Buying guideLoomly alternatives for content calendars and team approvals
Planable offers required and multi-level approvals; SocialPilot separates manager and client review. Buffer and Influence suit simpler publishing needs.
Facts checked:
Loomly: The short answer
Planable and SocialPilot are closer alternatives when several people must approve a post. Buffer and Influence are options when one person reviews and schedules the content. Loomly Starter includes twelve accounts and three users, which can make it worth keeping for a small content team.
Reasons to keep your current tool
Keep Loomly when its calendar, roles and review process are already useful to several people. Removing a clear approval path to save on scheduling can create more work and uncertainty.
Our recommendations
One person writes and reviews everything
Influence or Buffer can suit a solo publisher. Loomly’s included team seats may have less value if nobody else needs access.
See draft review and schedulingSeveral people must sign off
Planable Pro provides required approval. Enterprise adds multi-level approval for teams that need several sign-offs.
Compare review-led toolsClients need their own approval access
SocialPilot Premium is an option for client approval; Loomly remains worth keeping when its current team setup works well.
Compare client reviewRequired approval is more than a comment on a draft
In a typical approval round, a creator drafts the post, a manager approves it and rejected drafts return to the creator. Teams may also need reminders, limits on who can override a decision, and another approval after an edit.
Planable separates optional, required and multi-level approvals by plan. SocialPilot separates manager and client approval. These differences matter when a post must stay unpublished until someone signs it off.
Starter includes twelve accounts and three users
Loomly Starter’s allowance covers twelve social accounts and three users. Its current US price is $65 monthly or $588 for a year.
One person may not need all three user seats. A three-person content team can use them for drafting and approvals, which may make Loomly’s bundled price more useful than a cheaper plan without that process.
Loomly: Which tool suits you?
| Tool | Best suited to | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Loomly | A small team sharing a calendar and approval process. | Starter includes twelve accounts and three users; custom-role wording conflicts across the pricing page and needs confirmation. |
| Planable | Required or multi-level content approvals. | Basic approval is optional; required approval starts at Pro and multi-level approval is listed on Enterprise. |
| SocialPilot | Manager or client approval alongside publishing. | Standard lists manager approval; Premium lists client approval. |
| Buffer | Publishing across a smaller set of channels. | A solo Essentials plan does not include the Team approval workflow. |
| Influence | One business reviewing its posts before scheduling. | The author reviews the draft. Multi-person sign-off needs a separate approval process. |
Publishing prices for your accounts
One account means one profile or Page. Posting an announcement to five accounts counts as five publications.
These plans cover publishing. Inbox, reporting and approval features differ by plan.
Some plans charge per account, person, brand or social set. A social set can limit how many accounts you can connect on each network. Posts are split evenly across accounts in these examples. Posting more often to one account may require a higher plan.
Standard US prices, excluding taxes, promotions and optional extras. Required extras are included where their prices are available.
Amounts use your selected currency, fixed comparison exchange rates and rounded local prices. Annual totals are the full-year bill.
Publishing price comparison: 5 connected accounts · 60 publications each month · Monthly billing
- Loomly$65Starter
- Planable$59Pro
- SocialPilotPrice unavailable
- Buffer$30Essentials
- Influence$39Growth
The table shows priced plans with enough publishing capacity for these accounts and posts. Features such as team approvals may require a higher tier. Free plans are covered below.
| Matching plan | Total for the billing period | What the plan includes |
|---|---|---|
| LoomlyStarter | $65billed each month | Accounts in base plan: 12 · People in base plan: 3 US price calculation: Base price: $65 Plan source |
| PlanablePro | $59billed each month | Accounts in base plan: 10 · Monthly publications included: 150 US price calculation: Base price: $59 Plan source |
| SocialPilot | Price unavailable | Public pricing does not cover this combination of accounts, people and posts. A provider quote is needed.Plan source |
| BufferEssentials | $30billed each month | People in base plan: 1 US price calculation: 5 × $6 = $30 Plan source |
| InfluenceGrowth | $39billed each month | Monthly publications included: 150Plan source |
Prices for three common setups
US monthly prices. Each column uses the same accounts, people and number of posts for every tool.
Example 1
- Connected accounts
- 5
- Publications each month
- 60
- People using the tool
- 1
- Businesses or brands
- 1
- Most accounts on one network
- 1
- X accounts within that total
- 0
Example 2
- Connected accounts
- 12
- Publications each month
- 144
- People using the tool
- 3
- Businesses or brands
- 1
- Most accounts on one network
- 2
- X accounts within that total
- 0
Example 3
- Connected accounts
- 13
- Publications each month
- 156
- People using the tool
- 3
- Businesses or brands
- 1
- Most accounts on one network
- 2
- X accounts within that total
- 0
| Matching plan | Example 1 · USD | Example 2 · USD | Example 3 · USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loomly | $65Starter | $65Starter | $332Beyond |
| Planable | $59Pro | Price unavailable | Price unavailable |
| SocialPilot | Price unavailable | Price unavailable | Price unavailable |
| Buffer | $30Essentials | $128Team | $132Team |
| Influence | $39Growth | Price unavailable | Price unavailable |
Loomly / Influence: The differences that matter
| What you need to do | Loomly | Influence |
|---|---|---|
| Included capacity | Current Starter includes twelve social accounts and three users. | The suitable plan follows monthly destination publications. |
| Monthly price | Starter is $65 monthly or $588 for a year at the checked USD prices. | Starter includes 50 monthly publications; Growth includes 150. |
| Personal review | A shared calendar supports the team’s review process. | Read and edit the draft before it is scheduled. |
| Required sign-off | Approval workflows are listed on Starter. Verify the exact roles you require. | The author reviews the post; required team sign-off needs a separate process. |
| Custom roles | Starter custom-role availability is unclear because the pricing page gives conflicting descriptions. | Loomly’s custom roles do not transfer with posts. |
| AI and analytics | Starter lists an AI assistant and advanced analytics; compare the actual output and limits. | Use actual source facts and check the resulting drafts. |
Prices and plan details were checked on the date above. The linked sources list each provider’s current terms. Sources and pricing
Example: prepare a seasonal menu announcement
The menu announcement uses approved dish details and food photography. A manager’s sign-off, if required, happens before scheduling.
- 1
Collect approved details
Confirm availability dates, prices and image rights with the business owner.
Maple Café’s approved menu adds pumpkin soup and apple tart from 26 October. The owner supplies current food photos. Prices are not provided.
- 2
Prepare destination drafts
Write the menu announcement for the selected accounts and attach the correct photograph.
Instagram
Pumpkin soup and apple tart join Maple Café’s menu on 26 October. These photos show the dishes we’ll be serving.
Facebook
Pumpkin soup and apple tart arrive at Maple Café on 26 October. Here’s a look at the new dishes.
- 3
Review the material
Check the item names, dates and image crop. If a manager must sign off, complete that requirement before scheduling.
Confirm the dishes, start date and photo rights. Do not invent prices; complete any required manager approval before scheduling.
- 4
Save the schedule
Set each publication time and inspect the saved records. Do not leave matching items active in both calendars.
Scheduled for 22 October 2026, 09:00 Asia/Bangkok (02:00 UTC), with one post for each selected account.
- 5
Inspect delivery
Check the later status and destination link. A reviewed draft or scheduled item is not yet a published post.
At 09:05, the first account shows Published and the second shows Needs review. Check the second account’s existing result before sending again to avoid a duplicate.
InstagramSee the steps in Influence
Screenshots from an example workspace with fictional data. The interface is shown in English.
1. Edit the text and check the preview
Edit the text beside the selected account’s preview. Saving a draft leaves it available for more changes.
Open full-size screenshot (new tab)
2. Review before approving
The review brings the account, post, date, time and time zone together. Confirm schedule saves this version for the chosen time.
Open full-size screenshot (new tab)
3. Find the scheduled post
The calendar shows when each post is due. Its status changes as publishing progresses; Activity shows the later delivery result.
Open full-size screenshot (new tab)
What carries over when you switch?
Test the review requirement before migrating the whole calendar.
- Write down the reviewers, order and rejection path.
- Retain approved media and future content.
- Recreate one ordinary draft and test the required review process.
- Verify destination, format and time zone, then choose one scheduler.
- Move the remaining content after the first outcome is confirmed.
Calendar history, approval comments, role settings and historical analytics do not automatically follow recreated drafts.
See the publishing workflow
The current signup requires a card before the seven-day trial. Charging starts after the trial under the selected plan's terms.
Questions before you switch
What does the current Loomly Starter plan include?
The checked pricing page lists twelve social accounts, three users, unlimited calendars, approval workflows, an AI assistant and analytics.
Does Starter include custom roles?
Loomly’s pricing page gives conflicting details about this role. Its availability is unconfirmed; ask Loomly before buying a plan that depends on it.
Is reviewing my own Influence draft equivalent to team approval?
No. Influence lets you review your own draft before publication. Required approval by several people needs a separate team process.
Loomly: Sources and pricing
Prices and plan details were checked on the date above. The linked sources list each provider’s current terms.
- Loomly: Pricing and plan details ·
- Planable: Pricing and plan details ·
- SocialPilot: Pricing and plan details ·
- Buffer: Pricing and plan details ·
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