Sprout Social and Tailwind are about as different as two social media tools can be. One is a CRM-powered enterprise platform; the other is a visual scheduling tool built around Pinterest. This comparison examines pricing, features, platform support, and user reviews to help you determine which one actually serves your needs.
Sprout Social combines publishing, CRM, social listening, and a Smart Inbox into an enterprise suite priced at $199+ per seat. Tailwind pairs Pinterest and Instagram scheduling with built-in design tools and e-commerce integrations for under $30/month. These tools rarely compete head to head, but if you are evaluating both, we clarify exactly where each delivers — and where each falls short. Comparing the full market? Browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Sprout Social vs Tailwind at a Glance
| Category | Sprout Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $199/mo per seat | Free (5 posts/mo, 3 accounts) |
| Free Plan | No (30-day trial) | Yes (very limited) |
| Platforms Supported | 10+ | 3 (Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook) |
| Unlimited Scheduling | All plans | Max plan ($99.99/mo) |
| AI Tools | AI Assist (captions, replies) | Ghostwriter AI, Tailwind Create |
| AI Image Generation | No | No |
| Design Tools | No | Tailwind Create (templates) |
| Team Collaboration | All plans (limited seats) | Max plan (up to 5 users) |
| Approval Workflows | Professional+ ($299/mo/seat) | No |
| Social Inbox | Smart Inbox (all plans) | No |
| Social Listening | Advanced+ | No |
| CRM | Yes (built-in) | No |
| G2 Rating | 4.4/5 (3,827 reviews) | 4.3/5 (141 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 1.2/5 (71 reviews) | 3.5/5 (302 reviews) |
| Best For | Large teams needing CRM + analytics | Pinterest-focused creators and e-commerce sellers |
Sprout Social Overview
Sprout Social is an enterprise social media management platform that combines publishing, engagement, analytics, and CRM into a unified suite. It supports 10+ platforms including Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, Google Business, and WhatsApp.
Key features include a Smart Inbox for unified message management, social listening and sentiment analysis, a built-in CRM with contact profiles and conversation history, advanced analytics with custom and scheduled reports, competitor analysis and benchmarking, team approval workflows and task assignment, employee advocacy tools, and a chatbot builder for automated responses.
Sprout Social's Standard plan starts at $199/month per seat with 5 social profiles. The Professional plan at $299/month per seat adds unlimited profiles, approval workflows, and competitor reports. The Advanced plan at $399/month per seat includes social listening, sentiment analysis, and chatbots.
Sprout Social is built for mid-to-large teams that need deep analytics, CRM integration, and enterprise-grade social listening. Read real user reviews of Sprout Social from G2 and Trustpilot.
Tailwind Overview
Tailwind is a social media scheduling and design platform built specifically for Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Rather than competing as a general-purpose tool, Tailwind goes deep on visual content creation and optimization for discovery-based platforms.
Key features include SmartSchedule for optimal posting times, Ghostwriter AI for captions and descriptions, Tailwind Create (a design tool with customizable templates), Tailwind Communities for collaborative content sharing, Smart.bio (link-in-bio), SmartPin, SmartLoop for evergreen content resharing, Canva integration on paid plans, bulk uploads, and e-commerce integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and WordPress. Browser extensions and a mobile app are included.
Tailwind's pricing is tiered with post limits. The Free plan allows 5 posts per month. Pro costs $29.99/month (introductory rate $24.99) for 150 posts, 3 accounts, and 1 user. Advanced is $54.99/month for 300 posts, 6 accounts, and 2 users. Max is $99.99/month for unlimited posts, 9 accounts, and 5 users.
Tailwind is best suited for Pinterest-focused creators, e-commerce sellers, and visual content marketers who want scheduling paired with design tools. Read real user reviews of Tailwind from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
Sprout Social Pricing
See the full Sprout Social pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Profiles | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $199/mo per seat | 5 | Smart Inbox, scheduling, basic analytics |
| Professional | $299/mo per seat | Unlimited | Approval workflows, competitor reports, tagging |
| Advanced | $399/mo per seat | Unlimited | Social listening, sentiment analysis, chatbots |
A single user on the Standard plan costs $199/month. A 3-person team on Professional costs $897/month. A 5-person team on Advanced costs $1,995/month.
Tailwind Pricing
See the full Tailwind pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Posts/Month | Accounts | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 5 | 3 (1 per platform) | 1 |
| Pro | $29.99/mo | 150 | 3 | 1 |
| Advanced | $54.99/mo | 300 | 6 | 2 |
| Max | $99.99/mo | Unlimited | 9 | 5 |
Tailwind offers introductory pricing ($24.99, $49.99, $94.99) that renews at the standard rates above. Post limits apply on all plans except Max. The free plan allows only 5 posts per month total.
Price Verdict
Tailwind is a fraction of Sprout Social's cost. Sprout Social's cheapest plan ($199/seat) costs double Tailwind's most expensive plan ($99.99 for Max with unlimited posts and 5 users). However, these tools are not substitutes — Sprout Social provides CRM, social listening, a Smart Inbox, and enterprise analytics that Tailwind simply does not offer. The price comparison is only relevant if both tools can serve your actual workflow.
Feature Comparison
We compared both platforms across five key categories to see where each delivers the most value.
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Sprout Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Scheduling | All plans | Max plan only ($99.99/mo) |
| Bulk Scheduling | Yes (CSV import) | Bulk uploads |
| Content Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Scheduling | Optimal send times (ViralPost) | SmartSchedule (optimal times) |
| Post Recycling | No | SmartLoop (evergreen resharing) |
| First Comment | Yes | No |
Winner: Sprout Social for cross-platform publishing. Unlimited scheduling on all plans across 10+ platforms with bulk CSV import gives Sprout Social publishing superiority. Tailwind's SmartSchedule and SmartLoop are excellent for Pinterest, but post limits and 3-platform support restrict its scope significantly.
AI Tools
| Feature | Sprout Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| AI Caption Generation | AI Assist | Ghostwriter AI |
| AI Reply Suggestions | Yes | No |
| AI Design Tool | No | Tailwind Create (templates) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No |
| AI Sentiment Analysis | Advanced plan | No |
Winner: Tie. Sprout Social's AI Assist covers captions and reply suggestions with sentiment analysis on Advanced. Tailwind counters with Ghostwriter AI plus Tailwind Create for design generation. The winner depends on whether you need engagement AI (Sprout) or design AI (Tailwind).
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Sprout Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Post Analytics | All plans | Paid plans |
| Custom Reports | Professional+ | No |
| Competitor Analysis | Professional+ | No |
| Sentiment Tracking | Advanced | No |
| Scheduled Reports | Yes | No |
| Export Options | All plans | No |
Winner: Sprout Social. This is not a close comparison. Sprout Social offers custom reports, competitor analysis, sentiment tracking, and scheduled report delivery. Tailwind provides basic analytics limited to 3 platforms with no custom reporting, competitor tracking, or export options.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Sprout Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-User Access | All plans (per-seat) | Advanced+ (2-5 users) |
| Approval Workflows | Professional+ ($299/seat) | No |
| Task Assignment | Yes | No |
| CRM Contact Profiles | Yes | No |
| Employee Advocacy | Yes | No |
| Content Communities | No | Tailwind Communities |
Winner: Sprout Social. Approval workflows, task assignment, CRM profiles, and employee advocacy tools make Sprout Social the definitive choice for team collaboration. Tailwind has no approval workflows, caps users at 5, and offers no team management features beyond Tailwind Communities.
Platform Support
| Platform | Sprout Social | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X/Twitter | Yes | No |
| Yes | No | |
| TikTok | Yes | No |
| YouTube | Yes | No |
| Threads | Yes | No |
| Google Business | Yes | No |
| Yes | No |
Winner: Sprout Social. Sprout Social supports 10+ platforms versus Tailwind's 3. Tailwind is limited to Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. For any strategy that includes X/Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, or Google Business, Tailwind is not viable.
What Real Users Say
We looked at ratings on G2 and Trustpilot to understand how real users feel about each platform.
Sprout Social Reviews
G2: 4.4/5 (3,827 reviews) — Users value the Smart Inbox, detailed analytics, and publishing tools. Common complaints include high per-seat pricing, features locked behind expensive tiers, and a learning curve for new users.
Trustpilot: 1.2/5 (71 reviews) — Very low rating with complaints about aggressive billing, difficult cancellation, lack of refunds, and customer support issues.
Tailwind Reviews
G2: 4.3/5 (141 reviews) — Users appreciate Tailwind's Pinterest scheduling, SmartSchedule, and design tools. Some reviewers note the narrow platform support and post caps on lower tiers.
Trustpilot: 3.5/5 (302 reviews) — A moderate rating with users praising Pinterest features. Some complaints reference renewal pricing being higher than introductory rates and occasional scheduling issues.
Review Verdict
Sprout Social scores higher on G2 (4.4 vs 4.3) with a much larger review base (3,827 vs 141). On Trustpilot, the gap reverses dramatically: Tailwind's 3.5/5 (302 reviews) far exceeds Sprout Social's 1.2/5 (71 reviews). Sprout Social's extremely low Trustpilot score suggests serious billing and cancellation issues. Tailwind users report moderate satisfaction with Pinterest-specific features, while Sprout Social users appreciate the tool's capabilities but frequently complain about its cost and billing practices.
These tools attract fundamentally different user bases. Sprout Social reviewers are enterprise professionals evaluating CRM and analytics features. Tailwind reviewers are creators and small business owners focused on Pinterest growth. Both user bases report satisfaction with the core value proposition of each tool — the divergence comes from billing practices and perceived value for money.
Who Should Use Sprout Social?
If Sprout Social is on your list, check out our best alternatives to Sprout Social for a broader view. Also compare Sprout Social with Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, and Sendible.
- Large teams that need a CRM-grade social media suite with contact profiles
- Organizations requiring social listening and sentiment analysis for brand monitoring
- Enterprises that need a Smart Inbox unifying messages, comments, and DMs
- Businesses with the budget for $199-$399/month per seat
- Teams requiring chatbot builders, review management, or employee advocacy
- Agencies that need competitor benchmarking and detailed performance analytics
Who Should Use Tailwind?
If you are considering Tailwind, also explore our Tailwind alternatives page and see how Tailwind compares to Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, and Metricool.
- Pinterest-first marketers who need SmartSchedule and SmartLoop for growth
- E-commerce sellers integrating Shopify or WooCommerce with Pinterest
- Visual content creators who want built-in design tools (Tailwind Create)
- Small businesses posting exclusively on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook
- Creators who benefit from Tailwind Communities for collaborative sharing
- Users seeking an affordable alternative to enterprise tools for Pinterest workflows
CRM-Level Features Without CRM-Level Pricing
Sprout Social's CRM and analytics come at $199+ per seat. Tailwind's design tools only cover 3 platforms. PostPlanify delivers unlimited scheduling across 9 platforms, AI tools, team collaboration, and Canva integration starting at $19/month — giving you cross-platform power without enterprise pricing or platform limitations.
| Feature | Sprout Social | Tailwind | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $199/mo per seat | Free (5 posts/mo) | $19/mo |
| Unlimited Scheduling | All plans | $99.99/mo (Max) | All paid plans |
| AI Caption Generation | AI Assist | Ghostwriter AI | Yes (unlimited) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No | Yes |
| Canva Integration | Yes | Yes (paid plans) | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | $299/mo per seat | No | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Analytics | All plans (per-seat) | Paid plans | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Platforms Supported | 10+ | 3 | 9 |
PostPlanify's $19/month Starter plan includes unlimited scheduling, AI captions, AI image generation, and Canva integration — features that cost $199+ per seat on Sprout Social. The $99/month Premium plan adds unlimited accounts, unlimited team members, approval workflows, and analytics across 9 platforms. No per-seat fees, no 3-platform ceiling.
For teams that need more than Tailwind's niche offering but find Sprout Social's pricing prohibitive, PostPlanify fills the gap. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page. Start your free trial today.
Try PostPlanify free for 7 days
FAQ
Is Sprout Social or Tailwind better for Pinterest?
Tailwind is far better for Pinterest. SmartSchedule, SmartLoop, SmartPin, and Tailwind Communities are purpose-built for Pinterest growth. Sprout Social supports Pinterest but offers no Pinterest-specific optimization or community features.
Can Tailwind replace Sprout Social?
Only if your social strategy is limited to Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Tailwind cannot replace Sprout Social's CRM, Smart Inbox, social listening, sentiment analysis, competitor benchmarking, or multi-platform publishing. For Pinterest-heavy workflows, Tailwind is the better tool at a fraction of the price.
Why is Sprout Social so much more expensive than Tailwind?
Sprout Social is an enterprise CRM-grade platform that includes social listening, sentiment analysis, a Smart Inbox, advanced analytics, and team collaboration. Its per-seat pricing model makes costs multiply with each team member. Tailwind is a niche scheduling tool for 3 platforms with design features, which justifies its lower price point.
Does Tailwind have a social inbox or CRM?
No. Tailwind does not offer a social inbox, CRM, social listening, or any engagement management features. These are Sprout Social's core differentiators. If managing conversations and customer relationships through social media is part of your workflow, Tailwind is not suitable.
Which tool has better design capabilities?
Tailwind wins with Tailwind Create, a built-in design tool that generates social media graphics from templates. Sprout Social has no native design tools. Users who need to create visuals alongside scheduling will find Tailwind's design features valuable.
Is Tailwind's free plan usable?
Barely. Tailwind's free plan allows only 5 posts per month, 5 AI credits, and 5 designs across 3 accounts (1 per platform). It is useful for testing the tool but insufficient for any ongoing social media strategy. Sprout Social offers no free plan, only a 30-day trial.
Which has better analytics?
Sprout Social has vastly superior analytics with custom reports, competitor analysis, sentiment tracking, and scheduled report delivery. Tailwind's analytics are basic and limited to its 3 supported platforms. If data-driven decision making is a priority, Sprout Social is the only choice between these two.
Do both tools support e-commerce integrations?
Tailwind integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Squarespace, and WordPress for e-commerce workflows focused on Pinterest. Sprout Social does not offer direct e-commerce platform integrations but provides Salesforce integration for CRM. Tailwind is better for product-based Pinterest marketing, while Sprout Social is better for customer relationship management.
Does Tailwind have approval workflows?
No. Tailwind does not offer approval workflows on any plan. Sprout Social includes approval workflows on the Professional plan ($299/month per seat). If structured content review and team sign-off are essential to your workflow, Tailwind is not the right tool. Consider Sprout Social, Buffer, or PostPlanify for approval-ready alternatives.
