HootSuite Vs SproutSocial
HootSuite or SproutSocial
Hootsuite
Since launching in 2008, Hootsuite has become a trusted name in social media management. It serves 18 million users in over 200 countries, including 800 Fortune 1000 companies. Bringing in $350 million in revenue, Hootsuite keeps growing steadily by offering a simple dashboard that combines scheduling, analytics, and engagement all in one place. With over 150 app integrations and support for 18 languages, Hootsuite is a solid choice for international businesses that want a reliable and easy-to-use social media platform.
Sprout Social
More than 30,000 top brands trust SproutSocial to manage their social media. With 15 years of experience, SproutSocial has earned 164 leader badges across various industries. It turns social media into a powerful tool that helps businesses boost revenue and connect with customers using clear analytics and a unified platform. Designed for teams that need top-notch collaboration and advanced social listening, SproutSocial provides the tools big organizations rely on to grow their social presence with confidence.
Other Sprout Social Comparisons
Overview
Do you need HootSuite vs SproutSocial comparison to pick the social media management tool of your choice? Maybe because you have looked at other social media management tools and figured these two fit the bill the most. If that is the case, so be it. We are here to help.
Welcome to our expert comparison of HootSuite and SproutSocial, two popular social media management software tools. If you’ve found yourself searching for “HootSuite vs SproutSocial” to help you make a decision, you’re in the right place.
At RecurPost, we specialize in providing valuable insights into various social media management tools. In this article, we’ll get into the features, user ratings, and pros and cons of both Hootsuite and Sprout Social.
By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of which tool is the best fit for your social media management needs.
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: User Ratings
| Rating | Hootsuite | Sprout Social |
| Star Rating (Out of 5) | 4.1 | 4.4 |
| Meets Requirements (Out of 10) | 8.3 | 8.5 |
| Ease of Use (Out of 10) | 8.4 | 8.9 |
| Ease of Setup (Out of 10) | 8.4 | 8.8 |
| Ease of Admin (Out of 10) | 8.5 | 8.8 |
| Quality of Support (Out of 10) | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| Has the product been a good partner? (Out of 10) | 8.3 | 8.8 |
| Product Direction (% positive) (Out of 10) | 7.3 | 8.8 |
When it comes to user ratings, both Hootsuite and Sprout Social have earned a good reputation.
Sprout Social tends to have slightly higher ratings in most categories, including ease of use, ease of setup, and quality of support.
However, it’s important to note that Hootsuite still offers solid user experiences across the board.
HootSuite vs SproutSocial: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Hootsuite | Sprout Social |
| Pricing (per month in USD) | $149 | $249 |
| Free Trial | Yes | No |
| Platforms supported | 7 | 6 |
| Bulk scheduling | Yes | No |
| RSS feeds | No | No |
| Recurring posts | Yes | No |
| Social inbox | Yes | Yes |
| AI content generation | No | No |
| Hashtag storage | No | No |
| Caption Customization | No | Yes |
| AI images | No | No |
| Advanced analytics | No | Yes |
| White label reports | No | No |
| URL shortener | No | No |
| Unlimited workspaces | No | No |
| Team management | No | No |
| Not on Pricing | Yes | No |
Now let’s explore the features common between both software.
Pricing
HootSuite offers a pricing plan starting at $149 per month, while Sprout Social starts at $249 per month. Hootsuite provides a more budget-friendly option for those who require a robust social media management solution without breaking the bank.
Free Trial
HootSuite offers a free trial, allowing users to explore its features before committing to a subscription. Unfortunately, SproutSocial does not offer a free trial, which may limit your ability to test the platform fully. We aren’t a big fan of a tool that does not offer a free trial. This is a serious blow to them in this HootSuite vs SproutSocial boxing match.
Platforms supported
HootSuite supports seven different platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok. SproutSocial supports six platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube.
If you require support for TikTok, HootSuite would be the better choice. SproutSocial should be adding support for TikTok soon though, it is not going to make a big dent in the long run between SproutSocial and HootSuite.
Bulk scheduling
If you manage multiple social media accounts and need to schedule posts in bulk, HootSuite is the clear winner. It allows you to efficiently schedule and manage your content across different platforms, saving you time and effort. SproutSocial does not offer bulk scheduling functionality.
RSS feeds
Neither HootSuite nor SproutSocial currently supports RSS feeds, which may be a drawback if you heavily rely on RSS content for your social media strategy.
Recurring posts
We were surprised to find that both of these tools do not offer recurring posts. Recurring posts are life savers for businesses that want to automate their social media strategy.
Recurring posts are basically posts that keep going out in a cycle. For instance, your blog posts can be shared one after the other and then when every blog post has been shared the tool should start sharing from the beginning again.
Social inbox
Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer a social inbox feature, allowing you to manage and respond to social media messages from a centralized location. This feature helps streamline your communication and ensures you don’t miss any important messages.
AI content generation
Currently, neither HootSuite nor SproutSocial offers AI content generation capabilities. If you’re seeking AI-powered content creation, you may need to explore other options.
Hashtag storage
Neither HootSuite nor SproutSocial provides a dedicated feature for hashtag storage, so you may need to manually track and manage your hashtags outside of these platforms. There are tools that can help you do that, but it’s not like they are available natively and hence require additional clicks. We are not trying to judge you, but are you sure you are going to go with the winner of the HootSuite vs SproutSocial fight?
Caption Customization
While Hootsuite does not offer caption customization, Sprout Social allows you to tailor your captions for each social media platform, ensuring optimal engagement with your audience.
AI images
Both Hootsuite nor Sprout Social do not currently offer AI image generation features. You’ll need to create or source images separately and upload them to the respective platforms.
Advanced analytics
Sprout Social stands out in terms of advanced analytics, providing in-depth insights into your social media performance. Hootsuite, on the other hand, does not offer advanced analytics capabilities at this time.
White label reports
Neither Hootsuite nor Sprout Social supports white-label reports, which may be important if you need to present branded reports to clients or stakeholders.
URL shortener
Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social do not include a URL shortener feature, so you may need to utilize third-party services for shortening URLs.
Unlimited workspaces and team management
Neither HootSuite nor SproutSocial currently offers unlimited workspaces or advanced team management features, which may be a consideration for larger organizations with complex team structures. They both charge you as if you are an enterprise, but this feature is missing from both surprisingly. Well, are you sure you still want to keep watching this Hootsuite vs SproutSocial fight? Well, keep on if so.
Pros and Cons of Using Hootsuite
Pros
- Clean, user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate
- Quick multi-platform posting with helpful calendar features
Cons
- YouTube Shorts posting needs manual work
- Expensive for small businesses with high monthly
Pros and Cons of Using Sprout Social
Pros
- The intuitive dashboard brings all social channels together
- Clear reporting tools show campaign success and ROI
Cons
- High costs limit smaller teams, with steep price jumps for extra users and premium features
- Reports lack full customization options for metrics and layouts
HootSuite vs SproutSocial – The Bottom Line
In conclusion, both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer valuable features as social media management tools.
If you’re looking for an affordable solution with bulk scheduling and recurring posts, Hootsuite is a strong choice.
On the other hand, if you prioritize advanced analytics and caption customization, Sprout Social may be a better fit, albeit at a higher price point.
RecurPost as an alternative to Hootsuite and Sprout Social: RecurPost is an excellent alternative to both Hootsuite and Sprout Social.
With RecurPost, you can efficiently manage and schedule your social media content across multiple platforms, just like Hootsuite and Sprout Social.
However, RecurPost also offers unique features such as AI content generation and hashtag storage, empowering you to streamline your social media strategy even further.
