Sprout Social and Publer sit at opposite ends of the social media management spectrum. Sprout Social is an enterprise customer care platform starting at $199/seat. Publer is a budget-friendly scheduling powerhouse with 13 platforms, bulk scheduling, and a free plan — starting at just $5/month.
A $199/month enterprise suite versus a $12/month creator tool — can they even be compared? Yes, and the answer might surprise you. Below we compare what each tool actually delivers, what it costs at your scale, and what real users say. See how other tools stack up too — browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Sprout Social vs Publer at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $199/mo per seat | $5/mo (1 account) |
| Free Plan | No (30-day trial) | Yes (3 accounts, 10 pending posts each) |
| Platforms Supported | 8+ | 13 |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (all plans) | No (10 pending posts on Free) |
| AI Tools | AI Assist (all plans) | AI Assist (Business only, GPT-4 + DALL-E 3) |
| AI Image Generation | No | Yes (Business only, DALL-E 3) |
| Bulk Scheduling | No | Yes (CSV import) |
| Team Collaboration | All plans | Business plan |
| Approval Workflows | Advanced plan ($399/seat) | Business plan |
| Social Inbox | Smart Inbox (all plans) | No |
| Social Listening | Yes (add-on) | No |
| Competitor Analysis | Yes (Professional+) | Yes (Business only) |
| Analytics | Group to Custom reports | Business only |
| Canva Integration | No | Yes |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 (5,731 reviews) | 4.7/5 (486 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 2.2/5 (75 reviews) | 4.8/5 (863 reviews) |
| Best For | Enterprises, customer care teams | Budget-conscious creators, small teams |
Sprout Social Overview
Sprout Social is an enterprise-focused social media management platform known for its deep analytics, customer care workflows, and polished interface. It combines publishing, engagement, analytics, and listening into a unified platform.
Sprout Social supports 8+ platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads.
Key features:
- Smart Inbox with sentiment analysis
- AI Assist for text and reply generation
- Advanced analytics with custom reports
- Competitor and paid insights (Professional+)
- Team productivity and customer care reports
- Review management
- API and helpdesk integrations (Advanced+)
Sprout Social targets enterprises and customer care teams that need deep reporting, sentiment tools, and structured collaboration. See what users say about Sprout Social on G2 and Trustpilot.
Publer Overview
Publer is a budget-friendly social media scheduling tool that punches well above its price point. It combines bulk scheduling, RSS automations, and wide platform support with optional AI and analytics on higher plans — making it one of the most affordable ways to manage social media at scale.
Publer supports 13 platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter (paid only), LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business, YouTube, TikTok, WordPress, Telegram, Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky.
Key features:
- Bulk scheduling via CSV import
- RSS feed automations
- AI Assist with GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 (Business only, unlimited)
- Analytics and competitor analysis (Business only)
- Canva and VistaCreate integration
- Watermark support
- Auto-scheduling across 13 platforms
Publer targets solo creators, freelancers, and small teams that need maximum platform coverage and scheduling features at minimum cost. Read real user reviews of Publer from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
The pricing gap here is extreme — possibly the widest in the social media tool space. Sprout Social's per-seat enterprise model means a single user costs 40x what Publer charges for one account.
Sprout Social Pricing
Sprout Social uses per-seat pricing in USD. We break this down further in our Sprout Social pricing guide.
| Plan | Price | Social Profiles | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $199/mo per seat | 5 | Keyword monitoring, AI text, review management |
| Professional | $299/mo per seat | Unlimited | Message tagging, competitor insights, paid insights |
| Advanced | $399/mo per seat | Unlimited | Sentiment analysis, API, helpdesk integrations, spike alerts |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | White-glove onboarding, SSO, priority support |
Example costs:
- 1 seat on Standard = $199/month
- 3 seats on Professional = $897/month
- 5 seats on Advanced = $1,995/month
Publer Pricing
Publer uses per-account pricing that scales as you add social accounts. See the full Publer pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Social Accounts | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 3 (no X/Twitter) | 10 pending posts/account, basic scheduling |
| Professional | From $5/mo | 1+ ($4/extra account) | Unlimited posts, bulk scheduling, RSS, Canva |
| Business | From $10/mo | 1+ ($7/extra account) | AI Assist (unlimited), analytics, competitor analysis |
Example costs (3 accounts):
- Free = $0/month (no X/Twitter, 10 pending posts each)
- Professional = ~$12/month
- Business = ~$21/month
Price Verdict
Publer is overwhelmingly cheaper. A single Sprout Social Standard seat ($199/month) costs nearly 10x what Publer's Business plan costs for 3 accounts with AI, analytics, and competitor analysis ($21/month). Even managing 10 accounts on Publer Business (~$73/month) costs less than one Sprout Social seat.
Sprout Social's pricing is only justifiable if you specifically need the Smart Inbox, sentiment analysis, customer care reports, review management, or enterprise compliance tools. For scheduling, publishing, and basic analytics, Publer delivers at a fraction of the cost.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Yes (all plans) | Yes (Professional+) |
| Bulk scheduling (CSV) | No | Yes |
| RSS automations | No | Yes |
| Best time to post | Yes (Optimal Send Times) | No |
| Auto-scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Content calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Post queue management | Yes | Yes |
| Draft saving | Yes | Yes |
| Watermarks | No | Yes |
Winner: Publer — CSV bulk scheduling, RSS automations, and watermarks give Publer more publishing flexibility for content-heavy workflows. Sprout Social has Optimal Send Times but lacks bulk import and RSS feeds.
AI Tools
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (AI Assist, all plans) | Yes (Business only, GPT-4) |
| AI image generation | No | Yes (Business only, DALL-E 3) |
| AI reply suggestions | Yes (Advanced) | No |
| AI post enhancement | Yes (Enhance Post) | Yes |
| Unlimited AI usage | Yes | Yes (Business only) |
Winner: It depends. Publer wins on AI image generation (DALL-E 3), which Sprout Social does not offer at all. Sprout Social wins on AI reply suggestions for customer care teams. Note that Publer's AI tools are locked to the Business plan, while Sprout Social includes AI Assist on all plans.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans | Business only |
| Custom reports | Advanced only ($399/seat) | No |
| Competitor analysis | Professional+ ($299/seat) | Business only (~$21/mo for 3 accts) |
| Paid ad insights | Professional+ | No |
| Customer care reports | Advanced | No |
| Team productivity reports | Advanced | No |
| Export reports | Advanced only | Business plan |
Winner: Sprout Social — significantly deeper analytics with paid insights, customer care metrics, team productivity tracking, and custom reports. However, Publer's Business plan offers basic analytics and competitor analysis for ~$21/month, while Sprout Social charges $299-$399/seat for comparable competitor features. For most small teams, Publer's analytics are sufficient.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple users | All plans | Business plan |
| Approval workflows | Advanced plan | Business plan |
| User permissions | Professional+ | Business plan |
| DM assignment | Yes | No |
| Message tagging | Professional+ | No |
Winner: Sprout Social — DM assignment, message tagging, and more granular permissions make Sprout Social the better choice for large teams. However, Publer's Business plan covers the basics (multiple users, approvals, permissions) at a fraction of the cost.
Social Inbox & Engagement
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Unified inbox | Yes (Smart Inbox) | No |
| Social listening | Yes (add-on) | No |
| Sentiment analysis | Yes (Advanced) | No |
| Review management | Yes (all plans) | No |
| Message spike alerts | Yes (Advanced) | No |
Winner: Sprout Social — the Smart Inbox, sentiment analysis, review management, and spike alerts are exclusive to Sprout Social. Publer does not offer any inbox or engagement tools. This is the single biggest feature gap between the two platforms.
Integrations & Creative Tools
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Canva integration | No | Yes |
| VistaCreate integration | No | Yes |
| RSS feed automations | No | Yes |
| Watermark support | No | Yes |
| Helpdesk integrations | Yes (Advanced) | No |
| API access | Advanced ($399/seat) | No |
Winner: Publer — Canva, VistaCreate, RSS automations, and watermarks give Publer stronger creative and automation tools. Sprout Social has helpdesk integrations (Zendesk, Salesforce) and API access, but only on the $399/seat Advanced plan.
Platform Support
| Platform | Sprout Social | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X/Twitter | Yes | Yes (paid only) |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business | No | Yes |
| WordPress | No | Yes |
| Telegram | No | Yes |
| Mastodon | No | Yes |
| Bluesky | No | Yes |
Winner: Publer — supports 13 platforms vs Sprout Social's 8+. Publer covers WordPress, Telegram, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Google Business Profile, none of which Sprout Social supports. The one catch: X/Twitter is only available on Publer's paid plans.
What Real Users Say
Sprout Social Reviews
G2: 4.4/5 (5,731 reviews) — Users praise the ease of use, post scheduling, and analytics. Top complaints include missing features on lower plans, expensive pricing, and limited features for the cost.
Trustpilot: 2.2/5 (75 reviews) — Low rating with complaints about aggressive sales tactics, rising prices, and the tool feeling outdated relative to newer alternatives.
Publer Reviews
G2: 4.7/5 (486 reviews) — Users highlight Publer's ease of use, bulk scheduling, and excellent multi-platform support. Complaints mention limited analytics on lower plans and occasional UI quirks.
Trustpilot: 4.8/5 (863 reviews) — One of the highest Trustpilot scores in the social media scheduling space. Users consistently praise Publer's customer support, value for money, and reliability across platforms.
Review Verdict
Publer wins decisively on user satisfaction. It scores higher on G2 (4.7 vs 4.4) and dramatically higher on Trustpilot (4.8 vs 2.2). While Sprout Social has a larger G2 review base (5,731 vs 486), Publer's Trustpilot score of 4.8/5 from 863 reviews is among the highest in the entire social media tool category. The contrast on Trustpilot — 4.8 vs 2.2 — is one of the starkest we've seen in any comparison.
Who Should Use Sprout Social?
If Sprout Social is on your shortlist, check out our best alternatives to Sprout Social for other options. You can also see how Sprout Social stacks up against Hootsuite, Buffer, Later, and Metricool.
Sprout Social is the better choice if you:
- Run a customer care team that needs sentiment analysis and care reports
- Need review management built into the platform
- Want paid ad insights alongside organic analytics
- Need team productivity reporting and message spike alerts
- Have the budget for $199-$399+/month per seat
- Need helpdesk integrations with Zendesk or Salesforce
- Require a unified social inbox for high-volume DM management
Who Should Use Publer?
If Publer sounds right, you may also want to see our top alternatives to Publer before committing. You can also see how Publer compares to Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, and Metricool.
Publer is the better choice if you:
- Want maximum platform coverage across 13 networks including WordPress, Telegram, and Bluesky
- Need bulk scheduling via CSV for content-heavy workflows
- Want RSS automations to auto-publish from feeds
- Need AI image generation (DALL-E 3) built into the platform
- Want Canva and VistaCreate integration for design workflows
- Prefer starting with a free plan before committing
- Need a tool that costs $5-$21/month instead of $199+/month
- Manage social media on a tight budget without sacrificing platform support
Sized Right for Growing Teams
Sprout Social is overkill for most teams under 50 people. Publer is perfect for solo creators but thin on team features. If you're building a team of 2-10 people and need scheduling, approvals, AI tools, and analytics without the enterprise tax, PostPlanify is purpose-built for you — starting at $19/month with unlimited team members on the Premium plan.
| Feature | Sprout Social | Publer | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $199/mo/seat | $5/mo (1 account) | $19/mo flat |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes | Business only | Yes |
| AI Image Generation | No | Business only (DALL-E 3) | Yes |
| Canva Integration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Bulk Scheduling | No | Yes (CSV) | No |
| Competitor Analysis | $299/mo/seat | Business only | No |
| Approval Workflows | $399/mo/seat | Business plan | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Unlimited Team Members | Enterprise only | Business plan | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Platforms Supported | 8+ | 13 | 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. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
Start growing with PostPlanify — try free
FAQ
Is Publer cheaper than Sprout Social?
Yes, dramatically. Publer has a free plan and paid plans starting at $5/month per account. Sprout Social starts at $199/month per seat with no free plan. For scheduling and publishing, Publer costs 10-40x less than Sprout Social depending on the plan.
Does Sprout Social have a free plan?
No. Sprout Social offers a 30-day free trial but no free plan. Publer has a free plan with 3 social accounts, 10 pending posts per account, and access to most platforms except X/Twitter.
Does Publer support X/Twitter?
Only on paid plans. Publer's free plan does not include X/Twitter. You need the Professional ($5/month) or Business ($10/month) plan to connect X/Twitter accounts.
Which has better analytics — Sprout Social or Publer?
Sprout Social has significantly deeper analytics with custom reports, paid ad insights, customer care metrics, team productivity tracking, and competitor benchmarking. Publer's analytics and competitor analysis are available only on the Business plan. For enterprise reporting needs, Sprout Social is stronger. For basic analytics at a fraction of the cost, Publer Business is sufficient.
Can I switch from Sprout Social to Publer?
Yes. You can reconnect your social accounts to Publer and start scheduling. The main trade-off is losing the Smart Inbox, sentiment analysis, review management, advanced reporting, and helpdesk integrations. You'll gain wider platform support (13 vs 8+), bulk CSV scheduling, RSS automations, and dramatic cost savings.
Which supports more social media platforms?
Publer supports 13 platforms (including WordPress, Telegram, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Google Business Profile). Sprout Social supports 8+ platforms. Publer has significantly wider coverage, though X/Twitter requires a paid plan.
Does Publer have a social inbox?
No. Publer does not offer a unified social inbox, sentiment analysis, or review management. It focuses on scheduling, publishing, and content creation. If inbox management is a core need, Sprout Social's Smart Inbox is far superior.
Does Publer have AI tools?
Yes, but only on the Business plan. Publer's AI Assist includes GPT-4 for caption generation and DALL-E 3 for image generation, with unlimited usage. Sprout Social includes AI Assist on all plans but does not offer AI image generation.
Is Sprout Social worth the price over Publer?
Only if you need the Smart Inbox, sentiment analysis, customer care reports, paid ad insights, review management, or helpdesk integrations. For scheduling, bulk publishing, and multi-platform management, Publer delivers at a fraction of the cost. For a balanced option with AI image generation and flat pricing, PostPlanify starts at $19/month.
Which has better customer support — Sprout Social or Publer?
Based on review scores, Publer has significantly better customer satisfaction. Publer scores 4.8/5 on Trustpilot from 863 reviews, while Sprout Social scores 2.2/5 from 75 reviews. Publer also scores higher on G2 (4.7 vs 4.4). The gap on Trustpilot is among the widest we've seen in the social media tool space.
