Hootsuite or Zoho Social — two very different approaches to social media management. Hootsuite is a legacy enterprise platform built for large teams that need social listening, a unified inbox, and compliance-grade workflows. Zoho Social is a mid-market tool designed to slot seamlessly into the broader Zoho ecosystem — CRM, Desk, Analytics, and more.
The price gap between these two is massive. Hootsuite starts at EUR 149/month per user while Zoho Social starts at $15/month (with a free plan available). But price alone doesn't tell the full story. Below is our honest Hootsuite vs Zoho Social comparison — where each tool excels, where it falls short, and which one actually fits your workflow. Jump to pricing comparison or feature comparison, or browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Hootsuite vs Zoho Social at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Hootsuite | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | EUR 149/mo per user | $15/mo (Free plan available) |
| Free Plan | No (30-day trial) | Yes (1 brand, 1 member) |
| Platforms Supported | 8+ | 9 |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (all plans) | No (varies by plan) |
| AI Tools | OwlyWriter AI (captions + images) | Basic AI captions |
| AI Image Generation | Yes | No |
| Bulk Scheduling | Up to 350 posts (Advanced) | Yes (Professional+) |
| Team Collaboration | Advanced plan (EUR 399/mo/user) | Premium ($65/mo, 3 members) |
| Approval Workflows | Advanced plan only | Premium plan only |
| Social Inbox | Full unified inbox | No unified inbox |
| Social Listening | Yes (Advanced+) | No |
| CRM Integration | Salesforce (Enterprise) | Native Zoho CRM/Desk |
| Analytics | Standard to Custom reports | Basic to custom reports |
| G2 Rating | 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews) | 4.6/5 (2,870 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.8/5 (511 reviews) | 4.0/5 (~5,778 reviews for Zoho) |
| Best For | Large teams, agencies | Businesses using Zoho products |
Hootsuite Overview
Hootsuite is one of the oldest social media management platforms, founded in 2008. It offers social media scheduling, a unified social inbox, analytics, social listening, team collaboration, and paid ad management. Hootsuite supports 8+ platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads.
Hootsuite's core strengths are its breadth and its enterprise features. The unified inbox pulls comments, DMs, and mentions into a single view. Social listening (available on Advanced and above) lets teams monitor brand sentiment, competitors, and industry conversations. OwlyWriter AI handles caption generation and image creation. Employee advocacy through Amplify and competitor benchmarking round out the enterprise feature set. Read real user reviews of Hootsuite from G2 and Trustpilot.
Zoho Social Overview
Zoho Social is Zoho's dedicated social media management tool, designed to work alongside the broader Zoho ecosystem — including Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, Zoho Analytics, and Zoho Campaigns. It supports 9 platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, and Google Business Profile.
What makes Zoho Social stand out is its native integration with Zoho's suite. Leads generated from social interactions can flow directly into Zoho CRM. Support tickets from social messages can be routed to Zoho Desk. The SmartQ feature analyzes your audience to suggest optimal posting times, and the zShare browser extension lets you share content from any webpage. While it lacks social listening and a unified inbox, its ecosystem integration is unmatched at this price point. See what users say about Zoho Social on G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
The pricing gap between Hootsuite and Zoho Social is one of the widest in the social media management space. Hootsuite charges per user in euros; Zoho Social charges per brand with limited members.
Hootsuite Pricing
Hootsuite uses per-user pricing in euros. See the full Hootsuite pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Accounts | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | EUR 149/mo per user | 10 | Scheduling, basic analytics, 7-day monitoring |
| Advanced | EUR 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 = EUR 149/month
- 3 users on Advanced = EUR 1,197/month
- 5 users on Standard = EUR 745/month
Zoho Social Pricing
Zoho Social uses per-brand pricing with member limits. We break this down further in our Zoho Social pricing guide.
| Plan | Price | Brands | Members | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 1 | 1 | Basic publishing, 7 channels |
| Standard | $15/mo | 1 | 1 | SmartQ, zShare, scheduling calendar |
| Professional | $40/mo | 1 | 1 | Bulk scheduling, CRM integration, custom reports |
| Premium | $65/mo | 1 | 3 | Approval workflows, live streaming, Zoho Desk integration |
Example costs:
- 1 brand on Standard = $15/month
- 1 brand on Premium (3 members) = $65/month
- Multiple brands require separate subscriptions or agency plans
Price Verdict
Zoho Social is dramatically less expensive. A single user on Hootsuite Standard (EUR 149/month) costs roughly 10x more than Zoho Social Standard ($15/month). Even Zoho Social's most expensive plan at $65/month is less than half of Hootsuite's entry tier. However, Hootsuite includes social listening, a unified inbox, and enterprise features that Zoho Social simply does not offer. The question is whether your team actually needs those capabilities or if Zoho's CRM integration and publishing tools cover your workflow.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Hootsuite | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Yes (all plans) | No (varies by plan) |
| Bulk scheduling | Up to 350 posts (Advanced) | Yes (Professional+) |
| Best time to post | Yes | Yes (SmartQ) |
| Content calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Post queue management | Yes | Yes |
| Draft saving | Yes | Yes |
| Browser extension | No | Yes (zShare) |
| First comment scheduling | No | No |
Winner: Hootsuite — unlimited scheduling on all plans and bulk scheduling for up to 350 posts give it the edge for high-volume teams. Zoho Social's SmartQ and zShare are useful, but scheduling limits on lower plans hold it back.
AI Tools
| Feature | Hootsuite | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (OwlyWriter AI) | Yes (basic) |
| AI image generation | Yes | No |
| AI hashtag suggestions | Yes | No |
| AI post enhancement | Yes | No |
Winner: Hootsuite — OwlyWriter AI offers caption generation, image creation, and hashtag suggestions. Zoho Social's AI capabilities are limited to basic caption assistance without image generation or post enhancement.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Hootsuite | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans | Standard+ |
| Custom reports | Advanced only | Professional+ |
| Competitor benchmarking | Yes (5-20 competitors) | No |
| Export/schedule reports | Advanced only | Premium only |
| CRM-linked analytics | No (Salesforce on Enterprise) | Yes (Zoho Analytics integration) |
Winner: Hootsuite — competitor benchmarking, deeper reporting, and more export options. However, Zoho Social's integration with Zoho Analytics lets teams build custom dashboards that combine social data with CRM and sales metrics, which is a unique advantage for Zoho ecosystem users.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Hootsuite | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple users | All paid plans | Premium only (3 members) |
| Approval workflows | Advanced plan (EUR 399/mo) | Premium plan ($65/mo) |
| User permissions | Advanced plan | Premium plan |
| DM assignment | Yes | No |
| Content calendar sharing | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Hootsuite — supports multiple users on all paid plans with DM assignment and granular permissions. Zoho Social limits team access to the Premium plan (3 members max), which is restrictive for larger teams. That said, Zoho Social offers approval workflows at $65/month — far less than Hootsuite's EUR 399/month for the same capability.
Platform Support
| Platform | Hootsuite | Zoho Social |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X/Twitter | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business Profile | No | Yes |
Winner: Zoho Social — supports 9 platforms including Google Business Profile, which Hootsuite does not. This is particularly valuable for local businesses that rely on Google reviews and posts for visibility.
What Real Users Say
Hootsuite Reviews
G2: 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews) — Users value the centralized management and scheduling tools. Common complaints include expensive pricing, missing features on lower plans, posting issues, and slow customer support.
Trustpilot: 1.8/5 (511 reviews) — Low rating driven by billing issues, unexpected charges, difficult cancellation, and poor customer support.
Zoho Social Reviews
G2: 4.6/5 (2,870 reviews) — Users appreciate the clean interface, CRM integration, and value for money. Common complaints include limited analytics on lower plans, occasional publishing glitches, and fewer integrations compared to enterprise tools.
Trustpilot: 4.0/5 (~5,778 reviews for Zoho) — Significantly higher than Hootsuite's 1.8/5. Users praise Zoho's ecosystem value and customer support. Negative reviews focus on occasional integration bugs and the learning curve across the broader Zoho suite.
Review Verdict
Zoho Social leads decisively on both platforms. G2: 4.6 vs 4.3 with strong review volume on both sides. The Trustpilot gap is even wider — 4.0 vs 1.8 — though Zoho's Trustpilot score reflects the broader Zoho brand, not just Zoho Social specifically. Hootsuite's low Trustpilot score is driven by billing and cancellation complaints. Review counts are as of February 2026 and are updated periodically.
Who Should Use Hootsuite?
Is Hootsuite better than Zoho Social for enterprise social management? It depends on your team's requirements. If Hootsuite is on your shortlist, you may also want to see our top alternatives to Hootsuite before committing. Also compare Hootsuite with Buffer, Later, Metricool, Sprout Social, and Agorapulse.
Hootsuite is the better choice if you:
- Need social listening for brand monitoring, sentiment tracking, and competitive intelligence
- Require a unified inbox for managing DMs, comments, and mentions across all platforms in one view
- Run a large team that needs multiple users, DM assignment, and granular permission controls
- Want employee advocacy tools (Amplify) for employer branding campaigns
- Need competitor benchmarking against 5-20 competitors with detailed reporting
- Require enterprise features like SSO, compliance tools, and Salesforce integration
Who Should Use Zoho Social?
Is Zoho Social better than Hootsuite for mid-market businesses? It depends on your existing tech stack. If Zoho Social sounds right, check out our best alternatives to Zoho Social for other options. Also compare Zoho Social with Buffer, Later, and SocialBee.
Zoho Social is the better choice if you:
- Already use Zoho CRM, Zoho Desk, or other Zoho products and want native integration
- Need to connect social leads directly to your CRM without third-party middleware
- Want a functional free plan for basic social management of a single brand
- Prefer a clean, straightforward interface without enterprise complexity
- Need Google Business Profile support alongside traditional social platforms
- Want approval workflows at $65/month instead of EUR 399/month on Hootsuite
- Are a small to mid-size team (1-3 members) focused on publishing and CRM integration
Skip the Tradeoffs: Scheduling, AI, and Team Tools in One Platform
Hootsuite charges enterprise prices for features most teams actually use — scheduling, AI captions, and team collaboration. Zoho Social nails CRM integration but lacks social listening, a unified inbox, and advanced AI tools. PostPlanify bridges the gap: full-featured scheduling with AI tools and team workflows, no per-user fees, and no ecosystem lock-in.
| Feature | Hootsuite | Zoho Social | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | EUR 149/mo/user | $15/mo | $19/mo flat |
| Free Plan | No | Yes (limited) | No (free trial) |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes (OwlyWriter) | Basic | Yes (unlimited) |
| AI Image Generation | Yes | No | Yes (7 models) |
| Canva Integration | Yes | No | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | EUR 399/mo/user | $65/mo | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Unlimited Team Members | Enterprise only | No (3 max) | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Social Listening | Yes (Advanced+) | No | No |
| CRM Integration | Salesforce (Enterprise) | Native Zoho CRM | No |
| Platforms Supported | 8+ | 9 | 9 |
| Link-in-Bio Builder | No | No | Yes |
PostPlanify starts at $19/month for 3 accounts with unlimited scheduling and AI tools included. The Premium plan at $99/month includes unlimited accounts, unlimited team members, approval workflows, and analytics. If you need CRM integration, Zoho Social is hard to beat. If you need social listening, Hootsuite remains the standard. But for teams that primarily need scheduling, content creation, and collaboration — PostPlanify delivers without the per-user tax or ecosystem dependency. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
See PostPlanify in action — start free
FAQ
Is Hootsuite or Zoho Social better for small businesses?
Zoho Social is significantly better for small businesses. Its free plan supports 1 brand and 1 member at no cost, and the Standard plan at $15/month covers most small business needs. Hootsuite's starting price of EUR 149/month per user is prohibitive for most small teams. If you are a small business not already using Zoho products, also consider tools like PostPlanify or Buffer for straightforward scheduling at reasonable prices.
Does Zoho Social have social listening?
No. Zoho Social does not include social listening or brand monitoring beyond basic post analytics. If social listening is important for your workflow, Hootsuite offers it on the Advanced plan (EUR 399/month per user). Alternatively, you can use standalone listening tools alongside Zoho Social. For most mid-market teams that primarily need scheduling and CRM integration, the absence of social listening is not a dealbreaker.
Can I integrate Zoho Social with non-Zoho tools?
Zoho Social's deepest integrations are with other Zoho products — CRM, Desk, Analytics, and Campaigns. It offers limited third-party integrations via Zoho Flow (their automation platform), but it is not as open as Hootsuite's integration marketplace. If your tech stack is built on non-Zoho tools (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk), Hootsuite or another platform with broader integrations may be a better fit.
Which has better AI tools — Hootsuite or Zoho Social?
Hootsuite has significantly better AI tools. OwlyWriter AI generates captions, suggests hashtags, and creates images. Zoho Social offers basic AI caption assistance but lacks AI image generation, hashtag suggestions, and post enhancement. If AI-powered content creation is a priority, Hootsuite wins clearly — or consider PostPlanify, which includes unlimited AI captions and AI image generation across 7 models starting at $19/month.
Is Zoho Social only useful if I use other Zoho products?
No, but it is significantly more valuable within the Zoho ecosystem. As a standalone social media tool, Zoho Social offers solid scheduling, a content calendar, SmartQ posting times, and basic analytics at competitive prices. However, its biggest differentiator — native CRM and Desk integration — only benefits teams already on Zoho. If you are not a Zoho user and do not plan to adopt their ecosystem, other tools may offer more features for the price. See our full list of social media management alternatives.
Can I switch from Hootsuite to Zoho Social?
Yes. You can reconnect your social accounts to Zoho Social and begin scheduling. The transition is straightforward for basic publishing, but you will lose access to Hootsuite's unified inbox, social listening, and employee advocacy tools. If your team relies heavily on these features, Zoho Social is not a direct replacement. Plan for a 1-2 week overlap to reconfigure your workflow, set up CRM integrations, and adjust to Zoho Social's interface.
Which supports more social media platforms?
Zoho Social supports 9 platforms including Google Business Profile, which Hootsuite does not offer. Hootsuite supports 8+ platforms with deeper feature coverage (social listening, inbox) across those networks. If Google Business Profile management is important for your local business strategy, Zoho Social has the edge. For teams that need multiple social media accounts with advanced engagement tools, Hootsuite covers more ground per platform.
What is the best alternative to both Hootsuite and Zoho Social?
If neither fits your workflow, PostPlanify offers unlimited scheduling, AI caption and image generation, Canva integration, and team collaboration starting at $19/month flat. Other strong alternatives include Buffer for simplicity, Metricool for analytics, and SocialBee for content categorization. Browse all alternatives to find the best fit for your team.
