Last Updated: February 2026
Quick Verdict
Viraly is the better choice if: You want a free plan to get started, need X/Twitter, Bluesky, or Mastodon support, or want unlimited AI captions without credit limits. Viraly offers flat-rate pricing with more platforms and content recycling that Later doesn’t have—all at a lower price point.
Later is the better choice if: You’re Instagram-obsessed and want the best visual grid planner in the business. Later’s drag-and-drop feed preview is unmatched for planning aesthetically cohesive Instagram grids, and the influencer marketing platform (Later Influence) is valuable for creator collaborations.
In this Viraly versus Later comparison, we examine platform support gaps, pricing models, and whether Later’s visual-first Instagram approach outweighs missing features like X/Twitter scheduling and content recycling.
At a Glance
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free | $25/month |
| Paid Plans | $19-99/month | $25-110/month |
| Annual Discount | 17% (2 months free) | 25% (3 months free) |
| Social Platforms | 10 | 8 |
| X/Twitter | Yes | No (discontinued) |
| Bluesky | Yes | No |
| Mastodon | Yes | No |
| AI Caption Generator | Unlimited | 5-100 credits/month |
| Content Recycling | Yes | No |
| Visual Grid Planner | Basic | Best-in-class |
| Link in Bio | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Domain (Bio) | Yes (Business+) | No |
| Team Collaboration | Business+ ($49) | Growth+ ($50) |
| Social Sets | Yes | Yes |
| Permissions | Granular per set | Access groups |
Pricing Comparison
Viraly Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Profiles | Posts/Month | Team Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| Influencer | $19 | $15.80 | 5 | 200 | 1 |
| Business | $49 | $40.80 | 15 | 500 | 5 |
| Agency | $99 | $82.50 | 50 | Unlimited | 15 |
17% discount on annual billing (2 months free)
Later Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per mo) | Social Sets | Posts/Profile/Month | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $25 | $18.75 | 1 (8 profiles) | 30 | 1 |
| Growth | $50 | $37.50 | 2 (16 profiles) | 180 | 2 |
| Scale | $110 | $82.50 | 6 (48 profiles) | Unlimited | 4 |
25% discount on annual billing (3 months free)
Key pricing difference: Later charges per “Social Set” (1 set = 8 profiles, one per platform). Adding extra sets costs $15/month each. Viraly uses flat-rate pricing with specific profile limits per plan.
Cost Comparison at Scale
| Scenario | Viraly | Later | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 profiles, 1 user | $19/mo (Influencer) | $25/mo (Starter) | $72/year with Viraly |
| 15 profiles, 2 users | $49/mo (Business) | $50/mo (Growth) | $12/year with Viraly |
| 50 profiles, 4 users | $99/mo (Agency) | $110/mo (Scale) | $132/year with Viraly |
| Just starting out | $0/mo (Free) | $25/mo (no free plan) | $300/year with Viraly |
Note: Later discontinued its free plan. Viraly’s free tier (3 profiles, 10 posts/month) lets you test the platform before committing.
Platform Support
| Platform | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes (Shorts only) |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| X/Twitter | Yes | No (discontinued) |
| Bluesky | Yes | No |
| Mastodon | Yes | No |
| Snapchat | No | Yes |
| Google Business | No | No |
Verdict: Viraly wins on platform count (10 vs 8). Later dropped X/Twitter support in 2025 and doesn’t support Bluesky or Mastodon. If you need X/Twitter for your business, Later isn’t an option. Viraly supports all major platforms plus emerging ones like Bluesky. Later has Snapchat support that Viraly lacks.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Visual calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-and-drop | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk upload | Yes | Yes (up to 300) |
| Queue/time slots | Yes | Yes |
| Draft posts | Yes | Yes |
| Best time to post | Yes | Yes |
| First comment | Yes (Influencer+) | Yes |
| Auto-publish | Yes | Yes |
Verdict: Tie. Both offer solid scheduling fundamentals.
Post Limits by Plan
| Plan | Viraly Free | Viraly Influencer | Viraly Business | Viraly Agency | Later Starter | Later Growth | Later Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Posts/month | 10 total | 200 total | 500 total | Unlimited | 30/profile | 180/profile | Unlimited |
Note: Later’s Starter plan limits you to 30 posts per profile per month. With 8 profiles, that’s 240 posts max—but spread thinly. Viraly’s limits are total across all profiles.
Content Types Supported
| Content Type | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Single images | Yes | Yes |
| Carousels | Yes (up to 10) | Yes (up to 10) |
| Reels | Yes | Yes |
| Stories | Yes | Partial (Business profiles only) |
| TikTok videos | Yes | Yes |
| TikTok Photo Mode | Yes (up to 35 images) | Yes (desktop/iOS only) |
| YouTube Shorts | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube long-form | Yes | No |
| LinkedIn documents | Yes | No |
| X/Twitter threads | Yes (up to 25) | N/A (no X support) |
| Threads chains | Yes | Yes |
Verdict: Viraly wins. More content types including YouTube long-form videos, LinkedIn documents, and X/Twitter threads. Later’s TikTok Photo Mode is limited to desktop and iOS.
Platform-Specific Features
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram location tagging | Yes (Influencer+) | No (API limitation) |
| Instagram collaborators | Yes (Influencer+) | Yes (up to 3) |
| Instagram user tagging | Yes (Influencer+) | Yes |
| Facebook location tagging | Yes (Influencer+) | No |
| Facebook collaborators | Yes (Influencer+) | No |
Verdict: Viraly wins. Later cannot add location tags when scheduling due to API limitations. Viraly supports location tagging and collaborators for both Instagram and Facebook.
Evergreen Content Recycling
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-recycle posts | Yes | No |
| Recycle intervals | 7-365 days | N/A |
| AI caption variations | Yes | N/A |
| Custom recycle dates | Yes | N/A |
Verdict: Viraly wins. Content recycling is a major differentiator. Set evergreen posts to republish automatically with AI-generated caption variations. Later doesn’t offer this feature at all.
Visual Grid Planner
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram grid preview | Basic | Best-in-class |
| Drag-and-drop reorder | Yes | Yes |
| 3:4 aspect ratio preview | No | Yes |
| Reels visibility toggle | No | Yes |
| Draft visibility in preview | No | Yes |
Verdict: Later wins. Later’s visual grid planner is their signature feature. If curating a cohesive Instagram aesthetic is critical to your brand, Later’s preview tools are superior.
Link in Bio
| Feature | Viraly Free | Viraly Influencer | Viraly Business | Viraly Agency | Later Starter | Later Growth | Later Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bio pages | 1 | 5 | 15 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Custom links | 5 | 25 | 50 | 100 | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Links per post | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Custom domain | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Remove branding | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Tracking pixels | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Verdict: Viraly wins on custom domains and branding. Later doesn’t offer custom domains for Link in Bio pages at any tier. Viraly Business+ includes custom domain support and can remove Viraly branding.
AI & Content Tools
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| AI Caption Generator | Unlimited (all plans) | 5-100 credits/month |
| AI hashtag suggestions | Yes | Yes |
| AI content ideas | Yes | Yes |
| Unsplash integration | Yes | Yes |
| Canva integration | Via upload | Direct export |
| Media library | Yes | Yes |
| Media editing | Yes | Yes |
Verdict: Viraly wins on AI. Unlimited AI captions on all plans vs. Later’s credit system (5 credits on Starter, 50 on Growth, 100 on Scale). Extra credits cost $5/100 on Later—and Starter plan can’t even purchase extra credits.
AI Credits Comparison
| Plan | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Entry tier | Unlimited | 5/month |
| Mid tier | Unlimited | 50/month |
| Top tier | Unlimited | 100/month |
| Purchase extra | N/A | $5/100 (Growth+ only) |
Analytics
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook analytics | Yes | Yes |
| TikTok analytics | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube analytics | Yes | Limited |
| LinkedIn analytics | Yes | Limited |
| Pinterest analytics | Yes | Yes (3 months all plans) |
| Threads analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Bluesky analytics | Yes | No |
| Mastodon analytics | Yes | No |
| X/Twitter analytics | Yes | No |
| Competitive benchmarking | No | Scale only (20 competitors) |
| Custom analytics | No | Scale only |
Verdict: Viraly wins on platform coverage. Analytics for 10 platforms vs Later’s 8. Later has competitive benchmarking on Scale plan, but at $110/month that’s a premium feature.
Analytics History by Plan
| Plan | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Free/Starter | 2 weeks | 3 months |
| Mid tier | 6 months (Influencer) | 1 year (Growth) |
| Top tier | 12-24 months (Business/Agency) | 2 years (Scale) |
Note: Later has longer analytics history on entry plans, but Viraly’s free plan exists while Later’s doesn’t.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Viraly Free | Viraly Business | Viraly Agency | Later Starter | Later Growth | Later Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team members | 1 | 5 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Extra members | N/A | N/A | $2/mo each | N/A | $5/mo each | $5/mo each |
| Social sets | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 | 2 (Unlimited access groups) | 6 |
| Granular permissions | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Approval workflows | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| External sharing | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| SSO | No | No | Enterprise | No | No | No |
Verdict: Viraly wins for most teams. Viraly Business ($49/month) includes 5 team members with social sets for organizing brands and granular permissions. Later Growth ($50/month) only includes 2 users. Adding 3 more users on Later costs an extra $15/month.
Comment Management & Engagement
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Unified inbox | No | Yes (Growth+) |
| Instagram DMs | No | Yes (Growth+) |
| Instagram comments | No | Yes (Growth+) |
| Facebook comments | No | Yes (Growth+) |
| TikTok comments | No | Yes (Growth+) |
Verdict: Later wins. Later’s Social Inbox (Growth+ only) provides unified comment and DM management. Viraly focuses on publishing rather than engagement.
Integrations
| Category | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Email Marketing/CRM | 8 platforms | — |
| Tracking Pixels | GA4, Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, GTM | GA4 UTM tracking, Shopify |
| Link Shortening | Built-in (vrl.link) with analytics | — |
| AI | OpenAI GPT-4 (built-in) | Built-in AI |
| Stock Photos | Unsplash (built-in) | Unsplash (built-in) |
| Design | Canva (via upload) | Canva (direct export) |
| Cloud Storage | — | Dropbox (Google Drive discontinued) |
| Automation | Zapier, Make | — |
| E-commerce | — | Shopify |
| Media Library | Yes (all plans) with collections | Yes (all plans) |
Verdict: Trade-offs. Viraly has more email marketing integrations (8 vs 0), built-in link shortening with click analytics, and automation tools (Zapier, Make). Later has Shopify integration for e-commerce and direct Canva export.
Compliance & Security
| Feature | Viraly | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Data Encryption | 256-bit AES at rest | Yes |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| CCPA Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Hosting | AWS | — |
| SOC 2 | No | — |
Verdict: Comparable. Both meet standard security requirements. Neither publishes SOC 2 or enterprise compliance certifications—adequate for most businesses, but enterprise organizations may need to verify specific security controls.
Where Viraly Wins
- Free plan exists — Test before you commit (Later has no free tier)
- More platforms (10 vs 8) — Including X/Twitter, Bluesky, and Mastodon
- Unlimited AI captions — No credit limits on any plan
- Content recycling — Automatic evergreen republishing with variations
- Custom domains for Link in Bio — Later doesn’t offer this
- More team members — 5 included at $49/mo vs Later’s 2 at $50/mo
- Cheaper add-ons — $2/extra member vs Later’s $5/extra member
- 8 email marketing integrations — Later has none
- Flat-rate pricing — Predictable costs vs per-social-set model
Where Later Wins
- Visual grid planner — Best-in-class Instagram feed preview
- Social Inbox — Unified comment and DM management (Growth+)
- Influencer marketing platform — Later Influence for creator collaborations
- Snapchat support — Viraly doesn’t have this
- Longer analytics history on entry tier — 3 months vs Viraly’s 2 weeks (but Later has no free plan)
- Shopify integration — Direct e-commerce product tagging
- Bigger annual discount — 25% vs Viraly’s 17%
- UGC collection — Collect by tags/mentions (Growth+)
Who Should Choose Viraly
Budget-Conscious Creators
Start free with 3 profiles and 10 posts/month. Upgrade to Influencer ($19/mo) for 200 posts and full AI access—still cheaper than Later’s $25/mo Starter.
X/Twitter Users
Later dropped X/Twitter support entirely. If X is part of your social strategy, Viraly is your only option between these two.
Multi-Platform Publishers
Viraly supports 10 platforms including Bluesky and Mastodon. If you’re building presence across emerging networks, Viraly has broader coverage.
Agencies Managing Multiple Clients
Viraly Agency ($99/mo) covers 50 profiles and 15 team members with granular access controls per client group. Later Scale ($110/mo) offers fewer profiles (48 across 6 social sets), only 4 users, and charges $5/additional user versus Viraly’s $2.
Evergreen Content Marketers
Content recycling is a major time-saver. Automatically republish best-performing posts with AI-generated caption variations. Later doesn’t have this.
Teams Needing Custom Bio Domains
If you want links.yourbrand.com instead of later.com/yourbrand, only Viraly (Business+) offers custom domain support.
Who Should Choose Later
Instagram-First Brands
If Instagram is your primary platform and aesthetic cohesion matters, Later’s visual grid planner is worth the premium. Drag-and-drop feed planning is genuinely better than any competitor.
Community Managers
Later’s Social Inbox centralizes Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok comments and DMs. If engagement management is part of your workflow, Later handles this; Viraly doesn’t.
Influencer Marketers
Later Influence provides access to 10+ million creators, campaign management, and affiliate tracking. If influencer partnerships are central to your strategy, Later has a dedicated platform for this.
Snapchat Publishers
If Snapchat Spotlight is part of your content strategy, Later supports it. Viraly doesn’t.
E-commerce on Shopify
Later’s Shopify integration enables product tagging in posts and Link in Bio. If you’re running a Shopify store, this direct integration is valuable.
FAQ
Does Later have a free plan?
No. Later discontinued its free tier. All plans now require payment after a 14-day trial. Starter costs $25/month ($18.75/month annually). Viraly offers a free plan with 3 profiles and 10 posts/month indefinitely.
Can I schedule X/Twitter posts with Later?
No. Later discontinued X/Twitter support in 2025. If you need X/Twitter scheduling, Viraly supports it on Influencer plans and higher.
How do Viraly and Later pricing compare?
Viraly starts free, with paid plans from $19-99/month. Later starts at $25/month with no free option. For equivalent features (team collaboration, approval workflows), Viraly Business ($49/mo) includes 5 team members while Later Growth ($50/mo) only includes 2.
Which tool has better AI features?
Viraly offers unlimited AI captions on all plans, including free. Later limits AI to 5-100 credits per month depending on your plan, and the Starter plan can’t purchase additional credits.
Does Later support Bluesky or Mastodon?
No. Later only supports Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, and Snapchat (8 platforms). Viraly supports those plus X/Twitter, Bluesky, and Mastodon (10 platforms).
Can I recycle evergreen content with Later?
No. Later doesn’t have content recycling functionality. Viraly’s Content Recycler automatically republishes posts at intervals you set (7-365 days) with optional AI-generated caption variations.
Which has a better Link in Bio tool?
Both offer Link in Bio features, but Viraly Business+ includes custom domain support (use your own domain) and branding removal. Later doesn’t offer custom domains at any tier.
Is Later worth it for Instagram scheduling?
Later’s visual grid planner is genuinely best-in-class for Instagram aesthetic planning. If your brand relies heavily on a cohesive Instagram feed, Later’s drag-and-drop preview is worth the premium. For general multi-platform scheduling, Viraly offers more value.
Which tool is better for agencies?
Viraly Agency ($99/mo) includes 50 profiles, 15 team members, and granular permissions per social set. Later Scale ($110/mo) offers 48 profiles (6 social sets) and only 4 users. Viraly provides more profiles, more team members, and costs less.
Can I manage comments and DMs with Viraly?
No. Viraly focuses on publishing and analytics. Later’s Social Inbox (Growth+ plans) provides unified comment and DM management for Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
What are Later’s Social Sets?
Later organizes profiles into “Social Sets”—1 set includes 1 profile per platform (8 total). Starter gets 1 set, Growth gets 2, Scale gets 6. Adding extra sets costs $15/month each.
Which tool has better integrations?
Trade-offs. Viraly connects to 8 email marketing platforms (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HubSpot, etc.) and automation tools (Zapier, Make). Later integrates with Shopify for e-commerce and Canva for direct design export. Later discontinued Google Drive integration.
Is Viraly or Later better for small businesses?
For most small businesses, Viraly offers better value: free plan to start, more platforms, unlimited AI, and lower pricing. Later is better specifically for Instagram-focused businesses that need the visual grid planner.
Does Later support YouTube long-form videos?
No. Later only supports YouTube Shorts. Viraly supports both YouTube Shorts and long-form videos.
How many team members are included in each plan?
Viraly: Free (1), Influencer (1), Business (5), Agency (15). Later: Starter (1), Growth (2), Scale (4). Extra members cost $2/month on Viraly Agency, $5/month on Later Growth/Scale.
Which tool has better analytics?
Viraly provides analytics for all 10 supported platforms. Later covers 8 platforms and offers competitive benchmarking on Scale plan ($110/mo). For pure analytics coverage, Viraly wins. For competitive insights, Later Scale has an edge.
Can I use my own domain for Link in Bio?
With Viraly Business+ ($49/mo), yes—connect your custom domain via CNAME. Later doesn’t offer custom domains for Link in Bio at any tier.
Final Verdict
| Use Case | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Free plan needed | Viraly |
| X/Twitter scheduling | Viraly |
| Bluesky/Mastodon | Viraly |
| Unlimited AI captions | Viraly |
| Content recycling | Viraly |
| Custom domain (Bio) | Viraly |
| Teams 3+ people | Viraly (more members included) |
| Agencies | Viraly (more profiles, lower cost) |
| Instagram grid planning | Later |
| Comment/DM management | Later |
| Influencer marketing | Later |
| Snapchat | Later |
| Shopify integration | Later |
Bottom line: Later’s decision to drop X/Twitter and its free plan limits its appeal to Instagram-centric creators willing to pay for the best visual grid planner. For multi-platform publishers who need X/Twitter, Mastodon, or content recycling, Viraly provides broader coverage at lower cost—with a free tier to test before committing.