You know your brand needs a solid social media management tool, especially if you’ve been exploring different Sprout Social alternatives to stay within budget.
But here’s the catch: Sprout Social starts at $199/month.
For many teams, that’s a serious budget stretch, especially when managing multiple clients or growing content operations.
You’ve likely tried juggling multiple free tools or spreadsheets to save costs, but it ends up draining time, leading to inconsistent posting and missed engagement opportunities.
The good news? You don’t need to settle for less or overspend. There are plenty of Sprout Social alternatives that deliver similar (or even better) results, at a fraction of the cost.
These platforms are designed for modern marketing teams or creative agencies who care about content, collaboration, and ROI.
| Tool Name | Best Feature | Starting Price (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| StoryChief | Multichannel content marketing + AI writing | €29 |
| Planable | Visual collaboration & content approval | $33 |
| Zoho Social | Smart scheduling + CRM integration | $7 |
| Hootsuite | Enterprise-grade analytics + social listening | $99 |
| Agorapulse | Smart inbox with relationship tracking | $49 |
| SocialPilot | $30 | $30 |
| Buffer | Simple scheduling + AI captions | $6 |
| Later | Visual grid planner + AI captions | $25 |
| Sendible | White-label client dashboards | $89 |
| SocialBee | AI-powered post creation + recycling | Custom |
| ContentStudio | Trending content discovery + automation | Custom |
| Konnect Insights | CX management + AI sentiment analysis | Custom |
| Statusbrew | Monitoring + crisis management | $69 |
1. StoryChief - Best Sprout Social Alternative
StoryChief is the best of the alternatives to Sprout Social because it goes beyond social media scheduling. It unifies your content marketing—from blogs and newsletters to social posts —into a single powerful ecosystem.
Key Features:
- Multichannel distribution to over 450+ integrations (blogs, newsletters, and socials).
- Built-in SEO optimization and readability scoring.
- AI writing assistant (William AI) for faster, optimized content.
- Team collaboration with approval workflows and version history.
- Employee advocacy and advanced analytics.
Pricing: Starts at €29/month per user. Free plan available.
Best for: Content marketing teams, agencies, and B2B publishers.
FYI: StoryChief eliminates the need for various tools such as social media tools, automation tools, AI tools, SEO tools, and analytics tools. Create a free account and start publishing today. 🙌
2. Planable
Planable bridges the gap between creative and strategy teams. Its interface feels like a social media preview board where everyone, from clients to copywriters, can comment, approve, and schedule posts visually.
Key Features:
- Visual previews for all major social platforms.
- Drag-and-drop content calendar.
- Multi-user workspaces and approval workflows.
- Collaboration for social posts, blogs, and newsletters.
Pricing: Free up to 50 posts; paid plans start at $33/month per workspace.
Best for: Agencies that prioritize teamwork and feedback loops.
3. Zoho Social
With up to 94% cost savings versus Sprout Social, Zoho Social is the ultimate affordable solution for SMBs that need analytics, CRM, and social publishing, all under one roof.
Key Features:
- Smart scheduling with best-time recommendations.
- Integrated CRM for customer tracking.
- Panic button to pause campaigns during crises.
- Social listening + unified inbox.
Pricing: Plans start at $7/month.
Best for: Small businesses and agencies on a budget.
4. Hootsuite
Hootsuite is one of the oldest players in the game, offering top-tier reporting, competitor tracking, and publishing calendars.
Key Features:
- Unified social inbox.
- Advanced social listening and analytics.
- Competitor performance benchmarking.
- Supports Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, and X.
Pricing: Starts at $99/month after a 30-day trial.
Best for: Mid-sized to large teams managing multiple social networks.
Related article: 25 Best Hootsuite Alternatives for Marketers and Agencies
5. Agorapulse
Agorapulse combines simplicity with powerful social listening and relationship tracking. Its unified inbox helps identify and label your most engaged followers.
Key Features:
- Customizable unified inbox with filters.
- Detailed engagement and sentiment reports.
- Built-in media library.
- Excellent contact and comment management.
Pricing: Free plan available; paid starts at $49/month.
Best for: Agencies and businesses focused on community management.
Related articles: See why teams choose StoryChief over Agorapulse
6. SocialPilot
Designed for agencies, SocialPilot provides robust team collaboration, AI-powered posting, and support for 15+ platforms, including TikTok and Threads.
Key Features:
- Manage up to 15 profiles per plan.
- Bulk scheduling and client dashboards.
- AI Assistant for post generation.
- Comprehensive reporting and analytics.
Pricing: Starts at $30/month.
Best for: Agencies managing multiple clients at scale.
Related article: 7 Best SocialPilot Alternatives You Must Try
7. Buffer
Simple, clean, and effective, Buffer offers easy scheduling, AI captioning, and analytics at a fraction of Sprout’s cost.
Key Features:
- Schedule to 11 social networks.
- Built-in AI assistant for captions.
- Free link-in-bio page builder (Start Page).
- Repurpose posts across platforms.
Pricing: Free plan; paid starts at $6/channel/month.
Best for: Solo creators and startups.
Related article: 15 Best Buffer Alternatives for Agencies
8. Later
Later’s intuitive visual planner helps creators see how their Instagram grid or TikTok feed will look before posting.
Key Features:
- Drag-and-drop calendar with real-time previews.
- First comment scheduling for hashtags.
- AI caption writer.
- Hashtag suggestions and UGC curation.
Pricing: Starts at $25/month.
Best for: Influencers and visual brands.
9. Sendible
Sendible offers white-label dashboards, API support, and client reporting, ideal for agencies managing multiple brands.
Key Features:
- White-label dashboards.
- Canva and Pexels integration.
- Bulk scheduling via CSV.
- Automated content suggestions.
Pricing: Starts at $89/month.
Best for: Growing agencies with client reporting needs.
10. SocialBee
SocialBee balances simplicity and automation. It categorizes your posts, generates content with AI, and even handles post recycling.
Key Features:
- AI content generator for text and visuals.
- Post categorization and recycling.
- RSS automation and hashtag suggestions.
- Canva, GIPHY, and Unsplash integrations.
Pricing: Free 14-day trial; paid plans on request.
Best for: Teams seeking automation and AI-driven content.
11. ContentStudio
ContentStudio helps marketers discover, curate, and share trending industry content with automation.
Key Features:
- Content discovery from 500+ sources.
- Unified inbox and automation recipes.
- Blog and Shopify integrations.
- SEO optimization tools.
Pricing: Custom pricing (trial available).
Best for: Content-heavy brands focused on curation and industry thought leadership.
12. Konnect Insights
Konnect Insights goes beyond social; it’s a customer experience management platform integrating reviews, chats, and social feedback.
Key Features:
- AI-driven sentiment analysis.
- Omnichannel engagement (email, WhatsApp, live chat).
- 360° customer view with BI dashboards.
- Smart automation and routing.
Pricing: Custom (enterprise-grade).
Best for: Large brands managing customer experience and reputation.
13. Statusbrew
Statusbrew offers the same level of management and analytics as Sprout Social, but at half the cost.
Key Features:
- Social publishing + monitoring.
- Comprehensive analytics and reporting.
- Crisis management capabilities.
- Community management dashboard.
Pricing: Starts around $69/month.
Best for: Businesses wanting affordable, full-suite social management.
Key Takeaways: Which One Should You Choose?
Best for...
- ... Overall: StoryChief - for full content ecosystem management.
- ... Agencies: StoryChief or SocialPilot.
- ... Budget Pick: Zoho Social.
- ... Visual Creators: Later.
- ... CX: Konnect Insights.
When choosing Sprout Social alternatives, prioritize workflow fit over feature count. Every tool here has unique strengths, from AI writing to client dashboards, but your ideal choice depends on your team size, publishing frequency, and content strategy.
Whichever you pick, you’ll save both time and money, while achieving the same (or better) results as Sprout Social.
