Social Media Collaboration Software: The Ultimate Guide for SMM Teams

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Author: Robert Goldenowl; Date of publishing: September 16, 2025
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Social media marketing is rarely a solo endeavor. Modern SMM specialists and digital marketers often juggle multiple platforms, campaigns, and client approvals with their team. Social media collaboration software is designed to make that process smoother – helping teams plan, create, and publish content together without the chaos of endless email threads or spreadsheets. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about social media collaboration tools (and how to choose the best one) in a professional yet approachable way. Let’s dive in!

What Is Social Media Collaboration Software?

Social media collaboration software refers to platforms that help teams work together seamlessly on social media content planning, creation, and management. Instead of scattering ideas and files across chats and emails, these tools bring everything into one shared workspace. The goal is simple: streamline teamwork so that every post – from initial concept to final approval – goes through a smooth, organized workflow.
Key capabilities of social media collaboration tools typically include:
● Unified Content Calendar: A centralized calendar for scheduling and visualizing posts across multiple social channels, so nothing falls through the cracks. This offers a bird’s-eye view of all campaigns and content in one place.
● Real-Time Team Collaboration: Features like comments, internal chat, and live post editing allow team members (and clients) to brainstorm, give feedback, and make edits together instantly.
● Approval Workflows: Customizable approval processes ensure that every tweet, post, or video is reviewed and approved by the right people before going live. This prevents mistakes and maintains brand consistency.
● Task & Role Management: Role-based access and task assignment let you designate who’s responsible for what (copywriting, design, posting, etc.), keeping everyone accountable and avoiding overlap.
● Multi-Platform Integration: These tools connect with major social networks (Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, etc.) so that teams can plan and publish to all channels from one hub.
In short, social media collaboration software is the backbone of an efficient social media team. It’s all about transparency and teamwork – giving everyone from content creators to managers a central place to coordinate and execute social campaigns.

How to Find the Best Social Media Collaboration Software

With so many options on the market, how do you choose the right collaboration platform for your needs? The key is to identify your team’s priorities and evaluate each tool against those criteria. Consider the following when hunting for the best solution:

  • 1) Features & Functionality

    Ensure the software offers the capabilities you need – content calendar, approvals, team chat, analytics, etc. A tool that lacks critical features could hinder your workflow.

    Make a list of “must-have” features (e.g. multi-level approvals, visual calendar) and verify each tool meets these needs. Look for feature lists or demos on the vendor’s site.

  • 2) Ease of Use (User Experience)

    A user-friendly interface means your team can onboard quickly and actually enjoy using the tool. Complicated, clunky software can slow your team down.

    Try a free trial or demo. Notice if navigation feels intuitive. Read user reviews for mentions of the tool’s learning curve.

  • 3) Integration & Compatibility

    Your collaboration software should play nice with your existing workflow. Seamless integration with social networks and other tools (CRM, project management, cloud drives) saves time.

    Check the platform’s integrations page. Ensure it connects to all the social platforms you use and any other apps you rely on (Slack, Google Drive, etc.).

  • 4) Team Size & Collaboration Needs

    Some tools limit the number of users or social accounts on lower plans. You want a solution that scales with your team and supports your collaboration style (internal teams, clients, or both).

    Review pricing tiers for user or account limits. If you work with clients, look for client-facing features like guest approvals or content sharing links.

  • 5) Pricing & Value

    Budgets matter. Prices for these tools can range from free to enterprise-level. The value is what features you get for the cost. Make sure it’s justified.

    Compare pricing plans directly. Calculate the monthly/yearly cost per user or per social profile. Some platforms offer free plans or trials – take advantage to gauge value.

  • 6) Customer Support & Reliability

    If something breaks close to a posting deadline, responsive support is a lifesaver. A reliable, well-supported tool reduces stress for your team.

    Look for reviews mentioning support quality. Check if the vendor offers live chat, dedicated support, or a help center. A strong uptime record or user base can indicate reliability.

By weighing the above factors, you can narrow down your options. For example, a small agency on a tight budget might prioritize pricing and ease of use, while a large enterprise might focus on advanced features and integration with other corporate tools. Next, let’s explore some of the top social media collaboration software options available today and see how they stack up.

Top 5 Best Social Media Collaboration Software

Based on features, user feedback, and overall value, we’ve handpicked five of the best social media collaboration tools for teams. Each has its own strengths suited to different needs – from scrappy small businesses to large digital agencies. Here’s an in-depth look at the top contenders:

1. Planable

Planable

Overview: Planable is a content collaboration platform built specifically for social media teams and agencies. It offers an intuitive, visual environment where marketers can draft posts, invite feedback, and get approvals – all before anything goes live. If your priority is streamlining the planning and approval process for social media content, Planable is one of the leading solutions to consider. Teams can collaborate in real-time on content across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Google Business, and more.
Planable’s content calendar interface provides a visual hub for teams to schedule and organize posts across multiple social platforms. Its sleek calendar and feed views make campaign planning transparent and even fun, allowing users to drag-and-drop posts to reschedule in seconds. Color-coded labels, filters, and content previews (as shown above) help ensure everyone is on the same page about what’s going out when.

Key Features: Planable’s collaboration features are robust by design. Notable capabilities include:
● Multi-Level Approval Workflows: You can require one or multiple layers of approval for posts (e.g. copywriter > manager > client), or set approvals as optional, ensuring content is fully vetted before publishing. This drastically reduces the risk of accidental or off-brand posts.
● Real-Time Feedback & Commenting: Team members and clients can leave contextual comments directly on post previews (including text and emoji feedback). All discussion stays next to the content, eliminating long email chains.
● Shared Workspaces: Organize content by brand or project in separate workspaces. Each workspace has its own members, calendars, and media library, which is great for agencies managing multiple clients.
● Asset Storage (Media Library): Planable provides a central media library to store images, videos, and other assets for easy re-use – no more hunting through folders for that logo or graphic.
● Calendar & Feed Views: Toggle between a calendar view, list view, grid, or even a mock feed view to preview exactly how posts will look once published. This visual approach helps catch mistakes and align content with each platform’s look.
● Platform Integrations: Direct publishing integration with major social networks (including support for newer platforms and formats like Instagram Reels, TikTok, etc.). You can schedule content to multiple channels in one go, and even group posts by campaign.

Pricing: Planable offers a free plan (allowing up to 50 scheduled posts per month) for trying out the basics. Its paid plans are structured by workspaces and posts: Basic starts at $39/month for one workspace (with additional workspaces or higher post limits as add-ons). The Pro plan is $59/month with expanded features, and custom Enterprise packages are available for large teams.
Tip: Because Planable’s pricing is based on number of workspaces and posts, it’s quite flexible – you’re not charged per user, which can make it cost-efficient for teams.

Pros:
● Intuitive & Easy to Use: Planable’s interface is very clean and marketer-friendly, so teams adopt it quickly. Little training is required to get started.
● Tailored for Collaboration: Every feature (comments, multi-views, approvals) is geared toward making teamwork easier. It’s built around the specific needs of social content workflows, not just a generic scheduler.
● Seamless Client Collaboration: Agencies love Planable because they can invite clients to approve or comment on posts without endless back-and-forth. Clients see exactly how the post will look and can “bless” it with one click.
● Flexible Approval Levels: The ability to configure none/optional/required/multi-step approvals provides safety nets for brands. You can move fast on low-risk posts but enforce strict checks on sensitive campaigns.

Cons:
● Free Plan Limitations: The free tier’s 50-post limit may be too low for active users, meaning most teams will need a paid plan after trialing.
● Pricing Structure for Workspaces: If you manage many brands, costs can add up. Some users note they pay for additional workspaces or profiles they might not fully use. Example: One reviewer disliked having to pay for a second workspace/profile just to separate content for a boss, even if that profile wasn’t using all features.
● No Native Social Inbox: Planable is focused on content production and approval. It does have basic analytics, but it’s not an all-in-one engagement tool – you’ll need a separate solution to monitor and reply to comments or messages on your posts.

Customer Comments: Users often praise how Planable has transformed their workflow. This highlights Planable’s strength in delivering a smoother experience compared to some older tools. For instance, one social media manager said:

“Planable is very easy to use... its robust features are what sold us. I use it every day... So glad we found Planable. So much better than Buffer and Hootsuite – both of which we’ve used previously.”

Source: Verified G2 Review | Planable

2. Hootsuite

Hootsuite

Overview: Hootsuite is one of the most recognizable names in social media management. It’s a veteran platform (founded in 2008) that offers a comprehensive suite of tools for scheduling, monitoring, and analyzing social media – with solid collaboration features for teams. Hootsuite serves as a “social media command center” for many organizations, unifying all your accounts in one dashboard. From a collaboration standpoint, Hootsuite allows multiple team members to work together on content calendars, assign tasks (like responding to a Tweet or comment), and set up approval flows for outgoing posts. It’s trusted by many large companies and agencies for coordinating complex social media operations at scale.

Key Features: Hootsuite is packed with features, which can be both a blessing and a curse (there’s a lot to navigate). Some highlights relevant to collaboration include:
● Unified Content Calendar: Hootsuite provides a cross-network calendar where you can plan and preview posts. The drag-and-drop scheduler makes it easy to adjust timing, and you can see all your scheduled content in a clear, visual layout.
● Team Collaboration Tools: You can have multiple users with various permission levels (admins, editors, limited contributors, etc.). There’s an approval workflow feature where, for example, a junior team member can draft a post and a senior member or client can approve it before it’s published.
● Streams for Monitoring & Engagement: Hootsuite’s dashboard lets teams set up streams (columns) to monitor mentions, keywords, or specific feeds. Team members can be assigned to respond to incoming messages or comments, which is great for shared social customer service duties.
● Social Listening & Analytics: While not purely about collaboration, Hootsuite’s analytics and listening tools allow the whole team to stay informed on performance and audience sentiment. Everyone can view unified reports, which supports data-driven teamwork.
● Content Library: There’s a repository for storing brand-approved images, templates, and post drafts that team members can use – keeping content on-brand and avoiding duplicate work.
● Integrations & Apps: Hootsuite integrates with many third-party tools (like Dropbox for media, Canva for design, and various CRM systems). It also has an App Directory to plug in extensions, which teams might use to connect project management or chat tools for smoother collaboration.

Pricing: Hootsuite’s pricing is on the higher end, especially since a recent shift to per-user plans. The Standard plan starts around $99 per user/month (billed annually) and allows up to 5 social accounts. The Advanced plan (with more features and unlimited social accounts) is about **$249 per user/month. There’s no longer a free plan (as of now), and even small teams can find themselves on the Team plan (~$249/month for 3 users in some pricing models). Enterprise plans for larger organizations run much higher. Bottom line: Hootsuite is powerful but consider the budget – costs can add up quickly as you add team members.

Pros:
● All-in-One Solution: Hootsuite combines publishing, engagement, and analytics in one platform, reducing the need for multiple tools. Teams can do everything from scheduling posts to responding to followers without leaving the dashboard.
● Strong Collaboration & Approval Features: The platform is built with teams in mind – you can easily share access to social accounts without sharing passwords, assign tasks, and use internal notes to coordinate who’s handling what. The built-in approval process is very handy for larger teams with strict oversight needs.
● Broad Platform Support: Hootsuite supports a wide range of networks (including newer ones like Threads or TikTok via integrations). If you’re managing many social channels, chances are Hootsuite can connect to all of them. It’s also consistently updated with API changes and new features from social networks.
● Reputable and Trusted: With thousands of customers and having been an industry leader for years, Hootsuite is a proven solution. They also offer lots of educational resources, webinars, and even certifications, which can help teams improve their social strategy (beyond just using the tool).

Cons:
● High Cost for Teams: Hootsuite’s pricing can be prohibitive for small businesses or growing teams. Since you pay per user on most plans, expanding your social team means significantly higher costs. Some features (like advanced analytics or social listening) are only in pricier plans or add-ons.
● Steeper Learning Curve: Because it’s feature-rich, new users might find Hootsuite’s interface a bit overwhelming at first. It’s not as visually sleek or simple as some newer tools. Training may be required so that team members use it efficiently and don’t get confused by all the tabs and streams.
● Performance Issues at Scale: Anecdotally, some users report that the dashboard can become sluggish when you have many streams or accounts connected. Also, the mobile app experience isn’t as robust as the desktop for team collaboration tasks.
● Recent Changes Unpopular: Hootsuite has made some pricing and feature changes in recent years (e.g. removing free plans, limiting reports on lower tiers) that have frustrated users. Ensure the current plans align with your needs, as older online advice might be outdated.

Customer Comments: Many social media managers still swear by Hootsuite for its reliability. One specialist noted, “It lets me plan out posts and respond to comments and messages without leaving the platform.” This convenience of centralization is a big draw. Another user described Hootsuite as “the social-media command center we didn’t know we were missing”, praising its unified calendar and approval workflow that let their directors approve content with one click. On the flip side, some users have voiced concerns about pricing, with one review stating the need for more affordable options for small teams. Overall, if budget permits, Hootsuite remains a powerful “one-stop-shop” for social media management and collaboration.

“It allows me to schedule all my posts and reply to any comments and messages within the same platform.”

Source: Verified G2 Review | Hootsuite

3. Sprout Social

Sprout Social

Overview: Sprout Social is an advanced social media management platform known for its polished interface and powerful features – particularly in analytics and engagement. It is often touted as an enterprise-grade tool, suitable for organizations that need more than just basic scheduling. For team collaboration, Sprout Social shines with features like a Smart Inbox that aggregates messages from all your social profiles, making it easy for a team to handle community management collaboratively. It also supports robust user roles, task assignments, and even social CRM integration (so your social team can work closely with customer support or sales teams). Sprout is a premium product (with a premium price tag), but it’s beloved by many digital agencies and larger brands for its reliability and depth.

Key Features: Sprout Social offers a wide array of capabilities. Here are the highlights that matter for collaboration:
● Smart Inbox for Team Engagement: All incoming messages, comments, and mentions from different platforms funnel into one unified inbox. Team members can tag or assign messages to each other, ensuring every inquiry gets a response without duplication. This is fantastic for teams triaging social media customer service – you won’t step on each other’s toes replying because it’s clear who’s handling what.
● Collaboration and Roles: Sprout provides role-based access control. For example, you can designate certain users who can draft posts but not publish until approved, or have managers who oversee multiple team members. Internal comments and notes can be added to posts or messages, so context is shared across the team.
● Publishing Calendar & Scheduler: Like others, Sprout has a content calendar for scheduling posts. It supports approval workflows as well – a drafted post can be marked pending approval and routed to a supervisor within the tool. Sprout also recently introduced an AI assistant to help with content (which might aid teams in brainstorming copy).
● Analytics & Reporting: Sprout’s reporting is top-notch. Teams can collaborate on building reports or dashboards that matter to them – whether it’s tracking campaign performance or response times. Data can be exported and shared easily. These reports enable data-driven collaboration, as everyone on the team can see what’s working and adjust strategy accordingly.
● Social Listening and Trends: For larger-scale collaboration (especially between the social team and other departments), Sprout’s listening tool can surface trending topics or brand sentiment. This helps inform content creation in real-time. Multiple team members can access these insights and brainstorm responses or content around them.
● Integrations: Sprout integrates with tools like CRM systems, helpdesk software, project management apps, and more. This means your social media collaboration doesn’t happen in a vacuum – it can tie into your company’s broader workflows (e.g., creating a sales lead from a social conversation, or logging a support issue).

Pricing: Sprout Social is one of the pricier options. Its plans (as of 2025) start at $199 per user/month for the Standard plan, which includes core features like the all-in-one inbox and content scheduling. The Professional and Advanced plans run at $299 and $349 per user/month (billed annually) respectively, unlocking additional features like tagging, advanced analytics, and automation. Notably, these prices are per user – so a team of 5 could easily be spending thousands per month on Sprout. There is a 30-day free trial to test it out, but no free plan. Sprout positions itself at the higher end of the market, so it’s usually aimed at mid-size to enterprise teams or agencies with a budget for a premium tool.

Pros:
● Robust Team Workflow Tools: Sprout is built for team efficiency. The Smart Inbox and task assignment features ensure nothing is missed and work is distributed clearly. Collaboration feels very “in-sync” – for example, you can see if a colleague is currently replying to a message in real-time.
● Excellent Reporting & Insights: Sprout’s analytics help not just social managers but entire marketing teams strategize together. All the data on content performance and audience demographics is at your fingertips. Teams can easily generate reports to share with higher-ups or clients, demonstrating the impact of their social efforts.
● User-Friendly Interface: Despite its power, Sprout’s design is often praised. It’s modern and clean, making it easier for teams to navigate daily. New team members can typically get the hang of basics quickly (though mastering all features might take time).
● All-in-One Platform: With Sprout, you don’t need separate tools for engagement vs. publishing vs. reporting. It’s all integrated. This centralization is a big plus for collaboration because everyone logs into the same platform and has a holistic view of what’s happening on social.
● Great Customer Support: Sprout Social is known for responsive customer service and a helpful knowledge base. They even have an online user community (#SproutChat). If your team runs into issues or needs training, Sprout’s support can be a valuable safety net.

Cons:
● High Cost: There’s no way around it – Sprout is expensive. For small organizations, the price might outweigh the benefits. Essential features like content tagging and certain kinds of reports are locked into the higher-tier plans, which can be frustrating. Budget-conscious teams might need to look at more affordable alternatives.
● Limited Content Creation Features: Sprout is great at management, but it doesn’t provide tools for creating graphics or videos (you’d use Canva or others for that, possibly via integration). It’s mostly about managing and analyzing. This isn’t a huge con, but worth noting since some cheaper tools include built-in simple design editors.
● Less Specialized for Approvals: Sprout does have approval flows, but it’s not as specialized in the content review/approval area as tools like Planable or Loomly. Teams that work heavily with external clients or a lot of drafts might find Sprout’s approval system a bit basic (e.g., no multi-level conditional approvals – it’s often one-level).
● Learning Curve for Advanced Features: Basic use is easy, but to fully leverage Sprout (listening queries, custom tagging, CRM integrations), team members may need training. It’s a sophisticated tool, which can be overkill if your needs are simple.

Customer Comments: Sprout Social garners love from many professionals. One digital content specialist wrote, “I like how polished Sprout Social is — it covers pretty much everything I need, like analytics, scheduling, and inbox management, all in one place.” Another favorite point in reviews is the Smart Inbox: “Sprout Social is a great tool for social media management and social listening. My favorite part about Sprout Social is the combined social messaging inbox.” This shows how Sprout simplifies teamwork by consolidating conversations. On the downside, users often mention the high price, wishing it were more accessible to smaller teams. Overall, Sprout Social is ideal for organizations that need a comprehensive, collaborative tool and are willing to invest in it for the extensive capabilities and reliable performance it provides.

“Sprout Social is well designed and offers nearly every feature I could ask for. With analytics, scheduling, inbox management and more, this app is pretty much a one stop shop.”

Source: Verified G2 Review | Sprout Social

4. Buffer

Buffer

Overview: Buffer is a popular social media management tool known for its simplicity and affordability – particularly for individuals and small teams. While Buffer started as a straightforward scheduling app, it has evolved to include collaboration-friendly features, especially with its Team plan. It’s not as full-featured as something like Sprout or Hootsuite in terms of analytics or inbox, but Buffer hits a sweet spot for many growing businesses that need to coordinate social posting without a steep learning curve. Essentially, Buffer makes it easy to plan and publish content across multiple accounts with your team, hassle-free.

Key Features: Buffer keeps things focused mainly on content scheduling and light engagement. Key collaboration-related features include:
● Team Collaboration & Permissions: Buffer’s Team plan allows you to add unlimited users to your organization, each with their own login. You can assign different permission levels – for instance, some team members can create draft posts but require approval to publish, while others have full publishing rights. This is great for maintaining oversight without micromanaging.
● Drafts and Approvals: Within Buffer, users can save posts as drafts. Editors or managers can then review these drafts and approve them for the queue. This built-in approval system ensures content quality and consistency.
● Content Calendar & Queues: Buffer provides a content calendar view and a queue view for each social profile. The calendar gives a visual layout of scheduled posts (useful for teams to see the overall plan), and the queue shows the next posts in line. Teams can collaboratively fill up the queue with content ideas.
● Idea Management (Buffer’s “Ideas” feature): There’s a collaborative space in Buffer called Ideas (formerly “Content Inbox”) where team members can drop in ideas for posts. It’s like a holding area for content inspiration that any team member can contribute to. This is useful for brainstorming – social media managers can then pick up those ideas and turn them into actual posts.
● Notes and Feedback: Team members can leave notes on posts (for example, “Needs better image” or “Approved by client on email”). While not as elaborate as some tools’ comment threads, these notes still help coordinate multiple people working on content.
● Multi-Channel Support: Buffer connects with all major social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business, and even newer ones like TikTok, Threads, and Mastodon via recent updates). This means your team can manage a broad social presence together in one place. Buffer also supports first-comment scheduling on Instagram and tagging users in posts, which helps with collaborative workflow for those networks.

Pricing: Buffer’s pricing is very transparent and modular. They offer a Free plan for individuals (manage up to 3 channels with basic tools). For collaboration, you’ll need a paid plan. The Essentials plan is around $6 per month per social channel and is mainly for one user (it adds features like analytics, but no extra users). The real collaborative power comes with the Team plan, which costs about $12 per month per social channel and includes unlimited users plus the full set of collaboration features. Importantly, Buffer’s pricing is per channel, not per user – so you can have as many team members as you want without raising the cost, which is a big advantage. For example, if you manage 5 social profiles on the Team plan, it’s $60/month (5 × $12), whether you have 2 users or 10 users. Buffer also provides a 14-day free trial of the Team plan to test those features.

Pros:
● Very Easy to Use: Buffer is often praised for its clean, intuitive interface. Team members can pick it up quickly, even if they’re not tech-savvy. Scheduling a post or approving a draft is straightforward, which reduces friction in collaboration.
● Affordable for Small Teams: The pricing structure (no extra cost for more users) is budget-friendly. Small businesses or agencies can collaborate without each additional team member incurring a big fee. Plus, the availability of a free plan for basic needs is a nice perk.
● Focus on Core Scheduling: Buffer does one thing really well – scheduling content. It provides features like optimal timing suggestions and a straightforward queue that keep everyone organized on posting duties. If your team’s main goal is to keep a steady flow of content, Buffer ensures you’re all on track.
● Content Ideas Space: The collaborative ideas space is a unique plus – it’s great for content teams to toss in links, thoughts, or requests for social posts in one place. This encourages team brainstorming and makes sure no good idea gets lost in Slack or email.
● Responsive Support and Community: Buffer has a reputation for good customer support and a friendly community of users. They also publish a lot of helpful content and updates (Buffer’s own marketing team is very transparent, often sharing what tools they use and how they work, which can inspire your team’s processes).

Cons:
● Limited Advanced Features: Buffer is not an all-in-one powerhouse. It lacks a social inbox for managing comments/DMs (Buffer did introduce a separate product called “Reply” in the past, but it’s not part of the main app by default). Also, its analytics, while useful, are simpler compared to tools like Sprout or Hootsuite. Teams looking for deep reporting or listening capabilities might find Buffer insufficient on its own.
● No Native Approval Logs: While Buffer allows approvals, it doesn’t maintain highly detailed approval logs or multi-stage approvals. It’s basically “draft → pending approval → approved.” This is fine for many, but large teams might need more nuance or want to see who approved what at what time (Buffer’s simplicity means some of that detail isn’t there).
● Collaborative Features Only on Highest Plan: The free and Essentials plans are essentially single-user. So to truly use Buffer as “collaboration” software, you have to be on the Team plan. This is understandable, but if someone tries Buffer on the free plan they won’t see any of the multi-user functionality until they upgrade.
● Lacks Listening/Monitoring: Buffer doesn’t help your team when it comes to monitoring brand mentions or industry keywords – you’d need another tool for social listening. If real-time engagement or monitoring is a big part of your team’s workflow, Buffer alone won’t cover that (whereas some other suites would).

Customer Comments: Users often highlight Buffer’s simplicity. A common sentiment is that Buffer is “A good pick if you just need the basics for publishing and republishing fast.” Social media managers appreciate that even clients or interns can use Buffer with little training. One review on G2 mentioned that Buffer’s interface “makes it simple for anyone to schedule and manage social posts” – which is gold for busy teams. On the flip side, some users note that Buffer can feel a bit too basic if you need more than just scheduling. For example, agencies might start with Buffer but eventually outgrow it if they require more analytics or integrated engagement tools. In summary, Buffer is ideal for small to mid-sized teams that want a no-fuss collaboration tool primarily for scheduling content. It keeps everyone organized and on schedule, without a hefty price or steep learning curve.

“A great option for those who want to publish and re-publish quickly using basic social media features.”

Source: Verified G2 Review | Buffer

5. Loomly

Loomly

Overview: Loomly markets itself as a “brand success platform,” but at its heart, it’s a powerful social media collaboration and scheduling tool. It has gained a lot of traction with social media teams and agencies due to its strong focus on workflow and ease of use. If you’re looking for a tool that bakes collaboration into every step of content planning – from drafting posts to getting approvals and analyzing results – Loomly is a top contender. It supports multiple users, multiple brands (calendars), and is especially friendly for those who handle social media for various clients or departments. Notably, Loomly stands out for offering generous collaboration features even on its lower-tier plans, making it accessible to smaller teams that need professional approval workflows.

Key Features: Loomly offers end-to-end support for the social content lifecycle. Here’s what makes it great for collaboration:
● Multiple Collaborators & User Roles: Even Loomly’s Base plan includes 2 user seats (something many tools don’t offer on basic plans). As your plan tiers go up, you get more users included. You can invite team members, clients, or contractors into Loomly easily. Permissions can be set so that certain users can only view or comment, while others can create and approve posts. This ensures everyone involved – from content creators to managers to external stakeholders – can collaborate in one place.
● Custom Approval Workflows: Loomly has a sophisticated approval system. You can configure whether a post needs approval and by whom. For instance, you might require a client’s approval on all posts, or a senior manager’s approval on certain campaign posts. The platform will notify the right people at the right time to approve content, and nothing gets published until it’s greenlit.
● Content Creation & Optimization: Loomly provides a post builder that gives you live post previews for each platform, so the team can see how the content will look on Facebook vs. Instagram, etc. It also offers helpful tips (like suggested optimal posting times and hashtag recommendations) which can spark team discussion on content choices. There’s an in-app integration with design tools like Canva and Giphy, meaning your designer can jump in to create or attach visuals quickly.
● Multi-Calendar System: If your team manages multiple brands or social profiles, Loomly’s structure of having separate content calendars for each brand (or project) is very useful. You can keep campaigns segmented by brand while still having an overview dashboard to glance at everything. Team members can be assigned to specific calendars, keeping client work nicely separated.
● Collaboration and Commenting: Team members and clients can comment on content within Loomly. There’s a conversation pane for each post where feedback can be given. Users often note how this keeps all the revision history and suggestions in context, rather than scattered in emails. Also, Loomly allows client collaborators to approve or comment on posts without requiring them to log into the platform (they can do so via a simple interface), which lowers friction for external approvals.
● Analytics & Improvement: After publishing, Loomly offers analytics for posts and social accounts. While not as deep as enterprise tools, these insights (engagement, reach, etc.) can be shared among the team to discuss what’s working. It helps in collaborative decision-making for future content. Loomly also has a feature called “Loomly Score” giving suggestions to improve posts as you create them – almost like a built-in coach that the whole team can learn from.

Pricing: Loomly’s pricing is considered mid-range and quite flexible. They have several tiers (Base, Standard, Advanced, Premium, and Enterprise). For example, the Base plan is $32/month (when billed annually) and includes 10 social accounts and 2 users. Higher plans increase the number of accounts and users – Standard (~$68/mo) offers 20 social accounts and 6 users, Advanced (~$172/mo) offers 35 accounts and 16 users, and Premium (~$332/mo) goes up to 50 accounts and 26 users (pricing as of late 2024). These plans also come with features like ad budget management and advanced analytics at higher tiers. Importantly, Loomly is often noted to be 60-70% cheaper than equivalent plans of competitors like Hootsuite or Sprout for comparable team sizes and accounts. They also offer a 15-day free trial. Recently, some users reported price increases for older subscriptions (Loomly adjusted pricing to match its growth), but it still generally beats many big-name competitors in cost-value ratio.

Pros:
● Collaboration-Focused Features: Customers love that “collaboration is baked into the entire platform” in Loomly. From the get-go, it’s built for team input and multi-level approvals. Even on the cheapest plan you’re not working alone, and that’s a huge plus for small teams.
● User-Friendly Interface: Loomly manages to pack a lot of features in without feeling overwhelming. The design is clean and modern. The learning curve is relatively low – teams can get up and running quickly, which is important if you don’t have time for extensive training. One person can easily show another how to use Loomly in a short time.
● Great for Agencies/Multiple Clients: If you’re an agency or social media freelancer collaborating with clients, Loomly is tailor-made for you. The multi-calendar setup and client-friendly approval process (no complex logins required for clients to just click approve) remove many headaches from client collaboration.
● Transparent, Value-Driven Pricing: Loomly’s pricing gives you a lot of bang for your buck. You’re not charged per user or per extra feature – the plans are straightforward. All plans come with unlimited scheduling, unlimited storage for media, and core features included (no paywalls for essential features). This transparency is refreshing compared to some competitors that charge add-ons for things like more users or extra analytics.
● Responsive Support: Loomly has a reputation for fast and helpful customer service. Their average support ticket response is within 30 minutes, which is excellent. When your team is collaborating on time-sensitive campaigns, quick support is very reassuring.

Cons:
● No Built-in Social Inbox: Similar to Planable, Loomly is mostly about content creation and publishing. It doesn’t have an integrated social listening or unified inbox for engagement. So your team will need another solution for community management (replying to comments, DMs, etc.) or just handle that natively on each platform.
● Limited AI or Newer Tech Features: As of 2025, Loomly does not have AI content generation tools integrated (whereas some competitors are adding AI assistants). While not a big drawback for many, teams that want cutting-edge AI suggestions or automated social listening alerts might find Loomly lacking in those emerging areas.
● Analytics Depth: Loomly’s analytics, while good for an overview, may not satisfy a data-hungry team. The metrics are standard; you might not get highly detailed reports or the ability to deeply customize them as you would in Sprout Social or a dedicated analytics tool. Large teams might still export data to analyze further.
● Recent Price Changes: There have been discussions (like Reddit threads) about Loomly increasing prices for some users drastically (from grandfathered low rates to current rates). This caused concern for some long-time users. If your team is on a tight budget, it’s worth keeping an eye on pricing changes after your initial subscription period.

Customer Comments: Many in the social media community have become Loomly evangelists. A common theme is that Loomly offers “The strongest set of features at one of the best price points.”. Social media managers appreciate how easy it is to onboard clients and team members – one said that even their non-savvy clients found it simple to review and approve posts in Loomly. Another reviewer highlighted the relief of having two user seats on the base plan, as they no longer had to share logins or pay extra just to collaborate with one colleague. On the flip side, users do wish Loomly would implement a social inbox or monitoring to round out the platform. Overall, Loomly is celebrated for making professional-grade collaboration accessible to teams of all sizes, ensuring even a small social team can operate with the polish of a large agency.

“The best feature mix at one of the most competitive price points”

Source: Verified G2 Review | Loomly

Quotes from SMM Specialists on Collaboration Tools

One of the best ways to understand the value of social media collaboration software is to hear directly from social media managers and practitioners who use these tools daily. Here are some real quotes from SMM specialists sharing their experiences:

“Planable is very easy to use. It’s intuitive, yes, but its robust features are what sold us... I use it every day. If it weren’t for needing to schedule content for our Google My Business page, we wouldn’t have found Planable. So glad we did. So much better than Buffer and Hootsuite – both of which we’ve used previously.”

Terry D., Social Media Manager

“It allows me to schedule all my posts and reply to any comments and messages within the same platform.”

Miriam A., Digital Marketing Specialist (on Hootsuite)

“Sprout Social is a great tool to use for social media management and social listening. My favorite part about Sprout Social is the combined social messaging inbox.”

Christina S., Social Media & Digital Content Specialist

“Hootsuite’s unified calendar and drag-and-drop scheduler turn our sprawling lineup of community posts into a single, crystal-clear roadmap. The built-in approval workflow lets Executive Directors bless content with one click.”

Shauna D., Social Media Specialist

These quotes highlight the practical benefits that real users care about – from having a one-stop hub for scheduling and engagement, to the convenience of unified calendars and streamlined approvals. In short, social media professionals often credit collaboration software with saving them time, preventing mistakes, and bringing peace of mind to their daily workflow.

FAQ: Social Media Collaboration Software

Below we answer some common questions about social media collaboration tools, in case you’re still wondering about the specifics:

What exactly does social media collaboration software do (that regular social media schedulers don’t)?

Social media collaboration software goes beyond basic scheduling. It provides a shared workspace for teams to plan content together, comment and give feedback in real time, and manage approvals before publishing. In short, it’s built for teamwork. Regular scheduling tools might let one person queue posts; collaboration tools let multiple people coordinate on posts – ensuring consistency and saving time when working in a team.

Why is a collaboration tool important for social media teams?

When multiple people are involved in a brand’s social media, coordination is key. Collaboration software keeps everyone aligned by centralizing content plans and communication. It prevents mistakes (like two people accidentally posting the same thing or missing a scheduled post) and improves efficiency by streamlining how ideas are shared and approved. Essentially, it helps deliver a unified brand voice on social media, even when many contributors are behind the scenes

Can small businesses or solo marketers benefit from these tools, or are they only for big teams?

Even small operations can benefit! While large teams absolutely need collaboration platforms, small businesses and solo marketers can use these tools to stay organized and plan ahead. Many tools offer free or low-cost plans suitable for a single user (for example, Buffer’s free plan allows one user to manage up to 3 social accounts). And as your team or client list grows, you’ll be set up with a scalable system from the start.

What features should I look for when choosing social media collaboration software?

Key features to consider include: a content calendar for scheduling, multi-user support with roles/permissions, a commenting or internal chat system for feedback, an approval workflow mechanism, and integration with all the social networks you use. Additionally, look at things like asset libraries (to store images), analytics, and any specialized needs you have (for instance, do you need a mobile app for on-the-go collaboration?). Ensure the tool matches your workflow – if you work with clients, client approval features are a must; if you have a big team, robust user management is key.

How do these tools handle approvals?

Most social media collaboration platforms let you set up an approval process for content. This means a post can be drafted by one person and then marked as “needs approval.” Another person (like a manager or client) will get notified to review it. They can then either approve it (often with one click) or request changes via comments. Some tools like Planable or Loomly even allow multi-level approvals – e.g., a copywriter approves, then it goes to the brand manager, then to the client. Once approved by all required parties, the post is cleared for publishing. This ensures nothing goes live without the right eyes on it.

Are there free social media collaboration tools available?

Yes, a few. For example, Buffer offers a free plan (limited to 3 social channels and basic features), which can work for a very small team or individual. Planable has a free tier as well, which allows you to create and publish up to 50 posts per month for free (with limited collaborators) – a nice way to test out its collaboration features. That said, free plans often come with restrictions (like number of users or posts). They’re great for trial or very light use, but professional teams typically will need a paid plan to unlock full collaboration capabilities.

How many people can collaborate in these tools?

It depends on the tool and the pricing plan. Some tools allow unlimited users on certain plans (Buffer’s Team plan, for instance, lets you invite as many team members as you want without extra cost). Others have tiered user limits (Loomly’s plans include a set number of users, and you’d need a higher plan for more). Enterprise-level tools like Sprout Social or Hootsuite Enterprise can support very large teams with dozens of users. Always check the plan details – if your team is large, look for words like “unlimited users” or high limits on the pricing page

Do these tools support all social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, etc.)?

Most major collaboration tools integrate with the big platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X), LinkedIn are almost always supported. Many also support Pinterest and YouTube, and increasingly TikTok and Google Business Profile as well. Some are even adding newcomers like Threads or Mastodon as those networks open up for scheduling. For example, Planable supports 9 different social platforms including Threads and Google My Business, and Buffer supports even Mastodon and Pinterest. If you have a specific platform in mind (say, TikTok), double-check that the tool supports direct publishing to it – not all do yet, as TikTok integration is newer.

How much do social media collaboration tools cost?

There’s a wide range. Entry-level plans for small teams can start around $15–$50 per month (often limiting how many users or accounts you can have). Mid-tier plans (for growing teams or small agencies) might be in the $50–$150/month range. High-end solutions (like Sprout Social or Hootsuite’s advanced plans) can run a few hundred dollars per month per user. For enterprise custom plans, costs can be in the thousands monthly. The good news is there’s likely a tool for every budget – just be mindful that sometimes paying a bit more can yield huge productivity savings for your team. Always align the cost with the critical features you’re getting (for instance, if a $100/month tool saves you 10 hours of work every month, it’s probably worth it!).

Conclusion: Elevating Your Team’s Social Media Game

In the fast-paced world of social media, collaboration software has moved from “nice-to-have” to essential. Whether you’re a solo marketer growing your presence or a large agency juggling multiple client campaigns, the right tool can make all the difference. It centralizes your efforts, maintains clarity on who’s doing what, and ensures quality and consistency in every post.
When choosing a platform, consider your team’s unique workflow and needs. Do you require stringent approval chains? A visual content calendar? Perhaps integration with other marketing tools? Match those needs to the features we’ve discussed. And don’t be afraid to test drive a couple of top contenders – most offer trials that let your team actually experience the interface and see the benefits firsthand.
Remember, effective social media marketing is a team sport. A good collaboration tool simply acts as the coach and playbook, guiding your team’s creativity and effort in the right direction. With features that eliminate tedious back-and-forth and prevent mishaps, these platforms free you up to focus on what really matters: crafting content that connects with your audience.
In summary, investing in social media collaboration software is investing in your team’s productivity, creativity, and peace of mind. The result is a smoother process behind the scenes and a stronger presence online. So go ahead – explore the options, get your team on board, and watch your social media strategy thrive with a little collaborative magic!

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About the Author:

Robert Goldenowl: Experienced marketing professional with a proven track record in conducting comprehensive marketing research and implementing strategic project promotion systems.

With a deep understanding of how search engines and language models interpret, prioritize, and present information, Robert specializes in optimizing content and brand positioning across both traditional and AI-powered platforms like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and more.