📊 Our Test Results:
- 💰 Pricing Value: Metricool $18/mo vs Sprout Social $199/mo — Metricool wins
- 📊 Analytics Depth: Metricool competitor tracking vs Sprout Social premium reports — Sprout Social wins
- 📅 Scheduling Content: Both unlimited on paid plans, Metricool free plan includes 50 posts — Metricool wins
- 👂 Social Listening: Sprout Social advanced suite vs Metricool basic — Sprout Social wins
- 👥 Team Features: Metricool multi-user free vs Sprout Social $199/user — Metricool wins
Are you tired of juggling multiple social media accounts without knowing what actually works?
You need powerful social media management tools to take control of your social media strategy.
Two popular options are Sprout Social and Metricool.
Both promise to help you schedule posts, track social media performance, and grow your audience.
But which one delivers better value for your business?
I spent four weeks testing both platforms side by side.
I connected my social media accounts, scheduled content, and analyzed the analytics from each tool.
The results surprised me.
In this Sprout Social vs Metricool comparison, I will share exactly what I found.
Overview
To give you the most accurate comparison, I tested Sprout Social and Metricool extensively.
I connected both tools to Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
I scheduled social media posts across all platforms and measured the results.
I compared the social media analytics and reporting features side by side.
I tested customer support response times and checked how each platform handles social media publishing.
This hands-on research helps you decide which tool fits your marketing goals.
What is Metricool?
Metricool is a social media management platform built for small businesses, agencies, and creators.
The platform lets you plan, schedule, and measure your social media content from one dashboard.
You can connect multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and more.
Metricool stands out with its built-in ad campaign manager for social advertising on Meta and Google.
The tool also helps you find influencers and track competitor performance.
Metricool
Manage all your social media accounts from one platform. Metricool helps you schedule posts, analyze competitors, and track your social media performance with detailed insights. Over 70% of users report saving at least 5 hours per week on social media efforts.
Metricool Pricing
Here is what Metricool costs in 2026.
The platform offers a free plan that works for life.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Testing basic features and single brand management |
| Starter | $18/month | Freelancers and small businesses with up to 5 brands |
| Advance | $45/month | Agencies and teams with up to 15 brands |
| Custom | Contact for the pricing | Large organizations with 50+ brands |
Free trial: Metricool offers a free plan forever. No credit card required to start.
Money-back guarantee: You can cancel anytime and keep access until the end of your billing cycle.
📌 Note: Annual billing saves you about 18% compared to monthly payments. The Starter plan drops to $18/month from $22/month when billed yearly.
⚠️ Warning: LinkedIn and Twitter/X analytics require the Starter plan or higher. The free plan excludes these key features.
Key Benefits of Metricool
Here is why Metricool stands out from the competition:
- Budget-Friendly Pricing: Metricool costs 91% less than Sprout Social. Small businesses can access professional social media tools without breaking their budget.
- Built-in Ad Manager: Manage Google Ads, Facebook, and Instagram campaigns directly from Metricool. Track spend, clicks, and conversions in real time without switching platforms.
- Competitor Analysis: Track up to 100 competitor profiles. See what strategies work for your competitors and gain actionable insights for your campaigns.
- SmartLinks Feature: Create a custom link-in-bio page for Instagram and TikTok. Drive traffic to multiple destinations from a single connection.
- Color-Coded Calendar: The scheduling content calendar shows best times to post based on when your audience is most active. This helps measure engagement and reach your full potential.
- Multi-User Access: Add team members without extra cost on paid plans. Agencies can give clients access for approval workflows.
- Hashtag Tracker: Research and track hashtag performance across platforms. Find the best hashtags for your social media posts.
Metricool Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan available forever with 50 scheduled posts per month
- Paid plans start at just $18/month for up to 5 brands
- Built-in ad campaign manager for Meta and Google Ads
- Clean and user-friendly interface that beginners love
- Supports 11+ social media platforms including Twitch
❌ Cons
- Social listening features are limited compared to enterprise tools
- Social inbox is basic and lacks depth for customer care
- Twitter/X analytics costs an extra $5 per connected account
- No employee advocacy features for larger organizations
What is Sprout Social?
Sprout Social is a cloud-based social media management solution for businesses of all sizes.
The platform provides advanced analytics, social listening, and team collaboration features.
You can manage all your social media accounts from a unified Smart Inbox.
Sprout Social includes employee advocacy tools to turn your team into brand ambassadors.
The platform also offers influencer marketing capabilities after acquiring Tagger Media.
Users appreciate the ability to create detailed reports for clients and stakeholders.
Sprout Social
Enterprise-grade social media management with powerful social listening and premium analytics. Sprout Social helps brands extract real business value from social through publishing, engagement, and advanced reporting capabilities.
Sprout Social Pricing
Here is what Sprout Social costs in 2026.
All plans charge per user per month.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $199/month | Small teams with up to 5 social profiles |
| Professional | $299/month | Growing teams needing competitive reports |
| Advanced | $399/month | Large teams requiring automation workflows |
| Enterprise | Contact for the pricing | Organizations with custom needs |
Free trial: Sprout Social offers a 30-day free trial. No credit card required to start.
Money-back guarantee: Sprout Social uses annual contracts. Review cancellation terms carefully before signing.
📌 Note: Each plan price is per user. A team of 3 on the Standard plan costs $597/month. Premium Analytics and Social Listening are add-ons that cost extra.
⚠️ Warning: Many users report surprise at auto-renewal policies. Make sure you log the contract end date and cancellation deadlines to avoid unexpected charges.
Key Benefits of Sprout Social
Here is why Sprout Social stands out from the competition:
- Advanced Social Listening: Monitor brand mentions, industry trends, and competitor conversations across the web in real time. The AI-powered tools analyze sentiment and uncover actionable insights.
- Employee Advocacy Platform: Turn employees into brand advocates with pre-approved content they can share. This extends your organic reach without spending on ads.
- Premium Analytics: Create executive-ready reports that prove social media ROI. The reporting capabilities help teams demonstrate value to customers and leadership.
- Unified Smart Inbox: Engage with your audience across all platforms from one inbox. Never miss a message, comment, or mention.
- Influencer Marketing: After acquiring Tagger Media, Sprout now helps you find influencers and manage campaigns at scale.
- AI-Powered Strategy: Get content recommendations based on your performance data. The AI suggests optimal posting times and content types.
- Salesforce Integration: Connect your social data with your CRM for a complete view of customer interactions.
Sprout Social Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Deepest social listening coverage on the market
- Beautiful, presentation-ready reports for clients
- Excellent customer support with live rep available 24/7
- Powerful publishing and scheduling features
- Consistent user-friendly interface across all modules
❌ Cons
- Extremely expensive at $199/user minimum
- Per-user pricing penalizes growing teams
- Premium features require costly add-ons
- Instagram story scheduling has limitations
Feature Comparison
Ready to dive into a detailed comparison of Sprout Social vs Metricool?
I will explore 10 key features to help you determine which platform best suits your needs.
| Feature | Metricool | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $0/month (Free plan) | $199/month per user |
| Free Plan | ✅ | ❌ |
| Social Media Publishing | ✅ Unlimited on paid | ✅ Unlimited |
| Social Media Analytics | ✅ | ✅ Premium available |
| Social Listening | ❌ Basic only | ✅ Advanced |
| Employee Advocacy | ❌ | ✅ |
| Influencer Marketing | ❌ | ✅ |
| Ad Campaign Manager | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
| Competitor Analysis | ✅ 100 profiles | ✅ Add-on |
| Best For | Small businesses, agencies | Enterprise teams |
1. Social Media Publishing
Metricool: The social media planner lets you schedule posts to 11+ platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitch. The color-coded calendar shows the best times to post based on your audience data. You can schedule up to 50 posts per month on the free plan and unlimited posts on paid plans.
Sprout Social: The publishing tool supports all major platforms including Bluesky. You get bulk scheduling, content approval workflows, and AI-powered send times. The tool excels at team collaboration with message tagging and task assignment. However, users report Instagram story scheduling does not work as advertised.
2. Social Media Analytics
Metricool: Analytics cover all connected social media accounts with detailed engagement metrics. You can analyze your posts to see what content performs best. The platform generates automated reports in PDF and PowerPoint format. Looker Studio integration is available on the Advanced plan for custom dashboards.
Sprout Social: Premium analytics provide deep social media insights that justify the premium pricing. Reports are executive-ready and can be customized with your branding. The platform tracks social media performance across all connected profiles. Premium Analytics is an add-on that costs extra beyond your base plan.
⚠️ Warning: Sprout Social’s reporting capabilities are powerful but basic reports on the Standard plan may feel limited. For full reporting access, expect to pay for Premium Analytics add-on.
3. Social Listening
Metricool: Social listening is not a strong point for Metricool. You can track hashtags and monitor competitor profiles. But there is no advanced sentiment analysis or brand mention tracking across the web. The focus is on competitor insights rather than listening to broader conversations.
Sprout Social: The social listening suite is one of Sprout Social’s biggest strengths. You can monitor brand mentions, track competitors, and analyze sentiment across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, YouTube, and the web. This helps you engage with your audience and research trends in real time.
4. Competitor Analysis
Metricool: You can track up to 100 competitor profiles on paid plans. The tool shows what content works for competitors and when they post. This feature is built into the base price with no add-ons required. For example, you can see engagement rates and posting strategies for any public profile.
Sprout Social: Competitive reports show how your brand stacks up against competitors. You can analyze share of voice and industry trends. This feature requires the Professional plan at $299/month or higher. The insights help you adjust your strategies based on market positioning.
5. Social Advertising
Metricool: The built-in ad campaign manager supports Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and Google Ads. You can create campaigns, track spend, and measure conversions from one dashboard. This is a major differentiator for ecommerce brands who run paid campaigns alongside organic social media content.
Sprout Social: There is no built-in ad management. You would need to use native ad platforms like Meta Business Suite or Google Ads separately. Sprout focuses on organic social media management rather than paid advertising campaigns.
⚠️ Warning: If paid advertising is central to your social media strategy, Metricool provides better value with its integrated ad manager. Sprout Social users must juggle multiple platforms for social advertising.
6. Employee Advocacy
Metricool: There is no employee advocacy feature in Metricool. The platform focuses on direct social media management rather than empowering employees to share brand content. Organizations needing advocacy tools will need a separate software solution.
Sprout Social: The employee advocacy platform helps you extend your organic reach. Employees can share pre-approved social media posts across their personal networks. This builds brand awareness without additional ad spend. The feature includes a mobile app and gamification with leaderboards.
7. Influencer Marketing
Metricool: While Metricool provides education on how to find influencers, there is no built-in influencer discovery or campaign management tool. You would need to manually research creators or use a separate platform to identify and manage influencer partnerships.
Sprout Social: After acquiring Tagger Media, Sprout now offers a complete influencer marketing platform. You can find influencers, manage campaigns, track performance, and measure ROI. This is sold as a separate add-on product for brands serious about creator partnerships.
8. Team Collaboration
Metricool: The Advanced plan includes collaborators and role management. You can add team members or clients to review and approve content. There is no per-user fee on Metricool paid plans. Agencies can manage multiple clients without multiplying costs.
Sprout Social: Each team member needs their own seat at $199 to $399 per month. The platform offers excellent collaboration with task assignment, message tagging, and approval workflows. However, the per-user pricing model makes it expensive for large teams.
9. Ease of Use
Metricool: Users consistently praise the clean, intuitive interface. New users can start scheduling content within minutes. The planning tool feels natural and the analytics layouts are easy to understand. This makes it ideal for small businesses without dedicated social media staff.
Sprout Social: The interface feels polished and professional. New team members typically become productive within one week. However, there are many features to learn which can feel overwhelming. The consistent design language across modules helps with the learning curve.
10. Pricing & Cost
Let me compare the pricing plans side by side.
| Plan Tier | Metricool | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month (1 brand, 50 posts) | ❌ No free plan |
| Entry Level | $18/month (5 brands) | $199/user/month (5 profiles) |
| Professional | $45/month (15 brands) | $299/user/month (10 profiles) |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | $399/user/month + custom |
| 3-User Team Annual | $540/year | $7,164/year |
Metricool: Pricing starts with a free plan that never expires. Paid plans use a flat monthly fee regardless of how many users access the account. A small business can manage 5 brands for $18 per month. Annual billing saves about 18% compared to monthly payments.
Sprout Social: Pricing is per user per month with no free plan. The Standard plan at $199/month includes 5 social profiles. Add-ons like Premium Analytics and Social Listening can add $500 to $1000+ per month. Total annual cost for a 3-person team easily exceeds $10,000.
💡 Test Result: Metricool costs 91% less than Sprout Social for comparable features. If you are on a tight budget, Metricool gives you professional social media tools without the enterprise price tag.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget | Metricool | Free plan available, paid from $18/mo |
| Advanced social listening | Sprout Social | Enterprise-grade listening suite |
| Ad campaign management | Metricool | Built-in Meta and Google Ads manager |
| Employee advocacy | Sprout Social | Only Sprout offers this feature |
| Multi-brand agencies | Metricool | No per-user fees, manage 50+ brands |
| Enterprise reporting | Sprout Social | Premium analytics and custom reports |
| Beginner-friendly | Metricool | Simpler interface, faster setup |
💰 Your Budget
Metricool wins for budget-conscious businesses and small teams. You get professional social media tools starting at $0 with the free plan. Sprout Social makes sense only if you have $2,000+ monthly for social media software and need enterprise features.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Sprout Social integrates with Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, and enterprise CRM systems. Metricool connects with Canva, Zapier, and Google Analytics. Choose based on which tools your business already uses.
📝 Your Content Strategy
Both platforms handle publishing well. Metricool excels for creators who also run paid ads since the ad manager is built in. Sprout Social is better if you need advanced approval workflows and task management.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Metricool is more user-friendly for beginners. The interface is cleaner and the learning curve is gentle. Sprout Social offers more power but requires more time to master all the features.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Metricool offers a free plan you can use forever. Sprout Social provides a 30-day free trial. Test both before committing. Your real experience will matter more than any review.
🛟 Support Options
Sprout Social offers phone support and live chat with real people. Their customer support consistently earns praise. Metricool provides email and chat support but response times can lag. For critical issues, Sprout has better support infrastructure.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools?
Here is what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from Metricool to Sprout Social?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Advanced social listening with sentiment analysis and brand monitoring
- Employee advocacy platform to extend your organic reach
- Premium analytics and executive-ready reports for stakeholders
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Built-in ad campaign manager for Meta and Google Ads
- Affordable flat-rate pricing without per-user fees
- Free plan access for basic needs
📋 How to switch:
- Export your scheduled content and analytics reports from Metricool
- Sign up for Sprout Social’s 30-day free trial
- Connect your social profiles and rebuild your content calendar
🔄 Switching from Sprout Social to Metricool?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Save 91% on monthly costs with comparable core features
- Built-in ad manager for Facebook, Instagram, and Google campaigns
- No per-user fees so your whole team can have access
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Advanced social listening and sentiment tracking
- Employee advocacy and influencer marketing tools
- Salesforce integration and enterprise-grade support
📋 How to switch:
- Download all reports and export scheduled posts from Sprout Social
- Create a free Metricool account and connect your social profiles
- Recreate your content calendar and verify all connections work
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | Metricool |
| 📊 Analytics | Sprout Social |
| 📅 Publishing | Tie |
| 👂 Social Listening | Sprout Social |
| 📢 Ad Management | Metricool |
| 👥 Team Features | Metricool |
| 🏢 Employee Advocacy | Sprout Social |
| 👶 Ease of Use | Metricool |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Metricool |
🏆 WINNER: Metricool
Metricool wins 6 out of 9 categories.
Best for: Small businesses, agencies, freelancers, and anyone who values budget-friendly social media tools without sacrificing key features.
Metricool and Sprout Social serve very different audiences.
Metricool is built for small businesses and agencies who need professional social media management without the enterprise price tag.
Sprout Social targets larger organizations with bigger budgets who need advanced social listening, employee advocacy, and influencer marketing.
Sprout Social is excellent for enterprises that can justify $199+ per user per month.
However, if you need to measure social media performance, schedule posts, and analyze competitors without spending thousands per year, Metricool delivers outstanding value.
The built-in ad manager and competitor tracking give Metricool features that Sprout Social simply does not offer at any price.
Now, go out and crush your social media strategy with the right tool for your business!
More of Metricool Compared
Here is how Metricool stacks up against other competitors:
Metricool wins on: Built-in ad manager, competitor tracking included
Socialpilot wins on: White-label reports, client management
Metricool wins on: Lower pricing, free plan available
Sendible wins on: More platform integrations, content library
Metricool wins on: Simpler interface, ad campaign management
Content Studio wins on: Content discovery, AI writing tools
Metricool vs Agorapulse
Metricool wins on: Pricing, built-in ad manager
Agorapulse wins on: Social inbox, customer support
Metricool wins on: Competitor analysis, ad management
Buffer wins on: Simplicity, engagement tools
Metricool wins on: Analytics depth, more platforms supported
Later wins on: Visual content planning, linkin.bio
Metricool vs Loomly
Metricool wins on: Free plan, competitor tracking
Loomly wins on: Content suggestions, approval workflows
More of Sprout Social Compared
Here is how Sprout Social stacks up against other competitors:
Sprout Social wins on: Social listening, employee advocacy
Socialpilot wins on: Pricing, bulk scheduling
Sprout Social wins on: Analytics depth, CRM integration
Sendible wins on: Pricing, agency features
Sprout Social wins on: Social listening, enterprise features
Agorapulse wins on: Pricing, inbox management
Sprout Social wins on: Advanced analytics, team features
Buffer wins on: Simplicity, pricing
Sprout Social vs Sprinklr
Sprout Social wins on: Ease of use, faster implementation
Sprinklr wins on: Enterprise scale, omnichannel support
Sprout Social wins on: Full-service platform, analytics
Later wins on: Visual planning, pricing
Sprout Social wins on: User experience, reporting quality
Hootsuite wins on: Pricing, enterprise integration
Frequently Asked Questions
What is better than Sprout Social?
Metricool is a great alternative for small businesses and agencies who need social media management tools without enterprise pricing. It offers a free plan, built-in ad manager, and competitor tracking. Agorapulse and Buffer are also solid choices if you want advanced analytics without spending $199+ per user per month.
What are the disadvantages of Sprout Social?
The main disadvantage is pricing. Sprout Social charges per user, so teams can pay thousands per month. Users also report occasional glitches with Instagram integration. The platform lacks a built-in ad manager, so you cannot create or measure ad campaigns directly. For organizations with tight budgets, the cost makes it hard to justify.
Is Sprout Social listening worth it?
Yes, if your business needs real time brand monitoring and sentiment analysis. Social listening helps you engage with customers and track what people say about your brands across platforms around the world. The technology behind it uses AI to process mentions and sentiment. However, this feature is only available on higher-tier plans. Small businesses may find it too expensive for the value they get.
Can I use Metricool for free?
Yes, Metricool offers a free plan that works forever. You can schedule posts, access basic analytics, and connect one social media account per platform. The free plan is perfect for freelancers and creators who want to test the software before committing. Paid plans start at $18 per month for more features and connections.
What is the difference between Sprout Social and Metricool for social media publishing?
Both tools let you schedule posts and manage social media content across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Sprout Social has a smart inbox and employee advocacy features for large teams. Metricool includes a built-in ad campaign manager and competitor analysis. You can even track blog post shares and link clicks. The key difference is price and focus. Sprout targets enterprises while Metricool serves small businesses and agencies.
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