Best Grid Planner Alternatives in 2026
The top Grid Planner alternatives are Meta Ads Manager, Later and Buffer: 15 instagram marketing software our editors would look at instead of Grid Planner, in our ranking order.
Grid Planner: A visual Instagram planner with collaboration tools, but publishing remains manual. Where it falls short: does not publish posts directly; users must publish manually.
Switching from Grid Planner? For most instagram marketing software buyers the best Grid Planner alternative is Meta Ads Manager, built for paid Instagram and Meta advertising. On a budget, Mojo starts at $4.99/user/mo.
Why People Look for a Grid Planner Alternative
- Does not publish posts directly; users must publish manually
- Instagram is the listed integration, with no broader social network coverage
- Daily sync limits and storage quotas vary by plan
- No instagram auto-publish — 1 of the alternatives below has it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallMeta Ads Manager9.4
Paid Instagram and Meta advertising
Visit Meta Ads Manager - Lowest priceMojo7.4
Paid plans from $4.99/user/mo
Visit Mojo - Best free optionMeta Ads Manager9.4
Has a free plan
Visit Meta Ads Manager - Best for instagram auto-publishFlick7.7
Instagram auto-publish (Grid Planner: no)
Visit Flick
All 15 Grid Planner Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forPaid Instagram and Meta advertising
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 9.4 vs 3.6
A free-to-access workspace for building and optimizing paid Instagram and Meta campaigns.
9.4/10★★★★★Try Meta Ads Manager -
Best forEstablished teams scheduling Instagram content
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 9.2 vs 3.6
A visual social manager with scheduling, analytics, collaboration and inbox tools.
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Later -
Best forBudget-conscious multi-network scheduling
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 3.6
A low-cost scheduler with inbox, analytics, AI assistance, and multi-network coverage.
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit Buffer -
Best forEnterprise social operations
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 3.6
A broad, enterprise-oriented social suite with extensive workflows at a high entry price.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Hootsuite -
Best forCross-channel Instagram ad optimization
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 8.6 vs 3.6
AdRoll coordinates Instagram and other ad channels with automation, testing, and attribution.
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit AdRoll -
Best forFree Instagram video creation
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 8.3 vs 3.6
A capable free editor for short-form Instagram video, not a full marketing suite.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Edits -
Best forInstagram-first publishing with approvals
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 8.0 vs 3.6
A paid, Instagram-focused scheduler with approvals, inbox tools, analytics and broad integrations.
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Sked Social -
Best forAnalytics-led Instagram management
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.9 vs 3.6
A broad Instagram management suite for teams that prioritize analytics and reporting.
- Competitor benchmarking
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Iconosquare -
Best forVisual Instagram planning and selling
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.8 vs 3.6
A visual-first social planner with commerce tools and flexible team tiers.
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit Planoly -
Best forAI-driven Instagram content creation
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Instagram auto-publish
- Editor score 7.7 vs 3.6
A broad AI content and scheduling suite for Instagram-led social teams.
- Instagram auto-publish
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Flick -
Best forLow-cost AI social scheduling
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.6 vs 3.6
Low-cost scheduler with AI captions, queues, analytics, and team approvals.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit PostNext -
Best forPinterest-led Instagram cross-posting
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.5 vs 3.6
A Pinterest-first scheduler with useful Instagram cross-posting and content tools.
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Tailwind -
Best forCreating branded Instagram videos
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.4 vs 3.6
A focused video creator for branded Instagram content, not full campaign management.
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit Mojo -
Best forInstagram Stories and branded visuals
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.3 vs 3.6
A focused Instagram design app with templates, planning, publishing, and brand assets.
7.3/10★★★★☆Visit Unfold -
Best forFacebook and Instagram ad testing
- Better than Grid Planner:
- Editor score 7.2 vs 3.6
A focused Facebook and Instagram ad platform with testing, automation, and reporting.
7.2/10★★★★☆Visit AdEspresso
Grid Planner Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Grid Planner?
Meta Ads Manager: #1 in our Instagram Marketing Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A free-to-access workspace for building and optimizing paid Instagram and Meta campaigns.
Is there a free alternative to Grid Planner?
Yes. Meta Ads Manager, Later, Buffer, Edits and Iconosquare have a free plan or a free tier (10 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Grid Planner?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Mojo starts lowest, at $4.99/user/mo.
Why do people look for Grid Planner alternatives?
Does not publish posts directly; users must publish manually; Instagram is the listed integration, with no broader social network coverage; Daily sync limits and storage quotas vary by plan.
How do I switch from Grid Planner?
Export your data from Grid Planner (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Grid Planner.
How to Switch from Grid Planner
- Export your data from Grid Planner (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Grid Planner.
Grid Planner vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Grid Planner | Yes | $150/yr | 3.6 |
| 1 | Meta Ads Manager | Yes | Free | 9.4 |
| 2 | Later | Yes | $18.75/mo | 9.2 |
| 3 | Buffer | Yes | $60/site/yr | 9.0 |
| 4 | Hootsuite | No | $99/user/mo | 8.8 |
| 5 | AdRoll | No | 8.6 | |
| 6 | Edits | Yes | Free | 8.3 |
| 7 | Sked Social | No | $24/mo | 8.0 |
| 8 | Iconosquare | Yes | €15/mo | 7.9 |
| 9 | Planoly | Yes | $14/mo | 7.8 |
| 10 | Flick | No | 7.7 | |
| 11 | PostNext | Yes | $11/mo | 7.6 |
| 12 | Tailwind | Yes | $29.99/mo | 7.5 |
| 13 | Mojo | Yes | $4.99/user/mo | 7.4 |
| 14 | Unfold | Yes | 7.3 | |
| 15 | AdEspresso | No | $49/mo | 7.2 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update