Hootsuite has been a social media management staple since 2008. But with significant price increases and an aging interface, many users are exploring alternatives. Here's how Fanbeam compares to Hootsuite in 2025.
| Feature | Fanbeam | Hootsuite |
|---|
| Starting Price | $12/month | $99/month |
| Free Plan | Yes | No (discontinued) |
| Platforms | 9 | 10+ |
| Users (base plan) | Multiple | 1 |
| Social Inbox | Yes | Yes |
| AI Features | Yes | Yes (OwlyWriter) |
| Learning Curve | Low | Medium-High |
| Best For | Growing businesses | Enterprises |
Hootsuite Pricing (2025)
- Professional: $99/month (1 user, 10 social accounts)
- Team: $249/month (3 users, 20 social accounts)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Hootsuite discontinued their free plan and raised prices significantly, making it primarily an enterprise tool.
Fanbeam Pricing
- Free: Limited features to get started
- Pro: $12/month for multiple channels
- Business: Team features and higher limits
- Enterprise: Custom solutions
Cost Difference: Fanbeam's Pro plan costs ~88% less than Hootsuite's entry-level plan.
Fanbeam Platforms (9)
- Instagram
- TikTok
- Twitter/X
- LinkedIn
- Facebook
- YouTube
- Pinterest
- Threads
- Bluesky
Hootsuite Platforms (10+)
- Instagram
- TikTok
- Twitter/X
- LinkedIn
- Facebook
- YouTube
- Pinterest
- Google Business Profile
- WhatsApp Business
- And more via integrations
Analysis: Hootsuite supports more platforms through integrations, but Fanbeam covers the core platforms most businesses need.
Content Scheduling
Fanbeam:
- Visual calendar with drag-and-drop
- Bulk scheduling
- Queue management
- Optimal time suggestions
- Thread and carousel support
- Cross-platform publishing
Hootsuite:
- Planner calendar view
- Bulk scheduling via CSV
- Best time to publish
- Content library
- Campaign management
- Approval workflows
Verdict: Both offer comprehensive scheduling. Hootsuite has more enterprise features; Fanbeam is more intuitive for smaller teams.
Social Inbox
Fanbeam:
- Unified inbox for comments
- Direct message management
- Mention tracking
- Auto-moderation rules
- Team assignment
Hootsuite:
- Streams-based inbox
- Multiple stream layouts
- Assignment and tagging
- Saved replies
- Sentiment analysis
Verdict: Hootsuite's inbox is more mature with advanced features. Fanbeam's inbox covers essentials with better UX.
Analytics & Reporting
Fanbeam:
- Post performance analytics
- Engagement tracking
- Growth metrics
- Best time analysis
- Exportable reports
Hootsuite:
- Comprehensive analytics
- Custom reports
- Competitive analysis
- Industry benchmarks
- ROI tracking
- Advanced reporting (higher plans)
Verdict: Hootsuite offers more detailed analytics, especially for enterprises. Fanbeam provides sufficient analytics for most users at a fraction of the cost.
AI Features
Fanbeam:
- AI caption generation
- Hashtag suggestions
- AI image generation
- Tone customization
Hootsuite:
- OwlyWriter AI for captions
- AI post ideas
- Hashtag generator
- Content suggestions
Verdict: Both offer AI assistance for content creation. Fanbeam includes AI image generation.
Team Collaboration
Fanbeam:
- Team workspaces
- Role-based permissions
- Approval workflows
- Activity tracking
- Included in standard plans
Hootsuite:
- Team management
- Custom roles
- Approval workflows
- Task assignment
- Requires Team plan ($249/month)
Verdict: Similar team features, but Fanbeam includes them at a much lower price point.
Automation
Fanbeam:
- Visual workflow builder
- Trigger-based automations
- Auto-responses
- Comment moderation rules
- Custom automation logic
Hootsuite:
- Auto-scheduling
- Streams monitoring
- Limited automation
- Third-party integrations (Zapier)
Verdict: Fanbeam offers built-in automation; Hootsuite relies more on integrations.
Fanbeam
- Modern, clean interface
- Intuitive navigation
- Quick learning curve
- Responsive design
- Focused feature set
Hootsuite
- Dashboard with multiple streams
- Feature-rich but complex
- Steeper learning curve
- Enterprise-oriented design
- Comprehensive but overwhelming
Verdict: Fanbeam is easier to learn and use daily. Hootsuite is powerful but can be overwhelming.
Choose Fanbeam If:
- You're a small-to-medium business
- Budget is a significant consideration
- You want quick setup and easy use
- You need solid features without enterprise complexity
- You want built-in automation
- You prefer modern UX
Choose Hootsuite If:
- You're an enterprise with complex needs
- You need advanced analytics and reporting
- You require extensive team management
- You need industry benchmarking
- Budget is not the primary concern
- You need maximum platform coverage
Migration from Hootsuite to Fanbeam
Many businesses are switching due to Hootsuite's price increases:
1
Export your scheduled content from Hootsuite2
Set up Fanbeam and connect your channels3
Configure your posting schedule4
Import or recreate your content5
Set up team access if applicable6
Cancel Hootsuite after transition
Hootsuite is a powerful enterprise tool with a price tag to match. For most small-to-medium businesses, Fanbeam offers everything needed at a fraction of the cost.
If you're currently paying $99-249/month for Hootsuite and not using enterprise features, Fanbeam could save you $1,000+ annually while providing a better user experience.
Try Fanbeam Free and see how much you could save.