How to Choose a Social Media Tool for Your Agency
Choose a social media tool by the routine it removes: creating content, approving, scheduling or measuring. Compare four points: client separation, approval, content creation and cost per client. Pubblish covers research, creation, calendar and publishing in one flow; other tools are stronger at scheduling or analytics.
Part of the guide: Pubblish for Agencies and Social Media Managers
Facts you can check
- R$ 29.90/month per brand — mLabs lists a single plan at R$ 29.90 per month per managed brand (article from 25 Jul 2025, checked on 16 Oct 2026). mLabs: plans
- US$ 5 and US$ 10/channel — Buffer charges per channel: US$ 5 per month on Essentials and US$ 10 per month on Team (US$ 60 and US$ 120 per year). Buffer: pricing
- 1 brand · 20 posts/month — Metricool's Free plan allows 1 brand and 20 scheduled posts per month, with 30 days of analytics and analysis of 5 competitor profiles. Metricool: pricing
- 10 contas · 8.000 créditos/mês · conta extra R$ 25/mês — The Agency plan includes 10 connected social accounts and 8,000 AI credits per month. Pubblish plans
01 · Guide
What is the first question when choosing a tool?
The first question is which part of the work you want to remove: creating the content, getting client approval, scheduling or measuring. A tool can be great at scheduling and leave all the creation to you.
02 · Guide
Which criteria should I compare?
| Criterion | Pubblish | mLabs | Metricool | Buffer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billing | Plan based on connected accounts (Agency: R$ 249 per month, 10 accounts) | R$ 29.90 per month per brand | By plan and number of brands (Free: 1 brand) | Per channel (US$ 5 or US$ 10 per month) |
| AI content creation | Niche research, carousels, posts, Stories, Reels and captions | AI captions; images through the Canva integration | AI assistant with credits per brand | AI assistant on all plans |
| Approval | You approve before publishing | Lists control of the approval workflow | Post approval on the Advanced plan | Approval workflow on the Team plan |
| Client separation | One workspace per client | Per managed brand | Per brand | Per channel |
Data checked on each tool's official pages on 16 Oct 2026. Prices and features change: confirm on the official page before you decide.
03 · Guide
How can I test two or three tools in a week?
- 1Pick two real clients with different networks and niches.
- 2Use the same briefing in each tool.
- 3Time how long it takes to reach a first draft and a version you would approve.
- 4Note how many steps happened outside the tool.
- 5Simulate the cost with your whole portfolio, not just the test clients.
04 · Guide
What are the common mistakes when choosing?
- Choosing only by the lowest price per brand or per channel.
- Not checking who creates the artwork and the caption.
- Forgetting the cost of growing: more clients, more networks and more users.
- Deciding without testing with a real client's briefing.
05 · Guide
Where does Pubblish fit?
Pubblish is the choice when you want to research the niche, create carousels, posts and captions in each client's brand, and schedule in the same flow, with review before publishing. If you only need to schedule content that is already made or to measure results, a tool focused on that may suit you better.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best social media tool for an agency?
It depends on the step you want to remove. Pubblish covers research, creation, calendar and publishing; other tools focus more on scheduling or analytics.
Do I need a tool with client approval?
It depends on your workflow. Metricool and Buffer have approval on specific plans, and mLabs lists control of the approval workflow. In Pubblish, you approve before publishing.
Is it worth starting with a free tool?
Metricool and Buffer have limited free plans, useful for trying out scheduling. They do not replace creating content in the client's brand.
How do I compare prices?
Simulate the cost with your real portfolio. The cost per client page shows the calculation for 10 clients.