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Best Social Media Scheduling Apps of 2022
Are you managing the social media presence of a large company? Or are you an influencer in the making looking to give your online following a boost? You've come to the right place.

Table of Contents
Your go-to for all things social media
Fully living up to our expectations, this platform seems to have everything an app of its kind should.
Why we chose Buffer:
- It covers a wide selection of social media and lets you post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn
- Offers an equally good set of options for each platform - from tagging to hashtags and beyond
- Customizable and reliable, it can be adapted to suit just about anyone's needs
- Excellent for both the individual entrepreneur as well as a bigger company
- Boasts a great analytics tool included in upgraded accounts for $35/month or $50/month
Spring for the upgrade if:
- You manage a large business with multiple networks
- You require access for more social media managers
Stick to free if:
- You're working on your own
- You do your analytics through other platforms
Try it, and you absolutely won't be disappointed. We definitely weren't - and we've been using Buffer for years.
Read Buffer's Full ReviewA very strong competitor
Another classic in the field, this app is giving Buffer a run for its money. Covering almost as many outlets, it can be used to manage an array of different online endeavors - from small businesses to large charity campaigns and beyond.
Why we chose Hootsuite:
- A classic with quite a few years in the business
- In addition to traditional social media networks, it includes YouTube in the mix
- Particularly good for vloggers and media personalities
- A great and comprehensive planner with savings of 34% when using the yearly plan (about $29/mo for Pro and $129 for Team)
If you want to try a premium service but don't want to splurge just yet, the 30-day trial will allow you to test the waters and know what you're getting yourself into.
Read Hootsuite's Full ReviewIdeal for Instagram Influencers
Just because an app doesn't cover every single platform out there doesn't mean we should overlook it. Preview is amazing for Instagram influencers and should not be missed.
Why we chose Preview:
- An amazing option for those focusing on growing their Instagram following
- Good filter packs and a detailed scheduler
- Awesome hashtag finder included in Pro for $6.67/mo that will make sure your posts reach a huge audience every time
- The app offers the ability to backup all your previous work, something we haven't noticed in any other piece of software we tested
- The payment methods are fully safe and secure
If you have enough time, give this one a try. You will discover something genuinely neat.
Read Preview's Full ReviewEverything We Recommend
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Our Pick
Buffer: Social Media Tools
4.4 Ratings 86K+ Reviews 1M+ DownloadsPlan & schedule your social media campaigns. Track your progress with analytics.
Buffer is the most intuitive and affordable social media management tool for small business. Schedule social content, get engagement data and insights, and see all of your posts in one place.
Why you'll love Buffer:
- Draft and publish content to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
- Plan Instagram Stories ahead of time.
- Get easy-to-read analytics for every update you share.
- Preview your scheduled posts in one place and gain insight into how your posts perform across channels with our new Overview.
- Create a consistent presence across your social accounts with the calendar view.
- Share from all of your favourite apps. Including scheduling native retweets from most Twitter apps!
- Get world class support from your friends at Buffer.
You can also add to Buffer from your favourite browser using our Browser Extensions for Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera.
Privacy Policy: https://buffer.com/privacy
Terms of Use: https://buffer.com/terms
Do you have any questions for us?
Email: hello@buffer.com
Twitter: @buffer
Facebook: http://facebook.com/bufferapp
Instagram: @buffer
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bufferapp/CostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$5.99 - $144.00 per item$5.99 - $144.99 per item -
Runner Up
Hootsuite: Schedule Posts for Twitter & Instagram
4.2 Ratings 161K+ Reviews 5M+ DownloadsStay connected across all your social accounts with Hootsuite! Create scroll-stopping content, schedule and publish posts, monitor activity and mentions, and manage comments and messages—anywhere, anytime, and all in one app. Plus, make those long workdays a little easier on the eyes with dark mode.
COMPOSE
Upload photos, videos, and GIFs directly from your phone. Create and schedule posts to all your Instagram (including carousels), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter profiles in advance, and publish automatically from the palm of your hand.
PUBLISHER
Review and edit drafts, see your content calendar at a glance, customize the frequency of your posts, and approve content from anywhere.
STREAMS
Monitor likes, mentions, and conversations related to topics that matter to you.
INBOX
Review, manage, and respond to incoming messages from different social networks in one feed. Filter messages, reply, and assign messages to your team.
What are people saying:
"The best social media scheduling app" - Will H (G2 Reviewer)
"I love Hootsuite for the ease of posting to social networks automatically...If you do not have a desktop computer and need to quickly publish the mobile application, you can solve that problem."- Bruno B (G2 Reviewer)
"The mobile application of Hootsuite is very practical, and has helped us a lot to work on the platform from anywhere during weekends."- Feastre L (G2 Reviewer)
"I love Hootsuite because it's a complete program… We can also use Hootsuite from the browser or mobile application, which we think is very comfortable and allows us to keep up with the work no matter where it is located." - Cate R (G2 Reviewer)
Questions?
Twitter: @Hootsuite_Help
Facebook: http://facebook.com/hootsuite
Terms of service: https://hootsuite.com/legal/terms
Privacy policy: https://hootsuite.com/privacyCostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$14.99 - $399.99 per item$14.99 - $599.99 per item -
Also Groovy
PREVIEW - Plan your Instagram
4.5 Ratings 114K+ Reviews 5M+ DownloadsEVERYTHING Instagram you need in ONE app.
Free UNLIMITED Posts, Reels, Insta Stories, rearrange posts, edit, auto-post, best Instagram hashtags, caption ideas, analytics, repost, and more.
What are you waiting for?
Used by +9 million Instagrammers, content creators and business owners.
Preview is the ultimate Instagram feed planner app.
Plan your:
• Photos
• Videos
• Carousels
• Insta Stories
• Reels
• IGTVs
What’s inside:
• NO INSTAGRAM login required
• Drag and Drop
• UNLIMITED Grid Space (for free)
• Analytics and Insights
• Amazing filters
• Editing Tools
• REPOST photos, videos, albums, Reels, IGTVs
• Image Splitter
• Set video covers
• Schedule & Auto-post
• Caption Finder
• Hashtag Finder
• Hashtag Analytics
• Team Features and Permissions
• DESKTOP version
• Multi Device
• Backup
• Fonts, Symbols, Characters & Kaomojis
Instagram like a PRO.
Preview is your visual planner for Instagram. Predict what your feed will look like before you post anything on Instagram. It has all the features you need in one app. No more switching between multiple apps.
UNLIMITED GRID SPACE (for free)
Add as many photos and videos as you want in your Preview. Your creativity doesn’t have a limit!
REARRANGE POSTS
Use the drag & drop to arrange your Instagram posts. Design your own unique theme. Color coordinate. Predict how your feed will look like. Or simply plan your content in advance.
INSTA STORY PLANNER
Plan your Insta Stories and organize them perfectly with swipe up links.
REELS + IGTV PLANNER
Plan your Reels and IGTV videos. Change the covers to see if it fits your grid.
ANALYTICS & INSIGHTS
Track your performance. See your Top Posts, best times to post, followers growth, clicks to your link in bio, best hashtags, and more.
AMAZING FILTERS
Design your own unique and amazing feed that reflects your personality or brand. Preview comes with beautiful filter packs and unique filters.
Find filters similar to vsco. Or choose a theme pack.
REPOST
Curate and share other Instagrammers’ posts.
PERFECT YOUR CAPTIONS
Write your captions in advance and perfect them. Save your hashtag groups within the app and add them to new posts at a press of a button.
CAPTION IDEAS
Personal and business captions for the entire year. Including caption prompts, quotes, puns and questions to ask your followers to boost your engagement and get more comments - naturally.
FIND THE BEST HASHTAGS
Hashtag research done for you. Search for the best Instagram hashtags to grow your account. Search by category, country, city and Instagram community.
SCHEDULE & AUTO-POST
Plan your feed in advance and schedule it so you don't have to think about it. Preview has been officially approved by Instagram to auto-post for you.
AMAZING EDITING TOOLS
All the basics are in Preview: contrast, saturation, exposure, etc...
And your favorites too: free whitening tool, blemish remover, meme maker & much more.
MANAGE UNLIMITED ACCOUNTS
Manage as many Instagram accounts as you want and easily switch between them.
PLAN YOUR FEED WITH YOUR TEAM
Give access to your Preview feed to your team by sharing (or not sharing) your Instagram password. One plan = unlimited team members.
NO INSTAGRAM LOGIN/ACCOUNT REQUIRED
You don’t need an Instagram account to use Preview.
Have fun creating!
The Preview Team
@preview.appCostFreeFreeIn-App Purchases$0.99 - $149.99 per item$3.99 - $ree per item
The 411 from our Appventurer
How we tested?
Social media scheduling apps are springing up like mushrooms yet not all of them seem to be up to the task. Many will specialize in individual networks while others will attempt to cover a bigger market, only to fail in the most spectacular fashion. This is why we took it to ourselves to weed out the good from the bad and get to the bottom of that story. We are, after all, in the internet business and know a thing or two about the way things are run around here.
The first piece of criteria we applied was, of course, how good the actual app is. There's no point in bothering with something if it's slow, glitchy, or simply has too few options to choose from. The second aspect we paid particular attention to was the number of networks each platform covered - the more, the merrier.
Our attention was also drawn to pricing. If you intend to go pro, in most cases, you have to spend a few bucks on the premium plan. It took us a while to weigh the pros and cons in each individual case but we still managed to get a good overview and decide whether your money will be well spent or whether you should best stick to the free version.
Why get the app?
Managing a whole bunch of social network profiles isn't always the easiest of tasks. Do you remember what you posted on Instagram three days ago? What's supposed to go on Facebook in a week? What is your reach on Twitter? Your number of followers on Pinterest? No one on Earth is able to keep all this information in their head - or even their notes.
Social media scheduling apps aim to keep things organized and make your life a lot easier. You can plan your marketing strategy, delegate roles, create and schedule posts, observe their success, and tweak things so that, in the future, your social media presence grows exponentially. Such platforms are an excellent way to promote social media influencers, clothing retailers, digital marketing agencies, and tech giants. Everyone can benefit from it.
During this process, Buffer and, to a great extent, Hootsuite stood out head and shoulders above others. They ticked all the boxes and, if you pick either of the two, you won't have any trouble growing your presence on the world wide web. If you're focusing exclusively on Instagram, you shouldn't forget Preview, as it has pleasantly surprised us in more ways than one.
More About Buffer: Our Pick
Buffer has quite a reputation in social media circles. It is considered a robust solution - sturdy, reliable, covering a lot of ground, and giving the user an array of options to choose from. This online fame has led to a certain dose of suspicion on our part. The higher the app flies, the worse the fall can be.
Luckily, there was not even the slightest chance of crashing and burning. In addition to its pretty amazing website, the team behind Buffer has come up with a very good piece of software for Android and iOS smartphones. Integrating Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn - it covers a lot of ground and offers the user full control of the online marketing process. Small entrepreneurs, individual influencers, and massive international conglomerates can benefit equally well from it.
The selection of options is more than generous, even in the free version. In addition to scheduling posts (which is, after all, the main purpose of all the apps we tested this time around), it allows you to save a huge number of drafts and plan your moves on the internet accordingly.
You can tag other accounts on Twitter but the function has yet to be perfected for Facebook. Pinterest posts benefit from a good deal of tweaking, as do those aimed at Instagram. In the case of the latter, you can add the first comment, choose tags, import images from various sources, or even build your own media library.
You can rely on the free plan which will help you fulfill more modest ambitions. Still, if you're aiming for something bigger, investing in the process could be a smart move to make.
The first option is called Pro, with a cost of $15 per month. It enables you to control 8 social media accounts, schedule 100 social media posts, directly schedule images for Instagram. Still, it only allows for one user on the control panel.
If you want to up that number, you might want to switch to Premium. It will set you back some $35 but you will be able to add another social media manager, benefit from an amazing Instagram hashtag manager (highly recommended by us), and get good value for your money.
Of course, there's also Buffer for Business but, at $65 for a single month, it could be a bit steep for most. The benefits are only useful for really massive conglomerates - 25 social accounts, 2,000 scheduled posts, 6 different users, etc. It's not necessarily worth it unless you're managing a piece of enormous online machinery. The more affordable options will let you squeeze the maximum out of this amazing app.
Snags but not drags:
When it comes to a long-standing leader on the market such as Buffer, it is not always easy to pick any obvious flaws. To the average user, they can literally be invisible. We somehow managed to pick a single drawback - one that could stand in the way of more experienced users.
The analytics tool provided with the platform is not exactly perfect. Sure, it does its job well enough and will give the average person exactly what they need. Still, if you're running the social media presence of a larger company or simply operate a business that is 100% online-based, you might be left craving for more.
In this department, Google Analytics remains the golden standard, giving you an almost endless see of information that you can use to tweak your marketing strategy. No social media post scheduling app can compare - even if Buffer does try.
More About Hootsuite: Runner Up
No list of social media post scheduling apps would be complete without the good old Hootsuite. First launched in 2008 as a website, it soon expanded to the smartphone territory, providing influencers and vloggers with a robust technical solution. While it was initially specialized in Twitter and Instagram, the creators of the app have made an effort to include YouTube. This move has been quite successful, and, nowadays, a lot of content creators rely on Hootsuite for their social media needs.
Our experience with it has been a rather positive one. Once you log in (with Google, Facebook, or email) and give some pretty advanced permissions (perhaps our only complaint), you get access to observing streams, adding new users and accounts, using the publisher and planner tools, creating drafts, receiving notifications, and being able to tweak quite a few other things.
The app offers a free 30-day trial during which you are able to test most of its advanced features. During this period, you can get a good feel of it and make a sound decision over the worth of the investment.
If you decide to stay, you'll get to manage up to 10 social media accounts at once, schedule up to 100 messages per single network, and enter the complicated yet fascinating world of analytics that could boost your following a good deal.
You can opt for a monthly or yearly plan, with the latter saving you as much as 34%. This will set you back $29 for the Professional, $129 for Team, and $520 for the Enterprise solution. The last two prices may sound enormous, but the benefits that come with them are substantial. You can also contact the company for pricing on custom solutions. This will allow you to create a tailor-made system just for your company. A bespoke deal is best in case you're aiming for the stars.
As already mentioned, the only downside to the whole system is the fact that the app feels a bit too invasive when it comes to penetrating all aspects of your internet presence. Unfortunately, this is a general trend that we won't see the end of anytime soon.
Despite this, we cannot possibly find much to complain about in Hootsuite, and we can't help but recommend this thorough social media solution. You are sure to enjoy it.
More About Preview: Also Groovy
We wouldn't normally give an app that focuses on a limited number of networks a pass. Still, if its quality is so high, its interface so simple, its options so numerous - we simply cannot afford to allow any of our visitors to overlook it.
Preview is aimed at Instagram more so than any other platform. It focuses on this visually-oriented outlet with great bravado and makes sure that all your needs in the business are fully met. You can plan your reels, manage IGTV, schedule posts, pick hashtags, and do plenty of SEO research.
With the free option, you will gain access for 1 user via 1 device, receive 2 filter packs, and basic analytics tools. A detailed schedule, as well as a chance to prepare over 200 posts, will be yours for the taking.
If you need something more advanced, you will need to invest a bit. Luckily, the platform is a lot more affordable than Hootsuite, so it will be accessible to most young people looking to make it in the world of social media. There are two options to consider.
The first is Pro, which lets you use all filter packs, a hashtag finder (a really good one, mind you), an ability to repost - and all these for a mere $6.67 per month. Not a bad deal for sure!
The Premium option will wipe away $12.50/month (if you settle for a yearly plan, that is) and will add full access to IGTV, an unlimited number of users, competitor analysis, caption finder, and team features to the mix. It hardly gets any better than this.
The only reason this fantastic app has not snatched the top spot from Buffer is the fact that is so narrowly specialized in one single network. If it weren't for it, this would've been our winner for sure. If the company decides to expand its business in the direction of Twitter or YouTube, we'll be waiting for it with open arms. With more than reasonable pricing, you can't go wrong with Preview.
Other Apps Considered
It started off very promising as it offered an ability to connect everything from Facebook to Apple and even Slack. In addition, the app covers a number of different social media platforms, but - here comes the catch. As a standalone piece of software, it doesn't really work. Almost immediately, we realized that it was impossible to connect everything into a coherent whole without using the website. Since we're in the business of apps, we found that slightly inconvenient, especially for someone who would be working on the go - often with only their smartphone or tablet around. The app also reported a couple of errors, at which point we basically gave up. This one will not make you Instagram famous.
Similar to Zoho Social, Loomly offers a lovely website but a somewhat superficial app. Once you sign up through your browser and sort everything out, you can start your 15-day trial and explore its possibilities. Overall, it is not bad, it does what it says on the tin, but it definitely does not come anywhere near behemoths like Buffer. It presents itself as a "brand success platform," but it remains difficult to see what sort of brand would reach the stars with a decent but very narrow system of promotion.
Another one that offers a free trial and allows you to connect your Instagram and Pinterest accounts but will also work for Facebook and Twitter - albeit with somewhat limited functionality. While it seems promising, it still has some growing pains to overcome. Ultimately, it could prove the one to watch in the years to come. For now, it's most rewarding feature is its customer service. You can easily ask just about any question and get a meaningful (and supremely useful) answer in a matter of minutes. Definitely an impressive feat. Other than that, you might want to scroll to the top of the page and get Hootsuite instead.
A good planner for Instagram that lets you manage a media library, quickly schedule posts, and plan well ahead. An auto-publish option will work both on IG and FB, but you won't be able to cover any of the other networks such as Twitter. There are not many flaws that we could talk about except for the fact that such a sleek and speedy app does feel a bit incomplete. With a greater number of options, it could make a difference in your professional life.
Very easy to set up. Offers you a chance to create effective hashtag groups, add notes to your calendar, use drafts, and takes full advantage of IG Stories and IGTV. You can start with the free plan or opt for one of the paid packages. Solo costs $7, Duo is $15, and Custom will set you back a good $23 per month (if you pay for a yearly subscription, otherwise it will be $29, which is a bit steep). Luckily, it is an app that works just fine without spending the cash so, if you're looking for a budget option to kickstart your Instagram and Pinterest presence - this might be a good option for you. Not as awesome as Preview but definitely close behind it.
A decent way to grow post engagements, it connects Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, basically presenting itself as a rival to Buffer. One thing that sets it apart is its Canva integration. If you're not familiar with it, this online platform lets you create some pretty impressive social media content without needing to understand graphic design in the least. Great for beginners, it's a nice addition to the platform. In fact, CinchShare would be very high on our list if it weren't for the fact that the app has a tendency to freeze or crash.
This platform gives you a chance to devise strategic placeholders, schedule posts, manage your calendar, pick the best hashtags, and monitor results in detail. Overall, it's pretty decent. You can start with the Free plan, move on to Power User, switch to Build, Grow, and even Play Big. Each comes with its own benefits and additional options. It is, however, hard to decide whether an upgrade is really worth the (sometimes pretty substantial) price. If you manage a large team of social media experts, it could be worth a try. If not, stick to the free version - or try Buffer instead. It's better and more affordable anyway.
Stefan Racic
My phone tends to be filled to the brim with apps I am either trying on for size of using on a regular basis. I use them for a variety of tasks, including sketching and creating art, keeping in touch with friends, being up to date with the latest news, learning about diverse spiritual practices and, of course, playing games!
With over 10 years of experience as a translator and writer, I channel my creativity into writing about things I enjoy. My education in business (I hold a bachelor's degree in operations management) is but one part of expertise. I have worked for art magazines, spiritual blogs, news and business sites, and now I explore the fascinating world of apps.
My previous work is as diverse as my interests. Fresh out of college, I was employed as a translator and interpreter at the fringes of the corporate world and the NGO sector. After switching to writing, I first focused on business news, then shifted to working for a series of art magazines (WideWalls perhaps being the most well known), and even wrote content for a couple of spirituality-focused apps for Labyrinthos Academy. Little did I know that I would eventually devote a good chunk of my time to writing about all sorts of interesting new apps out there.
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In our day and age, it's pretty impossible to imagine success in business without a strong social media presence. If you're not online, people will forget you, and a good marketing strategy is a must.
A social media scheduling app is something you will always need in your digital arsenal. We have taken the time to test ten of them to see which one performs the best across all platforms - and whether they're worth paying for. Here are the results.