7 Best Later Alternatives for Scheduling in 2026

Looking for the best Later alternatives? You're in the right place.

We tested 7 Later alternatives to find the best options for multi-platform scheduling, AI features, team collaboration, and budget-friendly pricing. Here's what we found.

Later is popular for Instagram scheduling, but it has limitations. If you need YouTube support, AI content creation, or better pricing—these Later alternatives deliver.

Why consider Later alternatives?

Later is a solid social media scheduling tool, especially if you're focused on visual content and Instagram. It's been around since 2014 and has a loyal following among influencers and visual brands.

But Later has some limitations:

• Instagram-first design — Other platforms feel like an afterthought
• No YouTube support — If you create video content for YouTube, you'll need another tool
• Limited collaboration — Approval workflows are basic compared to alternatives
• Pricing scales quickly — Adding more accounts or team members gets expensive
• No AI content creation — You're on your own for captions and hashtags

If you need multi-platform scheduling, YouTube support, AI features, or better team collaboration, a Later alternative might serve you better.

7 best Later alternatives in 2026

1. PostEverywhere: best Later alternative for YouTube & AI features

PostEverywhere is built for creators and businesses who need to schedule across all major platforms—including YouTube, which Later doesn't support.

What sets PostEverywhere apart is the combination of AI-powered content creation and comprehensive platform coverage. You can generate captions, hashtags, and even full posts using AI, then schedule them across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Threads from one dashboard.

Best features:

• YouTube scheduling (Later doesn't offer this)
• AI caption and hashtag suggestions
• Visual content calendar with drag-and-drop
• Cross-posting to 7+ platforms at once
• Team collaboration and approval workflows

Drawbacks: No free plan (7-day free trial available). No link-in-bio tool like Later's Linkin.bio.

Pricing: Plans start at $19/month.

PostEverywhere vs Later:

• PostEverywhere includes YouTube; Later doesn't
• PostEverywhere has built-in AI; Later's AI features are more limited
• Later has a free plan; PostEverywhere offers a free trial
• Later has Linkin.bio; PostEverywhere doesn't have a link-in-bio tool

Takeaway: If you need YouTube scheduling, AI content creation, or want to post to all social media at once, PostEverywhere is the best Later alternative.

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2. Buffer: best Later alternative for simplicity and affordability

Buffer is one of the most straightforward social media scheduling tools available. It does one thing well: scheduling posts across multiple platforms without unnecessary complexity.

Buffer supports Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Mastodon, and Google Business Profile. The interface is clean and intuitive, making it great for beginners or solo creators who don't need advanced features.

Best features:

• Simple, clean interface
• Generous free plan (3 channels, 10 posts/channel)
• Browser extension for easy sharing
• Basic analytics included
• Affordable paid plans

Drawbacks: Limited analytics compared to enterprise tools. No social listening or monitoring. Collaboration features are basic.

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $5/month per channel.

Buffer vs Later:

• Buffer has a more generous free plan
• Later has better visual planning for Instagram
• Buffer supports more platforms
• Later has Linkin.bio; Buffer doesn't

Takeaway: Buffer is the best Later alternative if you want simple, affordable scheduling without a steep learning curve.

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3. Hootsuite: best Later alternative for enterprise analytics

Hootsuite is the enterprise-grade option. It's been around since 2008 and is used by large teams and agencies who need comprehensive social media management, monitoring, and analytics.

Hootsuite supports Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, and TikTok. The dashboard lets you monitor multiple accounts, track mentions and keywords, and analyze performance across all your channels.

Best features:

• Comprehensive analytics and reporting
• Social listening and monitoring
• Team collaboration with approval workflows
• Integrations with 150+ apps
• Unified inbox for all messages

Drawbacks: Expensive. The interface can be overwhelming for beginners. Some features are locked behind higher-tier plans.

Pricing: Plans start at $99/month.

Hootsuite vs Later:

• Hootsuite has much more advanced analytics
• Later is more affordable and beginner-friendly
• Hootsuite supports YouTube; Later doesn't
• Later has better visual planning for Instagram

Takeaway: Hootsuite is the best Later alternative for large teams that need enterprise-level analytics, monitoring, and collaboration.

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4. Sprout Social: best Later alternative for agencies and brands

Sprout Social is a premium social media management platform designed for agencies and brands. It combines publishing, engagement, analytics, and social listening in one comprehensive tool.

The Smart Inbox unifies all your social messages, mentions, and comments in one place. The analytics are detailed and presentation-ready, making it easy to share reports with clients or stakeholders.

Best features:

• Unified Smart Inbox for all engagement
• Advanced analytics and custom reports
• Social listening and brand monitoring
• CRM-style contact management
• Team workflows and approval processes

Drawbacks: Very expensive. Overkill for individuals or small teams. Steep learning curve.

Pricing: Plans start at $249/month per user.

Sprout Social vs Later:

• Sprout Social is far more comprehensive
• Later is much more affordable
• Sprout Social has social listening; Later doesn't
• Later is easier to learn and use

Takeaway: Sprout Social is the best Later alternative for agencies and enterprise brands who need a complete social media command center.

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5. Metricool: best Later alternative for analytics on a budget

Metricool is a Spanish-based tool that's gained popularity for offering solid analytics at affordable prices. It supports Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Google Business Profile.

The standout feature is the competitor analysis—you can track your competitors' performance alongside your own. The analytics dashboards are clean and informative without being overwhelming.

Best features:

• Affordable pricing
• Competitor analysis
• Multi-platform analytics
• Content planning and scheduling
• Ad management for Facebook and Google

Drawbacks: Interface can feel cluttered. Some features are limited compared to premium tools. Customer support is mixed.

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at €22/month.

Metricool vs Later:

• Metricool has better analytics at lower prices
• Later has better visual planning for Instagram
• Metricool includes competitor analysis; Later doesn't
• Later's interface is cleaner

Takeaway: Metricool is the best Later alternative if you want solid analytics without paying enterprise prices.

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6. Planable: best Later alternative for team collaboration

Planable is built specifically for teams that need to collaborate on social media content. The focus is on streamlining the creation, review, and approval process.

Every post shows a pixel-perfect preview of how it will look when published. Team members can leave comments directly on posts, and approval workflows keep everyone aligned before anything goes live.

Best features:

• Real-time collaboration on posts
• Pixel-perfect post previews
• Flexible approval workflows
• Works for any written content (blogs, emails, etc.)
• Clean, intuitive interface

Drawbacks: No social listening or monitoring. Analytics are basic. Pricing is per workspace, which can add up.

Pricing: Free for first 50 posts. Paid plans start at $33/month per workspace.

Planable vs Later:

• Planable has much better collaboration features
• Later has better visual feed planning
• Planable shows accurate previews for all platforms
• Later is more established with more integrations

Takeaway: Planable is the best Later alternative for agencies and teams who need seamless content collaboration and approval workflows.

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7. SocialBee: best Later alternative for content recycling

SocialBee takes a unique approach with content categories. You organize your posts into categories (like "tips," "promotions," "quotes"), and SocialBee automatically schedules them in a balanced rotation.

This is great for evergreen content—posts that stay relevant over time. Instead of constantly creating new content, you can recycle your best-performing posts automatically.

Best features:

• Content categories for organized scheduling
• Evergreen content recycling
• AI content generation (Copilot)
• Integrations with Canva, Unsplash, GIPHY
• Affordable pricing

Drawbacks: Interface has a learning curve. Less intuitive than simpler tools. Analytics are basic.

Pricing: Plans start at $29/month.

SocialBee vs Later:

• SocialBee has content recycling; Later doesn't
• Later has better visual planning
• SocialBee has more AI features
• Later is easier to learn initially

Takeaway: SocialBee is the best Later alternative if you have evergreen content and want to automate your posting schedule.

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Which Later alternative should you choose?

Here's the quick breakdown:

• Need YouTube + AI? → PostEverywhere
• Want simple and cheap? → Buffer
• Enterprise analytics? → Hootsuite
• Agency/brand management? → Sprout Social
• Analytics on a budget? → Metricool
• Team collaboration? → Planable
• Content recycling? → SocialBee

Later alternatives FAQ

What is better than Later?

It depends on your needs. If you need YouTube scheduling and AI features, PostEverywhere is the best choice. For simple, affordable scheduling, Buffer works well. For team collaboration, Planable excels. For enterprise analytics, Hootsuite or Sprout Social are better options.

Is there a free alternative to Later?

Yes. Buffer offers a generous free plan with 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel. Metricool also has a free plan. Planable lets you schedule 50 posts free before requiring a paid plan.

What's better, Later or Buffer?

Later is better for visual planning and Instagram-first strategies. Buffer is better for broader platform support, simpler pricing, and managing multiple accounts. If Instagram aesthetics are your priority, stick with Later. If you need flexibility and affordability, try Buffer.

Does Later work for YouTube?

No. Later doesn't support YouTube scheduling. If you create YouTube content, you'll need an alternative like PostEverywhere or Hootsuite that includes YouTube support.

Is Later worth the money?

Later is worth it if you manage a few visual-first profiles, especially Instagram. But costs scale quickly with more accounts, and the platform support is limited. For multi-platform scheduling or team collaboration, alternatives often provide better value.

Find the right Later alternative for you

Later is a solid tool for Instagram-focused creators, but it's not the only option. Whether you need broader platform support, AI features, better analytics, or team collaboration, there's a Later alternative that fits your workflow.

If you want to post to all social media at once with AI-powered content creation, give PostEverywhere a try.