VS

Hootsuite vs Sprout Social

Hootsuite: Plan, schedule and track posts across all your social accounts, with an AI writing helper built in. Sprout Social: All-in-one social media suite for publishing, engagement, listening and reporting, with AI assists. Here is how they compare on features, pricing, platforms, pros and cons.

Quick verdict

Hootsuite

Best for: Marketing teams and agencies that manage several brands on many networks.

Stands out for: Very mature and widely used; Supports most major networks.

Sprout Social

Best for: Mid-size and larger teams that need strong reporting and customer care on social.

Stands out for: Polished, easy-to-read reports; Excellent shared inbox.

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of Hootsuite, Sprout Social
Hootsuite
Visit hootsuite.com (opens in a new tab)
Sprout Social
Visit sproutsocial.com (opens in a new tab)
What it isPlan, schedule and track posts across all your social accounts, with an AI writing helper built in.All-in-one social media suite for publishing, engagement, listening and reporting, with AI assists.
Pricing
Free trialFree trial; paid plans after
Free trial
Free to useNoNo
CategoryAI Social MediaAI Social Media
Editor rank#1 in category#2 in category
Made byHootsuiteSprout Social
Best forMarketing teams and agencies that manage several brands on many networks.Mid-size and larger teams that need strong reporting and customer care on social.
Key features
  • One calendar for many social networks
  • OwlyWriter AI for captions and post ideas
  • Shared inbox for comments and messages
  • Analytics and social listening reports
  • Smart inbox that groups messages from all networks
  • Publishing calendar with approval steps
  • AI-assisted replies and post writing
  • In-depth reports and listening tools
Pros
  • Very mature and widely used
  • Supports most major networks
  • Strong team and approval tools
  • Polished, easy-to-read reports
  • Excellent shared inbox
Cons
  • Paid plans only after the trial
  • Can feel heavy for a single creator
  • Higher cost than simpler schedulers
  • More than a solo user needs
Use it to
  • Schedule a month of posts in one sitting
  • Draft captions for a product launch
  • Reply to comments from every network in one place
  • Answer customer messages from several networks
  • Build a monthly performance report
  • Track what people say about your brand
Web app
iPhone & iPad
Android

Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: questions

Is Hootsuite better than Sprout Social?

Neither wins for everyone. Our editors rank Hootsuite slightly higher overall in AI Social Media, but Sprout Social can be the better fit: Mid-size and larger teams that need strong reporting and customer care on social.

Which is free, Hootsuite or Sprout Social?

Neither has an ongoing free plan: Hootsuite is free trial and Sprout Social is free trial.

Can I use Hootsuite and Sprout Social together?

Yes. Many people keep both and pick per task, for example schedule a month of posts in one sitting with Hootsuite, and answer customer messages from several networks with Sprout Social.

More comparisons