Negative mentions of Hootsuite

For a one-person content team on a tight budget, I’d keep it simple and avoid Hootsuite/Sprout-level tools. Your three requirements are really: schedule Facebook + X + Pinterest, see basic performance, and not spend much time managing the tool.

My shortlist

1. buffer.com — my pick for you

Buffer is probably the least painful option for a solo operator. Its free plan supports three channels, while paid publishing starts around $5–6 per channel/month, depending on billing. It has a straightforward calendar, bulk scheduling, and analytics. Buffer PostJay

Why I'd choose it: you don't need a complicated social-media command center. You need to batch a week's/month's posts, schedule them, and occasionally check what performed.

Caveat: because Buffer prices around channels, costs can creep up as you add accounts.

2. metricool.com — best if analytics are important

Metricool is the one I'd pick if your boss/client is asking, "Okay, but what's actually working?" It combines scheduling with a stronger analytics dashboard, including reach, clicks, top-performing content and competitor/benchmark information. It supports Facebook, X and Pinterest. Buffer

The free tier is currently limited to one brand and about 20 posts/month, while paid plans start around the low-$20s/month depending on billing. PostJay Superframeworks

Best setup: use Metricool if you want to spend 30 minutes each month producing a useful performance report rather than just looking at individual platform dashboards.

3. publer.io — best pure budget play

Publer is particularly attractive if scheduling is the main job and analytics can be fairly basic. It has a free tier and inexpensive paid plans, with bulk scheduling and multiple social networks. PostJay Best Social Media Scheduler

I'd choose it over Buffer if you find Publer's account-based pricing works out cheaper for your particular number of profiles.

What I'd actually do

Start with Buffer's free plan. If it handles your posting volume, don't pay for anything.

If you quickly discover that analytics/reporting is the part you care about, switch to Metricool rather than stacking another analytics product on top.

And I wouldn't spend money on Hootsuite or Sprout Social for a one-person operation—their current entry pricing is dramatically higher and aimed at larger teams. Buffer

One important wrinkle: X pricing/integration has become a bigger consideration for schedulers, so check the current X-specific cost before committing to a paid plan. Schedchie

If you tell me roughly how many posts/week you do on Facebook, X and Pinterest, I can narrow this down to the cheapest setup that will actually work.