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Hootsuite vs Planable vs SocialCaptain vs Zoho Social Comparison

Last updated:

Hootsuite

3.7(8,223 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Free Trial
  • Freelancers / Consultants
  • Large Enterprises

Hootsuite Enterprise integrates social media management into team's workflow. Get a complete picture of everything happening across all the social networks from one dashboard and collaborate with team to manage all the s…

Planable

4.4(208 reviews)

Starting at $33 /month

  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Planable is a social media management tool built for teams, agencies, and brands that need streamlined collaboration, clear approvals, and visual content planning. Instead of juggling spreadsheets and endless email threa…

SocialCaptain

2.9(12 reviews)

Starting at $39 /Month

  • Free Trial
  • Individuals
  • Freelancers / Consultants

SocialCaptain is a social media management tool with over 100 features that helps to create, schedule, and analyze posts across multiple social networking sites. With simple drag-and-drop tools, in-depth analytics, and f…

Zoho Social

4.6(5,380 reviews)

Starting at $10 /Month

  • Free Trial
  • Individuals
  • Large Enterprises

Zoho Social is a powerful Social Media Management Software in with a low cost per user model. It includes integrated tools like Campaign Builder, Reporting Dashboard and much more. Zoho Social allows to manage multiple s…

Planable leads on user satisfaction with a 4.4-star rating across 208 reviews.

Hootsuite vs Planable vs SocialCaptain vs Zoho Social — at a glance

FeatureHootsuitePlanableSocialCaptainZoho Social
Rating3.7 / 54.4 / 52.9 / 54.6 / 5
Reviews8,223208125,380
Starting priceContact for pricing$33 /month$39 /Month$10 /Month
Free trial Yes No Yes Yes
Free version No No No No
Best forFreelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessIndividuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Large EnterprisesIndividuals, Large Enterprises, Medium Business
CategorySocial Media Management SoftwareSocial Media Management SoftwareSocial Media Management SoftwareSocial Media Management Software
Integrations5+ apps
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOSSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOSSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS
APIAvailable
Support modes24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online24/7 (Live rep), OnlineOnlineBusiness Hours, Online
CertificationsSOC 2, GDPRGDPRGDPR
Data residencyGlobalUSUSGlobal

Key differences between Hootsuite and Planable

  • Pricing: Planable starts at $33 /month. Hootsuite pricing is not publicly listed.
  • Free trial: Hootsuite offers a free trial; Planable does not.
  • Target audience: Hootsuite is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Planable targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
  • User satisfaction: Planable scores higher with a 4.4-star average.
  • Deployment: Hootsuite supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Planable supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.

Compare Hootsuite vs Planable vs SocialCaptain vs Zoho Social — and walk away knowing which one fits.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Social Media Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Hootsuite - Social Media Management Software
Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert
Planable - Social Media Management Software
Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert
SocialCaptain - Social Media Management Software
Talk to an expert
Talk to an expert

Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Hootsuite

Best for collaborative social media management across multiple networks.

Choose if
  • You need a unified dashboard to manage all social media channels in one place.
  • Your team requires built-in collaboration features for streamlined social media workflows.
  • You want integrated publishing, monitoring, and analytics within a single platform.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your company has minimal social media presence and needs a simpler tool.
  • You require highly specialized or niche social media functionalities not offered here.

Planable

Best for streamlined team collaboration and visual social media content planning.

Choose if
  • You need a simple, unified workspace for creating, approving, and scheduling posts.
  • Your team values visual post previews to ensure accurate content appearance before publishing.
  • You are a small to medium business or agency managing social media for a few clients.
Consider alternatives if
  • You require advanced analytics, social listening, or deep platform-specific controls.
  • You are a large enterprise managing high-volume multi-client social media workflows.

SocialCaptain

Best for

Individuals, Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises

Zoho Social

Best for affordable, easy multi-account social media management.

Choose if
  • You need to manage multiple social media accounts from one interface.
  • Your team is small to medium-sized and values simple, streamlined workflows.
  • You want integrated campaign building and reporting tools at low cost.
Consider alternatives if
  • Your enterprise requires advanced customization and deep CRM or sales automation integrations.
  • You need highly advanced analytics and extensive third-party business tool integrations.

Hootsuite: Best for collaborative social media management across multiple networks. Planable: Best for streamlined team collaboration and visual social media content planning.

Description

Hootsuite Enterprise integrates social media management into team's workflow. Get a complete picture of everything happening across all the social networks from one dashboard and ... Read More about Hootsuite

Planable is a social media management tool built for teams, agencies, and brands that need streamlined collaboration, clear approvals, and visual content planning. Instead of juggling ... Read More about Planable

SocialCaptain is a social media management tool with over 100 features that helps to create, schedule, and analyze posts across multiple social networking sites. With simple drag-and-drop ... Read More about SocialCaptain

Zoho Social is a powerful Social Media Management Software in with a low cost per user model. It includes integrated tools like Campaign Builder, Reporting Dashboard and much more. Zoho ... Read More about Zoho Social

Entry Level Pricing

  • Not Available
  • Starts from $33 , monthly
  • Starts from $39
  • Starts from $10 , Billed Yearly

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

9.8/10

9.2/10

8.1/10

9.3/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

2.9

(12)

Best Company Size

Small BusinessLarge Enterprises
5-100 employeesSmall to Medium Business
1-50 employees51-500 employees
Get pricing help
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

Planable

  • Collaborative workspace for teams and clients — Whether internal marketers or external clients, all stakeholders can review, comment, and approve content in one place. This cuts back on back-and-forth and accelerates turnaround times.
  • Visual planning and preview tools — The calendar view and feed-style post previews let teams see exactly how posts will appear, ensuring design consistency and preventing mistakes before publishing.
  • Unified scheduling across multiple social networks — Users can schedule posts to numerous platforms at once, maintaining consistent brand presence without needing separate dashboards.
Best fit

Best fit

Planable

  • 5–100 employees
  • Marketing & Advertising, Digital Agencies, Media & Publishing, Small Business Services, Creative & Design Agencies, E-commerce brands
  • Social Media Manager, Content Manager, Marketing Coordinator, Creative Director, Digital Marketing Specialist, Agency Owner, Community Manager, Brand Manager.
Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

Hootsuite

No alternatives guidance available yet.

Planable

  • Freelancers, early-stage creators, or very small teams may want a simple tool that handles scheduling without extra collaboration features. For these users, Planable’s pricing and feature depth may feel more than they need, pushing them toward budget-friendly alternatives.
  • Agencies or enterprise teams managing dozens of clients often need bulk uploading, automated queues, customizable workflows, and permission layers. Planable works well for small to mid-sized teams, but operations with heavy posting frequency or complex approval chains may choose platforms built for large-scale social production.
  • Creators and social teams sometimes need specialized controls, such as YouTube-focused scheduling, long-form video workflows, TikTok publishing, carousel sequencing, Reels/Shorts optimization, or full Instagram grid planning. Planable offers a streamlined approach, but professionals working with complex media formats may need a tool with stronger built-in creative and scheduling capabilities.

Software Demo

Demo

No software demo available

SocialCaptain has not given any software demo yet

If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us

Need a second opinion?

Get shortlist help from a software advisor

Share your priorities, budget, and team needs, and we’ll help you narrow the options and understand the tradeoffs before you talk to vendors.

How do Hootsuite, Planable, SocialCaptain and Zoho Social Compare on Features?

Total Features

24 Features

18 Features

6 Features

9 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

No unique features

Get Quote
Get Quote
Get Quote

Compare Hootsuite, Planable, SocialCaptain and Zoho Social on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

          Starting From

          • Not Available
          • $33 , monthly
          • $39
          • $10 , Billed Yearly

          Pricing Plans

          • Not Available
          • Not Available
          • Free Edition

            • 1 Team Member

            • 1 Brand

            • zShare Browser Extension

            Show more +

          • Standard (For Business)

            • 1 Brand (7 Channels)

            • 1 Team Member

            • Facebook Pages, Facebook Groups, Twitter Profiles, Instagram Business Profiles, LinkedIn Profiles, LinkedIn Company Pages, & Google My Business listings.

            Show more +

          • Professional (For Business)

            • 1 Brand (8 Channels)

            • Includes features of Standard plan, plus

            • Livestream

            Show more +

          • Browse all pricing plans

          Pricing Page

          Hootsuite pricing
          Planable pricing
          SocialCaptain pricing
          Zoho Social pricing

          Other Details

          Organization Types supported

          • Freelancers
          • Large Enterprises
          • Medium Business
          • Small Business
          • Individuals
          • Freelancers
          • Large Enterprises
          • Medium Business
          • Small Business
          • Individuals
          • Freelancers
          • Large Enterprises
          • Medium Business
          • Small Business
          • Individuals
          • Freelancers
          • Large Enterprises
          • Medium Business
          • Small Business
          • Individuals

          Platforms Supported

          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Mobile - Android
          • Mobile - iOS
          • Installed - Windows
          • Installed - Mac
          • Mobile - Windows
          • Mobile - BlackBerry
          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Mobile - Android
          • Mobile - iOS
          • Installed - Windows
          • Installed - Mac
          • Mobile - Windows
          • Mobile - BlackBerry
          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Mobile - Android
          • Mobile - iOS
          • Installed - Windows
          • Installed - Mac
          • Mobile - Windows
          • Mobile - BlackBerry
          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Browser Based (Cloud)
          • Mobile - Android
          • Mobile - iOS
          • Installed - Windows
          • Installed - Mac
          • Mobile - Windows
          • Mobile - BlackBerry
          • Browser Based (Cloud)

          Modes of support

          • 24/7 (Live rep)
          • Business Hours
          • Online
          • 24/7 (Live rep)
          • Business Hours
          • Online
          • 24/7 (Live rep)
          • Business Hours
          • Online
          • 24/7 (Live rep)
          • Business Hours
          • Online

          API Support

          • Available
          • Not Available
          • Not Available
          • Not Available
          Get help choosing
          Get help choosing
          Get help choosing

          Security & Compliance

          Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

          SOC 2

          ✓ Yes

          HIPAA

          ✗ No
          ✗ No
          ✗ No

          GDPR

          ✓ Yes
          ✓ Yes

          Single Sign-On (SSO)

          ✓ Yes

          Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

          ✓ Yes

          Data Encryption

          ✓ Yes
          ✓ Yes

          Audit Logs

          ✓ Yes

          Data Residency

          🌐 Global
          🇺🇸 US
          🇺🇸 US

          Hootsuite vs Planable vs SocialCaptain User Reviews & Rating Comparison

          User Ratings

          Rating Distribution

          1471

          808

          219

          83

          349

          457

          130

          12

          3

          2

          6

          1

          4

          8

          273

          300

          0

          0

          0

          2

          Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

          Buyer sentiment

          Buyers appreciate Hootsuite's comprehensive social media management capabilities but note some usability and pricing transparency challenges.

          What buyers like

          • Ease of use
          • Team collaboration
          • Multi-network management

          Common complaints

          • Pricing transparency
          • Performance with large data volumes

          Buyer sentiment

          Users appreciate Planable’s ease of collaboration and visual planning but note limitations in advanced features and pricing.

          What buyers like

          • Ease of collaboration
          • Visual content planning and previews
          • Multi-platform scheduling

          Common complaints

          • Limited advanced analytics and social listening
          • Pricing concerns for small or heavy users

          Buyer sentiment

          Buyer sentiment is cautious across 292 reviews, with several recurring concerns in feedback.

          What buyers like

          • Over 100 features
          • In-depth analytics
          • Customizable dashboards

          Common complaints

          • Complex for beginners
          • Can be expensive
          • Requires time to learn

          Buyer sentiment

          Users generally praise Zoho Social for its ease of use and affordability, though some desire more advanced features and integrations.

          What buyers like

          • Ease of use
          • Multi-account management
          • Value for money

          Common complaints

          • Limited advanced features
          • Lack of deep integrations

          Pros and Cons

          • Unified dashboard for managing multiple social networks

          • Collaboration features for team-based social media management

          • Comprehensive publishing, monitoring, and analytics in one platform

          • Pricing details are not fully transparent and may require sales contact

          • Some users report a learning curve for advanced features

          • Strong collaboration and approval workflows with client and stakeholder involvement

          • Visual content calendar and post previews that show exactly how posts will appear

          • Unified scheduling across multiple social networks from a single workspace

          • Limited advanced features such as deep analytics and social listening

          • Occasional constraints with niche social platforms, especially for video and media handling

          • Extensive feature set caters to diverse needs.

          • Customizable dashboards enhance user experience.

          • Automation tools save significant time.

          • Steep learning curve for new users.

          • Pricing may be prohibitive for some.

          • Ability to manage multiple social accounts from a single interface

          • Integrated campaign builder and reporting dashboard

          • Low cost per user pricing model

          • Limited advanced customization options

          • May lack deep CRM or sales automation integrations

          Positive Reviews

          No reviews available for the product

          No reviews available for the product

          No reviews available for the product

          No reviews available for the product

          Negative Reviews

          No reviews available for the product

          No reviews available for the product

          No reviews available for the product

          No reviews available for the product

          Integrations

          Integration with other apps

          No Integration information available.

          No Integration information available.

          No Integration information available.

          List of Customers

          Customers

          Marketo

          Marketo

          Nokia

          Nokia

          The British Museum

          The British Museum

          Volkswagen

          Volkswagen

          Rakuten Viber

          Rakuten Viber

          Wirgin

          Wirgin

          No Customers information available.

          No Customers information available.

          Media and Screenshots

          Screenshots

          Hootsuite Timeline

          5 Screenshots

          Feed View screenshot

          4 Screenshots

          No screenshots available.

          Videos

          video-0

          2 Videos

          video-0

          3 Videos

          No videos available.

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          Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

          Frequently asked questions

          Which is better, Hootsuite or Planable?
          Planable edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs 3.7). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
          Do Hootsuite and Planable offer a free trial?
          Hootsuite offers a free trial. Planable does not.
          What is the starting price of Hootsuite vs Planable?
          Hootsuite starts at Contact for pricing. Planable starts at $33 /month.
          What are the top alternatives to Hootsuite?
          Top alternatives to Hootsuite include Zoho Social, Crowdfire, SocialBee, Hubspot Marketing Hub, Zoho Connect.
          What are the top alternatives to Planable?
          Top alternatives to Planable include Zoho Social, Crowdfire, SocialBee, Loomly, Buffer.

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