Metricool vs Hootsuite 2026: 4x Cheaper — But Is It Better?
Metricool vs Hootsuite is not really a fair fight — it is a question of how much tool you actually need. Hootsuite is the enterprise incumbent at ~$99/mo entry. Metricool does the core job at $25/mo.
I have used both on real client work. The honest answer: Hootsuite wins on enterprise workflows, Metricool wins on everything a small business or lean agency actually uses daily.
Quick Answer
Hootsuite offers deeper enterprise features (listening, approvals, big-team workflows) at 4x the price. Metricool covers scheduling, analytics, ads reporting and reports for $25/mo — enough for 90% of small businesses and agencies.
Hootsuite offers deeper enterprise features (listening, approvals, big-team workflows) at 4x the price. Metricool covers scheduling, analytics, ads reporting and reports for $25/mo — enough for 90% of small businesses and agencies.
- Hootsuite starts ~$99/mo vs Metricool Starter $25/mo — 4x price gap
- Hootsuite wins: social listening, approval workflows, enterprise integrations, inbox automation
- Metricool wins: price, ads reporting included, simplicity, genuine free plan
- For teams under ~5 people, Metricool covers the daily workflow completely
The pricing gap is the story
Hootsuite Professional starts around $99/mo for 10 profiles and 1 user. Metricool Starter at $25/mo covers multiple brands, unlimited posts and full reports. Even Metricool Advanced (~$54/mo) lands at roughly half Hootsuite's entry price.
The comparison only exists because Metricool now covers the features small teams used to pay Hootsuite prices for. Full breakdown in Metricool pricing.
Metricool
4.6Verified partnerSchedule, analyze and report on all social media from one dashboard — Free / $25/mo Starter
Where Hootsuite still wins
- Social listening streams and brand monitoring built into the core product
- Approval workflows for regulated industries and large teams
- Deeper inbox: assignment, saved replies, automation rules
- Enterprise integrations and SSO on higher tiers
If your organization runs a 10-person social team with compliance approvals, Hootsuite (or Vista Social at $64/mo with more automation) earns its price.
Where Metricool wins
- Ads reporting: Meta Ads + Google Ads + TikTok Ads in the same report as organic — Hootsuite treats ads as separate territory
- Reports: branded PDF/PPT client reports at $25/mo — the agency feature that used to cost Hootsuite money
- Best-time heatmaps per platform from your real audience data
- A permanent free plan vs Hootsuite's trial-only approach
Ask the honest question: when did you last use social listening or approval chains? If the answer is "never", you are paying 4x for shelf-ware.
Metricool
4.6Verified partnerSchedule, analyze and report on all social media from one dashboard — Free / $25/mo Starter
Analytics head-to-head
Hootsuite analytics are solid but siloed — organic reports, ads as separate reporting. Metricool's unified organic+paid view is genuinely better for marketers running both, and it is available at a quarter of the price.
Competitor tracking exists on both; Metricool's 5-competitors-per-platform tracking on paid plans covers what small agencies actually use.
Verdict by team size
- Solo creator / small business: Metricool — free to $25/mo covers everything
- Lean agency (2-10 clients): Metricool Starter/Advanced — reports alone justify it
- Mid-size team needing approvals + listening: Hootsuite or Vista Social
- Enterprise compliance requirements: Hootsuite
Metricool
4.6Verified partnerSchedule, analyze and report on all social media from one dashboard — Free / $25/mo Starter
Hootsuite is not bad — it is just priced for a team size most of its prospects do not have. For the scheduling + analytics + reporting work 90% of marketers actually do, Metricool at $25/mo is the rational pick.
Start with Metricool free before paying anyone $99/mo. If you genuinely need listening and approvals, compare Vista Social first — it undercuts Hootsuite too.
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FAQ
Is Metricool as good as Hootsuite?
For scheduling, analytics, ads reporting and client reports: yes — often better (unified ads+organic view). Hootsuite wins on social listening, approval workflows and enterprise features most small teams never use.
How much cheaper is Metricool than Hootsuite?
Hootsuite starts ~$99/mo; Metricool Starter is $25/mo — roughly 4x cheaper, with a free plan Hootsuite does not offer.
Can Metricool replace Hootsuite?
For teams under ~5 people doing scheduling + reporting: yes. For organizations needing listening streams, compliance approvals and deep inbox automation: no.
Does Metricool have social listening like Hootsuite?
No — Metricool has analytics and competitor tracking, not listening streams. For listening + DM automation at a lower price than Hootsuite, look at Vista Social ($64/mo).
Best Hootsuite alternative in 2026?
Metricool for value ($0-25/mo, analytics+ads+reports); Vista Social for automation depth ($64/mo); Buffer for simplicity. See our [Metricool alternatives](/blog/metricool-alternatives) guide.
Tools mentioned in this article
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Metricool
4.6Verified partnerSchedule, analyze and report on all social media from one dashboard — Free / $25/mo Starter
Alex Mercer
AI Marketing Strategist · 8+ years
Alex has tested 200+ AI marketing tools on real campaigns with $50,000+ in ad spend. He writes hands-on reviews based on actual usage data, not press kits. His work has helped 10,000+ marketers build AI automation stacks that generate real ROI.