconnosquare users and support had no idea why.
About Iconosquare
We have used Iconosquare for a while now and can confidently say it has a lot of features for both new and experienced social media managers.
Advanced Analytics and Reporting
Iconosquare’s analytics dashboard gives you a deep dive into social media performance, with insights that are both broad and actionable. The platform supports multiple social networks (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn) so you can have a unified view of all metrics.
You can track follower growth, engagement rates and post performance to make data driven decisions on your content strategy. The custom reporting feature is super useful, you can create reports on specific metrics and timeframes, which is super helpful to track campaign performance.
Content Scheduling and Publishing
Managing content across multiple platforms is a breeze with Iconosquare’s scheduling tools. You can plan and schedule posts in advance so you don’t have to post manually.
The ‘Best Time to Post’ feature optimizes engagement by suggesting the best time to post based on your audience activity. And the media library integration makes it easy to organize and access your media assets, making the content creation process more efficient.
Iconosquare Pricing
Iconosquare has two primary pricing plans, $59 and $99 monthly for five social profiles. It also offers custom plans for big brands and enterprises.
Final Verdict:
Iconosquare is a powerful tool for social media automation with a lot of features for individuals and teams. Its strengths in analytics, scheduling and collaboration make it a must have for your social media strategy. But be aware of the pricing and be prepared to learn the platform to fully use it. Overall Iconosquare is a good choice if you want to optimize your social media management.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Star Rating:
4.3 stars on G2 and 4.4 stars on Capterra
Apps:
Web app and mobile apps for iOS and Android
Social Media Platforms Supported:
Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest
Key Features:
- Smart scheduling and bulk uploads
- Content scheduling for Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram
- Email marketing with unlimited contacts and limited monthly emails
- Social media post design tools
- Smart.Bio tool for custom links
- Tailwind communities
- AI tools for content creation and marketing
Pros
- It’s not just a social media management tool but also helps with marketing
- The Communities feature is great for those who want to grow on Pinterest
Cons
- Limited to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest
- Both emails and AI features have monthly limits
Kate G.
They make it nearly impossible to cancel your account. You cannot remove your billing info, nor can you downgrade off of a plan that has a payment attached to it. Other than cancel my credit card entirely, I see no way to stop handing over money to these criminals. Do not use this company.
Our Experience:
Tailwind is a powerful social media management tool best known for its strengths in Pinterest and Instagram marketing. It offers smart scheduling, bulk uploads, and a user-friendly content planning interface, making it ideal for visual-first platforms.
Where Tailwind really stands out is in its marketing and AI capabilities. It goes beyond standard scheduling by including email marketing features, allowing users to integrate their social and email efforts for better engagement and results.
Its AI tools are built to support ecommerce and marketing strategy, helping users generate content, plan campaigns, and optimize performance — making Tailwind a strong choice for creators, marketers, and small businesses looking to drive conversions and community growth.
Pricing Comparison
Overall Verdict:
Tailwind is a great tool for creators and small businesses who are active on just a few platforms but need a complete marketing and management solution for those channels. However, if you want a tool to manage more social media accounts, then this might not be what you need.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Ratings:
4.5 on G2 & 4.6 on Capterra
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web Version.
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, and TikTok.
Key Features:
- Simplified Content Scheduling
- Shareable Social Media Calendar
- Analytics and Reporting
- Smooth Workflows and Approval Process
- Ad Performance Insights
- Priority Inbox
- Smart Compose Box
- White Label Dashboard
- Team and Client Collaboration
Pros
- Sendible’s shareable calendar makes it easier to plan and track content strategy collaboratively.
- Collaboration workflow makes it easier for agency marketers to work with multiple clients.
- Appreciated the adaptable pricing structures provided by the tool.
Lolla L.
My favorite thing about sendible is the ability to schedule in advance for multiple platforms, posting constantly every day is a hassle but when you can sit down and schedule it in advance it makes things so much easier
Cons
- The mobile version of Sendible does not support all the advanced features that the web version does.
- The reporting and analytics capabilities are minimal and may be enhanced.
Charles K D.
It doesn’t auto-rotate evergreen content. It doesn’t highlight posts with high engagement rates that can be reposted. It doesn’t have a way to integrate with other software.
About Sendible
When we adopted Sendible as our Later alternative tool, we found that it was carefully tailored to the needs of businesses and teams. It offers a clean, intuitive interface with powerful tools that streamline publishing, collaboration, and reporting — all while keeping user-friendliness at the core.
Efficient Content Management and Scheduling
Sendible makes content scheduling effortless with features like bulk scheduling, smart queues, and its unique smart compose box, which suggests content improvements in real time. These tools help you maintain a consistent posting schedule while optimizing engagement.
Enhanced Collaboration and Workflow
Built for teams, Sendible shines with its approval workflows, ensuring content is reviewed and published at the optimal time. For agencies, the White Label feature is a standout — enabling full customization of dashboards and client reports for a more branded, professional experience.
Deep Analytics and Priority Inbox
With customizable analytics, Sendible lets you track key performance metrics across platforms and even includes ad performance insights with its agency plans. Its Priority Inbox consolidates all your messages, mentions, and comments into one manageable view, helping teams respond faster and maintain high engagement.
Sendible Pricing
Final Verdict:
For creators and individuals looking for a feature-rich Later alternative, Sendible is a good choice. With superior scheduling capabilities, in-depth analytics, and a compose box, it offers a significant advantage over other tools. So, if competitive pricing is within your budget, we recommend you try it.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Ratings:
4.5 on G2 & 4.6 on Capterra
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web Version.
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, Google Business Profile, and TikTok.
Key Features:
- Direct Publishing Tool
- PulseLink in Bio
- Unified Social Inbox
- Social Listening Capability
- Detailed Analytics & Reporting
- Smart AI Image and Content Assistant
- Social Media ROI Tracker
Pros
- It has an easy-to-navigate, user-friendly interface with a clean and intuitive design.
- It is known for its responsive and helpful customer service.
- Its reporting feature is comprehensive, easy to read, and easy to understand.
Sandra H.
Agorapulse is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for me to schedule posts, engage with our audience, and track performance across multiple platforms. The reporting features are also robust, providing valuable insights.
Cons
- Limited platform integration as it does not support Pinterest.
- The mobile app is less intuitive and effective than the desktop version.
- Agorapulse is prone to crashes, occasional bugs, and online glitches.
Lewis D.
It has not progressed over the recent years in terms of feature set. Been using since 2017. yes some advances but just concerned that Meta now offers. much of the inbox handling features.
About Agorapulse
Agorapulse is a robust and user-friendly social media management tool that stands out as a great Later alternative for teams and enterprises. Its clean interface makes it especially appealing for new social media managers looking for a smooth onboarding experience without the clutter of overly complex dashboards.
Scheduling and Management
Agorapulse makes scheduling easy with features like calendar view, bulk scheduling, and support for multi-platform publishing. The platform also includes an AI assistant to help enhance your content and drive better engagement across channels — a bonus for teams focused on growth and optimization.
Social Inbox and Listening
One of Agorapulse’s strongest features is its social inbox, which consolidates all messages, mentions, reviews, and even ad comments in one centralized hub. Filters and bulk actions make it easier to manage high volumes of interactions. It also includes advanced social listening, enabling you to monitor keywords, brand mentions, and trends — all within a simple and intuitive interface.
ROI and Analytics
Agorapulse provides actionable performance insights through its analytics and reporting dashboard, which integrates with Google Analytics to help track traffic, leads, and conversions. A standout feature is its PulseLink in Bio, which lets you create custom trackable links to monitor social content performance and measure ROI more effectively.
Agorapulse Pricing
Agorapulse starts at $69/month, offering robust features and support for managing multiple social media accounts — all at a more affordable price point compared to many other premium tools.
Final Verdict:
Overall, as we explored the tool, Agorapulse can be a good Later alternative if you seek an intuitive and cost-effective social media management and scheduling tool. Compared to Later’s features, Agorapulse has better functionalities like effective social inbox, scheduling, publishing, in-depth analytics, social media listening, ROI tracking, PulseLink, etc. While Later is rigid with its capabilities, Agorapulse is a more comprehensive and flexible tool.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Ratings:
4.5 on G2 & 4.5 on Capterra
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web Version.
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Linkedin, YouTube, Google Business, and Pinterest
Key Features:
- Planable Calendar
- Content Library
- Multi-Level Collaboration
- Automated Publishing
- Team and Client Collaboration
- Post Customization Options
- Planable Content Calendar
- Post Labeling
Pros
- Planable’s content calendar is integrated to streamline workflow and visualize the content.
- Team and client collaboration ability helps streamline internal and external communication.
Brie B.
The thing I like the most about Planable is that it covers more multiple social media accounts that any other social planning site I have used. It is also laid out very simply and easy to understand when you first begin. I use it fairly often since I post for many clients and haven’t had any issues.
Cons
- Planable does not have advanced features such as advanced analytics and social listening necessary for marketers and agencies.
- Bulk scheduling is available, but it does not have many customization options.
- It does not suggest the best time to post for different content and platforms.
Kirill S.
– It can NOT post stories on instagram without using your phone (some other services and even facebooks BusinesSuite can plan stories that auto-posts without taking actions from your side).
– It throws errors about “aspect ratio” or video duration and does NOT post, but when you have a carousel with 10 pictures there is no way you can see what picture have that problem. You have an editor, why you not auto crop it?
– You pay per user, not per social page.
About Planable
Planable is a collaborative social media management platform built with teams, marketers, and solo entrepreneurs in mind. Its strength lies in streamlining the entire content workflow — from creation to approval — within one intuitive, visually driven interface.
Built for Collaboration
Planable is especially effective for large teams managing complex content calendars. With real-time collaboration tools, team members can easily schedule posts, comment, edit, and approve content within a shared content planner calendar. This makes it a standout choice for teams that prioritize speed and efficiency in their publishing workflows.
Visual Planning
The platform offers multiple views — grid, list, and calendar — allowing users to visualize their scheduled posts exactly as they’ll appear on each platform. This visual-first planning experience is ideal for marketers who want full control over brand presentation and content layout across channels.
User-Centred Design
Planable’s interface is clean, modern, and designed to mimic actual social media layouts, making it easy for users to preview and fine-tune content. Its simplicity and UX-first design make it easy for both individuals and teams to onboard quickly and collaborate without friction.
Planable Pricing
Planable offers four plans, including a free tier with basic features. Paid plans start at $13/month for one user and one account, while the Pro plan is $152/month for 2 users and 6 accounts — making it a scalable option based on team size and needs.
Final Verdict:
We get that analytics is not one of Planable’s strongest features, but it excels in terms of calendar and client collaboration abilities. This makes it a step ahead and a better option for marketers than Later. So, if you overlook not having the best time to post indications and bulk scheduling options and need a better tool to smooth your operations, Planable is the right choice.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Star Rating:
4.5 on G2 & 4.4 on Capterra
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web Version.
Social Media Platforms Supported:
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, and TikTok.
Key Features:
- Social Listening Tools
- Advanced Scheduling Tools
- Influencer Collaboration Features
- Customizable Reporting
- Robust Analytics Dashboard
- Unified Social Inbox
Pros
- Sprout Social provides social media scheduling features that save time and can be used for better marketing.
- It eases team collaboration and client approval processes, reducing continuous approval communication.
Kavin V.
Sprout has a clean, simple and intuitive interface and main navigation. It makes it easy for new users to learn. At the same time the tool is feature packed and customizable. I love the reporting section and how easy it is to sort and filter with quick responsiveness.
Cons
- The price plan that Sprout Social offers is very high considering the features, as it does not provide integration or YouTube platform publishing.
- The social inbox might be available for different platforms but is not unified under the same roof.
- The cost of Sprout Social rises dramatically after adding different features, even minor ones.
Alisanne S.
I wish I could edit posts across different platforms on one editing page, rather than making duplicates. That is one thing about Hubspot that I always liked. At times it is difficult to get questions answered by their customer support team, as calling them is easier than email or chat.
Our Experience:
After extensively using and understanding the features and functionalities of Sprout Social, our insights say that it stands out when it comes to customer experience. It is particularly useful for medium to large enterprises, especially new users and smaller teams looking for robust capabilities.
Publishing and Engagement
Sprout Social’s AI assistant helps marketers plan, create, and schedule content more efficiently. With smart automation, suggested posting times, and direct publishing across multiple social media accounts, the platform is built to maximize engagement and simplify daily workflows.
Collaboration and Influencer Marketing
Sprout makes team collaboration seamless — both internally and with clients or external partners. One of its standout features is the influencer collaboration tool, which helps users identify and evaluate influencer profiles based on real engagement metrics. It also streamlines team content approval and publishing, making it ideal for larger teams managing multiple campaigns.
Analytics and Custom Reporting
Sprout Social delivers comprehensive analytics across all major metrics — including audience growth, engagement, reach, and conversions. Its reporting tools are highly customizable and user-friendly, allowing teams to create, schedule, and export professional reports without hassle.
Sprout Social Pricing
Sprout Social offers an agency plan at $249/month, which includes robust features and advanced functionality — making it a strong choice for teams that need depth and scalability despite the higher price point.
Final Verdict:
If you ask us, Sprout Social is a highly effective and user-friendly app like Later. Even though it lacks affordable pricing and the abilities necessary for a good social media management tool, its features definitely exceed Later. It’s well suited for large businesses and those needing detailed analytics, collaborative tools, and engagement tools. It’s worth the investment for a social media marketer.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Freelancers, Solopreneurs, Small Businesses, Marketing Agencies, and Social Media Managers
Ratings:
4.8 on G2 & 4.6 on Capterra
Apps:
Web version
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Google Business Profile, and TikTok.
Key Features:
- Create and Customize Posts
- Category-based Scheduling
- SocialBee Copilot (AI Assistant)
- Audience Growth Tools
- Social Inbox
- RSS Feed Integrations
- Automated Scheduling and Publishing
- Seamless Team Collaboration
- Insightful Social Media Analytics
- Industry Leading Platform Integration
Pros
- You can track your brand’s position with detailed analytics.
- Never leave your queue empty with the option of recycling content.
- You can assign each post to a specific category.
Caitlin M.
We have only recently signed up with SocialBee, but so far we have found the platform and reporting very user friendly and informative. We only receive the information that is helpful; so far there has been no swamping in our inbox! The reports have helped us to determine when best to post, and has allowed us to plan out according to audience engagement.
Cons
- SocialBee lacks Instagram direct posting capabilities.
- Analytics sometimes does not work fine for all platforms.
- Their dashboard isn’t user-friendly. You need help from customer support to navigate and understand the flows.
- SocialBee does not have iOS and Android mobile applications for users.
- It has a steep learning curve that takes a lot of time for users to understand the tools.
Richie M.
Sometimes you can’t post IG post and reels at the same time, and there are pop ups to rate different part of socialbee pages which can be annoying sometimes.
About Social Bee
SocialBee is a versatile and user-friendly social media management platform tailored for freelancers, creators, and growing teams. Despite being relatively new, it brings powerful features that rival established tools in the space — especially when it comes to scheduling, organization, and content planning.
Personalized Planning and Category-Based Scheduling
One of SocialBee’s standout features is its category-based scheduling system, which lets users group and queue content by type — helping streamline workflows and manage priorities. It also supports custom post creation, unlimited variations, and bulk scheduling, making it a smart choice for users who want a more structured, yet flexible, content calendar.
Audience Growth Tracking, Analytics and Team Collaboration
SocialBee provides tools to track audience growth, understand follower behavior, and optimize content based on performance. Its built-in AI assistant and copilot features help users brainstorm, draft, and enhance content — a huge plus for anyone looking to boost reach and engagement efficiently.
The platform supports seamless collaboration, offering shared calendars and approval workflows that simplify task delegation across teams. These integrated collaboration tools make SocialBee ideal for marketing teams managing multiple campaigns and clients.
Social Bee Pricing
SocialBee starts at $24/month for 5 social profiles, with the Accelerate plan at $40/month for 10 profiles, and the Pro plan at $82/month for up to 25 profiles — offering strong value across all tiers.
Final Verdict:
Coming to the final stage of our review of SocialBee as a potential software like Later, we found that with its features, like category-based scheduling, automated publishing, detailed analytics, and cost-effective pricing, SocialBee is a better choice.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Agencies, Small Businesses, and Creators.
Ratings:
4.5 on G2 & 4.8 on Capterra
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web Version.
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Google Business, Pinterest, Twitch, and YouTube.
Key Features:
- Data-Driven Analytics and Reports
- AI Assistant
- In-depth Competitor Analysis
- Tracking SmartLinks
- Looker Studio
- Unified Planner and Calendar
- Streamlined Approval Workflow
- Centralized Social Inbox
Pros
- It is an easy-to-use and intuitive tool with a quick view of all the tasks and activities in one place.
- It helps manage and schedule social media posts to numerous social accounts from one place.
Celia Y.
The best thing about Metricool is that you can schedule all posts on different social networks, taking into account the peak activity times for each one. Additionally, the interface is very intuitive and easy to navigate.
Cons
- Its chat support is ill-equipped. Hours are gone, and we are waiting for a solution from customer support.
- The content review system is still not up to the mark, and we do not receive notifications when someone mentions us on social media.
Sam M.
The platform’s content review system is still a work in progress. They have added new features like the ability to send individual review requests for posts, however I would like the ability to send a review link to clients for our whole post calendar, not just the individual posts.
About Metricool
Metricool is a robust all-in-one platform designed for social media management, strategy, and analytics. It offers a mix of publishing, monitoring, and performance tools, making it a strong choice for brands and marketers looking to grow and optimize their digital presence.
Smart Scheduling & Unified Planning
Metricool stands out with its unified content planner and visual calendar, allowing users to schedule, organize, and reschedule posts effortlessly — even with drag-and-drop functionality. This makes managing and adjusting content timelines intuitive, giving users better control over campaigns and messaging.
Analytics and Competitor Insights
Metricool provides in-depth performance analytics across platforms, helping users measure what’s working and identify areas for improvement. It also includes competitor analysis tools, giving valuable insights into how your brand stacks up against others in your niche — perfect for refining your strategy with real data.
Integrated Community Management
The platform helps improve customer engagement by centralizing messages and interactions from different platforms, making it easier to manage conversations and respond promptly — a huge plus for brands focused on community building and customer service.
Metricool Pricing
Metricool offers a free plan with basic features and a paid plan starting at $22/month, which includes unlimited scheduling, multi-platform management, competitor analysis, downloadable reports, and AI tools — delivering excellent value for the price.
Final Verdict:
As per our overall review of the tool, we would suggest Metricool to marketers and agencies looking for a valuable competitor. It works well for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Twitter, Twitch, Google Business Profile, and YouTube. It is a good option with a user-friendly interface, innovative features, and competitive pricing, which are missing in Hootsuite.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Social media teams, large agencies, and enterprises
Ratings:
4.2/ 5 (G2), 8.3/10 (TrustRadius), 4.4/ 5 (Capterra)
Apps:
Web, iOS, and Android versions
Integrations:
Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, Google Business Profile
Key Features:
- Bulk post scheduling
- Auto-schedule for the best times
- Social media monitoring streams
- Automated reporting
- Social ad management
- Social listening and insights
- Post-performance analysis
Pros
- Built-in content discovery streams and integrations with Canva.
- Comprehensive analytics, competitive benchmarking, and customizable reports.
- Unified inbox for all social interactions, saved replies, and agent collision detection.
Isla H.
There is a lot to like about Hootsuite. The platform is easy to use and integrate into your social media efforts. The scheduling calendar and the analytics are particularly user-friendly and provide many options. Their academy and how-to video series are also excellent.
Cons
- Higher pricing compared to some competitors.
- Advanced features like social listening and sentiment analysis are add-ons, not included in base plans.
- Some users find the platform’s advanced features overwhelming without training
Ana R.
I think it is super sad that it doesn’t really work as expected, screens are messy, I see too many things in the same place. and the redesign broke whatever settings I already had!
About Hootsuite
Hootsuite has garnered a substantial user base over the years. Its versatility shines through in how it efficiently incorporates all aspects of social media automation into a single, user-friendly dashboard. This eliminates the need to juggle multiple tools.
Advanced Publishing Tools
The social content calendar in Hootsuite makes it easier for users to visualize and plan posts, create custom publishing queues, or post manually at optimal times suggested by platform algorithms. Hootsuite’s OwlyWriter AI generates engaging posts, captions, and hashtags, with AI-Powered content suggestions to streamline creation.
In-Depth Analytics and Reporting
Hootsuite offers comprehensive default analytics for campaign insights and performance evaluation. Advanced analytics, available at an added cost, provide customizable tracking and reporting. This suite enables competitive benchmarking and detailed performance analysis, essential for businesses aiming to set goals and compare against industry standards.
Enhanced Listening and Monitoring
Hootsuite’s advanced social listening tools track brand mentions, industry trends, and customer sentiment in real-time. Quick search allows brand comparisons, while real-time alerts notify sudden sentiment changes, aiding in crisis management. Enterprise-level listening offers deeper insights, trend analysis, and crisis prediction but comes with additional costs.
Streamlined Engagement and Advertising
Hootsuite’s unified inbox consolidates messages across platforms, improving response efficiency. Features like saved replies and Agent Collision Detection enhance team collaboration. Automated Ad Management optimizes campaigns by boosting high-performing posts, though this feature requires an additional investment.
Hootsuite Pricing
Hootsuite offers two pricing tiers after a 30-day trial, ranging from $99/month to $249/month, catering to different social accounts and user needs.
Final Verdict:
Hootsuite stands out with its extensive in-app integrations, transforming it into a holistic social media automation suite. Its automation features reduce users’ time spent on mundane and repetitive tasks. However, it’s worth noting that its advanced functionalities come at a premium price, which may pose a challenge for smaller businesses and individual marketers.
Best Later Alternative Tool For:
Businesses, Publishers, Non-profits, Mid-stage startup teams, Solopreneurs, and E-commerce.
Ratings:
4.3/5 (G2), 8.3/10 (TrustRadius), 4.5/5 (Capterra)
Apps:
Web, iOS, Android App, Chrome Browser Extension
Integrations:
Facebook, Google Business Profile, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Pinterest, Shopify, Threads, TikTok, Twitter / X, YouTube
Key Features:
- Start page creator
- Categorized content boards
- Integrations for visual content resource
- Buffer AI Assistant
- White label reports
- Best-performing content tracking
- Smart conversation prioritization
Pros
- The advance scheduling feature saves time by enabling users to plan and queue content ahead of time.
- Users appreciate Buffer’s intuitive interface, making it easy to navigate and understand for most team members.
Jack H.
Buffer takes all the stress out of social media management. There’s a great draft and approval process along with an easy to use asset library. Having multiple platforms in one place but still having the benefit of most of the native apps is well worth the subscription cost.
Cons
- Limited editing options force users to pre-edit content before scheduling, reducing in-platform flexibility.
- The mobile app’s functionality is less robust compared to the web version, inconveniencing on-the-go users.
Nathaly W.
One of the drawbacks of using Buffer is that all scheduled content must be pre-edited since the editing options are quite limited.
About Buffer
Buffer is a user-friendly social media automation tool in the competitive landscape. The tool seamlessly caters to the demands of businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Versatile Content Creation and Publishing
The content creation tools in Buffer support various formats, with seamless integration with design tools for eye-catching visuals. The revamped UI might be overwhelming initially but enhances content management and accessibility. The publishing features make scheduling posts across platforms efficient, with a helpful calendar view and collaboration support. T
The AI writing assistant provides prompt templates for captions, ensuring engaging content. It brings to the table trending topics, quotes, industry-specific content, and seasonal ideas. This keeps your feeds dynamic and relevant, reducing brainstorming time.
Insightful Analytics
Buffer’s analytics tools offer valuable insights, helping identify which post types perform best. The easy-to-understand reports track progress and highlight areas for improvement, making them sufficient for small to medium-sized businesses. While the depth of analytics might not match specialized tools, Buffer provides the essential data needed to refine content strategies and monitor social media effectiveness effectively.
Enhanced Audience Engagement and Landing Pages
Buffer’s engagement functionalities simplify interacting with followers across platforms, maintaining strong community engagement. The unified inbox manages comments and messages efficiently, ensuring timely responses.
Customizable landing pages through the Start Page feature provide a centralized location for important links and content, enhancing online presence. Though the setup may be time-consuming for some, the robust customization options add a personalized touch, making it a valuable tool for accessibility.
Buffer Pricing
Buffer provides a range of four pricing options along with a 14-day trial period for each. There is a free plan for beginners. Paid plans range from $6 a month for one account to a monthly $120 for 10 accounts.
Final Verdict:
Buffer offers comprehensive social media automation solutions, balancing efficiency with cost considerations. It’s user-friendly and feature-rich, but pricing may challenge businesses with multiple accounts. Although it is valuable for streamlined social media operations, you can always check out Buffer alternatives to find the perfect tool for you. Overall, Buffer is a reliable tool for small to medium-sized businesses looking to streamline their social media efforts but may require some adjustment for more advanced needs.
Wrapping Up
Later is a terrific Instagram tool that works quite well with all its features. Right from sharing posts for your feed to scheduling stories, Later does it all. However, it is not the best option because marketers need more than just a pompous Instagram presence.
Several Later alternatives are not just cheaper but can also provide you with analytics, white-label reports, manage other social media networks, and much more. SocialPilot takes the cake here.
Sign up for its free trial and automate your calendar posting on top-rated social media platforms without worrying twice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Later used for?
Later is a social media scheduler that lets you post across multiple platforms. Though it supports various platforms, its primary focus lies on Instagram and Pinterest.
What is a Later social set?
Later social set includes 1 profile each from Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. A social set can only have one account each of every network. This helps in the better categorization of brands but can be a downside if you manage multiple accounts on the same platforms for a single brand.
Is Later only for Instagram?
No, Later supports multiple social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitter, apart from Instagram. But its main offerings revolve around Instagram marketing.
Can Later post reels?
No, you can’t schedule IGTV or reels with Later. It only schedules image posts and stories to your Instagram account.
What can you do on Later?
Later lets you share posts on your social media accounts in advance. You can upload assets in its Media Library and couple them with relevant posts before sharing. It also lets you work with your team by adding labels or notes for additional references. However, if you want to manage more profiles on more networks, you can opt for SocialPilot instead.
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