The free, video-first Hootsuite alternative
The best free Hootsuite alternative for video creators is Multi Upload Tool, a video-first scheduler that publishes to TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram and Facebook Reels, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest and Threads from $0 to $9.99/mo flat, with no per-user fees. Hootsuite has no free plan and starts at $99 per user.
Written by Luss, founder of Multi Upload Tool. Pricing verified June 25, 2026.
At a glance: the top Hootsuite alternatives
If you only need to publish (not run a full marketing suite), these are the most common Hootsuite alternatives by starting price and focus. For short-form video, Multi Upload Tool is the closest fit, with a free plan and a flat price. See full pricing or every supported channel on the platforms hub.
| Tool | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Multi Upload Tool | Free / $9.99 flat | Short-form video, bulk upload & a developer API |
| Buffer | Free / from $5 per channel | Simple multi-channel scheduling |
| Publer | Free / from $12/mo | A generous free plan and power scheduling |
| Later | From ~$19/mo, no free plan | Instagram and visual content planning |
| Agorapulse | From $79/user per month | Social inbox and team reporting |
Starting prices from each vendor's pricing page (June 2026); plans and billing terms change. Check the vendor for current figures.
Multi Upload Tool vs Hootsuite
The numbers below come straight from hootsuite.com/plans (June 2026). Hootsuite is a capable all-in-one suite. This is about price and fit, not a knock on its features.
| Feature | Multi Upload Tool | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $0 free / $9.99/mo | $99/user per month |
| Free plan | Yes (2 accounts, 13 uploads/mo) | No, 30-day trial only |
| Billing model | Flat per plan | Per user / seat |
| Social accounts on entry paid plan | 8 ($9.99) → 20 ($19.99) | 10 (Standard) |
| Top listed plan | $129.99/mo · 150 accounts | $399/user per month |
| Built for | Short-form video publishing | All-in-one social suite |
Why people look for a Hootsuite alternative
No free plan, and it starts at $99
Hootsuite discontinued its free plan in 2023. Today the cheapest paid tier is the Standard plan at $99 per user, per month (billed annually), after a 30-day trial. For a creator or small business that's a steep entry point just to schedule posts.
Multi Upload Tool keeps a permanently free plan, and paid plans start at $9.99/mo flat.
Per-seat pricing adds up fast
Hootsuite bills per user. Standard covers a single user; adding teammates or moving to Advanced ($399/user per month) multiplies the cost as your team grows.
Our plans are flat: the $19.99 Pro plan includes 20 accounts, and Business includes 60. No per-seat math.
A full suite when you just want to publish
The Standard plan bundles a unified inbox, brand monitoring, analytics and AI tools. That's powerful, but if you mainly post short-form video you're paying for a lot you won't open.
We do one thing well: schedule and bulk-upload video across every major platform.
What you get with Multi Upload Tool
Bulk video upload via CSV
Drop 50+ video files and a spreadsheet to schedule a whole month of TikToks, Reels and Shorts in one batch. Captions, hashtags and times included.
TikTok via the official API
Schedule public TikTok posts through TikTok's official Content Posting API, alongside YouTube Shorts, Instagram & Facebook Reels, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest and Threads.
Developer API + SDKs
A documented REST API with Python and Node.js SDKs (docs.multi-upload-tool.com) so you can upload programmatically or wire it into Zapier, Make and n8n.
White-label for agencies
On Business and Agency plans, put your own domain, logo and branding on the dashboard and client reports. Present it as your own platform.
Honest verdict
Choose Multi Upload Tool if you…
- Mainly publish short-form video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts)
- Want a free plan or a low flat price
- Manage your own accounts or a handful of clients
- Need bulk video upload and a developer API
- Are a creator, freelancer or small agency
Stay with Hootsuite if you…
- Need a unified social inbox and community management at scale
- Rely on social listening and brand monitoring
- Manage paid social ads inside one platform
- Require enterprise approvals, SSO and compliance
- Run a large team across many non-video channels
How to switch from Hootsuite in 10 minutes
Export your Hootsuite content
Download your scheduled posts and any reports you want to keep from Hootsuite as CSV/PDF.
Connect your accounts
Sign up free and connect your social accounts to Multi Upload Tool with OAuth: no passwords stored, three clicks each.
Bulk-upload your videos
Use the CSV importer to recreate your calendar: drop your video files, map the columns, and schedule the month in minutes.
Cancel before your next renewal
Once your first posts publish successfully, cancel your Hootsuite subscription before it renews.
Try it free
No credit card, no 30-day clock. Start on the free plan and upgrade to $9.99/mo only if you need more.
Get Started FreeFrequently Asked Questions
What is the best Hootsuite alternative?
It depends on what you actually need. Roundups in 2026 rank Buffer, Later, Sprout Social and Agorapulse highly for all-round social management. If your priority is publishing short-form video on a budget, Multi Upload Tool is the closest fit: a free plan, $9.99/mo paid plans, native bulk video upload and a developer API. If you rely on social listening or a large unified inbox, a full suite like Sprout Social will suit you better.
Is there a free alternative to Hootsuite?
Yes. Hootsuite itself discontinued its free plan in 2023 and now offers only a 30-day trial. Multi Upload Tool has a permanently free plan that includes 2 connected accounts and 13 uploads per month, enough to schedule across TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and more without paying.
Is there still a free version of Hootsuite?
No. Hootsuite discontinued its free plan in 2023; the only no-cost option today is a 30-day trial, after which the cheapest plan is Standard at $99 per user, per month (billed annually). For a permanently free option, Multi Upload Tool keeps a free-forever plan with 2 accounts and 13 uploads a month.
What is the cheapest social media management tool?
Among popular tools, Multi Upload Tool is one of the cheapest for publishing: $0 on the free plan and $9.99/mo flat for Basic. Publer also has a free plan and starts around $12/mo, and Buffer's Essentials is $5 per channel, per month. Hootsuite starts at $99 per user, with no free plan.
What is the best free social media scheduling tool for video?
For short-form video specifically, Multi Upload Tool is built for it: the free plan publishes to TikTok (via TikTok's official Content Posting API), YouTube Shorts, Instagram and Facebook Reels and more, with native bulk video upload. It's the closest free option focused on TikTok, Reels and Shorts rather than general posting.
Is Hootsuite still the best?
It depends on the job. Hootsuite is still a strong all-in-one suite for teams that need a unified inbox, social listening and ads in one place. That's what its $99-$399 per-user pricing buys. If your priority is publishing short-form video on a budget, a focused tool like Multi Upload Tool fits better and costs far less.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Hootsuite?
Hootsuite's paid plans run from $99 to $399 per user, per month. Multi Upload Tool is $9.99/month flat for the Basic plan (or $0 on the free plan), with Pro at $19.99 and Business at $49.99. Because billing is per plan rather than per seat, the gap widens as your team or account count grows.
Does Multi Upload Tool support TikTok like Hootsuite?
Both tools publish to TikTok. Multi Upload Tool uses TikTok's official Content Posting API to schedule public posts, and supports YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, Facebook Reels, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Pinterest and Threads from the same upload. Our focus is video, so you also get bulk CSV upload and per-platform metadata controls.
Can I move my scheduled posts from Hootsuite?
Yes, and it's quick. Export your content from Hootsuite, connect your accounts to Multi Upload Tool, then bulk-upload your videos with a CSV to recreate the schedule. Most people are up and running in about 10 minutes.
Does Multi Upload Tool have social listening like Hootsuite?
No, we focus 100% on publishing and scheduling video, not monitoring. If social listening or brand monitoring is essential to you, keep a dedicated tool for it; Hootsuite bundles listening on its higher tiers, which is part of why it costs more.
Explore more alternatives
Buffer Alternative
Flat pricing vs per-channel: which is cheaper?
Later Alternative
Video-first scheduling vs an Instagram-led planner
Sprout Social Alternative
Skip the per-seat enterprise pricing
TikTok Scheduler
Native TikTok scheduling via the official API
Bulk Upload
Schedule 50+ videos with captions in one batch
For Marketing Agencies
White-label dashboards and client accounts
For Content Creators
Publish once, post everywhere. Built for creators
For Small Business
Low flat pricing instead of per-seat fees
Pricing
Free plan and flat plans from $9.99/mo