Sprout Social vs Planable vs Cortex vs Zoho Social Comparison
Sprout Social
Starting at $199 per seat/month
- Free Trial
- Freelancers / Consultants
- Large Enterprises
Sprout Social is a Social Media Management Platform that allows business users to manage, plan, and track their social media presence across multiple networks. Sprout Social is used by progressive companies to drive incr…
Planable
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…
Cortex
Starting at Contact for pricing
- Free Trial
- Large Enterprises
- Medium Business
Cortex is a social media management software that lets user respond to customer service requests within seconds with live chat, email, SMS, or any channel user chooses. Cortex's automation tools let user easily turn data…
Zoho Social
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 4.6-star rating across 664 reviews.
Sprout Social vs Planable vs Cortex vs Zoho Social — at a glance
| Feature | Sprout Social | Planable | Cortex | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 | 4.8 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Reviews | 2,477 | 664 | 12 | 5,380 |
| Starting price | $199 per seat/month | $33 /month | Contact for pricing | $10 /Month |
| Free trial | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Free version | No | No | No | No |
| Best for | Freelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business | Large Enterprises, Medium Business | Individuals, Large Enterprises, Medium Business |
| Category | Social Media Management Software | Social Media Management Software | Social Media Management Software | Social Media Management Software |
| Integrations | — | 5+ apps | — | — |
| Platforms | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS | SaaS/Web/Cloud | SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS |
| API | Available | — | — | — |
| Support modes | 24/7 (Live rep), Business Hours, Online | 24/7 (Live rep), Online | Business Hours | Business Hours, Online |
| Certifications | SOC 2, GDPR | GDPR | — | GDPR |
| Data residency | US | US | — | Global |
Key differences between Sprout Social and Planable
- Pricing: Sprout Social starts at $199 per seat/month, while Planable starts at $33 /month.
- Free trial: Sprout Social offers a free trial; Planable does not.
- Target audience: Sprout Social is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while Planable targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
- User satisfaction: Planable scores higher with a 4.6-star average.
- Deployment: Sprout Social supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS; Planable supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Mobile - Android, Mobile - iOS.
Compare Sprout Social vs Planable vs Cortex vs Zoho Social — and walk away knowing which one fits.
Which tool fits your team best
Which is actually cheaper for your team size
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.
Biggest differences
Features
Pricing
Buying details
Security
Buyer feedback
Integrations
Product tour
Other options
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Biggest differences
Start here before you go deeper into features.
Best for managing and tracking multi-network social media to drive sales.
- You need to manage multiple social media networks from one platform efficiently.
- Your marketing team wants to generate leads and drive incremental sales via social media.
- You require integrated tools for social media planning, tracking, and brand management.
- You are a freelancer or very small team looking for low-cost, minimal-feature solutions.
- You need highly customizable or niche social media tools beyond standard management features.
Best for streamlined team collaboration and visual social media content planning.
- 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.
- You require advanced analytics, social listening, or deep platform-specific controls.
- You are a large enterprise managing high-volume multi-client social media workflows.
Large Enterprises, Medium Business
Best for affordable, easy multi-account social media management.
- 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.
- Your enterprise requires advanced customization and deep CRM or sales automation integrations.
- You need highly advanced analytics and extensive third-party business tool integrations.
Sprout Social: Best for managing and tracking multi-network social media to drive sales. Planable: Best for streamlined team collaboration and visual social media content planning.
Description | Sprout Social is a Social Media Management Platform that allows business users to manage, plan, and track their social media presence across multiple networks. Sprout Social is used by ... Read More about Sprout Social | 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 | Cortex is a social media management software that lets user respond to customer service requests within seconds with live chat, email, SMS, or any channel user chooses. Cortex's automation ... Read More about Cortex | 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 |
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Entry Level Pricing |
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Spotsaas ScoreWhat's this? ↗ | 9.2/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 |
User RatingsBased on verified Spotsaas reviews | ||||
Best Company Size | Small BusinessMedium Business | 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.
Key strengths
No key benefits available yet.
- 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.
No key benefits available yet.
No key benefits available yet.
Best fit
No best-fit guidance available yet.
- 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.
No best-fit guidance available yet.
No best-fit guidance available yet.
Reasons buyers look elsewhere
No alternatives guidance available yet.
- 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.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
No alternatives guidance available yet.
Software Demo
Demo |  Cortex has not given any software demo yet If you're the owner of this profile, add your demo.Contact us |
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How do Sprout Social, Planable, Cortex and Zoho Social Compare on Features?
Total Features | 9 Features | 18 Features | 8 Features | 9 Features |
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Unique Features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features | No unique features |
Get Quote | Get Quote | Get Quote |
Compare Sprout Social, Planable, Cortex 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.
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Other Details
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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 | — | — |
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HIPAA | ✗ No | ✗ No | — |
GDPR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
Single Sign-On (SSO) | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA) | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Data Encryption | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes | — |
Audit Logs | ✓ Yes | — | — |
Data Residency | 🇺🇸 US | 🇺🇸 US | — |
Sprout Social vs Planable vs Cortex User Reviews & Rating Comparison
User Ratings | ||||
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Rating Distribution | ||||
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI | Buyer sentiment Buyers appreciate the platform's multi-network management and lead generation capabilities but express concerns about pricing transparency and feature depth. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Users appreciate Planable’s ease of collaboration and visual planning but note limitations in advanced features and pricing. What buyers like
Common complaints
| Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is very strong across 4 reviews, with consistently positive feedback. | 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
Common complaints
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Pros and Cons |
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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. |
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List of Customers
Customers |  Coldwell Banker  Lowes  Edelman |  Volkswagen  Rakuten Viber  Wirgin | No Customers information available. | No Customers information available. |
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Media and Screenshots
Screenshots |  5 Screenshots |  4 Screenshots |  10 Screenshots |
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Videos |  2 Videos |  3 Videos | No videos available. |
Alternatives
Alternatives |
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Related Blogs and Articles for Social Media Management Software
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, Sprout Social or Planable?
- Planable edges out the other on user ratings (4.6 vs 4.3). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
- Do Sprout Social and Planable offer a free trial?
- Sprout Social offers a free trial. Planable does not.
- What is the starting price of Sprout Social vs Planable?
- Sprout Social starts at $199 per seat/month. Planable starts at $33 /month.
- What are the top alternatives to Sprout Social?
- Top alternatives to Sprout Social include Zoho Social, Crowdfire, SocialBee, Buffer, Sprinklr.
- What are the top alternatives to Planable?
- Top alternatives to Planable include Zoho Social, Crowdfire, SocialBee, Loomly, Buffer.