Softwr

Marketing · head to head

Hootsuite vs Tumblr

Hootsuite logo

Hootsuite

Marketing

Save time and grow on social media

From
$99/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tumblr logo

Tumblr

Social Media

Blogging and fandom platform owned by Automattic after being sold off by Verizon for a fraction of what Yahoo paid for it

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tumblr 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; Tumblr user growth has been flat to declining for years, and the platform receives comparatively little product investment relative to competitors, so new features arrive slowly.
  • They diverge on capability: Hootsuite covers Content scheduling, Tumblr covers Reblogging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hootsuite and Tumblr actually diverge.

Attributes where Hootsuite and Tumblr differ
AttributeHootsuiteTumblr
Starting price$99/yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownFree to use, optional ad-free subscription and paid post promotion
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web
CategoryMarketingSocial Media
Founded2008Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Tumblr

  • Reblogging
  • Tumblr Blaze
  • Ad-free browsing
  • Custom blog themes
  • Community labels
  • Post editor

What people use each for

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

Hootsuite

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

Tumblr

  • A fandom or fan-art community that has stayed on Tumblr specifically for its reblog and tagging culturenot Hootsuite
  • A writer or artist wanting a free, lightly customisable blog rather than a full websitenot Hootsuite
  • Someone researching how a platform behaves after a steep ownership devaluation and reduced investmentnot Hootsuite
  • A brand targeting niche fandom or subculture audiences that remain concentrated on Tumblr rather than mainstream platformsnot 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

Tumblr

  • User growth has been flat to declining for years, and the platform receives comparatively little product investment relative to competitors, so new features arrive slowly.
  • A 2018 ban on adult content drove away a significant part of the user base and community trust that has not fully recovered, even after some policy softening later.
  • Discovery and reach for new accounts is weaker than on algorithm-first platforms, so building an audience from zero is slower than on Instagram or TikTok.
  • The sharp drop in Tumblrs sale price between 2013 and 2019 signals real risk around long-term platform stability and continued investment under any given owner.
  • Moderation and safety tooling has historically lagged larger platforms, which matters for anyone running a brand presence that needs reliable content moderation support.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hootsuite

$99/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Hootsuite review.

Tumblr

Free
  • TumblrFree
    • Free blogging, following and reblogging
  • Ad-Free Browsing$4.99/month
    • Removes ads from the browsing experience

Which should you pick?

Choose Hootsuite if

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

Choose Tumblr if

  • You need reblogging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want tumblr blaze.
Tumblr review

Questions people ask

Is Hootsuite or Tumblr better?
Neither clearly leads. Hootsuite starts at $99/year and Tumblr at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hootsuite or Tumblr?
Tumblr has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/year for Hootsuite and Free for Tumblr.
Does Hootsuite or Tumblr run on more platforms?
Hootsuite runs on Web. Tumblr runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Tumblr for free?
Yes. Tumblr 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 Tumblr is typically brought in for.
What can Hootsuite do that Tumblr cannot?
Hootsuite covers Content scheduling, Social inbox, Content calendar, Analytics & reporting. Tumblr covers Reblogging, Tumblr Blaze, Ad-free browsing, Custom blog themes.

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
Tumblr: Who owns Tumblr now?

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, which bought it from Verizon in 2019.

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
Tumblr: Is Tumblr still free?

Yes. An optional ad-free subscription and paid post promotion, Tumblr Blaze, exist, but the core platform is free.

Hootsuite: How many integrations does Hootsuite support?

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

Source
Tumblr: Why did Tumblrs value drop so much between 2013 and 2019?

Years of user decline, accelerated by a 2018 ban on adult content that alienated a large part of its community, left it worth a small fraction of what Yahoo paid.

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
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