Hootsuite
The OG social media management platform that's aging like fine vinegar — still functional, increasingly expensive, and now with ICE controversy
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The Verdict
“Hootsuite remains the gold standard for social media management with its comprehensive feature set and AI capabilities. However, the premium pricing may push smaller teams toward alternatives like Buffer or Later.”
Best For
Enterprise marketing teams already locked into Hootsuite contracts who need broad social management with team collaboration
Not Great For
Cost-conscious teams or anyone who cares about the ICE partnership controversy — Buffer and SocialBee are better value
Overview
Hootsuite is a social media management platform that enables scheduling, publishing, analytics, social listening, and engagement across all major social networks. Features include AI-powered content creation (OwlyGPT), unified inbox for DMs and comments, competitor benchmarking, and team collaboration tools.
Social media managersMarketing teamsAgenciesEnterprises
1-500+
Capabilities
Key Features
- Multi-platform social media scheduling
- OwlyGPT AI content assistant
- Unified inbox for DMs and comments
- Social listening and brand monitoring
- Competitor benchmarking
- Custom analytics and reporting
- Canva and Adobe Express integration
- Link in bio tool (HootBio)
- Bulk scheduling (350 posts at once)
Benefits
- Manage all social accounts from one dashboard
- AI generates content and captions automatically
- Social listening provides real-time brand insights
- Team collaboration with approval workflows
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Most established social media management platform
- +Excellent AI content creation tools
- +Strong analytics and competitor benchmarking
- +Wide platform support
Cons
- -Expensive at $99/user/mo starting price
- -No free plan anymore
- -Social listening only on Enterprise
- -Can be slow with many accounts
Outbound Use Cases
Financials & Scale
| Plan | Price | Limits | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $99/user/mo (annual) | 10 social accounts, 1+ users | Unlimited posts, Social content calendar, AI assistant (OwlyGPT), AI content generator, Canva/Adobe templates, Basic analytics, 5 competitor tracking |
| Advanced | $249/user/mo (annual) | Unlimited social accounts, 1+ users | All Standard features, Bulk scheduling, Link shortening/tracking, 20 competitor tracking, Approval workflows, Asset library, Advanced analytics |
| Enterprise | Contact for pricing | Unlimited accounts, 5+ users | All Advanced features, Departmental organization, Social listening, Advanced compliance, Custom integrations |
Hootsuite Professional starts at $99/mo. Buffer is $6/channel/mo. Sprout Social is $249/mo. SocialBee is $29/mo. The Hootsuite premium only makes sense if you need their specific enterprise features — for most teams, Buffer at 1/10th the price or SocialBee at 1/3 does everything you need.
The Reddit Pulse
Community Pros
- +Established platform with wide social network support
- +Good scheduling and analytics features
- +Enterprise-grade social media management
Community Cons
- -ICE partnership controversy driving cancellations
- -Increasingly expensive with feature gating
- -UI feels dated compared to newer alternatives
- -Free tier significantly reduced over the years
- -Many users migrating to Buffer, Later, or Sprout Social
Reddit Questions
- ? What are the best Hootsuite alternatives?
- ? Is Hootsuite still worth it with rising prices?
- ? Why is Hootsuite working with ICE?
Thinking of Switching?
Competitive Landscape
Technical Stack
Integrations
Head-to-Head Comparisons
Company Intel
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