Best social media analytics tools
Every scheduler shows likes and reach. Analytics tools earn the name when they compare you against competitors, explain what worked, and produce a report someone else can read. This list is ordered on that.
Who wrote this
Optimate publishes this page, so treat it as a vendor's list rather than an independent review. We've tried to earn the read by ranking on fit rather than on who's paying for the page — Optimate isn't first on every list here, and where a competitor is the better answer we say so and link you to them.
How this list is ordered
Ranked on analytics depth, competitor benchmarking, report quality for clients or managers, and whether the tool turns numbers into a next step. Optimate is not first, because two tools here go deeper on measurement. Prices are from each vendor's published pricing.
Pricing checked 25 August 2026. Tools without a figure are ones we haven’t verified directly — check their site rather than trust a number we didn’t read ourselves.
Number 1: Metricool
Free plan · from €20/moBest for: The most analytics for the money
Competitor tracking across up to 100 profiles, customisable report templates and a Looker Studio connector, with a free tier covering one brand. Scheduling is solid but secondary to measurement.
Number 2: Iconosquare
Free plan · from €15/mo billed yearlyBest for: Deep analytics and benchmarks on Instagram and TikTok
Analytics-first for Instagram, TikTok and other visual networks, with industry benchmarks and competitor tracking, and scheduling attached. Priced by profiles and monthly posts, so heavy posters climb tiers quickly.
Number 3: Optimate
Free plan · Pro £29/mo · Studio £59/mo · Agency £135/moBest for: Numbers that turn into the next post
Post-level results across your networks, YouTube channel stats, the best days and hours to post from your own results, and plain-English recommendations that feed straight into drafting the next posts. Exports to Excel or CSV, with client-branded reports from Studio. Benchmarking against competitors is lighter than Metricool's or Iconosquare's.
Number 4: Sprout Social
From $99/seat/mo billed annuallyBest for: Enterprise reporting with listening and sentiment
The deepest reporting on this list, with listening and sentiment analysis, priced per seat. Worth it for large teams that report upward every week.
Number 5: Hootsuite
From $99/user/mo billed annuallyBest for: Analytics inside a governance-heavy suite
Solid reporting as part of a much bigger enterprise product. You'd buy it for the controls and listening, not for analytics alone.
Common questions
What is the best free social media analytics tool?
Metricool's free tier is the strongest: one brand, 30 days of history and 5 competitor profiles. Iconosquare also has a free plan. The networks' own insights (Meta Business Suite, TikTok and YouTube analytics) are free but don't compare networks side by side.
Which tool is best for client reporting?
Metricool, for report templates and a Looker Studio connector at a low price per brand. Optimate's client-branded reports go out by email weekly or monthly on Agency, and SocialPilot and Sendible white-label reports for agencies.
Do I need a separate analytics tool if my scheduler has analytics?
Usually not, unless you need competitor benchmarks or reports for clients. Most schedulers, Optimate included, cover your own results and best times to post; a dedicated tool earns its cost when the numbers are what you sell.
Try Optimate against your own accounts
14-day free trial, no card required — enough to judge the content quality for yourself rather than take our word for it. The free plan after that covers 3 connected accounts.
Start your 14-day free trial