Head to head
Maeve Social vs Tailwind
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
Tailwind is a visual-social specialist: it grew up on Pinterest, added Instagram and Facebook, and pairs scheduling with AI that writes posts and designs images. It publishes to just those three networks, runs flat plans from a free tier up to $49.99 a month on annual billing, and ignores X, LinkedIn, and TikTok entirely.
- From
- $17.99 /mo
- Free plan
Bottom line
Tailwind is the pick for Pinterest and Instagram creators and small businesses, 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, and it reaches X (Twitter) and LinkedIn among others, which Tailwind doesn't.
Tailwind starts cheaper, $17.99 a month against $20 a month for Maeve Social. Maeve Social brings approvals that Tailwind skips, while Tailwind has bulk upload Maeve Social doesn't.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Tailwind has a free plan; Maeve Social doesn't, though it offers a 3-day trial.
- Tailwind starts at $17.99 a month, Maeve Social at $20 a month.
- Maeve Social posts to 8 networks, Tailwind to 3.
- Only Maeve Social reaches X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads.
- Maeve Social has approvals; Tailwind doesn't.
- Maeve Social has social inbox; Tailwind doesn't.
- Maeve Social has client workspaces; Tailwind doesn't.
- Maeve Social has canva integration; Tailwind doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Maeve Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Yes |
| Bulk upload | No | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | Partial | Yes |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | No |
| Link in bio | No | Yes |
Platforms compared
| Network | Maeve Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Auto | |
| Auto | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | Auto | No |
| Auto | No | |
| TikTok | Auto | No |
| Auto | Auto | |
| YouTube | Auto | No |
| Threads | Auto | No |
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
- $17.99/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.
Tailwind
Free Forever
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- 5
- 1 account, 1 user, 5 posts a month across Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook
- 5 Tailwind credits and 5 post designs a month
- Smart.bio link, basic analytics
Pro
$17.99/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- 150
- $29.99/mo, $17.99 on annual (save $144/yr)
- 1 account, 1 user, 150 posts a month
- 150 Tailwind credits, 200 post designs, advanced analytics, Smart.bio
Advanced
$29.99/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 2
- Accounts
- 2
- Scheduled posts
- 300
- $54.99/mo, $29.99 on annual (save $300/yr)
- 2 accounts, 2 users, 300 posts a month
- 300 Tailwind credits, unlimited post designs, advanced analytics
Max
$49.99/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 5
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $99.99/mo, $49.99 on annual (save $600/yr)
- 3 accounts, 5 users, unlimited posts a month
- 1,000 Tailwind credits, unlimited post designs, advanced analytics
- Flat, quota-bundled plans: each tier bundles a number of accounts (social profiles), monthly posts, Tailwind credits, and users. Publishing is limited to Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook; there's no X, LinkedIn, TikTok, or YouTube.
- There's a genuine Free Forever plan (1 account, 5 posts a month) and no separate trial; you upgrade when you outgrow it.
- Annual billing is steeply discounted, 40% to 50% off, so Pro is $17.99 a month, Advanced $29.99, and Max $49.99.
- Tailwind Credits power the AI features (Ghostwriter writing and Tailwind Create designs) and refill at about $10 per 100 credits when you run out.
- Separately, Tailwind sells Pinterest-only products (Pin Scheduling and Creation, Pinterest SEO, Pinterest Engagement) priced per Pinterest account; the plans above are the main multi-network suite. Nonprofits get 50% off.
- Prices are USD, read off the live pricing page by toggling monthly and annual and cross-checked against current third-party listings.
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
Tailwind
- Best-in-class for Pinterest, with SmartSchedule, SmartLoop, and Communities
- AI that both writes posts (Ghostwriter) and designs images (Tailwind Create)
- Instagram feed planner and Smart.bio link-in-bio built in
- Genuine free plan and steep annual discounts
- Only publishes to Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook
- AI features are metered by credits that cost extra to top up
- No social inbox or approval workflows
- Not built for agencies or client management
Maeve Social vs Tailwind: FAQ
- Is Maeve Social or Tailwind cheaper?
- Tailwind is cheaper to start, from $17.99 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 Tailwind have a free plan?
- Tailwind has a free plan; Maeve Social does not, though it offers a 3-day trial.
- Which is better, Maeve Social or Tailwind?
- Maeve Social is the stronger pick for teams and agencies that approve posts before they go out, while Tailwind is the better fit for Pinterest and Instagram creators and small businesses. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.