# Hootsuite alternatives: compare Buffer and SocialPilot Compare Buffer and SocialPilot with Hootsuite on social accounts, user costs and approval permissions. Canonical page: https://quillwell.com/guides/compare/hootsuite-alternatives/ Updated 2026-11-05 Publisher: Quillwell Guides (https://quillwell.com/guides/about/). Editorial standards: https://quillwell.com/guides/editorial/ ## The short answer - Consider [Buffer Team](https://support.buffer.com/articles/buffer-pricing-and-features-6pJrOPuzIt) when a changing number of people need access to a smaller set of channels. Its paid price scales by channel, with unlimited users on Team. - Consider [SocialPilot Premium](https://www.socialpilot.co/plans) when its 25-account, six-user allowance and client approval workflow fit your roster. - [Hootsuite](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) prices by user; Standard lists up to ten accounts, Professional unlimited accounts, and Advanced adds team content approval. Get a quote for the actual seats and plan. - For each option, test who can publish without client sign-off and who can change permissions. ## Buffer [Buffer Team](https://support.buffer.com/articles/buffer-pricing-and-features-6pJrOPuzIt) includes unlimited users and approval workflows. On monthly billing the first ten channels cost $12 each per month; the next fifteen cost $4 each. Annual pricing has different tiers. A channel is a connected destination, so count each client account separately. [Buffer permissions](https://support.buffer.com/articles/adding-users-and-setting-up-permissions-ixjiLpe2fd) can be set per channel: Full Access can publish, Needs Approval submits drafts, and No Access excludes publishing. The owner always has Full Access; admins can manage users and add themselves to channels. A client approval requirement therefore depends on who holds privileged access. Invited reviewers use their own Buffer accounts. Check that each reviewer can see only the intended channels and try publishing as both the writer and owner. ## SocialPilot [SocialPilot Premium](https://www.socialpilot.co/plans) lists 25 social accounts and six users at $85 per month equivalent billed annually, or $100 monthly. Standard lists 15 accounts and three users, with manager approval; client approval appears on Premium. Extra accounts and users have published add-on rates; confirm the quote and billing terms. [SocialPilot’s workflow](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895024701073-How-Do-I-Manage-Team-Client-Approval-Workflows-in-SocialPilot) sends Content Scheduler posts for review, but Manager and Admin posts go directly to the queue. Managers may approve directly rather than send to a client. Assign those roles only where that authority fits the agreement. [SocialPilot](https://www.socialpilot.co/features/approvals-on-the-go) describes a link for clients to review and approve without logging in. Its [client access guide](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895050968209-How-Do-I-Manage-My-Client-s-Access) says a client with Publish Post permission occupies a team-member slot. Test the link and account permissions with a representative client. [Auto-Approve](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895024825873-How-do-I-Invite-a-Client) can bypass pending client approval one hour before scheduled publication. Disable it if silence must not count as approval and verify the behavior with a dummy post. ## When to stay with Hootsuite Keep Hootsuite on the shortlist if its broader inbox, reporting or governance capabilities fit. In the US view checked November 5, [Hootsuite’s plan page](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) showed Advanced, which lists team content approval, at $399 per user per month billed annually before applicable taxes. Confirm the current quote for all users, accounts, billing terms and required add-ons. [Hootsuite’s approval guide](https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/set-up-approvals) assigns approval permissions per social account and lists Advanced and Enterprise. Limited, Responder or a custom approval permission can require a member’s posts to be approved. Administrators and other privileged roles can set permissions, so test those roles too. [Hootsuite’s permissions guide](https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/social-account-inbox-permissions) says its approval workflows are unavailable for publishing to YouTube. Check that channel separately when comparing the approval gate. Compare all three against the same client, accounts and team roles. The [Buffer vs SocialPilot comparison](https://quillwell.com/guides/compare/buffer-vs-socialpilot/) works through their channel and user economics; the [approval buying guide](https://quillwell.com/guides/social-media-approval-software/) provides a common test. ## Common questions ### Which Hootsuite alternative fits many reviewers? [Buffer Team](https://support.buffer.com/articles/buffer-pricing-and-features-6pJrOPuzIt) lists unlimited users, with pricing by connected channel. Check the full channel count and review permissions. ### Can SocialPilot managers bypass client review? [SocialPilot’s workflow guide](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895024701073-How-Do-I-Manage-Team-Client-Approval-Workflows-in-SocialPilot) says managers can approve directly or send content to a client. ### Does Hootsuite include approval on Standard? [Hootsuite](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) lists team content approval on Advanced; its [approval guide](https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/set-up-approvals) identifies Advanced and Enterprise. ## Sources and scope We read the linked vendor pricing and documentation on November 5, 2026. We have not tested these products or published content. Confirm plan terms and test permissions in your own configuration. Inclusion and corrections are free; sponsorship does not determine our conclusions. Editorial order is independent of paid placements. Sponsorship does not buy an editorial ranking or a positive review. [How we research](https://quillwell.com/guides/editorial/). ## Source references [Buffer: Pricing and features](https://support.buffer.com/articles/buffer-pricing-and-features-6pJrOPuzIt) Checked 2026-11-05. Tiered channel rates, Team users and approval availability. [Buffer: Adding users and setting up permissions](https://support.buffer.com/articles/adding-users-and-setting-up-permissions-ixjiLpe2fd) Checked 2026-11-05. Channel permissions, organization access and owner privileges. [SocialPilot: Plans and pricing](https://www.socialpilot.co/plans) Checked 2026-11-05. Plan allowances, add-ons and client approval tier. [SocialPilot: Manage team and client approval workflows](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895024701073-How-Do-I-Manage-Team-Client-Approval-Workflows-in-SocialPilot) Checked 2026-11-05. Manager and scheduler approval paths. [SocialPilot: Manage client access](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895050968209-How-Do-I-Manage-My-Client-s-Access) Checked 2026-11-05. Client approvers and publishing permission seat implications. [SocialPilot: Invite a client](https://help.socialpilot.co/hc/en-us/articles/49895024825873-How-do-I-Invite-a-Client) Checked 2026-11-05. Auto-approval cutoff. [SocialPilot: Approvals On-the-Go](https://www.socialpilot.co/features/approvals-on-the-go) Checked 2026-11-05. Vendor description of no-login client review and approval. [Hootsuite: Plans, prices and features](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) Checked 2026-11-05. US annual-billing prices visible in rendered plan cards, per-user pricing, account allowances and plan features. [Hootsuite: Set up an approval process](https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/set-up-approvals) Checked 2026-11-05. Plan availability and account-level approval permissions. [Hootsuite: Assign social account and Inbox permissions](https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/social-account-inbox-permissions) Checked 2026-11-05. Social account permission levels and their publishing rights. [Suggest a correction or send a vendor fact update](https://quillwell.com/guides/request/?type=correction&page=/compare/hootsuite-alternatives/)