The best social media management tools in 2026

Social media is an important aspect of day to day life in both personal and professional environments. As of April 2025 there are over 5.3 billion social media accounts, which equates to around 64% of the global population having some form of social media, which explains why it is seen as one of the most important channels when it comes to communications and marketing and why organisations should carefully consider what social media management platform to use.

As the number of users grows, so do the number of platforms, there are hundreds if not thousands of social media platforms, 16 of which claim to have over half a billion active users and 7 have over a billion active monthly users. 

• • Facebook has 3 billion active monthly users
  • Instagram has 2 billion active users each month
  • Tiktok has 1.8 billion active users

You get the idea. If you’re running one, some, or lots of organisational social media accounts, a large portion of your audience are likely to be on some form of social media. Whether that be doom scrollers enjoying the latest meme, keen runners looking for the latest running shoes, communities looking for information on a crisis, or new audiences looking for the latest neighbourhood update, getting organisational messages out there in a way that suits that audience and that platform is vital.

So, not only do you have to try and reach all of these users on social media, but you have a plethora of social media channels, like Facebook, Instagram or X, to do it on, so which one should you use? While that topic could be a whole other blog in itself, the alternative would be instead of choosing one or spending so much time managing all of them separately and trying to stay up to date with the latest updates, why not invest in a social media management platform to manage all of your social media accounts in one place? 

Great, so you’re up for using a social media management platform! Now which one should you use? It’s so important to make sure you choose a platform that is aligned with your organisation or business goals. We’ve rounded up the top 5 most popular social media management platforms into a list that’s split out by industry so you select the platform that is right for you. 

• • Orlo – designed for public sector organisations
  • Sprinklr – For global brands with complex CX needs
  • Later – for startups, creators and influencers
  • Sprout – Built for private orgs and agencies

As you can see, there are certain types of business’ or organisations that are best suited to certain management platforms. Let’s take a deeper look into each one to discover why.

Suitable for: public sector organisations

Orlo is the only social media management platform built specifically for the UK public sector. With over 14 years of experience working alongside councils, emergency services, healthcare providers, central government, housing, education and other public bodies, Orlo understands the unique pressures and expectations these organisations face.

The platform is focused on enabling it’s customers to provide meaningful community engagement, building public trust and supporting service delivery, rather than driving leads or revenue. As a CCS (Crown Commercial Service) and G-Cloud approved supplier with Cyber Essentials Plus certification, Orlo offers a secure, UK-based solution where all data is held within the UK. It is the platform of choice for public sector teams who need to manage risk, demonstrate impact and engage with their communities in a trusted and transparent way.

Key Features:

• Integrates with 10 social platforms including Nextdoor and Bluesky
• Real-time posting and scheduled publishing using a flexible content calendar
• Central inbox for managing comments and inbound requests
• Social listening and media monitoring capabilities
• Emotion and sentiment analysis
• “Company Lockdown” feature for emergency communication blackouts
• Advanced analytics including a unique Trust Score metric
• Pre-built and custom reports for measuring impact
• GDPR and ISO-compliant, built with public sector security in mind
• Ongoing strategic support from UK-based customer success managers with public sector expertise

Summary:
Used by over 90% of the UK police forces, many local and central government councils and departments, and hundreds of other public sector organisations, Orlo is purpose-built for public sector bodies including emergency services, councils, healthcare, housing, education, charities and government departments. If trust, organisational outcomes such as safer communities and improved health, security, and social impact are your focus – Orlo is your platform.

Wan’t to know why social media management matters in the public sector? Watch our video here from Orlo’s UK Tour to find out.

Suitable for: global brands with complex CX needs

Sprinklr is an enterprise-grade social media management platform that’s used by global brands to unify customer engagement across more than 30 channels, including social, email, messaging, and voice.

Key Features:

• Enterprise-scale social media management across 30+ channels including social media and email
• AI-powered insights and sentiment analysis
• Advanced compliance tools for regulated industries
• Paid and organic content performance tracking
• Unified customer experience platform (social + CX + support)
• Custom workflows, SLAs, and automated moderation tools

Summary:
Sprinklr is the platform of choice for Fortune 500 and blue-chip brands, helping large private companies manage risk, unify global customer engagement, and extract deep insight from every interaction. It’s powerful, complex, and built for enterprise-scale operations.

Suitable for: startups, creators and influencers

Later is a visually-focused social media management platform originally designed for Instagram and now expanded to other platforms. It’s perfect for content creators and influencers who thrive on storytelling through visual content.

Key Features:

• Supports nine platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat
• Drag-and-drop content calendar and visual planner
• ‘Best Time to Post’ tool based on engagement analytics
• Tools for Reels, Stories, and video post formatting
• Linkin.bio feature to monetise Instagram traffic
• Insights into audience growth and post performance

Summary:
Later is the go-to platform for influencers, content creators and early-stage businesses looking to grow their online presence. With intuitive scheduling tools, visual planning, and monetisation insights, it’s designed to help creators engage audiences and build their brand.

Suitable for: private orgs and agencies

Sprout Social is a versatile platform that’s ideal for marketing teams looking to increase their social media efforts. It strikes a balance between functionality and ease of use, helping businesses grow while proving ROI to stakeholders.

Key Features:

• Supports scheduling on eight platforms including Facebook, Pinterest & X
• Unified inbox and content calendar for team collaboration
• CRM-like tools to track and engage high-value contacts
• Analytics with performance benchmarking
• AI-assisted social listening and reporting
• Integrations with CRM and helpdesk platforms like Salesforce & HubSpot

Summary:
Sprout Social is ideal for growing private sector businesses and marketing agencies looking for a reliable, insight-led platform. With strong analytics, collaboration tools, and campaign management features, it helps teams manage and grow their social presence with confidence.

With so many platforms on the market, choosing the right one for your organisation isn’t just about ticking feature boxes, it’s about finding the right strategic fit. Here are a few key things to consider:

• Customer success and support
  Make sure the platform offers support that matches your needs, whether that’s onboarding, training, or ongoing strategic guidance. Especially in public service, where teams are stretched, access to responsive and knowledgeable support matters. Ask how much access you’ll get to your account manager and whether you can meet face to face.
• Vision and values of the provider
  Is the provider aligned with your goals? A social media management platform focused on contributing to the values and goals of your organisation or business will likely offer better long-term partnership.
• Feature fit
  Go beyond generic feature lists. Does the platform offer workflows, analytics and integrations tailored to your type of organisation? Whether that’s a council, NHS Trust, agency, or multinational brand, making sure the features suit your organisation is key.
• Scalability and cost
  Consider not just the upfront cost, but also whether the platform will grow with you without escalating complexity or expense. Think about licence flexibility, user limits, and how pricing aligns with your team’s scale.
• Time to evaluate
  Take the time to explore the platform thoroughly. Speak to the team, ask about their roadmap, request a demo tailored to your use case, and see if they understand your sector. A strong provider will welcome your questions and be transparent about what they can (and can’t) offer.

If you are comparing multiple social media management platforms, it is worth asking each provider for customer references. Speaking with a current user can offer practical insight into how the platform performs in real-world scenarios, the quality of ongoing support, and how well it fits into day-to-day operations.

Hearing directly from someone in a similar role or organisation often provides a clearer picture than a feature list alone. Most providers will be happy to connect you with a customer willing to share their experience.

Ultimately, the right platform should feel like a partner, not just a tool. Whether you’re a public sector body looking to build trust or a brand trying to grow reach and increase revenue, investing time investigating the right platform for you will pay off in the long run.

For more help with what to look for in a social media management tool, we have another blog on this you can read by clicking here.

Enjoyed this blog? Find out our choices for the best community engagement platforms here.