How much does Later cost?

The social media scheduler's price, plan by plan, with the add-ons, the post caps and the billing traps the grid doesn't spell out.

Short answer: Later costs $18.75/month on Starter, $37.50 on Growth and $82.50 on Scale, billed once a year in USD with taxes on top. There's no free plan on the pricing page; every plan comes with a 14-day trial. The entry price covers one brand and one seat. A second Instagram account, a teammate or more than 30 posts per profile a month pushes you to Growth, which doubles the bill. We compared the official grid add-on by add-on and priced six real setups below.

Romain Cochard
Romain CochardCEO of Hack'celeration
Updated 2026$18.75Starter per month, yearly14 daystrial, no free plan25% offon annual, per Later

Affiliate links: if you sign up through our links, you support us at no extra cost. No link changes our numbers or our score.

Social media scheduling · USD pricing

What each Later plan costs

Later sells three plans, and the building block is the Social Set: one profile on each supported network (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads and Snapchat), so 8 profiles. A brand that's everywhere fits in one set. Two Instagram accounts, though, need two sets. The pricing page only shows annual prices. Later says annual saves 25% over monthly ("3 months free"), which puts monthly billing at $25, $50 and $110.

USD per month, billed once a year, taxes extra. Monthly price without the annual discount underneath.

Starter

One brand, one person, a moderate pace

$18.75/mo, billed yearly

$225 a year · $25 month to month

  • 1 Social Set (8 profiles), 1 user
  • 30 posts per profile per month
  • 5 AI credits a month (1 credit = 1 caption or 3 ideas)
  • 3 months of analytics, Link in Bio, basic support
  • No add-ons: no extra sets, users or credits
Try Starter →
The plan most teams need

Growth

Two brands or a small team

$37.50/mo, billed yearly

$450 a year · $50 month to month

  • 2 Social Sets (16 profiles), 2 users
  • 180 posts per profile per month
  • 50 AI credits, 1 year of analytics
  • Social inbox, internal and external approvals
  • UGC collection, custom roles and permissions
Try Growth →

Scale

Six brands, a team of four

$82.50/mo, billed yearly

$990 a year · $110 month to month

  • 6 Social Sets (48 profiles), 4 users
  • Unlimited posts, 100 AI credits
  • 2 years of analytics, Meta Ads Analytics
  • Competitive benchmarking, Brand Health and Brand Mentions
  • Priority support
Try Scale →

Later's official grid as published in 2026, matching our full review. Add-ons on Growth and Scale only, billed yearly: $11.25 per Social Set, $3.75 per user, $3.75 for 100 AI credits a month. On monthly billing, an extra user is $5. Older grids still floating around with Growth at $45 or an "Advanced" plan are out of date.

What the grid doesn't show

Six things that push the bill up

Later's entry price is fair for a single brand. The total shifts as soon as your use steps outside a narrow box. Here are the six mechanics to know before you pay for a year.

Starter is locked

On Starter, Later allows no add-ons at all: no extra Social Set, no extra user, no extra AI credits. A second Instagram account or an intern who needs to schedule moves you from $18.75 to $37.50 a month. That's $225 more per year for one need.

Posts count when scheduled

Starter's 30-post cap (180 on Growth) applies per profile per month, Reels, Stories and carousels included. The catch: a post counts the moment you schedule it, not when it goes live. Scheduling and then deleting a post doesn't give the slot back. Three Instagram Stories a day burn through Starter in ten days.

A second account on the same network

A Social Set holds one profile per network. Your main brand and a side brand on Instagram means two sets, even if you use nothing else. On Growth and Scale, each extra set costs $11.25 a month billed yearly, or $135 a year.

Seats and AI credits

Growth includes 2 users, Scale 4. Each extra person is $3.75 a month billed yearly, $5 on monthly. AI credits cost the same: $3.75 for 100 credits a month. One credit gets you a caption or three ideas, so 50 credits is about 50 captions.

Taxes, auto-renewal, no refunds

Prices are in USD with applicable taxes added at checkout. The annual plan renews on its own at the end of the cycle, and the trial rolls into a paid plan too. Plans are non-refundable, and a downgrade only kicks in at the next billing cycle.

X is no longer supported

Since 2025, Later no longer lets you connect an X (formerly Twitter) account, and X posts that were already scheduled don't go out. If X is still a channel for you, you need a second tool and a second subscription. Budget for it before you pick Later.

  • Count accounts per network: two Instagram handles means two Social Sets.
  • Count posts per profile, Stories included, at scheduling time.
  • More than one person or brand: Starter won't cut it, plan on Growth.
  • Put the trial end date and the annual renewal date in your calendar.
  • Posting on X: you'll need another tool for that channel.
Our method

How we work out the real cost

We start from Later's official grid, in USD and billed yearly, the same one our full review uses. For each setup, we take the cheapest plan that covers the number of accounts per network, the number of people and the post volume. Then we add the paid add-ons you'd need and compare against the next plan up: when the add-ons cost as much as that plan, we go with the bigger plan, since it gives you more.

  1. Accounts per networkOne set per account on the same network, $11.25 per extra set
    Social Sets
  2. People1, 2 or 4 included, then $3.75 each billed yearly
    Seats
  3. Posts per profile30, 180 or unlimited, counted when scheduled
    Plan
  4. AI usage5, 50 or 100 a month, then $3.75 per 100
    Credits
2026official grid
USDtaxes extra
6setups priced

Calculated from Later's public grid on annual billing. Your exact total, tax included, shows up before you pay.

The real cost

What you actually pay each month

Six common setups, worked out on the official grid, billed yearly, before tax. The number shown is the lowest that covers your accounts, your team and your posting pace.

USD per month, billed yearly, taxes extra

Solo creator

1 brand, 1 person, 3 posts a week

$18.75/mo

Starter, $225 a year

  • About 13 posts per profile a month: well under the 30 cap
  • The 8 profiles in one set cover a single brand
  • No social inbox on this plan

Shop with two Instagram accounts

2 brands, 1 person

$37.50/mo

Growth, $450 a year

  • The second Instagram account forces a second set, so Growth
  • The second included seat is free for a helper
  • 180 posts per profile: daily Stories fit
Try Growth →
The most common case

Team of three

2 brands, 3 people

$41.25/mo

Growth + 1 user, $495 a year

  • $37.50 for the plan + $3.75 for the third person
  • Internal and external approvals included
  • On monthly billing, the same team pays $55

Team of four

3 brands, 4 people

$56.25/mo

Growth + 1 set + 2 users

  • $37.50 + $11.25 + 2 × $3.75
  • Stays under Scale while you have fewer than 6 sets
  • Analytics still capped at 1 year

Small agency

6 client brands, 4 people

$82.50/mo

Scale, $990 a year

  • Growth + 4 sets would already cost $82.50
  • Scale adds 2 seats, unlimited posts, 2 years of analytics
  • That's $13.75 per client brand per month

Agency with 10 brands

10 brands, 4 people

$127.50/mo

Scale + 4 sets, $1,530 a year

  • $82.50 + 4 × $11.25
  • 15 brands: $183.75 a month
  • Each extra person: $3.75

Calculated on Later's official 2026 grid, billed yearly, in USD before tax. A post counts as soon as it's scheduled, so check your real pace over a month before choosing between Starter and Growth. For agencies, the pricing page shows no custom-quote plan: past 6 brands, you stack sets on top of Scale.

Is Later expensive?

Later's price vs. Buffer and Hootsuite

The three tools don't bill for the same thing. Later bills bundles of 8 profiles, Buffer bills each channel, Hootsuite bills each user. For one brand on 3 networks, Buffer is cheapest. For one brand on 4 networks or more, Later wins on price.

Entry price per month, billed yearly, USD

This page

Later

Billed per Social Set (8 profiles)

$18.75/mo, Starter

No free plan, 14-day trial

  • 8 profiles for one brand from Starter
  • Visual calendar and Link in Bio included
  • No X, and no add-ons on Starter
Try Later →

Buffer

Billed per channel

$5/channel/mo, Essentials

Free on 3 channels, $60 per channel a year

  • Free: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user
  • Team at $10 per channel, unlimited users
  • 6 channels on Essentials: $30, more than Later Starter

Hootsuite

Billed per user

$99/mo, Standard

Professional from $199, no free plan

  • Standard: 10 social accounts, priced per user
  • Advanced up to $399, Enterprise on quote
  • 14-day trial, same as Later

Entry prices from the official pricing pages of Later, Buffer and Hootsuite in 2026, on annual billing. Buffer's "unlimited" posts are capped at 5,000 per channel. Hootsuite's annual billing is cheaper than its monthly rate, and its trial allows a limited number of posts per day.

Pay less

Six ways to pay less for Later

Practical moves drawn from the grid, Later's own pricing FAQ and the billing horror stories customers post in their reviews.

01

Set a reminder before the trial ends

The big one

The 14-day trial rolls into the plan you picked, and plans are non-refundable. Several customers describe an annual charge landing the day after their trial, then a refund being turned down. Set a reminder two days before the end and cancel first if Later isn't for you.

Trial
14 days
Refunds
Not offered
02

Cancel annual well before the renewal date

Annual plans renew automatically at the end of the cycle. User reviews keep coming back to a $200 to $250 renewal charged with no heads-up. If you're not sure you'll keep Later another twelve months, cancel well before the renewal date, from a computer.

Starter yearly
$225
Growth yearly
$450
03

Start monthly if your needs aren't settled

Later says annual saves 25%: $75 a year on Starter, $150 on Growth. But it locks you in for twelve months with no way back. One month on monthly billing, $25 on Starter, costs $6.25 more and lets you check your real posting pace before paying for the year.

Starter gap
$6.25 a month
Growth gap
$12.50 a month
04

Stop adding sets to Growth at the fourth one

Growth plus 4 sets costs $37.50 + 4 × $11.25 = $82.50, exactly the price of Scale. Scale gives you the same 6 sets plus 2 more seats, unlimited posts and 2 years of analytics. From your fifth brand, move to Scale. With 3 extra sets ($71.25), Growth is still cheaper.

Growth + 4 sets
$82.50
Scale
$82.50
05

Don't schedule drafts ahead of time

On Starter, every scheduled post uses one of the profile's 30 slots, even if you delete it later. Keep ideas as unscheduled drafts and only schedule what's approved. For Instagram and TikTok, notification publishing is still there if you'd rather post by hand.

Starter
30 posts per profile
Growth
180 posts per profile
06

Ask for the nonprofit discount on annual Growth

Later gives qualified nonprofit organizations 50% off the annual Growth plan. Growth drops from $450 to $225 a year, the price of Starter, with 2 sets, 2 seats and the social inbox. The discount only applies to annual Growth.

Discount
50%
Nonprofit Growth
$225 a year

Do you make a tool in this category? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com

The verdict

So, is Later worth the price?

Our take after comparing the grids: Later is well priced for a visual brand across several networks, less so for a growing team or anyone still on X. Our full Later review scores it 3.0/5, dragged down by value for money (2.4/5) and support (2.2/5).

Worth it if…

You run one brand on 5 to 8 networks, on your own, at a few posts a week. At $18.75, Starter covers 8 profiles where Buffer would charge $40 for 8 channels. The visual calendar and Instagram Link in Bio are the strengths customers mention most.

Not worth it if…

You work as a team, juggle several accounts on the same network, or post on X. Starter's lock pushes you onto Growth fast, then every seat and set adds up. For 2 or 3 channels, Buffer is cheaper. For one brand on 8 networks with a team of five, the per-seat add-ons start to sting.

Bottom line

Only start on Starter if you're solo on one brand. Otherwise Growth, at $37.50, is Later's real entry price. Switch to Scale from your fifth brand. Either way, write down your trial and renewal dates: that's where unhappy Later customers lost the most money. Still unsure? Our Later alternatives price the other options.

  • Starter: $18.75, one brand and one person, no add-ons.
  • Growth: $37.50, the real entry point once there are two of you.
  • Scale: $82.50, worth it from the fifth brand.
  • Add-ons: $11.25 per set, $3.75 per user, $3.75 per 100 AI credits.
  • Annual is non-refundable and auto-renews: set a reminder.
Go further

Price isn't the whole decision

You want to judge the tool, not just its gridFull Later review

Our score criterion by criterion, what users say and what the tool gets wrong.

Later is too pricey for your setupLater alternatives

The tools that come out cheaper depending on your number of brands and people.

You're coming from BufferSwitching from Buffer

Where to go next, and how to move your scheduled posts without losing any.

Pricing FAQ

Later pricing FAQ

  • How much does Later cost per month?
    Later costs $18.75 a month on Starter, $37.50 on Growth and $82.50 on Scale, billed yearly with taxes extra. The pricing page only lists those annual prices. Later says annual saves 25% over monthly, which works out to $25, $50 and $110 a month without the annual commitment. Add-ons change the total: on Growth and Scale, an extra Social Set is $11.25 and an extra user $3.75 a month billed yearly.
  • Is Later free?
    No, Later's pricing page doesn't offer a free plan. Each paid plan comes with a 14-day trial. Be careful: when the trial ends, the subscription starts on its own and plans are non-refundable. If you need a free tool to get going, Buffer's free plan covers 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel.
  • How much is Later per year?
    Billed yearly, Starter comes to $225, Growth to $450 and Scale to $990, before tax. Later charges the full amount up front, then renews automatically on the anniversary date. A team of three on Growth pays $495 a year, and an agency with 10 brands on Scale pays $1,530.
  • What is a Social Set on Later?
    A Social Set is one profile on each supported network: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads and Snapchat, so 8 profiles. Starter includes 1, Growth 2 and Scale 6. The trap: two accounts on the same network need two sets, even if Instagram is all you use. Each extra set is $11.25 a month billed yearly, on Growth and Scale only.
  • How many posts can you schedule on Later?
    Starter allows 30 posts per profile per month, Growth 180, and Scale has no cap. The count is per profile, not per Social Set, and includes Reels, Stories and carousels. A post counts as soon as it's scheduled, not when it's published, so deleting a scheduled post doesn't free up the slot.
  • Is Later cheaper than Buffer?
    Buffer is cheaper if you post on few networks: free on 3 channels, then $5 per channel a month billed yearly on Essentials. Later gets cheaper from 4 networks for one brand: 4 Buffer channels cost $20, versus $18.75 for the 8 profiles on Later Starter. For teams, Buffer's Team plan at $10 per channel includes unlimited users, while Later charges per seat.
  • Can you get a refund from Later?
    No, Later's plans are non-refundable, and annual plans renew automatically at the end of the cycle. A downgrade takes effect at the next billing cycle, not right away. A subscription bought in the iOS app is managed and refunded by Apple, not by Later. Some customers report getting money back after complaining, but nothing guarantees it.
  • Does Later still support X (Twitter)?
    No. Since 2025, Later no longer lets you connect an X account, and X posts that were scheduled don't get published. The 8 supported networks are Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads and Snapchat. For X, you'll need a separate tool and a separate subscription.
  • Does Later offer any discounts?
    Yes, two. Annual billing saves 25% according to Later, the equivalent of 3 months free. And qualified nonprofits get 50% off the annual Growth plan, which drops from $450 to $225 a year. No promo code is needed for the annual price: you pick it at checkout.
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