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Software · head to head

Hootsuite vs Tailwind

Hootsuite logo

Hootsuite

Software

Save time and grow on social media

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tailwind logo

Tailwind

Software

Pinterest and Instagram marketing platform for scheduling and keyword research

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tailwind 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; Tailwind pricing is split into separate SEO, Engagement, and Scheduling plans, so full functionality requires the bundle at a higher combined cost.
  • They diverge on capability: Hootsuite covers Content scheduling, Tailwind covers Keyword research.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hootsuite and Tailwind actually diverge.

Attributes where Hootsuite and Tailwind differ
AttributeHootsuiteTailwind
Starting price$99/yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebweb, ios, android
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Tailwind

  • Keyword research
  • SmartPin
  • SmartSchedule
  • Turbo
  • Ghostwriter AI
  • Website sync
  • Browser extension

What people use each for

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

Hootsuite

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

Tailwind

  • Researching high-potential Pinterest keywords for a nichenot Hootsuite
  • Auto-generating pins from new blog or product pagesnot Hootsuite
  • Scheduling a batch of pins at optimal timesnot Hootsuite
  • Boosting reach of top-performing pins through the Turbo networknot Hootsuite
  • Syncing an e-commerce store's catalog into recurring pin contentnot Hootsuite

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

Tailwind

  • Pricing is split into separate SEO, Engagement, and Scheduling plans, so full functionality requires the bundle at a higher combined cost.
  • The platform is Pinterest-first, with weaker support for other networks compared to general social schedulers.
  • Credit limits on lower plans (e.g. 50 credits/month) can restrict usage for high-volume pinners without add-on purchases.
  • Turbo engagement relies on a community exchange network rather than organic reach, which may not suit all brands.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hootsuite

$99/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Hootsuite review.

Tailwind

Free
  • Pinterest SEO$11.99/month
    • Keyword research
    • Keyword tracking
    • URL-based keywords
  • Pinterest Engagement$11.99/month
    • 2x faster Turbo Pin earnings
    • Unlimited Turbo Pins
    • 90-day Pin boosting
  • Pin Scheduling & Creation$17.99/month
    • Pin creation and writing
    • Weekly automation
    • Smart scheduling
  • All-in bundle$29.98/month
    • All Pin Scheduling, SEO, and Engagement features combined

Which should you pick?

Choose Hootsuite if

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

Choose Tailwind if

  • You need keyword research.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want smartpin.
Tailwind review

Questions people ask

Is Hootsuite or Tailwind better?
Neither clearly leads. Hootsuite starts at $99/year and Tailwind at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hootsuite or Tailwind?
Tailwind has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/year for Hootsuite and Free for Tailwind.
Does Hootsuite or Tailwind run on more platforms?
Hootsuite runs on Web. Tailwind runs on web, ios, android.
Can I use Tailwind for free?
Yes. Tailwind 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 Tailwind is typically brought in for.
What can Hootsuite do that Tailwind cannot?
Hootsuite covers Content scheduling, Social inbox, Content calendar, Analytics & reporting. Tailwind covers Keyword research, SmartPin, SmartSchedule, Turbo.

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
Tailwind: Does Tailwind have a free plan?

Tailwind offers a free plan with no credit card required, letting new users try scheduling and pin creation before subscribing to a paid tier.

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
Tailwind: What does Tailwind cost?

Tailwind sells separate plans for Pinterest SEO ($11.99/mo), Engagement ($11.99/mo), and Pin Scheduling & Creation ($17.99/mo) when billed annually, or a bundle of all three for $29.98/mo.

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
Tailwind: How is usage metered on Tailwind plans?

Plans include a monthly credit allotment (e.g. 50 or 300 credits) used for AI pin generation and other features; extra credits can be purchased at $10 per 100 or via auto-refill.

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
Tailwind: Can I cancel my Tailwind subscription anytime?

According to Tailwind's pricing page, subscriptions can be canceled at any time.

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
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