Published by the Zolyp team, reviewed by Hammas Ali, Founder & CEO ·
Why do people look for a Later alternative?
Later is strong for Instagram and visual planning. People usually look elsewhere because of:
- No free plan: only a 14-day trial, then Starter at $18.75 a month billed yearly.
- Post limits: Starter allows up to 30 posts per profile, which is tight if you post daily.
- A visual, Instagram-first design, when your business mostly posts text updates to LinkedIn, X or Google Business.
- Still making every post yourself: Later plans and schedules, but the writing and design are on you.
Source: Later pricing, checked 9 October 2026
Buffer: a free plan and simple scheduling
Buffer's free plan covers up to 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, including X. Paid plans start at $5 a month per channel. It's less visual than Later but simpler.
Source: Buffer pricing, checked 9 October 2026
Publer: many accounts on a budget
Publer's Professional plan is $5 a month per account ($4 billed yearly), with unlimited scheduling, first comments and every tenth account free. The free plan has 3 accounts (not X).
Source: Publer plans, checked 9 October 2026
Metricool: free plan with analytics
Metricool's free plan includes one brand, 20 posts a month and analytics, but not LinkedIn or X. Paid plans start at $20 a month for up to 5 brands.
Source: Metricool pricing, checked 13 October 2026
Hootsuite: for teams
If you're moving up rather than down, Hootsuite adds a shared inbox, approvals and listening. Standard is $99 per user a month billed yearly, for up to 10 accounts, with a 14-day trial.
Source: Hootsuite plans, checked 9 October 2026
Zolyp: when making the posts is the problem
Zolyp is our product, so weigh this section with that in mind. If you chose Later for its visual calendar, the calendar was probably never the problem; filling it was. Most tools here, like the one you're leaving, move a finished post onto a calendar. If the hard part of your week is deciding what to post and then writing and designing it, a different kind of tool fits better.
Zolyp plans the week across your content themes, writes the captions and designs the visuals against your Brand Brain (your tone, colours and rules, saved once), fits each post to its platform, and publishes to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads. You approve the week in minutes. Lite is $9 a month per brand for scheduling your own posts; the plans that create the posts start at $29 a month, with a 3-day free trial and no card required.
Later alternatives side by side
Prices change often. Each figure below was checked on the vendor's own pricing page on the date shown under Sources; confirm it there before you switch.
| Tool | Free plan | Cheapest paid plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Later | No (14-day trial) | Starter, $18.75/mo billed yearly (8 profiles) | Instagram-first brands |
| Buffer | 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel | Essentials, from $5/mo per channel | Simple scheduling, few channels |
| Publer | 3 accounts (no X), 10 scheduled posts per account | Professional, $5/mo per account ($4 billed yearly) | Many accounts on a budget |
| Metricool | 1 brand, 20 posts/month (no LinkedIn or X) | Starter, from $20/mo billed yearly (up to 5 brands) | Free scheduling with analytics |
| Hootsuite | No (14-day trial, no card) | Standard, $99/mo per user billed yearly (10 accounts) | Teams needing an inbox and approvals |
| Zolyp | No (3-day trial, no card) | Lite, $9/mo per brand; AI plans from $29/mo | Posts planned, written and designed for you |
Sources: Later pricing, checked 9 October 2026; Buffer pricing, checked 9 October 2026; Publer plans, checked 9 October 2026; Metricool pricing, checked 13 October 2026; Hootsuite plans, checked 9 October 2026
How do you switch tools without missing a post?
A clean switch takes an afternoon:
- Export or write down everything still scheduled in your current tool, with dates and times.
- Connect the same accounts in the new tool and check each one can publish.
- Recreate the scheduled posts there, checking the time zone setting first.
- Pause or empty the old queue so nothing goes out twice.
- Watch the first few posts go live before you cancel the old plan.
Common questions
Is there a free alternative to Later?
Yes. Buffer (3 channels, 10 scheduled posts each, X included) and Metricool (1 brand, 20 posts a month, not LinkedIn or X) have free plans. Publer's free plan covers 3 accounts, but not X.
What's a cheaper alternative to Later?
Buffer and Publer both start around $5 a month per channel or account. Later Starter is $18.75 a month billed yearly.
What's the best Later alternative for Instagram?
Buffer, Publer and Metricool all schedule Instagram posts, and all have free plans. If you want the captions and visuals made for you as well, Zolyp (our product) does that.