As one of the most widely used social media tools, Hootsuite is well known by many social media managers. As a so-called “all-in-one” platform, Hootsuite allows users to manage and monitor multiple social media channels, publish posts, and analyze performance metrics. Many use this all-in-one solution simply because it is well-known. However, when taking a deeper look into what the tool actually offers, there are some that important factors to consider when deciding whether it is the right tool for you.

Why you might be looking for Alternatives to Hootsuite

For those are looking for a better Hootsuite alternative, it will come as no surprise that one of the primary reasons for that is the platform’s cost. Hootsuite does not offer a freemium version, with the cheapest plan starting at €99. Plans get exponentially more expensive from there.  

Costs and Limitations

Making matters worst, many of these paid plans have limited features which require subscribers to pay more than they expected to get what they need. This can be especially onerous for small businesses or freelancers on a tight budget. Even social media agencies or larger businesses may be thinking twice because of the high cost of their monthly subscriptions.  

So the question you should be asking your now whether Hootsuite is it worth it? 

There are social media tools that cost far less while providing more functionality, and this is why many users are now seeking social media tools that represent better alternative than Hootsuite alternatives. 

Here are the three main reasons, in addition to the high costs, that many are looking for social media tools that are better than Hootsuite. 

Strict Limits on Competitor Analysis

Social media managers not only need these analytic insights for their own channels, but also to analyze a number of competitors simultaneously. While you don’t need us to tell you that analysis plays a vital role in social media strategy, agencies or companies with many brands obviously need to track dozens of profiles. Unfortunately, with restrictions limits on the number of profiles you can track and analyze, you are out of luck with Hootsuite.

Lack of Shareable Dashboards

Not having shareable dashboards is a glaring shortcoming when larger teams or stakeholders need to see the progress of social media activities. Frustratingly, some of Hootsuite’s product choices do not allow dashboard sharing, which limits the ability to allow social media managers to share their progress. This can pose real problems for freelancers, agencies, and companies that require constant monitoring by different stakeholders.

These days, transparency is of the utmost importance and dashboards are used by many to accomplish this. One may think that the high monthly costs of Hootsuite would provide these necessary features. However, this assumption is misguided in this case. 

Inhibits Collaboration and Approval Processes

What are the Best Alternatives to Hootsuite?

There are social media platforms like Hootsuite that offer similar features in terms of publishing, monitoring, and analyzing, while providing additional benefits. So, what are the best alternatives to Hootsuite? Luckily for you, we will give you a definitive overview of Hootsuites’ competitors in this regard.

Fanpage Karma: Analyze and Monitor Unlimited Profiles

You may haven’t heard of Fanpage Karma before, so you might be asking whether it is the best alternative to Hootsuite? It turns out that for many businesses and agencies it is! Out of all the competitors to Hootsuite, Fanpage Karma stands out by offering unlimited profiles that you can track as part of your plan, allowing users unparalleled capability for competitor analysis and benchmarking. As an alternative to Hootsuite, Fanpage Karma provides all the features you would expect from a leading social media management tool similar to Hootsuite, while adding some great with benefits. 

Some of the Fanpage Karma’s key features include:

✅ Unlimited tracking of profiles for competitor analysis

Fanpage Karma allows users to monitor and analyze an unlimited number of profiles across different social media networks. This ensures businesses can comprehensively track and benchmark against a wide range of competitors within their industry, as well as any other profiles that they find interesting. 

✅ Report templates

Fanpage Karma simplifies benchmarking analysis and reporting by providing a large range of premade reporting templates. These templates allow any type of business or agency to highlight their progress, present data and various metrics, and benchmark their performance against competitors. Fanpage Karma provides options to export reports in a variety of formats (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), to send report dashboards directly to other stakeholders or clients, or even present reports directly in the platform.

✅ Live data and automatic updates

The Fanpage Karma platform offers live data tracking that is automatically updated every 10 minutes. Businesses need to be informed about the latest posts from their competitors, allowing them to react to real-time developments in the industry. This includes the option of receiving e-mail notifications whenever competitors post something new. These features allow for a higher level of competitor tracking.

✅ Shareable Dashboards and Dynamic Analytics

 In addition to the unlimited profiles for tracking that Fanpage Karma offers, there is also the option to provide shareable, public dashboards that allow even those who don’t have access to an account to track progress. This provides accessible views to all stakeholders involved, whether they use Fanpage Karma or not. What’s more is the dynamic analytics options that Fanpage Karma allows for analysis. Whether it's line graphs, bar charts, or pie charts, Fanpage Karma offers a diverse range of visual representations and metrics to effectively track and compare competitor performance and industry positioning.

You may think that these features would be for agencies or large businesses. However,  Fanpage Karma represents a great Hootsuite alternative for small business, especially for those who need to analyze many different profiles of their own and others. Because of this, it is a cheaper alternative to Hootsuite while providing many of the same features. Overall, Fanpage Karma emerges as a noteworthy Hootsuite alternative as an all-in-one social media tool. 

Buffer: The (Quasi) Free Alternative to Hootsuite

If a good deal is what you are looking for (aka free), then Buffer may be a good alternative to Hootsuite, as long as you don’t expect too many features or analytical insights. The strength of Buffer is that there is a Freemium version, giving everyone an opportunity to use a social media management tool. As a reliable free alternative to Hootsuite, Buffer provides users with a user-friendly interface, so anyone can get started right away. 

While Buffer provides the core basics, users should be aware that it offers only limited features in its free plan. So, if you are looking for a free alternative to Hootsuite that is easy to use, Buffer is a suitable option to consider. However, anything beyond that and you will be losing out.  

Sprout Social: When Money is No Object

Sprout Social has a well-deserved reputation as a high-quality social media tool, although this comes at a high price. This level of social media monitoring and engagement can significantly enhance a brand's online presence and customer interactions. Moreover, strong analytical features and collaboration tools make Sprout Social a suitable app like Hootsuite that works for small teams to larger enterprises, seeking to optimize their social media management efforts. 

However, it is worth noting that Sprout Social's comprehensive features and advanced functionalities come at a higher price point compared to Hootsuite. The cost of Sprout Social's plans can be a limiting factor for smaller businesses or those operating on tighter budgets. While the investment in Sprout Social can provide significant value for businesses seeking advanced social media management capabilities, it is essential to consider the cost implications.

Sprinklr: Social Listening at its Finest

While Sprinklr is less well-known than some of the other tools mentioned above, it does provide some strong features in terms of analytics. Sprinklr is a notable alternative of Hootsuite that stands out when it comes to social listening capabilities. With its robust social listening tools, Sprinklr enables businesses to monitor and analyze online conversations and brand mentions across various social media platforms, forums, and review sites. 

While Sprinklr offers a range of cutting-edge features for social listening, it is essential to evaluate the specific requirements and financial resources of the business before considering Sprinklr as an alternative to Hootsuite. While social listening may be important for some businesses, Sprinklr’s pricing models and different pages can be confusing to some and limit other areas of your social media operations.

So what Alternative to Hootsuite should you choose?

It all depends on you! If unlimited profile tracking and competitor analysis is what you are after, then Fanpage Karma may be the right choice for you. If you are looking for a freemium version of a social media tool, it may be well worth it to consider Buffer. If price is not an option then either Sprout Social or even Sprinklr (if you really value social listening) can be options.