Content Writer at SocialBee
Are you trying to find a Hootsuite alternative? Then Loomly might be a better solution for managing your social media. With so many tools available, it can be tough to know which one is right for you.
Hootsuite and Loomly are both top contenders, each offering unique features to enhance your social media strategy. In this article, we’ll break down the features, pricing, and usability of Hootsuite and Loomly to help you make the best choice for your needs.
Discover how SocialBee compares to other popular social media management tools.
Short Summary
- Hootsuite covers a lot of social media platforms: X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok. Loomly also supports a wide range of platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Google Business Profile, and LinkedIn.
- Hootsuite offers multi-platform scheduling but has a cluttered calendar; while Loomly simplifies scheduling with a great calendar view but lacks best posting time suggestions.
- Loomly focuses more on helping you create posts with features like Post Ideas and Optimization Tips. Hootsuite has basic image editing tools and works with Canva for design.
- Loomly provides basic social media monitoring, while Hootsuite offers in-depth analytics and social listening features.
- Loomly is easier to use and more budget-friendly, great for startups and small agencies. Hootsuite is better for larger teams but costs more.
Table of Contents
- Hootsuite vs Loomly: A Side-by-Side Comparison Table
- Hootsuite vs Loomly: How to Choose the Best Social Media Management Platform
- When to Choose Hootsuite
- When to Choose Loomly
- What Is a Good Hootsuite and Loomly Alternative?
- SocialBee vs Loomly & Hootsuite: Side-by-Side Comparison Table
- Switch to SocialBee to Simplify Your Social Media Scheduling
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ready to Choose the Best Social Media Tool?
Hootsuite vs Loomly: A Side-by-Side Comparison Table
Features | SocialBee | Loomly | Hootsuite |
Social Media Profiles | |||
Post On | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business Profiles, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky | Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Google Business Profile, and LinkedIn | X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok |
Import Content | |||
CSV Upload | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
RSS Feeds | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Social Media Management | |||
AI Content Generation | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
AI Image Generation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
AI Social Media Manager | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Content Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Bulk Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Content Publishing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Evergreen Posting | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
List View | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Social Media Calendar | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Social Media Inbox | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Content Categories | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Hashtag Collections | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Hashtag Generator | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Team Collaboration | |||
Client Workspaces | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Content Approval | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Analytics | |||
Social Media Analytics | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Analytics On Schedule Set Up | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Content Category Analytics | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Export PDF Reports | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Integrations | |||
Canva Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Unsplash Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
GIPHY Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Multiple Shortlink Tools | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Pocket Integration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
QUUU Content Curation | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Customer Support | |||
Help Documentation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Email Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Chat Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Support Calls | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
UTM Customization | |||
Category Based UTM Settings | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Custom URL and Tracking | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Additional Tools | |||
Mobile App | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Chrome Extension | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Additional Services | |||
Migration / Onboarding | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Pricing Plans | |||
Monthly Plans | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Yearly Plans | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Price | Starting at $29/month | Starting at $42/month | Starting at $149/month |
Hootsuite vs Loomly: How to Choose the Best Social Media Management Platform
Here’s a comparison of the features offered by Hootsuite and Loomly to help you determine which platform is best suited for your social media marketing needs:
- Supported social media platforms
- Content creation features
- Social media planning and scheduling
- Social media analytics
- Social inbox and engagement tools
- Team collaboration features
- User experience and ease of use
- Integrations
- Pricing
- Customer support
1. Supported Social Media Platforms
Hootsuite covers a broad spectrum of social media platforms, including X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google Business Profile, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.
It also supports various integrations through third-party apps, making it highly adaptable for businesses looking to reach diverse audiences.
Loomly also supports a wide range of essential platforms: Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Google Business Profile, and LinkedIn. However, it does not support posting on Threads, which is a key difference to consider when choosing the right platform for your social media management needs.
2. Content Creation Features
Loomly simplifies content creation with its handy features. They provide post ideas to spark your creativity and give optimization tips (e.g., best times to post, ideal caption length, etc.) to improve your performance.
Plus, you can check how your posts will look on different platforms with their post previews and mock-ups, ensuring everything is consistent before it goes live.
Loomly allows you to organize your hashtags in collections, and if you need new ones, just use their hashtag generator to come up with new ones quickly. Also, you can make your images more accessible and SEO-friendly by adding alt text.
For videos, create custom thumbnails that grab attention. And don’t forget, they offer plenty of customization options to adjust your posts for each social media platform.
However, Loomly lacks AI content creation capabilities, which could improve its content generation process.
On the other hand, Hootsuite boasts advanced image and video editing tools, making content customization easy. Users can add effects, crop images, and trim videos to fit platform specifications.
Integration with Canva enhances design options, while access to a vast library of stock photos adds visual appeal.
Hootsuite also offers AI content generation and a hashtag generator. However, it lacks AI image generation and the ability to save hashtag collections for repeated use.
For content creation, Loomly is superior in providing extensive customization options and tools like hashtag collections and alt text for images. However, Hootsuite stands out with its advanced image and video editing capabilities, AI content generation, and Canva integration, making it ideal for users who prioritize these features.
3. Social Media Planning and Scheduling
Hootsuite lets you schedule and post content directly to various social media platforms: X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, TikTok. You can upload multiple posts at once, which is great for quick campaigns.
You can get best posting times recommendations from Hootsuite. While it’s easy to monitor scheduled posts, the calendar can get cluttered.
On the flip side, with Loomly, you can easily set up posts and view your publishing plan on a calendar. Plus, it offers tips for creating engaging content. As a distinct advantage, Loomly allows you to schedule the first comment for Instagram posts, which Hootsuite does not support.
Unfortunately, neither Loomly nor Hootsuite offer evergreen posting features, feature widely sought after by social media teams in 2024.
4. Social Media Monitoring and Analytics
When it comes to social media monitoring, Loomly offers an analytics tool that lets you track how well your posts are doing in real time, whether they’re published through Loomly or elsewhere.
It gives you valuable insights like reach, reactions, engagement rates, and audience demographics for Facebook and Instagram. If you want to generate PDF reports, you’ll need to have a more advanced plan.
Hootsuite also excels with its in-depth analytics and customizable reports, covering more platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, and Twitter. It tracks a wide range of metrics such as reach, engagement, language, or sentiment to help you understand your audience better.
Hootsuite integrates with tools like Google Analytics, providing a comprehensive view of your digital footprint. Additionally, Hootsuite highlights your top-performing posts, a feature that Loomly does not offer.
Moreover, Hootsuite includes competitive analysis and benchmarking features, allowing you to compare your content strategy and performance with other brands, which Loomly lacks.
5. Social Inbox and Engagement Tools
Hootsuite and Loomly both offer social listening tools for managing interactions on various platforms.
In terms of social inbox, Hootsuite covers Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube, while Loomly focuses on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter). Both platforms allow tracking of comments, mentions, and direct messages (DMs).
However, Hootsuite provides more advanced filtering options, allowing you to sort inbox content by assignment, social network, message type, and date. Loomly’s filtering options are more limited, allowing users to filter interactions by status (unread, read, or archived).
Additionally, Hootsuite users can manage their inbox from the mobile app, providing flexibility to monitor and respond to messages on the go. This feature is not available in Loomly.
6. Team Collaboration Features
Hootsuite comes with some great teamwork features that make managing social media a breeze. It offers plans for one, three, or more than five users, making it easier to choose the plan best suited for your needs.
You can assign specific social media accounts or content tasks to team members, so everyone knows what they’re responsible for.
Plus, you can review and approve posts before they go live, keeping your brand on point. Task management tools help keep everyone on track and ensure nothing gets forgotten.
Inside Hootsuite, you can also chat and collaborate directly with your team, making it easy to plan your social media strategy together and get things done faster.
Loomly also has collaboration tools for your social team. With the base plan, you get two users, but if you’ve got a bigger team, you might want to go for the standard plan, which gives you six users, or the advanced plan for up to 14 users.
Loomly allows assigning social media accounts and tasks to team members and includes approval workflows to ensure content quality. However, Loomly does not have an integrated chat feature for real-time team collaboration, which Hootsuite offers.
7. User Experience and Ease of Use
Hootsuite is packed with features tailored for large teams, but it can feel overwhelming. Users have reported several common issues with Hootsuite. These include frequent glitches and bugs, such as caption box errors and problems with timely posting.
Loomly, on the other hand, is known for its user-friendly design, making content planning and visual storytelling easy. It’s easy to organize visuals and track performance, with simple analytics and customizable reports for actionable insights.
There are, however, a number of users that have reported the app lagging behind quite frequently.
8. Integrations
Loomly integrates with Slack for teamwork and collaborates with Canva for designing great visuals. It also partners with Unsplash for quality images and GIPHY for fun GIFs. Additionally, Loomly works with Zapier to automate workflows, Google Drive for easy file storage and sharing, and Microsoft Teams for streamlined communication and collaboration.
On the other hand, Hootsuite offers more than 100 integrations, making it easy to simplify your work on all fronts. It integrates with Canva for creating visual content, ClickUp and Figma for team collaboration, Google Analytics for insights, Bitly for link organization, and Buffer for efficient scheduling. These integrations streamline social media tasks from creation to analysis.
While both platforms offer valuable integrations, Hootsuite has a significantly larger number of integrations compared to Loomly, making it more versatile for various business needs.
9. Pricing
Loomly is a budget-friendly social media management software, flexdible across business sizes. Starting at $42/month, its Base Plan includes two users and manages ten social accounts, with scalable options for growth.
On the other hand, Hootsuite starts at $149/month, offering access for just one user managing ten social media accounts. This higher initial cost makes Hootsuite more suitable for established businesses or professionals who need its advanced features.
10. Customer Support
Loomly offers helpful customer support through FAQs, email, and online chat. They’re responsive and friendly, dedicated to solving issues and educating users.
At the same time, Hootsuite provides comprehensive support with 24/7 online help, community forums, training, and dedicated account reps for premium users. They handle queries efficiently and resolve technical issues promptly.
Why Choose Hootsuite Over Loomly?
Choosing Hootsuite over Loomly can be a smart move thanks to Hootsuite’s wide range of features. Since 2008, Hootsuite has been offering tools for social media scheduling, monitoring, and detailed analytics. It supports many social networks and works well with various third-party apps, making your workflow smoother.
Hootsuite’s advanced social listening tools and team collaboration features are great for larger organizations. However, keep in mind that it can get pricey, as the platform only includes five users, and you’ll need to pay extra for additional team members.
Why Choose Loomly Over Hootsuite?
Choosing Loomly over Hootsuite can be a smart move for several reasons. Loomly is easier to use, making it ideal for those new to social media management. It’s also more budget-friendly, which is great for small businesses and teams. However, Loomly isn’t just for small teams; it can accommodate up to 30 users, compared to Hootsuite’s limit of 5 free users before additional charges apply.
While Hootsuite offers more advanced features and integrations, it can be more complex and expensive. In contrast, Loomly’s simplicity and cost-effectiveness make it a solid choice for managing your social media.
What Is a Good Hootsuite and Loomly Alternative?
If you’re torn between Hootsuite and Loomly for your social media team, consider giving SocialBee a shot. It’s got premium features and budget-friendly plans, making it a top choice for entrepreneurs, content creators, agencies, and businesses of any size.
Here’s why SocialBee stands out as an alternative to Hootsuite and Loomly:
- Evergreen posting
- Content categories
- AI features
- First-class customer support
- Pricing
1. Evergreen Posting
One thing that makes SocialBee stand out compared to Hootsuite and Loomly is how easy it is to create, schedule, and reuse content that remains relevant for a long time. This feature is especially useful when you’re running short on new content ideas.
With SocialBee, you can keep sharing quality content like customer testimonials, informative articles, and evergreen tips. This ensures your social media profiles stay active and interesting without the need to constantly come up with new posts.
It’s a practical way to maintain a consistent online presence and get the most out of your best content over time.
Repost your best performing content with SocialBee.
2. Content Categories
SocialBee’s content categories feature stands out from Loomly and Hootsuite. It lets users organize their social media posts into folders based on topics or themes.
This means you can easily distinguish between different types of content, like promotions or educational posts. SocialBee also provides detailed analytics for each category, showing views, likes, clicks, comments, and shares.
Beyond organization, content categories offer additional benefits. They help maintain a diverse mix of posts, allow for scheduling multiple posts at once, and support evergreen content that can be reshared or set to expire. Plus, they make tracking campaign effectiveness easier with UTM parameters.
3. AI Features
SocialBee offers the Social Media Copilot, a feature that provides personalized platform suggestions, content strategies, and tailored scheduled posts based on your input. This guidance helps optimize your social media approach.
Additionally, SocialBee’s AI Post Generator simplifies content creation by swiftly producing engaging captions, creative content ideas, and visuals for your posts. This tool is ideal for users seeking to streamline their social media strategy with ease.
What sets SocialBee apart is its inclusive approach. Unlike many competitors, SocialBee provides unlimited access to its features across all plans, ensuring every user has access to a comprehensive suite of tools without extra costs or limitations.
4. First-Class Customer Support
At SocialBee, we’re dedicated to providing customer support that stands out from the crowd.
We aim to make your experience straightforward by offering assistance through email, chat, or calls, regardless of your plan. Your feedback is important to us, and you can share it directly with our CEO via email.
Additionally, we offer a range of helpful resources, including detailed documentation, YouTube tutorials, and live webinars. These platforms allow for interactive learning and direct engagement with our team.
5. Pricing
SocialBee offers plans designed to fit every business size and budget.
Starting at just $29 per month, our Starter Plan is perfect for solopreneurs and small businesses. If you run a small to medium-sized business, our Accelerator Plan at $49 per month is ideal. For social media managers, teams, and agencies, our Pro Plan at $99 per month offers advanced features.
With SocialBee, you get essential tools at affordable prices, making it a practical choice compared to more expensive platforms.
SocialBee vs Loomly & Hootsuite: Side-by-Side Comparison Table
Features | SocialBee | Loomly | Hootsuite |
Social Media Profiles | |||
Post On | Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business Profiles, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky | Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Google Business Profile, and LinkedIn | X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok |
Import Content | |||
CSV Upload | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
RSS Feeds | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Social Media Management | |||
AI Content Generation | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
AI Image Generation | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
AI Social Media Manager | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Content Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Bulk Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Content Publishing | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Evergreen Posting | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
List View | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Social Media Calendar | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Social Media Inbox | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Content Categories | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Hashtag Collections | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Hashtag Generator | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Team Collaboration | |||
Client Workspaces | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Content Approval | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Analytics | |||
Social Media Analytics | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Analytics On Schedule Set Up | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Content Category Analytics | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Export PDF Reports | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Integrations | |||
Canva Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Unsplash Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
GIPHY Integration | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Multiple Shortlink Tools | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Pocket Integration | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
QUUU Content Curation | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
Customer Support | |||
Help Documentation | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Email Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Chat Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Support Calls | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
UTM Customization | |||
Category Based UTM Settings | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Custom URL and Tracking | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Additional Tools | |||
Mobile App | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Chrome Extension | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Additional Services | |||
Migration / Onboarding | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Pricing Plans | |||
Monthly Plans | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Yearly Plans | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Price | Starting at $29/month | Starting at $42/month | Starting at $149/month |
SocialBee: Your AI-powered social media management tool
Switch to SocialBee to Simplify Your Social Media Scheduling
If you’re thinking of switching from Hootsuite or Loomly and have come across SocialBee, transitioning is straightforward with our Migration service.
We’ll carefully transfer all your important data, like post schedules, RSS feeds, and link shortener settings, from your current platform to SocialBee.
Once the transfer is complete, we’ll send you an email summary detailing everything that’s been moved over. Not sure if SocialBee is the right fit for you? Start your 14-day free trial to see how it can enhance your social media management.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference between Hootsuite and Loomly is their target users and focus. Hootsuite offers extensive analytics, social listening, and a wide range of 100+ integrations.
Loomly focuses on simplicity and collaboration, with integrations for design and content creation.
SocialBee provides a simpler and more cost-effective alternative to Hootsuite. It includes powerful content management features that help users organize their posts efficiently and keep their evergreen content relevant.
Plus, it also offers advanced features like social media analytics, a unified social media inbox, team collaboration tools, and much more.
Yes, Loomly can still be a good choice, especially if you want something simple and easy to use for managing social media. It’s great for all teams that need help with creating and scheduling content. But remember to check if it fits your needs before deciding.
Ready to Choose the Best Social Media Tool?
Choosing between Hootsuite and Loomly depends on your needs. Hootsuite has more advanced features that larger companies can use, such as detailed analytics and social listening. However, the limited number of user seats means that they need to spend extra money to buy additional seats if they have larger teams.
On the other hand, Loomly has more basic features but can accommodate larger teams with up to 30 user seats, making it a more cost-effective solution for businesses with bigger teams. Loomly is perfect for smaller teams focused on content creation and scheduling.
For a balanced alternative, try SocialBee. It combines essential social media features with powerful content categorization and AI-driven tools, all at affordable prices. Start your 14-day SocialBee trial today!