Hootsuite vs Metricool
Enterprise platform versus free analytics for Pinterest
TL;DR
For Pinterest pin creation: Hootsuite is an enterprise platform at $99/mo, while Metricool offers analytics with a free tier. Metricool provides comparable Pinterest insights at a fraction of the cost. BlogToPin automates pin creation from blog content.
Key Differences for Pinterest
How these tools differ for Pinterest pin creation and scheduling
Pinterest Focus
Hootsuite has a Pinterest rating of 5/10 while Metricool scores 6/10. Metricool offers stronger Pinterest-specific features.
Pricing
Hootsuite starts at $99/mo while Metricool starts at $22/mo. Metricool offers a free plan.
Automation
Neither tool can auto-create pins from your website content like BlogToPin does.
Bulk Pin Creation
Neither Hootsuite nor Metricool can generate pins from your website automatically. BlogToPin reads your sitemap and creates hundreds of optimized pins with AI-written titles and descriptions.
Platform Support
Hootsuite supports Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube. Metricool covers Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Google Business, Twitch. Metricool gives you more platform options.
Analytics
Metricool provides deeper Pinterest analytics. Metricool offers detailed analytics while the other has more basic reporting.
Pricing for Pinterest Users
What you will actually pay for Pinterest pin scheduling
Hootsuite
Tiered plans with user limits
Metricool
Tiered plans based on brands
BlogToPin
Starter plan. 1,000+ pins/mo. Unlimited AI.
Pinterest Feature Comparison
20 Pinterest-relevant features compared side-by-side
| Feature | Hootsuite | Metricool | BlogToPin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest Features | |||
| Pinterest Scheduling | |||
| Smart Schedule | AutoSchedule | Best Times | AI-powered |
| Pin Templates | 100+ templates | ||
| Board Management | Basic | ||
| Idea & Video Pins | |||
| Automation | |||
| Bulk Scheduling | Bulk Composer | CSV import | Automatic |
| Auto-Create from URL | |||
| Auto-Sync New Content | |||
| Content Recycling | |||
| Delete Underperforming Pins | |||
| RSS Feed Integration | RSS integration | ||
| AI & Content | |||
| AI Writing | OwlyWriter AI | AI Assistant | Unlimited |
| AI Image Generation | |||
| Hashtag Suggestions | Hashtag Tracker | ||
| Analytics | |||
| Pinterest Analytics | Detailed | ||
| Best Time to Post | |||
| Competitor Tracking | Social listening | ||
| Platform | |||
| Multi-Platform | Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube | Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Google Business, Twitch | Pinterest focused |
| Mobile App | |||
| Team Collaboration | Built-in | Team plan | Business plan |
Pros & Cons for Pinterest
Strengths and weaknesses for Pinterest pin workflows
Hootsuite
Pros
- Comprehensive platform that covers everything
- Strong team collaboration and approval workflows
- Social listening and competitor monitoring built in
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance features
- Bulk composer for scheduling many posts at once
- Detailed analytics across all platforms
Cons
- Very expensive, especially for solo creators or small teams
- Interface feels bloated and overwhelming
- Pinterest is not a priority, features feel basic
- Steep learning curve for new users
- No Pinterest-specific optimization or recycling
- Pricing has increased significantly over the years
Metricool
Pros
- Best analytics in its price range, especially for Pinterest
- Competitor tracking lets you benchmark against others
- Hashtag tracker monitors performance over time
- Free plan is actually useful for solo creators
- Best time to post suggestions based on your data
- Clean dashboard with actionable insights
Cons
- Scheduling features are secondary to analytics
- No pin design tools or templates
- No content recycling or automation features
- Cannot create pins from website content
- Bulk scheduling limited to CSV import
- Some advanced analytics locked behind higher plans
BlogToPin
Pros
- Auto-creates pins from your website content — no manual design
- 100+ pin templates for visual variety across your profile
- AI writes Pinterest-optimized titles and descriptions
- Automatically deletes underperforming pins to protect account quality
- Smart scheduling posts pins at optimal times
- Reads your sitemap and generates pins from every page
Cons
- Pinterest-only — does not support other social platforms
- No mobile app yet
- Requires a website with content to generate pins from
- Starting at $39/mo, higher entry price than basic schedulers
What Users Say
Real user reviews from Trustpilot and G2
Hootsuite Reviews
“This is a very comfortable CMS for many many platforms. Transparent stats and understanding where and how you should develop socials.”
“Absolutely the worst software service I have ever had the displeasure of even testing.”
Metricool Reviews
“I've used Metricool now for over a year, and run over 30 different brands from their platform. Their support team is fantastic.”
“The software simply does not work and customer support is unresponsive, unreliable, and they do not value customers' time.”
Best For Pinterest
When to choose each tool for your Pinterest pin strategy
Hootsuite
- Agencies managing multiple clients across platforms
- Enterprise teams needing approval workflows
- Businesses that need social listening and monitoring
Metricool
- Data-driven marketers who want deep Pinterest analytics
- Creators who want competitor tracking and benchmarking
- Budget-conscious users who want analytics plus scheduling
BlogToPin
- You need hundreds of unique pins created from your website content
- You want AI to write Pinterest-optimized titles and descriptions
- You are tired of manually designing pin images for every post
- You want to automatically remove underperforming pins
- You need Pinterest pin creation on autopilot, not just scheduling
Overview
Hootsuite and Metricool represent the extremes of social media management pricing. Hootsuite charges enterprise prices for comprehensive features. Metricool offers scheduling and analytics with a genuinely useful free tier. For Pinterest, Metricool's analytics and scheduling cover the essentials at a dramatically lower cost — making Hootsuite hard to justify for Pinterest-focused use.
Pinterest Analytics
Metricool provides Pinterest analytics including pin performance, audience insights, optimal posting times, and competitor tracking. Its SmartSchedule feature recommends posting times based on your audience data.
Hootsuite offers broader analytics with custom reports and social listening. For Pinterest specifically, the analytics depth isn't dramatically better than Metricool's despite the massive price difference.
Scheduling
Both tools schedule Pinterest pins with board selection and calendar management. Hootsuite adds bulk scheduling and team approval workflows for enterprise operations.
Metricool's scheduling is sufficient for most Pinterest use cases. Its analytics-backed timing gives it an advantage over basic scheduling tools.
Free vs. Enterprise Pricing
Metricool's free plan includes basic Pinterest scheduling and analytics. You can start Pinterest marketing without any financial commitment and upgrade only when you need more capacity.
Hootsuite at $99/mo is designed for enterprise social media management. For Pinterest-focused use, the enterprise features are largely unnecessary overhead.
Social Listening
Hootsuite's social listening monitors brand mentions and industry conversations across platforms. For large brands, this awareness is valuable.
Metricool includes basic social listening in its paid plans, though less sophisticated than Hootsuite's. For most Pinterest marketers, the basic level suffices.
Pin Creation Automation
At $99/mo, Hootsuite still doesn't automate pin creation. Metricool's free plan similarly doesn't create pins. The most time-consuming part of Pinterest marketing requires external tools regardless of how much you spend on scheduling.
BlogToPin automates pin creation from blog content at a cost well below Hootsuite's monthly fee. Combined with Metricool's free analytics, it creates the most cost-effective Pinterest marketing stack.
Final Verdict
Metricool provides comparable Pinterest value — analytics, scheduling, and insights — starting from free. Hootsuite is only justified for enterprise teams managing complex multi-platform operations.
For pin creation, BlogToPin plus Metricool's free plan creates a complete Pinterest marketing system at a tiny fraction of Hootsuite's cost.
Want pins created automatically?
Both Hootsuite and Metricool require manual pin creation. BlogToPin generates pins from your website with AI — no design work needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions answered about Hootsuite vs Metricool
Can Metricool replace Hootsuite for Pinterest scheduling and analytics?
For Pinterest-specific use, yes. Metricool provides pin scheduling with board selection, analytics including audience insights and optimal posting times, and its SmartSchedule feature — all starting from a free plan. You would miss Hootsuite's enterprise social listening and advanced team workflows, but for Pinterest marketing, Metricool covers the core needs.
Is Hootsuite's Pinterest analytics worth the $99/mo premium over Metricool?
For Pinterest-specific analytics, the difference rarely justifies the price gap. Metricool provides pin performance tracking, audience insights, competitor monitoring, and optimal posting time recommendations. Hootsuite adds broader cross-platform competitive analysis and social listening, but for Pinterest data specifically, Metricool is comparable.
Does Metricool really offer free Pinterest scheduling?
Yes. Metricool's free plan includes basic Pinterest scheduling and analytics with limited capacity. You can start managing your Pinterest presence without any financial commitment and upgrade to paid plans only when you need more scheduled posts or advanced features.
What is the most cost-effective Pinterest marketing setup?
Metricool (free tier) for scheduling and analytics combined with BlogToPin for automated pin creation from blog content. This pairing provides pin creation, scheduling, and performance measurement without any of Hootsuite's $99/mo enterprise pricing — making it the most budget-friendly complete Pinterest workflow.
How does Metricool's SmartSchedule compare to Hootsuite's scheduling for Pinterest?
Metricool's SmartSchedule recommends posting times based on your specific audience engagement data, which is directly useful for maximizing pin visibility. Hootsuite offers bulk scheduling and team approval workflows but relies on more generic timing suggestions. For individual Pinterest marketers, Metricool's data-driven timing is more practical.
Can either Metricool or Hootsuite create Pinterest pin images?
Neither tool creates pin images or generates pin descriptions automatically. Both handle scheduling and analytics only. For automated pin creation from blog posts, including designed images and SEO-optimized descriptions, you would need a dedicated tool like BlogToPin.
When is Hootsuite worth choosing over Metricool for Pinterest?
Hootsuite is worth its premium only if you manage Pinterest as part of a large-scale enterprise social media operation requiring social listening, CRM integrations, complex team approval chains, and consolidated reporting across many platforms. For Pinterest-focused or small-team use, Metricool delivers comparable Pinterest value starting from free.
Tired of creating pins by hand?
BlogToPin generates Pinterest pins from your website automatically. AI writes the titles and descriptions, 100+ templates handle design, and smart scheduling posts at optimal times. Try it free.