HeyOrca vs Hootsuite: which is best for your agency?

TL;DR: 

• Both HeyOrca and Hootsuite can help you schedule, publish, monitor, and report on social media content.
• HeyOrca is built around the day-to-day realities of team and client collaboration, with unlimited users, client-friendly approvals, and agency-focused workflows.
• Hootsuite is a strong option for teams that need robust engagement, social listening, and don’t require multiple users or sharable content calendars. 
• If your biggest challenge is managing social media at scale across multiple clients and stakeholders, HeyOrca may be the better fit.

So, you’re comparing HeyOrca vs. Hootsuite. That means there’s a pretty good chance you’re not doing it for fun.

Maybe your team keeps getting stuck waiting for approvals, maybe you’re paying for seats that aren’t being used every day, or maybe adding a new client means adding another layer of complexity to your social media management process.

Whatever sent you searching, switching social media management tools is a big decision. You have to consider pricing, features, team workflows, client experience, onboarding, and the time it’ll take to get everyone up and running.

So, let’s make the decision a little easier.

In this guide, we’ll compare HeyOrca and Hootsuite based on the things that matter most to agencies:

• Pricing and user limits
• Client approvals
• Team collaboration
• Client onboarding
• Customer support
• Overall agency fit

And yes, we’ll talk about where Hootsuite shines, too. Because we’re not here to throw another social media platform under the bus – we’re here to help you figure out which one actually makes sense for your agency. 

Okay, now for the good stuff.

How much will my agency actually pay?

Pricing can look pretty straightforward when you’re comparing two platforms side by side . . . Until you start adding people. 

Then suddenly you’re doing seat math (which is almost as bad as toilet paper math). 

For agencies, your social media management tool might need to accommodate account managers, social media managers, designers, copywriters, freelancers, executives, and clients.

That’s a lot of people who might need access to your social media workflow.

So, how do HeyOrca and Hootsuite handle that?

HeyOrca: unlimited users on paid plans

HeyOrca prices its paid plans per client workspace, and every paid plan includes unlimited users. You can add the people who need to collaborate without adding another user fee to your monthly bill.

That means your team can invite an account manager to review content, a designer to add creative, or a client to approve posts without having to stop and ask “do we really need another seat?”

And most importantly, no password sharing just because someone needs access. 

Hootsuite: user limits can affect your costs

Hootsuite takes a different approach, with user limits that vary by plan.

The current Hootsuite comparison shows one user on its lowest listed tier, three users on its most popular tier, and five users on its agency and enterprise tier, with additional users subject to additional fees or plan requirements.

That doesn’t make Hootsuite inherently expensive for every team. If only a few people need access, its pricing structure may work perfectly well.

But if your agency regularly needs to bring clients and collaborators into the platform, those additional seats can become an important part of your total cost.

Can my clients actually use the workflow?

Getting content approvals should be easy, but more often than not you end up searching email threads, text, messages, Slack, and random PDFs with messages like “Looks good!” but you have no idea which post they are talking about.

Let’s take a look at how HeyOrca and Hootsuite approach approvals. 

HeyOrca: approvals without logging in

HeyOrca makes it easy to share content with clients through a shareable link. Clients can review posts, leave comments, request revisions, and approve content directly from the link – without logging in.

Clients love this because they don’t need to remember another password or learn another social media management platform. They just have to open the link, review the content, and tell you what they think.

You can also set up multi-approval workflows when multiple internal or external stakeholders need to sign off before a post goes live.

Hootsuite: powerful, but consider your approval workflow

Hootsuite also supports collaboration and approval workflows, making it possible for teams to review and manage social content within the platform. However, keep in mind that clients do need to log into Hootsuite to approve content. 

The bigger question for agencies is whether the workflow feels natural for your clients.

If your clients already use Hootsuite or are comfortable working inside it, that may not be an issue.

But if you frequently work with clients who only need to review and approve content, asking them to become familiar with another platform can add friction to an otherwise simple task.

How much work happens before the first post?

Switching social media management tools already takes work.

You have to connect accounts, organize content, invite your team, configure workflows, and get clients comfortable with the new process.

The last thing you need is to make your onboarding process harder than it needs to be.

So, what does the experience look like once you’re actually inside the platforms?

HeyOrca: built around agency workflows

HeyOrca gives agencies a separate workspace for each client, with content calendars, media storage, reporting, and collaboration tools in one place.

You can also add internal teammates and external clients with different roles and permissions.

And because clients can review shared content without logging in, you can introduce them to the part of HeyOrca they actually need without asking them to learn the entire platform.

That can make a big difference when you’re onboarding multiple clients at once.

Hootsuite: a broader platform experience

Hootsuite offers a comprehensive platform for publishing, engagement, analytics, and social listening. Keep in mind that Hootsuite does not separate your client’s workspaces for every brand, so you’ll need to filter to isolate the other brands. 

That breadth can be a major advantage for agencies that need those capabilities. But broader functionality can also mean more to configure and learn.

If your agency mainly needs an easy way to plan content, collect approvals, collaborate with your team, and report on results, it’s worth asking whether you need all the additional functionality. 

What happens when I need customer support?

Even the easiest social media management tool will eventually throw you a curveball.

Maybe a social account needs to be reconnected.

Maybe something isn’t publishing the way you expected.

Maybe you’re onboarding a new team member and have a question.

Or maybe Instagram has decided to do its favourite thing and randomly change something (We still love you, Instagram!!).

That’s when customer support comes into play.

HeyOrca: human customer care

HeyOrca includes human customer support with its paid plans, with an emphasis on personalized help.

HeyOrca also provides onboarding and training for teams migrating from platforms such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social.

So when you make the switch, you’re not just handed a new login and sent on your merry way.

And that support extends beyond troubleshooting.

Through The Pod, webinars, educational content, and other resources, HeyOrca also invests in helping social media professionals get better at their jobs.

Hootsuite: a deep education ecosystem

Hootsuite has been around for a long time, so it has built an extensive education ecosystem.

That includes its help centre, Hootsuite Academy, webinars, training resources, and educational content.

For marketers who want structured training and professional education, that can be a real benefit.

The difference is less about whether either company offers education and more about the kind of support experience your agency prefers.

What agencies need to know

When you compare customer support, look beyond the help centre.

Ask:

• Can I reach a real person?
• How quickly can I get help?
• Is onboarding available?
• Will someone help my team make the switch?
• Are there educational resources that help me keep learning?

Where Hootsuite has the edge

Okay, time for us to give Hootsuite its flowers. 

HeyOrca isn’t the right tool for every agency, and Hootsuite has some strengths that are absolutely worth considering before you make a switch.

Hootsuite offers a broad set of publishing, engagement, analytics, and social listening capabilities. It also has a large integration ecosystem and tools designed for teams managing high volumes of social conversations.

If your agency relies heavily on:

• Social listening
• Advanced engagement workflows
• A large integration ecosystem
• Enterprise-level social media operations

Hootsuite may be worth a closer look.

And if those capabilities are already central to your workflow, switching tools may not make sense just because another platform offers a better price.

What Hootsuite users are saying

“I like that Hootsuite's interface is simple to use and doesn't require a tech background to understand. It's very intuitive and easy to navigate, allowing us to quickly gather information about our posts and anything we're tracking. It also allows new users to jump in and adopt the platform quickly and easily without much training” – Verified review from G2

“Hootsuite can feel expensive for smaller teams, especially when advanced analytics, additional users, or broader functionality are needed. The interface is generally capable, but some workflows such as managing streams, permissions, and reporting could be more intuitive and faster to configure.” – Verified review from G2

“I use Hootsuite for managing social media platforms at an enterprise level, and it helps us solve the problem of governance and brand identity, especially with account administration across the globe. It's pretty straightforward and powerful. I appreciate the quick responses from our account manager and team, which makes us feel valued as a customer.” – Verified review from G2

Where HeyOrca has the edge

For agencies, though, collaboration is often where HeyOrca stands out.

HeyOrca is built around the people behind the posts – the social media managers, account managers, designers, and clients who need to keep work moving.

That shows up in the features agencies use every day:

• Unlimited users on paid plans
• Client-friendly approval workflows
• No-login approvals
• Separate client workspaces
• Shared content calendars
• Cross-channel reporting
• Social Inbox
• Human customer care
• Canva and Google Drive integrations
• Weekly webinars and The Pod community

HeyOrca is a trusted platform that focuses less on giving you every possible social media feature and more on making the everyday agency workflow easier.

What HeyOrca users are saying

“One of the unexpected benefits has actually been the feedback from our clients. We've had clients specifically tell us how much easier they find HeyOrca to use for reviewing content, seeing their calendar and giving feedback. We've tried a handful of platforms over the years, including some of the bigger names, and HeyOrca has been the one that best fits how our agency actually works.” – Verified review from G2

“I love how easy it is to use and the features it provides comparatively to other tools. The social media management aspect makes it easy to have separate workspaces, organize content based on platforms for clients, has an easy calendar view, and is super user-friendly when providing the link to clients to review/approve. All our clients enjoy this platform over the one we used previously. My FAVOURITE feature though is the community management aspect of it. It integrates with all the platforms to give you an organized inbox for all DMs and comments. You can reply directly on HeyOrca for every client without having to leave the platform, and their AI comment replies are actually good and save me time. Their reports are also a lifesaver; they can generate a custom report for all platforms within minutes, which saves me the hassle of having to go to every platform and pull metrics manually. It definitely is worth the price for the features it provides.” – Verified review from G2

“Whether for a single calendar or for agencies with many clients, the cost is unmatched. I frequently tell others that I've never experienced better customer service from a vendor than I have with HeyOrca.” – Verified review from G2

HeyOrca vs. Hootsuite: Which one should I choose?

If you're still torn, start with your biggest bottleneck.

Choose Hootsuite if you need:

• Advanced social listening and monitoring
• Robust engagement capabilities
• A broad integration ecosystem

Choose HeyOrca if you need:

• Unlimited users
• Simple client approvals
• No-login approval links
• Easy collaboration between teams and clients
• Separate client workspaces
• An agency-friendly workflow
• Human customer care
• A social media community where you can learn and connect

Hootsuite vs HeyOrca FAQs

What are the best alternatives to Hootsuite?

HeyOrca is one alternative to Hootsuite, especially for agencies and teams that need unlimited users, client-friendly approvals, and simple collaboration workflows.

Is there a free alternative to Hootsuite?

Yes. HeyOrca offers a free plan, so you can try the platform without committing to a paid subscription.

How does HeyOrca compare with Hootsuite pricing?

HeyOrca’s paid plans include unlimited users, while Hootsuite’s plans have user limits that can affect your total cost as your team grows.

How does HeyOrca compare with Hootsuite for agencies?

HeyOrca is built with agency workflows in mind, including separate client workspaces, unlimited users, client-friendly approvals, and cross-channel reporting.

How do HeyOrca and Hootsuite compare as social media scheduling platforms?

Both platforms let you plan and publish social media content. HeyOrca focuses heavily on making scheduling, collaboration, and client approvals simple for teams and agencies.

How do I migrate from Hootsuite to HeyOrca?

Start by connecting your social accounts in HeyOrca, then bring over your content and invite your team and clients. HeyOrca also offers onboarding and support to help agencies make the switch.

Ready to make the switch?

Maybe you’ve read all of this and thought:

“Okay, I want to switch to HeyOrca, but I’m still under contract with my current platform.”

We get it. Switching social media management tools is a big decision, and paying for two platforms at once isn’t exactly ideal.

If your agency is currently using another social media management platform and you’re ready to move to HeyOrca, our Make the Switch offer can help make the transition a little easier.

Eligible agencies can get up to 6 months of HeyOrca free while they finish out their existing contract.

Or, if you’re not under contract and just want to give HeyOrca a whirl, start your free HeyOrca trial and see what agency social media management looks like when everyone has a seat at the table.