Buying guide
The best free social media schedulers in 2026, and their limits
Postify has no free plan, so this page is not a pitch for it. It compares the schedulers that do have a real free plan, as listed on their own pricing pages on 2026-10-22, plus the free scheduling built into each network, and explains when a paid plan starts to be worth it.
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Last updated: 2026-10-22
TL;DR: The most useful free plans are Buffer (3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel), Meta Business Suite (Facebook and Instagram), Metricool (1 brand, 20 posts a month, no LinkedIn or X), Planable (your first 50 posts) and Publer (3 accounts, no X). Instagram, LinkedIn Pages, YouTube and TikTok also schedule natively for free. Postify has no free plan.
By the Postify team at Businice S.R.L. Postify makes this site. It is not ranked on this page.
What is the best free social media scheduler?
For most people, Buffer's free plan is the best start: 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel across a long list of networks. If you only use Facebook and Instagram, Meta Business Suite is free and built for exactly that. Metricool, Planable and Publer also have free plans with different limits. Postify has no free plan.
Free plans differ in what they cap. Buffer and Publer cap how many posts each channel can have scheduled, Metricool caps posts per month, and Planable caps the total number of posts you create on the free plan. Zoho Social has a forever free plan too, but it does not include scheduling, so it is not ranked.
| Free plan | Accounts | Post limit | Main gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer | Up to 3 channels, 1 user | 10 scheduled posts per channel | 30 days of analytics history |
| Meta Business Suite | Facebook and Instagram | No cap stated on its help page | No other networks |
| Metricool | 1 brand | 20 scheduled posts a month | No LinkedIn or X |
| Planable | Not stated for the free plan | Your first 50 posts in total | Runs out once 50 posts are used |
| Publer | 3 social accounts, 1 user | 10 scheduled posts per account | No X; 24 hours of post history |
| Zoho Social (not ranked) | 1 brand with 6 channels, 1 user | No scheduling on the free plan | Scheduling starts on Standard |
Native scheduling inside each app
Several networks let you schedule for free without any third-party tool. Instagram schedules reels, photos and carousels up to 30 days ahead in the app, LinkedIn Pages schedule between one hour and three months ahead, YouTube can publish a video on a set date, and TikTok schedules uploads from a desktop browser up to 10 days ahead.
The catch is that each one posts only to its own network, so five networks mean five apps and five calendars. X's help pages did not load for us on the day we checked, so X is left out of this list rather than described from memory.
- Instagram: needs a public account. Up to 25 scheduled posts a day, up to 30 days ahead. Product tags, collabs, sponsored posts and fundraisers cannot be scheduled.
- LinkedIn Pages: Page super admins and content admins can schedule from one hour to three months ahead. Events, multiple photos, reshares, polls, jobs and service posts cannot be scheduled.
- YouTube: when you upload, choose to publish later and pick a date; the video stays private until then. A Premiere is another option.
- TikTok: on desktop web, turn on the schedule option when you upload, from 15 minutes to 10 days ahead. Scheduling is not available on mobile web, and TikTok's help center limits it to Business Accounts with 10,000 or more followers.
- Facebook and Instagram together: Meta Business Suite, ranked below, is Meta's own free planner for both.
Free trials vs free plans
A free plan has no end date but caps what you can do, such as channels, posts or users. A free trial unlocks a paid plan for a fixed time, then asks you to pay or stop. Buffer and Hootsuite both offer 14-day trials of paid plans; only Buffer also has a free plan.
Hootsuite has no free plan. Its plans page offers a free 14-day trial with no card required, and paid plans start at $99 for the Standard plan, based on annual billing.
Zoho Social works the other way round: a 15-day trial unlocks everything, then the account moves to its forever free plan, which covers one brand with 6 channels but not content scheduling or the publishing calendar.
Postify has no free plan. Every plan comes with a free 7-day trial, and the smallest plan, Hobby, is €9.99 a month after it.
Hobby covers one brand, one user and 15 posts a month, with no inbox or first comment, so it is a small paid plan rather than a stand-in for a free one.
When is it worth paying for a scheduler?
Pay when a free plan's limits start costing you time: more channels than the cap, more posts than the monthly allowance, a teammate who needs their own login, or comments you want answered from one inbox. If you run one brand and post a few times a week, a free plan or native scheduling is usually enough.
If you do pay, Postify is one option: it publishes to Instagram, Facebook, Threads, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, X, Pinterest and Plative, starts at €9.99 a month, and its inbox starts on Plus. It has no free plan, no Bluesky or Google Business Profile, and no built-in AI writer. Our roundup of the best social media management tools compares paid options side by side.
- Several brands or clients: the free plans here cover one brand (Metricool) or a few accounts (Buffer, Publer).
- A team: Buffer's and Publer's free plans are for one user.
- One inbox: Meta Business Suite's free inbox covers Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Business; for other networks, check what each paid plan includes.
- Analytics history: Buffer's and Metricool's free plans keep 30 days.
- AI assistants: Buffer and Metricool include MCP access on their free plans, so your own AI assistant can work with your account at no cost.
| Tool | Best for | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Buffer | Several networks on one free plan | Free: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user. Essentials from $6 per channel a month on monthly billing; 14-day trial of paid plans. |
| 2. Meta Business Suite | Facebook and Instagram only | Free |
| 3. Metricool | One brand that wants analytics with its scheduling | Free: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts a month, LinkedIn and X not included. Paid plans from Starter. |
| 4. Planable | Trying a team-friendly planner before paying | Free: your first 50 posts, no time limit, no card. Basic $39 per workspace a month on monthly billing, or $33 a month billed yearly. |
| 5. Publer | A free plan with a link in bio page | Free forever: 1 user, 1 workspace, 3 social accounts (not X), 10 scheduled posts per account |
1. Buffer
Several networks on one free plan
Buffer's free plan covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel, one user, its AI Assistant, up to 100 saved ideas and 30 days of analytics history. Buffer publishes to Bluesky, Facebook Pages and groups, Google Business Profiles, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, YouTube Shorts and X. Free accounts also get an API key and access to Buffer's MCP server.
Pros
- The widest network list of the tools here, including Bluesky, Mastodon and Google Business Profile
- MCP access and an API key are included on the free plan
- Simple to learn, with a 14-day trial of paid plans when you outgrow the free one
Cons
- 10 scheduled posts per channel fills up fast if you post daily
- One user only
- Analytics history is limited to 30 days
Verdict: The best free plan for most people, especially if you post to several networks a few times a week.
Pricing: Free: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user. Essentials from $6 per channel a month on monthly billing; 14-day trial of paid plans.
2. Meta Business Suite
Facebook and Instagram only
Meta Business Suite is Meta's free tool, on desktop and in a mobile app, for creating and scheduling Facebook and Instagram posts, stories and reels, with a calendar view and A/B tests for Facebook Page posts. Its inbox collects Facebook Page, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Business messages and comments, with inbox automations, and it includes Insights.
Pros
- Free, made by Meta, with no channel cap stated
- An inbox for Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp Business
- Calendar, Facebook Page A/B tests and Insights in the same place
Cons
- Only Facebook and Instagram, plus Threads by cross-posting on desktop
- No LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, X or Pinterest, so most people still need a second tool
Verdict: The obvious free choice if your business lives on Facebook and Instagram. Add a native scheduler or a second tool for anything else.
Pricing: Free
3. Metricool
One brand that wants analytics with its scheduling
Metricool's free plan manages 1 brand and all its social networks except LinkedIn and X, with up to 20 scheduled posts a month, 30 days of analytics, analysis of 5 competitor profiles, an AI assistant and Metricool's MCP. Its supported networks include Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Google Business Profile and Twitch; LinkedIn and X come with paid plans.
Pros
- Analytics and competitor tracking on the free plan, not just scheduling
- Covers Bluesky, Google Business Profile and Twitch
- MCP included on the free plan
Cons
- No LinkedIn or X until you pay
- 20 posts a month is fewer than one a day
- One brand only
Verdict: The best free plan if analytics matter as much as scheduling and you do not need LinkedIn or X.
Pricing: Free: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts a month, LinkedIn and X not included. Paid plans from Starter.
4. Planable
Trying a team-friendly planner before paying
Planable's free plan gives you your first 50 posts with no time limit and no credit card. It publishes to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Google Business Profile and Threads. The paid Basic plan adds 60 posts per workspace a month, 4 social pages per workspace, unlimited users and an MCP connector.
Pros
- Includes LinkedIn and X, which Metricool's free plan does not
- Unlimited users on paid Basic, useful when a team grows
- No card needed to start
Cons
- 50 posts is a total, not a monthly allowance, so the free plan eventually runs out
- Basic is priced per workspace, which adds up across several brands
Verdict: Best treated as a long, no-card test drive of a collaborative planner rather than a permanent free scheduler.
Pricing: Free: your first 50 posts, no time limit, no card. Basic $39 per workspace a month on monthly billing, or $33 a month billed yearly.
5. Publer
A free plan with a link in bio page
Publer's free plan includes 1 user, 1 workspace and 3 social accounts, not including X, with 10 scheduled posts per account, 25 saved drafts, 24 hours of post history and Linkie, its link in bio page.
Pros
- A free link in bio page (Linkie)
- 25 saved drafts for planning ahead
- Three accounts, the same number as Buffer
Cons
- X is not available on the free plan
- Post history covers only 24 hours
- One user only
Verdict: A solid alternative to Buffer if you want a link in bio page included and do not post to X.
Pricing: Free forever: 1 user, 1 workspace, 3 social accounts (not X), 10 scheduled posts per account
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hootsuite free?
- No. Hootsuite has no free plan. Its plans page offers a free 14-day trial with no card required, and paid plans start at $99 for the Standard plan, based on annual billing.
- Is scheduling on Meta Business Suite free?
- Yes. Meta says Business Suite is free to use on desktop and in its mobile app, and you can create and schedule Facebook and Instagram posts, stories and reels there. It does not post to other networks.
- Is there a free Facebook post scheduler?
- Yes. Meta Business Suite schedules Facebook posts for free, and Facebook is available on Buffer's, Metricool's and Publer's free plans.
- What is the best free scheduler for Instagram?
- Instagram's own app schedules reels, photos and carousels up to 30 days ahead for public accounts. For one calendar across networks, Buffer, Metricool, Planable and Publer include Instagram on their free plans, and Meta Business Suite pairs it with Facebook.
- What is the best free scheduler for LinkedIn?
- LinkedIn Pages can schedule posts natively up to three months ahead. Among the free plans, Buffer and Planable include LinkedIn, while Metricool's free plan does not.
- Does Postify have a free plan?
- No. Postify has no free plan. Plans start at €9.99 a month, and every plan comes with a free 7-day trial so you can test it first.
Sources
- Buffer: pricing and free plan (checked October 22, 2026)
- Buffer: MCP server (checked October 22, 2026)
- Metricool: pricing and free plan (checked October 22, 2026)
- Metricool: supported networks (checked October 22, 2026)
- Planable: pricing and free plan (checked October 22, 2026)
- Publer: plans (checked October 22, 2026)
- Meta Business Help Center: about Meta Business Suite (checked October 22, 2026)
- Meta: Meta Business Suite (checked October 22, 2026)
- Hootsuite: plans (checked October 22, 2026)
- Zoho Social: pricing (checked October 22, 2026)
- Instagram Help Center: schedule posts (checked October 22, 2026)
- LinkedIn Help: schedule posts on your Page (checked October 22, 2026)
- YouTube Help: upload and schedule videos (checked October 22, 2026)
- TikTok Help Center: schedule videos (checked October 22, 2026)
Put Postify to work on your calendar
Postify supports nine platforms in one workflow: plan, schedule, and publish without juggling five different tools.