Head to head
Planoly vs SocialBu
Last updated 4 June 2026
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
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
Planoly is the pick for Instagram-led creators who plan their grid visually, and it's the cheaper start, from $14 a month. SocialBu fits small businesses and agencies who want scheduling plus automation better, and it reaches Reddit and Mastodon among others, which Planoly doesn't.
Planoly starts cheaper, $14 a month against $16 a month for SocialBu. SocialBu adds social listening and advanced reports that Planoly leaves out.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Planoly starts at $14 a month, SocialBu at $16 a month.
- Planoly posts to 8 networks, SocialBu to 12.
- Only SocialBu reaches Bluesky, Google Business, Mastodon, and Reddit.
- SocialBu has social listening; Planoly doesn't.
- SocialBu has advanced reports; Planoly doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Planoly | SocialBu |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | No | Yes |
| Bulk upload | Not assessed | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Partial |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Not assessed | Yes |
| Link in bio | Yes | Not assessed |
Platforms compared
| Network | Planoly | 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.
Planoly
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
$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$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
$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.
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
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
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
Planoly vs SocialBu: FAQ
- Is Planoly or SocialBu cheaper?
- Planoly is cheaper to start, from $14 against $16 for SocialBu. The unit each one charges by differs, so the real bill depends on how many channels or seats you run.
- Does Planoly or SocialBu have a free plan?
- Both have a free plan, so you can try either one before paying.
- Which is better, Planoly or SocialBu?
- Planoly is the stronger pick for Instagram-led creators who plan their grid visually, 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.