The verdict
On the data we hold, it's close: neither pulls ahead on features, a free plan or AI access. The choice comes down to how you work.
What the data says
- Both cover 12 of the 12 features we compared.
- Both have a free plan, so you can try each before you pay.
- Both have an API and an MCP server, so either works with AI employees.
- In our Organic social ranking, Metricool places 1 and Publer 5 of 14.
Side by side
| 16 points compared | ||
|---|---|---|
| Starts at | €16/mo | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes |
| AI content assistant | Yes | Yes |
| AI post drafting | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics & reporting | Yes | Yes |
| Best time to post | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk post upload | Yes | Yes |
| Competitor benchmarking | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio page | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-network publishing | Yes | Yes |
| Post approval workflow | Yes | Yes |
| Post scheduling & queues | Yes | Yes |
| Team collaboration | Yes | Yes |
| Unified social inbox | Yes | Yes |
| Links |
Plans and pricing
Metricool
- FreeOne brand, up to 20 scheduled posts a month, 5 competitor profiles and 30 days of analytics.Free
- StarterFrom 5 brands at 20 per month (16 per month billed annually); 10 brands is 37 per month.€20/mo
- AdvancedFrom 15 brands at 54 per month (43 per month billed annually); up to 50 brands, teams, approvals and API access.€54/mo
Publer
- FreeFree forever for one user: 1 workspace, 3 social accounts (no X), 10 scheduled posts per account.Free
- ProfessionalFrom $5 per month for 1 social account, plus $4 per extra account; unlimited scheduling and X support.$5/mo
- BusinessFrom $10 per month for 1 social account; adds analytics, AI, approvals, and API and MCP access.$10/mo
Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.
Who each is for
Choose Metricool if…
Social media managers, small marketing teams and agencies who run several brands and want planning, analytics and client reports in one dashboard instead of five logins.
Choose Publer if…
Small teams, creators and agencies that post to several social networks and want one calendar, bulk scheduling and client workspaces without paying for a full social suite.
Other options worth a look
Tool·Client acquisitionSchedules posts, monitors conversations and reports on performance across multiple social media networks.Organic social
From $99/mo yearly
Tool·Client acquisitionManage publishing, engagement, analytics, and social listening across brands from one dashboard.Organic social
From $79/mo yearly
Tool·Client acquisitionSchedules and publishes visual content across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and more.Organic social
From $18.75/mo yearlyAffiliate link
Tool·Client acquisitionSchedules and publishes social media posts across multiple platforms from one dashboard with team approval workflows.Organic social
From $5/mo yearlyFree plan
Tool·Client acquisitionSchedule, publish and manage social media across multiple channels and analyse performance from one dashboard.Organic social
From €16.15/mo yearly
Tool·Client acquisitionCreate, schedule and analyse LinkedIn posts with AI to build your personal brand and generate leads.Organic social
From $32/mo yearlyAffiliate link