Head to head

ContentCal vs Gain

vs

ContentCal was a well-liked UK content calendar built around planning and approvals. Adobe bought it in December 2021, closed the standalone product on 31 March 2023, and rolled its features into Adobe Express, so it's here for the record rather than as a tool you can buy.

From
Custom
Free plan

Gain is a content-approval tool first and a scheduler second. Its whole point is getting client sign-off without friction: clients review and approve posts by email or SMS without logging in, channels are unlimited, and you pay by team size and client count rather than per account.

From
$99 /mo
Free plan

Bottom line

ContentCal and Gain both cover the basics; the right one comes down to how you post.

Features compared

FeatureContentCalGain
AI captionsNot assessedYes
Basic analyticsYesYes
Advanced reportsNot assessedNo
Bulk uploadNot assessedNot assessed
Evergreen recyclingNot assessedNo
Team rolesYesYes
ApprovalsYesYes
Link in bioNot assessedNo

Platforms compared

NetworkContentCalGain
InstagramAutoAuto
FacebookAutoAuto
X (Twitter)AutoAuto
LinkedInAutoAuto
TikTokReminderAuto
PinterestAutoAuto
ThreadsNoAuto
Google BusinessAutoAuto

Pricing

ContentCal

  • ContentCal was acquired by Adobe in December 2021 and the standalone product closed on 31 March 2023. You can no longer buy it.
  • Its content calendar and scheduling features were folded into Adobe Express as the Content Scheduler, which is reviewed separately.
  • When it ran, ContentCal sold flat monthly plans (a Pro tier and a larger Company tier); those plans no longer exist, so no current pricing applies.

Gain

Starter

$119 /mo

$99/mo billed annually

Seats
3
Accounts
Unlimited
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $119/mo, $99 on annual
  • Up to 3 team members, up to 6 client workspaces, unlimited social accounts
  • Unlimited approval workflows and client reviewers, content calendar, AI writing assistant

Agency

Popular
$239 /mo

$199/mo billed annually

Seats
6
Accounts
Unlimited
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $239/mo, $199 on annual
  • Up to 6 team members, up to 12 client workspaces, unlimited social accounts
  • Adds white-label and more capacity

Agency Premium

$479 /mo

$399/mo billed annually

Seats
20
Accounts
Unlimited
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $479/mo, $399 on annual
  • Up to 20 team members, up to 30 client workspaces, unlimited social accounts

Enterprise

Custom
Seats
Unlimited
Accounts
Unlimited
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • Custom pricing, as many team members and workspaces as you need
  • Unlimited social accounts, advanced support
  • Flat, quota-bundled plans: each tier bundles team members and workspaces (one per client), with unlimited social accounts on every plan, so the price scales by team size and client count rather than per channel.
  • Client reviewers are unlimited and don't count against your seats: clients approve or reject posts by email or SMS without needing a Gain account.
  • There's no free plan, only a 14-day trial, no card required.
  • Annual billing is about 17% cheaper: Starter is $99 a month versus $119, Agency $199 versus $239, Agency Premium $399 versus $479.
  • White-label is included from the Agency plan up.
  • Prices are USD, read off the live pricing page by toggling monthly and annual.

Pros and cons

ContentCal

  • Clean, approachable content calendar and content hub
  • Strong, simple approval workflows
  • Good team and client collaboration
  • Discontinued on 31 March 2023; no longer sold
  • Folded into Adobe Express, with a different shape and focus
  • Existing comparisons that still list it are out of date

Gain

  • Best-in-class client approvals: sign off by email or SMS, no account needed
  • Unlimited client reviewers and unlimited social accounts on every plan
  • Flat pricing by team and client count, with white-label from Agency up
  • Revision tracking through each feedback round
  • No social inbox, listening, or evergreen recycling
  • Light analytics and reporting
  • No YouTube or Bluesky
  • Priced for teams, with the entry plan at $99 a month

ContentCal vs Gain: FAQ

Is ContentCal or Gain cheaper?
Gain starts at $99 per month, while ContentCal is quoted custom, so Gain is the one with a public entry price.
Does ContentCal or Gain have a free plan?
Neither has a free plan. You get a free trial to test things, then you pay.
Which is better, ContentCal or Gain?
ContentCal is the stronger pick for most people, while Gain is the better fit for agencies whose bottleneck is client review and sign-off. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.