I run multiple SaaS products as a solo-founder and post constantly across social media to market them.
I was wasting hours switching between platforms trying to manage which app had which options.
Building a custom option meant waiting months for platform API approval and I needed a solution fast that worked with Claude Code.
Then I discovered unified social media APIs and decided to test a bunch of them.
I compared 7 of them on price, platforms, free tiers, and AI agent support. Every price here comes from each app's pricing page (checked September 2026).
Here are my findings:
Quick comparison
| API | Platforms | Free tier | Paid from | Pricing model | MCP server | Comments / DMs | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PostZen | 10 | 2 accounts, 20 posts/mo | $19/mo | Flat tiers, unlimited posts | ✅ | ✅ | AI agents, SaaS, agencies |
| Upload-Post | 20+ (paid) | 2 profiles, 10 uploads/mo | $24/mo | Per profile | ✅ | — | Video pipelines |
| Zernio | ~15 | First 2 accounts | $6/account/mo | Per account | ✅ | ✅ | Niche networks |
| Postiz | ~30 | Free if self-hosted | $29/mo (cloud) | Per plan | ✅ | — | Self-hosting |
| Outstand | 12 | None | $19/mo | Per post | ✅ | — | High post volume |
| PostPeer | 9 | 20 credits | ~$23/mo | Credits | — | ✅ | Analytics dashboards |
| Ayrshare | 13+ | None (28-day trial) | $149/mo | Per profile | ✅ | ✅ | Enterprise |
— = not offered or not documented on their site.
1. PostZen: Best overall for developers and agents
PostZen was my favorite out of the 7.
It has a free plan so you can test everything before choosing a plan.
Setup took 5 minutes: I added my social accounts, connected Claude to the MCP server, and was good to go.
Pros
- Unlimited posts on paid plans
- The most complete MCP setup on this list
- Publishing, analytics, inbox and automations all included
- Free tier without credit card
Cons
- No Reddit, Google Business, WhatsApp or Discord
- The inbox covers Meta platforms only, and DMs are Instagram-only
- No LinkedIn analytics yet
Best for: SaaS products, agencies, and agent workflows that need publishing, analytics and engagement from one integration at a predictable price.
2. Upload-Post: Best for video
Upload-Post is built around video. Its built-in FFmpeg processing formats your videos for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts.
Pricing is per profile: $24/mo for 5 profiles, up to $438/mo for 225. The free plan gives you 2 profiles and 10 uploads a month, but no TikTok.
Pros
- Video processing built in
- Native n8n and Make integrations
- 20+ platforms on paid plans
Cons
- Per-profile pricing gets expensive fast for SaaS
- Small free tier and no TikTok included
- API only, no content calendar
Best for: Video-heavy pipelines and n8n/Make users.
3. Zernio: Best for niche platforms
Zernio (formerly getlate.dev) covers about 15 platforms, including WhatsApp, Discord, Reddit, and Google Business.
Your first 2 accounts are free. After that it's $6 per account, dropping to $3 and then $1 at higher volumes. It also has SDKs in 8 languages.
Pros
- Widest managed platform coverage
- SDKs for 8 languages
- MCP server and unified inbox
Cons
- You pay for every account you connect
- Harder to predict your bill as you grow
- Some features are paid add-ons
Best for: Apps that need WhatsApp, Discord, or Reddit.
4. Postiz: Best for self-hosting
Postiz is open source. Self-host it and it's free, apart from your servers. It supports around 30 platforms, including niche ones like Mastodon, Lemmy, and Nostr.
The cloud version costs $29 to $99 a month, with a 7-day free trial.
Pros
- Most platforms on this list
- Free if you self-host
- Full scheduling UI with AI tools
Cons
- Self-hosting means you handle every platform approval which can take 3+ months
- It's a scheduler first and an API second
- Low rate limits on the cloud API
Best for: Teams that want full control and don't mind running their own platform.
5. Outstand: Best for high post volume
Outstand charges per post. It's $19/mo for 3,000 posts, then less than a cent per post after that. There's no limit on connected accounts.
It covers 12 platforms, including Google Business, Vimeo, and Reddit. You can bring your own platform keys if you want to.
Pros
- Very cheap per post at volume
- Unlimited connected accounts
- Publishes its uptime and response times
Cons
- No free tier
- No official SDKs listed
- Focused on publishing, not engagement
Best for: Apps that post a lot of volume.
6. PostPeer: Best for analytics dashboards
PostPeer runs on credits. One credit gets you one post or one analytics read. Plans start around $23/mo for 2,000 credits, and you get 20 free credits to test.
It covers 9 platforms and returns analytics in the same format for every network.
Pros
- Simple credit model
- No per-account fees
- Same analytics format across networks
Cons
- X posts cost 5 credits (50 with a link)
- Checking analytics often burns through credits
- Newer, smaller ecosystem
Best for: Social dashboards where analytics matter as much as posting.
7. Ayrshare: Best for enterprise
Ayrshare has been around the longest. It covers 13+ networks, including Reddit, Snapchat, and Google Business, with comments, DMs, and analytics built in.
The reason its not higher on the list is price. Plans start at $149/mo and there's no free tier, just a 28-day trial.
Pros
- Longest track record
- Mature comments and DM tools
- Big volume discounts at scale
Cons
- $149/mo to start
- No free tier
- Add-ons get expensive
Best for: Funded teams that want an established vendor.
How to choose
- Building with AI agents, or want flat pricing with unlimited posts: PostZen
- Mostly posting video: Upload-Post
- Need WhatsApp, Discord, or Reddit: Zernio
- Want to self-host: Postiz
- Posting huge volumes: Outstand
- Building an analytics dashboard: PostPeer
- Enterprise budget and needs: Ayrshare
FAQ
What is a unified social media API?
It's one API that posts to many social networks. You connect your accounts once, and it handles each platform's login, media rules, rate limits, and API changes for you.
Do I need approval from Meta, TikTok, or X?
Usually not. Most unified APIs (PostZen, Zernio, Upload-Post, PostPeer, Ayrshare) have already been approved, so you just connect your accounts. You'll need your own approvals if you self-host Postiz or bring your own keys to Outstand.
Which social media API has the best free tier?
PostZen and Zernio both give you 2 accounts free with full API access. PostPeer gives you 20 credits. Postiz is free if you self-host it.
Which API works best with AI agents?
Look for a hosted MCP server with OAuth, so your agent can connect without you pasting API keys. PostZen's MCP server lets Claude, ChatGPT, and other agents post, schedule, check analytics, and reply to comments. Zernio, Postiz, Outstand, and Upload-Post also have MCP servers.
What's the cheapest option at scale?
It depends on what grows. If you post a lot from a set number of accounts, flat pricing with unlimited posts (PostZen) is cheapest. If you have thousands of accounts that rarely post, per-account pricing (Zernio) can come out lowest.
Why does posting to X cost extra?
X charges developers per API request. Most providers pass that cost on to you or charge extra credits for X posts.
Can I reply to comments and DMs through the API?
With some providers. PostZen handles comments on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, plus Instagram DMs. Ayrshare and Zernio have inbox features too. Upload-Post and Outstand focus on posting.
My pick is PostZen. The free plan lets you try everything, and connecting an AI agent takes 5 minutes.
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