Hootsuite vs Sprout Social (2025 Comparison)
Hootsuite offers a comprehensive suite of social media management tools, making it a versatile choice for businesses looking to enhance their online presence. Its wide range of integrations and scalability make it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
- Comprehensive social media management tools
- Wide range of integrations
- Scalable for businesses of all sizes
- Interface can be overwhelming
- Limited advanced analytics
- Higher learning curve for beginners
Free plan?
YesStarting price
Sprout Social provides an intuitive user interface and advanced analytics, making it ideal for businesses seeking data-driven social media strategies. Its excellent customer support ensures you receive the help you need when you need it.
- Intuitive user interface
- Advanced analytics and reporting
- Excellent customer support
- Higher price point
- Limited integrations
- Less suitable for small teams
Free plan?
YesStarting price
$199 per month per userWhat is Hootsuite?
Hootsuite is a comprehensive social media management platform that helps businesses streamline their social media efforts. It allows users to schedule posts, track social media performance, and engage with their audience across multiple platforms from a single dashboard. This tool is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to enhance their social media presence and improve engagement with their audience. With Hootsuite, you can efficiently manage your social media strategy, saving time and resources while maximizing your online impact.
What is Sprout Social?
Sprout Social is a powerful social media management tool designed to help businesses manage their social media presence effectively. It offers features like social media scheduling, analytics, and engagement tools, making it easier for businesses to connect with their audience. Sprout Social's intuitive interface and robust analytics capabilities provide valuable insights into social media performance, helping businesses make data-driven decisions. This tool is ideal for businesses looking to enhance their social media strategy and improve customer engagement.
Pros and Cons of Hootsuite vs Sprout Social
Pros & Cons of Hootsuite
- Hootsuite offers a wide range of social media management tools, including scheduling, monitoring, and analytics, making it a versatile choice for businesses looking to enhance their social media presence.
- Hootsuite provides a broad range of integrations with popular social media platforms and third-party apps, allowing businesses to connect their existing tools and streamline their workflows.
- Hootsuite is designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes, offering scalable solutions that can grow with your social media strategy, making it a suitable choice for both small and large businesses.
- Hootsuite's extensive features can make its interface feel cluttered and overwhelming, especially for beginners who may find it challenging to navigate and utilize all the available tools.
- While Hootsuite offers basic analytics tools, it lacks the advanced reporting features and customizable dashboards that some businesses may require for in-depth social media analysis.
Pros & Cons of Sprout Social
- Sprout Social is praised for its intuitive design and easy navigation, making it an ideal choice for users who prioritize simplicity and ease of use in their social media management tools.
- Sprout Social offers advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, providing businesses with valuable insights into social media performance and helping them make data-driven decisions.
- Sprout Social is known for its responsive customer support, with dedicated account managers and personalized assistance, ensuring that businesses receive the help they need when they need it.
- Sprout Social's advanced features come at a higher price point, which may be a consideration for businesses with limited budgets looking for cost-effective social media management solutions.
- While Sprout Social offers robust integration options, it has fewer integrations compared to some competitors, which may limit its compatibility with certain third-party tools and platforms.
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: At A Glance
Value to Price
Value to Price is a critical dimension that evaluates the cost-effectiveness of a tool relative to its features and benefits. Hootsuite offers a competitive pricing structure, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses looking to manage multiple social media accounts. Sprout Social, while slightly more expensive, provides advanced analytics and reporting features that justify its higher price point. If you are looking for a tool with a balance of cost and features, Hootsuite might be the better option.
Ease of Use
Ease of Use assesses how user-friendly a tool is, which is crucial for businesses with limited technical expertise. Hootsuite offers a straightforward interface, but it can be overwhelming for beginners due to its extensive features. Sprout Social, on the other hand, is praised for its intuitive design and easy navigation, making it ideal for users who prioritize simplicity. If you value a user-friendly experience, Sprout Social is the better choice.
Functionality
Functionality measures the range and effectiveness of features offered by a tool. Hootsuite provides a comprehensive suite of social media management tools, including scheduling, monitoring, and analytics. Sprout Social excels in offering advanced analytics and reporting capabilities, which are beneficial for data-driven decision-making. If you need robust analytics and reporting, Sprout Social is the superior option.
Scalability
Scalability evaluates a tool's ability to grow with your business needs. Hootsuite is designed to accommodate businesses of all sizes, offering scalable solutions that can grow with your social media strategy. Sprout Social also offers scalable options, with features that support larger teams and more complex social media strategies. If you anticipate significant growth, both tools are suitable, but Sprout Social offers more advanced features for larger teams.
Integrations
Integrations assess how well a tool can connect with other software and platforms. Hootsuite offers a wide range of integrations with popular social media platforms and third-party apps, making it a versatile choice for businesses with diverse needs. Sprout Social also provides robust integration options, with seamless connections to various platforms and tools. If you require extensive integrations, both tools are excellent choices, but Hootsuite offers a slightly broader range.
Customer Support
Customer Support evaluates the quality and availability of assistance provided by the tool's support team. Hootsuite offers a range of support options, including a comprehensive help center and community forums. Sprout Social is known for its responsive customer support, with dedicated account managers and personalized assistance. If you prioritize excellent customer support, Sprout Social is the better option.
Security
Security measures the tool's ability to protect user data and ensure safe operations. Hootsuite implements robust security measures, including data encryption and secure access controls. Sprout Social also prioritizes security, with features like two-factor authentication and regular security audits. If security is a top concern, both tools offer reliable protection, but Sprout Social provides additional security features.
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: A Detailed Breakdown of Key Features
Social Media Scheduling
Social Media Scheduling is a crucial feature for managing posts across multiple platforms. Hootsuite offers a robust scheduling tool that allows you to plan and automate posts, saving time and ensuring consistent content delivery. Sprout Social enhances this with a more intuitive interface and additional scheduling options, making it easier to manage complex social media strategies. If you need advanced scheduling capabilities, Sprout Social is the better choice.
Analytics and Reporting
Analytics and Reporting provide insights into social media performance, helping businesses make data-driven decisions. Hootsuite offers comprehensive analytics tools, but Sprout Social takes it a step further with advanced reporting features and customizable dashboards. If you require detailed analytics and reporting, Sprout Social is the superior option.
Team Collaboration
Team Collaboration is essential for businesses with multiple team members managing social media accounts. Hootsuite offers collaboration tools that allow teams to work together efficiently. Sprout Social enhances this with features like task assignment and approval workflows, making it ideal for larger teams. If you need advanced collaboration features, Sprout Social is the better choice.
Content Curation
Content Curation helps businesses find and share relevant content with their audience. Hootsuite offers content curation tools that allow you to discover and share content from various sources. Sprout Social provides additional features like content suggestions and RSS feed integration, making it easier to curate content. If you need advanced content curation tools, Sprout Social is the superior option.
Social Listening
Social Listening allows businesses to monitor social media conversations and engage with their audience. Hootsuite offers social listening tools that help you track mentions and keywords. Sprout Social enhances this with advanced listening features and sentiment analysis, providing deeper insights into audience sentiment. If you need advanced social listening capabilities, Sprout Social is the better choice.
Mobile App
A Mobile App is essential for managing social media on the go. Hootsuite offers a mobile app that allows you to schedule posts and monitor social media activity from your smartphone. Sprout Social provides a more intuitive mobile app with additional features like push notifications and mobile analytics. If you need a powerful mobile app, Sprout Social is the superior option.
Pricing Comparison of Hootsuite and Sprout Social
To assist you in making an informed choice, we’ve outlined the pricing plans and essential features of Hootsuite and Sprout Social. This comparison will highlight the best option for managing your social media presence.
Hootsuite Pricing Plans
- Best time to post recommendations for optimal engagement.
- Custom analytics and reports to track performance.
- AI caption, hashtag, and ideas generator for content creation.
- One inbox for managing all social account messages.
- Suspend scheduled posts and resume them later.
- Team roles and permissions for better collaboration.
- Assign DMs to teammates for efficient management.
- One custom-branded URL for enhanced branding.
- Content library for storing and reusing approved content.
- Automated engagement tools to boost interaction.
- Single sign-on (SSO) for secure access.
- Unlimited ad spend for maximum reach.
Sprout Social Pricing Plans
- Unlimited real-time keyword and location monitoring available.
- Unlimited AI-generated alt-text for enhanced accessibility.
- Intuitive reporting across groups, profiles, and posts.
- Unlimited review management for better customer feedback.
- Comprehensive social media marketing reporting suite.
- Optimize posting times for maximum engagement.
- Boost creativity with Suggestions by AI Assist.
- Efficiently tag and track all messages for better organization.
- Easily spot high-priority messages with Sentiment detection.
- Exclusive access to Helpdesk integrations for support.
- Robust productivity and social customer care reports.
- Real-time message Spike Alerts for immediate action.
- Maximize investment with a tailored plan to your needs.
- Streamline SSO setup with dedicated service.
- Priority customer support for immediate assistance.
- Additional premium solutions for enhanced capabilities.
Our Rating Methodology
We thoroughly test each social media management tool, evaluating key features like ease of use, functionality, and scalability. We also analyze user reviews to ensure our recommendations fit your needs. Each of the seven evaluation factors is weighted by importance to provide an accurate final rating, helping you avoid poor-quality tools and make informed decisions.
Hootsuite or Sprout Social: Which One Matches Your Business Needs?
Choose Hootsuite If You Need ...
- Comprehensive social media management
If you are a business looking for a comprehensive social media management tool with a wide range of features, Hootsuite is the ideal choice. Its extensive suite of tools allows you to manage multiple social media accounts efficiently, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
- Wide range of integrations
If you need a social media management tool that offers a wide range of integrations with popular platforms and third-party apps, Hootsuite is the better option. Its extensive integration options allow you to connect your existing tools and streamline your workflows.
Choose Sprout Social If You Need ...
- Intuitive user interface
If you prioritize a user-friendly experience and intuitive design, Sprout Social is the superior choice. Its easy navigation and simple interface make it ideal for users who value simplicity in their social media management tools.
- Advanced analytics and reporting
If you require advanced analytics and reporting capabilities to make data-driven decisions, Sprout Social is the better option. Its robust analytics tools provide valuable insights into social media performance, helping you optimize your strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tool offers better social media scheduling features?
Which tool provides more advanced analytics and reporting?
Which tool is more suitable for larger teams?
Which tool offers better customer support?
Which tool is more cost-effective?
Anastasia Belyh
Anastasia Belyh is a senior tech writer with over 15 years of experience in marketing, sales, and business software. Having worked in investment banking, management consulting, and founded multiple companies, her in-depth knowledge and hands-on expertise make her software reviews authoritative, trustworthy, and highly practical for business decision-makers.
