What would you actually pay?
Social media tools charge in three ways: per channel (Buffer), per user (Hootsuite and Sprout Social) or per workspace (Orbin and SocialBee). That makes the cheapest option depend on your channels and team size. Enter yours below to see the cheapest listed plan from each tool, per month billed annually.
Orbin
Professional plan · one price per workspace
$39 / month
$468 a year
Buffer
Team plan · per channel
$50 / month
$600 a year · $11 more than Orbin
SocialBee
Pro plan · per workspace, with profile and user limits
$82 / month
$984 a year · $43 more than Orbin
Hootsuite
Standard plan · per user
$297 / month
$3,564 a year · $258 more than Orbin
Sprout Social
Standard plan · per seat
$597 / month
$7,164 a year · $558 more than Orbin
For 5 channels and 3 team members. The cheapest listed plan that fits, per month billed annually. Plans differ in features, so compare what each includes before choosing on price.
Monthly cost, billed annually
The cheapest listed plan that allows each team size. A dash means no listed plan covers it.
| Team | Orbin | Buffer | Hootsuite | Sprout Social | SocialBee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo creator3 channels, 1 person | $15Starter | $0Free | $99Standard | $199Standard | $24Bootstrap |
| Small business5 channels, 3 people | $39Professional | $50Team | $297Standard | $597Standard | $82Pro |
| Growing brand10 channels, 3 people | $39Professional | $100Team | $297Standard | $897Professional | $82Pro |
| Agency or multi-brand team25 channels, 10 people | $79Business | $250Team | $1,990Professional | $2,990Professional | — |
Frequently asked questions
How much does social media management software cost?+
It ranges from free to hundreds of dollars a month depending on channels and team size. For a small business with 5 channels and 3 team members, the cheapest listed plans billed annually come to $39 a month on Orbin, $50 on Buffer, $297 on Hootsuite and $597 on Sprout Social. SocialBee is $82 (its Pro plan, the first with 3 users).
Is per-user or per-channel pricing cheaper?+
Neither is always cheaper; each grows with a different number. Per-channel pricing (Buffer) grows with every account you connect: its Team plan is $250 a month for 25 channels. Per-user pricing (Hootsuite, Sprout Social) grows with headcount: Hootsuite is $99 a month for one person but $990 for ten, on the same 10 channels. Per-workspace pricing (Orbin, SocialBee) is flat inside a plan's limits, so a larger team costs the same until you outgrow the plan.
How does the calculator choose a plan?+
For each tool it takes every listed plan, drops those whose channel or team-member limit is too low, prices the rest at the vendor's annual-billing rate, and shows the cheapest. It prices capacity only. It does not add up features, so a $99 plan with a shared inbox and a $15 plan without one are not like for like.
Does the calculator compare features?+
No. Hootsuite and Sprout Social include a shared inbox and monitoring that Orbin does not, Buffer has a free plan and a community inbox, and SocialBee includes unlimited AI content generation. Orbin adds engagement prediction, an Autopilot that drafts for your review and AI comment replies. The comparison pages cover those differences.
How current are these prices?+
Competitor prices were read from each vendor's own pricing page in October 2026 and each is linked below. Vendors change prices often, so confirm on their page before you buy. Orbin's prices come from the live pricing page.
Prices are per month billed annually, from each vendor's public pricing page, and may have changed since. Confirm before you buy: Buffer (October 2026), Hootsuite (October 2026), Sprout Social (October 2026), SocialBee (October 2026). Orbin's prices are on our pricing page. Orbin is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by these vendors. All product names and brands are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification only.