Metricool is strongest when you want scheduling and analytics in one place without paying Hootsuite or Sprout Social prices. The free plan is genuinely useful for solo creators, the analytics go deeper than most competitors at this price, and the competitor tracking feature is something you usually don't get without spending $200+/month elsewhere. It's weaker on pure scheduling polish — Buffer's interface is cleaner, Later's visual planner is better for Instagram-first workflows, and some platform integrations (especially TikTok and YouTube Shorts) have quirks that trip people up. If you manage multiple brands on a budget, Metricool is hard to beat. If you only manage one brand and care most about a smooth publishing experience, Buffer or Later will feel better day-to-day.
Starting price: Contact vendor for exact pricing and packaging details.
Pricing model: Free plan + paid tiers.
Deployment: Cloud.
Supported OS: Web, iOS, Android.
Trial status: Free trial available.
What users think
“Competitor tracking included at no extra cost. Biggest frustration: twitter/x costs extra on every plan. Worth testing on the free plan before committing.”
CreatorStackClub Editorial
Reviewer
Metricool is best for
You manage multiple social accounts across different platforms and want scheduling, analytics, and competitor tracking without juggling separate tools. Skip it if you only manage one Instagram account and want the slickest visual planner — Later does that better. The sweet spot is freelancers, small agencies, and social media managers handling 3-15 brands who need real analytics without enterprise pricing.
Why Metricool stands out
Three things make Metricool different from most schedulers: built-in competitor analysis, deep analytics at budget prices, and the forever-free plan. The competitor tracker pulls public data from rival social profiles so you can benchmark engagement, posting frequency, and growth without extra tools. Analytics include best-time-to-post recommendations, hashtag tracking, and audience demographics — features that cost $99+/month at Hootsuite. vs. Buffer: Metricool includes analytics and competitor tracking that Buffer doesn't. vs. Hootsuite: similar features at roughly one-fifth the price. vs. Later: broader platform support beyond Instagram.
Main tradeoff with Metricool
Twitter/X costs extra on every plan: Due to X's API pricing changes, Metricool charges for X access as a separate add-on — it's not included in any plan, not even Enterprise. If X/Twitter is a core part of your social strategy, this adds unexpected cost and friction. Buffer and Later include X in their base pricing. Check the current add-on price before you budget, because this catches a lot of people off guard when they sign up.
Not ideal for
Metricool isn't the right pick if twitter/x costs extra on every plan or tiktok and youtube shorts publishing has quirks would be dealbreakers for your workflow.
How to evaluate the pricing
The free plan works if you manage one brand and post under 50 times a month — that's roughly 12 posts per week, which covers most solo creators. Starter ($18/month annually) makes sense once you add a second brand or need competitor tracking and exportable reports. Test the free plan for at least two weeks before upgrading — it'll show you whether the interface clicks with your workflow. Don't go annual until you've confirmed that TikTok and YouTube posting work reliably for your content types, since those integrations have known quirks.
