Hex
Sprout Social
| Feature | Hex | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $28/mo | From $249/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | data-analysts, data-scientists, analytics-engineers, data-teams | enterprise, agencies, marketing-teams, brand-managers |
| Founded | 2019 | 2010 |
| Sql Cells | ✓ | ✗ |
| Python Cells | ✓ | ✗ |
| Charts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Data Apps | ✓ | ✗ |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Version History | ✓ | ✗ |
| Publishing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Social Inbox | ✗ | ✓ |
| Analytics | ✗ | ✓ |
| Social Listening | ✗ | ✓ |
| Advocacy | ✗ | ✓ |
| Chatbots | ✗ | ✓ |
| Review Management | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Hex Pros
- SQL + Python in one tool
- Beautiful data apps
- Collaborative notebooks
- Good sharing features
✗ Hex Cons
- Expensive for teams
- Learning curve for non-technical
- Limited self-hosting
✓ Sprout Social Pros
- Best-in-class social analytics and reporting
- Unified inbox across all platforms
- Social listening for brand monitoring
- Excellent customer support
✗ Sprout Social Cons
- Very expensive — starts at $249/month
- Additional profiles cost extra
- Overkill for small businesses
The Verdict
Hex is built for data analysts and data scientists, with a focus on sql-cells and python-cells. Sprout Social targets enterprise and agencies and leads with publishing and social-inbox.
On pricing, Hex is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $28/mo compared to $249/mo for Sprout Social. That $221/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Hex has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Sprout Social requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Sprout Social offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Hex takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.