The Best Social Scheduling Tools

At a glance

Which social scheduler should you choose?

Start with the networks you post to, then count channels. Those two numbers decide most of this.

• You grow on X by writing. Typefully is the only tool here that still publishes to X and is built around the draft. Paid plans add X analytics such as profile conversion rate, with a CSV download per chart. Typefully's help center says LinkedIn analytics aren't available yet.
• You post video or visuals. Buffer is the only pick here that lists Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Facebook, Pinterest and Google Business Profile alongside X, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon. Note that some posts go out as phone reminders rather than auto-publishing, such as Instagram personal profiles, per Buffer's channel table.
• You write for Threads, Bluesky and LinkedIn. Hypefury lists Autoplugs, AutoDMs for Instagram and an engagement builder that watches chosen users and keywords. Used heavily, that kind of automation can make an account feel automated, so use it lightly.
• You work with a team or a ghostwriter. Buffer's Team plan adds unlimited users and approval workflows. Typefully's Business plan adds unlimited users, roles and comments, without a formal approval queue. Hypefury's FAQ says you can invite a ghostwriter or VA.

On networks, Typefully's help center lists X, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon and Substack Notes. Its homepage overview has started naming Instagram, which its help center doesn't list yet, so confirm before you rely on it. Hypefury's pricing page names Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok, and Hypefury says Instagram posting needs a business account.

What do social scheduling tools cost per year?

Example. Assumptions: one creator, one account per network, list prices in USD, no tax, cheapest plan that covers the setup, annual billing unless noted. Hypefury's yearly Flexible price is counted as 12 months at $5 per channel.

The math: Buffer Essentials is $60 per channel per year, so 3 channels cost $180 and 5 cost $300. Buffer Team is $120 per channel per year, so 3 channels cost $360. Hypefury Flexible is 3 × $5 × 12 = $180, just under Full's flat $199, so from four channels on, Full is the cheaper Hypefury plan. Typefully's price doesn't change with channel count because one social set holds one account per network.

Two things the table hides. Buffer's per-channel rate drops above 10 channels ($4 per channel for channels 11 to 25 on monthly billing). And Typefully's Creator plan caps you at 1,000 posts a month, which few solo creators will reach.

What schedulers cost at 3, 5 and 10 accounts

Every scheduler counts something different. Buffer charges per channel, Later and Typefully per social set (one profile on each network), Metricool per brand, Publer per account, Vista Social and SocialBee in bundles of profiles, Hootsuite per user, and Hypefury per channel or a flat fee. So we priced nine of them at the same three sizes from their official pricing pages.

Example. Assumptions: one creator, one user seat, list prices in USD before tax, no promo codes, cheapest plan that fits. Three accounts are Instagram, TikTok and YouTube; five add LinkedIn and Threads; ten are two brands with those same five networks each. No X. Annual figures are the full yearly charge. Typefully and Hypefury don't publish to all of these networks, so their rows price an equivalent setup on the networks they support and aren't like-for-like.

The math: Publer charges $4 per account a month from three accounts and makes every 10th account free. Its calculator takes 20% off for yearly billing, though its toggle says 2 months free, so check the checkout total. Later's page shows yearly prices labelled 25% off, so its monthly figures here are worked back from that. Metricool's Starter price covers up to five brands, so it doesn't move between 3 and 10 accounts.

• At 3 and 5 accounts, Publer Professional is the cheapest paid plan here that covers all five example networks. Buffer Free, Publer Free and Metricool Free cost nothing at 3 accounts if their post limits are enough.
• At 10 accounts, Metricool Starter is cheapest: $25 a month against $36 for Publer and $60 for Buffer, as long as your accounts fit into five brands.
• Bundles cost the same at every size. Vista Social Professional includes 15 profiles, and Hootsuite Standard covers up to 10 accounts for one user.
• X costs extra on some plans. Metricool charges $10 a month per connected X account and Vista Social $29 a month. Buffer and paid Publer plans count X as one more channel or account, Publer Free can't connect X, and Later and Hypefury don't publish to X.

Are the free plans enough?

• Buffer Free: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time (slots refill as posts go out), 1 user and 30 days of analytics history. If you post a few times a week, you can stay here a long time.
• Typefully Free: 10 posts a month, 1 social set, 1 user and limited media uploads, with API and MCP access. It works as a trial; X analytics and AI writing need Creator.
• Hypefury: no free plan. The 7-day free trial needs no credit card, per Hypefury's pricing page.

When to pick something else

• You want deeper analytics with scheduling: Metricool prices per brand and has a free plan. See our best social media analytics tools.
• You run many accounts on a budget: Publer uses per-account pricing and includes X on paid plans.
• Instagram is your main channel: Later is built around a visual calendar. Try LaterAFFILIATE.
• You manage profiles for a team or clients: Vista Social and Hootsuite are built for multi-user work. Try Vista SocialAFFILIATE.

For head-to-head cost math, read Typefully vs Buffer, or jump back to what schedulers cost at 3, 5 and 10 accounts. If queued posts worry you, see how to schedule social media without losing your voice, or browse the full scheduling and publishing category.