Hootsuite and Planable are both premium-priced social media tools built for teams, but they solve fundamentally different problems. One is a full-stack enterprise platform; the other is a focused content collaboration engine.
Hootsuite is an enterprise social management platform with social listening, a unified inbox, and competitor benchmarking. Planable focuses entirely on content collaboration and approval workflows with best-in-class visual previews. Two premium-priced tools with very different strengths — we compare what each actually delivers for your investment. Comparing the full market? Browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Hootsuite vs Planable at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Hootsuite | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | €149/mo per user | $39/workspace/mo |
| Free Plan | No (30-day trial) | Yes (50 lifetime posts) |
| Platforms Supported | 8+ | 9 |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (all plans) | No (60-150 posts/mo on paid plans) |
| AI Tools | OwlyWriter AI | AI writer, AI hashtag generator |
| AI Image Generation | No | No |
| Canva Integration | Yes | Yes (native) |
| Team Collaboration | Advanced plan (€399/mo/user) | All plans (unlimited users) |
| Approval Workflows | Advanced plan only | Basic+ (multi-level on Enterprise) |
| Social Inbox | Full unified inbox | Paid add-on ($9/workspace/mo) |
| Social Listening | Yes (Advanced+) | No |
| Analytics | Standard to Custom reports | Paid add-on ($14/workspace/mo) |
| G2 Rating | 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews) | 4.6/5 (937 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.8/5 (511 reviews) | 4.5/5 (69 reviews) |
| Best For | Enterprises needing social listening | Teams needing content approvals |
Hootsuite Overview
Hootsuite is one of the most established enterprise social media management platforms, founded in 2008. It offers a comprehensive feature set spanning scheduling, social inbox management, analytics, social listening, team collaboration, and paid ad management.
Hootsuite supports 8+ platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads.
Key features:
- Unified inbox for messages, comments, and DMs across all platforms
- OwlyWriter AI for caption generation and content ideas
- Social listening and brand monitoring
- Advanced analytics with custom and scheduled reports
- Competitor benchmarking (5-20 competitors)
- Team approval workflows and DM assignment
- Employee advocacy tools (Amplify)
Hootsuite is built for large organizations that need social listening, advanced reporting, and structured team workflows. Read real user reviews of Hootsuite from G2 and Trustpilot.
Planable Overview
Planable is a content collaboration and approval platform designed for marketing teams and agencies. Its standout feature is unlimited users on every plan — including the free tier — making it uniquely accessible for teams of any size.
Planable supports 9 platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter (paid plans only), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business, and Threads.
Key features:
- Feed, Calendar, Grid, and List content views
- Drag-and-drop content calendar
- Approval workflows (2-3 types, multi-level on Enterprise)
- Real-time commenting and version history
- Client review via shareable link (no login needed)
- Native Canva integration
- AI writer/caption generator and AI hashtag generator
- Mockup previews across platforms
- Universal Content for blogs and newsletters
- Unlimited media storage and mobile app
Planable's core value is in streamlining the content review cycle between creators, managers, and clients. Read real user reviews of Planable from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
Both Hootsuite and Planable are premium tools, but they use different pricing models that impact total cost significantly depending on your team structure.
Hootsuite Pricing
Hootsuite uses per-user pricing with high base costs. See the full Hootsuite pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Accounts | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | €149/mo per user | 10 | Scheduling, basic analytics, 7-day monitoring |
| Advanced | €399/mo per user | 50 | Custom reports, approval workflows, 30-day monitoring, bulk scheduling |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | SSO, unlimited users, dedicated support |
Example costs:
- 1 user on Standard = €149/month
- 3 users on Standard = €447/month
- 3 users on Advanced = €1,197/month
- 5 users on Advanced = €1,995/month
Planable Pricing
Planable charges per workspace with unlimited users included. See the full Planable pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Posts | Social Pages | Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 lifetime | 4 | Unlimited | Basic features, no X/Twitter publishing |
| Basic | $39/workspace/mo | 60/mo | 4 | Unlimited | Approval workflows, all platforms |
| Pro | $59/workspace/mo | 150/mo | 10 | Unlimited | More posts, expanded pages |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Multi-level approvals, custom features |
Add-ons: Analytics $14/workspace/mo, Engagement inbox $9/workspace/mo
Example costs:
- 1 workspace on Basic with analytics = $53/month
- 1 workspace on Pro with both add-ons = $82/month
- 3 workspaces on Pro with analytics = $219/month
Price Verdict
Planable is significantly cheaper per user because it includes unlimited users on every plan. A five-person team on Hootsuite Standard costs €745/month. That same team on Planable Pro costs $59/month for one workspace. However, Planable's post limits (60-150/mo) and paid add-ons for analytics ($14/workspace) and engagement inbox ($9/workspace) add up — especially for agencies running multiple workspaces. Hootsuite includes analytics and inbox on all plans.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Hootsuite | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Yes (all plans) | No (60-150 posts/mo) |
| Content calendar | Yes | Yes (drag-and-drop) |
| Multiple views | Calendar, Planner | Feed, Calendar, Grid, List |
| Bulk scheduling | Up to 350 posts (Advanced) | No |
| Best time to post | Yes | No |
| Mockup previews | Basic | Yes (detailed platform mockups) |
Winner: Hootsuite for scheduling volume with unlimited posts and bulk scheduling up to 350 posts. Planable wins for visual content planning with four view types and detailed mockup previews.
AI Tools
| Feature | Hootsuite | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (OwlyWriter AI) | Yes (AI writer) |
| AI image generation | No | No |
| AI hashtag generation | No | Yes |
| AI content ideas | Yes | No |
| AI content rewriting | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Tie. Both offer AI caption generation and rewriting. Planable adds AI hashtag generation while Hootsuite provides AI content ideas. Neither offers AI image generation.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Hootsuite | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans | Paid add-on ($14/workspace/mo) |
| Custom reports | Advanced only | No |
| Scheduled reports | Advanced only | No |
| Competitor benchmarking | Yes (5-20 competitors) | No |
| Export reports | Advanced only | Add-on only |
Winner: Hootsuite. Analytics are included on all Hootsuite plans, with advanced reporting and competitor benchmarking on the Advanced tier. Planable charges $14/workspace/month for analytics as an add-on with no custom reporting or competitive analysis.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Hootsuite | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited users | Enterprise only | All plans (including free) |
| Approval workflows | Advanced plan (€399/mo/user) | Basic+ ($39/workspace/mo) |
| Multi-level approvals | No | Enterprise only |
| Real-time commenting | No | Yes |
| Client review links | No | Yes (no login needed) |
| Version history | No | Yes |
| DM assignment | Yes | No |
| Saved replies | Advanced plan | No |
Winner: Planable. Unlimited users on all plans, approval workflows starting at $39/month, client review links, real-time commenting, and version history make Planable the clear winner for content collaboration. Hootsuite gates approval workflows behind its €399/month Advanced plan.
Social Inbox & Engagement
| Feature | Hootsuite | Planable |
|---|---|---|
| Unified inbox | Full (all platforms) | Paid add-on ($9/workspace/mo) |
| Social listening | Yes (Advanced+) | No |
| Sentiment analysis | Yes | No |
| Brand monitoring | Yes (7-30 day lookback) | No |
| Auto-responses | Advanced plan | No |
Winner: Hootsuite. Social listening, brand monitoring, sentiment analysis, and a unified inbox are Hootsuite's biggest differentiators. Planable offers a basic engagement inbox only as a paid add-on and has no listening capabilities.
What Real Users Say
Hootsuite Reviews
G2: 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews) — Users appreciate centralized social management and scheduling capabilities. Common complaints include expensive pricing, features gated behind higher tiers, occasional posting failures, and slow customer support.
Trustpilot: 1.8/5 (511 reviews) — Significantly low rating with widespread complaints about billing issues, unexpected charges, difficult cancellation processes, and poor customer support responsiveness.
Planable Reviews
G2: 4.6/5 (937 reviews) — Users praise the visual content previews, intuitive approval workflows, and team collaboration features. Common concerns include post limits on lower tiers and analytics requiring a paid add-on.
Trustpilot: 4.5/5 (69 reviews) — Strong rating with users highlighting the collaboration experience and responsive support. Some mention per-workspace pricing becomes expensive for agencies with many clients.
Review Verdict
Planable leads on both review platforms — 4.6/5 vs 4.3/5 on G2, and 4.5/5 vs 1.8/5 on Trustpilot. The Trustpilot gap is dramatic: Planable's 4.5 vs Hootsuite's 1.8 suggests serious differences in billing practices, cancellation ease, and customer support quality.
Who Should Use Hootsuite?
If Hootsuite is on your shortlist, see our top alternatives to Hootsuite before committing. Also compare Hootsuite with Buffer, Sprout Social, Later, and Sendible.
Hootsuite is the better choice if you:
- Are an enterprise or large agency with a substantial social media budget
- Need social listening and brand monitoring to track mentions and sentiment
- Require a unified social inbox with DM assignment and auto-responses
- Want competitor benchmarking with analysis of up to 20 competitors
- Need Salesforce integration, SSO, or compliance tools
- Prioritize advanced analytics with custom and scheduled reports
Who Should Use Planable?
If Planable interests you, browse all social media scheduling alternatives to see the full landscape. Also see how Planable compares with Buffer, Sprout Social, Loomly, and SocialPilot.
Planable is the better choice if you:
- Run a marketing team or agency that needs structured content approvals
- Want unlimited users without paying per seat or per user
- Need client-facing review links that don't require clients to create accounts
- Value visual mockup previews showing exactly how content appears on each platform
- Prefer a native Canva integration for in-platform design
- Need real-time commenting and version history for content iteration
Team Features Without Enterprise Pricing
Hootsuite charges €149+ per user. Planable charges $39-59 per workspace plus add-ons for analytics. PostPlanify delivers unlimited scheduling, AI tools, and team workflows starting at $19/month — with analytics included on the Premium plan, not sold as an extra.
| Feature | Hootsuite | Planable | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | €149/mo/user | $39/workspace/mo | $19/mo flat |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (all plans) | No (60-150 posts/mo) | All paid plans |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes (OwlyWriter AI) | Yes (AI writer) | Yes (unlimited) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No | Yes |
| Canva Integration | Yes | Yes (native) | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | €399/mo/user | $39+/workspace/mo | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Analytics | Included (all plans) | Add-on ($14/workspace/mo) | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Unlimited Users | Enterprise only | All plans | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Platforms Supported | 8+ | 9 | 9 |
PostPlanify starts at $19/month with unlimited scheduling and AI tools. The Premium plan at $99/month includes unlimited accounts, unlimited team members, approval workflows, and analytics — features that cost €399+/month per user on Hootsuite or $39-59+/workspace with add-ons on Planable. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
Try PostPlanify free for 7 days
FAQ
Is Hootsuite or Planable better for agencies?
It depends on what your agency needs. Planable excels at content collaboration, client approvals, and visual previews with unlimited users on every plan. Hootsuite is better if your agency needs social listening, inbox management, and competitor analysis. Planable is more affordable for team collaboration; Hootsuite is more comprehensive for monitoring.
Does Hootsuite have a free plan?
No. Hootsuite discontinued its free plan and now offers only a 30-day free trial on paid plans. Planable offers a free plan with 50 lifetime posts, 4 social pages, and unlimited users — though X/Twitter publishing is excluded.
Which has better approval workflows?
Planable has significantly better approval workflows. It offers 2-3 approval types starting on the Basic plan ($39/mo), multi-level approvals on Enterprise, plus real-time commenting, client review links (no login needed), and version history. Hootsuite gates approval workflows behind the Advanced plan at €399/month per user.
Can Planable replace Hootsuite?
Planable can replace Hootsuite for content planning and collaboration, but it cannot replace Hootsuite's social listening, unified inbox, or competitor benchmarking features. If your primary need is content approval and team publishing, Planable is a strong alternative. If you rely on monitoring and engagement tools, you will need supplementary solutions.
Which is more affordable for small teams?
Planable is far more affordable for small teams. A 5-person team on Planable Pro costs $59/month (one workspace). The same team on Hootsuite Standard costs €745/month (€149/user x 5). Even with Planable's analytics add-on ($14/mo), the total of $73/month is a fraction of Hootsuite's cost.
Does Planable include social listening?
No. Planable does not offer social listening, brand monitoring, or sentiment analysis. These are Hootsuite-specific features available on the Advanced plan (€399/mo/user). If you need listening capabilities alongside affordable scheduling, consider pairing a dedicated listening tool with a scheduler like PostPlanify.
Which tool has better user reviews?
Planable has stronger reviews on both major platforms — 4.6/5 on G2 (937 reviews) vs Hootsuite's 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews), and 4.5/5 on Trustpilot (69 reviews) vs Hootsuite's 1.8/5 (511 reviews). Hootsuite has significantly more reviews overall, but Planable's satisfaction scores are consistently higher.
Does Hootsuite support more platforms than Planable?
Planable actually supports slightly more platforms — 9 vs Hootsuite's 8+. Planable includes Google Business Profile, which Hootsuite does not. However, Planable restricts X/Twitter publishing to paid plans, while Hootsuite includes it on all plans. Neither platform supports Bluesky, Mastodon, or WordPress.
