Prices and features verified September 2026
The best AI social media management tools in 2026
13 tools compared on what matters once the posts are out: AI replies to comments and DMs, the inbox, automation, publishing and 2026 pricing. We make OutReply, so it's on the list; so are the tools that beat it for particular jobs.
About this list
OutReply publishes this guide and OutReply is one of the tools in it. To keep it useful, we don't score tools or rank them overall. Instead we name the job each tool does best, say where OutReply is the weaker choice, and link every competitor price and feature to its source.
The links to other tools are plain links, not affiliate links. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we'll correct it.
How we compared the tools
We looked at each tool through the same questions:
- AI replies: does the tool draft replies to comments and DMs, on which plan, and can replies go out automatically?
- Inbox: which networks' comments and messages it brings together.
- Automation: keyword rules, comment-to-DM and moderation such as hiding spam.
- Publishing: which networks you can schedule posts to.
- Sentiment and insight: whether it tags the mood of comments and helps you find leads or track competitors.
- Pricing: the starting price, whether there's a free plan, and whether you pay per user, channel, contact, workspace, brand or a flat fee.
For every tool we read its own pricing page and help documentation in September 2026 and noted the plan each feature is on. When a feature isn't on a tool's pricing page we say "Not listed" rather than guess. Manychat's website blocks automated checks, so its prices come from two independent 2026 pricing summaries that agree with each other. Sendible's pricing page loads its prices in the browser, so its prices come from a named summary too, as do monthly prices where a pricing page shows only yearly ones.
We reviewed plans, documentation and product pages rather than running a timed test of every tool, and prices change often, so check the vendor's page before you buy. Each tool's sources are listed in its section below.
The best AI social media tool for each job
No single tool wins everything. These are our picks by use case, with the starting price as of September 2026.
OutReply
Small and mid-sized businesses, creators and agencies whose comments and DMs need answers every day, and who want AI replies, sentiment and scheduling in one tool at a flat price.
Starts at: Free; paid from $30/mo
More about OutReplyManychat
Creators and marketers who run chat funnels on Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, TikTok or Telegram, with broadcasts and multi-step flows, and who don't need post scheduling in the same tool.
Starts at: Free; $14/mo, billed yearly
More about ManychatHootsuite
Large social teams that need unlimited profiles, message assignment and routing across many agents, and enterprise listening, and that budget per seat.
Starts at: $99/user/mo, billed annually
More about HootsuiteSprout Social
Mid-size and enterprise teams that need CRM or help desk integrations, a listening add-on and unlimited profiles, with budget for per-seat pricing.
Starts at: $79/seat/mo, billed annually
More about Sprout SocialAgorapulse
Marketing and agency teams that need an inbox for LinkedIn, Threads and Google Business reviews, ad comment moderation, ROI reporting and a listening add-on, and that budget per user.
Starts at: $79/user/mo, billed annually
More about AgorapulseVista Social
Agencies and multi-location businesses that need review management, 13 networks, listening across the web and white label reporting, and can budget from $79 a month.
Starts at: $79/mo, or $758/yr
More about Vista SocialBuffer
Creators and small teams who mostly schedule posts, publish to networks such as Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky or Google Business Profile, and pay for only a few channels.
Starts at: Free; $5/channel/mo, billed yearly
More about BufferMetricool
Freelancers and agencies that schedule and report for many brands, publish to Pinterest, Threads or Bluesky, and need analytics and reports more than reply automation.
Starts at: Free; $20/mo, billed yearly
More about MetricoolSendible
Agencies that want unlimited users, white label reporting and a client onboarding flow, and mostly publish and report.
Starts at: $35/mo
More about SendiblePlanable
Agencies and brands whose main workflow is drafting posts and collecting feedback and approvals from clients or many stakeholders.
Starts at: $33/workspace/mo, billed yearly
More about PlanableLoomly
Marketing teams that plan content in shared calendars, need approval workflows and Slack or Microsoft Teams integration, and publish to Pinterest, Snapchat, Threads or Google Business Profile.
Starts at: $49/mo, billed yearly
More about LoomlyLater
Creators and brands that plan content for Instagram and TikTok and also publish to Pinterest, Threads or Snapchat.
Starts at: $18.75/mo, billed yearly
More about LaterSocialBee
Solo marketers and small teams that plan by content category, recycle evergreen posts and publish to networks such as Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky or Google Business Profile.
Starts at: $29/mo
More about SocialBeeAI social media management tools compared (2026)
Starting prices in US dollars, verified September 2026, in alphabetical order. "AI replies" is what each tool's plans list for AI help with replies to comments and messages.
| Tool | Best for | Starts at | Free plan | Priced | AI replies | Publishing networks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agorapulse | Inbox moderation across eight networks | $79/user/mo, billed annually | No, 30-day trial | Per user | Suggestions on Custom | See the full comparison |
| Buffer | Simple scheduling priced per channel | Free; $5/channel/mo, billed yearly | Yes, 3 channels | Per channel | Suggestions; 5 a week on Free | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon, Substack |
| Hootsuite | Enterprise teams, listening and message routing | $99/user/mo, billed annually | No, 14-day trial | Per user | Smart Replies, an Enterprise add-on | See the full comparison |
| Later | Instagram visual planning and link in bio | $18.75/mo, billed yearly | No, 14-day trial | Per plan (social sets) | Not listed | Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat |
| Loomly | Shared content calendars with approvals | $49/mo, billed yearly | Not listed; free trial | Per plan (accounts and users) | Reply with AI on every plan | Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, Threads |
| Manychat | Instagram chat funnels and broadcasts | Free; $14/mo, billed yearly | Yes, 25 active contacts | Active contacts | Manychat AI from Pro | See the full comparison |
| Metricool | Multi-brand analytics and reports | Free; $20/mo, billed yearly | Yes, 1 brand | By number of brands | Not listed; Flows send fixed replies | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads and Bluesky; LinkedIn and X (paid add-on) on paid plans |
| OutReply Our product | AI replies to comments and DMs on a budget | Free; paid from $30/mo | Yes, free forever | Flat price, teammates included | Every plan, comments and DMs | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube |
| Planable | Client and stakeholder approvals | $33/workspace/mo, billed yearly | Yes, first 50 posts | Per workspace | Social Inbox add-on | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Threads |
| Sendible | Agencies that need unlimited users and white label | $35/mo | No, 14-day trial | Per plan, unlimited users | Not listed | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube, WordPress, Threads, Bluesky |
| SocialBee | Evergreen content recycling | $29/mo | No, 14-day trial | Per plan | Not listed | Facebook, Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, X, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Google Business Profile, Bluesky |
| Sprout Social | CRM and help desk integrations | $79/seat/mo, billed annually | No, 30-day trial | Per seat | Enhance Reply on Advanced | See the full comparison |
| Vista Social | AI replies plus review management | $79/mo, or $758/yr | No, 14-day trial | Per plan (profiles and users) | AI replies on every plan | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Reddit, Pinterest, Snapchat, Threads, YouTube, Google Business, Tumblr, Bluesky |
The tools, one by one
What each tool is best at, how it's priced and what it offers for replies. Each links to a full side-by-side comparison with OutReply.
Agorapulse
Inbox-first suite, priced per userBest for inbox moderation across eight networks. Marketing and agency teams that need an inbox for LinkedIn, Threads and Google Business reviews, ad comment moderation, ROI reporting and a listening add-on, and that budget per user.
- Starts at
- $79/user/mo, billed annually
- Free plan
- No, 30-day trial
- Priced
- Per user
- AI replies
- Suggestions on Custom
Where Agorapulse is strong
- A broader inbox: TikTok, LinkedIn comments and mentions, Threads, Google Business reviews and ad comments, alongside Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
- ROI reporting on every plan, with advanced ROI from Advanced.
- Social listening as a paid add-on. OutReply's listening covers Reddit only.
- Unlimited social profiles and unlimited moderation rules on Custom.
Sources: Agorapulse pricing and plan comparison (agorapulse.com); Agorapulse Help Centre: Agorapulse Inbox explained (support.agorapulse.com); Agorapulse social media inbox features (agorapulse.com); SocialPilot: Agorapulse pricing summary (socialpilot.co)
Buffer
Scheduler, priced per channelBest for simple scheduling priced per channel. Creators and small teams who mostly schedule posts, publish to networks such as Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky or Google Business Profile, and pay for only a few channels.
- Starts at
- Free; $5/channel/mo, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes, 3 channels
- Priced
- Per channel
- AI replies
- Suggestions; 5 a week on Free
Where Buffer is strong
- More publishing networks, including Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon and Substack.
- Comment replies on more networks, including LinkedIn, Threads and Google Business Profile.
- Cheaper for a few channels: Essentials is $5 per channel a month billed yearly, less than OutReply Advanced for up to 4 channels.
- Unlimited team members on the Team plan.
- A free plan with 3 channels for scheduling.
Sources: Buffer pricing (buffer.com)
Hootsuite
Social suite, priced per userBest for enterprise teams, listening and message routing. Large social teams that need unlimited profiles, message assignment and routing across many agents, and enterprise listening, and that budget per seat.
- Starts at
- $99/user/mo, billed annually
- Free plan
- No, 14-day trial
- Priced
- Per user
- AI replies
- Smart Replies, an Enterprise add-on
Where Hootsuite is strong
- Unlimited social accounts from Professional; OutReply caps accounts per brand.
- Message assignment and auto-routing for larger support teams, from Advanced.
- Advanced listening and advanced analytics on Enterprise. OutReply's listening covers Reddit only.
- Brand and competitor monitoring from Standard; OutReply's competitor tracking is on Elite.
- Trend forecasting up to 90 days ahead on Professional.
Sources: Hootsuite plans and pricing (hootsuite.com); Hootsuite social media inbox features (hootsuite.com)
Later
Scheduler with link in bioBest for Instagram visual planning and link in bio. Creators and brands that plan content for Instagram and TikTok and also publish to Pinterest, Threads or Snapchat.
- Starts at
- $18.75/mo, billed yearly
- Free plan
- No, 14-day trial
- Priced
- Per plan (social sets)
- AI replies
- Not listed
Where Later is strong
- Publishing to Threads, Pinterest and Snapchat.
- TikTok comments in the Social Inbox on Growth and Scale. OutReply publishes to TikTok but doesn't read TikTok comments.
- More profiles per plan: each social set is one profile on each of 8 networks.
- A lower paid entry point for publishing: Starter is $18.75 a month billed yearly for up to 8 profiles.
Sources: Later pricing (later.com)
Loomly
Content calendar with approvalsBest for shared content calendars with approvals. Marketing teams that plan content in shared calendars, need approval workflows and Slack or Microsoft Teams integration, and publish to Pinterest, Snapchat, Threads or Google Business Profile.
- Starts at
- $49/mo, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Not listed; free trial
- Priced
- Per plan (accounts and users)
- AI replies
- Reply with AI on every plan
Where Loomly is strong
- Shared content calendars with approval workflows and roles on every plan.
- Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations.
- More publishing networks, including Pinterest, Snapchat, Threads and Google Business Profile.
- Unlimited users on Beyond.
Sources: Loomly pricing (loomly.com); Loomly Help Center: supported social media platforms (loomly.zendesk.com); Loomly integrations (supported networks) (loomly.com); SocialPilot: Loomly pricing summary (socialpilot.co)
Manychat
Chat automation, priced by contactsBest for Instagram chat funnels and broadcasts. Creators and marketers who run chat funnels on Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, TikTok or Telegram, with broadcasts and multi-step flows, and who don't need post scheduling in the same tool.
- Starts at
- Free; $14/mo, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes, 25 active contacts
- Priced
- Active contacts
- AI replies
- Manychat AI from Pro
Where Manychat is strong
- More chat channels: Telegram and TikTok on every plan, and WhatsApp, SMS and email from Pro. OutReply's messaging covers Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
- Built for multi-step chat flows, broadcasts and lead capture inside the conversation.
- Instagram Live comment triggers.
- A free plan with live automations (4 automations for up to 25 contacts). OutReply's Free plan drafts replies, but workflows start on Advanced.
- A cheaper start for a small audience: Essential is $14 a month billed yearly for 250 active contacts.
Sources: Manychat Help: Instagram Post and Reel Comments trigger (help.manychat.com); Manychat Help: Instagram Live Comments trigger (help.manychat.com); Manychat Help: Manychat AI Comments (help.manychat.com); SetSmart: Manychat pricing 2026 (plans and limits) (setsmart.io); ChatBot.com: Manychat pricing in 2026 (plans and channels) (chatbot.com)
Metricool
Planner and analytics, priced by brandsBest for multi-brand analytics and reports. Freelancers and agencies that schedule and report for many brands, publish to Pinterest, Threads or Bluesky, and need analytics and reports more than reply automation.
- Starts at
- Free; $20/mo, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes, 1 brand
- Priced
- By number of brands
- AI replies
- Not listed; Flows send fixed replies
Where Metricool is strong
- A lower price for scheduling across several brands: Starter covers up to 5 brands for $20 a month billed yearly.
- More networks, including Pinterest, Threads and Bluesky, plus TikTok, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile in the inbox.
- Competitor analysis on every plan, including 5 competitors on Free.
- PDF and PowerPoint reports, a Looker Studio connector on Advanced and a white label option on Custom.
- Flows also cover TikTok comments. OutReply publishes TikTok videos but doesn't read or reply to TikTok comments.
Sources: Metricool pricing (metricool.com); Metricool social media inbox (metricool.com); Metricool Flows (metricool.com); Metricool Help Center: What are Flows? (help.metricool.com); SocialPilot: Metricool pricing summary (monthly and yearly prices) (socialpilot.co)
OutReply
AI replies, inbox and publishing, flat priceBest for AI replies to comments and DMs on a budget. Small and mid-sized businesses, creators and agencies whose comments and DMs need answers every day, and who want AI replies, sentiment and scheduling in one tool at a flat price.
- Starts at
- Free; paid from $30/mo
- Free plan
- Yes, free forever
- Priced
- Flat price, teammates included
- AI replies
- Every plan, comments and DMs
Strengths
- AI-drafted replies to comments on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube and to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp messages, on every plan including Free (1 credit per reply).
- Sentiment on every comment, on every plan, with a filter for each post's negative comments.
- Workflows on Advanced and Elite: keyword or plain-language AI conditions, then an AI reply, a comment-to-DM or hiding spam on Facebook and Instagram, and AI chatbot replies to WhatsApp messages.
- Publishing and scheduling on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X and YouTube.
- Flat pricing: Free $0, Advanced $30 a month and Elite $45 a month, with collaborators included on paid plans.
- Audience profiles and buying-intent lead scoring on Advanced, competitor tracking and Google Trends on Elite, and Reddit keyword monitoring.
Limitations
- Automatic replies and comment-to-DM need Advanced or Elite; on Free, OutReply drafts replies for you to send.
- Real-time automation covers Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Comments on X and YouTube get AI drafts you approve.
- You can publish to LinkedIn and TikTok but not answer comments there, and there's no publishing to Pinterest, Threads or Google Business Profile.
- Listening covers Reddit keywords only, not the wider web, and there's no review management for Google or Yelp.
- No white label reports, no content recycling queues and no native mobile app.
Planable
Content approval, priced per workspaceBest for client and stakeholder approvals. Agencies and brands whose main workflow is drafting posts and collecting feedback and approvals from clients or many stakeholders.
- Starts at
- $33/workspace/mo, billed yearly
- Free plan
- Yes, first 50 posts
- Priced
- Per workspace
- AI replies
- Social Inbox add-on
Where Planable is strong
- Unlimited users on every plan, so clients and stakeholders can review without a seat limit.
- Feed, calendar and grid previews built for approvals, with required and multi-level approval flows.
- More publishing networks, including Pinterest, Google Business Profile and Threads.
Sources: Planable pricing (planable.io); PostPlanify: Planable pricing summary (monthly prices) (postplanify.com)
Sendible
Agency tool, unlimited usersBest for agencies that need unlimited users and white label. Agencies that want unlimited users, white label reporting and a client onboarding flow, and mostly publish and report.
- Starts at
- $35/mo
- Free plan
- No, 14-day trial
- Priced
- Per plan, unlimited users
- AI replies
- Not listed
Where Sendible is strong
- Unlimited users on every plan; OutReply caps collaborators per brand.
- White label reporting as a paid add-on. OutReply has no white label option.
- Client Connect, so clients can link their profiles without sharing logins.
- More publishing destinations, including Google Business Profile, WordPress, Threads and Bluesky, and LinkedIn in its Priority Inbox.
Sources: Sendible pricing (plans, limits and features) (sendible.com); SocialPilot: Sendible pricing summary (prices) (socialpilot.co)
How to choose an AI social media management tool
Solo creators and small businesses
If most of your time goes on replying to comments and DMs, start with a free plan that drafts replies with AI, such as OutReply's Free plan. If you mainly schedule posts to a few channels, Buffer and Metricool have free plans and low-cost paid tiers. If you sell through Instagram DMs with keyword funnels and broadcasts, Manychat is built for that.
Small teams with a busy inbox
Look at how each tool prices teammates as well as features. Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Agorapulse charge per user; Vista Social, Loomly and Later limit users by plan; Sendible and Planable include unlimited users; OutReply includes up to 10 collaborators per brand on Advanced. Then check whether AI replies are on the plan you'd actually buy.
Agencies
Sendible offers unlimited users, client onboarding and a white label add-on; Planable is built around client approvals; Vista Social adds review management and white label on higher plans; Metricool covers many brands for a low price. OutReply Elite covers 10 client brands with up to 25 accounts each for $45 a month, without white label.
Enterprise and large support teams
Hootsuite brings enterprise listening and message routing, Sprout Social native CRM and help desk integrations, and Agorapulse AI reply suggestions on its Custom plan. Expect per-seat pricing, usually billed annually. OutReply fits teams that want AI replies without an enterprise plan.
Check how a tool charges, not just the headline price. Per user, per channel, per contact, per workspace and per brand pricing all grow differently as your team and audience grow. OutReply's paid plans are a flat $30 or $45 a month with collaborators included.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI social media management tool in 2026?
It depends on the job. For AI replies to comments and DMs on a small budget, OutReply drafts replies on every plan and can send routine ones automatically. For enterprise listening and message routing, look at Hootsuite; for CRM and help desk integrations, Sprout Social. For low-cost scheduling, Buffer and Metricool. For Instagram chat funnels, Manychat. For AI replies plus review management, Vista Social.
Which social media tools reply to comments with AI?
OutReply drafts replies to comments and DMs on every plan, including Free. Other tools in this guide list AI help with replies too, often on specific plans or as an add-on: Hootsuite (Smart Replies, an Enterprise add-on), Buffer (Suggestions; 5 a week on Free), Sprout Social (Enhance Reply on Advanced), Manychat (Manychat AI from Pro), Agorapulse (Suggestions on Custom), Vista Social (AI replies on every plan), Planable (Social Inbox add-on) and Loomly (Reply with AI on every plan). Check whether a tool only suggests replies or can also send them automatically, and on which networks.
Is there a free AI social media management tool?
Yes. OutReply's Free plan includes 1 brand, 2 social accounts and 30 AI credits a month. Buffer (3 channels), Manychat (25 active contacts), Metricool (1 brand) and Planable (first 50 posts) also have free plans. Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Later, Sendible, SocialBee, Agorapulse, Vista Social and Loomly offer free trials instead.
How much does AI social media management software cost?
From free to a few hundred dollars a month per person. Per-user suites cost the most as a team grows: Hootsuite ($99/user/mo, billed annually), Sprout Social ($79/seat/mo, billed annually) and Agorapulse ($79/user/mo, billed annually). OutReply is $30 a month on Advanced and $45 on Elite, with collaborators included, and has a free plan.
Can AI reply to Instagram comments automatically?
Yes. On Advanced and Elite, OutReply workflows can reply to a new Instagram or Facebook comment with an AI-written message or send the commenter a DM, based on keywords or a plain-language AI condition. Manychat's comment triggers send the DMs you set up, and from its Pro plan Manychat AI also replies to positive Instagram comments. Metricool's Flows send replies you write in advance, and Vista Social has DM automations. Whatever you use, keep complaints for a person: OutReply can skip negative comments with an AI condition.
Why is OutReply on a list published by OutReply?
We make OutReply, so we include it where it fits and say where other tools are the better choice. We don't score tools or rank them overall, and every competitor price and feature links to its source. If something is out of date, tell us and we'll fix it.
Related OutReply pages
See how OutReply answers your comments
Connect an account on the free plan and let OutReply draft replies to your latest comments and DMs, then compare it with the tools above.