Head to head

Loomly vs SocialBu

vs

Loomly walks you through making a post: a calendar of suggested ideas, optimization tips per network, and a mockup that shows how the post will look on each one before it goes through an approval round. It charges flat, quota-bundled tiers with no free plan, just a 15-day trial, and the jump from the $65 Starter to the $332 Beyond is steep.

From
$49 /mo
Free plan

SocialBu is an affordable, automation-leaning scheduler covering twelve networks. Alongside the usual scheduling it does RSS auto-posting, webhooks, and auto-replies, plus AI content, a social inbox, and listening on the higher plans.

From
$16 /mo
Free plan

Bottom line

SocialBu is the pick for small businesses and agencies who want scheduling plus automation, and it's the only one of the two with a free plan. Loomly fits teams and agencies that need approval rounds and client sign-off better.

SocialBu starts cheaper, $16 a month against $49 a month for Loomly. SocialBu adds AI images and API access that Loomly leaves out.

Key differences

Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.

  • SocialBu has a free plan; Loomly doesn't, though it offers a 15-day trial.
  • SocialBu starts at $16 a month, Loomly at $49 a month.
  • Loomly posts to 10 networks, SocialBu to 12.
  • Only Loomly reaches Snapchat.
  • Only SocialBu reaches Bluesky, Mastodon, and Reddit.
  • SocialBu has AI images; Loomly doesn't.
  • SocialBu has API access; Loomly doesn't.

Features compared

FeatureLoomlySocialBu
AI captionsYesYes
Basic analyticsYesYes
Advanced reportsYesYes
Bulk uploadYesYes
Evergreen recyclingPartialPartial
Team rolesYesYes
ApprovalsYesYes
Link in bioNoNot assessed

Platforms compared

NetworkLoomlySocialBu
InstagramAutoAuto
FacebookAutoAuto
X (Twitter)AutoAuto
LinkedInAutoAuto
TikTokAutoAuto
PinterestAutoAuto
YouTubeAutoAuto
ThreadsAutoAuto
BlueskyNoAuto
Google BusinessAutoAuto
MastodonNoAuto
RedditNoAuto
SnapchatReminderNo

Pricing

Headline prices are for a single unit. Here is the real monthly cost as each tool scales, costed on its own unit so the two stay honest.

Loomlyflat pricing

No free plan; 15-day trial.

Cheapest paid plan
$49/mo

Whole-plan price; it doesn't scale per unit.

SocialBuflat pricing

Free plan available.

Cheapest paid plan
$16/mo

Whole-plan price; it doesn't scale per unit.

Loomly

Starter

Popular
$65 /mo

$49/mo billed annually

Seats
3
Accounts
12
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $65/mo, $49 on annual (25% off)
  • 12 social accounts, 3 users, unlimited calendars
  • AI Assistant, post generation, and AI replies (capped monthly usage)
  • Scheduling, approval workflows, advanced analytics, link shorteners

Beyond

$332 /mo

$249/mo billed annually

Seats
Unlimited
Accounts
60
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $332/mo, $249 on annual (25% off)
  • 60 social accounts, unlimited users, unlimited calendars
  • Everything in Starter, with a larger monthly AI allowance
  • Adds custom branding, custom roles and workflows, and calendar 2FA enforcement

Enterprise

Custom
Seats
Unlimited
Accounts
Unlimited
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • Custom pricing for 61+ social accounts
  • Unlimited users and calendars
  • Everything in Beyond, plus priority support and pricing at scale
  • Flat, quota-bundled tiers: each plan includes a fixed number of social accounts and users, and you move up a plan rather than buying accounts or seats one at a time. Loomly dropped its old four-tier lineup (Base, Standard, Advanced, Premium) for two paid plans plus Enterprise.
  • There is no free plan, only a 15-day free trial of the top features, no card required.
  • Annual billing is a flat 25% off: Starter works out to $49 a month ($588/yr) and Beyond to $249 ($2,988/yr).
  • The gap between Starter and Beyond is the main gripe: if you outgrow 12 accounts or 3 users there is no mid-tier and no a-la-carte top-up, so the next step is $332 a month.
  • Nonprofits get a 50% lifetime discount with documentation.
  • Prices are USD read off the live pricing page, which renders client-side; the page priced in USD when rendered here in Australia (Loomly does not geo-price), and the figures match current third-party listings. Monthly and annual numbers were read by toggling the billing switch.

SocialBu

Free

Free
Seats
1
Accounts
3
Scheduled posts
10
  • 3 social accounts
  • 10 lifetime posts
  • For trying SocialBu out

Standard

$19 /mo

$16/mo billed annually

Seats
4
Accounts
12
Scheduled posts
800
  • $19/mo, $16 on annual
  • 12 social accounts, up to 4 team members, 800 posts a month
  • Automations, bulk import, visual calendar, AI content

Super

Popular
$59 /mo

$49/mo billed annually

Seats
8
Accounts
30
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $59/mo, $49 on annual
  • 30 social accounts, up to 8 team members, unlimited posts
  • Adds analytics, approval workflows, social listening, more automations and AI

Supreme

$199 /mo

$166/mo billed annually

Seats
20
Accounts
150
Scheduled posts
Unlimited
  • $199/mo, $166 on annual
  • 150 social accounts, up to 20 team members
  • 400 automations, advanced reporting, more listening and AI credits
  • Flat, quota-bundled plans by social accounts and team members, plus a free plan (3 accounts, 10 lifetime posts).
  • Annual billing is about 16% cheaper. Every paid plan has a 7-day trial.
  • AI content credits, automations, and listening streams are metered and scale with the plan (for example listening starts on Super).
  • Custom plans are available for agencies and large teams.
  • Prices are USD, read off the live pricing page.

Pros and cons

Loomly

  • Guided post creation with per-network mockups, post ideas, and optimization tips
  • Multi-tier approval workflows with private or client-facing comments and version history
  • AI for captions, replies, and analytics on every paid plan
  • Publishes to ten networks, with direct TikTok and YouTube and reminder posting for Snapchat
  • No free plan and a $65 entry, then a steep jump to $332 for Beyond
  • Big gap between the two paid tiers, with no mid-tier and no a-la-carte top-ups
  • No evergreen recycling queue and no link-in-bio
  • Social listening is capped at a few searches a month
  • No public API beyond Zapier

SocialBu

  • Real automation: RSS, webhooks, and auto-replies
  • AI content and image generation plus a social inbox with reviews
  • Twelve networks, including Reddit, Mastodon, and Bluesky
  • Affordable, with a free plan and a clear annual discount
  • Listening and richer automations are on the higher plans
  • Recycling is automation-based, not a category engine
  • Lightly documented company
  • Standard caps monthly posts at 800

Loomly vs SocialBu: FAQ

Is Loomly or SocialBu cheaper?
SocialBu is cheaper to start, from $16 against $49 for Loomly. The unit each one charges by differs, so the real bill depends on how many channels or seats you run.
Does Loomly or SocialBu have a free plan?
SocialBu has a free plan; Loomly does not, though it offers a 15-day trial.
Which is better, Loomly or SocialBu?
Loomly is the stronger pick for teams and agencies that need approval rounds and client sign-off, while SocialBu is the better fit for small businesses and agencies who want scheduling plus automation. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.

Keep comparing