Sked Social vs Later: Which Tool Is Right for You?

Introduction

Social media has become an integral part of modern marketing strategies, and managing multiple platforms effectively can be a challenging task. This is where social media management tools come into play, offering solutions to streamline your social media efforts and maximise your online presence.

Brief overview of social media management tools

Social media management tools are software platforms designed to help businesses and individuals plan, create, schedule, and analyse their social media content across various platforms. These tools typically offer features such as:

• Content scheduling and publishing
• Visual content planning
• Analytics and reporting
• Team collaboration
• Social media monitoring
• Content curation

By centralising these functions, social media management tools aim to save time, improve consistency, and enhance the overall effectiveness of social media marketing efforts.

Importance of choosing the right tool for your business

Selecting the appropriate social media management tool is crucial for several reasons:

1. Efficiency: The right tool can significantly reduce the time and effort required to manage your social media presence, allowing you to focus on creating high-quality content and engaging with your audience.

2. Consistency: A well-chosen tool helps maintain a consistent posting schedule and brand voice across all your social media platforms, which is essential for building brand recognition and trust.

3. Performance insights: Advanced analytics provided by these tools can help you understand your audience better and refine your social media strategy based on data-driven decisions.

4. Resource allocation: By choosing a tool that aligns with your specific needs, you can optimise your budget and ensure you’re not paying for features you don’t use or missing out on capabilities that could benefit your business.

5. Scalability: As your business grows, your social media management needs may change. Selecting a tool that can scale with your business ensures long-term value and prevents the need for frequent switches between platforms.

6. Competitive advantage: The right social media management tool can give you an edge over competitors by enabling you to respond faster, post more consistently, and gain deeper insights into your social media performance.

In this article, we’ll compare two popular social media management tools: Sked Social and Later. By examining their features, pricing, and use cases, we aim to help you make an informed decision about which tool might be the best fit for your business needs.

Sked Social: An Overview

Sked Social, formerly known as Schedugram, is a comprehensive social media management tool designed to help businesses streamline their social media workflow. It offers a range of features to simplify content planning, scheduling, and analysis across multiple platforms.

Key features and capabilities

Sked Social provides a robust set of tools to enhance your social media management:

• Visual planner: A drag-and-drop calendar interface for easy content scheduling and visualisation of your content strategy.
• Auto-posting: Schedule posts in advance for automatic publishing at optimal times.
• Instagram first stories: Create and schedule Instagram stories with ease, including video stories.
• Hashtag manager: Organise and store frequently used hashtags for quick access when creating posts.
• Asset library: A centralised storage system for all your media files, making it easy to reuse and repurpose content.
• Analytics: Comprehensive reporting tools to track performance and gain insights into your social media strategy.
• Team collaboration: Features for assigning tasks, managing approvals, and coordinating with team members.
• URL shortener: Built-in tool to create branded short links for your posts.

Supported platforms

Sked Social caters to a variety of popular social media platforms:

• Instagram (including feed posts, stories, and reels)
• Facebook (personal profiles, pages, and groups)
• Twitter
• LinkedIn (personal profiles and company pages)
• YouTube
• TikTok
• Pinterest

This wide range of supported platforms allows businesses to manage most of their social media presence from a single dashboard.

User interface and ease of use

Sked Social prides itself on offering a user-friendly interface designed for efficiency:

• Intuitive dashboard: The main dashboard provides a clear overview of scheduled content, pending approvals, and recent analytics.
• Visual calendar: The drag-and-drop calendar makes it easy to plan and visualise your content strategy across different platforms.
• Bulk upload: Save time by uploading and scheduling multiple posts at once.
• Mobile app: A companion mobile app allows for on-the-go content creation and scheduling.
• Quick edit features: Easily make last-minute changes to scheduled posts without disrupting your workflow.
• Customisable workspace: Tailor the interface to your needs by hiding or showing relevant features.

While Sked Social offers a wealth of features, new users might experience a slight learning curve. However, the platform provides comprehensive onboarding resources, including video tutorials and a knowledge base, to help users quickly become proficient with the tool.

Overall, Sked Social’s interface is designed to balance functionality with ease of use, making it suitable for both small businesses and larger teams managing complex social media strategies.

Later: An Overview

Later is a popular social media management platform that focuses on visual content planning and scheduling. It offers a range of features designed to help businesses and individuals streamline their social media workflow and enhance their online presence.

Key features and capabilities

Later provides a comprehensive set of tools to support social media management:

• Visual content calendar: A drag-and-drop interface for planning and scheduling posts across multiple platforms.
• Media library: A centralised storage system for organising and accessing all your visual content.
• Instagram Stories scheduling: Plan and schedule Instagram Stories in advance.
• Best time to post: AI-powered recommendations for optimal posting times based on audience engagement.
• Hashtag suggestions: Tool to find and save relevant hashtags for your posts.
• Analytics: Detailed insights into post performance, audience growth, and engagement rates.
• Linkin.bio: A feature that turns your Instagram feed into a clickable, shoppable website.
• User-generated content tools: Easily collect, manage, and schedule user-generated content.
• Team collaboration: Features for multi-user access, approval workflows, and team communication.

Supported platforms

Later supports several major social media platforms:

• Instagram (feed posts, stories, and reels)
• Facebook (pages and groups)
• Twitter
• LinkedIn (personal profiles and company pages)
• Pinterest
• TikTok

This range of supported platforms allows users to manage their presence across most major social networks from a single dashboard.

User interface and ease of use

Later is known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design:

• Clean, visual-centric layout: The interface prioritises visual content, making it easy to plan aesthetically pleasing feeds.
• Drag-and-drop calendar: Simplifies content scheduling and rearranging.
• Mobile app: A companion app for on-the-go content creation and scheduling.
• Quick scheduling: Features like ‘Quick Schedule’ automatically fill your queue based on predetermined time slots.
• Preview grid: Allows you to visualise how your Instagram feed will look before posting.
• Guided setup: Offers a step-by-step onboarding process for new users.
• Customisable workflow: Tailor the platform to fit your specific needs and preferences.

Later’s interface is designed to be accessible to users of all experience levels. Its visual-first approach is particularly appealing to brands and individuals focused on maintaining a cohesive aesthetic across their social media profiles.

While the platform offers a wide array of features, its design principles prioritise simplicity and ease of use. This makes Later an attractive option for both small businesses or individual content creators and larger teams managing multiple accounts.

Comparative Analysis: Sked Social vs Later

In this section, we’ll compare Sked Social and Later across various key features and functionalities to help you determine which tool might be the better fit for your social media management needs.

Content scheduling and publishing

Both Sked Social and Later offer robust content scheduling and publishing features, but there are some notable differences:

• Sked Social:
  • Offers a more comprehensive auto-posting feature, including support for Instagram Stories and Reels
  • Provides a ‘Best Time to Post’ feature based on audience engagement data
  • Allows for easy rescheduling of failed posts
• Later:
  • Focuses heavily on visual content planning
  • Offers a ‘Quick Schedule’ feature for rapid content queueing
  • Provides a ‘Best Time to Post’ feature, but it’s limited to certain plan tiers

Visual planning and content curation

Visual planning is a strong suit for both platforms, but they approach it differently:

• Sked Social:
  • Offers a drag-and-drop visual planner for all supported platforms
  • Provides a robust asset library for storing and organising media
  • Includes a built-in photo editor for quick image adjustments
• Later:
  • Emphasises Instagram feed aesthetics with its visual planner
  • Offers strong user-generated content (UGC) curation tools
  • Provides a ‘Collect’ browser extension for easy content curation from the web

Analytics and reporting

Both tools offer analytics, but the depth and presentation of data vary:

• Sked Social:
  • Provides comprehensive analytics across all supported platforms
  • Offers customisable reporting options
  • Includes competitor analysis features
• Later:
  • Focuses heavily on Instagram analytics
  • Offers audience demographic insights
  • Provides a ‘Linkin.bio’ feature for tracking click-throughs from Instagram

Team collaboration features

Collaboration tools are essential for larger teams:

• Sked Social:
  • Offers unlimited team members on higher-tier plans
  • Provides robust approval workflows
  • Includes task assignment and team communication features
• Later:
  • Allows multiple users on higher-tier plans
  • Offers basic approval workflows
  • Provides commenting features for team communication

Integration capabilities

Integration with other tools can significantly enhance workflow efficiency:

• Sked Social:
  • Offers integrations with major e-commerce platforms like Shopify
  • Provides API access for custom integrations
  • Integrates with Canva for in-platform design capabilities
• Later:
  • Offers fewer direct integrations
  • Provides Linkin.bio integration for creating shoppable Instagram feeds
  • Offers a Unsplash integration for accessing free stock photos

While both Sked Social and Later offer strong features across these areas, Sked Social generally provides more comprehensive tools for multi-platform management and team collaboration. Later, on the other hand, excels in visual planning, particularly for Instagram-focused strategies. Your choice between the two will depend on your specific needs, the platforms you prioritise, and the size of your team.

Pricing Comparison

When choosing between Sked Social and Later, pricing is an important factor to consider. Let’s break down the pricing structures of both platforms and analyse their value for money.

Sked Social pricing plans

Sked Social offers three main pricing tiers:

1. Essentials: $30 USD per month (billed annually)
   • 1 user
   • 3 social profiles
   • Basic features including visual planner and auto-posting
2. Professional: $80 USD per month (billed annually)
   • 3 users
   • 10 social profiles
   • Additional features like analytics and team collaboration
3. Enterprise: Custom pricing
   • Unlimited users
   • 50+ social profiles
   • Advanced features including custom integrations and priority support

All plans include a 7-day free trial.

Later pricing plans

Later offers four pricing tiers:

1. Free: $0 per month
   • 1 user
   • 1 social set (profile per platform)
   • Basic scheduling and planning features
2. Starter: $18 USD per month (billed annually)
   • 1 user
   • 1 social set
   • Additional features like analytics and hashtag suggestions
3. Growth: $40 USD per month (billed annually)
   • 3 users
   • 3 social sets
   • More advanced features including Linkin.bio and branded analytics
4. Advanced: $80 USD per month (billed annually)
   • 6 users
   • 6 social sets
   • All features including team collaboration tools

Value for money analysis

When comparing the value for money between Sked Social and Later, consider the following:

1. Entry-level pricing:
   • Later offers a free plan, which is beneficial for individuals or small businesses just starting out.
   • Sked Social’s entry-level plan is more expensive but offers more features and social profiles.
2. Mid-tier comparison:
   • Sked Social’s Professional plan ($80/month) offers more social profiles (10) compared to Later’s Growth plan ($40/month) which offers 3 social sets.
   • Sked Social includes more advanced features at this tier, such as comprehensive analytics across all platforms.
3. User limits:
   • Later’s Advanced plan caps at 6 users, while Sked Social offers unlimited users in its Enterprise plan.
   • This makes Sked Social potentially more cost-effective for larger teams.
4. Feature set:
   • Sked Social generally offers more comprehensive features across all tiers, especially for multi-platform management.
   • Later’s features are strong but more focused on visual planning and Instagram management.
5. Scalability:
   • Sked Social’s Enterprise plan offers more flexibility for large businesses with custom pricing and features.
   • Later’s highest tier is fixed, which might limit scalability for rapidly growing businesses.

In conclusion, Later may offer better value for individuals, small businesses, or those primarily focused on Instagram, especially with its free plan option. However, for businesses managing multiple platforms, larger teams, or those requiring more advanced features, Sked Social may provide better value despite its higher price point. The best choice will depend on your specific needs, budget, and the scale of your social media operations.

Unique Selling Points

When choosing between Sked Social and Later, it’s important to consider their unique selling points. Both platforms have standout features that set them apart in the competitive landscape of social media management tools.

Sked Social’s standout features

1. Instagram-first approach:
   • Specialises in Instagram features, including support for Stories, Reels, and carousel posts
   • Offers first comment scheduling, crucial for adding hashtags without cluttering captions
2. Advanced auto-posting capabilities:
   • Provides true auto-posting for Instagram, including Stories and Reels
   • Supports auto-posting across all major social media platforms
3. Comprehensive multi-platform support:
   • Manages a wide range of platforms from a single dashboard
   • Offers tailored features for each supported platform
4. Robust team collaboration tools:
   • Provides advanced workflow management for larger teams
   • Offers unlimited team members on higher-tier plans
5. In-depth analytics across all platforms:
   • Delivers comprehensive analytics for all supported social media platforms
   • Includes competitor analysis features
6. Visual content editor:
   • Built-in photo editor for quick image adjustments
   • Integration with Canva for more advanced design capabilities

Later’s standout features

1. Visual-centric planning:
   • Emphasises visual feed planning, particularly beneficial for Instagram
   • Offers a user-friendly, drag-and-drop interface for visual content arrangement
2. Linkin.bio feature:
   • Turns Instagram feed into a clickable, shoppable landing page
   • Provides valuable click-through tracking for Instagram posts
3. Strong focus on user-generated content:
   • Offers robust tools for finding, managing, and scheduling user-generated content
   • Includes features for easily crediting original content creators
4. Free plan option:
   • Provides a capable free tier for individuals or small businesses
   • Allows users to test the platform before committing to a paid plan
5. Instagram Stories scheduling:
   • Offers a unique approach to planning and scheduling Instagram Stories
   • Provides a visual storyboard for planning multi-image story sequences
6. Content curation tools:
   • ‘Collect’ browser extension for easy content curation from across the web
   • Integration with Unsplash for access to free stock photos
7. Best time to post recommendations:
   • AI-powered suggestions for optimal posting times based on audience engagement
   • Helps maximise reach and engagement for posts

These unique selling points highlight the different strengths of each platform. Sked Social excels in comprehensive multi-platform management with advanced features for larger teams, while Later stands out for its visual planning capabilities and Instagram-focused tools. Your choice between the two will depend on which of these unique features align best with your social media strategy and business needs.

Use Case Scenarios

Understanding when to choose Sked Social or Later depends on your specific business needs, team structure, and social media strategy. Let’s explore scenarios where each platform might be the better choice.

When Sked Social is the better choice

1. Multi-platform, high-volume posting:
   • If your business actively manages multiple social media accounts across various platforms, Sked Social’s comprehensive multi-platform support is advantageous.
   • For businesses that post frequently and need to schedule content well in advance, Sked Social’s robust scheduling capabilities are beneficial.
2. Large teams with complex workflows:
   • Companies with larger marketing teams or agencies managing multiple clients will benefit from Sked Social’s advanced team collaboration features.
   • The platform’s approval workflows and task assignment capabilities are ideal for organisations with structured content creation processes.
3. Instagram-heavy strategies requiring advanced features:
   • Businesses focusing heavily on Instagram, particularly those utilising Stories and Reels frequently, will find Sked Social’s Instagram-first approach valuable.
   • The ability to auto-post Instagram Stories and schedule first comments for hashtags is particularly useful for Instagram-centric strategies.
4. Need for comprehensive analytics across platforms:
   • If your business relies heavily on cross-platform analytics and requires detailed insights for all your social media accounts, Sked Social’s comprehensive analytics tools are more suitable.
5. E-commerce integration requirements:
   • For businesses that need seamless integration with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Sked Social’s integration capabilities are more robust.

When Later is the better choice

1. Visual-first content strategy:
   • If your brand prioritises visual aesthetics, particularly on Instagram, Later’s visual planning tools and feed preview features are superior.
   • Businesses in visually-driven industries like fashion, food, or travel might prefer Later’s visual-centric approach.
2. Focus on user-generated content:
   • For brands that heavily incorporate user-generated content in their strategy, Later’s UGC curation and management tools are more advanced.
3. Small businesses or solopreneurs:
   • Later’s free plan option makes it an attractive choice for small businesses or individuals just starting with social media management.
   • The platform’s intuitive interface and straightforward features are well-suited for users new to social media management tools.
4. Instagram-centric strategy with link-in-bio focus:
   • If your Instagram strategy revolves around driving traffic to your website through your bio link, Later’s Linkin.bio feature offers a significant advantage.
5. Content curation emphasis:
   • For businesses that frequently curate content from the web, Later’s ‘Collect’ browser extension and Unsplash integration provide valuable tools.
6. Limited budget with basic needs:
   • If your social media needs are relatively basic and you’re working with a limited budget, Later’s more affordable plans might be the better choice.
7. Instagram Stories-focused strategy:
   • While both platforms offer Stories scheduling, Later’s visual storyboard for planning multi-image story sequences might be preferable for brands that heavily utilise this feature.

In summary, Sked Social is generally the better choice for larger teams, multi-platform strategies, and businesses requiring advanced features and analytics. Later, on the other hand, is more suitable for visually-focused brands, smaller businesses, and those with Instagram-centric strategies. Consider your specific needs, budget, and long-term social media goals when making your decision.

User Reviews and Satisfaction

To provide a balanced perspective on both Sked Social and Later, let’s examine user feedback and common themes in reviews for each platform.

Sked Social user feedback

Users of Sked Social often highlight the following aspects in their reviews:

• Positive feedback:
  • Comprehensive Instagram features, especially auto-posting for Stories and Reels
  • Robust multi-platform management capabilities
  • Time-saving scheduling and auto-posting features
  • Helpful customer support
• Constructive criticism:
  • Some users report a learning curve due to the platform’s many features
  • Occasional bugs or glitches, particularly with new feature releases
  • Higher pricing compared to some competitors

Later user feedback

Later users frequently mention these points in their reviews:

• Positive feedback:
  • User-friendly interface and visual planning tools
  • Effective Instagram-focused features, especially the visual feed planner
  • Useful free plan for small businesses or individuals
  • Linkin.bio feature for driving traffic from Instagram
• Constructive criticism:
  • Limited features on lower-tier plans
  • Some users desire more advanced analytics capabilities
  • Occasional issues with post scheduling reliability

Common praise and criticisms

When comparing user reviews for both platforms, some common themes emerge:

Common praise:

1. Time-saving: Users of both platforms appreciate the time saved through efficient scheduling and planning tools.

2. Instagram support: Both Sked Social and Later receive positive feedback for their Instagram-focused features.

3. User interface: Users generally find both platforms intuitive and easy to navigate, though Later is often praised for its visual-centric design.

4. Customer support: Both companies receive positive mentions for their responsive and helpful customer service.

Common criticisms:

1. Pricing: Some users of both platforms feel the higher-tier plans are expensive, especially for small businesses.

2. Feature limitations: Users of both platforms occasionally express desire for additional features or expanded capabilities in certain areas.

3. Learning curve: While both tools are generally user-friendly, some users report a learning period to fully utilise all features, particularly with Sked Social’s more comprehensive toolkit.

4. Reliability: Both platforms have faced occasional criticism regarding post scheduling reliability, though this appears to be infrequent.

5. Analytics depth: Some users of both platforms express a desire for more in-depth analytics, though this is more common among Later users.

Overall, both Sked Social and Later receive generally positive reviews, with users appreciating their respective strengths. Sked Social is often praised for its comprehensive feature set and multi-platform capabilities, while Later receives accolades for its visual planning tools and user-friendly interface. The choice between the two often comes down to specific business needs, budget considerations, and the primary social media platforms being utilised.

Future Development and Updates

Both Sked Social and Later are continually evolving to meet the changing needs of social media managers and adapt to new features on various social platforms. Let’s explore some of the recent updates and upcoming features for each tool.

Recent and upcoming features for Sked Social

Sked Social has been actively developing new features to enhance its offering:

1. Enhanced TikTok integration:
   • Recently added support for TikTok scheduling and analytics
   • Upcoming improvements to TikTok video editing capabilities within the platform
2. AI-powered content suggestions:
   • Recently introduced AI tools to help generate post ideas and captions
   • Plans to expand AI capabilities for more personalised content recommendations
3. Improved analytics dashboard:
   • Recent updates to provide more comprehensive cross-platform analytics
   • Upcoming features for customisable reporting and deeper audience insights
4. Enhanced team collaboration tools:
   • Recently added more granular permission settings for team members
   • Plans to introduce in-app messaging for smoother team communication
5. Expanded e-commerce integrations:
   • Recent updates to strengthen integration with major e-commerce platforms
   • Upcoming features to streamline product tagging across multiple platforms

Recent and upcoming features for Later

Later has also been rolling out new features and improvements:

1. Enhanced video support:
   • Recently improved video scheduling capabilities across platforms
   • Plans to introduce more robust video editing tools within the app
2. Expanded Pinterest features:
   • Recent updates to improve Pinterest scheduling and analytics
   • Upcoming features to enhance visual planning for Pinterest boards
3. Improved Linkin.bio functionality:
   • Recently added more customisation options for Linkin.bio pages
   • Plans to introduce advanced analytics for Linkin.bio performance
4. Enhanced content curation tools:
   • Recent updates to the ‘Collect’ feature for easier content sourcing
   • Upcoming improvements to user-generated content management
5. Advanced Best Time to Post:
   • Recently updated algorithm for more accurate posting time recommendations
   • Plans to introduce platform-specific optimal timing suggestions

Both Sked Social and Later are focusing on enhancing their core strengths while also addressing user feedback and industry trends. Sked Social appears to be emphasising its multi-platform capabilities and team collaboration features, while Later is doubling down on its visual planning tools and Instagram-centric features.

It’s worth noting that social media management tools often update their features and roadmaps rapidly. For the most current information on recent updates and upcoming features, it’s advisable to check the official websites or reach out to the customer support teams of Sked Social and Later directly.

As the social media landscape continues to evolve, both platforms are likely to introduce new features and capabilities to help businesses stay ahead in their social media marketing efforts. When choosing between the two, consider not just their current offerings, but also their development direction and how it aligns with your future social media strategy.

Conclusion

As we wrap up our comparison of Sked Social and Later, let’s summarise the key differences, provide recommendations based on various business needs, and offer some final thoughts to help you make an informed decision.

Summary of key differences

1. Platform focus:
   • Sked Social offers comprehensive multi-platform management with an Instagram-first approach.
   • Later emphasises visual planning and is particularly strong for Instagram-centric strategies.
2. Feature depth:
   • Sked Social generally provides more advanced features across all supported platforms.
   • Later excels in visual content planning and user-generated content management.
3. Pricing structure:
   • Sked Social’s plans start at a higher price point but offer more features at each tier.
   • Later provides a free plan and more affordable entry-level options.
4. Team collaboration:
   • Sked Social offers more robust team collaboration tools and workflow management.
   • Later’s team features are more basic but sufficient for smaller teams.
5. Analytics:
   • Sked Social provides more comprehensive analytics across all platforms.
   • Later’s analytics are strong for Instagram but less detailed for other platforms.

Recommendations based on business needs

1. For large enterprises or agencies:
   • Sked Social is likely the better choice due to its advanced team collaboration features, comprehensive multi-platform support, and in-depth analytics.
2. For small businesses or solopreneurs:
   • Later might be more suitable, offering a free plan and more affordable options with strong visual planning tools.
3. For Instagram-focused brands:
   • Both tools excel here, but Later’s visual planning features and Linkin.bio tool might give it an edge.
4. For businesses managing multiple platforms equally:
   • Sked Social’s comprehensive multi-platform support makes it the stronger choice.
5. For e-commerce businesses:
   • Sked Social’s more robust e-commerce integrations could be advantageous.
6. For content curation-heavy strategies:
   • Later’s content curation tools and user-generated content features make it a strong contender.

Final thoughts on choosing between Sked Social and Later

Choosing between Sked Social and Later ultimately depends on your specific business needs, budget, and social media strategy. Both platforms offer valuable features and can significantly streamline your social media management process.

Consider the following when making your decision:

1. Evaluate your primary platforms: If you’re heavily focused on Instagram, both tools are strong contenders. For multi-platform strategies, Sked Social might have the edge.

2. Consider your team size and workflow: Larger teams with complex approval processes might benefit more from Sked Social’s collaboration features.

3. Assess your budget: If cost is a significant factor, Later’s free plan or lower-priced tiers might be more attractive, especially for smaller businesses.

4. Think about scalability: Consider not just your current needs, but how each platform can grow with your business.

5. Test drive both platforms: Take advantage of free trials or demos to get a hands-on feel for each tool’s interface and features.

Remember, the “best” tool is the one that aligns most closely with your specific needs and helps you achieve your social media goals most effectively. Both Sked Social and Later are reputable platforms that continue to evolve and improve. Whichever you choose, you’ll be taking a significant step towards more efficient and effective social media management.