Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: Social Media Management Software Compared (2026)
Hootsuite and Sprout Social are two widely compared social media management tools. Hootsuite is a social media management platform for scheduling posts, managing a shared inbox, analytics, social listening and team workflows, priced per user in Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans. Sprout Social is a social media management platform for publishing, a unified inbox, analytics, listening and AI assistance (Trellis), priced per seat in Essentials, Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans.
- Verified 10 Nov 2026Sources are dated on this page
- 3 sourcesLinked, typed and dated
- No winner declaredFit depends on your criteria
- Not tested by Stack18Editorial summary of documented facts
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: the short answer
Hootsuite is a social media management platform for scheduling posts, managing a shared inbox, analytics, social listening and team workflows, priced per user in Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans. Sprout Social is a social media management platform for publishing, a unified inbox, analytics, listening and AI assistance (Trellis), priced per seat in Essentials, Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans. Both are social media management tools, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus.
On pricing, Hootsuite is described as: per user per month, billed annually (monthly rates not published); Sprout Social as: per seat per month; annual cheaper than monthly. Neither documents a permanent free plan in the sources reviewed. Hootsuite is positioned for teams and enterprises that want scheduling, inbox, listening and approvals in one platform, and Sprout Social for brands that want strong analytics, inbox and listening for growing social teams.
Everything below is drawn from the two sourced profiles and the 3 dated sources listed at the end. Where a source does not document something it is marked Unknown, and third-party estimates are labelled. No winner is declared: the better fit depends on your size, budget and requirements.
Hootsuite and Sprout Social at a glance.
One card per product, drawn from each full profile. Open a profile for features, pricing plans, limits and sources.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite · Social Media Management Software
Hootsuite is a social media management platform for scheduling posts, managing a shared inbox, analytics, social listening and team workflows, priced per user in Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans.
- Pricing
- Standard $99, Professional $199, Advanced $399 per user a month billed annually; Enterprise custom.
- Best for
- Teams and enterprises that want scheduling, inbox, listening and approvals in one platform
Sprout Social
Sprout Social · Social Media Management Software
Sprout Social is a social media management platform for publishing, a unified inbox, analytics, listening and AI assistance (Trellis), priced per seat in Essentials, Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans.
- Pricing
- Essentials $79, Standard $199, Professional $299, Advanced $399 per seat a month billed annually.
- Best for
- Brands that want strong analytics, inbox and listening for growing social teams
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: feature-by-feature comparison.
Every row is drawn from the sources listed below. Rows that differ are marked, and you can filter the table to show only those.
- YesDocumented
- PartialAvailable with limits or on some plans
- NoDocumented as unavailable
- UnknownNot documented in the sources reviewed
| Dimension |  Hootsuite |  Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Product | ||
| Product type | YesSocial media management platform | YesSocial media management platform |
| VendorDiffers | YesHootsuite | YesSprout Social |
| Best forDiffers | YesTeams and enterprises that want scheduling, inbox, listening and approvals in one platform | YesBrands that want strong analytics, inbox and listening for growing social teams |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing modelDiffers | PartialPer user per month, billed annually (monthly rates not published). | YesPer seat per month; annual cheaper than monthly. |
| Pricing summaryDiffers | YesStandard $99, Professional $199, Advanced $399 per user a month billed annually; Enterprise custom. | YesEssentials $79, Standard $199, Professional $299, Advanced $399 per seat a month billed annually. |
| Free planDiffers | NoNo (retired 2023) | NoNo |
| Free trialDiffers | YesYes (14 days) | YesYes (30 days) |
| Social Media Management Software criteria | ||
| Pricing modelDiffers | YesPer user, annual | YesPer seat |
| Starting priceDiffers | Yes$99/user/mo | Yes$79/seat/mo (annual) |
| Users included | Yes1 per seat | Yes1 per seat |
| Best forDiffers | YesTeams and enterprises | YesBrand teams |
| Fit and platform | ||
| Team size | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises | YesSmall teams, Mid-size teams, Large enterprises |
| Platforms | YesWeb, iOS, Android | YesWeb, iOS, Android |
| IntegrationsDiffers | YesMajor social networks, Canva, CRM integrations | YesMajor social networks, Salesforce, Zendesk |
| API | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. | UnknownNot reviewed for this profile. |
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social pricing.
Plan names, prices and billing terms as reported in each profile's sources. Taxes, add-ons and discounts are excluded unless stated.
Hootsuite pricing
Per user per month, billed annually (monthly rates not published).
- Standard$99 per user per month · Annual
- Professional$199 per user per month · Annual
- Advanced$399 per user per month · Annual
- EnterpriseCustom · Annual
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. Source is a competing tool; it notes monthly rates are not shown on Hootsuite's pricing page. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Hootsuite plans and sources
Sprout Social pricing
Per seat per month; annual cheaper than monthly.
- Essentials$79 per seat per month · Annual ($99 monthly)
- Standard$199 per seat per month · Annual
- Professional$299 per seat per month · Annual
- Advanced$399 per seat per month · Annual
- EnterpriseCustom · Annual
Prices from independent sources; treat as reported. Source is a third-party guide; only Essentials has a stated monthly rate. Currency: USD. Checked 10 Nov 2026.
All Sprout Social plans and sourcesHootsuite vs Sprout Social: pricing model, ecosystem and fit.
Pricing model and cost drivers
Hootsuite: per user per month, billed annually (monthly rates not published). Source is a competing tool; it notes monthly rates are not shown on Hootsuite's pricing page. Sprout Social: per seat per month; annual cheaper than monthly. Source is a third-party guide; only Essentials has a stated monthly rate. Model costs at your real seat count, usage and contract term before comparing headline prices.
What sets each apart
The Hootsuite profile highlights: per-user pricing with no free plan; listening and employee advocacy on Enterprise; nonprofit discounts up to 60%. The Sprout Social profile highlights: per-seat pricing with five tiers; trellis AI credits per seat; quote-only listening and advocacy add-ons.
Integrations and ecosystem
Hootsuite integrations named in its sources: Major social networks, Canva and CRM integrations. Sprout Social: Major social networks, Salesforce and Zendesk. Check that the connectors you rely on exist on the plan you would buy.
Deployment and team fit
Hootsuite runs on Web, iOS and Android and is documented for small teams, mid-size teams and large enterprises. Sprout Social runs on Web, iOS and Android and is documented for small teams, mid-size teams and large enterprises. We did not test setup or migration.
Hootsuite and Sprout Social: each option, in balance.
Each point is linked to a dated source on the product's profile.
Hootsuite
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- Broad platform covering publishing, inbox, analytics and listening.
- 14-day trial with no card.
- Nonprofit discounts up to 60%.
- No free plan since 2023.
- Every extra user pays full seat price.
- No refunds on self-serve cancellations.
Sprout Social
Strengths and limitations from the profile
- 30-day free trial with no card.
- Unlimited profiles from Professional.
- AI credits included per seat.
- High per-seat prices at scale.
- Listening and advocacy are quote-only add-ons.
- AI overage rates not published.
Hootsuite or Sprout Social: which fits which situation?
No overall winner is declared. The better choice depends on the criteria that matter most to you, so test both against your own requirements.
Choose Hootsuite if you are…
- Teams and enterprises that want scheduling, inbox, listening and approvals in one platform
- Enterprises needing SSO and advocacy
- Nonprofits using HootGiving discounts
Less suited to: solo creators on a budget; agencies needing many cheap seats.
See the Hootsuite profile
Choose Sprout Social if you are…
- Brands that want strong analytics, inbox and listening for growing social teams
- Customer care teams on social
- Agencies with budget for premium tools
Less suited to: solo creators; budget-limited small businesses.
See the Sprout Social profileSwitching between Hootsuite and Sprout Social.
Moving off Hootsuite or Sprout Social means reconnecting every social profile, re-creating scheduled posts and content libraries, rebuilding approval workflows, user roles and report templates, and exporting historical analytics you want to keep. Overlap both tools for one publishing cycle. Schedule one real week of posts and run one client or management report in each shortlisted tool.
- Export a sample of your data and test an import into the other product.
- List the automations, integrations and permissions you would need to rebuild.
- Compare total cost at your real volume, including add-ons and services.
- Pilot with one team before a full cut-over.
- Check contract terms and notice periods with both vendors.
General guidance, not specific to either vendor. Confirm migration options with the vendors.
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: questions and answers
What is the difference between Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Hootsuite is a social media management platform for scheduling posts, managing a shared inbox, analytics, social listening and team workflows, priced per user in Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans. Sprout Social is a social media management platform for publishing, a unified inbox, analytics, listening and AI assistance (Trellis), priced per seat in Essentials, Standard, Professional, Advanced and Enterprise plans. Both are social media management tools, but they differ in pricing model, target team size and focus. Hootsuite is positioned for teams and enterprises that want scheduling, inbox, listening and approvals in one platform; Sprout Social for brands that want strong analytics, inbox and listening for growing social teams.
Is Hootsuite cheaper than Sprout Social?
It depends on your volume and plan. Hootsuite: Standard $99, Professional $199, Advanced $399 per user a month billed annually; Enterprise custom. Sprout Social: Essentials $79, Standard $199, Professional $299, Advanced $399 per seat a month billed annually. Compare both at your real seat count, usage and contract term.
Do Hootsuite or Sprout Social have a free plan?
Neither documents a permanent free plan in the sources reviewed. Hootsuite free trial: Yes (14 days). Sprout Social free trial: Yes (30 days).
Hootsuite or Sprout Social: which is better for small teams?
Hootsuite and Sprout Social are both documented for small teams. Hootsuite suits teams and enterprises that want scheduling, inbox, listening and approvals in one platform; Sprout Social suits brands that want strong analytics, inbox and listening for growing social teams. Neither is best for everyone.
What are the main limitations of Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Hootsuite: No free plan since 2023. Sprout Social: High per-seat prices at scale.
How much does Hootsuite cost?
Standard is $99, Professional $199 and Advanced $399 per user a month billed annually; Enterprise is custom.
How much does Sprout Social cost?
Essentials is $79, Standard $199, Professional $299 and Advanced $399 per seat a month billed annually.
What are the alternatives to Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Stack18 has alternatives guides for both: Hootsuite alternatives and Sprout Social alternatives, each comparing at least four other social media management tools on pricing, free plan, features and fit. The Social Media Management Software category lists every profile.
Where this comparison comes from.
- Hootsuite Pricing, November 2026 NapoleonCat (competing vendor) Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- Social Media Management Software Pricing 2026 CostBench Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
- Sprout Social pricing 2026 eesel AI Third-party Accessed 10 Nov 2026
This comparison summarises the Hootsuite and Sprout Social profiles and their sources. Third-party figures are labelled; confirm current pricing and terms with each vendor. Stack18 has not tested these products.
Ready to test Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Check each vendor's current pricing and terms, run both against a real scenario from your business, or talk to Stack18 if off-the-shelf software is not the answer.
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