Social media tools that ended their free plans
Hootsuite and TweetDeck were free once. When that ended, the source for each date, and what is free instead.
- Checked
- Every date sourced
- Vendor pages and press reports
Social media tools that ended their free plans include two that many lists still call free. Hootsuite closed its free plan on 31 March 2023, and TweetDeck became X Pro and moved behind a paid X subscription in August 2023. The table lists each change with its date and source, and what is free today instead.
Social media tools whose free plans ended
| Tool | What was free | Ended | Free option now | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite | Free plan for social posting | 14-day trial only | Checked source | |
| TweetDeck (now X Pro) | Free multi-column X/Twitter client | 2023-08 | None; needs X Premium+ | Checked source |
Hootsuite announces the end
Free users are asked to move to a paid plan. Hootsuite told BetaKit it was not caused by changes at Twitter.
Hootsuite free plan closes
The cut-down free scheduling plan stops. Plans now start with a trial.
TweetDeck becomes X Pro
Renamed and moved behind a paid X subscription in mid-August (TechCrunch, CNBC).
X Pro needs Premium+
Engadget reports the higher Premium+ tier is now required. X's own help page could not be read.
What these social media tools offer free today
At our last check none of them had an ongoing free plan. MentionPilot is included for comparison: its free plan is a one-time allowance, 100 mentions in total (they don't reset).
| Tool | Free option | Price | Sign-up | Limits | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hootsuite | Free trial14-day trial; no free plan (ended 2023-03-31) | From $99/month (billed annually)Standard, per user; monthly-billing price not shown | Not publishedCard requirement for the trial not stated | Standard: 10 social accounts | Checked source |
 Brand24 | Free trial14-day trial, no card; no permanent free plan | From $249/month (billed monthly)Individual plan; $199/month billed annually | Email, no card (trial) | Individual: 3 keywords, 2,000 mentions/month | Checked source |
 Mention | Free trial'Start a free trial' links to Agorapulse; length and card terms not stated; no free plan listed | Not publishedAmount blank on the pricing page ('Get a demo'); not confirmed on a vendor page on 2026-11-11 | Free trial or demoCard requirement not stated | No longer sold standalone since 2026-07-01Now sold as Agorapulse Listening, an Agorapulse add-on | Checked source 1 source 2 |
 Awario | Free trialTrial of the Starter plan, no card; length not stated | From €49/month (billed monthly)Page shows EUR only; €29/month billed annually | Email, no card (trial) | Starter: 3 topics, 30,000 mentions/month | Checked source |
 Syften | Free trial14-day trial of the PRO plan; no free plan | From $29.95/month (billed monthly) | Email, no card | Entry: 3 filters, 100 results/day | Checked source |
 MentionPilot | One-time free allowanceFree plan: 100 mentions in total; they don't reset | From $29/month (billed monthly)Starter; $261/year billed annually | Email or Google, no card | Free: 1 keyword, 1 user, 60-day history | Checked source |
How to check if a social media tool is still free
Free plans rarely end with a press release. More often “free” quietly becomes “trial”. Two minutes before you sign up:
Open the vendor's pricing page
Not a list, this one included. No plan at zero cost means no free plan.
Look for the word trial
“Start free” often starts a 7- to 30-day trial. A free plan has no end date.
Watch the sign-up form
If it asks for a card, expect a charge when the trial ends.
Read the limits line
One search, no alerts or no export can make a free plan useless for listening.
Check the date on your source
An undated “free tools” article is a guess. Every row here shows when we checked it.
Free replacements, by what you used the old tool for
Mentions on the web and in news
Google Alerts and Talkwalker Alerts, both free. Compare every option on our free social listening tools list.
Reddit threads
F5Bot, or another method from our free Reddit alerts guide.
Several sources in one place
Social Searcher for one-off searches, or MentionPilot's free plan for one keyword. Or follow the free listening workflow.
Searches on X
No reliable free option today. Plan a manual check or a paid tool.
FAQ
Is Hootsuite free?
No. Hootsuite ended its free plan on 31 March 2023. The table above shows what it offers without paying today, from its own pricing page.
Is TweetDeck still free?
No. TweetDeck was renamed X Pro and has needed a paid X subscription since August 2023.
Why do tools end their free plans?
Free users cost money to serve, so vendors often swap a free plan for a trial once they have enough paying customers. When a network restricts or charges for its data, tools built on it cut free access too.
Will the free tools on this site end their free plans too?
Some may. That is why every row carries a "Checked" date and a source link. We re-check each tool at least every 90 days.