- Split AI tools into three groups: caption helpers inside schedulers, AI design generators, and tools that run the whole content process.
- Buffer, Publer, Later, Hootsuite, SocialBee and Metricool add AI writing to a scheduler you still drive yourself.
- Predis.ai and Ocoya generate posts and creatives with credits; Moonya creates branded posts and videos from your website and waits for your approval.
- Free plans exist (Buffer, Publer, Metricool), but most AI-heavy tools use trials instead.
- Price the tool at your real size: channels, users, brands and how many AI generations you need each month.
Three kinds of AI social media tools
Before you compare prices, decide which job you want the AI to do. Most tools fall into one of three groups:
- AI writing inside a scheduler. You still plan the post, find the image and choose the time. The AI helps you write or rephrase the caption. Buffer, Publer, Later, Hootsuite, SocialBee and Metricool fit here.
- AI creative generators. You give a topic or a product and the tool generates a designed post, a carousel or a short video. You pick what you like and schedule it. Predis.ai and Ocoya are examples.
- AI that runs the content process. The tool learns your business, plans topics on a schedule, creates the posts in your brand style, and sends each one to you for approval before publishing. Moonya works this way.
None of these is "best" in general. If you love making your own photos and only hate writing captions, a scheduler with an AI assistant is enough. If the blank page is the problem every week, you want more of the work done for you.
How we chose and checked
We picked tools that small businesses in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Europe commonly consider, and that publish their prices openly. For each one we read the official pricing page and noted only what it says: plans, free plan or trial, and which AI features are listed. Every competitor fact below links to that page and was checked on October 29, 2026. Prices change often, and some are shown for yearly billing, so confirm before you buy.
We did not run speed or quality benchmarks, and we do not quote ratings or user numbers. Moonya is our product; we describe it from its own plans and features and say where another tool is the better fit.
Quick comparison
| Tool | What the AI does | Free plan | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moonya | Learns your brand from your website, creates posts, carousels, Stories and videos, waits for approval | No ($1 7-day trial) | $29/month |
| Predis.ai | Generates posts, carousels and videos from credits | No (3-day trial) | $19/month (Core) |
| Ocoya | AI credits for content, scheduling calendar | No (7-day trial) | $29/month (Starter) |
| SocialBee | Unlimited AI content generation and AI Copilot on standard plans | No (14-day trial) | $29/month (Bootstrap) |
| Hootsuite | Generate posts and images with AI on Standard | No (14-day trial) | $99 per user/month, billed yearly |
| Buffer | AI Assistant on every plan, including free | Yes (3 channels) | $5/month per channel |
| Later | AI credits (5 a month on Starter) | No (14-day trial) | $18.75/month, billed yearly |
| Publer | Unlimited AI Assist prompts on Business | Yes (3 accounts) | $10/month for Business (1 account) |
| Metricool | AI social media assistant, strongest on analytics | Yes (1 brand) | From $25/month, monthly billing |
Tools that create the posts for you
1. Moonya: best if you want the whole process done, with approval
Moonya is a social media autopilot for small businesses. Its Brand Brain reads several pages of your website and learns your offer, voice, audience and brand colors. Post automations then create drafts on a rule you set, such as "a carousel every Monday at 9 am": carousels of 3 to 10 slides, single image posts, Stories and videos. Video options include Reels from your own photos and clips, AI images with a voiceover, stock footage, a talking AI presenter and animated videos.
Every draft waits for you: approve, edit or skip. Nothing is published without your approval. It publishes to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest and Google Business (X is a paid add-on) with a caption fitted to each network, and it includes comment-to-DM automations and a unified inbox.
Things to consider. No free plan. After a 7-day trial for $1, Starter is $29/month with 1,000 AI credits, 3 social channels and 1 DM automation. Pro is $79/month and Agency $199/month. If you already create every post yourself, a cheaper scheduler may be all you need. See Moonya pricing.
2. Predis.ai: best for generating many creatives from credits
Predis.ai's pricing page describes AI generation of posts, carousels and videos, paid with monthly credits. Core is $19/month (1 brand, 10 channels, 1,300 credits) and Rise is $40/month (up to 4 brands, 20 channels, 3,200 credits). Auto posting is listed on Rise and higher, not on Core. Every plan starts with a 3-day trial; there is no free plan.
Things to consider. Check whether you need auto posting before choosing Core. See Moonya vs Predis.ai.
3. Ocoya: best for AI content plus a shared calendar
Ocoya's pricing page lists Starter at $29/month (1 user, 5 social profiles, 300 credits), Team at $79/month and Agency at $199/month, with AI credits that refresh every month and a calendar to plan and schedule across networks. Each paid plan has a 7-day free trial with a card required.
Things to consider. Credits on Starter are modest, so estimate how many generations you will use. See Moonya vs Ocoya.
Schedulers with an AI writing assistant
4. SocialBee: best for content categories with AI help
SocialBee's pricing page lists Bootstrap at $29/month (5 social profiles), Accelerate at $49/month and Pro at $99/month, all with unlimited AI content generation and AI Copilot. There is a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. It suits coaches and service businesses that rotate evergreen posts by category. See Moonya vs SocialBee.
5. Hootsuite: best for teams that also need listening
The Standard plan on Hootsuite's plans page includes "Generate posts and images with AI" and up to 10 social accounts. Prices are per user, starting at $99 for Standard billed annually, with a 14-day trial. That is a lot for a solo owner, but fair for a team that needs monitoring and reporting. See Moonya vs Hootsuite.
6. Buffer: best simple scheduler with free AI help
Buffer's pricing page shows the AI Assistant on the free plan and on both paid plans. The free plan connects up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel; Essentials is $5/month per channel and Team $10/month per channel. It supports 12 networks. You still make the visuals yourself. See Moonya vs Buffer.
7. Later: best for visual Instagram planning
Later's pricing page lists Starter at $18.75/month billed yearly with 8 profiles and 5 AI credits a month, Growth with 50 AI credits and Scale with 100, and a 14-day trial. The AI is a helper here; Later's strength is the visual planner. See Moonya vs Later.
8. Publer: best budget pick
According to Publer's plans and pricing article, the free plan covers up to 3 social accounts, Professional starts at $5/month and Business at $10/month per account. Unlimited AI Assist prompts are listed on Business, not on Free or Professional. See Moonya vs Publer.
9. Metricool: best when analytics matter most
Metricool's pricing page lists a free plan for 1 brand with up to 20 scheduled posts a month and an AI social media assistant, and a Starter plan from $25/month on monthly billing. The free plan excludes LinkedIn and X. Choose it if tracking results and competitors is the main goal. See Moonya vs Metricool.
How to choose in 15 minutes
- Write down your bottleneck. Is it ideas, writing, design, video, remembering to post, or replying to people? Pick the tool group that removes that step.
- List your channels and users. Per-channel, per-user and per-brand pricing give very different totals at the same size.
- Count AI usage. If a plan has credits, estimate posts and videos per month. Unlimited AI writing is not the same as unlimited designed posts.
- Check approval. If anyone besides you writes or generates posts, make sure you can review before anything goes live.
- Test with real content. Use the trial on your own business, not a demo topic. Look for accuracy: prices, services and opening hours must be right.
Tip: Whatever you choose, keep a one-page brand brief (offer, audience, tone, words you never use, facts that must be exact). Every AI tool writes better with it. We explain how in how to keep AI social media posts on-brand and accurate.
Keep reading
If scheduling is your main need, see the best social media scheduler for small business. If you are switching from a specific tool, read our Buffer alternatives and Hootsuite alternatives. And to see how much can safely run on its own, read social media for small business on autopilot.
By industry: see playbooks for restaurants and cafes, gyms and trainers and social media agencies, or browse all industries.
FAQ
What is the best AI social media tool for a small business?
It depends on the job. If you only want help writing captions, a scheduler with an AI assistant like Buffer or Publer is enough. If you want posts and videos created and scheduled for you with your approval, a tool like Moonya fits better.
Are there free AI social media tools?
Yes, with limits. Buffer's free plan includes its AI Assistant, and Metricool's free plan includes an AI social media assistant. Most tools that generate designed posts or videos use trials instead of free plans.
Can AI post to social media for me automatically?
Yes, many tools can publish on a schedule. We recommend keeping an approval step so you check every post for accuracy before it goes live. Moonya publishes only after you approve each post.
Will AI-generated posts sound like my business?
Only if the tool knows your business. Give it your website, your offer, your tone and the facts that must be exact, then edit the first drafts. The more context, the less generic the output.
Is it safe to use AI for business social media?
Yes, if a person reviews posts before publishing, the tool connects through the networks' official login, and you never let AI invent prices, results or testimonials.
Does Moonya have a free plan?
No. Every plan starts with a 7-day trial for $1, then Starter is $29/month. You can cancel anytime.
Sources
- Predis.ai pricing page (Core $19/month, Rise $40/month, credits, 3-day trial, auto posting from Rise) (checked October 29, 2026)
- Ocoya pricing page (Starter $29/month, AI credits refresh monthly, 7-day trial) (checked October 29, 2026)
- SocialBee pricing page (Bootstrap $29/month, unlimited AI content generation, 14-day trial) (checked October 29, 2026)
- Hootsuite plans page (Standard from $99 per user, AI posts and images, 10 accounts, 14-day trial) (checked October 29, 2026)
- Buffer pricing page (AI Assistant on all plans, free plan 3 channels, per-channel prices) (checked October 29, 2026)
- Later pricing page (Starter $18.75/month billed yearly, AI credits per plan, 14-day trial) (checked October 29, 2026)
- Publer plans and pricing (help center: free plan, Business from $10/month, AI Assist on Business) (checked October 29, 2026)
- Metricool pricing page (free plan, Starter from $25/month monthly, AI assistant) (checked October 29, 2026)