AdlyNetwork coverage
List the networks you need now and next year. Coverage in this guide runs from 10 networks to up to 32 providers.
What a scheduling API does, and how we compared them
A social media scheduling API lets your app, script or AI agent publish posts to networks like Instagram, LinkedIn or TikTok without building each network integration yourself. You send the text and media, pick a time, and the API handles the publishing.
We compared eight options on what matters when you build: starting price, how the price scales, how many networks they cover, the rate limits we could confirm, and whether they offer MCP for AI assistants like Claude and ChatGPT. Every price was checked on official pages in September 2026.
One note up front. Adly, the company behind this page, does not sell a self-serve REST posting API, so it is not ranked here as one. We cover it at the end for a different job: when you want an AI assistant to create the designs, videos and copy, and publish them to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and X.
What to check before you pick an API
Pricing model
Some APIs charge per profile, some per account or channel, some a flat monthly fee. Model the cost at your real account count, not at the starter tier.
Rate limits
Buffer allows 100 requests per 15 minutes, Publer 100 requests per 2 minutes, and hosted Postiz 100 post creations an hour. Check limits before you build a bulk feature.
A free way to test
Zernio gives you the first 2 accounts free, Upload-Post has 10 free uploads a month, and Buffer’s free plan includes 3,000 API requests a month.
MCP for AI agents
All eight APIs here offer MCP in some form, so Claude, ChatGPT and other assistants can post for you. Check which plan includes it.
Who makes the content
A posting API publishes what you send it. If you also need the images, videos and copy, you need a generation step on top, or a tool that does both.
Scheduling APIs at a glance
| API | Starting price | Networks | Notable limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayrshare | $149 a month (Premium, 1 profile) | 14 | No free plan; Launch is $299 for 10 profiles, Business from $599 for 30 |
| Zernio (formerly Late) | Free for the first 2 accounts | 16 | $6 per account for accounts 3 to 10, $3 for 11 to 100, $1 over 100 |
| Upload-Post | Free (10 uploads a month, 2 profiles); Basic $24 a month | 22 | Free tier capped at 10 uploads a month |
| Post Bridge API | $39 a month (Marketer, 15 accounts) | 10 | No built-in AI; Operator is $99 for 99 accounts, then $1 per account |
| Buffer API | Free (1 key, 3,000 requests a month); paid from $6 per channel | 12 | GraphQL; 100 requests per 15 minutes |
| Publer API | $10 per account a month (Business), $8 yearly | 13 | Business or Enterprise only; 100 requests per 2 minutes |
| Postiz API | Free self-hosted; $29 a month hosted | Up to 32 | 100 post creations an hour on hosted plans |
| Hootsuite API | Free for approved developers, on a plan from $99 per user a month | 10 | REST; developer approval required |
| Adly (not a posting API) | ChatGPT plugin from $29 a month (Launch); Adly MCP from $49 (Solo) | 5 (X on Solo and up) | No self-serve REST posting API; creates the content too |
Prices in USD per month, checked on official pages in September 2026. Hootsuite shows yearly billing.
1. Ayrshare
Ayrshare is a dedicated posting API with no free plan. Premium costs $149 a month for 1 profile, Launch is $299 a month for 10 profiles, and Business starts at $599 a month for 30 profiles. It covers 14 networks and offers an MCP server.
Best for: teams that want a dedicated API vendor and are happy to pay by profile. Watch out for: the highest starting price in this list.
2. Zernio (formerly Late)
Zernio, which used to be called Late, prices per connected account with falling tiers. Your first 2 accounts are free. Accounts 3 to 10 cost $6 each a month, accounts 11 to 100 cost $3 each, and every account over 100 costs $1. It covers 16 networks and runs a hosted MCP server.
Example: Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are 3 accounts, so $6 a month. Ten accounts come to $48 a month.
Best for: starting free and scaling to many accounts at a low cost per account.
3. Upload-Post
Upload-Post has a free tier with 10 uploads a month across 2 profiles. Paid plans are Basic at $24 a month, Professional at $50, Advanced at $147 and Business at $438. It supports 22 networks, the second longest list here after Postiz, and it has an MCP server.
Best for: testing for free and reaching many networks from one API. Watch out for: 10 uploads a month is enough to test, not to run a live product.
4. Post Bridge API
Post Bridge includes its API and MCP in the Marketer plan at $39 a month ($32.50 billed yearly), with 15 accounts and unlimited posts. Operator costs $99 a month for 99 accounts, then $1 per extra account. It covers 10 networks: X, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, Pinterest and Google Business, and it supports posting from ChatGPT and Claude. There is a 7-day trial.
Best for: a simple flat price with unlimited posts. Watch out for: there is no built-in AI. It distributes content; it does not make it.
5. Buffer API
Buffer offers a GraphQL API on every plan, including Free. The free plan gets 1 API key and 3,000 requests a month, Essentials gets 7,500 and Team gets 15,000, with a rate limit of 100 requests per 15 minutes. Paid plans start at $6 per channel a month ($5 yearly), across 12 networks. Its MCP server works on all plans with Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor and more.
Best for: a low-cost option with a free way to start. Watch out for: the free plan allows only 10 scheduled posts per channel.
6. Publer API
Publer’s API and MCP come with the Business plan at $10 per account a month ($8 yearly) and with Enterprise. The rate limit is 100 requests per 2 minutes. Publer covers 13 networks, including Telegram, WordPress and Google Business, and Business also includes unlimited AI.
Best for: teams that already schedule in Publer and want to automate it. Watch out for: the API is not on the Free or Professional plans.
7. Postiz API
Postiz is open source under AGPL-3.0. You can self-host it for free or use the hosted version from $29 a month ($23 yearly). The API and MCP are on every plan, and it supports up to 32 providers, the most in this guide. Hosted plans allow 100 post creations an hour. The Standard plan includes 3 AI videos, and AI images start on the Team plan at $39.
Best for: developers who want to own the stack or need the widest network list. Watch out for: self-hosters must get their own app approvals from each network.
8. Hootsuite API
Hootsuite’s REST API is free for approved developers, but it sits on top of a Hootsuite plan, which starts at $99 per user a month billed yearly. It covers 10 networks, including WhatsApp, and Hootsuite offers MCP connectors for ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini.
Best for: larger teams already on Hootsuite who also use its inbox, listening, approvals and reporting. Watch out for: the approval step and the per-user cost.
If you want the content created too: Adly
Every API above publishes content you already have. Adly solves a different problem. It is an AI marketing platform, built for the Arab market, that creates on-brand ad designs, carousels, videos and ad copy in Arabic or English, then publishes or schedules them to Facebook Pages, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and X (X on Solo and up).
Adly does not offer a self-serve REST posting API. You work through an AI assistant instead:
- ChatGPT plugin. Install Adly from the ChatGPT plugins directory, choose Launch, Solo or Growth, then ask ChatGPT to make a design or video, write the caption, and publish or schedule it. See posting from ChatGPT.
- Adly MCP for Claude. On Solo and up, request access in Adly, generate an MCP key and add Adly as a connector in Claude. Access is approved by the Adly team. See posting from Claude.
- Partner API. Developers who need image, video and copy generation inside their own product can look at the Adly Partner API.
Adly covers 5 networks, fewer than any API here. If you need YouTube, Pinterest or Threads, pair Adly with one of the APIs above.
How to choose
- Cheapest way to start: Zernio (first 2 accounts free), Upload-Post (10 free uploads a month) or Buffer (3,000 free API requests a month).
- Most networks: Postiz (up to 32 providers), then Upload-Post (22).
- Open source and self-hosting: Postiz.
- Flat price, unlimited posts: Post Bridge Marketer at $39 a month for 15 accounts.
- Already paying for a scheduler: start with the API of the tool you use, whether Buffer, Publer or Hootsuite.
- Want the content made, not just posted: Adly, through ChatGPT or Claude.
Related
Scheduling API questions
What is the best social media scheduling API?
It depends on what you need. For a free start, look at Zernio, Upload-Post or Buffer. For the most networks, Postiz. For a flat price with unlimited posts, Post Bridge. For a dedicated API vendor priced by profile, Ayrshare.
Is there a free social media posting API?
Yes, with limits. Buffer’s free plan includes 1 API key and 3,000 requests a month. Zernio’s first 2 accounts are free. Upload-Post allows 10 uploads a month on 2 profiles. Postiz is free if you self-host it.
Which API supports the most networks?
Postiz, with up to 32 providers. Upload-Post supports 22, Zernio 16, Ayrshare 14, Publer 13, Buffer 12, and Post Bridge and Hootsuite 10 each.
Which scheduling APIs have an MCP server?
All eight in this guide offer MCP in some form: Ayrshare, Zernio (hosted), Upload-Post, Post Bridge, Buffer (all plans), Publer (Business and Enterprise), Postiz (all plans) and Hootsuite (connectors for ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini).
Does Adly have a posting API?
Not a self-serve REST posting API. Adly publishes through its ChatGPT plugin and through Adly MCP for Claude, and it offers a Partner API for image, video and copy generation.
Can an AI assistant create and publish posts for me?
Yes. With Adly in ChatGPT, or Adly MCP in Claude, you ask in plain language for a design or video, a caption and a publish time. Adly then publishes it to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or X (X on Solo and up).
What rate limits should I expect?
From the limits we could confirm: Buffer allows 100 requests per 15 minutes, Publer 100 requests per 2 minutes, and hosted Postiz 100 post creations an hour. Check each vendor’s docs before you build.
Which API is best for agencies with many clients?
Model the cost at your real account count. Zernio drops to $3 per account from the 11th account, Post Bridge Operator covers 99 accounts for $99, and Ayrshare Business starts at $599 for 30 profiles.
Do I need a Hootsuite plan to use the Hootsuite API?
Yes. The API is free for approved developers, but it works on top of a Hootsuite plan, which starts at $99 per user a month billed yearly.
When were these prices checked?
In September 2026, on each vendor’s official pricing page. APIs and prices change often, so confirm with the sources below before you build.
Sources (prices checked September 2026)
Want the posts made, not just sent?
Ask ChatGPT or Claude to create an on-brand design, video and caption with Adly, then publish it to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and X.
Try Adly free