Hootsuite vs Publer: Which Social Media Scheduler Should You Use in 2026?

A factual comparison of Hootsuite and Publer covering pricing, features, and migration steps for teams evaluating social media management tools.

Updated 2026-09 · 2026

Hootsuite

Enterprise-grade social media management

$99/month (Professional, 1 user, 10 accounts, billed annually)user/month

Strengths

+Deep analytics and custom reporting
+Broad integration marketplace (Salesforce, Hubspot, etc.)
+Social listening add-ons for larger brands

Weaknesses

-Expensive for small teams — jumps to $249/month for 3 users
-No real free tier (only a 30-day trial)
-Interface feels dated and can be slow to load

Best for

Agencies and larger marketing teams that need advanced analytics, listening, and multi-brand workflows and can absorb the cost.

Publer

Affordable scheduling for small teams and creators

Free (3 social accounts, 10 scheduled posts) / Professional $12/month billed annuallyworkspace/month

Strengths

+Genuinely usable free plan for solo users or very small teams
+Professional plan is roughly 8x cheaper than Hootsuite's equivalent tier
+Bulk .csv scheduling and browser extension for quick sharing

Weaknesses

-Analytics are less detailed than Hootsuite's
-No native social listening features
-Smaller third-party integration ecosystem

Best for

Small businesses, freelancers, and lean marketing teams that want scheduling and basic analytics without enterprise pricing.

Feature Comparison

Feature	Hootsuite	Publer
Free tier	No (30-day trial only)	Yes — 3 accounts, 10 scheduled posts
Entry paid plan (1 user)	$99/month (10 social accounts)	$12/month (5 social accounts, billed annually)
Team plan pricing	$249/month for 3 users, 20 accounts	$22/month for Business plan (up to unlimited accounts, multiple team members)
Bulk CSV scheduling	Yes, via Bulk Composer	Yes, via CSV import
Analytics depth	Advanced, with custom report builder	Basic-to-moderate, built-in dashboards
Social listening	Available as paid add-on	Not available
AI content generation	OwlyWriter AI included on paid plans	Built-in AI caption/hashtag assistant
Supported networks	Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok	Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Google Business Profile
Browser extension for sharing	No	Yes
Approval workflows	Advanced, role-based on Team/Enterprise plans	Basic approval flow on Business plan
Mobile app	Yes (iOS/Android)	Yes (iOS/Android)

The Verdict

Hootsuite justifies its price for agencies that need deep analytics, listening tools, and complex approval chains across many clients. For most small teams, Publer covers the same core scheduling workflow at a fraction of the cost, with a usable free tier that Hootsuite doesn't offer at all. If your team is under 5 people and doesn't need social listening, switching to Publer will likely save hundreds of dollars a month without losing daily functionality.

How to switch from Hootsuite to Publer

1In Hootsuite, go to Analytics and export your posting history and performance reports as CSV or PDF — this is the only native bulk export available, since scheduled posts aren't exportable directly.
2Manually review your Hootsuite Planner calendar and note any recurring or evergreen scheduled posts you need to recreate, since these won't transfer automatically.
3Create a Publer account, connect the same social accounts (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, etc.) through Publer's account linking flow.
4Recreate recurring content and campaigns in Publer using its CSV bulk-upload feature or by manually scheduling posts from your Hootsuite notes.
5Rebuild any team approval workflows using Publer's approval settings on the Business plan, and add team members with the correct roles.
6Run both tools in parallel for one posting cycle to confirm posts publish correctly on Publer, then cancel your Hootsuite subscription.

Hootsuite vs Publer: common questions

How do I export my data from Hootsuite before switching?+

Hootsuite doesn't offer a single bulk export for scheduled posts. You can export analytics history as CSV or PDF from the Analytics dashboard, but queued/scheduled posts need to be manually reviewed in the Planner and re-entered elsewhere. Take screenshots or export your Planner calendar view as a backup before canceling.

What features will I lose if I switch from Hootsuite to Publer?+

You'll lose Hootsuite's social listening add-on and its more advanced custom report builder — Publer's analytics are functional but less granular. You'll also lose some deeper third-party integrations (like Salesforce) that Hootsuite supports through its app directory.

Is Publer's free plan actually enough for a small team?+

It works for a solo user or a very small team managing 3 accounts with light posting volume (10 scheduled posts at a time), but most small businesses will outgrow it quickly and need the $12/month Professional plan for unlimited scheduling and more accounts. For 2-3 people managing multiple brands, the Business plan ($22/month) is usually the realistic starting point.

Does Publer integrate with the same tools as Hootsuite?+

No — Publer's integration list is smaller and focuses on core needs like Canva, Google Drive, and Zapier, while Hootsuite has a larger app directory including CRM and helpdesk tools. If your workflow depends on a specific Hootsuite integration, check Publer's integrations page before switching.

How much would I actually save switching from Hootsuite to Publer over a year?+

On a 1-user plan, Hootsuite Professional runs about $1,188/year vs. Publer Professional at roughly $144/year — a savings of over $1,000. For a 3-person team, Hootsuite's Team plan is about $2,988/year compared to Publer Business at roughly $264/year, which is the bigger gap most teams care about.