Softwr

Software · head to head

Hootsuite vs Rakuten

Hootsuite logo

Hootsuite

Software

Save time and grow on social media

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rakuten logo

Rakuten

Software

Get cash back on every purchase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Rakuten has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Hootsuite no free tier available; minimum cost is $99/user/year annually; Rakuten minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users
  • They diverge on capability: Hootsuite covers Content scheduling, Rakuten covers Cash back rewards.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hootsuite and Rakuten actually diverge.

Attributes where Hootsuite and Rakuten differ
AttributeHootsuiteRakuten
Starting price$99/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebBrowser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
Founded20081999

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hootsuite

  • Content scheduling
  • Social inbox
  • Content calendar
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Social listening
  • Team collaboration
  • Approval workflows
  • Bulk scheduling

Only in Rakuten

  • Cash back rewards
  • Coupon codes
  • In-store offers
  • Price comparisons
  • Chrome support
  • Firefox support
  • Edge support
  • Safari support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hootsuite

  • Social media schedulingnot Rakuten
  • Community managementnot Rakuten
  • Social advertisingnot Rakuten
  • Analytics & reportingnot Rakuten
  • Team collaborationnot Rakuten

Rakuten

No use cases recorded yet. See the Rakuten review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hootsuite

  • No free tier available; minimum cost is $99/user/year annually
  • Monthly billing significantly more expensive than annual (20-30% premium)
  • Advanced data export via SFTP available only to Enterprise tier customers

Rakuten

  • Minimum withdrawal amount of $5.01 creates friction for light users
  • Quarterly payout schedule only, with months-long delays between earning and receiving payments
  • Amazon cashback limited to specific categories at 1-3% rates
  • Must click through Rakuten link first or cashback does not register

Pricing, plan by plan

Hootsuite

$99/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Hootsuite review.

Rakuten

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Rakuten review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Hootsuite if

  • You need content scheduling.
  • You also want social inbox.
Hootsuite review

Choose Rakuten if

  • You need cash back rewards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
  • You also want coupon codes.
Rakuten review

Questions people ask

Is Hootsuite or Rakuten better?
Neither clearly leads. Hootsuite starts at $99/year and Rakuten at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hootsuite or Rakuten?
Rakuten has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/year for Hootsuite and Free for Rakuten.
Does Hootsuite or Rakuten run on more platforms?
Hootsuite runs on Web. Rakuten runs on Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge).
Can I use Rakuten for free?
Yes. Rakuten has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Hootsuite starts at $99/year.
What is Hootsuite best used for?
Hootsuite is most often used for social media scheduling, community management, social advertising, analytics & reporting. Of those, social media scheduling and community management are not what Rakuten is typically brought in for.
What can Hootsuite do that Rakuten cannot?
Hootsuite covers Content scheduling, Social inbox, Content calendar, Analytics & reporting. Rakuten covers Cash back rewards, Coupon codes, In-store offers, Price comparisons.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hootsuite: What is Hootsuite's pricing structure?

Hootsuite offers four annual plans: Standard at $99/user/year, Professional at $199/user/year, Advanced at $399/user/year, and Enterprise with custom pricing. Monthly billing is available at 20-30% higher cost.

Source
Rakuten: Is Rakuten free to use?

Yes, the Rakuten browser extension is completely free with no membership fees. Users never pay to earn cashback rewards.

Source
Hootsuite: Does Hootsuite offer a free tier?

No. Hootsuite does not offer a free tier or freemium plan. A 30-day trial is available, and skipping the trial provides 25% off annual plans.

Source
Rakuten: How and when can I withdraw my cashback earnings?

Rakuten processes payouts quarterly in February, May, August, and November. You need a minimum balance of $5.01 to request a payout via PayPal or check.

Source
Hootsuite: How many integrations does Hootsuite support?

Hootsuite advertises support for over 100 integrations, claiming more than any other social media management platform.

Source
Rakuten: How many stores does Rakuten support?

Rakuten works with over 3,500 online stores and offers cashback rates up to 40% depending on the retailer and promotion.

Source
Hootsuite: Can users export their data from Hootsuite?

Yes. Hootsuite offers Advanced Analytics data export as CSV files to SFTP folders for Enterprise users, with daily exports and 90-day retention. Standard and Professional plans have more limited export capabilities.

Source
Hootsuite: Does Hootsuite offer API access?

Yes. Hootsuite provides a REST API for building custom applications and integrations, though API capabilities vary by plan level.

Source
Hootsuite: Does Hootsuite offer self-hosted or on-premise deployment?

No. Hootsuite is a cloud-based SaaS platform only. There is no self-hosted or on-premise deployment option available.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Hootsuite

More on Rakuten

Keep looking

Other head to heads