Quick Verdict
Choose Viraly if you want flat-rate pricing that doesn’t charge per account, unlimited posts on higher tiers, first comment automation across more platforms (Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube—not just Instagram), and TikTok Photo Mode up to 35 images. Viraly’s Business plan at $49/month includes 15 profiles and 5 team members with no per-profile charges.
Choose Publer if you prefer per-account pricing for precise cost control, need direct Instagram connection without Facebook Business Manager, want competitor analytics tracking, or require WordPress and Telegram publishing support.
In this Viraly versus Publer comparison, we examine two affordable social media schedulers with different pricing philosophies—flat-rate versus per-account—and where each tool delivers the most value for your specific workflow.
At a Glance
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $19/mo (5 profiles, 200 posts, 10 platforms) | $12/mo (3 accounts, daily post limits, per-account pricing) |
| Paid Plans From | $19/month | $12/month (3 accounts) |
| Pricing Model | Flat-rate per plan | Per-account + per-member |
| Social Profiles (Business tier) | 15 included | Pay per account |
| Team Members (Business tier) | 5 included | 1 included, pay for more |
| Post Limits | Unlimited (Agency) | Daily limits per platform |
| Content Recycling | Yes, all paid plans | Business plan only |
| First Comment Platforms | Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube | Instagram only |
| AI Features | Unlimited (all plans) | Limited (Pro), Unlimited (Business) |
| Link in Bio | Built-in with analytics | Built-in, basic free tier |
| TikTok Photo Mode | Up to 35 images | Up to 35 images |
| Native Threads | Yes, with thread chains | Yes, limited |
| Mastodon | Yes, with analytics | Yes, no analytics |
| Bluesky | Yes, with analytics | Yes, no analytics |
| WordPress Publishing | No | Yes |
| Telegram | No | Yes |
| Competitor Analytics | No | Yes (Business plan) |
Verdict: Trade-offs. Viraly wins on pricing predictability and first comment breadth; Publer wins on per-account flexibility and WordPress/Telegram support.
Pricing Comparison
Pricing Philosophy
Viraly and Publer take fundamentally different approaches:
- Viraly: Flat-rate pricing with profiles and team members included per tier
- Publer: Per-account pricing where you pay for each social profile separately
| Pricing Element | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Flat-rate per plan | Per-account + per-member |
| Free Plan | 3 profiles, 10 posts/month | 3 accounts, 10 posts/account |
| X/Twitter on Free | No | No |
| Annual Discount | 17% | 17% (2 months free) |
| Non-profit Discount | 25% | Not advertised |
Plan Comparison
| Plan | Viraly Monthly | Viraly Annual | Publer Monthly | Publer Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Entry Tier | $19 (Influencer) | $15.80 | $12 (Pro, 3 accounts) | $10 |
| Mid Tier | $49 (Business) | $40.80 | $21 (Business, 3 accounts) | $17.50 |
| Top Tier | $99 (Agency) | $82.50 | Custom (Enterprise) | Custom |
What’s Included at Each Tier
| Feature | Viraly Influencer ($19) | Publer Professional ($12) |
|---|---|---|
| Profiles Included | 5 | 3 (pay $4/ea more) |
| Team Members | 1 (owner) | 1 (pay for more) |
| Scheduled Posts | 200/month | Unlimited* |
| Analytics | Yes | No |
| First Comments | Yes | Yes |
| Content Recycling | Yes | No |
*Subject to daily posting limits per platform
| Feature | Viraly Business ($49) | Publer Business ($21) |
|---|---|---|
| Profiles Included | 15 | 3 (pay $8/ea more) |
| Team Members | 5 included | 1 (pay for more) |
| Scheduled Posts | 500/month | Unlimited* |
| Analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Content Recycling | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Domain (Bio) | Yes | Not specified |
Cost at Scale
How much would you pay for different team sizes?
| Scale | Viraly | Publer (Business Annual) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 profiles, 1 user | $19/mo (Influencer) | $12/mo | Publer -$7 |
| 10 profiles, 1 user | $49/mo (Business) | ~$72/mo | Viraly -$23 |
| 15 profiles, 3 users | $49/mo (Business) | ~$120/mo+ | Viraly -$71+ |
| 25 profiles, 5 users | $99/mo (Agency) | ~$200/mo+ | Viraly -$101+ |
| 50 profiles, 10 users | $99/mo (Agency) | ~$400/mo+ | Viraly -$301+ |
Note: Publer costs estimated using $8/account/month (Business annual) + additional member fees. Viraly includes 15 team members on Agency.
Verdict: Trade-offs. Publer is cheaper for 1-3 accounts. Viraly’s flat-rate model saves significantly at 10+ profiles or with team members.
Platform Support
| Platform | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram (Posts, Reels, Stories) | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook (Pages, Reels, Stories) | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook Groups | No | Semi-auto (notifications) |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube (Videos, Shorts) | Yes | Yes |
| LinkedIn (Personal + Pages) | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes* | |
| X (Twitter) | Influencer+ | Professional+ |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Bluesky | Yes | Yes |
| Mastodon | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business Profile | No | Yes |
| WordPress | No | Yes |
| Telegram | No | Yes |
*Pinterest free plan requires 100+ followers or claimed website
Verdict: Publer wins. Publer supports Google Business Profile, WordPress, and Telegram that Viraly doesn’t offer. Viraly has parity on core social platforms.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-and-Drop | Yes | Yes |
| Queue/Time Slots | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk Upload | Yes | 500 posts via CSV |
| Schedule Months Ahead | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Drafts | Unlimited | 25 (Free), Unlimited (Paid) |
| Post Templates | Yes | Yes (Shortcodes) |
| Recurring Posts | Via Recycler | Yes |
| Auto-Delete Posts | No | Yes |
| Auto-Share Cross-Platform | No | Yes |
Verdict: Tie. Both offer robust scheduling. Publer adds auto-delete and cross-platform sharing; Viraly’s recycler handles recurring needs.
Post Limits
| Plan Tier | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 10/month total | 10 per account + daily limits |
| Entry Tier | 200/month total | Daily limits per platform |
| Mid Tier | 500/month total | Daily limits per platform |
| Top Tier | Unlimited | Unlimited* |
Publer Daily Posting Limits (Business Plan)
| Platform | Daily Limit |
|---|---|
| Instagram Posts & Reels | 25/day |
| Facebook Posts & Reels | 36/day |
| TikTok | 25/day |
| LinkedIn Profile | 14/day |
| LinkedIn Page | 24/day |
| YouTube | 15/day |
| X/Twitter | 100/day |
Verdict: Viraly wins. Viraly’s Agency plan has truly unlimited posts. Publer’s “unlimited” means daily platform caps apply.
Content Types Supported
| Content Type | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Single Images | Yes | Yes |
| Carousels (Multi-image) | Yes (10) | Yes (10) |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Instagram Reels | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook Reels | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube Shorts | Yes | Yes |
| Stories | Yes | Yes (first media only auto) |
| TikTok Photo Mode | Up to 35 images | Up to 35 images |
| LinkedIn Documents (PDF) | Yes | Yes (up to 100 pages) |
| GIFs | X (Twitter) only | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest |
| Videos in Carousels | Yes | No |
Verdict: Tie with trade-offs. Viraly supports videos in carousels and more Story automation. Publer has broader GIF support and LinkedIn PDFs up to 100 pages.
Evergreen Content Recycling
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Content Recycling | Yes | Yes (Business+) |
| Minimum Plans | Influencer ($19) | Business ($21) |
| Recycle Intervals | 7-365 days + custom | Configurable |
| Caption Variations | Yes (3-10 per post) | Yes (Spintax) |
| AI-Generated Variations | Yes | Via AI Assist |
| Variation Methods | AI-powered, tone selection | Spintax syntax |
Verdict: Tie. Both offer recycling with caption variations. Viraly’s AI variations may be easier; Publer’s Spintax offers more control.
Link in Bio
| Feature | Viraly Free | Viraly Influencer | Viraly Business | Viraly Agency | Publer Free | Publer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bio Pages | 1 | 5 | 15 | 50 | 1 | Unlimited |
| Custom Links | 5 | 25 | 50 | 100 | 15 | Unlimited |
| Products | — | 10 | 30 | 75 | No | No |
| Click Analytics | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Custom Domain | — | — | Yes | Yes | No | Not specified |
| Email Collection | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Remove Branding | — | — | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Verdict: Viraly wins. Viraly offers e-commerce products, email collection forms, 70+ themes, and more customization options.
AI & Content Tools
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| AI Caption Generator | Yes (Unlimited, all plans) | Yes (Limited Free/Pro, Unlimited Business) |
| AI Model | GPT-4 | GPT-4 |
| AI Image Generation | No | Yes (DALL·E 3) |
| Hashtag Suggestions | Yes (AI-powered) | Yes (AI-powered) |
| Content Ideas | Yes (Idea Board) | No |
| Photo Editor | Yes (crop, filters, stickers) | Yes (crop, filters, text) |
| Video Editor | Yes (trim, crop, cover) | Via VistaCreate |
| Watermarking | No | Yes (Professional+) |
Verdict: Trade-offs. Viraly has unlimited AI on all plans and built-in video editing. Publer has DALL·E 3 image generation and watermarking.
Idea Board / Content Library Limits
| Feature | Viraly Free | Viraly Influencer | Viraly Business | Viraly Agency | Publer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Idea Boards | 5 | 10 | 25 | 50 | N/A |
| Ideas per Social Set | 50 | 200 | 500 | 1,000 | N/A |
| Content Templates | Yes (10 categories) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Shortcodes) |
| AI Idea Generator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Media Library | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Yes |
| Media Collections | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not specified |
Verdict: Viraly wins. Viraly offers a Kanban-style Idea Board with AI idea generation, content templates, and unlimited media library on all plans.
Analytics
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Plan | Influencer ($19) | Business ($21) |
| Platforms Covered | All 10 | Most platforms |
| Competitor Tracking | No | Yes |
| Best Time to Post | Automatic optimization | Yes |
| Demographics | Yes | Yes |
| Export Reports | CSV | PDF, CSV |
| Automated Reports | No | Weekly/Monthly PDF |
Analytics History
| Plan | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 2 weeks | 24 hours |
| Entry Tier | 6 months | — (no analytics) |
| Mid Tier | 12 months | Eternal |
| Agency/Top | 2 years | Eternal |
Verdict: Publer wins for features. Publer offers competitor tracking and automated PDF reports. Viraly has analytics on lower-priced plans ($19 vs $21).
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Team Members (Business) | 5 included | 1 (pay per member) |
| Team Members (Agency) | 15 included | Pay per member |
| Workspaces/Social Sets | Unlimited (all plans) | Unlimited (paid plans) |
| Roles | Owner, Member | Owner, Admin, Editor, Client |
| Granular Permissions | Yes | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | Yes (Business+) | Yes (2-tier: internal + client) |
| 2FA Security | Not specified | Yes |
Verdict: Trade-offs. Viraly includes team members in pricing. Publer has more role types and two-tier approval (internal + client).
Integrations
| Category | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Email/CRM | 8 (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HubSpot, etc.) | Not specified |
| Cloud Storage | Unsplash | Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Unsplash |
| Design Tools | Built-in editors | Canva, VistaCreate |
| Link Shorteners | Built-in (vrl.link) | Bitly, Rebrandly, + 6 more |
| Tracking Pixels | GA4, Meta, TikTok, GTM | Not specified |
| CMS | No | WordPress |
| Browser Extension | No | Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge |
| Mobile App | No | iOS, Android |
Verdict: Publer wins. Publer has mobile apps, browser extension, cloud storage integrations, and WordPress publishing.
Compliance & Security
| Feature | Viraly | Publer |
|---|---|---|
| Data Encryption | 256-bit AES at rest | Not specified |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Not specified |
| CCPA Compliant | Yes | Not specified |
| 2FA | Not specified | Yes |
| SSO | No | Not specified |
Verdict: Tie. Viraly specifies compliance standards. Publer offers 2FA with enforced team settings.
Where Viraly Wins
- Flat-rate pricing — $99/month covers 50 profiles and 15 team members. The same scale on Publer costs $400+/month.
- First comment on more platforms — Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, AND YouTube. Publer only supports Instagram first comments.
- Truly unlimited posts — Agency plan has no daily caps. Publer’s “unlimited” still has platform-specific daily limits.
- Team members included — Business includes 5, Agency includes 15. Publer charges per additional member.
- Unlimited AI on all plans — Even the Free plan gets unlimited AI captions. Publer limits AI on Professional.
- Email collection on Link in Bio — Build email lists directly from bio pages. Publer doesn’t offer this.
- E-commerce on Link in Bio — Display up to 75 products. Publer has no product showcase feature.
- Thread chains everywhere — Native thread building for X, Threads, Mastodon, and Bluesky. Publer supports X threads only.
- Videos in carousels — Mix photos and videos in Instagram carousels. Publer restricts carousels to images only.
- Analytics on lower tier — $19/month Influencer includes analytics. Publer requires $21/month Business plan.
Where Publer Wins
- Lower entry price — $12/month for 3 accounts vs Viraly’s $19/month for 5 profiles. Better for minimal needs.
- Per-account flexibility — Pay only for what you use. Good for freelancers with just 2-3 clients.
- Direct Instagram connection — No Facebook Business Manager required. Simpler setup for creators.
- WordPress publishing — Schedule and publish blog posts directly. Viraly doesn’t support CMS platforms.
- Telegram support — Publish to Telegram groups and channels. Viraly doesn’t offer this.
- Google Business Profile — Post to GBP for local SEO. Viraly lacks this integration.
- Competitor analytics — Track competitor follower growth and engagement on Facebook, Instagram, X. Viraly has no competitor tracking.
- Mobile apps — Full iOS and Android apps for scheduling on the go. Viraly is web-only.
- Browser extension — Share content from any webpage instantly. Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge support.
- AI image generation — DALL·E 3 integration creates images from prompts. Viraly only generates text captions.
- Automated PDF reports — Weekly/monthly reports auto-sent. Viraly requires manual export.
- Cloud storage integrations — Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive. Viraly only has Unsplash.
Who Should Choose Viraly
Agencies Managing 10+ Client Accounts
Viraly’s $99/month Agency plan includes 50 profiles and 15 team members. Managing 25 accounts on Publer’s Business tier would cost approximately $200/month. The flat-rate model saves thousands annually as your client roster grows.
Teams Needing Predictable Costs
No per-seat or per-account surprises. Your monthly cost stays fixed whether you use 5 profiles or 50. Budget confidently without calculating per-profile fees.
Brands Wanting First Comments Beyond Instagram
If you need first comment automation on Facebook Pages, LinkedIn posts, or YouTube videos—not just Instagram—Viraly is the only choice. Publer limits first comments to Instagram.
Content Recyclers at Lower Price Points
Viraly offers evergreen recycling starting at $19/month (Influencer). Publer requires the $21/month Business plan. For budget-conscious recyclers, Viraly saves $24/year.
E-commerce Brands Using Link in Bio
Showcase products, collect emails, and track conversions all from your bio page. Publer’s Link in Bio lacks product listings and email collection features.
Who Should Choose Publer
Freelancers with 1-3 Clients
If you manage just 2-3 social accounts, Publer’s $12/month Professional plan costs less than Viraly’s $19/month entry tier. Pay for exactly what you use.
WordPress Content Publishers
If your workflow includes blog-to-social distribution, Publer’s WordPress integration schedules posts directly from your CMS. Viraly has no CMS publishing.
Local Businesses Needing Google Business Profile
Publer publishes to Google Business Profile for local SEO. Viraly doesn’t support GBP, so local businesses may need Publer’s broader platform reach.
Teams Needing Mobile Access
Publer has native iOS and Android apps for full scheduling capabilities on the go. Viraly is currently web-only.
Marketers Tracking Competitors
Publer’s competitor analytics track follower growth and engagement for Facebook, Instagram, and X. If competitor benchmarking matters, Publer provides insights Viraly doesn’t.
Telegram Community Managers
Publishing to Telegram groups and channels requires Publer. Viraly doesn’t support Telegram at all.
FAQ
How do Viraly and Publer pricing models compare?
Viraly uses flat-rate pricing: $19-99/month includes a set number of profiles and team members. Publer charges per-account: $12/month base covers 3 accounts, with each additional account costing extra. For 1-3 accounts, Publer may cost less. For 10+ accounts or teams, Viraly’s flat-rate typically saves 50-75%.
Is Publer free?
Yes, Publer has a permanent free plan with 3 social accounts, 10 scheduled posts per account, and 25 saved drafts. However, it excludes X/Twitter, analytics, first comments, and content recycling. Viraly’s free plan offers 3 profiles and 10 posts/month with unlimited AI captions.
Is Publer safe?
Publer is a legitimate company founded in 2017 with 300,000+ users and 4.8/5 ratings on Trustpilot and Capterra. They use OAuth authentication for social connections and offer two-factor authentication. Both Viraly and Publer meet standard security requirements.
Which is better for agencies: Viraly or Publer?
For agencies managing 10+ client accounts, Viraly typically offers better value. Viraly’s $99/month Agency plan includes 50 profiles and 15 team members. On Publer, 25 accounts on Business tier would cost approximately $200/month, plus fees for team members. The savings compound as you scale.
Does Publer have daily posting limits?
Yes. Unlike Viraly’s Agency plan which offers truly unlimited posts, Publer imposes daily limits per platform even on paid plans. For example, Business plan limits: Instagram 25/day, Facebook 36/day, LinkedIn 14/day, YouTube 15/day. Enterprise plan removes these limits.
Can I use first comment on Facebook and LinkedIn?
With Viraly, yes. Viraly supports first comment automation for Instagram, Facebook Pages, LinkedIn, and YouTube. With Publer, no—first comments are limited to Instagram only. This is a significant difference for B2B marketers who want hashtags in LinkedIn comments.
Can I schedule Bluesky posts with either tool?
Yes, both support Bluesky scheduling. Viraly offers full Bluesky analytics and thread chains. Publer publishes to Bluesky but doesn’t provide analytics for the platform.
Which tool supports TikTok Photo Mode?
Both Viraly and Publer support TikTok’s photo carousel feature with up to 35 images. However, Publer has a 50MB file size limit for TikTok content, while Viraly supports larger uploads.
Do hashtags in first comment work on Instagram?
Yes, placing hashtags in the first comment rather than the caption keeps your post looking clean while still getting hashtag discoverability. Both Viraly and Publer support scheduling first comments for Instagram. However, only Viraly extends this to Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Which has better analytics?
Publer has an edge with competitor tracking, automated PDF reports, and best-time-to-post recommendations. However, Publer analytics require the Business plan ($21/month). Viraly includes analytics starting at the Influencer plan ($19/month), covering all 10 platforms with customizable date ranges and export options.
What is evergreen content recycling?
Evergreen content recycling automatically republishes your best-performing posts on a schedule (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.). Both tools offer this with caption variations to keep content fresh. Viraly uses AI-generated variations; Publer uses Spintax syntax for manual control.
Which tool has a better Link in Bio?
Viraly offers more Link in Bio features: 70+ themes, e-commerce product showcases (up to 75 products), email collection forms with CRM integrations, custom domains, and detailed click analytics. Publer’s Link in Bio is simpler with links displayed as Story highlights—functional but less feature-rich.
Does Publer support WordPress?
Yes, Publer can publish directly to WordPress (hosted and self-hosted sites). This is useful for blog-to-social workflows. Viraly does not have WordPress integration.
Can I recycle content with either tool?
Yes, both offer content recycling, but at different price points. Viraly includes recycling starting at $19/month (Influencer plan). Publer requires the $21/month Business plan for recycling features.
Which tool supports Mastodon?
Both support Mastodon scheduling. Viraly provides Mastodon analytics and reply chains. Publer publishes to any Mastodon server but doesn’t offer Mastodon-specific analytics.
Which tool has mobile apps?
Publer has native iOS and Android apps with full scheduling capabilities. Viraly is currently web-only. If mobile scheduling is essential, Publer has the advantage.
Final Verdict
Viraly and Publer target similar audiences—budget-conscious creators, small businesses, and agencies—but their pricing models create clear decision points.
Choose Viraly for flat-rate predictability, broader first comment support, truly unlimited posts, included team members, and e-commerce Link in Bio features. The value increases dramatically at scale: managing 25+ accounts on Viraly costs a fraction of Publer’s per-account model.
Choose Publer for per-account flexibility, WordPress/Telegram publishing, mobile apps, competitor analytics, and AI image generation. If you manage just 2-3 accounts solo, Publer’s lower entry price makes sense.
| Use Case | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 1-3 accounts, solo | Publer — lower entry price |
| 10+ accounts or profiles | Viraly — flat-rate saves significantly |
| Teams of 3+ people | Viraly — team members included |
| WordPress publishers | Publer — CMS integration |
| Local businesses (GBP) | Publer — Google Business Profile |
| B2B marketers (LinkedIn first comment) | Viraly — LinkedIn first comments |
| E-commerce bio pages | Viraly — product showcases |
| Mobile-first workflow | Publer — native apps |
| Competitor tracking needed | Publer — competitor analytics |
| Agencies managing clients | Viraly — flat-rate scales better |
For most small to mid-size teams managing multiple profiles, Viraly delivers more predictable costs and better value per dollar. For solo operators with minimal accounts who need WordPress or mobile apps, Publer remains competitive.