Head to head
Maeve Social vs SocialBu
Last updated 3 August 2026
A newer scheduler built around approvals and client review rather than the solo posting queue.
- From
- $20 /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. Maeve Social fits teams and agencies that approve posts before they go out better.
SocialBu starts cheaper, $16 a month against $20 a month for Maeve Social. SocialBu adds bulk upload and social listening that Maeve Social leaves out.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- SocialBu has a free plan; Maeve Social doesn't, though it offers a 3-day trial.
- SocialBu starts at $16 a month, Maeve Social at $20 a month.
- Maeve Social posts to 8 networks, SocialBu to 12.
- Only SocialBu reaches Bluesky, Google Business, Mastodon, and Reddit.
- SocialBu has bulk upload; Maeve Social doesn't.
- SocialBu has social listening; Maeve Social doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Maeve Social | SocialBu |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Yes |
| Bulk upload | No | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | Partial | Partial |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio | No | Not assessed |
Platforms compared
| Network | Maeve Social | SocialBu |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Auto | |
| Auto | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | Auto | Auto |
| Auto | Auto | |
| TikTok | Auto | Auto |
| Auto | Auto | |
| YouTube | Auto | Auto |
| Threads | Auto | Auto |
| Bluesky | No | Auto |
| Google Business | No | Auto |
| Mastodon | No | Auto |
| No | Auto |
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.
No free plan; 3-day trial.
- Cheapest paid plan
- $20/mo
Whole-plan price; it doesn't scale per unit.
Free plan available.
- Cheapest paid plan
- $16/mo
Whole-plan price; it doesn't scale per unit.
Maeve Social
Basic
$20/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 20
- $25/mo, $20 on annual ($240/yr)
- 1 user, 2 workspaces, 20 social connections
- 800 AI credits a month, 20 GB media storage
Standard
Popular$79/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 5
- Accounts
- 50
- $99/mo, $79 on annual ($950/yr)
- 5 users, 5 workspaces, 50 social connections
- Adds approvals, client review links, shareable calendars, and PDF reports
- Public API, CLI, and MCP access; 1,500 AI credits a month
Premium
$158/mo billed annually
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- Unlimited
- $199/mo, $158 on annual ($1,900/yr)
- Unlimited users, workspaces, and social connections
- Adds team insights and realtime co-editing
- 3,000 AI credits a month, 100 GB media storage
- Flat, quota-bundled tiers: each plan includes a fixed number of users, workspaces, and social connections, and you move up a plan rather than buying seats one at a time.
- No plan-level post cap. Publishing limits are per connected channel and follow each network's rules, for example 100 posts a month per X account.
- The trial is 3 days on every plan and takes a card up front; annual billing works out to roughly 20% off. AI credit top-ups are available at 50 credits per US dollar, $10 minimum.
SocialBu
Free
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- 10
- 3 social accounts
- 10 lifetime posts
- For trying SocialBu out
Standard
$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$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
$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
Maeve Social
- Approvals and client review links on Standard and up
- Direct publishing on all eight supported networks
- Media Room, grid planner, and content board on every plan
- Public API, CLI, and MCP server for automation
- No bulk CSV upload or link-in-bio
- Inbox covers Instagram, Facebook, and Threads only
- No X or LinkedIn analytics yet
- Three-day trial is short and takes a card
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
Maeve Social vs SocialBu: FAQ
- Is Maeve Social or SocialBu cheaper?
- SocialBu is cheaper to start, from $16 against $20 for Maeve Social. The unit each one charges by differs, so the real bill depends on how many channels or seats you run.
- Does Maeve Social or SocialBu have a free plan?
- SocialBu has a free plan; Maeve Social does not, though it offers a 3-day trial.
- Which is better, Maeve Social or SocialBu?
- Maeve Social is the stronger pick for teams and agencies that approve posts before they go out, 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.