Metricool
The Trade Desk
| Feature | Metricool | The Trade Desk |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $22/mo | Contact sales |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | marketing-agencies, social-media-managers, small-businesses, digital-marketers | media-buyers, agencies, enterprise-advertisers, programmatic-teams |
| Founded | 2016 | 2009 |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Inbox | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smartlinks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Competitor Analysis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ad Tracking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Programmatic Buying | ✗ | ✓ |
| Connected Tv | ✗ | ✓ |
| Audio Ads | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Marketplace | ✗ | ✓ |
| Attribution | ✗ | ✓ |
| Identity Graph | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ The Trade Desk Pros
- Best-in-class DSP technology
- Excellent CTV capabilities
- Strong data marketplace
- Transparent pricing
✗ The Trade Desk Cons
- Enterprise minimum spend
- Requires programmatic expertise
- Complex for beginners
The Verdict
Metricool is built for marketing agencies and social media managers, with a focus on scheduling and analytics. The Trade Desk targets media buyers and agencies and leads with programmatic-buying and connected-tv.
The Trade Desk uses custom enterprise pricing, while Metricool starts at $22/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Metricool has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. The Trade Desk requires a paid subscription from day one.
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.