Metricool vs Hootsuite (2026): Which Social Media Tool Is Right for You?
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The short answer
If you manage your own social accounts or those of a few clients and you watch your budget, Metricool is the better choice for most people in 2026: it has a real free plan, its paid tier starts around $20/month, and it was built in Spanish from the ground up. Hootsuite makes sense when you're a large team or company that needs approval workflows across several people and doesn't mind paying from $99/month per user.
Put simply: you don't need the most famous tool, you need the right one for your size. Here's why, with the real prices.
Quick comparison
| Metricool | Hootsuite |
|---|
| Free plan | ✅ Yes, real and forever (1 brand) | ❌ No longer exists |
|---|---|---|
| Paid entry price | ~$20/mo annual ($25 monthly) | $99/mo (1 user) |
| Next tier | ~$53/mo annual (up to 15 brands) | $249/mo (3 users) |
| Billing model | By number of brands | By user |
| Native Spanish | ✅ Spanish company, Spanish support | Partial (translated UI) |
| Trial | Permanent free plan | 30 days free |
| Payment | Card or PayPal | Card or PayPal |
| Best for | Creators, freelancers, SMBs, small agencies | Large teams and enterprises |
Price: the biggest difference
There's no middle ground here. Metricool starts free, and its first paid plan, Starter, costs around $20/month billed annually (or $25 monthly). For that you manage up to 5 brands, with unlimited publishing, LinkedIn, and full analytics history.
Hootsuite dropped its free plan a while ago. Today its entry point is the Professional plan at $99/month (about $83/month if billed annually) for a single user and 10 accounts. Moving up to the Team plan, which adds team collaboration with approvals, costs $249/month.
The gap is huge: what you'd pay for one month of Hootsuite Professional buys you almost half a year of Metricool. For a business that's just starting or watching every dollar, that settles it.
The free plan: Metricool has one, Hootsuite doesn't
This matters more than it seems. When you're starting out, being able to use a tool for free for real —not a 30-day trial that bills you afterward— lets you learn, publish, and grow without pressure. Metricool's free plan lets you connect one brand, schedule content, and see your basic metrics at no cost and with no expiration date.
Hootsuite, by contrast, gives you a 30-day trial and then there's no way around it: you either pay $99/month or lose access. For a company with budget, no problem. For a creator or a new business, it is.
Language: a real Metricool advantage
Metricool is a Spanish company. You feel it in the support, the documentation, and the resources, all built in Spanish from the start, not half-translated. If you work in Spanish, that saves real friction: you learn the tool faster and get help in your language.
Hootsuite has a translated interface, but its ecosystem —help, community, materials— is still mostly in English. It's not a flaw, but it's a factor if Spanish is your working language.
Analytics and reporting: both are strong
Here both deliver, and well. Metricool stands out for its analytics and competitor tracking at a very low price: you can monitor up to 100 competitor profiles and export PDF reports, even on affordable plans. It's among the best in its price range.
Hootsuite offers robust analytics, social listening, and very complete reports, but that depth lives in its expensive plans. If your priority is serious reporting without overspending, Metricool gives you more for your money.
Who is each one for?
Choose Metricool if:
- You manage your own social accounts or those of a few clients.
- You watch your budget or you're just starting.
- You work in Spanish and want support in your language.
- You want a genuinely free tool to learn on before paying.
- You're a multi-person team that needs internal approvals.
- Your company handles many accounts and many users.
- Budget isn't the priority and you need enterprise-level features.
Final verdict
For the vast majority of entrepreneurs, creators, and small businesses —especially if you work in Spanish— Metricool is the smarter choice in 2026. It gives you a real free plan, a price that won't scare you, and excellent analytics for what it costs. Hootsuite is still a great tool, but its price and per-user model place it squarely on the side of large teams and enterprises.
If you want to start without spending, [try Metricool free here](https://f.mtr.cool/nexgoai) and upgrade only when you need to. If you're a large team, [check out Hootsuite's plans](https://hootsuite.com) and use its 30-day trial.
Frequently asked questions
Is Metricool cheaper than Hootsuite? Yes, by a lot. Metricool has a free plan and its paid version starts at ~$20/month, while Hootsuite starts at $99/month per user.
Does Hootsuite have a free plan? No. Hootsuite removed its free plan; today it only offers a 30-day trial and then charges from $99/month.
Which is better for a single person? Metricool. Its free plan or Starter tier more than cover a creator or freelancer, at a fraction of Hootsuite's cost.
Which is better for a large team? Hootsuite, thanks to its approval workflows and per-user management built for companies.
> Not sure which one fits you? Use the [NexGoAI AIFinder](/#finder): it recommends the right tool based on your goal, budget, and situation, in seconds.