📊 Our Test Results:
- 💰 Pricing Value: Metricool $18/mo vs Sprout Social $199/mo — Metricool wins
- 🎯 Social Listening: Sprout Social #1 on G2 vs Metricool basic — Sprout Social wins
- 📊 Analytics Depth: Both strong, Metricool includes ad analytics free — Metricool wins
- 👶 Ease of Use: G2 scores 9.3 vs 8.8 — Metricool wins
- 🏢 Enterprise Features: Sprout has advocacy, chatbots, CRM — Sprout Social wins
Are you drowning in social media tabs?
Managing multiple accounts across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn can eat up hours every day.
You need a social media management tool that actually saves you time.
Two heavy hitters in this space are compared: Sprout Social vs Metricool.
But which one deserves your money?
I tested both for 4 weeks straight.
The results surprised me.
Overview
To give you the most accurate comparison, I spent weeks testing both Sprout Social and Metricool.
I scheduled posts, tracked analytics, and explored every feature.
I also put their customer support to the test.
This hands-on experience lets me share real insights with you.
Let’s dive into what each tool offers.
What is Metricool?
Metricool is an all-in-one social media management tool built for brands, agencies, and creators.
It combines scheduling, analytics, competitor tracking, and ad management in one dashboard.
Juan Pablo Tejela and Laura Montells founded Metricool in 2015 in Madrid, Spain.
They built it because social media managers needed all their tools in one place.
The free plan is surprisingly generous.
You can manage one brand with 50 posts per month at zero cost.
Metricool
Save over 5 hours per week on social media management. Track competitors, schedule posts, and analyze your ad campaigns from one simple dashboard. Over 70% of users report significant time savings.
Metricool Pricing
Metricool keeps pricing simple and affordable.
Here’s what each plan costs in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Testing the platform, solo creators |
| Starter | $18/month | Freelancers, small businesses |
| Advance | $45/month | Agencies, growing teams |
| Custom | Contact for the pricing | Enterprise, 50+ brands |
Free trial: The free plan is forever, not a trial. No credit card required.
Money-back guarantee: Metricool doesn’t advertise a specific refund policy. Contact support if you have issues.
📌 Note: Annual billing saves you about 18% compared to monthly. The Starter plan drops to around $15/month when paid yearly.
⚠️ Warning: The free plan excludes LinkedIn and Twitter/X analytics. You’ll need at least the Starter plan for those platforms.
Key Benefits of Metricool
Here’s why Metricool stands out from the competition:
- Incredible Value: At $18/month, you get features that cost $100+ elsewhere. Budget-minded social media managers love this.
- Generous Free Plan: Manage one brand with 50 posts per month forever. Most competitors limit their free plans heavily.
- All-In-One Dashboard: Scheduling, analytics, inbox, ads, and reporting in one place. No jumping between tools.
- Ad Campaign Tracking: Monitor Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok Ads alongside your organic content. This is rare at this price point.
- Best Time to Post: The scheduling calendar shows optimal posting times based on your audience data.
- Competitor Analysis: Track up to 100 competitor profiles on paid plans. See what works for them and adapt your strategy.
Metricool Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan with real features, not a limited trial
- Ad analytics included at no extra cost
- Easy to learn interface with G2 score of 9.3
- Looker Studio integration for custom reports
- Supports 9+ social platforms including TikTok
❌ Cons
- Social listening features are basic compared to Sprout
- Team collaboration tools lack depth for large agencies
- Support response times can lag during busy periods
- No advanced chatbot or automation features
What is Sprout Social?
Sprout Social is an enterprise-grade social media management platform trusted by over 30,000 brands.
It’s designed to help businesses manage their online presence, engage customers, and prove social ROI.
The platform excels at social listening, team collaboration, and advanced analytics.
G2 ranked Sprout Social #1 in Social Listening Tools for their 2026 Winter Reports.
The company earned 177 leader badges across all business segments.
This tool is built for teams that need serious firepower.
Sprout Social
The #1 social listening tool according to G2. Process up to 50,000 posts per second and turn social data into strategic intelligence. Trusted by enterprise teams worldwide for customer care and brand monitoring.
Sprout Social Pricing
Sprout Social pricing is based on per-user, per-month costs.
Here’s what you’ll pay in 2026.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $199/month | Small teams, up to 5 social profiles |
| Professional | $299/month | Agencies, unlimited profiles |
| Advanced | $399/month | Complex workflows, sentiment analysis |
| Enterprise | Contact for the pricing | Custom solutions, dedicated support |
Free trial: Yes, 30 days free. No credit card required to start.
Money-back guarantee: Annual contracts are required after the trial. Review terms carefully before committing.
📌 Note: Prices are per user. A team of 4 on the Standard plan costs $796/month ($199 x 4). This adds up quickly.
⚠️ Warning: Social Listening and Premium Analytics are paid add-ons starting around $999/month. They’re not included in base plans.
Key Benefits of Sprout Social
Here’s why enterprises choose Sprout Social:
- Industry-Leading Social Listening: Process 50,000 posts per second and 600 million messages daily. Track sentiment, trends, and brand health in real-time.
- Unified Smart Inbox: All messages from all platforms in one place. Respond faster without switching apps.
- AI-Powered Insights: The new Trellis AI agent turns social data into strategic intelligence. Summarize conversations and predict trends automatically.
- Enterprise Integrations: Connect with Salesforce, Adobe, Canva, and more. Build social into your existing workflows.
- Employee Advocacy: Empower your team to share curated content. Expand reach through authentic employee voices.
- Customer Care Tools: Chatbots, automated responses, and CSAT surveys help you deliver excellent service at scale.
Sprout Social Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Best-in-class social listening and sentiment analysis
- Excellent customer support and professional services
- Powerful team collaboration and approval workflows
- Deep CRM integrations with Salesforce
- Presentation-ready reports for stakeholders
❌ Cons
- Expensive per-user pricing adds up fast
- Key features like Listening are expensive add-ons
- Can feel overwhelming for beginners
- Annual contracts with no free plan option
Feature Comparison
Ready to see how Sprout Social and Metricool stack up feature by feature?
I’ve compared 10 key areas that matter most for social media managers.
Let’s break down what each tool does best.
| Feature | Metricool | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Free) | $199/month |
| Free Plan | ✅ Forever Free | ❌ 30-day trial only |
| Social Listening | ❌ Basic only | ✅ Industry-leading |
| Ad Analytics | ✅ Included | ❌ Limited |
| Competitor Tracking | ✅ Up to 100 profiles | ✅ With add-on |
| Team Collaboration | ⚠️ Basic | ✅ Advanced |
| CRM Integration | ❌ Not available | ✅ Salesforce |
| Employee Advocacy | ❌ Not available | ✅ Add-on |
| Chatbots | ❌ Not available | ✅ Advanced plan |
| Best For | SMBs, Budget-conscious | Enterprise teams |
1. Social Media Scheduling
Metricool: The drag-and-drop calendar makes scheduling content easy. A color-coded system shows the best times to post based on your audience data. You can schedule up to 2,000 posts per month on the Starter plan. The AI assistant helps generate caption ideas when you’re stuck.
Sprout Social: ViralPost technology automatically finds optimal posting times across all your profiles. Bulk scheduling lets you queue weeks of content at once. The publishing calendar supports team approvals and saved replies. Queue management keeps your content flowing consistently.
2. Social Listening
Metricool: Competitor tracking shows you what rivals are posting and how they’re performing. You can analyze hashtags and see engagement metrics. However, true social listening with brand mentions and sentiment tracking isn’t available. This is Metricool’s biggest limitation.
Sprout Social: This is where Sprout dominates. The listening tool processes 50,000 posts per second and 600 million messages daily. AI Assist summarizes conversations, identifies emerging trends, and tracks sentiment in real-time. You’ll know what people say about your brand before it goes viral.
💡 Test Result: Sprout Social’s listening tools are in a completely different league. If brand monitoring is critical for your business, Sprout is worth the extra cost.
3. Analytics and Reporting
Metricool: Analytics cover engagement, follower growth, reach, and impressions across all connected platforms. The dashboard presents data clearly without overwhelming you. Download custom reports in PDF or PPT format. Looker Studio integration allows advanced custom reporting.
Sprout Social: Cross-network analytics track performance on individual networks or side-by-side. Premium Analytics is a paid add-on but delivers enterprise-grade insights. Presentation-ready reports impress stakeholders. Image annotations make reports more engaging and on-brand.
4. Ad Campaign Management
Metricool: Track Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok Ads alongside your organic content. Monitor ad spend, conversions, and ROI from one dashboard. This unified view helps you make better budget decisions. Few competitors include ad analytics at this price point.
Sprout Social: Paid social reports show ROI metrics for boosted posts and ads. However, ad management isn’t as central to Sprout’s offering. The focus is more on organic social and customer care. You’ll still need native ad platforms for campaign creation.
💡 Test Result: Metricool wins on ad analytics. The ability to see organic and paid performance together helps justify social media budgets to stakeholders.
5. Competitor Analysis
Metricool: Track up to 100 competitor profiles on paid plans. See their posting frequency, engagement rates, and top-performing content. Compare multiple competitors side-by-side. The data updates daily, so you always know what’s working for rivals.
Sprout Social: Competitive reports benchmark your performance against rivals. Track share of voice, sentiment, and engagement trends. The data integrates with listening tools for deeper insights. However, this level of competitor analysis requires higher-tier plans or add-ons.
6. Team Collaboration
Metricool: The Advanced plan includes collaborators who can access specific brands. Content approval workflows exist but aren’t as deep as enterprise tools. Role management works for small to medium teams. Large agencies may find the features limiting.
Sprout Social: Role-based access, task assignments, and content approvals keep large teams organized. External approvals let clients review content before publishing. Team productivity reports show who’s doing what. This is built for agencies managing multiple stakeholders.
7. Social Inbox
Metricool: All your messages and comments arrive in one place. Reply without switching between platforms. The inbox is functional but rudimentary compared to enterprise tools. G2 reviewers note this as an area needing improvement.
Sprout Social: The Smart Inbox is a standout feature. It unifies messages from all platforms including WhatsApp. AI helps analyze customer history and approach tricky cases. Saved replies and automated responses speed up customer care. This is built for high-volume engagement.
8. AI Features
Metricool: The AI Social Media Assistant helps generate caption ideas and spark content inspiration. It’s a helpful time saver but not as sophisticated as enterprise AI. No AI content generation or automated publishing based on AI recommendations.
Sprout Social: Sprout AI includes Trellis, a proprietary AI agent that turns social data into strategic intelligence. AI Assist creates video subtitles, summarizes conversations, and analyzes trends. The AI features are deeply integrated across the platform, not bolted on.
9. Integrations
Metricool: Integrates with Looker Studio for custom reporting and connects with all major social platforms. Zapier integration allows some automation. The integration options are limited compared to enterprise tools. No direct CRM integrations.
Sprout Social: Deep integrations with Salesforce, Adobe, Canva, Slack, and Google Drive. Connect social to your existing business workflows. The Salesforce integration is particularly powerful for customer care teams. These integrations support enterprise operations.
10. Pricing & Cost
Let’s compare the pricing plans side by side.
| Plan Level | Metricool | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Free/Entry | $0/month (Forever) | ❌ None (30-day trial) |
| Starter/Standard | $18/month | $199/month |
| Advanced/Professional | $45/month | $299/month |
| Enterprise/Custom | Contact Sales | $399+/month |
Metricool: At $18/month for the Starter plan, Metricool costs 91% less than Sprout Social’s entry point. Annual billing saves an additional 18%. The free plan isn’t a trial — it lasts forever. Even the Advanced plan at $45/month is cheaper than any Sprout tier.
Sprout Social: Pricing starts at $199 per user per month. A team of 4 on the Standard plan costs $796/month. Key features like Social Listening are expensive add-ons starting at $999/month. The total cost of ownership can reach $15,000+ per year for small teams.
💡 Test Result: Metricool offers dramatically better value for small and medium businesses. A full year of Metricool Advanced ($540) costs less than one month of Sprout Social Standard ($199) for a team of 3.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | Metricool | 91% cheaper, free plan available |
| Social listening | Sprout Social | #1 ranked on G2 |
| Ad campaign tracking | Metricool | Built-in ad analytics |
| Enterprise integrations | Sprout Social | Salesforce, Adobe connections |
| Competitor analysis | Metricool | 100 profiles at lower cost |
| Team collaboration | Sprout Social | Advanced approval workflows |
| Beginner-friendly | Metricool | Higher ease-of-use score (9.3) |
💰 Your Budget
Metricool wins hands down if price matters. Sprout Social costs $199+ per user monthly, while Metricool starts free. Even the full Metricool Advanced plan costs less per year than one month of Sprout for a team.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Sprout Social integrates with Salesforce, Adobe, and Slack. If your team already uses these tools, Sprout fits your workflow better. Metricool offers Looker Studio and Zapier but lacks deep CRM connections.
📝 Your Content Strategy
Both tools handle scheduling well. Metricool shows best posting times in the calendar view. Sprout’s ViralPost technology finds optimal times automatically. For pure scheduling, either works great.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Metricool scores 9.3 on G2 for ease of use versus Sprout’s 8.8. Beginners will find Metricool less overwhelming. Sprout has more features, but the learning curve is steeper.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Metricool offers a forever-free plan — no credit card needed. Sprout Social has a 30-day trial. Start with Metricool’s free tier to test the basics, then try Sprout’s trial if you need enterprise features.
🛟 Support Options
Sprout Social is known for excellent customer support and professional services. Metricool support is responsive but can lag during busy periods. Enterprise teams may prefer Sprout’s dedicated account management.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools? Here’s what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from Metricool to Sprout Social?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Industry-leading social listening and sentiment analysis
- Advanced team collaboration with approval workflows
- Deep CRM integration with Salesforce
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Built-in ad campaign analytics across Google, Meta, TikTok
- The low cost — expect to pay 10x more
- Simple interface with faster learning curve
📋 How to switch:
- Export your scheduled content and reports from Metricool
- Start Sprout Social’s 30-day free trial
- Connect your social profiles and recreate scheduled posts
🔄 Switching from Sprout Social to Metricool?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Massive cost savings — 91% less than Sprout
- Built-in ad analytics for Google, Meta, and TikTok
- Simpler interface that’s easier to learn
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Social listening and sentiment tracking capabilities
- Enterprise-grade team collaboration tools
- Salesforce and Adobe integrations
📋 How to switch:
- Download your scheduled content and analytics reports from Sprout
- Create a free Metricool account — no credit card needed
- Connect social profiles and import your content calendar
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Metricool |
| 📅 Scheduling | Tie |
| 🎯 Social Listening | Sprout Social |
| 📊 Analytics | Tie |
| 📢 Ad Management | Metricool |
| 👥 Team Collaboration | Sprout Social |
| 🔍 Competitor Analysis | Metricool |
| 👶 Ease of Use | Metricool |
| 🔌 Integrations | Sprout Social |
| 🤖 AI Features | Sprout Social |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Metricool |
🏆 WINNER: Metricool
Metricool wins 6 out of 10 categories.
Best for: Small businesses, freelancers, agencies on a budget, creators who need analytics and scheduling without enterprise complexity.
Metricool and Sprout Social serve different markets.
Metricool is the value champion.
At $18/month, you get scheduling, analytics, competitor tracking, and ad management.
The free plan is genuinely useful — not a crippled trial.
Sprout Social is the enterprise powerhouse.
If you need social listening, Salesforce integration, or employee advocacy, Sprout delivers.
But those features come at a steep price.
For most small to medium businesses, Metricool provides 90% of what you need at 10% of the cost.
The math is simple.
Now go crush your social media strategy!
More of Metricool Compared
Here’s how Metricool stacks up against other competitors:
Metricool wins on: Ad analytics, competitor tracking, free plan
Socialpilot wins on: Bulk scheduling, white-label options
Metricool vs Sendible
Metricool wins on: Pricing, free plan, ad management
Sendible wins on: White-label reports, agency features
Metricool wins on: Simpler interface, lower price
Content Studio wins on: AI content tools, content curation
Metricool vs Heropost
Metricool wins on: More features, platform support
Heropost wins on: Cheaper entry price
Metricool wins on: Pricing, ad analytics
Agorapulse wins on: Social inbox, team collaboration
Metricool wins on: More platform support, competitor tracking
Zoho Social wins on: CRM integration with Zoho suite
Metricool vs Buffer
Metricool wins on: More features for the price, ad analytics
Buffer wins on: Cleaner design, simpler interface
Metricool vs Sprinklr
Metricool wins on: Affordability for SMBs
Sprinklr wins on: Enterprise-scale capabilities
Metricool vs Later
Metricool wins on: Analytics depth, ad tracking
Later wins on: Visual planning, Instagram-first approach
Metricool wins on: Free plan, competitor analysis
Loomly wins on: Content workflow, approval process
Metricool wins on: Established platform, analytics
Blaze wins on: AI content generation
More of Sprout Social Compared
Here’s how Sprout Social stacks up against other competitors:
Sprout Social wins on: Social listening, enterprise features
Socialpilot wins on: Pricing, bulk scheduling
Sprout Social wins on: Social listening, CRM integration
Sendible wins on: Pricing, white-label options
Sprout Social vs Content Studio
Sprout Social wins on: Enterprise analytics, team tools
Content Studio wins on: AI content, pricing
Sprout Social wins on: Full feature set, support
Heropost wins on: Budget-friendly pricing
Sprout Social wins on: Social listening, AI features
Agorapulse wins on: Pricing, social inbox
Sprout Social wins on: Social listening, advanced analytics
Zoho Social wins on: Pricing, Zoho suite integration
Sprout Social wins on: Enterprise features, analytics depth
Buffer wins on: Simplicity, pricing
Sprout Social wins on: Easier to use, faster deployment
Sprinklr wins on: Enterprise scale, unified CXM
Sprout Social wins on: Full-featured platform, listening
Later wins on: Visual planning, creator focus
Sprout Social wins on: Enterprise features, integrations
Loomly wins on: Pricing, simplicity
Sprout Social vs Blaze
Sprout Social wins on: Established platform, analytics
Blaze wins on: AI-first approach, pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better than Sprout Social?
Metricool is better than Sprout Social for small businesses and budget-conscious teams. It costs 91% less while offering scheduling, analytics, and competitor tracking. Agorapulse and Hootsuite are also strong alternatives with similar features at lower prices.
What are the disadvantages of Sprout Social?
Sprout Social’s biggest disadvantages are its high per-user pricing and expensive add-ons. Key features like Social Listening cost extra. Annual contracts lock you in. The platform can feel overwhelming for beginners.
Is Metricool better than Later?
Metricool is better for analytics, competitor tracking, and ad management. Later is better if you focus on visual planning and Instagram-first content. Metricool also has a more generous free plan.
Can I use Metricool for free?
Yes, Metricool offers a forever-free plan. You can manage one brand with 50 posts per month at zero cost. No credit card required. It’s not a trial — it lasts indefinitely.
Is Sprout Social worth the cost?
Sprout Social is worth the cost for enterprise teams that need social listening, Salesforce integration, and advanced collaboration tools. For small businesses, the price-to-value ratio doesn’t make sense. Alternatives deliver 90% of the features at 10% of the cost.
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