How to Use Metricool: Automate Content Strategy in 2026

by Fahim Joharder | Last updated Mar 4, 2026

Quick Start

This guide covers every Metricool feature:

Getting Started — Create account and connect your profiles
How to Use Social Media Planner — Schedule posts across all platforms
How to Use Social Media Reports — Download PDF and PPT reports
How to Use Link-in-Bio Tool — Build SmartLinks pages for traffic
How to Use Social Media Assistant — Generate captions with AI
How to Use Content Approval Tool — Review posts before publishing
How to Use Hashtag Tracker — Track hashtag performance over time
How to Use Calendar — Drag and drop posts on a visual calendar
How to Use Social Inbox — Reply to messages from one dashboard

Time needed: 5 minutes per feature

Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives

Why Trust This Guide

I’ve used Metricool for over 12 months and tested every feature covered here. This how to use Metricool tutorial comes from real hands-on experience — not marketing fluff or vendor screenshots.

Metricool is one of the most powerful social media management tools available today.

But most users only scratch the surface of what it can do.

This guide shows you how to use every major feature.

Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips.

Metricool Tutorial

This complete Metricool tutorial walks you through every feature step by step, from initial setup to advanced tips that will make you a power user.

Metricool

Plan, schedule, and analyze all your social media from one dashboard. Metricool connects to 9+ platforms and gives you real-time analytics and competitor tracking. Start free — no credit card needed.

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Getting Started with Metricool

Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.

It takes about 3 minutes.

Watch this quick overview first:

Now let’s walk through each step.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Go to metricool.com and click “Sign Up Free.”

Enter your email and create a password.

You can also sign up with your Google account.

✓ Checkpoint: Check your inbox for a confirmation email.

Click “Add Brand” from your dashboard.

Select each social network you want to connect.

Metricool supports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X, Threads, and Google Business.

Here’s what the dashboard looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: You should see all connected accounts on your dashboard.

Step 3: Set Up Your Brand

Name your brand and add your website URL.

Metricool will start pulling analytics data right away.

✅ Done: You’re ready to use any feature below.

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Social Media Planner lets you schedule posts across all connected platforms from one screen.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Social Media Planner in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Planner

Click “Planning” in the left sidebar of your dashboard.

You’ll see a monthly calendar view with time slots.

Step 2: Create a New Post

Click “Create new post” or tap the blue + button.

Select the social networks for this post.

Write your caption, add images or videos, and pick a date.

Metricool shows the best times to post based on your audience data.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see your post appear on the calendar.

Step 3: Adapt for Each Network

Toggle between platforms to customize each version.

Adjust captions, hashtags, and media for each network’s requirements.

Click “Schedule” to confirm.

✅ Result: Your post is scheduled and will publish automatically at the set time.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the “Best Time to Post” feature to schedule posts when your audience is most active. This can boost engagement by 20-30%.

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Social Media Reports lets you download performance data as PDF or PPT files for clients or your team.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Social Media Reports in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Go to Analytics

Click “Analytics” in the left sidebar.

Select the social network you want to report on.

Step 2: Set Your Date Range

Choose the time period for your report.

You can pick last week, last month, or a custom range.

Here’s what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: You should see charts and metrics for your selected period.

Step 3: Download the Report

Click the download icon in the top right corner.

Choose PDF or PPT format.

The report generates in seconds.

✅ Result: You have a ready-to-share report with all your social media metrics.

💡 Pro Tip: Create custom report templates so you can generate client reports with one click each month. Save hours of manual work.

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How to Use Metricool Link-in-Bio Tool

Link-in-Bio Tool (SmartLinks) lets you create custom landing pages for your social media bio links.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Link-in-Bio Tool in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open SmartLinks

Click “SmartLinks” in your dashboard navigation.

Then click “+ New” to start building your page.

Step 2: Add Buttons and Content

Add buttons that link to your website, blog posts, products, or other pages.

Customize colors, fonts, and button shapes to match your brand.

You can also add images and social media icons.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see a preview of your SmartLinks page.

Step 3: Copy Your Link

Click “Save” and copy the SmartLinks URL.

Paste it into your Instagram or TikTok bio.

✅ Result: You have a branded landing page that turns bio clicks into real traffic.

💡 Pro Tip: Update your SmartLinks page weekly with your latest content. Old or broken links make your brand look inactive.

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Social Media Assistant lets you generate caption ideas and polish your text with AI.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Social Media Assistant in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Post Creator

Start creating a new post from the Planner.

Look for the AI assistant icon in the text editor.

Step 2: Enter Your Topic

Type a brief description of what your post is about.

The AI will generate several caption options for you.

Pick the one that fits your tone best.

✓ Checkpoint: You should see multiple caption suggestions.

Step 3: Edit and Schedule

Tweak the AI-generated text to match your voice.

Add hashtags and schedule the post.

✅ Result: You created a polished social media post in under a minute.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the AI assistant to repurpose long blog posts into short social media updates. It saves time and keeps your feed active.

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How to Use Metricool Content Approval Tool

Content Approval Tool lets you send posts for review before they go live.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Content Approval Tool in action:

metricool social media content approval tool

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Create Your Post

Write your post as usual in the Planner.

Add your images, videos, and captions.

Step 2: Send for Review

Click “Send to Review” instead of scheduling directly.

Choose which team member should approve the post.

✓ Checkpoint: The post should show a “Pending Review” status.

Step 3: Approve or Request Changes

The reviewer gets a notification to check the post.

They can approve, reject, or leave notes for edits.

✅ Result: Your team has a clear approval workflow with no accidental posts going live.

💡 Pro Tip: Add notes to each post for your reviewer. Context helps them approve faster and reduces back-and-forth.

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How to Use Metricool Hashtag Tracker

Hashtag Tracker lets you monitor how specific hashtags perform over time.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Hashtag Tracker in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open Hashtag Tracker

Go to the “Hashtag Tracker” section in your dashboard.

Click “New Session” to start tracking.

Step 2: Add Your Hashtags

Enter the hashtags you want to monitor.

You can track your branded hashtags or campaign-specific tags.

✓ Checkpoint: Your hashtags should appear in the tracker with data loading.

Step 3: Review Performance Data

Check reach, impressions, and engagement for each hashtag.

Use this data to pick the best hashtags for future posts.

✅ Result: You know which hashtags drive the most engagement for your brand.

💡 Pro Tip: Track competitor hashtags too. See what’s working for them and test similar tags on your own content.

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How to Use Metricool Calendar

Calendar lets you see all your scheduled posts in a visual drag-and-drop view.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Watch Calendar in action:

Now let’s break down each step.

Step 1: Open the Calendar View

Click “Planning” and select the calendar tab.

You’ll see all scheduled posts laid out by day and time.

Step 2: Drag and Drop Posts

Click any post and drag it to a new date or time slot.

Filter by social network to see posts for each platform.

✓ Checkpoint: The post should move to its new time slot instantly.

Step 3: Spot Gaps in Your Schedule

Look for empty days or time slots without content.

Fill gaps by clicking directly on empty slots to create new posts.

✅ Result: You have a clear view of your entire content schedule with no gaps.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the list view to see posts filtered by status. Quickly find drafts, pending reviews, and published content.

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Social Inbox lets you reply to all messages and comments from one dashboard.

Here’s how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Open the Inbox

Click “Inbox” in the left sidebar.

All messages from Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Google Business appear here.

Step 2: Reply to Messages

Click any conversation to open it.

Type your reply and hit send.

You can also add internal notes for your team.

Here’s what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your reply should appear in both Metricool and the original platform.

Step 3: Mark as Resolved

Click “Resolve” to close a conversation.

This keeps your inbox clean and organized.

✅ Result: You manage all social media conversations from one place without switching apps.

💡 Pro Tip: Use internal notes to flag important messages for teammates. It adds context and speeds up response times.

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Metricool Pro Tips and Shortcuts

After testing Metricool for over 12 months, here are my best tips.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
Create new post	Click blue + button
Switch calendar view	Month / Week / Day tabs
Filter by network	Click network icon in calendar
Quick schedule	Click any time slot on calendar

Hidden Features Most People Miss

Autolists: Set up recurring content that posts automatically on a schedule. Great for evergreen content that stays relevant.
Looker Studio Integration: Connect Metricool to Google Looker Studio for custom dashboards with real-time social media data.
Competitor Analysis: Track up to 100 competitor profiles and compare their performance against yours. Most users never set this up.

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Metricool Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Posting the Same Caption Everywhere

❌ Wrong: Writing one caption and pushing it to all platforms without changes.

✅ Right: Use the per-network editing to customize each post for each platform’s audience and format.

Mistake #2: Ignoring Best Time to Post

❌ Wrong: Scheduling posts at random times without checking audience activity.

✅ Right: Check the “Best Time to Post” heatmap and schedule during peak engagement windows.

Mistake #3: Never Checking Analytics

❌ Wrong: Scheduling posts and never reviewing what performed well.

✅ Right: Review analytics weekly to find top-performing content and create more of what works.

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Metricool Troubleshooting

Problem: Posts Not Publishing Automatically

Cause: Your social media account connection may have expired or been revoked.

Fix: Go to Settings, disconnect the account, and reconnect it. This refreshes the permission tokens.

Problem: Analytics Data Not Showing

Cause: New accounts need 24-48 hours for data to populate after connecting.

Fix: Wait 24 hours after connecting a new account. If data still doesn’t appear, disconnect and reconnect the profile.

Problem: Instagram Stories Require Manual Posting

Cause: Some Instagram content types can’t be auto-published due to API limits.

Fix: Enable push notifications on the Metricool mobile app. You’ll get a reminder to post manually at the scheduled time.

📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact Metricool support through the in-app chat.

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What is Metricool?

Metricool is a social media management tool that helps you plan, schedule, analyze, and manage your online presence from one dashboard.

Think of it like a control center for all your social media accounts.

Watch this quick overview:

It includes these key features:

Social Media Planner: Schedule posts across 9+ platforms with best-time suggestions
Social Media Reports: Download ready-to-share PDF and PPT reports
Link-in-Bio Tool: Create branded SmartLinks pages with click tracking
Social Media Assistant: Generate captions and polish text with AI
Content Approval Tool: Review and approve posts before publishing
Hashtag Tracker: Monitor hashtag performance and engagement
Calendar: Visual drag-and-drop scheduling view
Social Inbox: Reply to all messages from one place

For a full review, see our Metricool review.

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Metricool Pricing

Here’s what Metricool costs in 2026:

Plan	Price	Best For
Free	$0/month	Individuals managing one brand
Starter	$18/month	Freelancers and small businesses
Advance	$45/month	Agencies and growing teams
Custom	Contact for the pricing	Enterprises with special needs

Free trial: Yes, a free forever plan with limited features and no time limit.

Money-back guarantee: You can cancel anytime and keep access until the billing cycle ends.

💰 Best Value: Starter plan — It unlocks unlimited scheduling, LinkedIn, and downloadable reports at just $18/month.

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Metricool vs Alternatives

How does Metricool compare? Here’s the competitive landscape:

Tool	Best For	Price	Rating
Metricool	Analytics and scheduling	$0-$45/mo	⭐ 4.2
Sprout Social	Enterprise social management	$199/mo	⭐ 4.4
SocialPilot	Affordable multi-platform posting	$25/mo	⭐ 4.1
Sendible	Agency client management	$22/mo	⭐ 4.0
Content Studio	Content discovery and curation	$19/mo	⭐ 4.1
Agorapulse	Social inbox and community	$79/mo	⭐ 4.2
Buffer	Simple scheduling for beginners	$0-$5/channel	⭐ 4.2
Later	Visual Instagram planning	$16.67/mo	⭐ 4.1

Quick picks:

Best overall: Metricool — Best balance of analytics, scheduling, and price
Best budget: Buffer — Free plan with basic scheduling for up to 3 channels
Best for beginners: Later — Visual calendar makes Instagram planning easy
Best for agencies: Sendible — Built-in client management and white-label reports

🎯 Metricool Alternatives

Looking for Metricool alternatives? Here are the top options:

🚀 Sprout Social: Full-featured enterprise platform with deep analytics, social listening, and CRM tools. Best for large teams with big budgets.
💰 SocialPilot: Budget-friendly scheduling for agencies managing many clients. Bulk upload and white-label reports included.
🎨 Sendible: Agency-focused tool with client dashboards, content libraries, and priority inbox for managing conversations.
⚡ Content Studio: Strong content discovery engine that finds trending topics. AI captions and multi-channel publishing built in.
🔒 Heropost: Ultra-affordable option starting at $6/month. Great for solopreneurs who need basic scheduling without extras.
🧠 Agorapulse: Top-tier social inbox with team collaboration. Approval workflows and saved replies speed up responses.
👶 Zoho Social: Works great alongside other Zoho tools. Free plan available with solid scheduling and monitoring.
🏢 Buffer: The simplest scheduling tool on the market. Free tier works great for creators managing a few channels.
🔧 Sprinklr: Enterprise-grade platform for global brands. Handles customer service, marketing, and social in one suite.
🌟 Later: Visual-first planner built for Instagram and TikTok. Drag-and-drop calendar and link-in-bio tool included.
⭐ Loomly: Clean interface with built-in post previews and approval workflows. Good for small marketing teams.
🎯 Blaze: AI-powered content creation and scheduling. Great for creators who want help writing posts from scratch.

For the full list, see our Metricool alternatives guide.

⚔️ Metricool Compared

Here’s how Metricool stacks up against each competitor:

Metricool vs Sprout Social: Sprout Social has deeper analytics but costs 10x more. Metricool wins on value for small teams.
Metricool vs SocialPilot: SocialPilot handles more accounts at lower prices. Metricool wins on competitor tracking and analytics depth.
Metricool vs Sendible: Sendible excels at agency workflows and white-label reports. Metricool wins on built-in ad management.
Metricool vs Content Studio: Content Studio has stronger content discovery and AI writing. Metricool wins on analytics and reporting.
Metricool vs Heropost: Heropost is cheaper but lacks analytics. Metricool wins if you need data-driven scheduling.
Metricool vs Agorapulse: Agorapulse has a better social inbox. Metricool wins on pricing and free plan features.
Metricool vs Zoho Social: Zoho Social fits the Zoho product suite well. Metricool wins with wider platform support and SmartLinks.
Metricool vs Buffer: Buffer is simpler to use. Metricool wins with competitor analysis and downloadable reports.
Metricool vs Sprinklr: Sprinklr is built for enterprises with huge budgets. Metricool wins for small to mid-size businesses.
Metricool vs Later: Later focuses on visual content planning. Metricool wins with broader platform support and ad tracking.
Metricool vs Loomly: Loomly has clean post previews. Metricool wins on price after Loomly’s recent price increase.
Metricool vs Blaze: Blaze is stronger at AI content creation. Metricool wins on analytics and competitor tracking.

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Start Using Metricool Now

You learned how to use every major Metricool feature:

✅ Social Media Planner
✅ Social Media Reports
✅ Link-in-Bio Tool
✅ Social Media Assistant
✅ Content Approval Tool
✅ Hashtag Tracker
✅ Calendar
✅ Social Inbox

Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.

Most people start with Social Media Planner.

It takes less than 5 minutes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does Metricool work?

Metricool connects to your social media accounts and gives you one dashboard to manage everything. You can schedule posts, track analytics, reply to messages, and download reports. It works on web, iOS, and Android.

How to use Metricool to schedule posts?

Click “Create new post” in the Planner section. Select your social networks, write your caption, add media, and pick a date and time. Metricool will auto-publish at the scheduled time. You can also use the “Best Time to Post” feature for peak engagement.

Is Metricool easy to use?

Yes. Metricool has a clean interface that’s simple to navigate. The drag-and-drop calendar makes scheduling fast. Most users get comfortable within their first session. No technical skills needed.

Can I use Metricool on my phone?

Yes. Metricool has a mobile app for both Android and iOS. You can schedule posts, reply to messages, view analytics, and manage your content on the go. The app syncs with the desktop version in real time.

Is Metricool actually free?

Yes. Metricool has a free forever plan with no time limit. It lets you manage one brand, schedule up to 50 posts per month, and access basic analytics. You can upgrade to a paid plan anytime for more features and brands.

How much is Metricool per month?

Metricool’s free plan costs $0. The Starter plan is $18/month, the Advance plan is $45/month, and there’s a Custom plan with pricing available on request. Annual billing saves you up to 24% compared to monthly payments.

What is Metricool used for?

Metricool is used for managing social media accounts, scheduling posts, tracking analytics, running ad campaigns, and monitoring competitors. It supports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X, Threads, and Google Business.

What can you do with Metricool?

You can schedule social media posts, analyze performance data, track competitors, manage your inbox, create SmartLinks bio pages, run ad campaigns, generate reports, and get AI-powered caption suggestions. All from one dashboard.

Can I use Metricool for free?

Yes. The free plan includes one brand, 50 scheduled posts per month, 5 competitor profile analyses, and 3 months of historical data. It’s not a trial — it never expires. Upgrade only when you need more features.

Does Metricool offer a free plan?

Yes. Metricool offers a free forever plan. It covers one brand with basic scheduling, analytics, and competitor tracking. The free plan excludes LinkedIn and X analytics, downloadable reports, and SmartLinks.

Can you delete posts on Metricool?

Yes. You can delete scheduled posts from the Planner before they publish. Go to your calendar, click the post, and select “Delete.” However, Metricool cannot delete posts that have already been published on social networks.