Metricool Alternatives (2026): 10 Social Media Tools

Metricool is a popular choice for planning posts and checking how they performed in one place. But it's not the only way to do that job, and what suits a freelancer posting to two accounts won't suit an agency looking after twenty. Some people want a simpler scheduler, some want a shared inbox, and some just want a free plan that doesn't expire.

This page lists ten Metricool alternatives in no particular order, sorted A to Z. I've mixed smaller and independent names with better-known platforms, because the smaller ones are often easier to start with. Everything below comes from each tool's own website and plans page, not from hands-on reviews. If you've been comparing wider tool families too, my guides to Buffer alternatives and TweetDeck alternatives cover other scheduling styles.

Metricool alternatives side by side

In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site describes a free plan you can keep using, or free software you can host yourself. Trial only means there's a free trial but no permanent free plan. Plans change often, so check the current details before you move your accounts across.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Agorapulse	Social suite	Shared inbox, publishing and reporting for teams	Yes
Buffer	Scheduler	Simple planning and scheduling for a few channels	Yes
Hootsuite	Social suite	Scheduling, inbox and monitoring in one dashboard	Trial only
Later	Visual planner	Visual calendar planning and link-in-bio pages	Trial only
Loomly	Planning tool	Post ideas, approvals and a shared calendar	Trial only
Postiz	Open source scheduler	Self-hosted scheduling with calendar and analytics	Yes
Publer	Scheduler	Scheduling across many networks on a small plan	Yes
Sendible	Agency platform	Separate client workspaces with approvals and reports	Trial only
SocialBee	Category scheduler	Content categories and evergreen recycling	Trial only
Zoho Social	Scheduler and analytics	Publishing and reports alongside other business apps	Yes

Ten social media scheduling and analytics tools, A to Z

Agorapulse

Best for: Teams who want comments, messages and reviews in one inbox alongside a shared content calendar and reports.

Buffer

Best for: Solo owners who want a straightforward scheduler with a free plan for a small number of channels.

Hootsuite

Best for: Businesses managing many accounts who want scheduling, a unified inbox and brand monitoring together.

Later

Best for: Brands that plan around images and video and want a visual calendar plus a link-in-bio page.

Loomly

Best for: Small teams who need an approval step before posts go out and a calendar everyone can see.

Postiz

Best for: Technical owners who like open source software and are happy to run their own server.

Publer

Best for: Freelancers and small brands who want one calendar for several networks and a free plan to start.

Sendible

Best for: Agencies and freelancers who run social accounts for several clients and need approvals and client reports.

SocialBee

Best for: Owners who organise posts into categories such as tips, offers and stories and want them to repeat on a schedule.

Zoho Social

Best for: Businesses already using other apps from the same maker who want publishing and analytics that fit in.

What to look for in a Metricool alternative

It's easy to compare feature lists and end up more confused than when you started. A better way is to write down how you post each week, then look for the tool that fits that routine. These are the questions I'd start with.

• Which networks do you use? Check that every network you post to is supported for scheduling, not just for analytics.
• Do you need analytics or just scheduling? Some tools are mainly calendars with light reports, while others are built around reporting.
• How many accounts and people? One owner posting to a few profiles needs less than a team with approvals and client logins.
• Do you want a shared inbox? If you reply to comments and messages every day, an inbox saves a lot of switching between apps.
• What happens to your history? Find out whether you can export your reports before you leave a tool.
• Is there a free plan or trial that lets you test real posts? Use your own content, not the demo data.

Which type of social media management tool suits your business

• Simple schedulers suit solo owners and small shops who want to queue posts and see a calendar, without a learning curve.
• Visual planners suit brands that live on images and short video and want to see the grid or feed before posting.
• Team and approval platforms suit businesses where a manager or client signs off before anything goes out.
• Agency platforms suit people running accounts for several clients, with separate workspaces and reports.
• Open source tools suit technical owners who want control of their own data and don't mind running the software themselves.

If your social posts feed into email as well, my comparisons of email marketing platform alternatives and Mailchimp alternatives help you plan the other half of the picture. And if you want to move content between apps automatically, take a look at Zapier alternatives for automation.

Switching from Metricool to another scheduling tool

1. Export any reports and data you want to keep before you cancel or disconnect anything.
2. List every account you manage and note which ones are personal profiles, business pages or client accounts.
3. Start the new tool's trial or free plan with two or three accounts, not all of them.
4. Schedule a week of real posts and check how images, links and hashtags come out on each network.
5. Rebuild any recurring posting times, saved captions and hashtag groups you rely on.
6. Run both tools side by side for a short spell, then retire the old one once the new calendar is trusted.

Common mistakes when choosing a Metricool alternative

• Picking a tool because it supports twenty networks when you only post to three.
• Assuming every network supports every feature, such as stories or carousels, through a third-party scheduler.
• Moving every account at once, then discovering a connection problem when posts are due.
• Ignoring the approval and permission settings, so the wrong person can publish.
• Forgetting to check whether the free plan limits the number of scheduled posts you can queue.
• Choosing on analytics screenshots alone, rather than on whether the reports answer your own questions.

Advertising is a different job from organic scheduling, so it's worth reading about alternatives to Facebook ads for small businesses before you decide how much of your time should go on organic posting.

Do you make social media scheduling or analytics tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

Making your Metricool alternatives shortlist

Choose two tools that cover the networks you use and fit how many people need access. Put the same week of real posts into each one, check the analytics screen answers the questions you'd ask a client or your own team, and see which one you'd open without being told to. Keep your old reports somewhere safe until the new tool has run a full month of posting.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free alternative to Metricool?

Yes. Several tools on this page have a free plan or free software you can host yourself, though limits on accounts and scheduled posts vary. Check each tool's own site for the current details.

Can I move my scheduled posts from one tool to another?

Usually not automatically. Most tools let you export reports, but scheduled posts normally need to be recreated. Plan a quiet week for the move and keep your saved captions in a document.

Do I need a scheduling tool at all?

Not always. If you post a couple of times a week from your phone, the networks' own scheduling features may be enough. A tool earns its place when you manage several accounts or need reports.

Which networks do scheduling tools support?

It differs by tool and by network, and the lists change. Check the tool's own site for the networks you use, and for features such as stories, carousels or first comments.

Is it safe to connect my social accounts to a third-party tool?

Reputable tools connect through each network's official sign-in process. Use a strong password, switch on two-step sign-in, and only give access to people who need it.

Should an agency use a different tool from a solo owner?

Often, yes. Agencies usually need client workspaces, approvals and white-label style reports, while solo owners are happier with a simple calendar and a clear analytics page.