If you’ve been using Planable to manage social media approvals, you’ve likely enjoyed its clean interface and visual calendar. Yet as your agency grows, you may need more flexible workflows, deeper analytics and multi-client management. In this guide, we’ll explore when Planable fits well, when it falls short, and the best alternatives for agencies looking to scale their approval process.
When Planable works well
For small teams and straightforward approval chains, Planable’s strengths are:
- Visual calendar and post previews. Drag-and-drop scheduling and side-by-side previews make it easy to see how posts will look across channels.
- Real-time collaboration. Comment threads, @mentions and quick approvals help keep everyone in sync.
- Multi-channel support. Schedule content for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok from the same interface.
- Simple client access. Invite clients via email; they can approve posts without creating an account.
If your agency handles one or two clients and doesn’t need extensive reporting or custom workflows, Planable is an intuitive solution.
Where Planable falls short
As teams scale or handle multiple brands, Planable may not keep up. Common pain points include:
- Limited workflow customisation. You cannot build multi-stage approvals, add checklists or enforce sequential steps.
- No native asset library. Storing brand assets and content guidelines requires external tools.
- Basic analytics. Planable’s reporting is limited to engagement metrics and doesn’t track approval times or bottlenecks.
- Pricing per user. Costs increase quickly as you add internal team members and external approvers.
- Lack of granular permissions. You can’t define roles beyond basic admin/editor, which makes client management harder in complex hierarchies.
When you find yourself creating workarounds or juggling spreadsheets alongside Planable, it may be time to consider alternatives designed for agencies.
What to look for in a Planable alternative
Before switching platforms, list your agency’s requirements. Key considerations include:
- Multi-workspace or multi-client support. Manage separate calendars, assets and user permissions for each brand.
- Customisable approval workflows. Ability to set sequential or parallel approvals, assign multiple reviewers and enforce deadlines.
- Integrated asset library. Store logos, templates, brand guidelines and example posts in one place.
- Collaboration features. Inline comments, mentions, tagging and version history keep communication clear.
- Analytics and reporting. Track approval turnaround times, revision rates, channel performance and client satisfaction.
- Pricing and scalability. Look for pricing models based on workspaces or clients rather than per user to avoid ballooning costs.
- Support and onboarding. A responsive support team and training resources ease migration.
Top Planable alternatives for agencies
21m.space
Designed specifically for agencies and freelancers, 21m.space offers robust multi-workspace management and flexible approval workflows. Features include:
- Separate calendars and asset libraries for each client.
- Custom approval stages with checklists and due dates.
- Client portals where external stakeholders can comment and approve without logging in.
- Version control and audit trails for compliance.
- Integrations with design tools, cloud storage and social platforms.
- Pricing based on workspaces rather than users, making it cost-effective as you grow.
Pros: Highly scalable, agency-focused features; granular permissions; strong reporting.
Cons: Some advanced features require a paid plan; learning curve for teams moving from simpler tools.
Notion + Automations
If you prefer a DIY approach, Notion combined with automation tools can serve as an approval platform. By creating databases for posts and linking assets, you can replicate a calendar and track statuses. Use integrations like Zapier or Make to send notifications or update tasks.
Pros: Total flexibility; can incorporate knowledge bases, project management and asset storage in one tool.
Cons: No native scheduling or social integrations; you must build and maintain the workflows yourself; lacks version control.
Trello with Power-Ups
Trello is a visual Kanban board that can handle simple approvals with Power-Ups. Create lists for each stage (Draft, Review, Approved), attach assets and invite clients to comment. Power-Ups add calendar views, automation and integrations.
Pros: Easy to use; free tier available; flexible board structures.
Cons: Not built for social media; approval process is manual; limited analytics; can get cluttered as you add more clients.
ContentCal / Loomly / Later
Tools like ContentCal, Loomly and Later combine content planning with basic approvals and analytics. They offer visual calendars, asset libraries and scheduling, making them step-up options from Planable.
Pros: Integrated publishing and social analytics; built-in media libraries; intuitive interfaces.
Cons: Approval workflows are often limited to yes/no sign-off; multi-client management can be cumbersome; pricing varies.
Hootsuite Enterprise
For larger agencies looking for an all-in-one platform, Hootsuite Enterprise offers publishing, monitoring, approvals and analytics. You can create approval workflows, assign tasks and connect to a wide range of apps via the Hootsuite App Directory.
Pros: Comprehensive social management suite; robust integrations; strong support.
Cons: Expensive; interface can feel heavy; may be overkill if you only need approvals.
Migrating from Planable to a new tool
To make the switch smooth:
- Audit your content and assets. Export scheduled posts, download images and compile your brand guidelines.
- Choose the right tool. Map your must-have features against the alternatives and take advantage of free trials.
- Onboard your team and clients. Provide training, templates and clear instructions on how to use the new workflow.
- Import or recreate calendars. Use CSV uploads or copy/paste to rebuild your content schedule. Assign future posts to the correct stages.
- Monitor and refine. During the first few weeks, collect feedback from your team and clients. Adjust workflows, permissions and templates as needed.
Conclusion
Planable is an excellent starting point for small teams, but growing agencies often need more flexibility, reporting and multi-client management. By evaluating your requirements and exploring alternatives like 21m.space, Notion-based systems, Trello with Power-Ups, ContentCal or Hootsuite Enterprise, you can find a platform that matches your processes and budget. A smooth migration involves auditing your current setup, onboarding your team and refining your workflows. The right tool will free you from workarounds and give you more time to focus on delivering outstanding social media campaigns for every client.
