Later vs Metricool Comparison 2026
Later has no free plan any more, starting at $18.75 a month billed yearly for one social set. Metricool gives away 20 scheduled posts a month for free, then starts at $20 a month billed annually for five brands under one subscription. Both sources agree on the axis: Later prices per social set and Metricool prices per brand, so the comparison turns hard in Metricool's favour the moment there is more than one client to manage.
At a glance
- Later starts cheaper, at $18.75.
- Only Metricool has a free tier.
Side by side
Later | Metricool | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $18.75 | From $20 |
| Pricing model (they differ) | Free trial, then paid | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier (they differ) | No | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Monthly or annual |
| Free trial | 14 days | Not stated |
| API |
Later
Visual planning for Instagram and TikTok
Later grew up as an Instagram scheduler and still thinks in grids: the calendar shows what the profile will look like, not only when things post. Linkin.bio turns the feed into a clickable page. The free plan is gone, so the first decision is whether visual planning is worth a subscription that starts near twenty dollars a month.
Our note
There is no free plan any more, which is the thing to know if you remember the older version. Against Metricool the pricing is per social set rather than per brand, and that comparison turns as soon as there is more than one client.
Only on this side
- Covers link in bio
Metricool
Scheduling and analytics across brands
Metricool schedules to most of the networks a creator uses and then reports on what happened, including competitor tracking and paid campaign numbers in the same view. Pricing counts brands rather than seats, which suits somebody running several accounts. The free plan schedules 20 posts a month, enough to decide whether the reports are worth paying for.
Why people weigh these two
- Metricool instead of Later
- Metricool starts at $20, close to Later's $18.75, but it prices per brand rather than per set, the cheaper path once several clients and accounts are involved.
- Later instead of Metricool
- Later at $19 plans Instagram and TikTok visually, laying the grid out before posting rather than reporting on it after.
Which one should you pick
Choose Later if Instagram-led visual planning and Linkin.bio in the same subscription matter more than managing several clients cheaply, since the grid preview and bio link are built in from $18.75 a month. It suits a single brand or creator rather than an agency, where the per-set pricing adds up fast.
Choose Metricool if more than one account needs managing, since five brands cost about the same as Later's single social set, and the free plan's 20 posts a month is enough for a solo creator to decide whether the reporting is worth paying for at all. Competitor tracking and paid campaign numbers come in the same view.
Common questions
- Which one is cheaper for managing several client accounts?
- Metricool, clearly: five brands cost $20 a month billed annually, close to Later's price for just one social set at $18.75. Both listings agree pricing is the real difference once more than one client is involved.
- Does Later have a free plan?
- No, not any more; that is the main change from the version most people remember. Metricool still gives away 20 scheduled posts a month for free.
- Which one includes a bio link page?
- Later does, with Linkin.bio turning the feed into a clickable page as part of the subscription. Metricool's listing does not describe an equivalent bio link feature; it focuses on scheduling and reporting.
- Which one is better for Instagram-specific visual planning?
- Later is, with a grid calendar that previews what the whole profile will look like, not just when posts go out. Metricool schedules across more networks generally but does not lead with that visual grid planning specifically.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.