Planable costs $39/mo.
These cost $0.
3 free alternatives to Planable, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Planable vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs $39/mo
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postiz | open source | AGPL-3.0+ | Local or hosted | ★ 34k | Planable vs Postiz → |
| BrightBean Studio | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 2.1k | Planable vs BrightBean Studio → |
| TryPost | open source | AGPL-3.0 | Local or hosted | ★ 468 | Planable vs TryPost → |
The picks
3 open source · ranked by fit
- 01
Postiz
open sourceAGPL-3.0+Local or hosted34kaug 2026Team drafts, comments and publishing in one place; approval workflow is serviceable rather than ceremonial.
The catch vs PlanablePostiz's approval workflow is more basic than Planable's review-centric product, and self-hosting adds operational work.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedcliself-host, real ops
- install
- Hosted signup, or Docker Compose for self-hosting.
- setup
- Hosted use is straightforward; self-hosting requires Docker, social OAuth apps, and a PostgreSQL, Redis and Temporal stack.
- engines
- Optional AI/media features connect to OpenAI, ElevenLabs, fal.ai, Tavily, KieAI and Transloadit.
- your data
- PostgreSQL holds application data; Redis and Temporal support jobs; media is stored locally or in Cloudflare R2/S3-compatible storage.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
BrightBean Studio
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted2.1kjul 2026Draft, comment, approve and publish from shared workspaces; the free hosted plan does not meter collaborators.
The catch vs PlanableBrightBean does not yet match Planable's polished per-network mockups, revision history and fine-grained approval states.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedclithey host it
- install
- Hosted signup, or clone the repository and deploy with Docker Compose or a supported PaaS.
- setup
- Connecting social networks requires first-party platform developer/OAuth credentials; self-hosting also requires Docker or a PaaS.
- engines
- No model is bundled; its REST API and MCP server connect external agents such as Claude Desktop/Code, Cursor or custom clients.
- your data
- Hosted data lives in BrightBean's cloud; self-hosted data uses PostgreSQL 16+ with media on local disk or S3-compatible storage.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
TryPost
open sourceAGPL-3.0Local or hosted468aug 2026Roles, comments, approvals and a visual calendar; the software is free, the server is yours.
The catch vs PlanableTryPost offers comments and approvals but lacks Planable's highly refined previews, revision history and client-review experience.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedcliself-host, real ops
- install
- Hosted signup, or production Docker Compose; a bare-metal installation is also documented.
- setup
- Self-hosting needs a SQL database, Redis, media storage, and separate developer credentials for each social platform.
- engines
- AI writing can use OpenAI or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint; the deployment template also exposes Anthropic and Gemini keys.
- your data
- PostgreSQL or MySQL stores app data, Redis handles queues/cache, and media is local or S3-compatible storage.
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Planable open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Planable?+
The top free alternative to Planable is Postiz (open source, AGPL-3.0+). Team drafts, comments and publishing in one place; approval workflow is serviceable rather than ceremonial. Other popular Planable replacements include BrightBean Studio, TryPost.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Planable?+
Yes. Of the 3 free alternatives to Planable, 3 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Postiz (AGPL-3.0+), BrightBean Studio (AGPL-3.0), TryPost (AGPL-3.0).
How much does switching from Planable to a free alternative save?+
Planable starts at $39/month per seat ($468/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Postiz saves $2,340 per year in software subscription fees.
Should I vibe-code or build my own Planable clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Planable is KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no). The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Planable, collaboratively draft and approve social posts before manual or API publishing. The hard boundary is high-fidelity previews, approvals, comments, multiple workspaces, and client workflow, plus api access, connector upkeep, and collaboration.
What is the catch when switching from Planable to Postiz?+
Postiz's approval workflow is more basic than Planable's review-centric product, and self-hosting adds operational work.
