Metricool Review 2026: Features, Pricing, Pros & Cons

Metricool is one of the best-value all-in-one social media tools, and its genuinely useful free plan makes it easy to try. It combines scheduling, analytics, competitor tracking and reporting across networks at a price well below the big enterprise suites. It isn’t the deepest tool in any single area, and a few features sit behind higher tiers, but for creators and small agencies who want measurement and publishing in one place, it’s hard to beat. Here’s an honest look at what it does, what it costs, and who should use it.

What is Metricool?

Metricool is a social media management platform that brings scheduling, analytics, competitor tracking, an inbox and reporting into one dashboard across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Pinterest, Google Business and more. It also handles link-in-bio and can connect ad accounts. The pitch is breadth at a fair price: instead of paying separately for a scheduler and an analytics tool, you get both, with competitor benchmarking included.

Key features

• Planner and scheduling: a visual calendar for planning and auto-publishing across networks.
• Analytics: account, post, Reels, Stories and campaign metrics, with downloadable reports on paid plans.
• Competitor tracking: benchmark a set of competitor profiles — even the free plan includes several.
• Inbox: manage comments and messages from one place on higher tiers.
• Ads and link-in-bio: connect ad accounts and build a simple bio landing page.
• AI assistant: generate and refine captions, with plan-based limits.

Metricool pricing

Metricool plans (annual billing; verify current pricing before buying)

Plan	Price*	Best for
Free	$0	One brand, ~20 planned posts/month, 30 days of analytics, competitor tracking
Starter	From ~$20/mo annual	More brands, long-term analytics, downloadable reports
Advanced	From ~$53/mo annual	Team roles, client management, the hashtag search engine
Custom	Quote	Larger agencies and enterprises

Pros

• A genuinely useful free plan — rare among all-in-one tools, and enough to run one small brand.
• Strong value — analytics, scheduling and competitor tracking together for a fraction of enterprise pricing.
• Broad network coverage and solid, readable reports.
• Competitor benchmarking included, even on the free tier.

Cons

• The dedicated Hashtag Tracker is a separately priced add-on, not part of standard plans.
• The “brand” pricing model takes a moment to understand if you manage several profiles per network.
• Some analytics depth (and certain network data) depends on plan or add-ons.
• Not the deepest in any one area versus specialist tools — it’s a strong generalist.

Who is Metricool best for?

Metricool suits creators, freelancers and small-to-midsize agencies who want scheduling and real analytics in one affordable dashboard, especially across several networks. It’s ideal if you currently juggle a separate scheduler and analytics tool. It’s less ideal if you need enterprise social listening and governance, or if hashtag tracking is central to your workflow. For a broader analytics view, see our guide to the best Instagram analytics tools.

How Metricool compares

Against Hootsuite, Metricool covers similar core scheduling and analytics for a fraction of the per-seat cost, which makes it the better value for most creators and small agencies. Against Buffer, it goes considerably deeper on analytics and competitor tracking, though Buffer is simpler and cheaper for pure publishing. And against Later, Metricool wins on cross-network analytics while Later wins on visual, Instagram-first planning. In short, Metricool is the strongest all-rounder: not the best at any single job, but the best combination of scheduling, analytics and value in one dashboard — which is exactly what most people actually need.

Metricool alternatives

If Metricool’s plan structure or feature gaps don’t fit, compare the best Metricool alternatives — Buffer for simpler publishing, Later for visual planning, and others by need. If you’re a creator whose real gap is content rather than analytics, InMagic’s free, no-login caption and audit tools complement any scheduler.

Verdict

Metricool earns its reputation as a value leader. The free plan lets you prove it on a real workflow, and the paid tiers stay affordable as you grow. It won’t replace a dedicated enterprise suite or a specialist hashtag tool, but for the common need — publish, measure and benchmark across networks without overpaying — it’s one of the strongest choices available. Start on the free plan and upgrade only when you hit a limit that matters.

Frequently asked questions

Is Metricool really free?

Yes. Metricool’s free plan covers one brand with scheduling, around 20 planned posts a month, 30 days of analytics and competitor tracking. It’s genuinely usable for a small account; you upgrade when you need more brands, longer analytics history or downloadable reports.

Is Metricool good for Instagram?

Yes. Metricool schedules Instagram posts, Reels and Stories, reports on their performance, and tracks competitors. It’s a strong all-round Instagram tool, though for purely visual planning some creators prefer Later, and for hashtag tracking its dedicated tracker is a separate add-on.

Does Metricool include hashtag tracking?

Its Hashtag Search Engine appears on higher tiers, and the dedicated Hashtag Tracker is a separately priced add-on rather than a standard-plan feature. If hashtag research and tracking are central to your work, factor that extra cost in or consider a specialist tool.

Is Metricool better than Hootsuite?

For most creators and small businesses, Metricool offers similar core scheduling and analytics at a far lower price, which makes it better value. Hootsuite is stronger for large teams needing deep social listening, automation and enterprise governance across many channels.