Guide
You do not need to spend a lot to schedule social media. Here are the cheapest tools worth considering, including free plans, with the limits that matter before you commit.
Last updated: November 2026 · By the Socialknocks team
The cheapest ways to schedule social media are free plans from Buffer, Metricool and Socialknocks, then low-cost paid plans from about $19 to $33 a month from ContentStudio, SocialBee and Planable. Compare limits, not just price, because free plans cap channels and scheduled posts.
| Tool | Cheapest way in | Key limits or notes |
|---|---|---|
| Socialknocks | Free plan, no credit card; paid from $49/mo | AI agent creates and posts; Instant Replies; store builder and digital card |
| Buffer | Free plan; paid about $5/mo per channel | Free: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel |
| Metricool | Free plan; paid from about $20-25/mo | Free: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts per month |
| ContentStudio | From $19/mo billed annually ($29 monthly) | 7-day free trial, no free plan |
| SocialBee | From $29/mo ($24 annual) | 14-day free trial, no free plan |
| Planable | From $33 per workspace per month | Free trial with 50 posts, no free plan |
Prices from each vendor's public pricing page, November 2026. Taxes excluded and prices change, so confirm before buying. We make Socialknocks and say so where we mention it.
A tool that looks cheap can get expensive as you grow. Per-channel pricing (as with Buffer) multiplies by the number of channels. Per-workspace pricing (as with Planable) multiplies by the number of brands. Flat plans that include several profiles can be cheaper once you pass a few accounts.
Schedulers save you clicks but not writing time. If content creation is your real bottleneck, try an AI manager. The AI social media manager in Socialknocks plans, writes and publishes, starting free. For a wider view, see best AI social media tools for small business and Hootsuite vs Buffer.
Plans, writes and posts for you.
Every post matches your look and voice.
Auto-reply to DMs and comments.
A planned month, ready to approve.
See what brings customers in.
Sell from your own storefront.
Free plans are the cheapest: Buffer, Metricool and Socialknocks all offer them, with different limits.
Yes, free plans exist with limits on channels or posts. Socialknocks' Free plan needs no credit card.
Yes. Buffer has a free plan for up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel.
It depends on what you need. Socialknocks focuses on an AI agent that creates and posts, while ContentStudio and SocialBee include AI content tools on paid plans.
Free plans from Buffer, Metricool and Socialknocks are not time-limited, though they have feature or volume limits.
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