SocialBee review: $29 a month and a category queue
SocialBee is a scheduler built around content categories, so the queue keeps your mix balanced instead of asking you to plan every slot. Our check of socialbee.com on 15 June 2026 recorded Bootstrap at $29 a month for 5 profiles, Accelerate at $49 and Pro at $99, with no free plan.
The short answer
Buy SocialBee Buy SocialBee Bootstrap if you post to several platforms on a repeating topic mix and want the queue to hold that mix for you. Bootstrap was $29 a month for 5 social profiles when we checked socialbee.com on 15 June 2026, with the annual rate recorded as $24.20 a month, which is $290.40 across a year.
Skip it if you post to one or two channels and plan each slot yourself. Buffer charges $5 per channel a month on Essentials, verified 1 October 2026, so two channels is $10 a month there against $29 for a SocialBee plan whose category engine you would not use.
Where SocialBee fits
SocialBee is a queue with opinions. You define categories such as tips, promotions, curated links and personal stories, give each one a posting schedule, and the tool cycles through them so the feed stays mixed without you deciding what goes out on Thursday. If you plan content in batches by topic, that is the feature that earns the subscription.
Evergreen recycling is the other half of the idea. A post marked evergreen returns to its category queue after publishing instead of expiring, which suits platforms where a post has a short life and a new follower has never seen your best one. It also means a stale post can resurface, so expiry dates need maintaining.
The pricing is flat per plan and metered by social profiles rather than by seats or posts. Our 15 June 2026 check recorded Bootstrap at $29 a month for 5 profiles, Accelerate at $49 for 10, and Pro at $99 for 25 profiles across 5 workspaces. Two agency tiers sat above that, Pro50 at $179 a month and Pro100 at $329.
On the annual rates the same check recorded Bootstrap at $24.20 a month, Accelerate at $40.80 and Pro at $82.50. Across a year Bootstrap is $290.40 against $348 monthly, a saving of $57.60 by our own arithmetic, and Pro is $990 against $1,188. The snapshot describes the annual discount as roughly 16 per cent, which is an approximation rather than a published rate, so use the two monthly figures and do the sum yourself.
There is no free plan. A 14-day trial with no credit card is the whole of the free path, which puts SocialBee in the same position as Taplio, whose Starter plan was $39 a month on our 15 June 2026 check, and against Buffer, which still had a $0 plan when we checked it on 1 October 2026.
Against the category, SocialBee is priced between the per-channel tools and the agency platforms. Buffer charges $5 per channel a month on Essentials, verified 1 October 2026, so five channels there is $25 a month against $29 for Bootstrap's 5 profiles. Metricool was $20 a month on Starter and $53 on Advanced, verified 6 October 2026. Hootsuite starts at $99 a month on Standard, verified 1 October 2026, which is the same figure as SocialBee's Pro tier.
All of these SocialBee figures were last verified on 15 June 2026, four months before this review, and we have not checked them since. Profile allowances and user counts are exactly the sort of thing that gets repackaged between tiers, so read the current rate card before committing. The social media scheduling category lists the alternatives with their own check dates.
SocialBee pricing
SocialBee charges a flat monthly fee per plan and meters by social profiles and users. Every figure below comes from our check of socialbee.com on 15 June 2026 and has not been re-verified since, so treat it as a starting point rather than today's price.
| Plan | Price | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Bootstrap | $29/mo | $24.20/mo billed annually. 5 social profiles, 1 user |
| Accelerate | $49/mo | $40.80/mo billed annually. 10 social profiles, 1 user |
| Pro | $99/mo | $82.50/mo billed annually. 25 profiles, 5 workspaces, 3 users per workspace |
| Pro50 | $179/mo | $149.20/mo billed annually. For agencies running around 50 profiles |
| Pro100 | $329/mo | $274.20/mo billed annually. For agencies running around 100 profiles |
| Free trial | $0 for 14 days | All plans, no credit card required. There is no permanent free plan |
Profiles and users set the tier, and the tier sets the bill. Five things to count before you pick one:
- Connected social profiles. Five on Bootstrap, ten on Accelerate and 25 on Pro as of 15 June 2026, and a profile is each account rather than each network.
- Users. Bootstrap and Accelerate carried one user each on our check, with 3 per workspace on Pro at $99 a month, so a second person is a tier decision.
- Workspaces, which matter if you manage clients. Pro carried 5 on the same check and the cheaper tiers carried one.
- Billing period. Bootstrap was $24.20 a month annually against $29 monthly, which is $290.40 against $348 across a year, a difference of $57.60.
- Agency volume. Pro50 at $179 a month and Pro100 at $329 are the tiers for 50 and 100 profiles, and annually those were $149.20 and $274.20.
SocialBee pricing against the other schedulers
SocialBee sits in the middle of this category. Buffer prices per channel at $5 a month on Essentials, verified 1 October 2026, so five channels is $25 a month, slightly under Bootstrap's $29 for five profiles, and Buffer also still has a free plan. Metricool was $20 a month on Starter and $53 on Advanced, verified 6 October 2026, and includes analytics that SocialBee keeps shallow. Hootsuite was $99 a month on Standard and $199 on Professional, verified 1 October 2026, and Sprout Social was $99 per seat a month on Essentials, verified 6 October 2026, which is where you go for approval workflows rather than a category queue. Those four dates are more recent than SocialBee's, so this is not a like-for-like comparison.
SocialBee billing terms worth knowing
The user count on the cheaper tiers is the term that surprises people, because the profile allowance looks generous next to it.
- Free plan
- None. A 14-day trial on any plan with no credit card, as of 15 June 2026.
- Bootstrap
- $29 per month for 5 profiles, or $24.20 billed annually. That is $348 or $290.40 across a year.
- Accelerate
- $49 per month for 10 profiles, or $40.80 billed annually. That is $588 or $489.60 across a year.
- Pro
- $99 per month for 25 profiles, or $82.50 billed annually. That is $1,188 or $990 across a year.
- Users
- One user on Bootstrap and Accelerate, 3 per workspace on Pro, as recorded on 15 June 2026.
- Annual discount
- Described in our snapshot as roughly 16 per cent, which is approximate. The recorded rates are the reliable part.
- Check date
- 15 June 2026. Not re-verified since, so confirm before buying.
These figures carry a June 2026 date and should be read as such. If the current rate card differs, the rate card is right and this page is stale. Our creator tool cost calculators will total a publishing stack once you have today's numbers.
What SocialBee gives up
There is no free plan, so the floor is $29 a month, or $24.20 annually, which is $290.40 across a year. Buffer still had a $0 plan when we checked it on 1 October 2026, and that is the honest comparison for anyone posting lightly.
One user on the two cheaper tiers is the limit people meet first. A second person means Pro at $99 a month, or $82.50 annually, or paying for an add-on seat, which turns a $29 plan into a different budget entirely.
Team collaboration is thin next to the platforms built for it. If posts need approving before they publish, Sprout Social at $99 per seat a month on Essentials, verified 6 October 2026, or Hootsuite at $99 a month on Standard, verified 1 October 2026, do that job properly.
Analytics are adequate rather than deep. You get the posting numbers and little in the way of competitive or audience analysis, which is where Metricool at $20 a month on Starter, verified 6 October 2026, makes a cheaper and more pointed argument.
The mobile app trails the web app, so approving or rescheduling from a phone is slower than it should be. For a tool whose selling point is keeping a queue full, that is a real friction rather than a cosmetic one.
The interface gets heavy once the queue is large. Categories, evergreen flags and expiry dates all need maintaining, and a neglected evergreen queue republishes something you no longer stand behind, which is a content risk rather than a software one.
Our pricing evidence is from 15 June 2026, the weakest part of this page. Four months is long enough for profile allowances, user counts or the annual discount to move, and the discount in our snapshot is already described in approximate terms.
How SocialBee compares
The three tools below are the ones weighed against SocialBee, and the axis is a structured queue against per-channel cost and depth of reporting. Prices are each vendor's published rates with the date we checked them, and those dates differ by nearly four months, so read them with that in mind. The wider field sits in the social media scheduling category.
| Tool | Best for | Price | Where it breaks |
|---|---|---|---|
| SocialBee | A repeating topic mix across several platforms | $29/mo Bootstrap, $99/mo Pro (June 2026) | No free plan, and one user on the cheaper tiers |
| Buffer | Simple scheduling priced per channel | Free, $5/mo per channel Essentials | Per-channel pricing adds up as the channel list grows |
| Hootsuite | Approvals and inbox work in a bigger team | $99/mo Standard, $199/mo Professional | Starts where SocialBee's agency tier does, with no cheap entry |
| Metricool | Scheduling with proper analytics attached | Free, $20/mo Starter, $53/mo Advanced | No category queue or evergreen recycling |
What to test in the SocialBee 14-day trial
The trial ran 14 days on any plan with no credit card on our 15 June 2026 check. Confirm that first, because every figure here is four months old and trial terms change quietly.
- Check the current rates, profile allowances and user counts on socialbee.com/pricing. Our figures are from June 2026 and this is the step not to take on trust.
- Build three real categories and fill each with five posts. The category engine is the product, and an empty queue tells you nothing about whether it suits how you plan.
- Count your connected profiles honestly. Five on Bootstrap at $29 a month covers one account per network and no more.
- Decide how many people need logins. One user on Bootstrap and Accelerate means a second person pushes you to Pro at $99 a month, or $82.50 annually.
- Mark a post evergreen and watch it come back round, then set an expiry date on it. Recycling is the feature most likely to embarrass you if left unattended.
- Compare the per-channel maths before you commit: Buffer at $5 per channel a month, verified 1 October 2026, is $25 a month for five channels against $29 for Bootstrap.
- If reporting matters more than the queue, price Metricool at $20 a month on Starter, verified 6 October 2026, and total both options for a year with the cost calculators.
SocialBee questions buyers ask
How much does SocialBee cost per month?
SocialBee has three main plans: Bootstrap at $29/month (5 social profiles, 1 user), Accelerate at $49/month (10 profiles, 1 user), and Pro at $99/month (25 profiles, 5 workspaces, 3 users per workspace). Annual billing saves about 16%, bringing Bootstrap down to $24.20/month. Higher-volume plans (Pro50 at $179/month, Pro100 at $329/month) exist for agencies managing 50-100+ profiles. AI features and Canva integration are included on all plans.
Does SocialBee have a free plan or free trial?
SocialBee does not have a permanent free plan. It offers a 14-day free trial on all plans with no credit card required. During the trial, you get full access to the plan's features including AI copilot, content categories, and all platform integrations. After 14 days, you need to pick a paid plan or lose access. If you need free social scheduling, Buffer offers a free plan for 3 channels and Publer offers a free plan for 3 accounts.
Who is SocialBee best for?
SocialBee is best for solo creators, coaches, consultants, and small businesses who post consistently across multiple platforms and want a structured content system. The content category feature works especially well if you plan your content in batches around topics (tips, promotions, curated links, personal stories). It's less ideal for large teams needing advanced collaboration, visual-first Instagram planners, or creators who only post on one or two platforms.
SocialBee vs Buffer: which is better?
Buffer is simpler, easier to learn, and has a free plan. SocialBee is more powerful for creators who want structured content categories, evergreen recycling, and a built-in AI content strategist. Choose Buffer if you want basic scheduling at the lowest cost. Choose SocialBee if you post across 4+ platforms and want your content mix managed automatically. On price, Buffer charges $5 per channel a month on Essentials, verified 1 October 2026, so five channels is $25 a month, against $29 a month for SocialBee's Bootstrap plan and its five social profiles, verified 15 June 2026. SocialBee gives you more features at that point, but Buffer's simplicity is a real advantage if you do not need them.
What social media platforms does SocialBee support?
SocialBee supports Facebook (pages and groups), Instagram (feed, stories, reels), X (Twitter), LinkedIn (profiles and pages), Pinterest, Google Business Profile, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, and Bluesky. That's 10+ platforms, which is broader than most competitors in this price range. You can customize posts per platform (different captions, images, and hashtags for each) from a single content creation screen.
Is SocialBee good for Instagram scheduling?
SocialBee handles Instagram scheduling well: you can schedule feed posts, stories, and reels with auto-publishing. However, it doesn't offer a visual grid preview like Later does, which matters if your Instagram aesthetic is important to your brand. If Instagram is your primary platform and you care about how your grid looks before posting, Later is a stronger choice. If Instagram is one of several platforms you manage, SocialBee's multi-platform approach works fine.
What does SocialBee's evergreen recycling do?
Evergreen recycling automatically re-queues posts after they've been published, so your best content keeps going out to new followers without manual re-posting. You mark posts as 'evergreen' or 'non-evergreen' when creating them. Evergreen posts loop back into your category queue after publishing. Non-evergreen posts publish once and stop. You can set expiration dates for seasonal content. This feature is particularly useful on high-volume platforms like X where posts have a short lifespan.
Can teams collaborate in SocialBee?
Yes, but the collaboration features are basic compared to enterprise tools. The Bootstrap plan ($29/month) only includes 1 user. Accelerate ($49/month) also includes 1 user per workspace. Pro ($99/month) includes 3 users per workspace across 5 workspaces. You can add extra users as paid add-ons. Roles include admin and editor permissions. For small teams (2-3 people), it's workable. For agencies with complex approval workflows, Hootsuite or Sprout Social offer more reliable team features.
Is SocialBee worth the money?
SocialBee is worth it if you actually use the content category system and evergreen recycling: those features justify the price over cheaper alternatives. If you're just scheduling individual posts on a calendar, you're paying $29/month for features you could get free with Buffer. The value equation depends on your posting volume and complexity: creators posting 15+ times per week across 4+ platforms will save significant time. Creators posting 3-5 times per week on 1-2 platforms should start with a cheaper tool.
Can I cancel SocialBee anytime?
Yes. SocialBee subscriptions can be cancelled anytime from your account settings. Monthly plans stop at the end of the current billing cycle: no refund for unused days. Annual plans can be cancelled but you won't get a prorated refund for remaining months. SocialBee doesn't send renewal reminders (a common complaint), so set your own calendar reminder if you're on the fence. Your content and connected accounts remain accessible until your plan expires.