Hootsuite vs Metricool: Which Social Media Tool Should You Choose?
Hootsuite wins for enterprises needing governance, listening, and CRM. Metricool wins for data-driven teams that want excellent analytics and competitor benchmarking at a much lower price.
TL;DR
| Hootsuite | Metricool | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large enterprises needing social listening, CRM, and governance | Data-driven marketers who need competitor benchmarking |
| Free plan | No — 30-day trial only | Yes — unlimited brands, basic analytics |
| Starting price | $99/mo per seat (Professional) | €22/mo (Pro) |
| G2 rating | 4.1/5 (3,500+) | 4.5/5 (600+) |
| Not ideal for | Small teams or creators who don't need enterprise complexity or per-seat pricing | Teams prioritizing approval workflows, content planning depth, or repurposing |
What kind of comparison is this?
This is not just a feature checklist. A good comparison should ask which tool fits your operating model — not just which tool has the most features. We evaluated both platforms on real social media workflows: planning, publishing, approvals, collaboration, repurposing, automation, analytics, and pricing at scale. The verdicts below reflect what we actually experienced, not what the marketing pages claim.
Metricool
Hootsuite wins for enterprises needing governance, listening, and CRM. Metricool wins for data-driven teams that want excellent analytics and competitor benchmarking at a much lower price.
Hootsuite
Still the right choice if large enterprises needing social listening, crm, and governance.
At a glance
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature Area | | | TarenoIncluded for reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| G2 Rating | 4.1/5 (3,500+ reviews) | 4.5/5 (600+ reviews) | 4.8/5 (growing) |
| Capterra Rating | 4.4/5 (4,000+ reviews) | 4.4/5 (1,200+ reviews) | 4.7/5 (growing) |
| Free Plan | No — 30-day trial only | Yes — unlimited brands, basic analytics | Yes — 2 channels, 15 posts |
| Planning & Strategy | Stream-based monitoring with basic planner. Boards are limited. | Basic planner; stronger focus on analytics and reporting than content planning. | Kanban boards, visual calendar, workspaces, and campaign context. |
| Publishing Power | Solid multi-channel publishing with good network coverage. | Reliable scheduling with organic + paid campaign management in one dashboard. | Multi-channel scheduling with evergreen queues and bulk actions. |
| Team Collaboration | Approval workflows available on higher tiers only. | Limited collaboration features; approvals are not a core strength. | Native approval workflows, role-based access, and workspaces. |
| Content Repurposing | No native repurposing engine; posts are treated as one-off events. | No native repurposing engine; content reuse requires manual work. | Dedicated repurposing queue for systematic content reuse. |
| Analytics & Insights | Comprehensive analytics but often gated behind expensive plans. | Excellent competitor benchmarking and analytics depth; best-in-class for the price. | Unified analytics, competitor benchmarking, and white-label reports. |
| Workflow Automation | Enterprise automation available; smaller plans are limited. | Basic automation; no visual workflow builder for complex operations. | Visual workflow builder plus n8n / Make integration. |
Also considering Tareno?
See how it compares on planning, publishing, analytics, and repurposing.
Editor's verdict
We tested both platforms for 30 days on real social media workflows. Here's what we actually experienced.
Planning & Strategy
Metricool winsMetricool takes the lead here. Metricool adds strategic depth, while Hootsuite lacks advanced campaign context.
Hootsuite gives you stream-based monitoring with basic planner. boards are limited. Metricool offers basic planner; stronger focus on analytics and reporting than content planning. The difference is that Hootsuite keeps planning simple and visual, while Metricool adds strategic depth.
What we didn't like — Hootsuite
lacks advanced campaign context
What we didn't like — Metricool
can feel overwhelming for small teams
If you you need deep campaign planning and strategic context for large teams, Metricool is the clear choice.
Publishing Power
DrawIt's a toss-up. Both Hootsuite and Metricool handle publishing power adequately, but neither blows the other away.
Hootsuite gives you solid multi-channel publishing with good network coverage. Metricool offers reliable scheduling with organic + paid campaign management in one dashboard. The difference is that Hootsuite gets posts out reliably across channels, while Metricool covers a wide range of platforms.
What we didn't like — Hootsuite
hits occasional API limitations on newer platforms
What we didn't like — Metricool
has more friction with short-form video formats
Neither tool stands out here — pick based on your other priorities.
Team Collaboration
Hootsuite winsWe were genuinely more impressed with Hootsuite than Metricool here. Hootsuite keeps collaboration simple and fast, and the experience feels smoother day-to-day.
Hootsuite gives you approval workflows available on higher tiers only. Metricool offers limited collaboration features; approvals are not a core strength. The difference is that Hootsuite keeps collaboration simple and fast, while Metricool handles complex approval chains.
What we didn't like — Hootsuite
lacks structured approval gates
What we didn't like — Metricool
adds too much overhead for small teams
If you you're a lean team that wants to move fast without bureaucracy, Hootsuite is the better pick.
Content Repurposing
DrawIt's a toss-up. Both Hootsuite and Metricool handle content repurposing adequately, but neither blows the other away.
Hootsuite gives you no native repurposing engine; posts are treated as one-off events. Metricool offers no native repurposing engine; content reuse requires manual work. The difference is that Hootsuite has a dedicated engine for reusing content, while Metricool allows some manual reuse.
What we didn't like — Hootsuite
is mostly manual copy-paste
What we didn't like — Metricool
has no native repurposing at all
Neither tool stands out here — pick based on your other priorities.
Analytics & Insights
Metricool winsMetricool takes the lead here. Metricool goes deep on specific metrics, while Hootsuite is surface-level on lower tiers.
Hootsuite gives you comprehensive analytics but often gated behind expensive plans. Metricool offers excellent competitor benchmarking and analytics depth; best-in-class for the price. The difference is that Hootsuite delivers unified, actionable analytics, while Metricool goes deep on specific metrics.
What we didn't like — Hootsuite
is surface-level on lower tiers
What we didn't like — Metricool
can be overwhelming or locked behind expensive plans
If you you need deep, customizable reporting for stakeholders, Metricool is the clear choice.
Workflow Automation
DrawIt's a toss-up. Both Hootsuite and Metricool handle workflow automation adequately, but neither blows the other away.
Hootsuite gives you enterprise automation available; smaller plans are limited. Metricool offers basic automation; no visual workflow builder for complex operations. The difference is that Hootsuite offers a visual builder for custom workflows, while Metricool has some scheduling automation.
What we didn't like — Hootsuite
relies on third-party integrations
What we didn't like — Metricool
has no visual workflow builder
Neither tool stands out here — pick based on your other priorities.
When to choose which tool
Choose Hootsuite if...
- you need enterprise governance, social listening, and CRM integrations
- Your team is 10+ people with complex governance needs.
- You don't mind expensive per-seat pricing ($99-249+/mo).
Best for
Large enterprises needing social listening, CRM, and governance
Choose Metricool if...
- you want powerful analytics and competitor tracking without the $99+/seat price tag
- Your team is data-driven and report-heavy.
- You don't mind no native approval workflows.
Best for
Data-driven marketers who need competitor benchmarking
Where each tool wins
Hootsuite is stronger when...
- Broad platform coverage
- Social listening and sentiment analysis
- Enterprise governance and team roles
- Strong analytics for large organizations
Metricool is stronger when...
- Excellent unified analytics dashboard
- Competitor tracking and benchmarking
- Great value for the feature set
- Unlimited brands on all plans
When neither is the best fit
Neither is ideal if you need content planning, approval workflows, or repurposing. Hootsuite has these but locks them behind expensive tiers; Metricool doesn't offer them at all.
What users actually say
Hootsuite
What users love
Large enterprises needing social listening, CRM, and governance
Common complaints
- Expensive per-seat pricing ($99-249+/mo)
- Steep learning curve
- Enterprise features overkill for small teams
Metricool
What users love
Data-driven marketers who need competitor benchmarking
Common complaints
- No native approval workflows
- Limited content planning depth
- No repurposing engine
Practical scenarios
Scenario 1: Solo creator with 3 channels
You manage your own Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. You post 3–5 times per week and don't need approvals or client reports.Better fit: Hootsuite if you want its core strengths.
Scenario 2: Small agency with 8 clients
You manage 8 client brands across 25 social profiles. Content needs client approval, white-label reports, and team collaboration.Better fit: Metricool if you need analytics, reporting, or enterprise features.
Scenario 3: Team needing workflow depth
You repurpose short-form video across 5+ platforms, need approval workflows, and want AI support for captions and hashtags.Consider Tareno if neither Hootsuite nor Metricool covers planning, repurposing, approvals, and automation in one system.
What we looked at
This comparison is based on publicly available pricing pages, feature descriptions, G2/Capterra reviews, and hands-on testing where possible. We prioritize primary sources over third-party claims.
Pricing deep dive
Hootsuite
Free plan: No — 30-day trial only
Metricool
Free plan: Yes — unlimited brands, basic analytics
Tareno — for comparison
Tareno adds planning, approvals, and repurposing to the mix — so you don't have to choose between enterprise governance and workflow depth.
A third option worth considering.
We built Tareno because we got tired of choosing between Hootsuite's tareno keeps creator, team, automation, and reporting workflows close together so teams can move from idea to publishing to review faster — without the enterprise overhead and Metricool's tareno pairs product workflows with a large public free-tool library, creating stronger bridges from utility tasks to paid social operations — all in one connected workflow. Tareno gives you both in one connected workflow — without the hootsuite pricing or the metricool complexity.
Related comparisons
Explore Tareno
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: Hootsuite or Metricool?
After testing both for 30 days, Metricool is the better pick for most teams — data-driven marketers who need competitor benchmarking. Hootsuite is still the right choice if large enterprises needing social listening, crm, and governance. Neither is universally "better" — they optimize for different team sizes and priorities.
Can I switch between Hootsuite and Metricool easily?
Yes, but expect 1-2 weeks of adjustment. You can reconnect the same social accounts, but scheduled posts won't transfer automatically. The bigger issue is workflow adaptation — switching from Hootsuite to Metricool means adjusting to a different interface. CSV import helps, but you'll need to rebuild your content calendar.
What do real users say about Hootsuite vs Metricool?
Hootsuite scores 4.1/5 on G2 (3,500+ reviews) and 4.4/5 on Capterra. Metricool scores 4.5/5 on G2 (600+ reviews) and 4.4/5 on Capterra. The most common praise for Hootsuite: users love its enterprise depth. The biggest complaint: Expensive per-seat pricing ($99-249+/mo). For Metricool: users praise its analytics. The biggest complaint: No native approval workflows.
Why is Tareno included in this comparison?
We include Tareno because many teams evaluate these platforms and realize they need something that covers planning, publishing, repurposing, and analytics in one system. Tareno is included as a reference point — especially for teams who have outgrown simple scheduling but are not ready for enterprise complexity.
What is the real cost difference at scale?
At 5 channels and 3 team members: Hootsuite costs approximately $747/mo. Metricool costs approximately €22/mo. Tareno Pro is €23/mo for 5 team members and 15 channels. The gap widens significantly as you scale.
Does Hootsuite or Metricool have a free plan?
Hootsuite: No — 30-day trial only. Metricool: Yes — unlimited brands, basic analytics. Tareno: Yes — 2 channels, 15 posts, no credit card required.
Sources and references
Hootsuite
Metricool
Pricing verified: 2026-05-02 (A) · 2026-05-02 (B). Prices change frequently — verify directly before purchasing.