Social media management software for small business: plan and schedule posts to your channels from one place. Seven verified tools compared on price, free plan, networks supported and caps.
Social media management software for small business should be a scheduler that posts to the networks it actually uses, at a price that does not grow with every extra profile. We compared seven tools from our verified catalogue: Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, Metricool, Nuelink, Social Champ and Planoly. Post Bridge is also in our catalogue but left out to keep the list to seven. Four have a free plan (Buffer, Metricool, Social Champ, Planoly), but free plans cap scheduled posts and sometimes exclude networks such as LinkedIn or X. Several publish prices only for yearly billing or per user. Check which networks you need, how many accounts you manage and whether you want analytics or just scheduling before choosing.
Last verified Suggest an update
Plans and publishes to 12+ platforms with bulk uploads, evergreen queues and client workspaces; free plan; from $5; 14-day trial with no card.
When to pick it: Pick it if you want the lowest entry price and agency-style workspaces.
Schedules to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, Google Business, X and more; free plan; $5 and $10 yearly rates per the card.
When to pick it: Pick it if you want a simple queue and many networks.
Calendar, analytics, competitor tracking and an AI assistant; free plan; from €20/mo.
When to pick it: Pick it if analytics and competitor tracking matter.
Schedules posts, automates Instagram messages and offers a link-in-bio storefront; free plan; from $14/mo.
When to pick it: Pick it if Instagram and link-in-bio selling are your focus.
Visual calendar, auto-publishing, analytics and Link in Bio, plus influencer tools; 14-day trial.
When to pick it: Pick it if you also run influencer campaigns.
Queue filled by calendar, bulk upload or automations that turn blog posts and products into posts; 7-day trial.
When to pick it: Pick it if you want to automate posts from content feeds.
Publishing, creation, analytics, listening and a shared inbox; 14-day trial.
When to pick it: Pick it if you need listening and a shared inbox.
None of these tools has a free plan.
| Criterion | Social Champ | Buffer | Metricool | Planoly | Later | Nuelink | Hootsuite | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From (price/mo) | $5 source | not published source | €20/mo source | $14/mo source | not published source | not published source | not published source | |
| Free plan / trial | yes; trial: 14-day free trial, no credit card source | yes; trial: 14-day free trial source | yes source | yes; trial: 14-day free trial source | no; trial: 14-day free trial source | no; trial: 7-day free trial source | no; trial: 14-day free trial source | |
| Key capability | 12+ platforms, bulk upload, queues source | Wide network support, queue, idea store source | Planning + analytics + competitors source | Instagram automation, link-in-bio store source | Visual planning, influencer tools source | Automations from blogs, products, podcasts source | Publishing + listening + inbox source | |
| Main limit | Free: 15 scheduled posts, 1 user; X publishing is an add-on source | Free: 10 scheduled posts per channel; approvals only on Team source | Free: 20 posts/month, no LinkedIn or X; team features on Advanced+ source | Upload limits on the free tier source | No free plan; price not on card source | No free plan; Standard has 1 member, 365-post queue source | Per-user; Standard limited to 10 accounts; no free plan source |
Facts from the vendors' official pages, checked on the date in the last column. Prices are what the vendor published on that date.
Write down which networks and how many accounts you manage.
Metricool Free excludes LinkedIn and X; Social Champ makes X an add-on.
Use a free plan or trial to schedule one week.
Social Champ is priced per profile; Hootsuite per user.
Choose Metricool or Hootsuite if reporting matters.
Buffer, Metricool and Social Champ combine a free plan with low entry prices. Best depends on your networks.
Social Champ lists $5; Buffer $5 and $10 yearly rates; Planoly $14.
Social Champ and Metricool offer workspaces for clients; details are on each vendor's site.
Buffer, Metricool, Social Champ and Planoly have free plans with caps.
Something wrong or missing on this page — a wrong fact, an outdated price, a tool that should be here? Tell us, ideally with a link to the official page. We check every suggestion within 7 days; a suggestion never changes the page by itself.