Last Updated: October 2024
Hey there!
Are you struggling to manage your social media presence effectively? Look no further! Today, we’re diving into a hot topic: Sprout Social vs. Hootsuite.
These two powerful social media management tools have been gaining popularity among businesses.
By 2023, the United States had allocated a staggering $72.3 billion for social media ad spend, and projections indicate that this investment is poised to surpass the $80 billion mark by 2026.
You need an efficient tool to manage all those campaigns and conversations. In this conversation, we’ll explore the features, strengths, and weaknesses of Sprout Social and Hootsuite, to help you make an informed decision on which platform best suits your business needs.
Let’s find the perfect fit for your social media success!
Sprout Social vs. Hootsuite Detailed Overview
Here’s a detailed overview to help you make an informed decision between these two tools.
Ease of Use (Final Winner: Sprout Social, ⭐4.8/5, 118 Reviews)
When it comes to “Ease of use,” both Sprout Social and Hootsuite offer user-friendly interfaces, making it easy for you to navigate and manage your social media accounts efficiently.
- Sprout Social: Intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for beginners and experienced users alike.
- Hootsuite: User-friendly interface, suitable for users of all levels, with customizable layouts.
Winner: Sprout Social
User Review
It is a tool with an easy-to-understand and uses the interface, which facilitates the adaptation of users of all levels – Asha B, mid-market.
Ease of Setup (Final Winner: Sprout Social, ⭐4.4/5, 19 Reviews)
- Sprout Social: Quick and straightforward onboarding process, reducing the time to get started. Guided setup wizard and help tutorials assist you in configuring your accounts. Responsive customer support addresses any of your setup-related queries or concerns.
- Hootsuite: Simple and fast setup, allowing you to start managing your social media accounts promptly. Step-by-step setup guidance and video tutorials are also available for new users. You can also seek assistance from their customer support and community forums.
Winner: Sprout Social
User Review
Ease of setup, Video tutorials, Fast response from support – a verified user, mid-market.
Unified Inbox (Final Winner: Both, Sprout Social – ⭐4.5/5, Hootsuite – ⭐4.5/5)
- Sprout Social: Sprout Social offers a unified inbox, namely, the “Smart Inbox”, that consolidates all messages and interactions from various social media platforms into a single, centralized view. This enables you to efficiently monitor and respond to comments, mentions, and direct messages without having to switch between multiple accounts.
- Hootsuite: Similarly, Hootsuite provides a unified inbox, bringing together messages and interactions from various social networks in one place. This feature streamlines social media engagement, allowing your agents to respond to audience interactions seamlessly without the need to navigate through different platforms.
Winner: Both
User Review
The Smart Inbox is excellent because I don’t have to log into each platform individually to answer comments and messages. – Sunny M, mid-market.
I started using Hootsuite two years back, and I really loved Unified social inbox where you can reply to messages – Aman P, small business.
Customer Support (Final Winner: Sprout Social, ⭐4.7/5, 117 Reviews)
- Sprout Social: Sprout Social offers excellent customer support through various channels, including email, live chat, and 24/5 phone support. Their support team is known for being responsive and knowledgeable, promptly addressing user inquiries and concerns.
Additionally, Sprout Social provides a comprehensive knowledge base, video tutorials, and webinars, enabling you to access self-help resources and get the most out of the platform.
- Hootsuite: Hootsuite also provides a range of customer support options, such as email and community forums. However, live chat and phone support are available only for Enterprise-level customers.
It also offers a vast library of resources, including guides, articles, and video tutorials, empowering you to troubleshoot issues independently and stay updated on platform features and best practices.
Winner: Sprout Social
User Review
The customer service has been excellent. – Alina S, small business.
Competitor Analysis (Final Winner: Sprout Social, ⭐4.5/5, 21 Reviews)
- Sprout Social: Sprout Social provides a robust competitor analysis feature that allows users to monitor and track the social media performance of their competitors. Using this feature, you can identify key competitors and track engagement metrics, content strategy, and follower growth over time. This platform also offers sentiment analysis, helping you to understand how audiences perceive your competitors and also identify potential opportunities and areas for improvement.
- Hootsuite: Hootsuite offers some competitor analysis capabilities, but they may not be as extensive as those provided by Sprout Social. You can set up streams to monitor competitors’ social media profiles, which can help in keeping track of your latest posts and engagements. However, in terms of advanced competitor analysis features like sentiment analysis and in-depth performance tracking, Hootsuite may not provide as much information as Sprout Social.
Winner: Sprout Social
User Review
The ability to gauge guest sentiment throughout the year, measuring engagement impressions and audience growth over time, and competitor analysis is most helpful. – Joey T, enterprise.
Analytics & Reports (Final Winner: Sprout Social, ⭐4.8/5, 166 Reviews)
- Sprout Social: Sprout Social provides in-depth and visually appealing analytics and reports that offer valuable insights into social media performance. Access metrics such as engagement, follower growth, impressions, and more, are all presented in easy-to-understand graphs and charts.
Customizable reports allow you to tailor the data to your specific needs and branding, making sharing results with clients or team members easier. Additionally, these reports can be scheduled for automated delivery at regular intervals.
- Hootsuite: Hootsuite offers basic analytics and reporting features to track essential social media metrics. Track engagement data, clicks, and audience growth, but the level of detail may not be as comprehensive as Sprout Social. While Hootsuite’s reporting capabilities may be suitable for small to medium-sized businesses, larger enterprises or businesses requiring more extensive analytics might find Sprout Social’s offerings to be more beneficial.
Winner: Sprout Social
User Review
I love the analytics it provides. The various reports help me understand the performance of all my social accounts in detail and guide me on changes and optimisations to my strategy. – Brand & Social Strategist, mid-market.
Software Pricing Comparison
Sprout Social
Offers a free 30-day trial. There are four pricing plans – Standard, Professional, Advanced, and Enterprise. The pricing is tiered based on the number of users and social profiles needed.
- Standard: The Standard plan starts at around $249 per user per month, allowing for up to 5 social profiles and essential features for small businesses.
- Professional: Priced at approximately $399 per user per month, expands the social profiles to unlimited and includes more advanced features like social listening and audience targeting.
- Advanced: Available at $499/month, this plan is designed for larger businesses with more extensive social media needs and provides additional features like chatbots and automation.
- Enterprise: You can avail of this plan for custom pricing. It includes all the Advanced features, tailored implementation, and 24/5 prioritized support.
User Reviews
Pricing can be high. – Koyuki, mid-market.
The pricing is a bit high so this makes it hard to get new companies to sign up but luckily there is a strong case for the benenfits – I think more attainable pricing would be helpful for new users and to keep users. – a verified user, small business.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite also offers four main pricing plans: Professional, Team, Business, and Enterprise. The pricing is based on the number of users and social accounts required, similar to Sprout Social.
- Professional: Plan pricing starts at around $99 per user per month and allows for up to 10 social profiles, making it suitable for small businesses and solopreneurs.
- Team: Priced at approximately $249/3 users per month, increases the number of social profiles to 20 and provides additional features like team collaboration and analytics reports.
- Business: Avail at a custom price for 5 users and 50 social accounts. It is targeted toward large enterprises and offers extensive social media management capabilities, advanced analytics, and dedicated support.
User Reviews
One potential drawback of Hootsuite is its pricing. For small businesses or individuals on a tight budget, the cost of Hootsuite’s premium plans may be prohibitive. – a verified user, mid-market.
Though Hootsuite is an incredible tool to use with great analytics, the pricing for teams is a bit expensive. – Rebecca D, mid-market.
Quick Comparison Table
Here’s a quick comparison table between Sprout Social and Hootsuite:
Feature | Sprout Social | Hootsuite |
Pricing | Higher-priced plans with more features | More affordable options for small businesses |
Social Profiles | Varies based on the plan (5-10+) | Varies based on the plan (10-20+) |
Competitor Analysis | Robust feature with sentiment analysis | Basic competitor monitoring |
Analytics & Reports | In-depth customizable reports | Limited analytics compared to Sprout Social |
Ease of Use | Intuitive and user-friendly | User-friendly with customizable layouts |
Unified Inbox | Centralized view for all social interactions | Unified view of social media messages |
Customer Support | Excellent support across channels | Customer support for Enterprise plans only |
Amidst the comparison, offering you an additional innovative and affordable customer support tool that adds context and streamlines customer interactions across multiple channels including social media platforms. Let’s delve into the details of how Saufter can enhance your customer support experience.
Get A Single View For All Support Tickets
Saufter offers the most innovative customer support tool on the market, giving you a single journey view that adds invaluable context to your support interactions. With this comprehensive tool, you can effortlessly assist your customers across multiple social media platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, ensuring a seamless and unified experience.
Moreover, the seamless integration allows you to collect reliable data from your partners and influencers, enabling you to create an enhanced and personalized customer experience that sets your business apart. Say goodbye to scattered support tickets and hello to a centralized and efficient support system with Saufter.
Key Features
- Single Journey View: Innovative support tool for contextual assistance.
- Cross-Social Support: Help customers across Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.
- Seamless Integration: Connects effortlessly with multiple platforms.
- Data Collection: Gather reliable insights from partners and influencers.
- Multi-Channel Support: Email, live chat, social media, phone, self-service.
- Operational Insights: Monitor and measure performance 24/7.
- Timely Order Management: Ensures no delays in fulfillment or transit.
In conclusion,
When choosing between Sprout Social and Hootsuite, consider your business’s specific needs and budget. Sprout Social offers robust analytics and competitor analysis, while Hootsuite provides more affordable options with basic features.
However, for businesses of any size looking to enrich their eCommerce support, we highly recommend checking out Saufter. Its innovative Single Journey View, cross-social support, seamless integration, and operational insights make it an ideal choice to enhance your customer support experience.
