| SocialHandoff | Publer | |
|---|---|---|
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes | partial: Business and Enterprise |
| Human approval before publish | yes, required for new agents | partial: draft review |
| Per-agent API keys and scopes | Yes | partial: scoped API keys, not per agent |
| Open source / self-host | yes, AGPL-3.0 | No |
| Instagram & TikTok | yes, Instagram professional accounts; TikTok private until audited | Yes |
| X, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Mastodon | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics depth | partial: per-post metrics | yes, on Business |
| Team collaboration | partial: multi-reviewer approvals on Pro | Yes |
| Free plan | self-host free; hosted 14-day trial | yes, 3 accounts (no X) |
| Lowest paid price | $19/mo | $5/month (Professional, 1 account) |
Source: publer.com · Checked 2026-09-28
Feature by feature
MCP and API
Publer's MCP server can draft posts, schedule posts, list accounts and review drafts awaiting approval, depending on the API key's scopes. It is available on Business and Enterprise. SocialHandoff includes its MCP server on every plan, over stdio or HTTP, plus a REST API with OpenAPI, a TypeScript SDK and a CLI.
Keys and scopes
Publer API keys can be scoped to data types such as Posts, Media and Analytics. SocialHandoff keys are issued per agent and scoped by network and permission. An agent key can never approve, even its own drafts.
Approval and trust
Publer supports reviewing drafts before they post. SocialHandoff makes approval the default for new agents and lets you promote an agent per network over time, with automatic demotion on a guardrail failure.
Networks
Both publish to X, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, and both support threads on X, Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon. Publer also covers Pinterest, YouTube, Telegram and WordPress, which SocialHandoff does not yet. SocialHandoff's Instagram support needs a professional account, and its TikTok posts stay private until TikTok audits the app.
Analytics
Publer's Business plan includes advanced analytics and competitor analysis. SocialHandoff shows per-post metrics where available.
Pricing arithmetic
Publer's help center lists Professional from $5/month for 1 account and Business from $10/month for 1 account, with costs rising as you add accounts and members. MCP access requires Business or higher. SocialHandoff Starter is $19/month for 5 channels and 2 agents, with MCP included; self-hosting is free. This compares cost, not scope.
Migration notes
No Publer importer exists. Reconnect your accounts in SocialHandoff, generate a key per agent, and replace the Publer MCP entry in your client config. Keep Publer for Pinterest, Telegram or WordPress if you need them. See agent keys and permissions.
Who should pick which
A small business posting to Facebook, Instagram and Google Business Profile will get more from Publer, especially on a tight budget. A developer team whose agents draft technical posts for X, Bluesky and Mastodon will get more from SocialHandoff's agent controls. Teams already paying for Publer Business with one assistant connected may not need to switch; teams adding a second or third agent should compare the controls closely.