9 Best Sprout Social Alternatives for Every Business Type

Is Sprout Social really the best fit? Or is there a better alternative?

I’ve spent years testing social media management tools, and while Sprout Social is packed with social listening, a unified social inbox, and advanced analytics, it’s not perfect. The steep pricing, limited reporting customization, and clunky bulk scheduling have left many marketers searching for a Sprout Social alternative.

If you’re struggling with the same frustrations, you’re not alone. Many social media managers (myself included) have explored tools that offer the same or better features without the high cost.

So, let’s dive into the 9 best alternatives that can help you streamline social media management, boost engagement, and make your life easier.

Top 5 Sprout Social Alternatives at a Glance

Finding the right tool can be tricky, but don’t worry; I’ve got you covered! Please go through this quick comparison to help you choose the perfect tool for your needs:

9 Best Sprout Social Alternatives (Tried and Tested)

1. Hootsuite

When it comes to social media management tools, Hootsuite and Sprout Social are two heavyweights. I’ve used both extensively, and here’s the deal: Hootsuite is better for large teams and high-volume scheduling, while Sprout Social excels in social listening and comprehensive reporting.

If you need bulk scheduling, team collaboration features, and a unified social inbox, Hootsuite wins. It’s especially great for agencies managing multiple social media accounts and brands that need quick post approvals. But here’s the catch—its UI feels overwhelming, and advanced social media analytics are locked behind expensive plans.

Sprout Social, on the other hand, is more polished. It has better social listening features and customizable reports. However, its steep pricing makes it impractical for small businesses.

The bottom line? If you’re a team-heavy operation that needs efficiency, Hootsuite is an alternative to Sprout Social. Just be prepared for a learning curve and some hidden costs.

Best for:

Agencies, Social media teams, Large teams, Brands, and Paid marketers

Rating:

4.2/5 (G2)

Verified User in Non-Profit Organization Management – 4.5 Stars

The way you can adjust messages for each social media platform has saved me hours of work! Great new features are being added monthly, and the Talkwalker integration is a welcomed addition!

Key features:

• Unified social media dashboard
• Bulk scheduling and publishing tools
• Team collaboration and Approval workflows
• Competitor analysis
• UGC curation
• Ad campaign management

Pros:

• More affordable for small teams & solopreneurs than Sprout.
• Allows mass post-scheduling across multiple accounts.
• Hootsuite supports UGC discovery, management, and repurposing.

Cons:

• It would be great if they got an online support chat instead of a support email address.
• Unlike Sprout Social, Hootsuite lacks deep sentiment analysis.
• High-learning curve.

Pricing:

Hootsuite offers three pricing plans: Professional ($99 per month/10 social accounts), Team ($249 per month/20 social accounts), and Enterprise (Custom/50 social accounts).

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2. AgoraPulse

AgoraPulse is another great alternative, especially for agencies and businesses seeking efficiency and automation. Its direct post-publishing and multi-platform automation make scheduling easy.

One standout feature is the unified social inbox with auto-moderation, which automatically filters repetitive queries and spam, saving hours of manual work. Sprout Social offers similar engagement functionalities but at a much higher price.

Both tools provide detailed analytics insights, but Agorapulse offers unlimited reporting at no extra cost, whereas Sprout Social locks many advanced features behind expensive plans. Agorapulse also offers ROI tracking and bulk scheduling of up to 200 posts.

That said, Sprout Social still leads in social listening and sentiment analysis, which Agorapulse lacks. If your focus is on deep audience insights and AI-powered analytics, Sprout might be worth the price. But for budget-conscious teams wanting premium features without the premium cost, Agorapulse wins hands down.

Best for:

Marketing teams, Agencies, SMBs, Brands, and Enterprises

Rating:

4.5/5 (G2)

Ashley E. – 4.5 Stars

As an agency with multiple clients, each with their own social profiles, we appreciate the inbox layout and how we can easily monitor the status of notifications. Our working relationship with Agorapulse spans years because of the ease of being able to handle multiple client accounts. They are also open to receiving feedback which is helpful given the dynamic nature of the social media industry.

Key features:

• Unified social inbox
• Intuitive publishing
• Comprehensive analytics
• Social listening
• Exclusive social media ROI tool

Pros:

• It is more affordable, offering unlimited reports and strong analytics at no extra cost.
• AgoraPulse offers customizable reports with unlimited access.
• More intuitive and beginner-friendly.

Cons:

• The social listening is not as advanced as Sprout.
• It supports ad management but lacks full ad campaign control.

Pricing:

AgoraPulse offers four pricing plans: Standard ($99/month per user), Professional ($149/month per user), Advanced ($199/month per user), and Custom (Custom pricing). It also offers a Free plan.

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3. SocialPilot

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly alternative to Sprout Social, SocialPilot is a solid contender. I’ve used both, and while Sprout Social offers deeper social listening and advanced analytics, SocialPilot excels in affordable multi-account management and bulk scheduling, making it a great fit for agencies and small businesses.

One of SocialPilot’s standout features is its white-label reporting, which is a game-changer for agencies handling multiple clients. It also allows bulk scheduling for up to 500 posts, whereas Sprout’s scheduling features feel restrictive.

But SocialPilot misses out on social listening, competitor analysis, influencer management, and paid campaign management.

SocialPilot is a no-brainer for those who prioritize cost-effectiveness, bulk scheduling, and white-label analytics. However, if social listening and in-depth audience insights are critical, Sprout Social is still the stronger choice.

Best for:

Freelancers, Agencies, SMBs, and Multi-location brands

Rating:

4.5/5 (G2)

Imali C. – 5 Stars

The software is well thought out, with usability in mind. Whenever there is something that I need help with, it’s easy and quick to get hold of the friendly team who are always on-hand to help and genuinely make you feel like your ideas are being heard.

Key features:

• Advanced scheduling and publishing
• Post-performance analytics
• AI Pilot for an idea and caption generation
• Content calendar and approval workflows
• Social inbox

Pros:

• Significantly cheaper with premium features at a lower cost.
• Supports 500+ posts at once, ideal for agencies & high-volume posting.
• It allows custom-branded reports, which is perfect for agencies managing clients.

Cons:

• It lacks advanced social listening & sentiment analysis.
• Analytics are good but not as detailed as Sprout’s insights.

Pricing:

SocialPilot offers four pricing plans: Standard ($50 per month for 3 users), Premium ($100 per month for 6 users), Ultimate ($200 per month for unlimited users, and Enterprise (Custom)

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4. Sprinklr

If you’re an enterprise and looking for a social media solution, Sprinklr is a serious alternative to Sprout Social. Sprinklr is built for large enterprises that handle multiple social media platforms and customer interactions and want AI features to fuel insights at scale.

Sprinklr’s AI-driven social listening and sentiment analysis are leagues ahead of Sprout Social, making it ideal for brands that rely heavily on customer insights and audience behavior tracking. It also integrates with CRM systems, advertising platforms, and customer support tools, something Sprout Social lacks.

However, Sprinklr is complex and expensive, with a steep learning curve. If you’re a small business or agency, Sprout Social is more intuitive and cost-effective. But for large enterprises needing an all-in-one social media and customer experience solution, Sprinklr is the powerhouse to consider.

Best for:

Enterprises, Large corporations, and Custom relationship managers

Rating:

4.0/5 (G2)

Verified User in Financial Services– 3 Stars

I love the amount of data that I get with Sprinklr; the insights and automation are why I switched over from Sprout Social.

Key features:

• AI-powered social listening
• Omni channel engagement
• Paid and organic campaign management
• Sentiment analysis and crisis detection
• Employee advocacy

Pros:

• Sprinklr brings you social media, email, live chat, and voice support into one system.
• Ad campaign management with detailed performance tracking.
• Uses AI to automate replies and customer support queries.

Cons:

• It is significantly expensive and for enterprises who want complete control over brand image.
• The UI is complex and needs time to adapt.

Pricing:

Sprinklr segregates its services into four different categories and offers custom pricing.

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5. Buffer

When I first started managing social media for a small business, I was looking for something simple—something I could easily understand and use. That’s when I stumbled upon Buffer.

At the time, I needed a tool to schedule posts, plan my content, and manage a few social media accounts. Buffer was a lifesaver. It was intuitive, easy to use, and didn’t overwhelm me with complicated features.

However, as my business grew, I realized I needed more comprehensive insights into my social media performance. This is where Sprout Social came in.

With its advanced analytics and social listening tools, I could track audience behavior and fine-tune my social media strategy. The downside? Sprout Social is more expensive.

In the end, Buffer is perfect for small teams and individual marketers. But Sprout Social is worth considering for businesses needing powerful analytics and detailed reports.

Best for:

Soloprenuers, SMBs, and Social media managers

Rating:

4.3/5 (G2)

Cori F. – 5 Stars

You can connect most of your social media platforms and create a schedule. It allows you to cusomize the posts so while they may be similar, you’re putting something different on each platform.

Tracks the statistics of your X feed.

Key features:

• Schedule and publish posts
• Content library
• Approval workflows
• Hashtag generator
• Landing page builder

Pros:

• It has a more straightforward interface that is great for beginners and small teams.
• Easy scheduling with post queue and visual calendar.
• Built-in URL shortening and tracking for better click-through insights.

Cons:

• Unlike Sprout, Buffer lacks deeper analytics and social listening.
• There is less third-party integration support.

Pricing:

Buffer offers two pricing plans: Essentials ($6 per month/channel), and Team ($12 per month/channel). There is also a Free plan.

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6. Zoho Social

A few years ago, I was managing the social media accounts for a local retail business with a tight budget and a small team. We needed something affordable yet powerful, so I turned to Zoho Social.

What sold me immediately was the CRM integration—it allowed us to see customer interactions in real-time and respond much faster, something Sprout Social didn’t offer at the same price point.

But Zoho Social isn’t without its flaws. While it’s excellent for social media publishing and scheduling, its reporting capabilities are pretty basic, and social listening is non-existent. Sprout Social wins there, no doubt.

If you’re a small business looking to manage multiple social accounts, track customer relationships, and stay on budget, Zoho Social is a solid choice. It delivers the essentials without breaking the bank. However, if your needs are more centered on listening, deep analytics, and ad management, Sprout can be a good option.

Best for:

Startups, Small businesses, and social media managers

Rating:

4.6/5 (G2)

Verified User in Marketing and Advertising – 4.5 Stars

Zoho is like Sprout Social and Hootsuite in one app. It makes my life easier and it is quite affordable.

Key features:

• Content creation
• Content library
• Post-performance
• CRM integration
• Hashtag analytics

Pros:

• It is much more affordable and ideal for small businesses and startups.
• Integrates seamlessly with Zoho CRM, allowing for better customer and lead tracking.
• Easier workflow for small teams, including post-approval, task assignments, and roles.

Cons:

• Compared to Sprout, it misses listening and sentiment analysis functionalities.
• The analytics are not in-depth.

Pricing:

Zoho Social offers three paid plans: Standard ($15/month for 11 channels), Professional ($40/month for 11 channels), and Premium ($65/month for 14 channels). There is also a Free plan.

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7. SocialBee

Another good replacement would be SocialBee, a tool that streamlines content creation and post-scheduling for growing brands. SocialBee’s ability to organize content by categories and recycle posts is a game-changer. I loved its content calendar and bulk scheduling tools. It supports all major social media platforms, including TikTok, Threads, and BlueSky. 

However, Sprout Social took the lead when it came to social listening and analytics. Sprout offers advanced reporting, sentiment analysis, and audience insights, which SocialBee lacks.

If your focus is content automation and social media organization, SocialBee is an excellent choice. But, if you need advanced social monitoring or deeper analytics, Sprout Social is still a more robust solution.

Best for:

Content creators, SMBs, and Agencies

Rating:

4.8/5 (G2)

Dr Michelle D. – 5 Stars

If you’re a small business owner struggling with social media, SocialBee is a game-changer! I had no idea where to start with posting consistently, and hiring a social media manager just wasn’t an option. SocialBee made everything simple and manageable, and the support team went above and beyond to help me get set up and running. I never expected such hands-on assistance from a scheduling tool, but they genuinely care about their users’ success. Can’t recommend it highly enough!

Key features:

• Scheduling and publishing
• Campaign planning
• Ad management
• Social inbox
• Content Library

Pros:

• The content recycling makes sure consistent posting without extra effort.
• The user interface is easy to navigate.
• Bulk scheduling saves time by scheduling multiple postings at a time.

Cons:

• It does not have social listening and sentiment analysis.
• No direct integration with CRM.

Pricing:

SocialBee offers 3 paid plans: Bootstrap ($29/month for 5 social profiles), Accelerate ($49/month for 10 social profiles), and Pro ($99/month for 25 social profiles). There is another pricing option specific to Agencies.

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8. Metricool

Metricool is known for its versatility in managing multiple social media accounts with ease and on a budget. It’s perfect for small businesses and solopreneurs looking for straightforward scheduling, analytics, and reporting.

The performance tracking is robust, especially for Facebook, Instagram, and X, and the competitor analysis is a nice way to gauge brand performance.

However, when it comes to advanced social listening, sentiment analysis, and deep CRM integrations, Sprout Social wins. Metricool is more focused on publishing and content planning; it’s ideal for those who don’t need all the bells and whistles of Sprout’s advanced features.

If you need a simple, cost-effective tool for managing and analyzing social media, Metricool is a solid choice, but Sprout Social offers more advanced insights

Best for:

SMBs, Social media managers, Creators, and Agencies

Rating:

4.5/5 (G2)

Mark B. – 5 Stars

The Planner feature makes it easy to schedule posts across multiple social media channels. The analytics provide vital insights, and the integrated inbox allows you to see and respond to every interaction in one place. It’s easy to set up connections to all your accounts and once linked, they are maintained easily.

Key features:

• Analytics dashboard
• Ad management
• Competitor analysis
• Custom reports
• Paid ads

Pros:

• Provides competitor analysis to compare your performance.
• Built-in link shortener.
• Schedule posts across all major platforms.

Cons:

• The competitive insights are somewhat basic compared to Sprout.
• It lacks deep insights into audience behavior and sentiment.

Pricing:

Metricool offers three pricing plans: Starter ($22/month for 5 profiles), Advanced ($54/month for 15 profiles), and Custom (Custom pricing). There is also a free plan with limited access.

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9. Loomly

Finally, we have Loomly, the stress reliever for marketers. Like Metricool, it supports all major platforms, with an additional twist: Snapchat, Microsoft Teams, and Slack integration support. Isn’t this cool? You can pretty much create your own workspace and collaborate seamlessly.

With Loomly, you get good scheduling and publishing support, collaboration and approval workflows, a content calendar, and more—pretty much everything a beginner would want.

But if you’re an advanced marketer/user like me, you would want listening, competitive analysis, and more and here, Loomly misses its chance.

Overall, Loomly is a good tool covering all basic needs; however, if you’re an advanced user, Sprout Social serves you better.

Best for:

SMBs, Agencies, and Teams

Rating:

4.6/5 (G2)

Erin D.– 5 Stars

It’s really simple to use and has a calendar view so I can see all my posts scheduled for the week. It’s super reliable and sends reminders if I’ve forgotten to change a post from draft to scheduled.

Key features:

• Approval workflow
• UTM parameters, audience targeting and hashtag manager
• Community management
• Post ideas generator
• RSS feed support

Pros:

• Excellent for teams with approval workflows and content optimization tips.
• User-friendly interface with easy onboarding for new users.
• Centralized media library for easy content access.

Cons:

• There is no CRM integration.
• Unlike Sprout, you don’t get competitor analysis.
• The analytics are basic and not as detailed as Sprout, and Hootsuite.

Pricing:

Loomly offers four pricing plans: Base ($42/month for 2 users), Standard ($80/month for 6 users), Advanced ($175/month for 14 users), and Premium ($369/month for 30 users).

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5 Key Factors to Consider While Choosing an Alternative to Sprout Social

When choosing a Sprout Social alternative, you need to be strategic and focus on tools that match your specific needs. Here are 5 key factors to guide your decision:

1. Content Scheduling & Automation Needs

If you manage multiple accounts or post frequently, look for a tool with bulk scheduling and automated post-recycling. This can save you hours each week and ensure you maintain a consistent presence without constant manual work.

2. Team Collaboration & Workflow Efficiency

For teams, content approval workflows and role-based permissions are crucial. Platforms like Loomly and SocialBee shine in this area, ensuring smoother collaboration across different team members while keeping everything organized.

3. Social Listening & Competitive Insights

If monitoring sentiment, competitor activity, and audience behavior are critical for your strategy, tools like Sprinklr or Sprout Social provide in-depth social listening. Look for alternatives that have advanced analytics to make data-driven decisions and stay ahead of trends.

4. Pricing Structure & ROI

Cost efficiency is key for small businesses. Many alternatives offer affordable plans with enough features to get the job done. Make sure the tool aligns with your budget and provides value at scale, without unnecessary add-ons that raise the cost.

5. Reporting Customization & Flexibility

Consider how customizable the reports are. Some tools are great for basic metrics, but for agencies or marketers who need detailed client reports, a tool like Agorapulse or Zoho Social with customizable reporting is essential to measure performance accurately and show results to stakeholders.

By considering these specific factors, you can make an informed choice that aligns with your business goals and growth plans.

Which Sprout Social Alternatives Are You Picking?

To wrap it up, choosing the right Sprout Social alternative depends on your needs, goals, and budget. If you’re running a small business or solo marketing efforts, SocialPilot is your go-to for simplicity and affordability. It’s perfect for managing a large number of accounts without the complexity.

Agorapulse is an excellent choice for agencies and teams. Its collaboration features and advanced reporting will help you manage clients and track performance without breaking the bank.

If you’re an enterprise-level brand needing deep social listening, sentiment analysis, and CRM integration, Sprinklr delivers unmatched power, even though it’s pricier.

Remember, the best tool for you will feel intuitive, align with your business needs, and ultimately save you time. Choose wisely!