Comparison

Hootsuite schedules posts. We moderate comments.

Hootsuite is a publishing-first platform — scheduling, content calendar, and analytics are its core. Comment moderation is a minor feature in a publishing suite. The Social Tools is purpose-built for comment moderation with a full rule engine, dry-run testing, per-decision audit trails, and seats included in the flat price — starting at $29/mo.

$29–$199/mo
$249+/mo
Pricing model ✓ Per automation volume — team seats included, never charged per seat ✗ Publishing-first platform — moderation is a minor feature. No custom rule engine, dry-run testing, or per-decision audit trail. $249+/mo starting price.
Platforms 7 — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter/X, Reddit, Discord Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest (7+ platforms)
Rule engine ✓ Full rule-based engine — conditions + actions, dry-run testing, every decision auditable ✗ Not available or gated behind highest plan
Audit trail ✓ Every moderation action logged — who, what, when, which rule ✗ No per-decision audit trail
Test before deploying ✓ Test any workflow on sample comments — see which branch fires before going live ✗ Deploy and hope — no dry-run testing
Team members ✓ 1 / 5 / 15 seats included by plan — never charged per seat ✗ Per-seat pricing or limited seats
Free trial ✓ 10-day free trial · No credit card ✗ No free trial

Why teams use The Social Tools alongside Hootsuite

Purpose-built moderation vs publishing-first

Hootsuite's moderation is a lightweight feature in a publishing suite — basic keyword filters and manual review. The Social Tools is built for moderation: rule engine, conditions + actions, dry-run testing, full audit trail.

$29/mo vs $249+/mo

Hootsuite starts at $249/mo. The Social Tools starts at $29/mo flat, seats included. Most teams keep Hootsuite for scheduling and add The Social Tools for dedicated moderation.

Rule-based engine with dry-run testing

Define conditions and actions. Test them on sample comments and see exactly which rule fires before deploying. Hootsuite's moderation is basic keyword filtering — deploy and hope.

Per-seat pricing vs seats included

Both tools tier seats by plan — the difference is what a seat costs. Hootsuite bills per user as your team grows; The Social Tools includes its seats in the flat price — 1, 5, or 15 by plan — so the price never moves with headcount. No per-seat fees.

Per-decision audit trail

Every moderation action logged with full traceability. Hootsuite provides activity logs, not per-decision audit trails essential for agency client reporting and compliance.

Multi-client workspaces

Agencies get a dedicated workspace per client, with team access granted workspace by workspace. Hootsuite's organization structure is designed for single-brand teams, not multi-client agencies.

Where Hootsuite still wins

Hootsuite is a better fit if you need:

Publishing & scheduling

Hootsuite's content calendar, bulk scheduling, and publishing workflows are industry-standard. The Social Tools doesn't do publishing — it's a moderation specialist.

Enterprise integrations

Hootsuite integrates with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Adobe Experience Manager, and 150+ apps. Enterprise procurement and compliance are mature.

Employee advocacy & amplification

Hootsuite Amplify for employee advocacy and social selling is unique. If employee-driven social distribution matters, Hootsuite has no equivalent in The Social Tools.

How to add The Social Tools alongside Hootsuite

  1. Start your free trial — no credit card, 10 days of full access.
  2. Connect your accounts — same platforms, plus Reddit.
  3. Build moderation workflows — far more powerful than Hootsuite's keyword filters.
  4. Dry-run every workflow — test on sample comments, then observe live traffic without acting, before deploying.
  5. Use both tools — Hootsuite for publishing, The Social Tools for moderation. They're designed to complement each other.
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