Why You Need a Social Media Scheduler
Manually posting to Pinterest, Instagram, and other platforms is time-consuming and inefficient. Social media schedulers help you plan content in batches, maintain consistency, and post at optimal times for maximum engagement.
Top Social Media Schedulers Compared
Tailwind: Best for Pinterest and Visual Content
Tailwind specializes in Pinterest and Instagram with visual-first features:
- Platforms: Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook
- SmartSchedule: AI determines best posting times based on audience engagement
- Pinterest Communities: Share content with niche groups for extra reach
- Hashtag finder: Research and save hashtag sets
- Content discovery: Find viral content to reshare
- Analytics: Detailed performance tracking and insights
Pricing: Free trial available, paid plans start at $14.99/month
Best for: Pinterest-focused marketers, bloggers, e-commerce brands
Buffer: Best Free Plan and Simplicity
Buffer offers the most generous free tier and cleanest interface:
- Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitter, Mastodon, Shopify
- Free plan: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts at a time
- Team collaboration: Approval workflows on paid plans
- Browser extension: Schedule from anywhere
- Analytics: Track engagement and reach
Pricing: Free (3 channels, 10 posts), Essentials $6/month per channel, Team $12/month per channel
Best for: Small businesses, solopreneurs, beginners
Later: Best for Instagram and Visual Planning
Later excels at visual content planning with drag-and-drop calendar:
- Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter
- Visual planner: See your feed layout before posting
- Instagram features: First comment scheduling, Reels, Carousels
- Link in bio: Drive traffic with clickable Instagram posts
- Media library: Organize visual assets efficiently
- User-generated content: Curate and schedule UGC
Pricing: Free (1 user, 10 posts per platform), Starter $25/month, Growth $45/month
Best for: Instagram-first brands, visual content creators, influencers
Hootsuite: Best for Enterprises
Hootsuite is the most comprehensive platform for large teams:
- Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube
- Social listening: Monitor brand mentions and keywords
- Team management: Advanced permissions and workflows
- Bulk scheduling: Upload hundreds of posts via CSV
- Custom reports: Build dashboards for stakeholders
- App directory: 150+ integrations
Pricing: Professional $99/month (1 user), Team $249/month (3 users), Enterprise custom pricing
Best for: Agencies, large brands, enterprises with multiple team members
Metricool: Best Value for Money
Metricool offers premium features at affordable prices:
- Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, Google Business, Twitch
- Free plan: 1 brand, all platforms, 50 scheduled posts
- Analytics: Comprehensive cross-platform reporting
- Competitor analysis: Track competitor performance
- Ad management: Manage Facebook and Instagram ads
- Best time to post: AI recommendations
Pricing: Free (limited), Advanced $21/month, Premium $58/month
Best for: Budget-conscious businesses, multi-platform marketers
Sprout Social: Best Analytics
Sprout Social provides enterprise-grade analytics and reporting:
- Platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube
- Advanced analytics: Deep dive into performance metrics
- Social CRM: Manage customer relationships
- Smart inbox: Unified message management
- Competitive reports: Benchmark against competitors
Pricing: Standard $249/month per user (no free plan)
Best for: Data-driven enterprises, agencies requiring detailed reporting
Pallyy: Best for Visual Brands
Pallyy focuses on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok with visual-first approach:
- Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Business
- Grid preview: Plan your Instagram aesthetic
- Hashtag manager: Save and organize hashtag groups
- Canva integration: Design directly in Pallyy
- Calendar view: Manage content visually
Pricing: Free trial, Premium $25/month (unlimited scheduling)
Best for: Visual brands, Instagram influencers, lifestyle brands
Platform-Specific Recommendations
Best Pinterest Schedulers
- Tailwind - Purpose-built for Pinterest with Communities and SmartSchedule
- Later - Visual planning with Pinterest integration
- Metricool - Affordable with Pinterest analytics
Pro tip: Use Pingroupie to discover trending Pinterest boards, then schedule content with these tools.
Best Instagram Schedulers
- Later - Visual grid planner and first comment scheduling
- Pallyy - Grid preview and Canva integration
- Buffer - Simple and affordable
Best Multi-Platform Schedulers
- Metricool - Best value with 9+ platforms
- Hootsuite - Most comprehensive for enterprises
- Buffer - Simplest interface, great free plan
Scheduler Selection by Business Type
Bloggers and Content Creators
- Recommended: Tailwind + Buffer
- Why: Tailwind for Pinterest traffic, Buffer for other platforms
- Monthly cost: $20-30
E-commerce Brands
- Recommended: Later + Tailwind
- Why: Visual planning for product launches, Pinterest for discovery
- Monthly cost: $40-70
Small Businesses (Local)
- Recommended: Metricool or Buffer
- Why: Affordable, includes Google Business Profile
- Monthly cost: Free to $25
Agencies and Enterprises
- Recommended: Hootsuite or Sprout Social
- Why: Team management, client reporting, scalability
- Monthly cost: $249-500+
Key Features to Consider
Must-Have Features
- Calendar view: Visual content planning
- Analytics: Performance tracking per platform
- Bulk upload: Schedule multiple posts at once
- Mobile app: Manage on the go
- Media library: Organize visual assets
Nice-to-Have Features
- Best time to post: AI-powered recommendations
- Hashtag research: Find trending hashtags
- Team collaboration: Approval workflows
- Content curation: Discover shareable content
- Link shortening: Track click-through rates
Scheduler Integration Strategy
Maximize efficiency by integrating your scheduler with other tools:
Content Creation Workflow
- Design: Create visuals in Canva
- Research: Use Pingroupie to find trending pins
- Schedule: Batch upload to Tailwind or Later
- Analyze: Review performance monthly
- Optimize: Adjust strategy based on Pingroupie analytics
Cross-Platform Content Repurposing
- Blog post published: Auto-create Pinterest pin
- Instagram post: Repurpose as Pinterest Story Pin
- YouTube video: Create Pinterest video pin
- Podcast episode: Design quote graphics for all platforms
Measuring Scheduler ROI
Calculate if your scheduling tool is worth the investment:
- Time saved: Hours per week × your hourly rate
- Traffic increase: Website visits from social media
- Engagement growth: Likes, comments, shares, saves
- Revenue impact: Sales attributed to social media
Example ROI calculation: If a scheduler saves you 5 hours/week and your time is worth $50/hour, that's $250/week ($1,000/month) in time savings. Even a $100/month tool pays for itself 10x.
Pro Tips for Scheduling Success
- Batch content creation: Create 1-2 weeks of posts in one session
- Maintain spontaneity: Don't schedule everything - leave room for real-time posts
- Monitor notifications: Respond to comments even on scheduled posts
- Test posting times: Use analytics to find your audience's peak engagement
- Quality over quantity: Better to post 3 great posts/week than 7 mediocre ones
Start with a free plan (Buffer or Metricool) to test the waters, then upgrade to a specialized tool like Tailwind for Pinterest or Later for Instagram once you've validated the ROI.