kitio.aiSprout Social vs Planly
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Planly has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $99 for Sprout Social.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Smart Inbox
- AI Assist
- Publishing calendar
- Social listening
- Influencer marketing
- Post scheduling
- Analytics
- Approval flow
- AI content assistant
- Link-in-bio pages
- Multi-channel support
| Feature | Sprout Social | Planly |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Social media management, listening and AI-assisted engagement | Social media scheduler with analytics and an AI content assistant |
| Category | Marketing | Marketing |
| Pricing model | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starting price | $99/mo | $15/mo |
| Free plan | No, 30-day trial | No, 14-day trial |
| Made by | Sprout Social | Planly |
| Based in | United States | – |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Planly has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $99 for Sprout Social.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
4 plans
Essentials
$99/mo
- Per seat
- $79/seat billed annually
Standard
$199/mo
- Per seat
- 5 social profiles
- Unified inbox and monitoring
- Trellis AI agent
Professional
$299/mo
- Per seat
- Unlimited social profiles
- Competitor and paid insights
Advanced
$399/mo
- Per seat
- Sentiment analysis
- Sprout API and helpdesk integrations
4 plans
Individual
$15/mo
- 100 scheduled posts
- 4 channels
- 1 user
- 100 AI credits
Team
$40/mo
- Unlimited scheduling
- 8 channels
- 4 users
- 500 AI credits
Agency
$80/mo
- 16 channels
- 8 users
- 1,000 AI credits
- Approval flow
Enterprise
Contact sales
- Priority support
- Flexible pricing
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Sprout Social
- Excellent reporting
- Polished interface
- Strong collaboration tools
- Expensive per seat
- Listening is an extra cost
Planly
- Wide channel coverage
- Approval flow for client work
- Trial to test first
- Individual plan caps at 100 scheduled posts
- Extra users and channels cost more
- Limited AI credits on lower tiers
Which one should you choose?
Choose Sprout Social if you want:
- Excellent reporting
- Polished interface
- Strong collaboration tools
Watch out: expensive per seat.
Choose Planly if you want:
- Wide channel coverage
- Approval flow for client work
- Trial to test first
Watch out: individual plan caps at 100 scheduled posts.
Sprout Social vs Planly FAQ
What is the difference between Sprout Social and Planly?
Sprout Social: Social media management, listening and AI-assisted engagement. Planly: Social media scheduler with analytics and an AI content assistant. Both are marketing tools.
Is Sprout Social or Planly cheaper?
Planly has the lower starting price: about $15 a month, against $99 for Sprout Social.
Do Sprout Social and Planly have free plans?
Sprout Social: No, 30-day trial. Planly: No, 14-day trial.
Who makes Sprout Social?
Sprout Social is made by Sprout Social, based in United States.
Who makes Planly?
Planly is made by Planly.
Which should I choose, Sprout Social or Planly?
Choose Sprout Social if you value excellent reporting and polished interface. Choose Planly if you value wide channel coverage and approval flow for client work.