Alternatives
Sprout Social alternatives in 2026
Six tools worth a look if Sprout Social's per-seat price no longer fits, with what each keeps and what it drops.
Last checked:
We make PublishBuddy, which is one of the 6 tools on this page. Each price was checked on that tool's own pricing page on the date in the sources list at the end.
The short version
Most teams leave Sprout Social over cost. It charges per seat, and 10 accounts need Professional at $399 a month per person.
Agorapulse and Hootsuite keep a full inbox and reporting for less per user. Vista Social packs similar features into plans from $99. PublishBuddy, which we make, suits small teams that mostly publish. Sendible and Metricool fit agencies and reporting-heavy teams.
Why people look for a Sprout Social alternative
Every person pays the plan price, from $99 to $499 a month per seat.
Essentials and Standard stop at 5 profiles, so 10 accounts mean Professional at $399 per seat.
Essentials has no inbox or approvals, and approvals start on Professional.
Listening and Premium Analytics are add-ons priced through sales.
The options at a glance
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | 10 accounts | Free plan | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agorapulse | $99/month per user (10 accounts) | $99/month (Standard, 1 user) | No (a free AI-only plan) | Community teams that live in the inbox |
| Hootsuite | $99/month per user, billed yearly (10 accounts) | $99/month per user, billed yearly | No | Big teams that need inbox, listening and ads |
| Vista Social | $99/month (15 accounts, 2 users) | $99/month (Professional) | No | The most features per plan: inbox, reviews, listening, AI |
| PublishBuddy | $29/month (Pro, 10 accounts) | $29/month | Yes, 3 accounts | An AI agent that writes and schedules, and 10 to 20 accounts on one plan |
| Sendible | $35/month (6 accounts) | $70/month (Core plus a workspace) | No | Agencies with many clients and reviewers |
| Metricool | $25/month (Starter, up to 5 brands) | $25 to $45/month, depending on brands | Yes, 1 brand (no LinkedIn or X) | Analytics, reports and ads on a budget |
Monthly billing, in US dollars. Most tools charge less per month when you pay for a year.
Agorapulse: an inbox and reports for a third of the price
Cheapest paid plan: $99/month per user (10 accounts). 10 accounts: $99/month (Standard, 1 user). Free plan: No (a free AI-only plan).
Good fit if you want an inbox like Sprout's, with comments, DMs and reviews, plus ROI reports, for $99 per user a month with 10 profiles.
Less good if your team is big, since it's still priced per user, or you post to X, at $29 to $69 per X profile.
Hootsuite: listening on every plan
Cheapest paid plan: $99/month per user, billed yearly (10 accounts). 10 accounts: $99/month per user, billed yearly. Free plan: No.
Good fit if you need an inbox, listening and ads in one place. Listening comes with every plan, from $99 per user a month billed yearly.
Less good if per-user pricing is the problem. Hootsuite charges per user too, and approvals start on Advanced.
PublishBuddy: small teams that mostly publish
Cheapest paid plan: $29/month (Pro, 10 accounts). 10 accounts: $29/month. Free plan: Yes, 3 accounts.
Good fit if $29 a month covers 10 accounts and 5 team members, approvals come with Business at $49, and the AI agent schedules posts.
Less good if you need a DM inbox, listening, reviews or deep reports. PublishBuddy doesn't have them yet.
Sendible: agencies with lots of logins
Cheapest paid plan: $35/month (6 accounts). 10 accounts: $70/month (Core plus a workspace). Free plan: No.
Good fit if you want unlimited users on every plan, client dashboards, and branded, auto-emailed reports from Premium at $199.
Less good if Pinterest, Telegram, AI images or an API matter to you.
Metricool: reporting on a budget
Cheapest paid plan: $25/month (Starter, up to 5 brands). 10 accounts: $25 to $45/month, depending on brands. Free plan: Yes, 1 brand (no LinkedIn or X).
Good fit if you need reports more than an inbox: unlimited history, competitor tracking, ad reports, and Looker Studio on Advanced at $67 with unlimited team members.
Less good if you need approvals on a small plan, or AI images and video.
How to choose
List what you'd miss. For the Smart Inbox, Agorapulse, Hootsuite and Vista Social all handle DMs and reviews. For listening, Hootsuite includes some on every plan. For reports, Metricool and Agorapulse go deep.
Then price your team, not just your accounts. Agorapulse and Hootsuite charge per user, Vista Social includes 2 to 4, PublishBuddy 5 to 15, and Sendible has unlimited users.
Want the wider view? The buyer's guide sorts 16 tools by how you work.
Before you leave Sprout Social
- Write down what you use Sprout Social for: the networks, how many accounts, who posts, who approves, and which reports you send. That list rules most tools in or out.
- Gather your scheduled posts. Sprout's calendar shares as a PDF, and its CSV exports cover published posts, so copy what's still scheduled into a spreadsheet.
- Download the reports you want to keep. Stats stored in Sprout Social don't move to another tool.
- Check when Sprout Social renews, so you don't pay for a month you won't use.
- Try your top two picks on the same accounts for a week. Most tools here have a free trial, and several don't ask for a card.
- Move what's still scheduled, then delete it from Sprout Social so nothing posts twice. Cancel once its queue is empty.
Frequently asked questions
What's the cheapest Sprout Social alternative?
For 10 accounts, PublishBuddy at $29 a month with 5 team members. Metricool starts at $25 a month for up to 5 brands, with 1 user. Prices were checked on each tool's site on October 25, 2026.
Which alternatives have an inbox like Sprout's Smart Inbox?
Agorapulse, Hootsuite and Vista Social all handle comments, DMs and reviews on every plan.
Which alternatives include social listening?
Hootsuite includes listening on every plan, starting with a 7-day quick search. Agorapulse sells it as an add-on, and Vista Social prices it per listener from $75 a month.
Which alternatives suit agencies?
Sendible has unlimited users and client dashboards. Agorapulse includes white-label reports on every plan. PublishBuddy has approvals and roles on Business at $49.
Can I export my posts from Sprout Social?
Published posts export as a CSV from the Post Performance Report. Scheduled posts only share as a PDF of the calendar, so copy what's still scheduled into a spreadsheet.
Sources
- Sprout Social pricing page, checked
- Agorapulse pricing page, checked
- Hootsuite pricing page, checked
- Vista Social pricing page, checked
- Sendible pricing page, checked
- Metricool pricing page, checked
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