The best cheap social media scheduling tools for freelancers in 2026
We priced Buffer, Metricool, Planoly, Later, Hootsuite and Koda for a freelancer running three clients. Here's what each one really costs in 2026.
If you've just gone freelance, your first software bill usually arrives before your first client invoice clears. So the cheapest scheduler matters. The problem is that most "best scheduler" lists are written for an in-house marketer running one brand. A freelance social media manager has a different sum to do.
You probably have a few clients. Each has an Instagram account and a Facebook page, maybe a TikTok. And each one wants to see the posts before they go live. That last part is where cheap tools stop being cheap.
So instead of ranking tools by feature count, we priced each one for a realistic starter roster: three clients, Instagram and Facebook for each, one person doing the work, and clients who sign off posts. Prices come from each company's pricing page in October 2026.
One disclosure before we start. Koda is our product. We've tried to price everyone fairly, including ourselves, and we've linked every pricing page so you can check.
What "cheap" means when you have clients
The headline price on a pricing page is rarely what a freelancer pays. Two things push it up.
The first is how the tool counts accounts. Buffer charges per channel, so three clients with two accounts each is six channels. Later and Planoly charge per "social set" (one of each platform), so each client is a set. Metricool counts brands. Hootsuite charges per user. The same roster can cost $14 or $399 depending on the model.
The second is approvals. Plenty of tools only unlock client approval on their higher tiers. If your clients need to sign off posts, the entry plan is often the wrong plan.
The quick comparison
| Tool | Cheapest paid plan | Rough cost for 3 clients | Client approvals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer | $5 per channel/month (Essentials, billed yearly) | $60/month on Team (6 channels) | Team plan only |
| Metricool | From $20/month (Starter, billed yearly) | $20/month, or $53/month for approvals | Advanced plan only |
| Planoly | $14/month (Starter, 1 social set) | $34/month (Growth plus one extra set) | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Later | $18.75/month (Starter, billed yearly) | $48.75/month (Growth plus one extra set) | Growth plan and up |
| Hootsuite | $99 per user/month (Standard, billed yearly) | $99/month, or $399/month for approvals | Advanced plan only |
| Koda | £19/month (Freelancer, up to 3 clients) | £19/month | Every plan |
Buffer
Buffer has the best free plan here. You can connect three channels and keep 10 posts scheduled per channel, which is enough to test the waters with one client. Paid plans are priced per channel, and channel prices drop once you pass ten.
The catch for freelancers is approvals. Content approval workflows sit on the Team plan at $10 per channel per month (billed yearly). Three clients with Instagram and Facebook each comes to $60 a month. If you never need sign-off, Essentials at $5 per channel is very good value.
Good fit if you post to lots of platforms, including X, Bluesky or Mastodon, and your clients trust you to publish without checking.
Metricool
Metricool's free plan covers one brand with 20 posts a month and 30 days of analytics. Starter begins at $20 a month (billed yearly) for up to five brands, with unlimited scheduling and PDF reports. That's strong value for analytics-heavy work.
The post approval system, team members and client access arrive on Advanced, which starts at $53 a month for 15 brands. For a freelancer with three clients, that's paying for twelve brands you don't use.
Good fit if reporting matters more to your clients than approvals, or if you also manage ads.
Planoly
Planoly made its name with the Instagram grid planner, and it's still the most visual option. Starter is $14 a month for one social set and one user. Growth is $24 for two sets, and extra sets cost $10 each, so three clients comes to about $34.
Its pricing page leans towards creators: link-in-bio storefronts, digital product sales and automated DMs. Client approval isn't listed, so check before you commit if your clients expect to sign off posts.
Good fit if you manage your own brand or one or two clients who care most about how the grid looks.
Later
Later is polished and well known. Starter costs $18.75 a month billed yearly, but it's limited to one social set, one user and 30 scheduled posts per profile per month. It also leaves out approvals and the social inbox.
Growth at $37.50 a month (billed yearly) adds approvals, an inbox, external feedback links and two social sets. A third client costs $11.25 more, so you're at $48.75 a month. That's a fair price for what you get, but it's billed in dollars and paid a year up front to reach it.
Good fit if you want a mature tool with strong Instagram features and you're happy to pay yearly.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite is built for marketing teams and priced that way. Standard starts at $99 per user per month (billed yearly) and covers ten social accounts. Approval workflows are on Advanced, which starts at $399.
There's a lot of power in there, including listening and competitor benchmarking. For someone starting out with three clients, it's hard to justify.
Good fit if a larger client is paying for the seat.
Koda
Koda is built for one specific person: a freelance social media manager who also shoots the content. The Freelancer plan is £19 a month for up to three clients, and every plan includes every feature. That covers the scheduler, the content calendar, shoot plans and the client approval link, along with captions written in each client's tone, a DM and comment inbox, and monthly client reports.
Instagram has the deepest support (publishing, analytics, comments and DMs). Facebook Pages, TikTok and LinkedIn publishing are live too. Clients approve posts from a link without creating an account, and you get a push notification on the iPhone app when they do.
The trade-off is platform range. If you need X, Pinterest or Bluesky, Buffer or Metricool will cover more ground. The 14-day trial asks for a card up front, though you aren't charged if you cancel before it ends.
Good fit if your clients are mostly on Instagram and your biggest headache is getting posts signed off on time.
How to choose
Start with how your clients work, then pick the tool.
- If clients never check posts, choose on platform coverage and price per account. Buffer Essentials is hard to beat.
- If clients must approve everything, compare the price of the plan that includes approvals, not the entry plan.
- If you send monthly reports, check whether reports are branded and whether clients need a login to read them.
- If you're adding clients fast, work out the cost at six and ten clients now, so a price jump doesn't surprise you later.
Most of these tools offer a 14-day trial. Use it with a real client week: plan it, schedule it, send it for approval, and see how many steps it takes.
FAQ
What's the cheapest social media scheduler for a freelancer?
For scheduling alone, Buffer's free plan and Metricool's free plan cost nothing. Once you need client approvals, Koda's Freelancer plan (£19 a month for three clients) and Planoly's Growth plan are the lowest-cost options we found.
Do I need a paid tool if Instagram has its own scheduler?
Instagram's built-in scheduler handles one account at a time and has no client sign-off. It's fine for your own page. Once you manage clients, a tool that keeps their calendars and approvals apart saves real time.
Are prices in this post up to date?
They were correct in October 2026. Pricing changes often, so check each link above before you buy.