Choosing between Later and Agorapulse means deciding between two fundamentally different approaches to social media management. Later is a visual-first Instagram planner built for creators, while Agorapulse is an inbox-first engagement tool built for agency teams. Whether you pick Later or Agorapulse, you are choosing a workflow philosophy — not just a tool.
A visual content planner at $25/month versus a social engagement platform at $99/month — they solve different problems entirely. In this 2026 comparison, we evaluate both tools across the areas that matter: cost at your scale, publishing workflow, engagement tools, and what users report on G2 and Trustpilot. Want more options? Browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Later vs Agorapulse at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $25/mo (Starter) | $99/user/mo (Standard) |
| Free Plan | Yes (limited) | Yes (3 profiles, 10 posts/mo) |
| Platforms Supported | 8 (Instagram, TikTok, X, Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads) | 11 (Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit) |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Scale plan only ($110/mo) | Yes (all paid plans) |
| AI Tools | AI content tools (credit-based) | AI Writing Assistant (all paid plans) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No |
| Bulk Scheduling | No | Yes (Advanced plan) |
| Team Collaboration | Growth plan ($50/mo) | Professional plan ($149/user/mo) |
| Approval Workflows | Growth plan+ | Professional plan+ |
| Social Inbox | Growth plan+ | Yes (all paid plans) |
| Social Listening | No | Yes (Standard+) |
| Analytics | Basic to Custom (up to 2 years) | Basic to Advanced (ROI, competitor benchmarking) |
| G2 Rating | 4.5/5 (347 reviews) | 4.5/5 (967 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.3/5 (329 reviews) | 4.0/5 (57 reviews) |
| Best For | Visual creators, Instagram-focused brands | Engagement-heavy teams, agencies |
Later Overview
Later is a visual-first social media management platform originally built around Instagram. It excels at visual content planning with a drag-and-drop media calendar, a media library for organizing assets, and a Link in Bio page for driving traffic from social profiles.
Later supports 8 platforms: Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Threads.
Key features:
- Visual planner and drag-and-drop media calendar
- Link in Bio landing pages
- AI content tools with monthly AI credits
- User-generated content (UGC) collection
- Smart Scheduling with Future Trends (Growth+)
- First comment scheduling (not available)
- Platform analytics with up to 2-year lookback
Later is especially popular among visual creators and Instagram-focused brands who value an intuitive planning experience over advanced engagement tools. If Instagram is your primary focus, check out our roundup of the best Instagram scheduling tools. For a deeper look, see what users say about Later on G2 and Trustpilot.
Agorapulse Overview
Agorapulse is a social media management platform designed for teams and agencies. Its standout feature is a powerful unified social inbox that consolidates messages, comments, reviews, and ad comments from all connected profiles into a single stream with assignment and automation.
Agorapulse supports 11 platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business Profile, Threads, Bluesky, and Reddit.
Key features:
- Unified social inbox with assignment and automation
- Social CRM for audience management
- AI Writing Assistant for caption generation
- Approval workflows (one-step and multi-step)
- Social listening and brand monitoring
- Competitor benchmarking (Advanced+)
- Canva integration (Professional+)
- ROI measurement and advanced reporting
Agorapulse is positioned for agencies and engagement-heavy teams that need a centralized inbox, structured workflows, and deep reporting. Agencies managing multiple clients should also review our guide to social media management for agencies. Read real user reviews of Agorapulse from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
Pricing is where Later and Agorapulse reveal their completely different target audiences. Later charges flat monthly fees with post limits, while Agorapulse uses expensive per-user pricing.
Later Pricing
Later uses flat monthly pricing with social sets (bundles of profiles) and post caps on lower plans. We break this down further in our Later pricing guide.
| Plan | Price | Social Sets | Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $25/mo | 1 (8 profiles) | 1 | 20 posts/profile, 5 AI credits, 3-month analytics |
| Growth | $50/mo | 2 (16 profiles) | 2 | 180 posts/profile, social inbox, approvals, 50 AI credits |
| Scale | $110/mo | 6 (48 profiles) | 4 | Unlimited posts, custom analytics, benchmarking, 100 AI credits |
Example costs:
- Solo creator on Starter = $25/month
- Small team on Growth + 1 extra social set = $65/month
- Agency on Scale = $110/month
Agorapulse Pricing
Agorapulse uses per-user pricing that escalates with every team member. See the full Agorapulse pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Social Profiles | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 3 profiles | 1 user, 10 posts/month |
| Standard | $99/user/mo | 10 profiles | Unlimited scheduling, social inbox, AI Writing Assistant |
| Professional | $149/user/mo | 10 profiles | Canva integration, approvals, ad comment monitoring |
| Advanced | $199/user/mo | 10 profiles | Competitor benchmarking, ROI analysis, bulk publishing |
Example costs:
- 1 user on Standard = $99/month
- 3 users on Professional = $447/month
- 5 users on Advanced = $995/month
Price Verdict
Later is significantly cheaper in absolute terms. A solo creator pays $25/month on Later vs $99/month on Agorapulse. Even Later's most expensive plan (Scale at $110/month for 4 users) costs less than a single Agorapulse Standard user.
However, these tools serve completely different purposes. Later's pricing reflects its focus on visual scheduling with post caps, while Agorapulse's per-user model reflects its team-centric inbox and engagement features. If you need a social inbox and team collaboration, Later's cheaper plans may not cover your needs — but Agorapulse's costs add up fast with every team member.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
Later is built around visual content planning, while Agorapulse focuses on unlimited scheduling with team workflows. If you are still deciding what scheduling approach works best, see our guide on how to schedule social media posts effectively.
| Feature | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Scale plan only ($110/mo) | All paid plans |
| Post caps | 20-180 posts/profile (Starter-Growth) | None on paid plans |
| Bulk scheduling | No | Yes (Advanced plan) |
| Content calendar | Yes (visual drag-and-drop) | Yes (drag-and-drop) |
| First comment scheduling | No | Yes (Professional+) |
| Smart scheduling / best time | Yes (Growth+) | No |
| Content queues | No | Yes (Advanced plan) |
| Link in Bio | Yes (all plans) | Yes (Professional+ - PulseLink) |
Winner: Agorapulse for scheduling flexibility. Unlimited posts on all paid plans and bulk scheduling on Advanced make it more capable for high-volume publishing. Later's post caps (20-180 per profile) are restrictive for active brands.
AI Tools
| Feature | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (credit-based) | Yes (AI Writing Assistant) |
| AI image generation | No | No |
| AI credits / limits | 5-100 credits/month by plan | Unlimited on paid plans |
| AI alt text | No | Yes (AI Alt Text Generator) |
| AI content rewriting | Yes | Yes |
| Organization context AI | No | Yes |
Winner: Agorapulse. Its AI Writing Assistant is available without credit limits on all paid plans, while Later's AI tools are restricted by monthly credit allocations (5-100 depending on plan). Agorapulse also includes AI Alt Text generation and Organization Context AI.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans (3-month lookback) | All paid plans |
| Advanced analytics | Scale plan | Advanced plan |
| Custom analytics | Scale plan | Advanced plan |
| Competitor benchmarking | Scale plan | Advanced plan |
| ROI measurement | No | Yes (Advanced plan) |
| Ad reports | No | Yes (Advanced plan) |
| Analytics lookback | Up to 2 years (Scale) | Varies by plan |
| Report exports | Yes | Yes (branded, Standard+) |
Winner: Agorapulse — offers deeper reporting including ROI measurement, ad reports, and branded exports. Later provides solid analytics for content performance but lacks ROI tracking and ad reporting. For a broader look at reporting options, see our guide to social media analytics tools.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple users | Growth+ (2-4 users by plan) | All paid plans (per-user) |
| Approval workflows | Growth+ | Professional+ |
| Multi-step approvals | No | Custom plan only |
| User permissions | Growth+ (custom roles) | Standard+ |
| Post/inbox assignment | No | Professional+ |
| Team performance reports | No | Professional+ |
| Saved replies | No | Advanced plan |
Winner: Agorapulse. Team collaboration is its core strength. Post assignment, team performance reports, saved replies, and structured approval workflows are far more advanced than Later's basic collaboration features. However, every additional team member costs $99-$199/month.
Social Inbox & Engagement
| Feature | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| Unified inbox | Growth+ (basic) | All paid plans (full) |
| Social listening | No | Yes (Standard+) |
| Social CRM | No | Yes (Standard+) |
| Ad comment monitoring | No | Yes (Professional+) |
| Automated moderation | No | Yes (Advanced - Inbox Assistant) |
| Saved replies | No | Yes (Advanced plan) |
| Sentiment analysis | No | No |
Winner: Agorapulse — by a wide margin. This is where Agorapulse truly shines. Its unified social inbox with CRM, social listening, ad comment monitoring, and automated moderation is one of the best in the industry. Later's inbox (Growth+ only) is basic by comparison. If inbox management is critical to your workflow, Agorapulse is the clear choice.
Platform Support
| Platform | Later | Agorapulse |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X/Twitter | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business | No | Yes |
| Bluesky | No | Yes |
| No | Yes |
Winner: Agorapulse — supports 11 platforms vs Later's 8. Agorapulse includes Google Business Profile, Bluesky, and Reddit, which Later does not support.
What Real Users Say
Later Reviews
G2: 4.5/5 (347 reviews) — Users praise Later's visual calendar, ease of use, and smooth scheduling experience. Common complaints include limited analytics on lower plans, publishing limitations, and Instagram-specific restrictions.
Trustpilot: 1.3/5 (329 reviews) — Very low rating driven by widespread complaints about unexpected billing charges, difficult cancellation processes, refund issues, and poor customer support responsiveness.
Agorapulse Reviews
G2: 4.5/5 (967 reviews) — Users consistently praise the intuitive interface, excellent customer support, and powerful social inbox. Common complaints include expensive per-user pricing, limited customization, difficult reporting, and AI limitations.
Trustpilot: 4.0/5 (57 reviews) — Higher than most competitors, with users praising the social inbox and ease of navigation. However, reviews are polarized — some users report unreliable social profile connections and token failures.
Review Verdict
Both tools share the same G2 rating (4.5/5), but Agorapulse has nearly 3x more reviews (967 vs 347), giving it more statistical weight. The real difference is on Trustpilot: Agorapulse scores 4.0/5 while Later scores just 1.3/5. Later's Trustpilot complaints center on billing and cancellation issues, while Agorapulse's smaller Trustpilot sample is more positive overall. If customer support and billing transparency matter to you, Agorapulse has the stronger track record. Review counts and ratings are as of February 2026 and are updated periodically.
Who Should Use Later?
If Later sounds right for you but you want to explore other options first, check out our best alternatives to Later. You can also see how Later stacks up against Buffer, Hootsuite, Metricool, SocialBee, Publer, and Planoly.
In a Later vs Agorapulse matchup, Later is the better choice if you:
- Are a visual creator or Instagram-focused brand that prioritizes content aesthetics
- Need a drag-and-drop media calendar with visual planning tools — see our guide to building an effective social media content calendar
- Want a built-in Link in Bio page to drive traffic from social profiles
- Work solo or with a very small team (1-4 people)
- Don't need a social inbox, social listening, or advanced engagement tools
- Prefer flat monthly pricing starting at $25/month without per-user fees
Who Should Use Agorapulse?
If Agorapulse is on your shortlist, you may also want to see our top alternatives to Agorapulse before committing. Also compare Agorapulse with Buffer, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, SocialBee, and Sendible.
When weighing Later or Agorapulse for your team, Agorapulse is the better choice if you:
- Are an agency or team that manages client social media engagement daily
- Need a unified social inbox with assignment, automation, and CRM
- Require social listening and brand monitoring across platforms
- Want approval workflows and structured team collaboration
- Need competitor benchmarking, ROI measurement, and ad reports — explore more in our social media reporting guide
- Support 11 platforms including Google Business, Bluesky, and Reddit
- Have the budget for $99-$199/month per user
Final Verdict
Later is the better choice if you are a visual creator or small brand that needs an intuitive drag-and-drop calendar for Instagram-first content planning at a flat monthly rate.
Agorapulse is the better choice if you are an agency or engagement-heavy team that needs a unified social inbox, social listening, structured approval workflows, and deep ROI reporting across 11 platforms.
For most small to mid-sized teams, the right pick depends on whether your workflow centers on visual publishing or community engagement. If neither tool fully meets your needs, PostPlanify offers AI-powered content creation, unlimited scheduling, and team workflows at a flat $19-99/month without per-user fees -- see how it compares.
A Publishing Tool That Doesn't Charge for Engagement Features You Won't Use
Later charges for visual planning but limits your posts. Agorapulse charges for a social inbox and CRM you might not need. If publishing great content across platforms is your primary goal, PostPlanify is purpose-built for that: AI-powered content creation, visual scheduling, team workflows, and Canva integration — without paying for social listening or CRM features.
| Feature | Later | Agorapulse | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $25/mo | $99/user/mo | $19/mo flat |
| Unlimited Accounts | $110/mo (Scale) | $199/user/mo (Advanced) | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Scale plan only | All paid plans | All paid plans |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes (credit-limited) | Yes | Yes |
| AI Image Generation | No | No | Yes |
| Canva Integration | No | Professional ($149/user/mo) | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | Growth ($50/mo) | Professional ($149/user/mo) | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Team Members | 1-4 by plan | Per-user pricing | Unlimited (Premium) |
| Platforms Supported | 8 | 11 | 9 |
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 — features that cost $149-$199/user/month on Agorapulse or require Later's top-tier Scale plan. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
Publish better — start your free PostPlanify trial
FAQ
Is Later cheaper than Agorapulse?
Yes. Later starts at $25/month for a single user, while Agorapulse starts at $99/month per user. Even Later's most expensive Scale plan ($110/month for 4 users) costs less than a single Agorapulse Standard user. However, they serve different purposes — Later focuses on visual scheduling while Agorapulse focuses on inbox management and team engagement.
Does Later have a social inbox?
Later offers a basic social inbox starting on the Growth plan ($50/month). It covers comments and messages from connected profiles, but it lacks the depth of Agorapulse's unified inbox, which includes CRM, assignment, automation, ad comment monitoring, and saved replies. If inbox management is central to your social media strategy, Agorapulse is the stronger option, though its per-user pricing makes it significantly more expensive for teams.
Does Agorapulse have a free plan?
Yes. Agorapulse offers a free plan with 3 social profiles, 1 user, and 10 scheduled posts per month. It includes access to the social inbox and basic publishing features, making it a useful way to test the platform before committing. Later also offers a free plan with limited features. Both free plans are designed for testing rather than serious daily use — most users will need to upgrade within a few weeks to avoid hitting post caps and feature restrictions.
Which has better analytics — Later or Agorapulse?
Agorapulse has more advanced analytics including ROI measurement, ad reports, competitor benchmarking, and branded report exports. Later offers platform analytics with up to a 2-year lookback on the Scale plan and competitive benchmarking, but lacks ROI tracking and ad reporting.
Which supports more social media platforms?
Agorapulse supports 11 platforms (including Google Business Profile, Bluesky, and Reddit). Later supports 8 platforms. If you need broader platform coverage, Agorapulse has the advantage.
Is Agorapulse worth it for small teams?
For most small teams, Agorapulse is too expensive. At $99-$149 per user per month, a 3-person team pays $297-$447/month. Small teams that primarily need scheduling and basic collaboration will find better value with Later, or with a flat-rate tool like PostPlanify.
Does Later have social listening?
No. Later does not offer social listening or brand monitoring of any kind. If social listening is critical to your workflow, Agorapulse includes it on all paid plans starting at $99/user/month. Alternatively, you can pair a dedicated listening tool with a more affordable scheduler like PostPlanify and keep your costs down while still monitoring brand mentions across platforms.
Can I switch from Later to Agorapulse (or vice versa)?
Yes. You can reconnect your social accounts to either platform at any time. Since Later and Agorapulse serve different core needs (visual planning vs inbox management), switching usually means you are changing your workflow focus, not just your tool. Keep in mind that scheduled posts, analytics history, and saved content will not transfer between platforms, so plan your migration around your content calendar.
Which is easier to use — Later or Agorapulse?
Later is generally considered easier to pick up, especially for visual creators familiar with Instagram. Its drag-and-drop calendar and media library are intuitive. Agorapulse has a steeper learning curve due to its broader feature set (inbox, CRM, listening, reporting), but G2 reviewers consistently praise its interface as intuitive once you get started.
Which is better for agencies — Later or Agorapulse?
Agorapulse is better suited for agencies that manage client engagement, need approval workflows, and require detailed reporting. Later is better for agencies focused on visual content creation and scheduling. However, agencies should carefully calculate Agorapulse's per-user costs — a 5-person team on the Professional plan costs $745/month. For agency-specific guidance, see our article on social media management for agencies.
Is Later worth it in 2026?
Later is worth it in 2026 if you are a visual creator or Instagram-focused brand that values a drag-and-drop media calendar and Link in Bio features. Its Starter plan at $25/month is affordable for solo users, and the Growth plan adds a social inbox and approval workflows at $50/month. However, post caps on lower plans (20-180 per profile) can be limiting for active brands, and Later's Trustpilot rating of 1.3/5 raises concerns about billing practices and customer support. Evaluate whether its visual planning strengths outweigh those limitations for your workflow.
What is the best alternative to Agorapulse?
The best alternative to Agorapulse depends on what you need most. If you want a similar engagement-focused tool at a lower price, Sendible and SocialBee are strong options. If your priority is affordable scheduling with AI content tools rather than inbox management, PostPlanify offers unlimited scheduling, AI caption and image generation, and team workflows starting at $19/month — without Agorapulse's per-user pricing model. See our full list of social media management tools for more options.
Does Later offer a free trial?
Yes. Later offers a 14-day free trial on all paid plans, giving you access to features like the visual calendar, social inbox (Growth+), and analytics before committing. Agorapulse also offers a 30-day free trial on its paid plans. Both trials are a good way to test each platform's workflow before paying, though you will need to enter payment details upfront and cancel before the trial ends to avoid charges.
