relayRelay vs Hootsuite: two ways to run your social media
Hootsuite and Relay both schedule posts across several networks. But they’re built for different people: Hootsuite is a full dashboard for marketing teams, Relay is an assistant you tell what you want to post.
The difference in one sentence
With Hootsuite you work in a dashboard: you write, pick networks and set times, with AI help along the way. With Relay you write one sentence (“prepare three posts for our fall launch”) and the assistant does the work, then shows you each post to approve.
Side by side
Facts read on Hootsuite’s plans page on October 5, 2026.
- Free plan: Relay has a free Starter plan; Hootsuite offers a 14-day free trial, then paid plans
- Price: Relay Pro is $25 a month for all four networks; Hootsuite’s prices are on its plans page and vary by plan and billing period
- Learning curve: Relay works as a conversation; Hootsuite has a dashboard to learn
- Networks: Relay covers Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and TikTok; Hootsuite covers more, including X and Pinterest
- Teams: Hootsuite handles multiple users, approval workflows and advanced reporting; Relay is designed for one person or a small team
Pick Hootsuite if…
- you’re a marketing team with roles and approval chains
- you manage many accounts, including X or Pinterest
- you need detailed reports for clients or leadership
Pick Relay if…
- you run your own business’s social media without a dedicated team
- you want AI to write, design and schedule while you just approve
- you want to try for free with no time limit
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my scheduled posts from Hootsuite?
There’s no automatic import. The simplest path is to ask Relay to prepare your next posts from your ideas or your previous captions.