Hootsuite is a social media management tool for Enterprise and Agencies, offered as paid ($99/mo). Founded in Canada in 2008. Popular alternatives include Sprout Social, Sociality.io, Sendible.
About Hootsuite
Hootsuite is one of the original social media management platforms, founded in 2008 in Vancouver, Canada, by Ryan Holmes. It lets marketing and communications teams plan, publish, engage with and measure social media across networks such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, YouTube and Pinterest from one dashboard.
The core includes a content calendar with bulk and recommended-time scheduling, a unified inbox for comments and messages, and analytics with custom reports and competitor benchmarking. Social listening was strengthened through the 2024 acquisition of Talkwalker, Amplify handles employee advocacy, and OwlyWriter AI generates captions, post ideas and repurposed content. Approval workflows, permissions and compliance integrations serve regulated industries. Hootsuite removed its free plan in 2023 and now sells per-user tiers starting with Standard and moving up through Professional and Advanced, with a 14-day trial and custom Enterprise packages that add listening, advocacy and SSO.
Hootsuite fits mid-size and large marketing teams, agencies and enterprises that want governance, approvals, listening and advocacy from one vendor. Its prices are high for solo creators and small businesses, who usually get better value from Buffer, Publer, Metricool or Later, and its interface can feel heavier than newer tools. At the enterprise level, Sprout Social is the main rival with a polished experience and strong reporting, while Emplifi and Brandwatch compete on listening and analytics.
Key features of Hootsuite
- Scheduling and content calendar across networks
- Unified inbox with assignments
- Analytics and competitive benchmarking
- Social listening (Talkwalker)
- Employee advocacy
- OwlyWriter AI content generation
Pros and cons
Pros
- Broad feature set for enterprises
- Listening and advocacy options
- Approvals and team workflows
- Mature integrations
Cons
- Expensive per user
- No free plan
- UI feels heavier than newer tools
- Many features gated to Advanced/Enterprise
Hootsuite pricing
Hootsuite uses a paid model. A 14-day free trial is available.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $99 / user/mo | Billed annually; up to 10 social accounts |
| Professional | $199 / user/mo | Billed annually; unlimited accounts, automation |
| Advanced | $399 / user/mo | Billed annually; approvals, message routing |
| Enterprise | Custom | SSO, custom compliance |
Source: www.hootsuite.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026
How Hootsuite compares in Social media management
- Rank by votes
- #2 / 19
- Starting price
- $99
- Free alternatives
- 0
0 votes from members
200% above the category median ($33/mo)
Free or open-source tools in Social media management
Hootsuite ranks #2 of 19 social media management tools by community votes and is priced above most tools in the category.
Common use cases
- 1Enterprise social team managing dozens of profiles
- 2Brand monitoring conversations with listening
- 3Employee advocacy program
- 4Regulated industry needing approvals
Best for
Mid-market and enterprise social teams.
Not ideal for
Individuals and small businesses (Buffer, Publer).
Integrations
- X
- TikTok
- YouTube
- Canva
- Salesforce
- Slack
Our take
Hootsuite is enterprise social software at enterprise prices. Small teams get more value elsewhere.
FAQ
- What is Hootsuite?
- Hootsuite is a Social media management tool: Enterprise social media management.
- How much does Hootsuite cost?
- Hootsuite uses a Paid model; paid plans start at $99 per month.
- What are the best alternatives to Hootsuite?
- Community-listed alternatives to Hootsuite include Sprout Social, Sociality.io, Sendible, Agorapulse.
- Does Hootsuite have a free trial?
- Yes, Hootsuite offers a 14-day free trial.
- What does Hootsuite integrate with?
- Hootsuite integrates with Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube and more.
- Which platforms does Hootsuite support?
- Hootsuite is available on web, ios, android.
- Who is Hootsuite for?
- Mid-market and enterprise social teams.
Alternatives to Hootsuite
See all 5Sociality.io
▲ 0Social media dashboard and MCP data layer for agencies and brands
Freemium · $49AgenciesSmall businessesSendible
▲ 0Social media scheduling and reporting built for agencies
Paid · $35AgenciesSmall businessesAgorapulse
▲ 0Social media inbox, publishing, listening and ROI reports for teams
Paid · $99Small businessesAgenciesLoomly
▲ 0Social media calendar with approvals for brands and agencies
Paid · $65AgenciesSmall businesses
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