Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Best Sprout Social Alternatives in 2026

The top Sprout Social alternatives are Hootsuite, Brandwatch Social Media Management and Emplifi: 15 social media management tools our editors would look at instead of Sprout Social, in our ranking order.

9.3/10Editor score
Sprout Social9.3 Visit Sprout Social

Sprout Social: A broad social management suite for teams that need integrations and advanced workflows. Where it falls short: starts at $79 per seat per month on annual billing.

Switching from Sprout Social? For most social media management tools buyers the best Sprout Social alternative is Hootsuite, built for large teams prioritizing mature capabilities. On a budget, SocialPilot starts at $17/mo, against $79/seat/mo for Sprout Social. Meta Business Suite has a free plan, which Sprout Social does not. Vista Social offers the most social accounts (15).

Why People Look for a Sprout Social Alternative

  • Starts at $79 per seat per month on annual billing
  • Essentials limits teams to five social profiles
  • Advanced capabilities require higher-priced plans
  • No free plan — 6 of the alternatives below have it
  • Paid from $79/mo — SocialPilot is $17/mo

Quick Picks by What You Need

All 15 Sprout Social 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.

  1. Hootsuite

    Best forLarge teams prioritizing mature capabilities

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Social accounts: 10 vs 5

    A mature multi-network suite for teams that can justify a high per-user price.

    • Social inbox
    9.2/10★★★★★
    Visit Hootsuite
  2. Best forEnterprise listening and custom reporting

    A broad platform for coordinated publishing, listening, inbox work, and custom reporting.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    9.1/10★★★★★
    Visit Brandwatch
  3. Emplifi

    Best forEnterprise campaign intelligence

    A broad enterprise suite for governed publishing, intelligence, care, and analytics.

    9.0/10★★★★☆
    Visit Emplifi
  4. Best forBusinesses focused on Facebook and Instagram

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Free plan

    A free, focused workspace for publishing, messaging, insights, and ads on Meta's networks.

    • Social inbox
    8.8/10★★★★☆
    Visit site
  5. Buffer

    Best forMost teams wanting balanced social management

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Free plan

    A flexible social management suite with free access and low per-channel paid entry pricing.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    Free plan · 14-day trial Our Buffer verdict → Visit Buffer
    8.7/10★★★★☆
    Visit Buffer
  6. Best forZoho users needing deep publishing workflows

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Free plan
    • Social accounts: 12 vs 5

    A broad publishing and collaboration tool with especially strong Zoho integrations.

    Free plan · 15-day trial Our Zoho Social verdict → Visit Zoho Social
    8.6/10★★★★☆
    Visit Zoho Social
  7. Best forTeams prioritizing inbox operations

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Free plan
    • Social accounts: 10 vs 5

    A capable social inbox for teams that can justify per-user pricing.

    • Social inbox
    Free plan · 30-day trial Our Agorapulse verdict → Visit Agorapulse
    8.5/10★★★★☆
    Visit Agorapulse
  8. Later

    Best forVisual marketers and creator teams

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Free plan
    • Paid from: $18.75/mo vs $79/mo
    • Social accounts: 8 vs 5

    A visual social media workspace with broad network support and basic analytics.

    Free plan · 14-day trial Our Later verdict → Visit Later
    8.4/10★★★★☆
    Visit Later
  9. Best forEnterprise teams optimizing publishing timing

    A focused publishing and analytics platform for teams managing social distribution at scale.

    • Social inbox
    Pricing on request Our Socialflow verdict → Visit Socialflow
    8.3/10★★★★☆
    Visit Socialflow
  10. Best forRegulated organizations needing compliance controls

    A compliance-focused social platform for regulated teams managing field profiles.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    8.2/10★★★★☆
    Visit Hearsay Social
  11. Best forCompanies running employee advocacy programs

    A focused employee advocacy platform with strong governance, sharing, and reporting.

    8.1/10★★★★☆
    Visit Sprinklr
  12. Planable

    Best forTeams centered on content approvals

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Free plan
    • Paid from: $33/mo vs $79/mo

    A collaboration-led social platform with approvals, planning, analytics, and inbox tools.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    Free trial (50 posts, no time limit) Our Planable verdict → Visit Planable
    8.0/10★★★★☆
    Visit Planable
  13. Best forMulti-location teams needing reviews and listings

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Social accounts: 15 vs 5

    A broad, team-ready platform for social publishing, reviews, inboxes, and reporting.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    7.9/10★★★★☆
    Visit Vista Social
  14. Best forGrowing teams needing bulk publishing

    • Better than Sprout Social:
    • Paid from: $17/mo vs $79/mo

    A capable choice for growing teams that need bulk scheduling and approval workflows.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    7.8/10★★★★☆
    Visit SocialPilot
  15. Best forContent-heavy teams needing automation

    A broad social media suite for teams that need automation and collaboration.

    • Social inbox
    • Approval workflow
    7.7/10★★★★☆
    Visit ContentStudio

Sprout Social Alternatives: Common Questions

What is the best alternative to Sprout Social?

Hootsuite: #2 in our Social Media Management Tools ranking, with an editor score of 9.2 out of 10. A mature multi-network suite for teams that can justify a high per-user price.

Is there a free alternative to Sprout Social?

Yes. Meta Business Suite, Buffer, Zoho Social, Agorapulse and Later have a free plan or a free tier (6 of the 15 alternatives on this page).

What is the cheapest paid alternative to Sprout Social?

Of the alternatives here that publish a price, SocialPilot starts lowest, at $17/mo.

Why do people look for Sprout Social alternatives?

Starts at $79 per seat per month on annual billing; Essentials limits teams to five social profiles; Advanced capabilities require higher-priced plans.

Which Sprout Social alternative has the most social accounts?

Vista Social, with 15.

How do I switch from Sprout Social?

Export your data from Sprout Social (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 Sprout Social.

How to Switch from Sprout Social

  1. Export your data from Sprout Social (most tools have an export in their settings).
  2. Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
  3. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
  4. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Sprout Social.

Sprout Social vs Each Alternative

#ToolFree planPaid fromSocial accountsSupported networksSocial inboxApproval workflowScore
1Sprout SocialNo$79/seat/mo5X, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, WhatsAppYesYes9.3
1HootsuiteNo$99/user/mo10Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, WhatsApp, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, BlueskyYesNo9.2
2Brandwatch Social Media ManagementFacebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, WhatsApp, YouTube, Google, PinterestYesYes9.1
3EmplifiNo9.0
4Meta Business SuiteYesFreeFacebook, InstagramYes8.8
5BufferYes$60/site/yr1Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business Profile, Start Pages, Mastodon, YouTube Shorts, Threads, BlueskyYesYes8.7
6Zoho SocialYes12X, Instagram, Facebook, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, Mastodon, YouTube, Threads, BlueskyNoNo8.6
7AgorapulseYes$79/user/mo10Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, TikTok, Bluesky, RedditYesNo8.5
8LaterYes$18.75/mo8Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, SnapchatNoNo8.4
9SocialflowX, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Threads, TikTokYes8.3
10Hearsay SocialFacebook, LinkedIn, InstagramYesYes8.2
11Sprinklr Employee Advocacy8.1
12PlanableYes$33/mo4Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, Google Business Profile, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, ThreadsYesYes8.0
13Vista SocialNo$758/yr15Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit, Google BusinessYesYes7.9
14SocialPilotNo$17/mo5Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business, BlueskyYesYes7.8
15ContentStudioNo$228/yr5Facebook, Instagram, X, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, TikTok, Bluesky, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, TelegramYesYes7.7

Head-to-Head

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update