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Best Social Media Scheduler

The best social media management scheduler is the one that fits how you post.

What's the best social media scheduler? Here's every one of them in a single place: what each really costs, the networks it posts to, the free plans worth keeping, and the head-to-head comparisons people actually weigh up, so you can work out which one fits the way you post.

See the full comparisonHow we test

3 schedulers to start with

Every social media scheduler

Every tool we cover.

  1. 1
    BufferFree plan·Solo creators
    From $5
    Networks 11
  2. 2
    HootsuiteNo free plan·Small teams that need listening and reporting in one place
    From $99
    Networks 9
  3. 3
    LaterFree plan·Instagram-first creators and brands
    From $18.75
    Networks 8
  4. 4
    MetricoolFree plan·Analytics-focused marketers
    From $20
    Networks 11
  5. 5
    PublerFree plan·Power users posting to many networks
    From $12
    Networks 13
  6. 6
    RellaNo free plan·Social media managers
    From $24
    Networks 8
  7. 7
    SocialBeeNo free plan·Solopreneurs and small businesses who want a recycling content queue
    From $29
    Networks 12
  8. 8
    Sprout SocialNo free plan·Businesses running social as a core function
    From $79
    Networks 11
Open the side-by-side comparison

Best free, cheapest, and widest-reach schedulers

Whatever you're picking on, here's where each tool pulls ahead.

Social media scheduler comparisons

The match-ups people weigh up most often.

Find your scheduler with confidence.

Start with the full side-by-side, or read how we score.

Compare every schedulerHow we test

8 schedulers reviewed · last updated 4 June 2026

Social media scheduler FAQs

Which social media scheduler is best?
It depends on what you're running. The cheapest pick for one or two channels, the one with a free plan worth keeping, and the right tool for an agency are all different. We lay them out on the same facts so you can match one to your own situation.
Is there a good free social media scheduler?
Yes. Buffer, Later, Metricool, and Publer all have a free plan, which is enough to schedule a handful of posts across a few accounts. They get tight on limits as you grow, and that's usually the point you start paying.
How much do social media schedulers cost?
Paid plans start around $5 a month at the low end and climb from there depending on how many channels, seats, or clients you run. A few tools price per channel, others per seat or per brand, so two "$10 plans" can bill very differently. Each review spells out the unit so the numbers compare like for like.
Do posts publish automatically, or do you get a reminder to post?
For most networks the scheduler publishes on its own at the time you set. Instagram and TikTok have historically been the awkward ones: many tools now post to them directly through the official APIs, but a few still send a phone reminder for certain formats like Stories. Each review notes which networks publish directly and which lean on a reminder.
How often are these reviews updated?
We re-check pricing and features regularly, because both move often in this category. The current set was last updated in June 2026, and every review and price carries the date it was verified so you can see how fresh it is.