Metricool
Sprout Social
| Feature | Metricool | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $22/mo | From $249/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | marketing-agencies, social-media-managers, small-businesses, digital-marketers | enterprise, agencies, marketing-teams, brand-managers |
| Founded | 2016 | 2010 |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smartlinks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Competitor Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ad Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Publishing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Social Inbox | ✗ | ✓ |
| Social Listening | ✗ | ✓ |
| Advocacy | ✗ | ✓ |
| Chatbots | ✗ | ✓ |
| Review Management | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Metricool Pros
- Comprehensive analytics across platforms
- Ad campaign tracking (Meta, Google)
- SmartLinks for bio pages
- Competitor analysis built in
✗ Metricool Cons
- Interface can feel busy
- Limited reporting customization
- Some features only in higher plans
✓ 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
Metricool is built for marketing agencies and social media managers, with a focus on scheduling and analytics. Sprout Social targets enterprise and agencies and leads with publishing and social-inbox.
On pricing, Metricool is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $22/mo compared to $249/mo for Sprout Social. That $227/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Metricool 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 Metricool 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.