Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: Which One Should You Choose?

Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: Side-by-Side Comparison Table

Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: How to Choose the Best Social Media Management Software

Finding the perfect social media management tool is paramount for any digital marketing expert, but with so many options on the market, it can be challenging to discern which one supports your social media efforts best. 

These are the features you need in social media management software:

• 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

When it comes to social media management tools like Sprout Social vs Hootsuite, one of the critical factors to consider is the range of supported social media networks, as this can significantly impact your social media strategy. 

Let’s take a closer look at how Hootsuite and Sprout Social compare in terms of the social media platforms they support:

Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer strong support for major social networks like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

However, Sprout Social has a slight edge over Hootsuite in terms of the number of platforms it supports overall since it also caters to WhatsApp or Reddit users (available for Business or Enterprise plans only).

Your choice between the two should depend on your specific social media management needs and the platforms that are most relevant to your business.

2. Content Creation Features

Creating engaging content is essential for effective social media campaigns. This is why you need to assess the content creation capabilities of your selected tool before moving forward. 

Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer a variety of features to help businesses create and publish content. 

Hootsuite offers a standard set of content creation features, including a post composer that allows you to create and schedule social media posts for multiple platforms, an extensive library of pre-made templates, a content library where users can store and manage their media assets, and basic collaboration features.

Sprout Social offers a more comprehensive set of content creation functionalities, including a post composer, a content calendar, a content curation feature that enables you to find and share relevant content from other sources, as well as a content approval workflow.

3. Social Media Planning and Scheduling

Social media planning and scheduling help businesses save time, improve content distribution, enhance audience engagement, and track performance effectively.

Known for its user-friendly interface, Hootsuite excels in allowing users to manage multiple social media accounts from one platform. Additionally, its calendar feature offers a clear and concise view of all scheduled posts. The best part is that Hootsuite supports unlimited scheduling, making it a highly effective publishing tool. 

Meanwhile, Sprout Social has a more robust scheduling tool. The platform also offers more advanced content planning tools, such as the ability to preview posts and collaborate more effectively within teams.

4. Social Media Analytics

Social media analytics tools help you track and measure your social media performance across various channels. 

Hootsuite offers a standard set of social media analytics features:

• Overviews of metrics such as reach, impressions, and engagement
• Reports on specific social media platforms
• The ability to compare performance across different social media platforms and over time

Sprout Social offers a more comprehensive set of social media analytics features: 

• More in-depth analysis of key metrics such as reach, impressions, and engagement
• Reports on specific social media channels, as well as cross-platform reporting capabilities
• The ability to compare performance against competitors
• Custom reports that you can have sent to your inbox regularly

Before you make a decision, determine which type of metrics serve your needs best to avoid being overwhelmed by an excessive amount of information.

5. Social Inbox and Engagement Tools

Social inbox and engagement tools enable you to manage your social media conversations and respond to messages promptly and efficiently. 

Hootsuite provides a unified social inbox that allows you to view and manage messages from all of your social media accounts in one place.

Meanwhile, Sprout Social takes things a step further by also providing features like message tagging and conversation history, allowing for a more detailed view of customer interactions from multiple networks.

Additionally, while Hootsuite offers basic tools for engaging with your audience, Sprout Social provides richer functionality for audience interaction, including the ability to track and analyze conversations for better engagement strategies.

6. Team Collaboration Features

There are some key differences between Hootsuite and Sprout Social in terms of the team collaboration features they provide. Here’s the breakdown!

Hootsuite‘s team collaboration features enable you to:

• Add team members and assign roles and permissions, which streamline team management
• Share posts and drafts with team members for feedback and approval
• Collaborate on social media calendars and campaigns
• Track team performance

In contrast, Sprout Social provides a broader range of collaboration tools, such as:

• More granular user roles and permissions
• Social media workflow creation and management
• Cross-team social media sentiment tracking
• Team reports generation capabilities

For smaller teams, Hootsuite is the obvious choice. Larger teams, however, might find Sprout Social more adequate.

7. User Experience and Ease of Use

User experience and ease of use are determining factors when choosing social media software. Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social have user-friendly interfaces, making them suitable for users with varying levels of experience. 

However, it’s worth noting Hootsuite has a slightly more complex interface than the Sprout Social dashboard. There are more menus and options to navigate, which means there’s a slight initial learning curve. This makes Sprout Social a good choice for businesses with limited experience in social media management.

In terms of user experience, Hootsuite offers more customization options than Sprout Social. You can change the layout of the dashboard, add and remove widgets, and choose from a variety of themes. 

Meanwhile, Sprout Social has a more consistent user experience across all of its features, which makes it a good choice for businesses that want a user-friendly experience that doesn’t require a lot of customization.

Sprout Social is a more powerful platform than Hootsuite in some ways, but it can be more difficult to customize. It offers a wider range of features, but this can come at the cost of usability.

8. Integrations

Hootsuite and Sprout Social both offer a wide range of integrations with third-party tools and services. This allows businesses to connect their social media accounts with other tools they use, such as CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and analytics software.

However, Hootsuite beats Sprout Social, with over 50 integrations compared to Sprout Social’s 40 integrations.

Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social offer high-quality integrations that are easy to set up and use. However, some users have reported that Hootsuite‘s integrations are easier to use than Sprout Social‘s.

Another factor to consider is the cost of the integrations. Some are completely free, but others require a paid subscription. Be sure to check the pricing of the integrations you need before choosing a social media tool.

9. Pricing

It’s time to explore both platforms’ costs and decide which is the most aligned with your business goals.

Hootsuite is generally more affordable than Sprout Social, starting at $99 per month. Sprout Social‘s plans start at $249 per month but offer more features and functionality, such as advanced social listening features and custom workflows.

Here is a short comparison of Hootsuite and Sprout Social’s pricing plans:

10. Customer Support

Sprout Social offers 24/5 phone and live chat support, while Hootsuite only offers support during business hours. Sprout Social also offers a more comprehensive knowledge base and community forum resources.

In addition to the channels of support they offer, it is also important to think about the quality of the customer support. Some users have reported that Sprout Social‘s customer support team is more responsive and helpful than Hootsuite‘s.

Another factor to consider is the language support offered by each platform. Hootsuite offers English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean support. Sprout Social offers English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and Dutch support.

When to Choose Hootsuite

Selecting Hootsuite as your social media management tool is particularly beneficial in situations where:

• You manage multiple social media accounts: Hootsuite excels at consolidating various social media channels into a single dashboard, making it easier to manage multiple accounts efficiently.
• Scheduling and planning content are a priority: If you need to schedule posts in advance across different platforms, Hootsuite’s robust scheduling features are highly advantageous.
• You require easy-to-understand analytics: For businesses that depend on straightforward analytics to support their marketing efforts, Hootsuite offers extensive reporting tools.
• Team collaboration is essential: If your social media management involves a team, Hootsuite’s collaborative features, including assignment delegation and team performance tracking, are extremely useful.
• You have a limited budget: Hootsuite’s range of plans, including its free options, makes it a more cost-effective choice compared to Sprout Social.

When to Choose Sprout Social

Sprout Social should be your go-to choice for social media management in the following scenarios:

• For in-depth social listening: Sprout Social is renowned for its sophisticated social media listening tools, ideal for businesses focused on brand monitoring and audience insights.
• Advanced analytics needs: If you require detailed analytics capabilities and custom reporting to drive your social strategy, Sprout Social has your back.
• Emphasis on customer engagement: With its strong focus on customer interaction and engagement tools, Sprout Social is perfect for businesses prioritizing direct communication with their audience.
• Robust CRM integration: If your social media strategy is closely tied to customer relationship management, this tool’s seamless CRM integrations make it an excellent choice.
• Team collaboration and workflow management: For teams requiring a sophisticated workflow with multiple users and custom workflows, Sprout Social offers specialized tools to streamline these processes.

Remember, the best choice depends on your specific needs, the scale of your social media operations, and the level of analytics and reporting you require.

What Is a Good Hootsuite and Sprout Social Alternative?

It’s completely normal if you’re still uncertain about which social media management tool best fits your marketing needs. This just shows you’re dedicated to finding the ideal solution. 

Beyond popular names like Hootsuite and Sprout Social, there’s an alternative you might not have considered yet: SocialBee. 

This impressive platform offers robust management and scheduling capabilities, catering to a wide range of users, from entrepreneurs and content creators to agencies and businesses of various sizes.

Manage all your social media accounts seamlessly with SocialBee.

Start your 14-day free trial today!

In addition to the standard features that are commonly found in social media management tools, SocialBee also offers several unique features that can provide businesses with a competitive advantage.

Here are the features SocialBee has over Sprout Social and Hootsuite:

• AI assistant
• AI image generator
• Hashtag collections
• Migration services
• URL shorteners
• Content categories
• Evergreen posting
• RSS feed integrations
• Affordable pricing
• Customer service

1. AI Assistant: Your Social Media Copilot

 SocialBee’s Copilot harnesses the power of AI to generate social media strategies that are tailored to your unique requirements, with posts ready to edit and share on your social feeds. 

Let the Social Media Copilot create a tailored strategy for each platform.

Start your 14-day free trial today!

Based on your input, the Social Media Copilot provides optimal platform suggestions, content strategies, and scheduled posts in a matter of minutes. 

2. AI Image Generation: Create Visuals from Scratch

SocialBee’s AI Post Generator can produce a wide range of creative and unique images based on textual prompts, offering new visual possibilities for social media posts. This allows for quick generation and iteration of visual ideas, enabling teams to experiment with different concepts and styles swiftly.

Moreover, the ability to generate images directly within the post editor streamlines the content creation process, saving valuable time for social media managers and content creators.

Unfortunately, neither Sprout Social nor Hootsuite offer this functionality.

3. Hashtag Collections: Organize and Reuse Hashtags Effectively

SocialBee allows you to save and reuse hashtag collections for future posts. This makes it easy to find the right hashtags for your content and ensures that you are consistently using the most relevant and effective hashtags.

Please note that neither Sprout Social nor Hootsuite offers this feature.

Set up hashtag collections for your next posts with SocialBee.

Start your 14-day free trial now!

And any time you feel like switching things up, Socialbee’s Hashtag Generator has your back, so you can include fresh hashtags into your content mix in a matter of seconds.

4. Migration services: Smooth Transition from Your Previous Tool

If you are currently using another social media management tool, SocialBee provides expert assistance to help you migrate your posts from your previous platform. This can save you time and effort when you switch to SocialBee. 

Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social lack this functionality, so transitioning to either one of them can be a daunting process.

5. URL Shorteners: Track Link Performance with Various Options

SocialBee allows you to track link performance with multiple URL shorteners available. This provides you with valuable insights into your content’s reach and engagement, so you can easily identify which links are performing well and which ones need improvement.

6. Bulk Scheduling with Content Categories

SocialBee offers comprehensive content categories that help you diversify your strategy, while still keeping things organized. This ensures that your social media presence remains varied and engaging for your audience.

Organize your upcoming content into easily accessible content categories directly from the SocialBee app.

Start our 14-day free trial today!

On top of that, with SocialBee, you can schedule, edit, and delete content in bulk, which saves plenty of time that you can allocate elsewhere.

7. Evergreen Posting: Re-queue Your Best Posts

 Repurposing evergreen content is particularly vital for businesses striving to maintain a steady online presence without continuously generating new material.

SocialBee keeps your social media feeds vibrant and engaging by allowing the reuse of your best-performing posts. This ensures that audiences consistently have access to the most impactful content.

8. RSS Feed Integration: Automate Content Curation

SocialBee can automatically import content from any RSS feed to save you time and effort when creating and curating content. Not only does this keep your content mix relevant but it also ensures that your social media presence captivates your audience.

9. Affordable Pricing

SocialBee is much more affordable compared to both Hootsuite and Sprout Social. It’s the obvious choice if you want to manage your social accounts with ease without breaking the bank.

These unique features make SocialBee a powerful and versatile tool that can help businesses of all sizes achieve their social media goals.

10. Outstanding Customer Support for All Plans

SocialBee excels in providing comprehensive customer support, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience for its clients, regardless of their subscription plan.

The platform offers a range of support options, including detailed online tutorials, live webinars, and a responsive customer service team. These resources are designed to assist users in navigating the tool’s features and maximizing their social media strategies.

SocialBee’s commitment to customer support is evident in its personalized approach, where each query or issue is handled with attention and expertise.

Our customer support team is dedicated to providing timely and effective solutions, making it a reliable partner for businesses and individuals looking to enhance their social media presence.

SocialBee vs Hootsuite & Sprout Social: Side-by-Side Comparison Table