Head to head

ContentCal vs Planoly

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

Planoly grew up as an Instagram feed planner and still leads with the visual side: drag posts around a grid preview until the profile looks right, then schedule them, with a link-in-bio page that can sell digital products. It publishes to eight networks and prices in flat plans from a free mobile tier to $47 a month.

From
$14 /mo
Free plan

Bottom line

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

Features compared

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

Platforms compared

NetworkContentCalPlanoly
InstagramAutoAuto
FacebookAutoAuto
X (Twitter)AutoAuto
LinkedInAutoAuto
TikTokReminderAuto
PinterestAutoAuto
YouTubeNoAuto
ThreadsNoAuto
Google BusinessAutoNo

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.

Planoly

Free

Free
Seats
1
Accounts
1
Scheduled posts
10
  • 1 social set, 1 user (mobile app)
  • 10 uploads a month
  • Visual planner and link-in-bio

Starter

$16 /mo

$14/mo billed annually

Seats
1
Accounts
1
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $16/mo, $14 on annual
  • 1 social set, 1 user, unlimited uploads
  • Free link in bio; upgrade to Growth to add sets or users

Growth

Popular
$28 /mo

$24/mo billed annually

Seats
2
Accounts
2
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $28/mo, $24 on annual
  • 2 social sets, 2 users, unlimited uploads
  • Extra social set $10/mo, extra user $5/mo

Pro

$55 /mo

$47/mo billed annually

Seats
6
Accounts
6
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $55/mo, $47 on annual
  • 6 social sets, 6 users, unlimited uploads
  • Extra social set $8/mo, extra user $3/mo
  • Flat, quota-bundled plans: each tier bundles a number of social sets and users. A social set is one account per network (Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and so on), so one set covers your presence across the networks you connect.
  • Starter has no add-ons (you upgrade to grow). Growth and Pro let you buy extra sets ($10 then $8 a month) and extra users ($5 then $3 a month).
  • There's a free mobile plan (1 social set, 10 uploads a month).
  • Annual billing is up to 15% cheaper. Annual rates were read off the live pricing page; the Pro monthly figure is derived from the page's stated annual discount.
  • Prices are USD, read off the live pricing page.

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

Planoly

  • Best-known Instagram feed/grid visual planner
  • Link-in-bio page that can sell digital products
  • Schedules to eight networks with AI captions and auto-responses
  • Free mobile plan and clear, cheap add-ons
  • Analytics are moderate, with no custom reports
  • No evergreen recycling or broad listening
  • No Bluesky or Google Business
  • Starter can't add sets or users without upgrading

ContentCal vs Planoly: FAQ

Is ContentCal or Planoly cheaper?
Planoly starts at $14 per month, while ContentCal is quoted custom, so Planoly is the one with a public entry price.
Does ContentCal or Planoly have a free plan?
Planoly has a free plan; ContentCal does not.
Which is better, ContentCal or Planoly?
ContentCal is the stronger pick for most people, while Planoly is the better fit for Instagram-led creators who plan their grid visually. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.