Whenever we talk about analytics in social media, the first name that comes to mind is Hootsuite. It’s a well-established platform that was one of the pioneers in adapting to the ever-changing nature of social media.

Back in 2008, having an online presence was something only big companies could afford. It required a lot of money and resources.

But things have changed since then. Nowadays, even regular people like home bakers can take pictures of their delicious treats, become popular on social media, and run a successful business.

Social media marketing has become essential for both big and small businesses, as well as individuals. That’s why many alternatives to Hootsuite have gained popularity.

What are the reasons you should consider an alternative to Hootsuite?

Hootsuite started well, but its expensive plans make it difficult for smaller agencies and businesses to afford. The tool is also quite complicated to use, and it’s not easy to take full advantage of its features. They’ve also discontinued their free plan and their customer support has received many complaints.

Now, it’s essential to choose a tool based on what you really need, not just because it’s popular. In this blog, we’ll introduce you to 8 great alternatives to Hootsuite that can solve your social media problems right from the start. Let’s get started and find the perfect fit for you!

Here are 8 Hootsuite alternatives that can help you Analyze your social media better.

Vaizle

Vaizle is a great social media analytics tool that empowers businesses with real-time insights and competitive intelligence. With features like performance tracking, competitor analysis, and customizable reports, Vaizle helps optimize social media strategies for maximum engagement and success.

Here are some features that makes Vaizle unique from other tools:

• Real-time social media performance tracking.
• Comprehensive competitor analysis.
• In-depth content analysis for effective strategies.
• Hashtag performance insights for better reach.
• Sentiment analysis for brand reputation management.
• Customizable reports with visually appealing charts.
• Influencer tracking for targeted marketing collaborations.
• Audience insights for better understanding and targeting.
• Data export capabilities for seamless integration with other tools and systems.

Price – Starts from $22/month

Rival IQ

Rival IQ is a competitive intelligence tool that provides valuable insights into competitors’ social media strategies, SEO performance, and online presence, helping businesses make data-driven decisions for success.

Pros – 

• Rival IQ provides comprehensive social media analytics for competitor tracking and comparison.
• It offers real-time data insights to stay updated with competitors’ performance.
• Rival IQ’s user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate and understand the data.

Cons – 

• Cost: Rival IQ can be relatively expensive, making it less accessible for smaller businesses or those on a tight budget.

• Limited Data Sources: The tool’s data sources may not cover all social media platforms or industries, leading to incomplete insights for certain businesses.

• User Interface: Some users find the interface to be less intuitive and may require time to navigate effectively.

• Data Lag: In certain cases, there might be a slight delay in data updates, impacting real-time monitoring and decision-making.

Buffer

Buffer, a veteran in the social media management industry, has been operating since November 2010.

Pros- 

• Scheduling Simplicity: Buffer excels in its user-friendly scheduling interface, allowing users to easily queue and publish content across multiple social media platforms.
  
• Analytics and Insights: Buffer provides valuable analytics and performance metrics, helping users track post engagement, reach, and audience interactions.
  

Cons- 

• Limited Social Networks on Free Plan: The free version of Buffer restricts the number of social media accounts and scheduled posts, making it unsuitable for larger businesses or extensive marketing strategies.

• Advanced Features with Higher Pricing: Access to some advanced features and integrations requires a premium subscription, which can be cost-prohibitive for smaller businesses.

• Limited Real-time Engagement: Buffer focuses primarily on scheduling, and its real-time engagement features are less robust compared to some other social media management tools.
  
• Single User on Free Plan: Free users are limited to a single user account, which may not be ideal for businesses with multiple team members handling social media.
  
• No Built-in Content Curation: Unlike some competitors, Buffer lacks built-in content curation capabilities, meaning users have to rely on external tools for content discovery.

Price – $100/month

Later

Later is a social media management platform that helps businesses and creators plan, schedule, and publish content across all their social media channels. It also includes features for analytics, collaboration, and link in bio.

Pros – 

• Analytics: Later’s analytics tools provide insights into your social media performance. This information can help you create better content, target your audience more effectively, and measure the results of your campaigns.
• Collaboration: Later allows you to collaborate with team members on social media content. This is a great way to get feedback and ideas from others, and to ensure that your content is consistent across all channels.

Cons – 

• Limited features: Later does not offer as many features as some other social media analytics tools, such as Vaizle or Hootsuite.
• No customer support for free plan: The free plan for Later does not include customer support, which is there in the Vaizle and Hootsuite.
• No advanced analytics: Later’s analytics tools are not as advanced as some other social media analytics tools e.g. Vaizle
• Limited integrations: Later does not integrate with as many social media platforms as some other social media analytics tool. 

Price –  Starting Plan $40/month

Agorapulse

Agorapulse is a comprehensive social media management platform that provides a wide range of tools, including social planning, publishing, monitoring, and analytics features, making it a complete solution for businesses seeking to manage their social media presence effectively.

Pros- 

• Social Listening: Agorapulse’s monitoring capabilities allow users to track brand mentions, keywords, and industry trends, helping to monitor brand reputation and engage with the audience.
  
• Advanced Publishing Features: Agorapulse allows users to schedule, queue, and recycle content effortlessly, optimizing posting times for increased engagement.
  
• In-depth Analytics: The platform provides detailed performance insights, including audience demographics, engagement metrics, and competitor analysis, aiding data-driven decision-making.

Cons- 

• Learning Curve: While Agorapulse has a user-friendly interface, mastering all its features might take some time, especially for users new to social media management platforms.
  
• Limited Platforms on Lower Tiers: The availability of features and the number of social media profiles supported may vary depending on the subscription tier, which could limit functionality for users on lower plans.
  
• Instagram Direct Publishing Limitation: Agorapulse doesn’t support direct publishing of Instagram posts, which means users have to manually post or use reminders to publish their content.
  
• No URL Shortening: The platform lacks built-in URL shortening, requiring users to use external tools for link management, which can be less convenient.
  
• Reporting Customization: While Agorapulse offers analytics and reporting, some users may find the customization options for reports limited, making it challenging to tailor reports to specific needs.
• Limited Social Listening: While Agorapulse does provide some monitoring capabilities, it may not offer as extensive social listening features as specialized tools solely focused on this aspect.
  
• Limited Integration Options: Agorapulse’s integration options with third-party apps and tools might be more limited compared to other social media management platforms.

Price- $199/month

Social Insider

Social Insider is a social media analytics, reporting, and benchmarking tool that aims to deliver quality insights to data-driven agencies. It provides a wide range of features that will help you to analyze your social media account data. 

Pros – 

• Insightful analytics: Social Insider provides a wealth of valuable insights into your social media performance. This information can help you create better content, target your audience more effectively, and measure the results of your campaigns.
• Easy to use: Social Insider is easy to use, even for beginners. The interface is clean and intuitive, and the features are easy to understand.
• Comprehensive reporting: Social Insider allows you to create custom reports that you can share with your clients or team members. These reports can be used to track your progress, identify areas for improvement, and make better decisions.

Cons –

• Limited integrations: Social Insider does not integrate with all social media platforms. However, it does integrate with all major platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok.
• Some features are complex: Some of the features in Social Insider can be complex, especially for beginners. However, the help documentation is very good and there is also 24/7 support available.
• Not as user-friendly as some other tools: Social Insider is not as user-friendly as some other social media analytics tools. However, it is still very easy to use, even for beginners.

Price- $124/month

Sprout Social 

For enterprises seeking a social media management platform with even greater capabilities than Hootsuite, Sprout Social could be the ideal solution.

Pros- 

• Advanced Publishing Features: Sprout Social allows for scheduling, queuing, and recycling content, optimizing posting times for maximum engagement with the audience.
  
• Social Listening and Monitoring: Sprout Social’s monitoring capabilities enable tracking of brand mentions, industry trends, and audience sentiment, allowing for prompt responses and proactive engagement.
  
• Social Media Report Customization: The platform provides flexible and customizable reporting options, allowing businesses to create insightful reports tailored to their specific needs and goals.

Cons- 

• Instagram Direct Publishing Limitation: Similar to some other social media management platforms, Sprout Social doesn’t support direct publishing of posts to Instagram, necessitating manual posting or the use of reminders.
  
• Complex Reporting for Some Users: While Sprout Social allows for report customization, creating highly specialized or complex reports may be challenging for some users.
  
• Limited Integration Options: While Sprout Social offers integrations with various platforms, it may have fewer integration options compared to some other social media management tools.
  
• Data Export Limitations: Exporting data from Sprout Social may have restrictions, which could pose challenges for businesses needing to conduct in-depth analysis outside the platform.
  
• Limited Hashtag Tracking: Sprout Social’s hashtag tracking capabilities may be limited compared to dedicated social media listening tools.
  

Price – $89 per month

Socialbakers

Socialbakers currently known as emplify is a social media management and analytics platform that helps businesses and agencies track, measure, and optimize their social media performance. It offers a wide range of features, including social media analytics and reporting.

Pros – 

• Insightful analytics: Socialbakers provides a wealth of valuable insights into your social media performance. This information can help you create better content, target your audience more effectively, and measure the results of your campaigns.
• Easy to use: Socialbakers is easy to use, even for beginners. The interface is clean and intuitive, and the features are easy to understand.

Cons – 

• Price: Socialbakers is a more expensive social media analytics tool than some of its competitors.
• Learning curve: There is a bit of a learning curve to using Socialbakers. However, the help documentation is very good and there is also 24/7 support available.
• Some features are complex: Some of the features in Socialbakers can be complex, especially for beginners. However, the help documentation is very good and there is also 24/7 support available.
• Not as user-friendly as Hootsuite and Vaizle: Socialbakers is not as user-friendly as some other social media analytics tools.

Price – $240/month