They suit different jobs. Sendible fits several clients or locations with unlimited users, Later fits visual planning on a fixed set of networks, Metricool fits several small brands and a free start, and Sprout Social and Hootsuite fit teams that want an inbox and reporting and will pay per user. If you run several client brands, our guide to schedulers for agencies goes deeper on that case. This page is written for UAE small businesses and the people who run their marketing, so it puts what each tool costs in practice ahead of feature lists. Prices are in US dollars, read from each vendor's own pricing pages on 16 October 2026.
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Key takeaways
- One brand, many networks: PostWharf Starter, $15/mo, or $10/mo billed yearly, covers a whole brand with unlimited channels and 200 scheduled posts a month. Google Business Profile is not among its ten networks.
- Several clients or locations: Sendible Core, $35/mo, or $30/mo billed yearly, gives one workspace with 6 social profiles and unlimited users.
- A free start: Metricool Free covers 1 brand without LinkedIn or X. Paid plans start at $25/mo for up to 5 brands, and X costs $10 a month per account on top.
- Paying per person instead: Sprout Social ($99 per seat/mo, or $79 per seat/mo billed annually) and Hootsuite ($99 per user/mo, billed annually) charge for users, not channels.
- Priced the other way: Buffer ($6 per channel/mo, or $5 per channel/mo billed yearly) and Publer (per social account) charge as you add accounts, so they are not on the list. They are covered near the end.
Comparison: what each tool charges for
| Tool | You pay per | Entry plan | What the entry plan covers | Free to try |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. PostWharf | Brand workspace | Starter: $15/mo, or $10/mo billed yearly | 1 brand, unlimited channels, 200 scheduled posts a month | 7-day trial; card charged when it ends |
| 2. Later | Social set | Starter: $25/mo, or $18.75/mo billed yearly | 1 social set (8 profiles, one per network), 1 user, 30 posts per profile per month | 14-day trial |
| 3. Metricool | Brand | Starter: From $25/mo, or $20/mo billed annually | Up to 5 brands, one profile per network each | Free plan: 1 brand, no LinkedIn or X |
| 4. Sendible | Workspace | Core: $35/mo, or $30/mo billed yearly | 1 workspace, 6 social profiles, unlimited users | 14-day trial, no card |
| 5. Sprout Social | User seat | Essentials: $99 per seat/mo, or $79 per seat/mo billed annually | 5 social profiles | 30-day trial, no card |
| 6. Hootsuite | User seat | Standard: $99 per user/mo, billed annually | Up to 10 social accounts | 14-day trial, no card |
Hootsuite's plans page shows annual prices only, so its monthly rate is not published there. Metricool's prices exclude VAT.
What it costs in practice
A headline price says little until you add your own brands and networks. Here are two setups, priced on monthly billing from the same pages. Both put X on every brand, because X is the network where Later has no support and Metricool adds a charge.
| Tool | 1 brand on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok and X | 3 brands, each on the same 5 networks (15 channels) |
|---|---|---|
| PostWharf | $15/mo (Starter) | $29/mo (Startup, 3 workspaces) |
| Later | Not possible: no X | Not possible: no X. Without X: $65/mo (Growth plus a third social set) |
| Metricool | $35/mo ($25/mo Starter plus $10/mo for X) | $55/mo ($25/mo Starter plus $10/mo for each of 3 X accounts) |
| Sendible | $35/mo (Core) | $99/mo (Plus, 3 workspaces and 18 profiles) |
| Sprout Social | $99 per seat/mo (Essentials, 5 profiles) | $399 per seat/mo (Professional, unlimited profiles) |
| Hootsuite | $99 per user/mo, billed annually (Standard) | $199 per user/mo, billed annually (Professional, unlimited accounts) |
The pattern is the point. Tools priced by brand or workspace grow with the number of brands, not networks (PostWharf from $15/mo to $29/mo, Metricool from $35/mo to $55/mo, Sendible from $35/mo to $99/mo), while the two priced by seat jump to a higher plan once the profile cap is passed, and every extra user pays again.
How this list works
Source. Each vendor's own pricing and feature pages, as recorded on 16 October 2026. Every price, limit and network list below comes from those pages. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm the figure on the vendor's page before you buy.
The bar. A tool is on the list only if both of these are true:
- Its plan price is set by brands, workspaces, social sets or user seats, not by a count of connected channels.
- The vendor publishes no per-channel rate for growing past the plan's allowance.
One exception: a per-channel charge that applies to a single named network is flagged under Limit and does not disqualify. Metricool's X add-on is the only case. Of the twelve tools checked, six pass.
The order. Lowest paid entry plan, billed yearly, first, because all six publish that figure (Hootsuite shows annual prices only). Free plans are noted but not ranked on, since they cap networks, channels or posts. Where an entry plan caps channels or charges per user, the entry says so.
What it does not do. It does not score features, support or ease of use, and a price order is not a quality order. It is a comparison of published pricing, and each entry names where it falls short.
1. PostWharf (best for one brand on many networks)
PostWharf is a publishing tool built around the brand. You connect every account a brand runs, write a post once, adjust the wording for each network, and publish now or on a schedule to ten networks: Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, Bluesky and Telegram.
Cost. Billed per workspace, which is one brand, with no per-channel fee. Starter: $15/mo, or $10/mo billed yearly (1 workspace, unlimited channels, 200 scheduled posts a month). Startup: $29/mo, or $23/mo billed yearly (3 workspaces, 400 scheduled posts). Plus: $67/mo, or $54/mo billed yearly (10 workspaces, 1,000 scheduled posts). Pro: $99/mo, or $79/mo billed yearly (unlimited workspaces, 2,500 scheduled posts).
Strength. Each brand gets its own workspace with its own channels, drafts, queue and history, so adding a network to a brand does not change the bill. Every post is re-checked after publishing, with one row per network, and failed deliveries retry automatically and show the reason in a status feed. Every plan includes a REST API, webhooks, an MCP server for AI assistants and a command line tool, and posts drafted through an assistant wait for your approval before they go out.
Limit. There is no free plan: Starter has a 7-day free trial, and the card is charged when it ends. Scheduled posts are capped each month. Google Business Profile is not among its ten networks, which matters if Maps is part of how customers find you, and Reddit, Discord, Snapchat and WordPress are available on request only. Its pages do not describe analytics reports or a social inbox for replies.
Pick it if you run one brand, or a handful, across many networks and want a flat price per brand, or you want to post from Claude, ChatGPT or scripts through the API, the MCP server or the command line. Our walkthrough of automating social media posting with AI, safely covers that workflow.
Source: postwharf.com/pricing and postwharf.com/platform, read 16 October 2026.
2. Later (best for visual planning on a fixed set of networks)
Later is a visual planner: a drag-and-drop calendar that auto-publishes to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Snapchat, with a Link in Bio page and analytics.
Cost. A flat plan price, not per channel. What rises with the plan is the number of social sets (one profile per network), users and monthly posts. Starter: $25/mo, or $18.75/mo billed yearly (1 social set of 8 profiles, 1 user, 30 posts per profile per month, no add-ons). Growth: $50/mo, or $37.50/mo billed yearly (2 social sets, 16 profiles, 2 users, 180 posts per profile a month, approvals and a social inbox; an extra social set is $15/mo and an extra user $5/mo). Scale: $110/mo, or $82.50/mo billed yearly (6 social sets, 48 profiles, 4 users, unlimited posts).
Strength. It suggests the best times to post for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and its Link in Bio page carries linked posts and analytics. Growth adds approvals, including comment links for outside stakeholders.
Limit. The supported networks do not include X, Bluesky or Google Business Profile. Starter allows 30 posts per profile per month, 1 user and no add-ons. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
Pick it if you are an Instagram- or TikTok-focused brand that plans content visually, a shop that sends traffic through a Link in Bio page, or a small team with one or two brands across several networks.
Source: later.com/pricing, read 16 October 2026.
3. Metricool (best for several small brands and a free start)
Metricool plans posts and reports on results for Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile and X, and it reports on Meta, Google and TikTok ads as well.
Cost. Billed by brand tier, not by seat, and each brand holds one profile per network. Free: $0 (1 brand, all networks except LinkedIn and X, 20 scheduled posts a month, 5 competitor profiles, 30 days of analytics). Starter: From $25/mo, or $20/mo billed annually (up to 5 brands; 10 brands is $45/mo, or $36/mo billed annually). Advanced: From $67/mo, or $53/mo billed annually (15 brands $67, 25 brands $107, 50 brands $210). Prices exclude VAT.
Strength. One plan covers several brands, and the Free plan is a real way to start. An MCP server is on every plan, including Free, and the REST API arrives on Advanced and Custom.
Limit. X is the one per-channel charge: $10 a month (or $120 a year) per connected account, from Starter up. The Free plan leaves out LinkedIn and X, caps scheduling at 20 posts a month and keeps 30 days of analytics. Approvals, team roles and the API need Advanced, from $67/mo.
Pick it if you manage several client brands on one plan, you are a small business starting on a free plan, or you want organic posts and ad reporting in one dashboard.
Source: metricool.com/pricing, read 16 October 2026.
4. Sendible (best for many clients or locations with many users)
Sendible schedules to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and Google Business Profile, with a shared inbox, client approvals and reports.
Cost. Billed per workspace, and each workspace holds 6 social profiles. Every plan includes unlimited users. Core: $35/mo, or $30/mo billed yearly (1 workspace, 6 social profiles, unlimited scheduling and AI credits, bulk scheduling, inbox, standard reports; each extra workspace adds $35/mo). Plus: $99/mo, or $84/mo billed yearly (3 workspaces, 18 social profiles, assignment and approval workflows). Premium: $199/mo, or $169/mo billed yearly (7 workspaces, 42 social profiles).
Strength. A workspace keeps each client, brand or location's profiles, calendar, inbox and reports separate, so a team of any size shares one bill. Client Connect lets clients link their own profiles without handing over passwords, and Google Business Profile is on the network list.
Limit. More profiles mean buying more workspaces, in blocks of 6. There is no free plan, only a 14-day trial with no card. Approval workflows start on Plus at $99/mo. Pinterest is not on the network list, its API currently supports only single sign-on, and no MCP server is mentioned.
Pick it if you manage many clients, run a multi-location brand that posts to Google Business Profile, or have many people who need a login and want to avoid per-seat pricing.
Source: sendible.com/pricing, read 16 October 2026.
5. Sprout Social (best for teams that need an inbox and reporting, paid per seat)
Sprout Social covers publishing, a shared inbox, listening, review management and reporting across X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and WhatsApp.
Cost. Billed per seat, so each added user pays the full plan price. Essentials: $99 per seat/mo, or $79 per seat/mo billed annually (5 social profiles). Standard: $249 per seat/mo, or $199 per seat/mo billed annually (5 social profiles, social inbox, review management). Professional: $399 per seat/mo, or $299 per seat/mo billed annually (unlimited social profiles, bulk scheduling, approval workflow). Advanced: $499 per seat/mo, or $399 per seat/mo billed annually (adds the API).
Strength. Publishing, inbox, listening and reports sit in one tool, with competitor, tag and paid-social reports from Professional and mobile apps on every plan.
Limit. There is no per-channel fee, but there is a per-person one, and Essentials and Standard stop at 5 social profiles, so unlimited profiles start at $399 per seat/mo. No free plan, only a 30-day trial with no card. Essentials has no social inbox, brand keywords or review management.
Pick it if your social team needs a shared inbox, approvals and case management, or you handle customer care and reviews across several networks.
Source: sproutsocial.com/pricing, read 16 October 2026.
6. Hootsuite (best for brands with more than 10 accounts and a customer-care inbox)
Hootsuite schedules posts and answers messages in one inbox, with social listening and analytics, across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest and Bluesky, plus WhatsApp in the inbox.
Cost. Billed per user seat. Standard: $99 per user/mo, billed annually (up to 10 social accounts). Professional: $199 per user/mo, billed annually (unlimited social accounts). Advanced: $399 per user/mo, billed annually (post approval workflows). Enterprise: Custom. Monthly billing exists, but its rate is not shown on the plans page.
Strength. The planner can bulk-schedule up to 350 posts at once, and publishing, a unified inbox and listening share one dashboard. Social accounts are unlimited from Professional.
Limit. There is no per-channel fee, but Standard is capped at 10 accounts and every user is a paid seat. No free plan: the 14-day trial, with no card, allows 10-20 posts a day per organisation and no bulk scheduling. Approval workflows need Advanced and single sign-on needs Enterprise.
Pick it if you run more than 10 social accounts on Professional or above, you want publishing, a customer-care inbox and listening in one tool, or you need approvals, message routing and single sign-on.
Source: hootsuite.com/plans, read 16 October 2026.
Tools left off because they charge per channel
These six were checked and did not pass the bar. They suit other needs.
- Buffer bills per connected channel: Essentials is $6 per channel/mo, or $5 per channel/mo billed yearly, and Team is $12 per channel/mo, or $10 per channel/mo billed yearly. Its Free plan allows up to 3 channels. (buffer.com/pricing)
- Publer bills per social account: Professional is $5/mo, or $4/mo billed yearly, for 1 social account, with 3 accounts at $12/mo and an extra team member at $2/mo. (publer.com/plans)
- Agorapulse bills per user and shares 10 social profiles across them; extra profiles cost $15/mo each on monthly billing or $10/mo on annual. (agorapulse.com/pricing)
- SocialPilot bills by accounts and users: Essentials is $30/mo for 7 social accounts and 1 user, and extra accounts cost $4 a month each. (socialpilot.co/plans)
- SocialBee bills by social profiles: Bootstrap is $29/mo for 5 profiles, and 5 more profiles cost $15 a month. (socialbee.com/pricing)
- Postiz prices its hosted plans by channel count, with Standard at $29/mo for 5 channels. Its open-source code can be self-hosted for free with unlimited channels, but you register each network's developer app yourself, which can take weeks for Meta, YouTube and TikTok. (postiz.com/pricing)
What to set up first
- Write down your brands and the networks each one posts to. Cost follows brands, workspaces or seats, so the number of brands and people matters more than the number of channels. Then check each network against each tool's list: Later has no X, Bluesky or Google Business Profile, PostWharf's ten networks do not include Google Business Profile, and Metricool and Sendible do list it. If your Maps listing is how customers find you, that decides the shortlist, and our local SEO and Google Business Profile service covers the listing itself.
- Count the people who need a login. Sendible includes unlimited users on every plan, Sprout Social and Hootsuite charge for each one, and Later's Starter includes 1 user.
- Estimate your monthly posts against the caps. PostWharf Starter allows 200 scheduled posts a month and Later's Starter allows 30 posts per profile per month. Ask each vendor how a post sent to several networks counts against its cap.
- Start a trial with one brand. Trials run 7 days on PostWharf, 14 on Later, Sendible and Hootsuite, and 30 on Sprout Social; Metricool offers a Free plan instead. Connect the accounts you have today and schedule a week of posts before you pay.
- Decide who approves posts. Approvals sit on paid tiers: Later from Growth ($50/mo), Sendible from Plus ($99/mo), Metricool from Advanced ($67/mo), Sprout Social from Professional ($399 per seat/mo) and Hootsuite from Advanced ($399 per user/mo, billed annually).
FAQ
Which social media schedulers charge per channel?
Buffer charges per connected channel, from $6 per channel/mo, or $5 per channel/mo billed yearly, on Essentials. Publer charges per social account, from $5/mo, or $4/mo billed yearly, for 1 account. Agorapulse, SocialPilot, SocialBee and Postiz's hosted plans also grow with the number of profiles or channels, as set out above.
Is there a free scheduler without per-channel fees?
Among the six on this page, Metricool is the only one with a free plan: 1 brand, all networks except LinkedIn and X, and 20 scheduled posts a month. The other five offer trials. Outside the list, Postiz's open-source code is free to self-host, but it needs your own developer app for each network.
What is the lowest-priced scheduler without per-channel fees for one brand?
Among the six tools on this page, PostWharf has the lowest paid entry price: $15/mo, or $10/mo billed yearly, for one brand with unlimited channels. Metricool's Free plan costs $0 but leaves out LinkedIn and X. Lower sticker prices exist at per-channel tools, such as Publer's $5/mo for 1 social account, but the bill grows with each account you add.
Next step
Get a free visibility check and we will look at your accounts and at how you appear on Google and AI assistants, then agree what social media should do for you. If you would rather not run the posting yourself, High Street also offers social media management and automation for UAE businesses.
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