The best Hootsuite alternative for a small business is one that does the three jobs you bought Hootsuite for (post to several platforms, schedule ahead, reply in one place) without charging per user. Hootsuite's Standard plan is $99 per user a month, billed annually, as published in October 2026, and it has no free plan. For a business run by one or two people, that is the reason to look elsewhere.
This page compares Hootsuite with five alternatives, using each company's own published prices. It also says where Hootsuite is still the better choice, because for some teams it is.
A note on who is writing. WyreIt is our own product, so read our view of it with that in mind. Where another tool is the better choice, this page says so.
Hootsuite and five alternatives at a glance
| Tool | Entry paid price | Free plan or trial | What the entry plan covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WyreIt (our product) | £19 a month (Standard), £49 (Pro), £79 (Creator) | No free plan. 14-day trial, no card | Any 3 platforms and 3 extra profiles on Standard; all 7 platforms on Pro | UK sole traders and small businesses who want one flat price in pounds |
| Hootsuite | $99 per user a month, billed annually (Standard) | No free plan. 14-day trial | 10 social accounts on Standard; unlimited from Professional ($199 per user) | Marketing teams with a budget per user |
| Buffer | From $5 a month per channel on yearly billing ($60 a year per channel) | Free plan: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel | Priced per channel, so the bill grows with each one you add | One to three channels, or anyone who needs a free plan |
| Metricool | Starter from $20 a month on annual billing ($25 monthly) | Free plan: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts a month, no LinkedIn or X | Up to 5 brands on Starter. X is a paid add-on at $10 a month per account | People who want a free plan and care most about analytics |
| SocialBee | $29 a month, or $24 on annual billing (Bootstrap) | No free plan. 14-day trial, no card | 5 social profiles and 1 user on Bootstrap; 10 profiles on Accelerate ($49) | Solo operators who want unlimited AI writing in the entry plan |
| Sprout Social | $79 per seat a month on annual billing, $99 billed monthly (Essentials) | No free plan. 30-day trial, no card | 5 social profiles on Essentials; unlimited from Professional ($299 per seat) | Established teams who need depth and can pay per seat |
Competitor prices and plan details are as published by each company on its own pricing page, October 2026: Hootsuite, Buffer, Metricool, SocialBee, Sprout Social. Dollar prices are shown as each company lists them and may exclude VAT. Prices change, so check the page before you buy. WyreIt is our own product, and its prices are on our pricing page.
What Hootsuite costs in 2026
As published on Hootsuite's plans page in October 2026:
- Standard: $99 per user a month, billed annually, with 10 social accounts.
- Professional: $199 per user a month, billed annually, with unlimited social accounts.
- Advanced: plans range up to $399 per user a month.
- Enterprise: custom pricing.
- Free plan: none. There is a 14-day free trial.
The part that catches small businesses is "per user". Add a business partner or an assistant and the bill doubles.
WyreIt vs Hootsuite
WyreIt has four plans. Standard is £19 a month for any 3 platforms, with 3 extra profiles, the inbox, analytics, and AI caption and reply drafting. Pro is £49 a month for all 7 platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and Bluesky), with 4 extra profiles, WyreIt AI, Autopilot and 1,000 AI credits a month. Creator is £79 a month with 3,000 AI credits and AI images. Agency is priced by conversation. The price is for the account, not per user or per channel. There is a 14-day free trial with no card needed. The trial does not include any AI.
So the gap on the entry plans is £19 a month for the account against $99 a month for each user. What you give up is depth. Hootsuite includes 10 social accounts on Standard and builds in AI post and image generation; WyreIt Standard covers 3 platforms with 3 extra profiles, and its fuller AI (WyreIt AI and Autopilot) starts on Pro at £49. WyreIt Analytics shows what was published, what failed and the figures each platform provides, and it is on every plan. There is a fuller side-by-side on WyreIt vs Hootsuite.
The other alternatives
Buffer
Buffer is the alternative to choose if you need a free plan: up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel. Paid plans start from $5 a month per channel on yearly billing ($60 a year per channel). It is the cheapest paid route for one or two channels. The cost climbs as you add channels.
Metricool
Metricool has a free plan for 1 brand with 20 scheduled posts a month (without LinkedIn or X), and Starter from $20 a month on annual billing. X is a paid add-on at $10 a month per connected account. It suits people whose main interest is analytics.
SocialBee
SocialBee's Bootstrap plan is $29 a month, or $24 on annual billing, for 5 social profiles and 1 user, with unlimited AI content generation. There is no free plan; the trial is 14 days with no card.
Sprout Social
Sprout Social is an alternative for teams, not a cheaper one: Essentials is $79 per seat a month on annual billing, or $99 billed monthly, with 5 social profiles. It belongs on this list only if you are leaving Hootsuite for features and not for price.
When Hootsuite is the better choice
Stay with Hootsuite, or choose it, if you are a marketing team where several people publish, or you manage more than a handful of social accounts on one plan. A per-user price is reasonable when each user is a full-time marketer. It is poor value when the "team" is one owner posting between jobs.
How to move from Hootsuite
- List what you use. Platforms, number of profiles, and the two or three features you open every week.
- Start a trial on the alternative before you cancel. Connect the same accounts and schedule next week's posts there.
- Let the Hootsuite queue run out. Posts already scheduled stay in Hootsuite, so finish them or re-create them before the renewal date.
- Check the renewal date. Hootsuite's published prices are billed annually, so the date matters.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Hootsuite alternative?
Yes. Buffer and Metricool each publish a free plan, with limits on channels and scheduled posts. Hootsuite has no free plan, and neither does WyreIt: WyreIt has a 14-day free trial with no card needed.
What is the cheapest Hootsuite alternative for small businesses?
For one to four channels, Buffer's per-channel price of $5 a month is lower. From about five channels upwards, compare your total against a flat price: WyreIt Standard is £19 a month for any 3 platforms and Pro is £49 for all 7.
How much does Hootsuite cost in 2026?
As published in October 2026, Standard is $99 per user a month and Professional is $199 per user a month, both billed annually, with plans ranging up to $399 per user. Enterprise is custom.
Which platforms can I post to with WyreIt?
Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and Bluesky. Standard covers any 3 of them and Pro covers all 7.
Does WyreIt have AI like Hootsuite?
Every paid WyreIt plan drafts captions and replies for you to edit. WyreIt AI and Autopilot, which plan and draft a week of posts for your review, are on Pro and Creator. Nothing is published until you have read it. The free trial does not include any AI.
See every plan on pricing, or read nine social media tools compared for small businesses.
WyreIt is a social media management tool for small business owners and sole traders. Post to Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and more from one dashboard — at a fraction of the price of Hootsuite.