Every tool starts at zero and earns points for what it does and what it costs. Here is exactly what earns them.
The short version
These tools do different jobs, so each kind has its own checklist: AI social media management tools on 6 things, X and LinkedIn growth tools on 5 things and YouTube and Pinterest growth tools on 5 things. Each checklist is worth 100 points, and a tool is only ranked against its own kind.
The final score is those points out of 10. A tool with 84 points scores 8.4.
Everything comes from the tool's own website. We don't take payment for points.
AI social media management tools
PublishingPricingAI contentAgencies and teamsListening and competitorsPrivacy and support
What earns points
1. Publishing
25 of 100 pointsEvery one schedules posts and shows analytics, so the points are for the rest: how many networks it publishes to, one inbox for comments and messages, bulk scheduling, a mobile app, re-queuing evergreen posts, a first comment and a link-in-bio page.
Networks it publishes toup to 2
| 5 networks | +0.5 |
| 6 to 8 networks | +1 |
| 9 to 10 networks | +1.5 |
| 11 networks or more | +2 |
One inbox for comments and messagesup to 2
Re-queues evergreen postsup to 1
Schedules a first commentup to 1
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 25 of the 100.
2. Pricing
25 of 100 pointsWhat it costs each month to run 5 social profiles with 1 user, because some charge per channel, some per seat and some a flat fee. A free plan or a trial counts too.
Monthly cost for 5 social profilesup to 6
| Up to $15 | +6 |
| Up to $20 | +5.5 |
| Up to $25 | +5 |
| Up to $30 | +4.5 |
| Up to $40 | +3.5 |
| Up to $60 | +2.5 |
| Up to $100 | +1.5 |
| Over $100 | +0.5 |
Free trialup to 2
| None | 0 |
| 1 to 7 days | +1 |
| 8 to 14 days | +1.5 |
| 15 days or more | +2 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 25 of the 100.
3. AI content
20 of 100 pointsThey all write captions, so the points are for AI that does more: images for your posts, writing in your brand voice, an agent that plans or publishes for you, turning a link or video into posts, and generated video.
Generates images for postsup to 2.5
Writes in your brand voiceup to 2.5
An AI agent that plans or publishes for youup to 2
Turns links, articles or videos into postsup to 2
Generates videos for postsup to 1
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 20 of the 100.
4. Agencies and teams
15 of 100 pointsWhat agencies and larger teams need: reports in your own or your client's branding, single sign-on, an API, Canva designs pulled straight in, and a browser extension.
Reports in your own or your client's brandingup to 3
Pulls in Canva designsup to 1.5
Browser extensionup to 1.5
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 15 of the 100.
5. Listening and competitors
10 of 100 pointsLooking past your own accounts: tracking competitors, listening for mentions of your brand, paid ads and influencers.
Tracks competitors' accountsup to 4
Tracks mentions beyond your own accountsup to 4
Manages or reports on paid adsup to 1
Finds or manages influencersup to 1
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 10 of the 100.
6. Privacy and support
5 of 100 pointsDoes it train its AI on your content, does it hold SOC 2, is it GDPR compliant, and how many ways can you reach support?
Does not train AI on your contentup to 4
| Yes | +4 |
| Only if you opt out | +2 |
| No | 0 |
Ways to reach supportup to 1
| 1 way | +0.3 |
| 2 ways | +0.5 |
| 3 ways | +0.8 |
| 4 ways or more | +1 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 5 of the 100.
A real example: ContentStudio
Here is how ContentStudio got its 7.7.
| Section | Points |
|---|
| Publishing | 21.3 of 25 |
| Pricing | 13.8 of 25 |
| AI content | 16 of 20 |
| Agencies and teams | 15 of 15 |
| Listening and competitors | 9 of 10 |
| Privacy and support | 2.1 of 5 |
| Total | 77.2 of 100 = 7.7 out of 10 |
See every fact behind ContentStudio's score.
X and LinkedIn growth tools
Growing an audiencePricingWhere it postsWriting and repurposingAnalytics and teams
What earns points
1. Growing an audience
30 of 100 pointsThe automations that grow an audience: a plug added once a post takes off, DMs sent for you, reposting your best posts, suggestions for who to reply to, a library of posts that did well, and a list of the people who engaged.
Adds a plug once a post takes offup to 2
Sends DMs automaticallyup to 2
Reposts your best posts automaticallyup to 1.5
Suggests posts and people to reply toup to 1.5
Library of high-performing postsup to 1.5
Keeps a list of the people who engagedup to 1.5
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 30 of the 100.
2. Pricing
25 of 100 pointsWhat the cheapest paid plan costs each month, and whether there is a free plan or a trial.
Monthly price, cheapest paid planup to 6
| Up to $10 | +6 |
| Up to $20 | +5 |
| Up to $30 | +4 |
| Up to $40 | +3 |
| Up to $60 | +2 |
| Over $60 | +1 |
Free trialup to 2
| None | 0 |
| 1 to 6 days | +1 |
| 7 days or more | +2 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 25 of the 100.
3. Where it posts
20 of 100 pointsHow many networks it publishes to. Some post only to X or only to LinkedIn.
Networks it publishes toup to 10
| None | 0 |
| 1 network | +3 |
| 2 networks | +5 |
| 3 networks | +7 |
| 4 networks | +8.5 |
| 5 networks or more | +10 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 20 of the 100.
4. Writing and repurposing
15 of 100 pointsWriting in your voice, turning a video, article or link into posts, posting to several networks at once, and images for your posts.
Writes in your voiceup to 3
Turns videos, articles or links into postsup to 3
Posts to more than one network at onceup to 2
Generates images for postsup to 2
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 15 of the 100.
5. Analytics and teams
10 of 100 pointsAnalytics, more than one person on an account, an API, GDPR and how many ways you can reach support.
Post and account analyticsup to 3
Several people on one accountup to 3
Ways to reach supportup to 1
| 1 way | +0.3 |
| 2 ways | +0.5 |
| 3 ways | +0.8 |
| 4 ways or more | +1 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 10 of the 100.
A real example: Hypefury
Here is how Hypefury got its 8.2.
| Section | Points |
|---|
| Growing an audience | 25.5 of 30 |
| Pricing | 20 of 25 |
| Where it posts | 20 of 20 |
| Writing and repurposing | 12 of 15 |
| Analytics and teams | 4.5 of 10 |
| Total | 82 of 100 = 8.2 out of 10 |
See every fact behind Hypefury's score.
YouTube and Pinterest growth tools
Research and testingPricingScheduling and reachAI helpApps and support
What earns points
1. Research and testing
35 of 100 pointsAll of them research keywords and suggest tags, so the points are for following competing channels, A/B testing thumbnails or titles, editing many videos or pins at once, and official partner status.
Follows competing channelsup to 3
A/B tests thumbnails or titlesup to 3
Edits many videos or pins at onceup to 2
Official YouTube or Pinterest partnerup to 2
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 35 of the 100.
2. Pricing
25 of 100 pointsWhat the cheapest paid plan costs each month. Every one has a free plan.
Monthly price, cheapest paid planup to 10
| Up to $10 | +10 |
| Up to $20 | +8.5 |
| Up to $30 | +7 |
| Up to $50 | +5 |
| Over $50 | +3 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 25 of the 100.
3. Scheduling and reach
20 of 100 pointsScheduling uploads or pins, and how many networks it covers beyond its main one.
Schedules uploads or pinsup to 4
Networks it coversup to 6
| 1 network | +2 |
| 2 networks | +4 |
| 3 networks or more | +6 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 20 of the 100.
4. AI help
10 of 100 pointsAI titles and descriptions, generated images, and turning a link or video into posts.
Writes titles and descriptions with AIup to 3
Generates imagesup to 3.5
Turns links or videos into postsup to 3.5
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 10 of the 100.
5. Apps and support
10 of 100 pointsA mobile app, an API, competitor analytics and how many ways you can reach support.
Competitor analyticsup to 2
Ways to reach supportup to 2
| 1 way | +0.5 |
| 2 ways | +1 |
| 3 ways | +1.5 |
| 4 ways or more | +2 |
Each section adds up to 10, then counts for 10 of the 100.
A real example: TubeBuddy
Here is how TubeBuddy got its 6.8.
| Section | Points |
|---|
| Research and testing | 28 of 35 |
| Pricing | 19.4 of 25 |
| Scheduling and reach | 12 of 20 |
| AI help | 3 of 10 |
| Apps and support | 6 of 10 |
| Total | 68.4 of 100 = 6.8 out of 10 |
See every fact behind TubeBuddy's score.
When a tool doesn't say
If a tool's website doesn't answer a yes-or-no question, it gets half the points for that item. Not zero, because a missing answer isn't the same as a no, and not full marks, because silence shouldn't beat a vendor who answers honestly. For a number, like a price, it gets the typical value of the tools that do publish one. Every item scored this way is marked on the tool's scorecard.
If a tool leaves out more than a third of what we check, we don't show a score for it at all. A number built mostly on guesses wouldn't be fair to you or to the tool. Right now 27 of the 27 tools we checked have enough information to be scored.
What the score doesn't tell you
We score what a tool offers and what it costs, as its own website describes it. That's not a hands-on test. The score can't tell you whether a tool is easy to use, whether its data is accurate, or whether support answers quickly. The review covers that.
See the AI Social Media tools ranked or read how we review tools in general.