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Best Planoly alternatives in 2026: 8 Instagram planners compared

Planoly is built for planning an Instagram feed visually, and its bill grows in two ways: every extra social set and every extra user is a monthly fee on top of the plan. The best Planoly alternative is SkedCast, which charges for neither and adds bulk import and approvals. This guide compares eight alternatives on price, free plans and reach, from each vendor’s own pages.

By Angelina F. · Updated · 10 min read

The best Planoly alternative is SkedCast: it plans and auto-publishes every Instagram format on 11 platforms, prices by connected account with no charge per user, imports posts in bulk and has a permanent free plan on the web. Later, Plann, Pallyy and Preview suit narrower, Instagram-only planning.

This article compares other products. Their prices, plan limits and features were last checked on , against each vendor’s own published pricing page. Vendors change their plans, so check with them before deciding.

Key takeaways

  • Planoly costs $14 (Starter), $24 (Growth) or $47 (Pro) a month, plus $10 or $8 per extra social set and $5 or $3 per extra user on Growth and Pro.
  • Planoly’s free plan works in the mobile app only, with 10 uploads a month.
  • SkedCast is the strongest Planoly alternative: every Instagram format auto-published, 11 platforms, no charge per user, bulk import and approvals.
  • Later, Plann, Pallyy and Preview are Instagram-first planners; Buffer and Metricool cover more networks with simpler planning.
  • Compare the pricing unit first: social sets, users, channels, brands or connected accounts decide what you really pay.
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What are the best Planoly alternatives?

A Planoly alternative is a tool that plans and schedules Instagram posts, often with a grid preview, without Planoly’s per-set and per-user fees. SkedCast is the best of them for most creators, brands and agencies. The table compares the eight alternatives in this guide, from each vendor’s own pricing page (checked October 2026):

Illustration: a phone showing a colourful photo grid, with arrows leading to a calendar where the same posts are queued, and small badges for extra users crossed out.
Planoly alternatives: plan the grid, then publish it everywhere without per-user fees.
Planoly and its alternatives at a glance (vendor pricing pages, October 2026)
ToolFree planPaid plans fromExtra usersPlatforms
SkedCastFree — 2 accountsFree, then $15/moNo11
PlanolyYes — 10 uploads/mo$14/mo+$5/mo/user8
LaterNo$25/mo+$5/user ($3.75 annual)8
PlannYes — Instagram only, 30 posts/mo$15/moUsers capped by plan (1, 2, 4)7
PallyyYes — 15 posts/mo, image only$25/mo$10/mo/extra user (Agency+)Not stated (11 accounts per set)
PreviewYes — 1 user, 1 device$6.67/mo (Pro)Not published3
IconosquareYes — 2 profiles, 10 posts/mo$10/mo (Starter, annual)Not published8
BufferYes — 3 channels$5/ch/mo (annual)Per channel11
MetricoolYes — 1 brand$20/mo (5 brands, annual)No — per brand tier11

How much does Planoly cost?

Planoly’s pricing page lists three plans, billed monthly, with annual billing saving up to 15% (checked 4 November 2026). Starter has no add-ons; to add social sets or users you move to Growth:

Planoly plans and add-on fees (planoly.com/pricing, 4 November 2026)
PlanPrice a monthIncludedEach extra social setEach extra user
Free (mobile app)$010 uploads a monthNot availableNot available
Starter$141 social set, 1 userUpgrade to GrowthUpgrade to Growth
Growth$242 social sets, 2 users$10$5
Pro$476 social sets, 6 users$8$3
Diagram: a Planoly bill starts with the plan price, then adds a fee for each extra social set and each extra user, while SkedCast charges by connected account with no fee per user.
How a Planoly bill grows, and what SkedCast charges for instead.

SkedCast — the best Planoly alternative

SkedCast plans and auto-publishes every Instagram format: feed posts, carousels of up to 10 items, Reels and Stories, with user tags, collaborators and a first comment. Preview the grid with the free Instagram grid planner, then schedule from one calendar to 11 platforms. Pricing is by connected account with seats included, so adding a teammate never adds a fee: a permanent Free plan on the web (2 connected accounts, 3 posts a day), then Solo $15 a month up to Agency+ $299.

A month of posts loads in one bulk import from a CSV file or Google Sheet (up to 2,500 rows on Agency), every client gets its own workspace and approvals, and the inbox gathers comments and messages. See the full SkedCast vs Planoly comparison and how to move from Planoly.

Later — for visual planning on Instagram and TikTok

Later grew up as a visual Instagram planner and keeps a drag-and-drop calendar and a grid preview. Plans start at $25/mo, extra users are charged, it has no free plan, and its pricing page lists no bulk import.

Plann — for an Instagram-first plan on a budget

Plann is an Instagram-first planner with a free plan of 30 Instagram posts a month and paid plans from $15/mo. It covers fewer networks than most tools here.

Pallyy — for a visual planner with agency extras

Pallyy pairs a visual planner with client review, and its free plan allows 15 image posts a month. Paid plans start at $25/mo, with extra users charged on its agency tier.

Preview — for a phone-first grid planner

Preview is a mobile app for laying out an Instagram grid, with a free plan for one user on one device and a low-cost Pro tier from $6.67/mo (Pro). It covers only a few networks.

Iconosquare — for Instagram analytics with scheduling

Iconosquare centres on analytics, with scheduling alongside. Its free plan covers 2 profiles and 10 posts a month, and paid plans start at $10/mo (Starter, annual).

Buffer — for a simple free start across networks

Buffer schedules to more networks than the Instagram planners, with a free plan of 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel. Paid plans are priced per channel, from $5/ch/mo (annual).

Metricool — for analytics across networks

Metricool has a free plan for one brand and paid plans priced by brands, from $20/mo (5 brands, annual), with analytics and competitor reports at its centre.

How do you choose a Planoly alternative?

Start from what Planoly charged you for, then match:

  • Many social sets or users: pick a tool that does not charge per set or per user, such as SkedCast.
  • Posting beyond Instagram: check the platform count; SkedCast publishes to 11.
  • A month of posts at once: look for real bulk import; Planoly’s pricing page lists none.
  • Clients who approve posts: look for client workspaces and approvals.
  • Phone-only grid planning for one account: Preview or Plann.
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FAQ

What is the best Planoly alternative?
SkedCast: every Instagram format auto-published, 11 platforms, no charge per user, bulk import, approvals and a permanent free plan on the web.
How much does Planoly cost?
Starter is $14 a month, Growth $24 and Pro $47. Growth adds $10 per extra social set and $5 per extra user; Pro adds $8 and $3 (planoly.com, November 2026).
Does Planoly have a free plan?
Yes, in the mobile app only, with 10 uploads a month. SkedCast has a permanent Free plan as well — 2 connected accounts and up to 3 posts a day, no card and no time limit — and each workspace can additionally take one 7-day Studio trial.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Planoly?
Yes. SkedCast has a permanent free plan and paid plans that do not charge per user or per social set; Preview and Iconosquare start lower for one account.
Which Planoly alternative has a grid planner?
SkedCast (with its free Instagram grid planner), Later, Plann, Pallyy and Preview all preview how posts sit on your grid.
Can I move from Planoly to SkedCast?
Yes. List your scheduled posts in a CSV file, bulk import them into SkedCast, and reconnect each account through its own sign-in.
Does SkedCast have a free plan?
Yes. SkedCast has a permanent Free plan as well — 2 connected accounts and up to 3 posts a day, no card and no time limit — and each workspace can additionally take one 7-day Studio trial. Bulk import and the inbox are included on it.

Ready to broadcast everywhere?

Sign up free — no credit card. You land on the Free plan, and you can start a one-time 7-day Studio trial from your workspace whenever you are ready. Connect your first accounts, import a batch, and watch one post fan out across every platform.