Hootsuite Review
Social Management · Social Media
The enterprise social suite — deep listening and approvals, at an enterprise price.
Our take
Hard to recommend to a small business now. The price jumped while lighter tools caught up on features — buy it for compliance and team governance, not for scheduling.
At a glance
- Category
- Social Media
- Type
- Social Management
- Pricing
- Paid
- Free option
- Trial only
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Best for
- Large teams, enterprises
What Hootsuite does
Hootsuite is the incumbent: scheduling, social listening, approval workflows, team permissions and reporting across every major network. Its strengths are governance and breadth, which matter when many people post on behalf of one brand.
How marketers actually use it
Its case is governance, not scheduling. Multiple people posting for one brand, an approval chain before anything goes live, permissions by role, and listening streams across brand keywords — that is what the price buys.
Best for
- Large teams needing approval workflows and permissions
- Social listening across many brands and keywords
- Enterprise reporting and compliance requirements
- Managing a large volume of inbound messages
Watch out for
Expensive, and the interface carries a lot of legacy. Most small teams get everything they need from Buffer or Metricool for a fraction of the cost.
Hootsuite pricing
Paid — plans start well above comparable tools, with a limited free trial.
Checked August 2026. Pricing changes constantly — confirm on the official site before you buy. There are no affiliate links on this page.
Check current Hootsuite pricingHootsuite FAQ
Does Hootsuite have a free plan?
Not any more. There is a limited free trial, and plans start well above comparable tools.
Is Hootsuite still worth it?
For enterprises with compliance and approval requirements, yes. For a small business, it is hard to justify when Buffer and Metricool cover the same ground for a fraction of the cost.
What does Hootsuite do that Buffer does not?
Approval workflows, granular team permissions, deeper social listening, and enterprise reporting. All of it matters at scale and none of it matters to a solo marketer.
Why did Hootsuite remove its free plan?
It moved upmarket toward enterprise customers. The result is that small businesses it once served are generally better off on Buffer or Metricool now.
Is Hootsuite worth it in 2026?
For enterprises needing approvals, permissions, listening and compliance, yes. For everyone else it is hard to justify against cheaper tools that cover the same ground.
Hootsuite alternatives
Other social media tools worth comparing before you commit: