Shortlist by what you need
Start here if you know why you are leaving Sprout Social.
Want the closest match?
AgorapulseMost similar to Sprout Social in what it does, its category and its price.
Visit (opens Agorapulse in a new tab)Need a free plan?
SocialEchoHas a free plan, rated 3.6 out of 5. Sprout Social has none.
Visit (opens SocialEcho in a new tab)Want to pay less than Sprout Social?
AidellyFrom $20/mo, against from $79/mo for Sprout Social.
Visit (opens Aidelly in a new tab)Want the best rated?
Vista SocialRated 4.7 out of 5 in our review, against 4.4 for Sprout Social.
Visit (opens Vista Social in a new tab)
At a glance
Green means better than Sprout Social, red means worse. Prices are starting prices per month.
| Tool | Our rating | Starts at | Free plan | Best for | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Sprout SocialBaseline | 4.4 | $79/mo | No | A comprehensive, analytics-heavy suite built for larger, established brands | |
| Agorapulse | 4.5+0.1 | $79/moSame price | No | Built around a unified social inbox and listening, not scheduling alone | vs Sprout Social |
| Vista Social | 4.7+0.3 | $63.17/mo$15.83 less | No | A newer comprehensive suite positioned to replace legacy platforms directly | vs Sprout Social |
 Iconosquare | 4.3−0.1 | $49/mo$30 less | No | Built from an analytics-specialist heritage, not scheduling first | vs Sprout Social |
| SocialEcho | 3.6−0.8 | Free | YesSprout Social has none | A social media workspace covering publishing, engagement, listening, analytics and automation. | vs Sprout Social |
 NapoleonCat | 4.3−0.1 | $32/mo$47 less | No | Unified inbox paired with automated comment-moderation rules | vs Sprout Social |
| Aidelly | 3.6−0.8 | $20/mo$59 less | No | Agent-first social media scheduler that AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT can operate directly. | vs Sprout Social |
 SocialBu | 3.4−1.0 | Free | YesSprout Social has none | Schedule, respond, and analyze across 12 social platforms from one dashboard - AI writer credits draft and refine posts before they ever hit the publishing queue. | vs Sprout Social |
 SocialPilot | 4.5+0.1 | $42.5/mo$36.5 less | No | Bulk-schedules 500+ posts at once and bundles review management alongside social | vs Sprout Social |
The alternatives in detail
In order of how closely each one matches Sprout Social.
Agorapulse
4.5$79/mo
vs Sprout SocialSame price+0.1
Built around a unified social inbox and listening, not scheduling alone.
- Unified inbox for comments, mentions, and messages across platforms
- Social listening tracking brand and competitor mentions across the web
- No free plan, paid access only
Unified inbox handles high engagement volume more efficiently than scheduling-only tools
No free plan to test before committing
Vista Social
4.7$63.17/mo
vs Sprout Social$15.83 less+0.3
A newer comprehensive suite positioned to replace legacy platforms directly.
- Comprehensive suite: publishing, inbox, listening, analytics, and review management
- DM automation across connected platforms
- No free plan, paid access only
Newer technical foundation than several established legacy competitors
No free plan to test before committing
Iconosquare
4.3$49/mo
vs Sprout Social$30 less−0.1
Built from an analytics-specialist heritage, not scheduling first.
- Analytics-specialist heritage predating its scheduling capability
- Deep engagement benchmarking and competitor comparison
- No free plan, paid access only
Analytics depth exceeds what scheduling-first competitors typically offer
No free plan to test before committing
SocialEcho
3.6Free
vs Sprout Social−0.8Free plan
A social media workspace covering publishing, engagement, listening, analytics and automation.
- Publishing and scheduling across major platforms
- Engagement management from a unified inbox
- Social listening alongside publishing
Covers listening as well as publishing
Crowded category with entrenched incumbents
NapoleonCat
4.3$32/mo
vs Sprout Social$47 less−0.1
Unified inbox paired with automated comment-moderation rules.
- Unified social inbox across connected platforms
- Rule-based automated comment moderation and filtering
- No free plan, paid access only
Automated moderation rules scale where manual comment review can't
No free plan to test before committing
Aidelly
3.6$20/mo
vs Sprout Social$59 less−0.8
Agent-first social media scheduler that AI tools like Claude or ChatGPT can operate directly.
- Agent-first design for control via Claude, ChatGPT, Zapier, n8n, or custom API
- Publishing across 11 social platforms from one account
- Unified inbox for comments and DMs
Built for AI-agent control from day one, ahead of most scheduler competitors
No permanent free plan, only a 7-day card-required trial
SocialBu
3.4Free
vs Sprout Social−1.0Free plan
Schedule, respond, and analyze across 12 social platforms from one dashboard - AI writer credits draft and refine posts before they ever hit the publishing queue.
- AI writer credits for drafting and refining social content
- Publishing, scheduling, and bulk import across 12 platforms
- Shared inbox for managing comments, messages, and reviews
AI credits are quantified per tier, not vague unlimited marketing language
Free plan's 10-lifetime-post cap is very limiting, not a genuine ongoing free tier
SocialPilot
4.5$42.5/mo
vs Sprout Social$36.5 less+0.1
Bulk-schedules 500+ posts at once and bundles review management alongside social.
- Bulk scheduling for 500+ posts in a single batch
- Review generation and management for Google Business and Facebook
- No free plan, paid access only
Bulk-scheduling scale suits high-volume agency publishing directly
No permanent free plan beyond the trial
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is Sprout Social free?
Sprout Social does not list a free plan. Paid plans start from $79/mo.
What is the best free alternative to Sprout Social?
SocialEcho is the highest-rated alternative here with a free plan (3.6 out of 5). Other free options: SocialBu.
What is the cheapest alternative to Sprout Social?
Among paid plans, Aidelly has the lowest starting price (from $20/mo). If you need it free, start with SocialEcho.
How did you pick these alternatives?
We match tools on what they do, their category and their price, using the details in our directory. Ratings come from our reviews and reader reviews.