How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Ratings come from G2, Capterra or Trustpilot, with the date we checked them.
Key takeaways
- Later is the closest like for like switch, with the same visual grid planning model, a limited free plan, and paid plans from 25 dollars a month.
- Buffer is the simplest cheap scheduler at 6 dollars per channel a month, but it drops the grid preview that Planoly users value.
- Metricool pairs scheduling with analytics and competitor tracking for up to five brands on a 25 dollar plan, which suits small agencies.
- Every tool here prices by a different unit, per set, per channel, per brand, or per user, so compare the cost of your actual accounts, not the headline price.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 Later | Visual grid planning like Planoly | $25 per month | Yes |
 Buffer | Simple low cost scheduling | Free | Yes |
 Metricool | Scheduling plus analytics | Free | Yes |
 Pallyy | Freelancers with client approvals | $25 per month | Yes |
 Tailwind | Pinterest and Instagram together | See website | Yes |
 SocialBee | Evergreen content recycling | $29 per month | No |
 Preview | Phone first grid planning | Free | Yes |
 Hootsuite | Larger teams and enterprises | $99 per user per month | No |
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The best Planoly alternatives
#1Later
Best for: Visual grid planning like Planoly4.5/5 on
G2 (384 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit later.com
Starting price$25 per month
Free planYes
What we like- Later is Planoly's closest direct rival, built on the same visual first idea with a drag and drop calendar and grid preview, plus link in bio tools and basic analytics. Its free plan covers a small allowance of posts per profile each month, and the Starter plan costs 25 dollars a month billed monthly, or 18.75 billed annually, for one social set. Brands that plan campaigns visually will feel at home immediately.
Watch out for- Starter caps posts per profile each month, so daily posters outgrow it fast and land on pricier tiers. It lacks X and Google Business Profile support, and approval workflows sit behind a paid add on rather than the base plan. Costs rise per social set as you add brands.
#2Buffer
Best for: Simple low cost scheduling4.3/5 on
G2 (1,041 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit buffer.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Buffer is the cleanest scheduler here: compose, pick a time, and post across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and more. Its free plan covers three channels with a small queue, and paid plans cost 6 dollars per channel a month, or 5 dollars billed annually, which is cheap for a handful of accounts. It suits people who found Planoly's planning layer more than they needed.
Watch out for- Buffer has no true grid preview, so the visual planning that defines Planoly is gone. Approvals require the Team plan at 12 dollars per channel, which can multiply quickly across many channels. Analytics are serviceable rather than deep, and Instagram Stories run through reminder workflows in some cases.
#3Metricool
Best for: Scheduling plus analytics4.5/5 on
G2 (98 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit metricool.com
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Metricool combines scheduling with the analytics Planoly users often have to buy elsewhere: performance reporting, competitor tracking, and a free plan covering one brand with a monthly post allowance. The Starter plan costs 25 dollars a month billed monthly, or 20 dollars billed annually, for up to five brands, which makes it strong value for freelancers and small agencies. It covers a wide set of networks, including blogs and ad accounts.
Watch out for- X publishing costs extra as an add on, a pattern worth checking on any tool. The interface is denser than Planoly's, since analytics share the screen with planning. Visual grid planning exists but is less central than in Later or Preview.
Starting price$25 per month
Free planYes
What we like- Pallyy puts the grid and client approvals on one screen, so freelancers can plan a feed and send it for sign off without separate tools or screenshots. Its Pro plan costs 25 dollars a month for one social set, and it covers the main visual networks plus scheduling and basic analytics. The approval workflow is the reason to pick it over a plain scheduler.
Watch out for- Pallyy is a smaller product than Later or Hootsuite, with a smaller integration and template ecosystem. Per set pricing adds up as client numbers grow. Teams needing listening or deep reporting will still need another tool.
Starting priceSee website
Free planYes
What we like- Tailwind built its reputation on Pinterest, with scheduling, design tools, and communities aimed at driving traffic from pins, and it covers Instagram planning as well. For shops and bloggers whose sales come from Pinterest, it goes deeper than Planoly ever tried to. It offers a free plan to start, and its AI writing and design helpers suit small teams producing lots of pins.
Watch out for- Published entry prices conflicted across current sources, roughly in the high teens to mid twenties per month, so this guide lists see website and you should confirm on the vendor page. Outside Pinterest and Instagram, Tailwind is not a general scheduler. Heavy LinkedIn or X users need a second tool.
#6SocialBee
Best for: Evergreen content recycling4.7/5 on
G2 (477 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit socialbee.io
Starting price$29 per month
Free planNo
What we like- SocialBee organises posts into categories and recycles evergreen content on a schedule, which keeps profiles active without constant new material. It covers the main networks, offers a 14 day trial, and starts at 29 dollars a month billed monthly, or about 24 dollars billed annually. Concierge style services are available for teams that want help with content.
Watch out for- There is no free plan, only a trial. Stories run through reminder based posting in many setups, so check your exact network needs. Its visual planning is functional but less polished than Later or Preview for grid led Instagram work.
Starting priceFree
Free planYes
What we like- Preview is a phone first planner for people who live in the Instagram grid: plan the feed, rearrange posts, edit photos, and schedule from one app, with a genuinely usable free plan. Paid plans run from about 6.67 dollars a month billed yearly per account. Solo creators who edit on the phone get the closest Planoly style experience at the lowest price here.
Watch out for- Preview is an Instagram planner first, so multi network scheduling is not its job. Per account pricing grows with each profile you add. Desktop and team workflows are light compared with Later or Hootsuite.
#8Hootsuite
Best for: Larger teams and enterprises4.3/5 on
G2 (7,433 reviews, checked Oct 2026)
Visit hootsuite.com
Starting price$99 per user per month
Free planNo
What we like- Hootsuite is the heavyweight option, with scheduling, streams for engagement, team roles, and reporting across many networks, now including Talkwalker powered listening at higher levels. It starts at 99 dollars per user a month on annual billing, with a trial rather than a free plan. Organisations with compliance needs, many users, and many brands choose it because it governs all of that in one place.
Watch out for- Per user pricing makes it the most expensive option here by a wide margin for teams. It is far more platform than a solo creator or small shop needs. There is no free plan, so evaluation runs on the trial clock.
How we chose
We compared the schedulers that 2026 Instagram planning and scheduling comparisons place closest to Planoly, checking each vendor's pricing page and October 2026 reporting for starting prices, free plan allowances, and pricing units. We favoured tools that keep visual grid planning, since that is Planoly's core job, and included broader platforms only where approvals, analytics, or network coverage give a clear reason to switch. We marked Tailwind's price as see website because current sources disagreed, rather than cherry picking the lowest figure. Reminder based posting and network restrictions are noted per tool, since they decide whether scheduled content really publishes hands free.
How to choose the right Planoly alternative
Do the unit maths first. List your profiles, brands, and users, then price that exact roster on each tool's own calculator: a 25 dollar plan per social set and a 6 dollar plan per channel cross over quickly as accounts grow. Then check the posting mechanics for your main network. Auto publish works cleanly for standard feed posts and Reels on professional accounts in most tools here, while Stories with stickers, music, or links often fall back to phone reminders, whatever the marketing page says.
Decide which missing piece is driving the switch. If it is approvals, Pallyy builds them into the grid view. If it is reporting, Metricool folds analytics in at a small business price. If it is Pinterest, Tailwind is the specialist. If it is simply cost, Buffer's per channel model is hard to beat for a few accounts. Finally, reconnect accounts carefully after any move: scheduled posts in the old tool do not transfer, so export your content calendar, note what is queued, and rebuild the queue in the new tool before the old subscription lapses.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest alternative to Planoly?
Later. It uses the same visual grid planning model, offers a limited free plan, and starts at 25 dollars a month for one social set. Preview is the closest match for phone only planners, at a lower price.
Which Planoly alternative is cheapest?
Buffer, at 6 dollars per channel a month on paid plans, with a free plan for three channels. Preview's paid plans are also low, from about 6.67 dollars a month billed yearly per account, and Metricool's free plan covers one brand with a monthly post allowance.
Do these tools post to Instagram automatically?
For feed posts, carousels, and Reels on professional accounts, yes, in most cases. Stories that use stickers, music, or links often fall back to a reminder workflow where you finish the post in the Instagram app. Check the exact behaviour for your account type before relying on it.
Why do prices vary so much between tools?
The pricing unit differs: per social set at Later and Pallyy, per channel at Buffer, per brand at Metricool, and per user at Hootsuite. The right comparison is the total for your own roster of accounts and people, on the same billing cycle.
Can I plan a grid without paying?
Yes. Later's free plan includes limited posts per profile, Metricool's free plan covers one brand, and Preview's free plan is built for grid planning. The limits are post counts and features such as analytics, not the planner itself.
Sources we checked (0)
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has 5+ years in B2B and SaaS SEO. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.