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Hootsuite vs Sprout Social for Agencies (2026): Which Is Better?
By Red Kite Search Agency Created Updated 8 min read
Summary
Choose Sprout Social for analytics depth and a 30-day trial. Choose Hootsuite for broad integrations, strong published security evidence, and lower prices at the Standard and Professional tiers. Prices and ratings were checked in October 2026.
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social: which is better for agencies in 2026?
Hootsuite and Sprout Social are the two best-known social media management platforms, and agencies compare them most often. Both price per user and both are broad, but they differ on analytics depth, trial length, and price at the top.
We compared them on price, client features, and public evidence.
| Tool | Editorial score | Review-site ratings | Pricing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | 4 / 5 | G2 4.3 | 14-day free trial. Standard $99, Professional $199, and Advanced $399 per user per month as shown on the plans page; Enterprise is custom. | Mid-size teams and enterprises |
| Sprout Social | 4.1 / 5 | G2 4.4 | 30-day free trial. Essentials $79-$99, Standard $199, Professional $299, and Advanced $399 per seat per month; Enterprise is custom. | Mid-size teams and enterprises |
How do Hootsuite and Sprout Social compare on price?
Hootsuite shows Standard at $99, Professional at $199, and Advanced at $399 per user per month. Sprout Social charges $79 for Essentials on annual billing, then $199, $299, and $399 per seat per month for Standard, Professional, and Advanced.
| Tool | Plan | Price | What stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | Standard | $99 per user per month (annual billing) | 1+ users, 10 social accounts, unlimited scheduled posts, AI post generation, inbox, monitoring, 14-day free trial |
| Hootsuite | Professional | $199 per user per month (annual billing) | Unlimited social accounts, automated inbox replies, trend forecasts, custom performance reports |
| Hootsuite | Advanced | $399 per user per month (annual billing) | Approval workflows, message routing, team performance reports |
| Hootsuite | Enterprise | Custom | SSO, advanced analytics and listening, custom compliance, demo required |
| Sprout Social | Essentials | $79 per seat per month (annual billing); $99 monthly | 5 social profiles, send-time recommendations, profile and post reporting |
| Sprout Social | Standard | $199 per seat per month (annual billing) | 5 profiles, consolidated inbox, keyword and location monitoring, review management |
| Sprout Social | Professional | $299 per seat per month (annual billing) | Unlimited profiles, message tagging, competitor and paid insights |
| Sprout Social | Advanced | $399 per seat per month (annual billing) | Sentiment in the inbox, API and help desk integrations, team and care reports, spike alerts |
| Sprout Social | Enterprise | Custom | White-glove onboarding, SSO setup, priority support |
Which costs less?
Hootsuite at the lower and middle tiers, where Standard and Professional cost less than their Sprout Social equivalents. The Advanced tiers are the same price at $399 per user. Sprout Social also has a cheaper Essentials plan that Hootsuite does not.
Both charge per seat, so total the number of users first.
Which has better analytics and reporting?
Sprout Social, by reputation and by the stated features: profile and post reporting at Essentials, competitor and paid insights at Professional, and team and care reports at Advanced. Hootsuite offers custom reports from Professional and advanced exports on Advanced.
Sprout Social premium analytics and listening are add-ons, so compare the total price.
Which is better for client approvals?
Both offer approvals on higher plans. Sprout Social supports multi-step workflows from Professional and up to three external approvers on Advanced. Hootsuite offers approval workflows from Advanced.
Neither states a white-label option, so agencies wanting a branded client portal should look at other tools.
How do Hootsuite and Sprout Social compare on integrations, security, and support?
Beyond price, agencies ask about connections to their other tools, what to tell clients about security, and how quickly they can get help. This is what each vendor states publicly, as checked in October 2026.
| Area | Hootsuite | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Integrations | Over 100 third-party apps and integrations, including Canva, Adobe Express, Slack, Salesforce, Monday.com, Wrike, Google My Business and Bynder; Social networks include Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, X, LinkedIn, Threads, Pinterest, WhatsApp and Bluesky | Dozens of named integrations including Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, Tableau, Shopify, WooCommerce, Google Analytics, Canva, Adobe Experience Manager, Bynder, Dropbox and Microsoft Teams; No overall integration total is stated |
| Security | SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001, 27017, 27018 and 27701 are listed on its trust center, alongside GDPR; SSO on Enterprise; annual third-party penetration tests and a bug bounty programme; Two-factor authentication and named roles were not stated on the pages read | Backups are encrypted in transit and at rest, with 24/7 on-call engineers and third-party penetration tests several times a year; SSO setup on Enterprise; SOC 2, GDPR and two-factor authentication were not stated on its security page |
| Support | Help center and a contact-support form; Enterprise adds expert onboarding, consulting and training; Phone, chat, hours and response times by plan are not stated | Live chat and email ticket from a logged-in account, plus phone support, Monday to Friday; Priority support on Enterprise; response times by plan are not stated |
| Apps | iOS and Android apps for drafting, scheduling, replying to messages and assigning them | iOS and Android apps on Essentials, Standard, Professional and Advanced |
What are the pros and cons of Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Here is where each tool helps agencies and where it can get in the way, based on plan details and public feedback.
Hootsuite pros
- Long track record and the largest review base in this group.
- Wide network coverage and over 100 third-party integrations.
- SOC 2 Type II and several ISO certifications published on its trust page.
- Approval workflows, advanced reports and mobile apps.
Hootsuite cons
- Per-user pricing from a high entry point makes larger teams expensive.
- Only Professional and above remove the account limit; Standard allows 10 accounts.
- Client access and white-labeling are not stated on its plan pages.
- Approval workflows start on the Advanced plan.
Sprout Social pros
- Strong reporting, inbox and review management.
- A 30-day free trial and a large, well-rated review base.
- Approval workflows with up to three external approvers on Advanced.
- Wide integrations covering CRM, help desk, BI and design tools.
Sprout Social cons
- High per-seat pricing, with the Advanced tier at the top of this group.
- Premium analytics, listening and advocacy are paid add-ons.
- White-labeling and agency client portals are not stated.
- Some G2 reviewers cite limited features.
What do reviewers say about Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
G2 shows Hootsuite at 4.3 from 7,500 reviews and Sprout Social at 4.4 from 6,877 reviews. Sprout Social is praised for insights and ease of learning, and criticized by some for limited features.
| Tool | Source | Rating | Number of reviews |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | G2 | 4.3 / 5 | 7,500 |
| Sprout Social | G2 | 4.4 / 5 | 6,877 |
Reviewer themes for Hootsuite
- G2 shows Hootsuite at 4.3 from 7,500 reviews.
- G2 reviewers say it makes managing and scheduling across many accounts much easier.
- G2 comparison data rates Agorapulse higher than Hootsuite for value and price satisfaction.
Reviewer themes for Sprout Social
- G2 shows Sprout Social at 4.4 from 6,877 reviews.
- G2 reviewers praise an intuitive calendar, powerful insights and ease of learning.
- One of the top five disadvantages G2 reviewers list is limited features, with roughly 500 mentions.
How does setup differ between Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Getting value from either tool depends on how you set it up, and the first steps differ. Here is the practical starting point for each.
Hootsuite: Start on a trial with one client, connect the accounts, and build a month of scheduled content. Note which features sit on higher plans as you hit them.
Sprout Social: Use the 30-day trial on one live client and set up the calendar, inbox, and one report the client already asks for.
What should agencies check before choosing between Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
Small details in plans and limits decide whether a tool works in practice. Check these points for each tool during a trial on a real client account.
Before you buy Hootsuite
- Count seats on the plan you need, since every user is charged.
- Confirm whether you need Advanced for approvals.
- Ask about client access and white-labeling during the demo.
- Confirm monthly versus annual billing at checkout.
Before you buy Sprout Social
- Count seats and the add-ons you need.
- Check that Professional or Advanced covers your approval needs.
- Ask about SOC 2 and GDPR evidence for client security reviews.
- Use the full 30-day trial on a live client.
How should you test Hootsuite and Sprout Social before deciding?
The fairest test is to run both tools on the same real client account for two weeks, with the same people, and compare the results rather than first impressions.
What to measure
- How long it takes a new team member to be productive in Hootsuite versus Sprout Social.
- How often people open each tool without being reminded.
- Whether the plan you need includes the features you tested, not just the entry price.
- How a client reacts if you invite them to either tool.
- How much time the team spends on notifications, setup, and cleanup each week.
Which should you choose: Hootsuite or Sprout Social?
Choose Sprout Social for analytics depth and a 30-day trial. Choose Hootsuite for broad integrations, strong published security evidence, and lower prices at the Standard and Professional tiers.
Both are premium per-seat tools, so run a trial on a real client with your actual team size.
Choose Hootsuite if
- You want a mature platform with strong published security evidence.
- You need listening and reporting as well as publishing.
- Your team is small enough that per-user pricing stays manageable.
Skip Hootsuite if
- You have many team members and want unlimited users.
- You need white-labeling or a client portal.
- You need approval workflows without paying for the top plan.
Choose Sprout Social if
- Your clients value deep analytics and customer care tools.
- You want a 30-day trial to test with a real client.
- You need multi-step approvals with external approvers.
Skip Sprout Social if
- You need the lowest possible price per seat.
- You need white-label reports or a client portal.
- You want premium analytics and listening included.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hootsuite or Sprout Social better?
- Sprout Social for analytics and reviews, Hootsuite for integrations and security evidence.
- Which is cheaper?
- Hootsuite at the Standard and Professional tiers. Advanced costs the same on both, and Sprout Social has a cheaper Essentials entry plan.
- Which has a longer trial?
- Sprout Social offers 30 days. Hootsuite offers 14 days.
- Do both have approval workflows?
- Yes. Sprout Social from Professional, Hootsuite from Advanced.
- Do both offer white-label reports?
- Neither states a white-label option on its plan pages.
Sources
Prices, plan limits, and ratings were gathered in October 2026 from:
- Hootsuite plans page
- Sprout Social pricing page
- G2