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Updated on July 24, 2025
16 min to read
Content Writer
Published July 24, 2025
Free social media management tools can feel elusive and too good to be true.
But guess what?
They’re real and they’re here to rescue you from the chaos of juggling countless tasks while delivering the best results to your clients.
From scheduling content to managing conversations and tracking analytics, the tools help you handle tasks efficiently without spending a cent.
If you’re tired of tab-hopping and scrambling to keep up with your daily to-dos, it’s time to simplify your workflow and save your sanity (and money).
In this guide, we’ll explore the 20+ powerful, cost-free social media management tools that can do the heavy lifting so you don’t have to.
Free social media management tools are software, platforms, or apps that help you manage your social media tasks without costing you a penny.
The tools are designed to streamline your day-to-day work as a social media manager, helping you:
While free versions may have limitations compared to their premium counterparts (such as fewer scheduled posts or limited analytics), they can be perfect for small teams, freelancers, or users just testing the waters.
Free social media management tools help you do more with less, and who doesn’t want that?
Must read: Social Media Management Tools for Churches
If you’re looking for a powerful yet free social media management solution, Vista Social has you covered.
With a robust suite of tools available at no cost, you can schedule posts, manage multiple profiles, monitor engagement, and collaborate with your team, all without hitting a paywall.
The platform’s free tools are ideal for freelancers, startups, and small businesses looking to streamline social media workflows without compromising on features.
While Vista Social limits some functionalities on its free plan, it delivers core capabilities such as:
Vista Social is a reliable, no-strings-attached entry point into professional-grade social media management.
Simplify your posting, scheduling, engagement, and analytics without spending a dime.
Let’s dive into the 20+ best free tools that can help you work smarter, not harder.
Must read: The Best Social Media Management Tools for Franchises [2025]
Vista Social is a modern all‑in‑one social media management platform.
While Vista Social’s features aren’t completely free, it offers a robust free plan that provides individuals and small teams with access to essential features.
The features are perfect for streamlining your day‑to‑day workflows without a huge upfront investment.
Why start with Vista Social?
Social’s free version is designed to help you manage multiple profiles, collaborate with teammates, and track your performance in one place, without needing to juggle separate tools.
Key free features
Vista Social’s free plan includes the following essential features.
Content scheduling and publishing
Vista Social’s free version includes access to its multi-platform social media publishing and scheduling tools.
The features allow you to plan, create, and schedule posts for auto-publishing across multiple social media platforms from a single, intuitive dashboard.
With the free plan, you can:
Content calendar with drag‑and‑drop ease
Vista Social’s content calendar allows you to visualize your posts in a unified calendar and easily rearrange content to keep your schedule flexible.
You can switch to various calendar views to gain a better visual understanding of your clients’ scheduled posts.
Social inbox management
View and respond to your clients’ messages and comments from multiple platforms in Vista Social’s unified Social Inbox.
The social media engagement feature helps you stay on top of messages across social profiles without logging into each client’s social media account and checking their DMs.
The free plan also includes the DM automations feature, which lets you set triggers and actions that automatically respond to your clients’ social media comments and messages.
Link in bio tool
Another handy feature of the free plan is Vista Social’s link in bio tool.
It includes Vista Page, customizable pages for your clients’ landing pages.
You can personalize these pages and turn them into mini-websites with conversion elements and tools, such as booking calendars, links, CTAs, and more.
With the paid plans, you’ll have access to additional and more advanced features, including the following:
Must read: 42 Best TikTok Tools to Grow Your Followers in 2025
Who is Vista Social best for?
Vista Social can be an excellent platform for:
Pricing
Vista Social’s paid plans start at $32/month (billed yearly) with a 14-day free trial.
Pros
Cons
Must read: Top Features for Social Media Management Tools
Buffer is a long-time favorite for planning and publishing social content. Its clean interface and straightforward features make it beginner-friendly.
Why start with Buffer
If you’re new to scheduling posts or looking for a tool that’s easy to master, Buffer is a great choice, thanks to its beginner-friendly interface and intuitive tools.
Key free features
Who is Buffer best for?
Small teams, solo marketers, or brands new to social media scheduling.
Pricing:
Free plan for up to three social media channels.
Buffer’s paid plans start at around $6 per month per channel, with a 14-day free trial.
Pros:
Cons:
Hootsuite is a popular social media marketing and management tool that provides a versatile dashboard for managing multiple social media accounts.
Why start with Hootsuite
Hootsuite is a trusted and well-documented tool with a 30-day free plan that can be perfect for exploring and experimenting with social media management tools.
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The tool’s free trial gives you full access to one of its paid plans (Standard or Advanced) for a month, allowing you to test all the plan’s features.
Key free features
Hootsuite’s “free” features depend on the plan you’ve signed up for.
Who is Hootsuite best for?
Hootsuite is best for Marketers who want to test a reliable, all-in-one social media management tool with advanced and enterprise-level features.
Must read: Heropost vs. Hootsuite vs. Vista Social Comparison: 2024
Pricing
Hootsuite’s paid plans start at $99 per month (annual billing).
Pros
Cons
Later is known for its visual-first approach, making it ideal for scheduling content on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok.
Must read: Later vs. Hootsuite vs. Vista Social: 2023 SMM Tool Comparison
Why start with Later?
If you manage brands that rely heavily on visuals and grid planning, Later’s drag-and-drop calendar can be a good fit for you.
Key free features
Who is Later best for?
Brands with a strong visual identity, such as those in the fashion, food, or travel industries.
Pricing
Later’s Starter plan starts at $16.67 per month with yearly billing.
Pros
Must read: Best IG Tools to Grow Your Audience And Following
Cons
Social media management software Zoho Social offers a strong mix of publishing, monitoring, and reporting tools in a neat package.
Why start with Zoho Social?
Zoho Social is a great choice if you want free scheduling with some built-in collaboration features.
Key free features
Who is Zoho Social best for?
Zoho Social is best for small businesses that already use other Zoho products or need a simple, free solution on top of other Zoho solutions.
Pricing
The Zoho Social paid plans start at $15/month (yearly billing).
Pros
Cons
Must read: How to Structure Your Social Media Management Packages
Planoly is another visually driven platform, designed to simplify Instagram and TikTok content planning.
Why start with Planoly?
If your clients are focused on Instagram aesthetics, Planoly’s grid preview is a dream come true on top of its other social media planning and management features.
Key free features
Who is Planoly best for?
Planoly can be a good fit for influencers, lifestyle brands, and small teams focusing on Instagram growth.
Pricing
Planoly’s Social Planner plans start at $14 per month when billed annually.
Pros
Cons
CoSchedule offers a free marketing calendar to help you organize and schedule your clients’ social media content.
Why start with CoSchedule?
CoSchedule’s free marketing calendar is a great tool if you love seeing your campaigns mapped out in one place.
Key free features
Who is CoSchedule best for?
CoSchedule can be a valuable addition to a team’s or user’s social media management toolkit, providing a visual planning hub for social and other marketing projects.
Pricing
CoSchedule’s paid plans start at $19/month (Social Calendar) when billed annually, with a limited free trial.
Pros
Cons
Pallyy is a visually driven social media management tool built with Instagram and TikTok creators in mind, but it also supports other major platforms.
Why start with Pallyy?
Pallyy can be a good option if you want a simple, modern interface with strong visual planning features.
Key free features
Must read: 20+ Social Analytics Tools in 2025: Free And Paid
Who is Pallyy best for?
Creators, small brands, and agencies that focus heavily on Instagram or TikTok visuals.
Pricing
The Pallyy paid plans start at $20/month (billed yearly).
Pros
Cons
HubSpot’s free social media tools integrate with its CRM feature, providing you with additional marketing power.
Why start with HubSpot?
HubSpot’s free social media tools can be ideal if you want to tie your clients’ social media posts directly to lead tracking.
Key free features
Who is HubSpot best for?
Small businesses and teams that are looking for an all-in-one marketing suite and are using other HubSpot tools.
Pricing
HubSpot’s social media tools are included in its Marketing Hub Starter plan, which starts at $9 per month per seat (with annual commitment).
Pros
Cons
Socialoomph, a social media and blog post scheduling service, offers straightforward scheduling with some neat automation options.
Why start with Socialoomph?
If you prefer a minimalist dashboard with a focused set of features, Socialoomph is worth trying.
Key free features
Who is Socialoomph best for?
Solo users or anyone managing a single primary account who doesn’t mind a simple interface.
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Socialoomph’s pricing plans start at $15/month.
Pros
Cons
Sendible is known for its agency-friendly features and white-label options.
Why start with Sendible?
While technically a paid tool, Sendible’s free trial and limited free tools give you a sense of what pro-level scheduling is like.
Key free features
You can access the features that come with the free trial when you sign up for a specific plan, including the following:
Who is Sendible best for?
Agencies or consultants who are testing tools before investing in the social media management software.
Pricing
While Sendible doesn’t offer a free plan, it does have a 14-day free trial, with its paid plans starting at $25 per month (billed annually).
Pros
Cons
Loomly is a collaborative social media management platform that simplifies creating and scheduling content and working with your team.
Must read: Top 10 Loomly Alternatives & Competitors in 2023
Why start with Loomly?
Loomly can be great for teams that want structure and approval workflows for seamless social media management.
Key free features
Loomly doesn’t offer a free plan, but you can access its full features with the 15-day free trial.
Who is Loomly best for?
Teams that need robust collaboration features.
Pricing
Contact Loomly to get information on their pricing plans.
Pros
Cons
Publer combines scheduling, analytics, and link shortening in one intuitive dashboard.
Why start with Publer?
Publer is an ideal social media management tool if you’re looking for a generous free plan with multi-platform support.
Key free features
Who is Publer best for?
Small businesses and content creators.
Pricing
Publer’s paid plans start at $ 4 per month per social account (billed annually).
Pros
Cons
Sprout Social is a premium tool with a stellar reputation, offering a free trial to test the waters.
Why start with Sprout Social?
Sprout Social is one of the most comprehensive tools on the market, offering a month-long free trial.
Key free features
Who is Sprout Social best for?
Larger brands, agencies, and enterprises that are considering a premium upgrade.
Pricing
Paid plans on Sprout Social start at $199/seat per month.
Pros
Cons
Tailwind is designed for Pinterest and Instagram growth, with smart scheduling built in.
Why start with Tailwind?
Tailwind can be a great choice if you rely heavily on Pinterest boards and Instagram visuals.
Key free features
Who is Tailwind best for?
Ecommerce brands, bloggers, and creators on Pinterest.
Pricing
Tailwind’s Pro plan starts at $14.99/month with annual billing.
Pros
Cons
Kontentino is a social media management and planning platform that includes approval and scheduling features.
Why start with Kontentino?
Kontentino can be great for teams who want feedback and approvals built into the workflow.
Key free features
Kontentino does not offer a free plan, but it does offer a 14-day free trial for its Starter, Starter+, and Standard plans with varying levels of access to the following features:
Who is Kontentino best for?
Agencies and social teams with multiple stakeholders.
Pricing:
Kontenito’s paid plans start at $59/month (annual billing).
Pros
Cons
Friends+Me is a social media management service that helps you easily cross-post content across platforms.
Why start with Friends+Me?
The tool can be a good option if you want to repurpose content everywhere without the extra effort and don’t mind a simpler interface.
Key free features
Who is Friends+Me best for?
Small teams or solopreneurs repurposing content.
Pricing:
The tool’s paid plans start at $7.50 per month, billed annually.
Pros
Cons
Postfity is a lightweight tool for scheduling posts and generating content ideas.
Why start with Postfity?
Postfity’s simplicity and built-in post ideas make it a beginner-friendly option.
Key free features
Who is Postfity best for?
New social media managers or small businesses.
Pricing
Postfity’s pricing plans start at $20 per month (billed annually).
Pros
Cons
eClincher combines publishing, listening, brand monitoring, analytics, and local SEO in one platform.
Why start with eClincher?
eClincher is a powerful option for testing all-in-one social media management and marketing features to see if they fit your needs before committing to the full suite.
Key free features (Free trial)
All the Standard or Professional features, such as:
Who is eClincher best for?
Agencies or brands evaluating premium options.
Pricing
Paid plans with 14-day free trials start at $149/month.
Pros
Cons
Bitly isn’t a full social scheduler, but it’s a handy free tool for managing and tracking links that you want to use or include in your clients’ social media content.
Why start with Bitly?
If you want cleaner, trackable URLs for your clients’ posts but don’t need the full social media management suite, Bitly is a no-brainer.
Key free features
Who is Bitly best for?
Anyone who frequently shares links on social media.
Pricing
The Bitly paid plans start at $10 per month (charged annually).
Pros:
Cons:
Canva is famous for its design capabilities, but it also offers a free content scheduler.
Why start with Canva?
You can design and schedule posts without leaving the platform, which is a huge time-saver.
Key free features:
Who is Canva best for?
Creators, small businesses, and teams that want quick, on-brand visuals for social media, marketing, and other projects.
Pricing
Canva’s paid plans start at $15 per person per month.
Pros
Cons:
It depends on your needs.
Must read: Best Platform For Social Media Management [2024]
Some free tools can be great for scheduling and basic analytics, while others offer more powerful free tiers that include publishing and reporting capabilities.
Consider testing a few and see which interface feels most intuitive to you.
Absolutely! Especially if you’re just starting or managing a few accounts.
The right, cost-free tools can:
The catch? You may encounter limits on the number of posts, users, or accounts. If your brand scales up, upgrading to a paid plan is often a worthwhile investment.
Yes, but usually in a simplified form.
For example, some tools can give you engagement and reach insights on the free plan.
Other tools can also provide basic performance metrics.
If you need in-depth reports, such as competitor benchmarking or advanced filters, you’ll likely need a paid plan.
Free social media management tools can give you what you need to start scheduling smarter, analyzing performance, and streamlining your workflow on a budget.
Whether you’re juggling multiple accounts or a growing brand testing new platforms, these tools help you save time and stay consistent.
Ready to take your strategy even further?
Start your Vista Social account for an all‑in‑one platform designed to help you plan, publish, and grow your clients’ brands with ease.
About the Author
Content Writer
Jimmy Rodela is a social media and content marketing consultant with over 9 years of experience, with work appearing on sites such as Business.com, Yahoo, SEMRush, and SearchEnginePeople. He specializes in social media, content marketing, SaaS, small business strategy, marketing automation, and content development.
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