Overview
What is Zoho Social Used For?
Zoho Social is a well-known social media management tool that allows businesses and individuals to create and maintain a solid social media presence, all from a single dashboard.
The tool offers flexible scheduling that saves time. Its publishing feature lets you easily visualize your content pipeline.
Zoho Social lets you connect multiple social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google Business Profile, and Instagram.
With Zoho Social, you can not only schedule and publish posts and track performance, but you can collaborate with your team members too. You can also access useful features such as social listening. Such a feature enables you to examine the social strategies of your rivals or simply check the mentions of your brand on social channels. You can even create custom reports with Zoho Social to examine your social performance, and use the tool to access valuable social analytics.
In all, Zoho Social is a great social media management tool, created keeping in mind that businesses of all sizes and industries are able to effectively use it.
What is Sprout Social Used For?
Sprout Social is a multi-purpose social media management tool that offers features such as social media scheduling, publishing, monitoring, analytics, and reporting, in a single dashboard. Armed with the useful features of the platform, you can smoothly manage your social media presence across different platforms.
With Sprout Social, you can manage social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. You can also manage reviews on Facebook and Google Business Profile. A great thing about the tool is that it offers a clean UI so the user is able to use the tool easily and leverage all its features.
When you talk of the integration capabilities of the Sprout Social platform, it allows easy integration with tools like Canva, Google Analytics, Tableau, Salesforce Cloud Intelligence, Feedly, etc.
Apart from this, Sprout Social is also known for its inbox capabilities. This is one place where you get a view of your social interactions. Another thing for which this platform is widely known for its data-driven insights. They provide much help in driving your marketing strategy. The tool’s analytics also offer valuable information on the best time to publish content, which helps you schedule your social media posts according to the ideal times of engagement with your audience.
Best Suitable for
Zoho Social
Start with $15
Freelancers, Startup Agencies, Growing Agencies
SproutSocial
Start with $249
Small Business, Enterprise, Agencies
SocialPilot
Start with $30
SMBs, Agencies, Multi-Location Brands
At a Glance
Now that we have learnt about the different features of Zoho Social and Sprout Social, let’s compare these two on the basis of their ratings.
The overall star rating of Zoho Social is more than Sprout Social. It also scores more than Sprout Social when it comes to ease of setup and ease of use. But Sprout Social is rated more than Zoho Social when it comes to the quality of support offered.
Note: SocialPilot, a strong contender that you will always find in the lists of Zoho Social and Sprout Social alternatives, is rated more than both the tools in terms of the quality of support that users receive.
Take a look at all the scores for Zoho Social vs. Sprout Social, along with SocialPilot, to get a detailed picture.
|
Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Reviews | 2392 | 2131 | 741 |
| Overall Star Rating | |||
| Ease of Use | |||
| Quality of Support | |||
| Ease of Setup | |||
| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
Quick Comparison
In this Zoho Social vs. Sprout Social comparison, it’s important to take a look at the features that differentiate the two tools.
Let’s start with pricing. When it comes to plans for agencies, which one is less costly? Zoho Social or Sprout Social?
Sprout Social’s plans for agencies cost $499 per month, while Zoho Social’s Agency plan costs $320 for the same duration. This means the latter is less costly than the former. But, Sprout Social lets you schedule 10,000 posts in this plan as opposed to 350 by Zoho Social in the same plan.
Now when we come to the features of both the tools, both Sprout Social and Zoho Social offer a useful set for effective social media management, such as publishing, analytics, inbox, and collaboration.
It’s important to note that Zoho Social offers localization capabilities in German, which Sprout Social doesn’t. Zoho Social also offers white-labeling which Sprout Social doesn’t.
Note: SocialPilot is another tool that also offers important features for effective social media management. It’s a great Sprout Social alternative, offering the important feature of white-labeling.
Here’s a direct comparison of Zoho Social vs. Sprout Social along with SocialPilot for a better understanding:
|
Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Can't Miss to Compare | |||
| Minimum Pricing | $15/Month | $249/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Accounts | 100 | 5 | 10 |
| Number of Team Members | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| Number of Posts that Can Be Scheduled | 350 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Core Capabilities | |||
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Competitor Tracking |
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| Whitelabel |
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| Localization | German, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | German, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish |
| Support | Email, FAQs, Webinars, Product Guide, Forum | Priority Email & Chat Support | Email, Chat, Social Media, Phone |
| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Review
Positive
- You can streamline social media conversations with Sprout Social's unified message inbox, allowing you to view and respond to messages from multiple networks and searches all in one convenient place.
- Sprout Social allows individuals to keep track of their social goals and determine if they are on the right path with the help of weekly reports. This provides a clear and concise overview of the progress made, making it easier to identify areas that need improvement.
- Sprout Social's integration of analytical functions provides a comprehensive approach to monitoring the performance of campaigns, publications, and social media listening. It offers a professional way to track and measure success, making it a valuable tool for businesses to optimize their social media strategies.
Negative
- One limitation users have noted is the inability to tag people on Instagram when creating a post using Sprout Social. It is a commonly used feature and its unavailability can hinder those looking to increase their reach and engagement.
- The lack of customization options for social media messages across multiple channels can frustrate users. The current system for replying to comments within the app is seen as inadequate, causing a hindrance to efficient engagement with followers.
- The rise in the cost of Sprout Social has resulted in a substantial monthly fee, making it a costly investment. It can be a significant burden for smaller companies and may limit the accessibility of this platform to a wider range of users.
Positive
- The feature of brand profiles inside Zoho Social enables you to easily switch between different accounts, keeping your content organized and helping you to better manage each brand's unique presence on social media.
- Zoho Social provides robust analytics capabilities. Unlike other platforms focusing on ad management, Zoho Social delivers comprehensive data and insights on your organic social media efforts.
- Zoho Social's collaborative features make it easy for team members to work together on social media planning and allow better flexibility and adaptability.
Negative
- The lack of a preview feature in Zoho Social can be a drawback for users who value visual consistency and may want to make minor tweaks to social media posts before publishing to ensure optimal appearance and messaging.
- The slight delay in scheduling posts on Zoho Social can be frustrating for users who prioritize efficiency and need to publish content quickly and consistently.
- Zoho Social does not offer an easy or streamlined way to integrate UTMs into links.
Positive
- SocialPilot can schedule posts in advance on multiple platforms at once while customizing the post for each one of them for the scheduler.
- You can upload and schedule up to 500 posts at once using SocialPilot through its handy bulk import feature. These can be link posts, text, or even image posts to any of the platforms which SocialPilot supports.
- SocialPilot allows users and clients to collaborate efficiently and save a great deal of time managing social networks.
Negative
- Users can post directly using their Instagram business account, but they will get mobile reminders in case of a personal account. This is a common issue on all social media management platforms since there is no available API for Instagram personal accounts.
- Users have expressed a desire for more information on setting up accounts and configurations for approvals. Some have struggled with this aspect and had to face challenges in figuring it out.
- SocialPilot does not have a free version available, leaving users with only a 14-day free trial option to test the app. The free trial can be accessed without the need for a credit card, making it a risk-free opportunity for those who want to explore the features and capabilities of the app before making a purchase.
Pricing
The question of which one is less costly of the two – Zoho Social or Sprout Social, can very well impact how any user makes a choice between the two.
So next, let’s discuss pricing plans in our Sprout Social vs. Zoho Social comparison. The former offers 5 paid plans, and the latter offers 4 paid plans. Zoho Social’s plan for agencies cost $320 per month, which is $179 less than Sprout Social’s plan for agencies for the same duration.
Note: SocialPilot, always considered a strong contender in the list of alternatives of Zoho Social and Sprout Social out there, offers plans for agencies priced at $100 per month. Under this plan, you can schedule unlimited posts, a feature you don’t find in Zoho Social or Sprout Social’s plans for agencies.
Although we have discussed the plans for agencies for both the tools, check the below table for a clear picture.
|
Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
|---|---|---|
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Business - Standard
$15/per month
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Standard
$249/per month
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Professional
$30/per month
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Business - Professional
$40/per month
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Professional
$399/per month
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Small Team
$50/per month
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Business - Premium
$65/per month
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Advanced
$499/per month
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Agency
$100/per month
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Agency
$320/per month
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Enterprise
Custom
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Agency+
$200/per month
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Agency plus
$460/per month
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- | - |
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15 Days Free Trial
Credit Card Required
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30 Days Free Trial
No Credit Card Required
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14 Days Free Trial
No Credit Card Required
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| Learn More | Learn More | Start Your free Trial |
In-depth Scheduling and Publishing Capabilities Comparison
Businesses and brands looking to automate content publishing on social media opt for social media management tools. This makes scheduling and publishing vital aspects of such a tool.
Be it Sprout Social vs. Zoho Social, both offer smart and advanced scheduling, you can customize posts for each platform, and also use features such as Canva integration. However, Zoho Social doesn’t offer post preview, a feature that Sprout Social offers. You can also not tag profiles on Instagram images with Zoho Social. Again, Sprout Social offers this feature.
Even Sprout Social misses out on some features that Zoho Social offers. For instance, it does not offer reel scheduling.
Note: From offering post preview to reel scheduling, SocialPilot provides its users with a fantastic suite of features. This makes it a great alternative to both tools.
Here is a table comparing Zoho Social vs. Sprout Social, talking about the scheduling and publishing capabilities of both the tools, alongside SocialPilot.
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Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Smart & Advanced Queueing |
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| Customize Post for Each Platform |
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| Post Preview |
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| Canva Integration |
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| Unsplash Integration |
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| Slack Integration |
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| URL Shortener |
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| Visual Post Support (Image, Video, GIF) |
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| UTM Parameters |
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| Cloud Storage |
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| Hashtag Suggestions |
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| Advance Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Save Draft Posts |
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| AI Assistant |
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| Watermark on Images |
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| Bulk Scheduling |
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| Content Curation |
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| Auto publishing from RSS |
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| Social media calendar |
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| Mobile App |
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| Browser Extension |
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| Advance Facebook Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Reel Scheduling |
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| Support Album Posts |
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| Support Carousel Posts |
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| Alternate Text on Image |
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| Support Facebook First Comment |
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| Audience Targeting |
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| Boost Post Scheduling |
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| Support Mention and Hashtags |
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| Advance Twitter Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Location Tagging |
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| Support Mention and Hashtags |
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| Support Multiple Image Posts |
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| Threads Scheduling |
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| Advance Instagram Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Reel Scheduling |
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| Story Scheduling |
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| Tag Profiles on Images |
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| Location Tagging |
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| Support Instagram First Comment |
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| Instagram Grid |
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| Advance LinkedIn Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Audience Targeting |
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| Support LinkedIn First Comment |
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| Advance YouTube Publishing Capabilities | |||
| #shorts Scheduling |
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| Mention of Other Youtube Accounts |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
In-depth Analytics Capability Comparison
When marketers are armed with numbers and trends, they don’t find it challenging to make any correct decision. In this section, we will compare the analytics capabilities of both the tools.
So, who scores extra when it comes to this capability? Zoho Social or Sprout Social?
Well, when it comes to analytical points, both the tools match each other.
Both Zoho Social and Sprout Social come with a custom report builder, possess the feature to auto schedule reports with team and client, and offer the feature to email PDF reports to clients.
Take a look at the vital aspects of analytics and reporting in this Zoho Social or Sprout Social table below, alongside SocialPilot as a reference point.
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Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Whitelabel Downloadable Report in PDF Format |
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| Email PDF Report to Client |
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| Auto Schedule Report with Team and Client |
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| Custom Report Builder |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
In-depth Inbox/Listening Capability Comparison
The listening features of a social media management tool can form, grow, and give shape to a brand’s perception in the mind of their audience. Both Zoho Social and Sprout Social match each other when you compare their listening capability.
Both tools offer essential social listening capabilities such as allowing you to reply to messages. Both tools allow real-time listening while letting you respond to visitor posts, reviews, and questions.
Let us examine the table below to know how Zoho Social vs. Sprout Social compares to SocialPilot when it comes to listening capabilities.
|
Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Can Reply Message |
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| Can Reply Questions and Reviews |
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| Can Reply on Visitor Posts |
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| Real-Time Social Listening |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
In-depth Social Media Collaboration Capability Comparison
Whether you are a business or a marketing agency, effective collaboration is important for social media management. Both Sprout Social and Zoho Social are equally worthy of providing their users with useful collaborative capabilities, with SocialPilot matching them in every aspect.
Both tools allow per-post multi-user collaboration and free unlimited client onboarding. Both tools provide access management and content approval workflows as well.
In the table below, we have compared all collaboration capabilities of Zoho Social, Sprout
Social, along with SocialPilot.
|
Zoho Social |
SproutSocial |
SocialPilot |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Free Unlimited Client Onboarding |
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| Per Post Multi-User Collaboration |
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| Access Management |
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| Content Approval Workflow |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
