Comparing Social Media Scheduling Tools: Buffer, Later, Sprout Social, and Rella
Scheduling social media content is essential for staying consistent and engaging your audience. Here’s a breakdown of four popular scheduling tools: Buffer, Later, Sprout Social, and Rella.
Buffer
Key Features:
Post scheduling
Advanced analytics
Social media engagement tools
Pricing:
Free for basic
Essentials plan starts at $5/month per social set
Team plan starts at $10/month per social set
Best For
Internal social media managers
Solo entrepreneurs
Pros:
Simple interface
Advanced analytics for small businesses
Engagement tools
Cons:
Lacks advanced collaboration tools
Internal approval process, no external sharing
Pay per social set which gets costly as you onboard clients
Overall Thoughts on Buffer for Social Media Managers: Buffer is great for small businesses needing basic scheduling, but it may fall short for larger teams that require robust collaboration and advanced features.
Later
Key Features:
Visual content calendar
Caption generator
Link-in-bio tool
Creator marketplace
Social listening
Pricing:
Free plan with limited features
Starter plan begins at $16.67/month for 1 social set
Growth plan begins at $30/month for 3 social sets
Advanced plan begins at $53.33/month for 6 social sets
Growth plan begins at $133.33/month for 15 social sets
Best For:
Brands focused heavily on Instagram
Creators looking for brand deal opportunities
Pros:
Great for visual planning and Instagram scheduling
Social listening for competitors
Cons:
Limited analytics
Internal approval process, no external sharing
Pay per social set which gets costly as you onboard clients
Must have final content with no place for brainstorming
Overall Thoughts on Later for Social Media Managers: Later excels in visual planning for Instagram and for creators looking to add multiple streams of income, but is less ideal for teams managing multi-platform strategies and with multiple clients.
Sprout Social
Key Features:
Social listening
Advanced analytics
Multi-platform scheduling.
Pricing:
Standard plan starts at $199/month/user for 5 social profiles
Professional plan starts at $299/month/user for unlimited profiles
Advanced plan starts at $399/month/user for unlimited profiles
Best For:
Enterprise-level social media teams
Pros:
Comprehensive reporting and monitoring features
Cons:
Expensive for small teams
Overall Thoughts on Sprout Social for Social Media Managers: Sprout Social offers powerful features, but its high cost makes it more suitable for large businesses with complex needs.
Rella
Key Features:
Social media calendar
Team collaboration
Easy content approval process
Platform-specific analytics reports
Pricing:
Starts at $20/user/month for unlimited social spaces
Best For:
Social media managers who want an intuitive, all-in-one solution
Social media teams with multiple clients
Content creators for content planning and sharing
Pros:
Built specifically for social media teams
Automated content calendars
Ability to share content externally for approvals and feedback with just a link - no log in required
Cons:
Newer to the market but growing quickly
No engagement or social listening solutions
Overall Thoughts on Rella for Social Media Managers: Rella shines as the top choice for social media scheduling with its tailored features, affordability, and ease of use, making it the best fit for growing social media teams.
Selecting the right social media scheduling tool can make or break your content strategy. Buffer, Later, and Sprout Social offer valuable features, but they often come with limitations in scope, platform support, or pricing. Rella not only offers a budget-friendly solution but also provides an all-in-one platform for scheduling, analytics, and collaboration. For social media managers and teams aiming to optimize their workflow, Rella is the best choice that balances affordability, functionality, and ease of use.
