Hootsuite vs Sprout Social
Enterprise vs. enterprise for Pinterest
TL;DR
For Pinterest pin creation: Hootsuite starts at $99/user/mo and Sprout Social at $79/seat/mo, both billed annually (Sprout is $99 billed monthly). Both are enterprise platforms with strong analytics but no pin design tools. Neither justifies its price for Pinterest-only use. BlogToPin automates pin creation for less than either platform's entry seat.
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 Sprout Social scores 5/10. Both tools offer similar Pinterest support.
Pricing
Hootsuite starts at $99/mo per user (billed annually) while Sprout Social starts at $99/mo per seat ($79 billed annually).
Bulk Pin Creation
Neither Hootsuite nor Sprout Social 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 Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest. Sprout Social covers Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit, Snapchat, Google Business. Sprout Social gives you more platform options.
Pricing for Pinterest Users
What you will actually pay for Pinterest pin scheduling
Hootsuite
Per user, billed annually
Sprout Social
Per seat
BlogToPin
Starter plan. 1,000+ pins/mo. Unlimited AI.
Pinterest Feature Comparison
20 Pinterest-relevant features compared side-by-side
| Feature | Hootsuite | Sprout Social | BlogToPin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinterest Features | |||
| Pinterest Scheduling | |||
| Smart Schedule | Best time + auto-schedule | Optimal send times | AI-powered |
| Pin Templates | 100+ templates | ||
| Board Management | |||
| Idea & Video Pins | Video pins | Image & video pins | |
| Automation | |||
| Bulk Scheduling | Up to 350 posts | Professional plan+ | Automatic |
| Auto-Create from URL | |||
| Auto-Sync New Content | |||
| Content Recycling | |||
| Delete Underperforming Pins | |||
| RSS Feed Integration | |||
| AI & Content | |||
| AI Writing | Wisdom AI | AI Assist (Professional+) | Unlimited |
| AI Image Generation | |||
| Hashtag Suggestions | |||
| Analytics | |||
| Pinterest Analytics | |||
| Best Time to Post | |||
| Competitor Tracking | Competitor tracking + listening | Not for Pinterest | |
| Platform | |||
| Multi-Platform | Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest | Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Reddit, Snapchat, Google Business | Pinterest focused |
| Mobile App | |||
| Team Collaboration | Approvals on Advanced plan | Approvals on Professional+ | Business plan |
Pros & Cons for Pinterest
Strengths and weaknesses for Pinterest pin workflows
Hootsuite
Pros
- Comprehensive platform that covers everything
- Team approval workflows (Advanced plan)
- Social listening and competitor monitoring built in
- Enterprise-grade security and compliance features
- Bulk scheduler for up to 350 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
- Starts at $99 per user/month billed annually; approvals need the $399 Advanced plan
Sprout Social
Pros
- Best-in-class analytics and reporting across all platforms
- Beautiful, polished interface that teams actually enjoy using
- Social listening available as a paid add-on (Standard and up)
- Approval workflows for teams (Professional and up)
- CRM-like features for managing audience relationships
- Competitor reports for Facebook, X and Instagram (Professional and up)
Cons
- Extremely expensive for what it offers Pinterest users
- Pinterest is a minor platform in their ecosystem
- No Pinterest-specific features like recycling or templates
- Per-seat pricing makes team costs add up fast, and bulk scheduling needs the $299/seat Professional plan
- Overkill for anyone focused primarily on Pinterest
- No automation for pin creation from website content
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.”
Sprout Social Reviews
“No other social management platform matches its extensive capabilities, delightful UX, and excellent customer service.”
“They charged our American Express almost double the agreed contract amount and refused to have someone speak with us.”
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
Sprout Social
- Enterprise teams managing 5+ social platforms
- Agencies that need client reporting and social listening
- Companies that need CRM-level social media management
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 Sprout Social are both enterprise social media management platforms that support Pinterest scheduling and analytics. The choice between them is about enterprise feature preferences, not Pinterest capability. For Pinterest-focused use, both are overpriced — their per-seat pricing buys no pin creation tools. Purpose-built Pinterest tools deliver better ROI at a fraction of the investment.
Enterprise Analytics
Sprout Social offers polished analytics with strong reporting customization, including Pinterest profile and post reports. Its competitor reports cover Facebook, X, and Instagram, not Pinterest.
Hootsuite provides comprehensive analytics with social listening, competitive benchmarking, and ad management. Its analytics breadth covers more ground, including paid social integration.
Team Features
Both offer enterprise team management with task assignment and role-based access; Hootsuite reserves approval workflows for its Advanced plan. Sprout Social's team interface is generally considered more polished. Hootsuite offers more customization for complex org structures.
For Pinterest team management, both provide adequate workflows. The differences are in enterprise UX preferences rather than Pinterest-specific capability.
Pinterest-Specific Value
Neither platform offers pin design templates, Pinterest SEO tools, pin recycling, or pin creation automation. Both schedule image and video pins to boards with analytics and suggested posting times — capabilities available from tools costing far less.
For Pinterest, these tools provide solid enterprise social management but no Pinterest-specific innovation. Pin creation remains entirely manual.
Price Perspective
Entry prices are close: Hootsuite Standard at $99/user/mo versus Sprout Social Essentials at $79/seat/mo, both billed annually. But Sprout reserves bulk scheduling and AI Assist for its Professional plan ($399/seat/mo, or $299 billed annually), so the real comparison depends on which features you need.
Either tool's entry seat costs more per month than most Pinterest-specific tools that provide better Pinterest functionality.
Pin Creation Automation
Even on its higher tiers, Sprout Social doesn't automate pin creation, and neither does Hootsuite. The enterprise features excel at management and measurement but miss the creation bottleneck.
BlogToPin automates pin creation from blog content for less than either platform's entry seat. For Pinterest ROI, automated creation outperforms enterprise analytics.
Final Verdict
Choose between these tools based on enterprise social media needs, not Pinterest capability. Both provide similar Pinterest features at comparable per-seat entry prices.
For Pinterest marketing specifically, a Pinterest-native tool such as Tailwind or BlogToPin provides more Pinterest value for less than either enterprise seat.
Want pins created automatically?
Both Hootsuite and Sprout Social require manual pin creation. BlogToPin generates pins from your website with AI — no design work needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
6 questions answered about Hootsuite vs Sprout Social
Hootsuite vs Sprout Social — which is better for Pinterest pin scheduling?
For Pinterest specifically, they are comparable. Both schedule pins to boards, suggest posting times, and provide analytics, but neither creates pins. Choose based on enterprise needs: Hootsuite from $99/user/mo (billed annually) for broader feature breadth and social listening, or Sprout Social from $79/seat/mo billed annually ($99 monthly) for more polished analytics and a refined team interface.
Is either Hootsuite or Sprout Social worth the price for Pinterest-only use?
No. Both are enterprise platforms priced per seat for multi-platform social media management. Their Pinterest capabilities — scheduling, posting-time suggestions, and analytics — are available from tools costing far less. Tailwind at $29.99/mo ($17.99/mo billed annually) adds Pinterest-specific features like SmartSchedule and SmartPin.
What is the best Pinterest alternative to both Hootsuite and Sprout Social?
A Pinterest-native tool: Tailwind for Pinterest scheduling intelligence (SmartSchedule, SmartPin, Turbo), or BlogToPin for automated pin creation from blog content. Either costs less than an entry seat on Hootsuite or Sprout Social while delivering more Pinterest-specific functionality.
How do Hootsuite and Sprout Social compare on Pinterest analytics?
Sprout Social offers polished analytics with strong reporting customization, including Pinterest profile and post reports, though its competitor reports don't cover Pinterest. Hootsuite provides broader analytics with social listening and competitive benchmarking. For Pinterest-specific performance data, the difference between them is marginal and neither matches the depth of dedicated Pinterest analytics tools.
Can I justify paying for Sprout Social just for Pinterest?
Usually not. Sprout Social starts at $99/seat/mo ($79 billed annually), its Standard plan is $249/seat/mo ($199 billed annually), and bulk scheduling and AI Assist require Professional at $399/seat/mo ($299 billed annually). That pricing reflects team workflows and multi-platform management. For Pinterest marketing alone, purpose-built tools like Tailwind or BlogToPin deliver more Pinterest value at a fraction of the cost.
Do either Hootsuite or Sprout Social help create Pinterest pins?
Neither tool turns your content into designed pins. Both are enterprise management platforms focused on scheduling, analytics, and team collaboration; Hootsuite's Wisdom AI and Sprout Social's AI Assist help with captions, but pin designs must come from elsewhere. BlogToPin automates pin creation from blog content for less than either tool's entry seat.
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.