COMPARING TOP SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO
Tired of wasting time & money trying new SMM tools? Us too, which is why we’ve decided to break down our top five social media scheduling tools to save you all the time & headache of doing your own research (you’re welcome 😉). Let’s get into it, shall we?
CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOOL
We all know finding the *perfect* scheduling tool is a task and not a cheap one. A few things to keep in mind when deciding which one is right for you:
📱 Which platforms you are scheduling to
📈 How you want to track analytics (ie in your scheduling platform, in a third-party analytics tool, or in-app tracking)
🤓 How many people will need access (and if external guests, like clients, will need access)
🙌 How you plan to implement this tool into your day-to-day workflow
LATER
Our tried & true scheduling tool 🤞… but they’re on thin ice. 🧊 We’ve been using Later since the dawn of time (for 5 years) and are loyal clients of theirs. However, in recent months we have been experiencing repeated issues with stories scheduling & exporting, video content quality, and more. Their support team is great for quick-fix issues, but not so much on software/long-term issues. While we have looked into other options, Later is integrated in our day-to-day workflow so we are sticking with them for the meantime.
PROS:
Scheduling for all major platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, X)
Scheduling for Optimal Send Times
Auto-posting to all major platforms
In-App Analytics Tracking
AI Caption Writer
Link In Bio Tools
Product Tagging
Visual Planning
Saved Captions/Hashtag Groups
Location & Product Tags
Generate shareable preview link for content approvals
Easy organization of images into media libraries & can add various labels
Later Blog with tonsss of useful resources (though the blog is accessible to non-Later users too)
A variety of pricing plans to choose from
CONS:
Occasional long-term bugs
Finicky video exporting
No integration with Canva, Google Suite, & more
Analytics doesn't share revenue or differentiate between organic vs. paid data
BUFFER
Buffer is all about helping brands build their audience organically. This social media scheduling platform is compatible with most major apps with the exception of Threads (coming soon!).
Something we love about Buffer is how easy it is to compare plans and find the perfect one for you! They also offer a free plan (with limitations of course) but it’s nice to know you can try it out for free before committing to a monthly plan or an annual subscription.
PROS:
A free plan option
Free trials for all plans
Scheduling for most platforms
Scheduling for Optimal Send Times
Auto-posting to all major platforms
AI Assistant
Visual Planning
Generate shareable preview link for content approvals
Product Tagging (restrictions apply)
Saved Captions/Hashtag Groups
Integration with Canva, Google Suite, & more
Buffer Browser Extension
Analytics Tracking
Link Shorteners
Social & Email Support
CONS:
No Threads scheduling
RELLA
Rella is yet another social media scheduling tool & *news flash* we love it!!! While exploring new scheduling options, we booked a call with the Rella team and they were so thorough and helpful. 🫶
Rella is the ultimate project management assistant - it’s like if Asana & Later had a baby (but better). 👼 It is extremely user-friendly and easy to plan and create content directly within the platform. If you’re considering Rella as one of your options, we definitely recommend hopping on a call with their team so they can give you the run-through and make sure it’s the right fit for you. From what we’ve experienced, their customer service is amazing and they are quick to answer any and all questions you may have.
PROS:
Auto-posting across major social media platforms
Saved Captions/Hashtag Groups
AI Assistant
Visual Planning
Build Out Task Lists (like Asana)
Attach links & notes to content
Generate shareable preview link for content approvals
Social Holiday Calendar
Online Discord Community
Easy organization of images into media libraries & can add various labels
Track Ad Revenue
Product Tagging
Easily repurpose content across platforms
Scheduling for Optimal Send Times
Generate and Send Invoices
Can easily compare it to other platforms here
CONS:
No Analytics Tracking (coming soon!)
SPROUT
We’ve heard lots of Social Media Managers love Sprout Social! While the homies haven’t tried it, it seems pretty cool 👀 With tons of trusted partners (including Google & Shopify) Sprout Social is an all-in-one management platform with many valuable features. Something that stands out to us about this platform specifically is that they offer a demo of their services before signing up, which is always nice to have as an option before making things Facebook Official (😉).
PROS:
Scheduling for Optimal Send Times
Auto-posting to all major platforms
Analytics Tracking
Influencer Marketing Management
Trend Tracking
Visual Planning
Campaign Planner
Product Tagging
AI Features
Generate shareable preview link for content approvals
Major App Integrations (including Google, Shopify, Square, Canva, & more!)
Review management (monitor & respond to reviews across multiple platforms)
Easy organization of images into media libraries
CONS:
More expensive than other scheduling platforms
Costly Add-ons
Unable to add labels in media library
PLANOLY
We are obsessed with Planoly’s rebrand & their social strategy, so of course we had to include them in this lineup. 💅 Can we also take a moment to appreciate their amazing website functionality 👀major claps from us!!! Planoly offers auto-posting to all major social platforms & prides themselves on being extremely user-friendly. Compared to other scheduling tools, they are priced reasonably and offer a ton of tools, similar to the other platforms, so they are definitely worth checking out!
PROS:
Content Editing
Visual Planning
Auto-posting to all major platforms
Generate shareable preview link for content approvals
Content Templates & Ideas
Link In Bio Monetization
Analytics Tracking
Product Tagging
Scheduling for Optimal Send Times
Saved Captions/Hashtag Groups
AI Features
Integration with Canva, Google Suite, & more
Blog, Tutorials, & other useful resources
Tons of 5-star reviews from SMM’s & Content Creators!
CONS:
…we can’t find any 🤭
In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, choosing the right scheduling tool is crucial for maximizing your reach and efficiency for your biz (small, medium, or large scale). The variety of tools available offer solutions tailored to your specific needs & goals, so it’s essential to dedicate time into testing out a few and finding the perfect fit for you. 👠
The right tool isn't just a convenience—it's your secret weapon for slaying your social media presence & strategy. Good luck homies! 💖
Chat soon!
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xx
The Homies