Alternatives
Best Sprout Social Alternatives
People look for a Sprout Social alternative for different reasons: price as they add channels or seats, networks it does not cover, or features it lacks. Below are 6 alternatives with what each costs and who it suits, taken from each tool's pricing page on September 27, 2026. Markaestro is our product; we say where others fit better.
Updated
1. Markaestro
Best for: people running social media for several brands, and teams automating with AI agents. Price: Starter $19 a month ($16 billed annually). Networks: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and X.
- A fraction of the cost for small teams: Growth is $29.99 a month for 2 people; Sprout Essentials is $79 per seat a month billed annually.
- Several brands per workspace, each with its own channels and reporting.
- API and an MCP server for AI agents on every plan, not only the top tier.
Full comparison: Markaestro vs Sprout Social.
2. Buffer
Best for: solo creators and small businesses with a handful of channels. Price: Free; Essentials $5 per channel a month, Team $10 per channel a month. Pricing model: Per connected channel, with volume discounts after 10 channels.
- A free plan for up to 3 channels.
- More networks, including YouTube, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon, and Substack.
- Very low cost for a single user with only a few channels.
3. Hootsuite
Best for: larger teams that need social customer care, listening, and compliance. Price: Standard $99 per user a month, billed annually. Pricing model: Per user.
- Unified inbox for comments and messages, plus brand monitoring.
- Inbox automation, trend forecasting, and approval workflows on higher plans.
- Enterprise options such as SSO and compliance tooling.
4. Later
Best for: visual brands and creators who plan mostly for Instagram. Price: Starter $18.75 a month, billed annually. Pricing model: Per plan, by social sets (8 profiles per set).
- Visual, Instagram-first planning.
- Supports YouTube and Snapchat.
6. Metricool
Best for: analytics-minded marketers and agencies that report on competitors. Price: Free; paid plans priced by number of brands. Pricing model: Per number of brands.
- A free plan for one brand.
- Competitor tracking (up to 100 competitors on paid plans).
- White-label options on its Custom plan.
Side by Side
| Tool | Starting price | Pricing model | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Markaestro | Starter $19 a month ($16 billed annually) | One plan per workspace, covering several brands; no per-seat or per-channel charge inside plan limits | No |
| Sprout Social | Essentials $79 per seat a month billed annually ($99 monthly) | Per seat | No |
| Buffer | Free; Essentials $5 per channel a month, Team $10 per channel a month | Per connected channel, with volume discounts after 10 channels | Yes: 3 channels, 1 user, 10 scheduled posts per channel |
| Hootsuite | Standard $99 per user a month, billed annually | Per user | No |
| Later | Starter $18.75 a month, billed annually | Per plan, by social sets (8 profiles per set) | No |
| SocialBee | Bootstrap $29 a month | Per plan, by number of profiles | No |
| Metricool | Free; paid plans priced by number of brands | Per number of brands | Yes: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts a month, 30 days of analytics |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Sprout Social?
Of the tools here, Buffer and Metricool list a free plan. Markaestro has a 7-day free trial instead of a free plan.
Which Sprout Social alternative is best for agencies?
Agencies managing many clients usually weigh per-brand pricing and client separation. Markaestro puts several brands in one workspace plan; tools with white label (such as Vista Social and Metricool's custom plan) suit agencies that resell reporting.