SocialPilot vs Hootsuite vs Buffer Pricing 2026
Three tools, three completely different pricing models:
- Buffer: Per channel. Starts free, then $5-$12/channel/month
- SocialPilot: Flat monthly. $42-$170/month for 10-50 accounts
- Hootsuite: Per user. $99-$249/user/month
The “cheapest” depends entirely on how many channels you manage and how many people need access. Here’s the math for every scenario.
Real cost by scenario
Solo creator (3–5 channels, 1 person)
| Tool | Plan | Monthly cost (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer Free | 3 channels | $0 |
| Buffer Essentials | 5 channels | $25/mo |
| SocialPilot Standard | 10 accounts, 1 user | $42/mo |
| Hootsuite Standard | 10 accounts, 1 user | $99/mo |
Winner: Buffer. If you have 5 or fewer channels, Buffer’s per-channel pricing wins. You’re paying for exactly what you use.
Small team (10 channels, 3 people)
| Tool | Plan | Monthly cost (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer Team | 10 channels | $100/mo |
| SocialPilot Premium | 20 accounts, 3 users | $85/mo |
| Hootsuite Standard | 10 accounts, 3 users | $297/mo |
Winner: SocialPilot. At $85/month for 20 accounts and 3 users, SocialPilot undercuts Buffer by $15 and Hootsuite by $212. The gap is massive.
Agency (25 channels, 5 people)
| Tool | Plan | Monthly cost (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer Team | 25 channels | $250/mo |
| SocialPilot Ultimate | 50 accounts, 6 users | $170/mo |
| Hootsuite Advanced | 10 accounts, 5 users | $1,245/mo |
Winner: SocialPilot by a mile. You get 50 accounts, 6 users, and white-label reports for $170/month. Hootsuite’s per-user pricing at the Advanced tier is outrageous: $1,245/month for the same agency that SocialPilot serves for $170.
Tool-by-tool breakdown
Buffer: best for solopreneurs
Pricing model: Per channel. Free for 3 channels, then $5/channel (Essentials) or $10/channel (Team) on annual billing.
Strengths: Cleanest interface. Genuinely simple to use. The free plan is useful (3 channels, 10 scheduled posts each). Per-channel pricing means you only pay for what you use.
Weaknesses: Cost scales linearly with channels. At 15+ channels, it becomes more expensive than SocialPilot. No white-label reports. Analytics are basic compared to competitors.
Best for: Solo creators, freelancers, and small businesses with fewer than 10 channels who value simplicity.
SocialPilot: best for teams and agencies
Pricing model: Flat monthly rate. $42–$170/month (annual) for 10–50 accounts with 1–6 users included.
Strengths: Best value per social account. Includes client management, content approval workflows, and white-label reports (Ultimate plan). Bulk scheduling handles 500 posts at once. AI assistant included.
Weaknesses: Interface isn’t as polished as Buffer or Hootsuite. Smaller brand recognition. Analytics are good but not exceptional.
Best for: Social media managers, marketing teams, and agencies managing 10+ accounts who need collaboration features without Hootsuite’s price tag.
Hootsuite: best for enterprises (if budget allows)
Pricing model: Per user. $99–$249/user/month (annual). Enterprise is custom pricing.
Strengths: Most mature platform. Deep analytics (with paid add-ons). Social listening on Enterprise. Strong enterprise integrations. 30-day free trial.
Weaknesses: Dramatically overpriced for what most teams need. Per-user pricing means costs multiply fast. Removed the free plan entirely. Analytics add-ons cost extra. Social listening locked to Enterprise.
Best for: Large organizations with established budgets where Hootsuite is already the company standard. Hard to recommend for anyone starting fresh.
The Hootsuite premium tax
Hootsuite used to be the default recommendation. Then they eliminated the free plan, raised prices, and switched to per-user pricing. A 5-person team on Advanced now pays $1,245/month for the same core functionality that SocialPilot provides at $170/month.
Hootsuite’s brand recognition is its biggest remaining asset. But “we’ve always used Hootsuite” isn’t a pricing justification.
Buffer’s per-channel math
Buffer’s pricing is elegant for small accounts but adds up at scale:
| Channels | Essentials (annual) | Team (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | $15/mo | $30/mo |
| 5 | $25/mo | $50/mo |
| 10 | $50/mo | $100/mo |
| 15 | $75/mo | $150/mo |
| 25 | $125/mo | $250/mo |
At 10 channels on Team, Buffer costs $100/month, more than SocialPilot Premium ($85/mo) which includes 20 accounts and 3 users. The crossover point is around 8–10 channels.
The verdict
1–5 channels, solo: Start with Buffer Free, upgrade to Essentials ($5/channel) when you need analytics and unlimited scheduling.
5–15 channels, small team: SocialPilot Standard or Premium. Better value than Buffer at this scale, and you get team collaboration features.
15+ channels or agency: SocialPilot Ultimate ($170/mo). 50 accounts, 6 users, white-label reports. Nothing else comes close on value.
Hootsuite: Only if your organization requires it for compliance, enterprise integrations, or social listening. For everyone else, there are better options at every price point.
Pricing sourced from SocialPilot, Hootsuite, and Buffer official pricing pages. Last checked February 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the cheapest social media management tool?
Buffer's free plan (3 channels, 10 posts each) is the cheapest option. For paid plans, Buffer Essentials at $5/channel/month is cheapest for 1-3 channels. For 10+ channels with team features, SocialPilot ($42/mo annual for 10 accounts) offers the best value.
Is Hootsuite worth the price?
At $99/user/month (annual), Hootsuite is 2-3x more expensive than alternatives with comparable features. It's hard to justify unless you specifically need its enterprise integrations.
Which is best for agencies managing multiple clients?
SocialPilot. The Ultimate plan ($170/mo) includes 50 social accounts, 6 users, white-label reports, and client management, which are features Hootsuite charges $249+/user for.