Social media tools rarely cost what the headline price says. One tool charges per person, another per connected account, a third by "brands" or "social sets". Most of them bill in a foreign currency. By the time you add your team and your clients' accounts, the number on your card statement can be several times the number on the pricing page.
This article works through one realistic example, a small team of 5 people managing 10 social accounts, using only what each vendor's own pricing page said when we checked it on 12 October 2026. We do not convert currencies, because exchange rates change daily; we show how to do it yourself at the end.
A note on fairness: we make Watchpost, so we have an interest. That is why every figure below comes from the vendor's own page, linked, and why we say plainly where the other tools are the better choice.
The three pricing models
Before the numbers, it helps to see why the totals differ so much.
| Model | You pay for | Gets more expensive when |
|---|---|---|
| Per user (seat) | Each person who logs in | You hire, or add a freelancer or a client reviewer |
| Per channel | Each connected social account | You add a platform, an outlet or a client |
| Flat | The workspace | You outgrow the plan's limits |
None of these is wrong. Per-user pricing suits a solo marketer with many accounts. Per-channel pricing suits a team with only a few accounts. Flat pricing suits small teams that keep adding accounts and people.
The example team
- 5 people: an owner, two content creators, a designer and an account manager.
- 10 social accounts: for example, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok for three brands, plus one Google Business Profile.
- Everyone needs to log in. Posts need an approval step before they go out.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite's plans page (opens in a new tab) says its plans are sold per user. When we checked, the Standard plan started at $99 per user per month, with prices shown based on annual billing; the page says month-to-month billing costs more per user. Standard includes up to 10 social accounts.
For our team of 5: at the advertised starting price, 5 × $99 = at least $495 a month, on annual billing. Monthly billing would be higher.
What you get for it goes beyond scheduling: Hootsuite's Standard plan also lists an inbox for messages and brand and competitor monitoring. If your team spends its day answering comments and messages, that matters.
Buffer
Buffer's pricing page (opens in a new tab) prices paid plans per connected channel. When we checked, the Essentials plan was $5 per channel per month for one user, and the Team plan $10 per channel per month with no set limit on team members. Yearly billing is cheaper, and the page mentions volume discounts beyond 10 channels. There is also a free plan for up to 3 channels and one user.
For our team of 5: the Team plan is the one that allows several people, so 10 × $10 = $100 a month on monthly billing.
Buffer also supports networks we do not, such as LinkedIn, Pinterest, Bluesky and Mastodon.
Watchpost
Watchpost has one plan: RM69 a month for the workspace, SST included, billed monthly in ringgit. It includes 10 connected accounts in any mix of platforms and 5 team members, with roles, required approvals and client preview links.
For our team of 5: RM69 a month. There is a 30-day free trial with no card needed, and no free plan.
What it does not do: there is no social inbox or listening, and no LinkedIn or Pinterest. It publishes to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube and Google Business Profile, with X coming later.
The totals side by side
| Model | Team of 5, 10 accounts | Billed in | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite Standard | Per user | From $495 a month (annual billing) | $ as shown on their page |
| Buffer Team | Per channel | $100 a month (monthly billing) | $ as shown on their page |
| Watchpost | Flat | RM69 a month, SST included | Malaysian ringgit |
Prices change. Before you decide, open each pricing page and check the price for your country and billing period.
Converting to ringgit yourself
To compare fairly:
- Take the monthly dollar total for your own team size.
- Look up the day's rate from Bank Negara Malaysia's exchange rates (opens in a new tab).
- Multiply, then ask your card issuer whether it adds a fee on foreign-currency payments. Many do, and it appears on every monthly charge.
- Check whether tax is added on top of the listed price. Some vendors list prices before tax.
Do this once a quarter if you pay in a foreign currency. The same plan can cost a noticeably different amount in ringgit from one year to the next.
The costs that do not appear on pricing pages
- Adding people later. On per-user pricing, the freelancer you bring in for Raya season is a new seat.
- Adding accounts later. On per-channel pricing, a new client or a new outlet's Google listing raises the bill.
- Client reviewers. If clients need to approve posts, check whether they need a paid seat. In Watchpost, a client can review through a private preview link without an account.
- Annual lock-in. A low monthly figure on annual billing is a twelve-month commitment.
When each one makes sense
- Choose Hootsuite if you need a social inbox, monitoring, or enterprise features, and the per-user cost fits your budget.
- Choose Buffer if you have three or fewer channels (the free plan), or if you need LinkedIn, Pinterest, Bluesky or Mastodon.
- Choose Watchpost if you are a small team publishing to Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube and Google Business Profile and want one predictable bill in ringgit.
For more detail, see our honest comparisons with Hootsuite, Buffer and other tools. Whatever you choose, run your own numbers for your own team. A tool that looks cheap for one person can be the most expensive option for five.
எங்கள் கட்டுரைகள் பொதுவான வழிகாட்டுதல் மட்டுமே; சட்ட, வரி அல்லது நிதி ஆலோசனை அல்ல.
