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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.