Reviewed August 8, 2026. If you are looking for a free app to post to all social media, the honest answer is that no tool publishes every format to every network. Platform APIs impose different rules, and free plans usually limit the number of connected accounts or scheduled posts.
The useful question is: which app covers your networks, offers a real free plan or trial, and makes it easy to adapt a post before publishing? This guide compares five practical options using their public product and pricing information. We have not presented marketing-page research as hands-on testing, and cross-post is included with its limits disclosed because this is our own product.
Quick answer
| App | Free access | Best fit | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| cross-post | Free plan: 2 accounts, 10 publishes and 5 scheduled posts per month | Creators who want a focused workflow across seven supported platforms | No LinkedIn or Bluesky connection today |
| Buffer | Free plan: up to 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel | Beginners who want a mature, simple scheduler | Paid pricing grows with each channel |
| Post Bridge | 7-day trial | Creators prioritizing a straightforward multi-platform workflow | A trial is not a permanent free plan; verify current limits before subscribing |
| PostPlanify | 7-day trial | Agencies that need workspaces and multiple users | Agency features may be unnecessary for a solo creator |
| Postiz | 7-day hosted trial; self-hosted option available | Technical teams that value integrations or self-hosting | Self-hosting adds setup and maintenance work |
Best permanent free options: start with cross-post if two social accounts cover your immediate workflow, or Buffer if you need three channels. Choose a trial only when you are prepared to decide whether the paid plan is worth keeping.
What “post to all social media” really means
Cross-posting tools do not bypass the networks. They publish through official or authorized provider connections, so each destination can have different account requirements, media limits, and features. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, TikTok videos, Pinterest Pins, Threads posts, and Facebook posts are not interchangeable even when they begin with the same video.
Before choosing an app, write down:
- the exact networks and account types you need;
- whether you publish video, images, carousels, text, or a mix;
- how many posts you schedule in a typical month;
- whether one person or a team needs access; and
- whether you need queues, approvals, analytics, an API, or only publishing.
Then connect one non-critical account and publish a private or low-risk test post. Check the caption, crop, thumbnail, audio, privacy setting, and destination status. A long feature list cannot replace that workflow test.
1. cross-post: a focused free plan for creators
cross-post supports Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Threads, Pinterest, and Facebook. The composer lets you select destinations, publish immediately, schedule a date, save a draft, or add content to a recurring queue. Bulk upload and a calendar are available for creators planning content in batches.
The free plan includes 2 connected accounts, 10 publishes, 5 scheduled posts, and uploads up to 25 MB per month. Paid Starter and Creator plans add more accounts, higher upload limits, and a 7-day trial. Paid trials require a payment method and renew unless canceled before the trial ends.
Choose it when: you want a small, purpose-built dashboard and your essential networks are among the seven listed above.
Skip it when: LinkedIn, Bluesky, Snapchat, social listening, or an enterprise approval workflow is mandatory. Those capabilities are not offered today.
2. Buffer: the easiest established free alternative
Buffer’s published pricing includes a free plan for up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel. Its paid plans are priced per channel, and Buffer currently advertises a 14-day trial for paid features.
Buffer is a sensible first choice if you want a familiar scheduling experience, lightweight analytics, and broad network support. The per-channel model is easy to understand at small scale, but the total can grow as you add accounts.
Choose it when: three channels are enough to start and you prefer an established general-purpose scheduler.
Watch for: “channel” means a connected social account, not an entire network with unlimited profiles.
3. Post Bridge: a creator-oriented trial
Post Bridge positions itself around posting to multiple platforms from one workflow. Its support center is useful because it documents connection steps, platform-specific behavior, account limitations, and troubleshooting rather than hiding those details behind a feature grid.
The service advertises a 7-day trial. Because plan prices and API add-ons can change, confirm the current checkout terms and the media formats supported for each destination before paying.
Choose it when: you value a simple creator workflow and documentation for platform-specific constraints.
Watch for: trial access ends; it should not be compared with a permanent free plan.
4. PostPlanify: better suited to agency workflows
PostPlanify’s pricing page advertises a 7-day trial and plans organized around social accounts, workspaces, and team members. Its positioning is especially clear for agencies managing separate clients.
That workspace model is valuable when permissions and account separation matter. A solo creator who only needs “upload once and publish to a few networks” may be paying for more structure than necessary.
Choose it when: you manage client brands and need multiple workspaces or collaborators.
Watch for: compare the exact account and user limits of the plan you intend to buy, not only the headline feature list.
5. Postiz: integrations and a self-hosted route
Postiz’s pricing page advertises a 7-day hosted trial. The product also emphasizes integrations, a public API, automation tools, and an open-source self-hosted option.
Self-hosting can reduce software-license dependence and provide more control, but it is not “free” in the practical sense: somebody still needs to deploy, secure, update, monitor, and back up the service.
Choose it when: automation, integrations, or control over hosting outweigh the cost of technical maintenance.
Watch for: hosted and self-hosted editions may differ, so verify which features are included in the edition you choose.
Free plan versus free trial
These terms are easy to blur, but they represent different commitments:
- Free plan: continues without a fixed end date while you remain within its limits.
- Free trial: temporarily unlocks paid features, often requires a payment method, and may automatically become a paid subscription.
- Open source: the software can be available without a license fee, but hosting and maintenance remain your responsibility.
Set a calendar reminder before any trial ends and confirm how cancellation works. Export drafts or analytics you need before switching services.
How to choose in ten minutes
- Eliminate apps missing a required network. Do not assume a logo means every post format is supported.
- Calculate your real account count. Two Instagram profiles plus one TikTok profile usually count as three connections.
- Compare your monthly volume with the free limits. Include scheduled posts and retries, not only published posts.
- Test one complete post. Connect, upload, customize, publish, and verify the result on every destination.
- Review failure handling. The tool should identify which destination failed without hiding successful destinations.
Our recommendation
If you need a genuinely free starting point, try cross-post for up to 2 accounts or Buffer for up to 3 channels. If you run an agency, compare PostPlanify’s workspace model. If integrations or self-hosting are the deciding factor, evaluate Postiz. Post Bridge is worth trialing if its documented platform workflow matches your content formats.
No ranking can know your exact account types or media mix. The safest decision is the app that supports your required destinations, states its limits clearly, and successfully completes a real test post. You can create a free cross-post account without starting a paid trial.
Disclosure: cross-post is our product. We receive no affiliate payment for the other tools listed. Product details can change; verify current limits on each vendor’s linked pricing or documentation page.
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