Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, SocialPilot — we compare every major tool on pricing, features, and free plan quality.
The social media scheduling tool market in 2026 is crowded and confusing. Every tool has its own pricing page designed to make comparisons difficult. This post cuts through that.
We evaluated tools on: free plan quality, paid plan value, platform support, ease of use, and whether the free plan is genuinely useful or just a trial.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is the legacy enterprise player. They removed their free plan entirely in 2023. Pricing starts around $99/month. If you're a solo creator or small team, you're almost certainly overpaying for features you won't use.
Buffer
Buffer's free plan allows 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel. This is more useful than Hootsuite's non-existent free tier, but 10 posts per channel is limiting for anyone posting daily. Paid plans start around $6/month per channel.
Later
Later focuses on visual platforms — Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest. If those are your primary platforms, Later's interface is excellent. Their free plan is limited but functional. Less useful for Bluesky, Mastodon, or Discord.
SocialPilot
SocialPilot positions as a budget-friendly agency tool. More affordable than Hootsuite or Sprout Social. Better suited for teams managing multiple client accounts than solo creators.
Sprout Social
Enterprise-grade pricing ($249+/month) for enterprise-grade features. Not relevant for most individual creators or small businesses.
SocialMate
The free plan includes Bluesky, Mastodon, Discord, Telegram, and X scheduling. No credit card required. Genuinely free — not a trial. Paid plans add more advanced features but the free tier is fully functional for most individual creator workflows.
| Tool | Bluesky | Mastodon | Discord | Telegram | X/Twitter |
|------|---------|----------|---------|----------|-----------|
| Hootsuite | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Buffer | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Later | No | No | No | No | No |
| SocialPilot | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| SocialMate | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
This is a significant differentiator. Most legacy tools were built when Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were the only platforms that mattered. They haven't meaningfully added decentralized platform support.
Most "free" plans in this market are effectively trials. They're crippled in ways that make them frustrating to use long-term — post limits, channel limits, or feature locks that make the tool useless without upgrading.
SocialMate's free plan is built differently. The goal was to make the free tier genuinely useful, not to pressure upgrades. For a solo creator managing Bluesky, Mastodon, Telegram, Discord, and X, the free plan handles the full workflow.
[Compare SocialMate side-by-side with every major tool](/vs) or [start your free account today](/signup).
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