Buffer vs Hootsuite vs Later vs Sprout vs Metricool
Buffer, Hootsuite, Later, Sprout Social, and Metricool all promise to simplify social media management, but which one actually fits your team's approval process, budget, and AI needs? Claire and Grant break down what each platform's own documentation says, where vendors disagree, and what that means for your workflow.
Chapters:
0:05 Open
1:04 Buffer
3:49 Hootsuite
6:05 Later
7:59 Sprout Social
10:17 Metricool
12:42 How to choose
14:03 Close
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Links mentioned:
Buffer: https://buffer.com/
Hootsuite: https://www.hootsuite.com/
Later: https://later.com/
Sprout Social: https://sproutsocial.com/
Metricool: https://metricool.com/
Using Buffer's AI Assistant - Buffer Help Center: https://support.buffer.com/article/583-using-buffers-ai-assistant
Buffer: AI Assistant: https://buffer.com/ai-assistant
Buffer: Insights: https://buffer.com/insights
Buffer: Collaborate: https://buffer.com/collaborate
Managing and approving draft posts - Buffer Help Center: https://support.buffer.com/en-us/articles/managing-and-approving-draft-posts-57li7M8tDA
Managing and approving draft posts (search snippet) - Buffer Help Center: https://support.buffer.com/article/665-managing-and-approving-draft-posts
Kontentino vs. Buffer (competitor view): https://www.kontentino.com/kontentino-vs-buffer/
Hootsuite Rebuilds for the AI Era, Introducing Wisdom (press release): https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/press-releases/2026/06/24/hootsuite-rebuilds-for-the-ai-era-introducing-wisdom-a-social-first-ai-agent-turning-social-signals-into-action/
Meet Hootsuite Social OS: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-ai-tools/
Hootsuite: Social Media Calendar and Scheduler: https://www.hootsuite.com/platform/publishing
Hootsuite: Social media approval workflow software: https://www.hootsuite.com/platform/social-media-approval-tool
Set up an approval process - Hootsuite Help: https://help.hootsuite.com/hc/en-us/articles/4414540591387-Set-up-an-approval-process
Ask a team member to approve your content - Hootsuite Help: https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/ask-for-approval?language=en_US
Hootsuite Professional Plan: https://www.hootsuite.com/plans/professional
Hootsuite: Plans: https://www.hootsuite.com/plans
Social media workflow: Steps, approvals, AI + templates: https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-marketing-workflow/
Later: Social media scheduler, how to schedule posts at scale: https://later.com/blog/social-media-scheduler/
Later: Best social media scheduler tools, compared for teams: https://later.com/blog/social-media-scheduling-tools/
Later Review 2026 (independent directory): https://vantaige.io/ai-tool/later
Later Review (Elegant Themes): https://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/marketing/later-review
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