| SocialHandoff | Zoho Social | |
|---|---|---|
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes | Yes |
| Human approval before publish | Yes | yes (Premium and agency plans) |
| Per-agent API keys and scopes | Yes | partial (scoped MCP access) |
| 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 (plus Threads) | Yes |
| Analytics depth | partial (per-post metrics) | Yes |
| Team collaboration | partial (multi-reviewer on Pro) | Yes |
| Free plan | Self-host free; 14-day hosted trial | yes (1 brand, 1 user) |
Source: www.zoho.com · Checked 2026-09-28
Compared point by point
| Area | Zoho Social | SocialHandoff |
|---|---|---|
| MCP | Yes, via Zoho MCP | Yes, stdio and streamable HTTP |
| Approval | Premium and agency plans | Every plan |
| Networks | Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, and more | X, LinkedIn, Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, Instagram, Facebook Pages, TikTok |
| AI | Zia with monthly credits | Your agent; rewrites with your own key |
| Monitoring and reports | Yes | Per-post metrics only |
| Free option | Free plan (1 brand, 1 user) | Free self-hosted edition |
| Self-host | No | Yes |
Agent controls
Zoho describes scoped access for agents through its MCP server. SocialHandoff goes further on agent-specific policy: new agents are draft-only, promotion to auto-publish is per network, a guardrail failure demotes the agent at once, and no agent key can approve a post. Policy can live in your repo, reviewed like code.
Networks
Zoho Social covers more networks. Both support Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. If YouTube or Pinterest is in scope, Zoho Social is the answer.
Transparency
SocialHandoff's source code is public under AGPL-3.0, and its audit log can be verified with a single API call. For teams that must show auditors how posts were approved, that can decide it. See compliance teams.
Pricing arithmetic
Zoho Social's pricing page did not show USD amounts when we checked on 2026-09-28; it adjusts prices by region. It does offer a free plan and says annual billing saves up to 33%. Check the page for your region.
SocialHandoff Starter is $19 a month for 5 channels and 2 agents, Pro is $49, and self-hosting is free. Because Zoho places approvals on Premium and above, compare that tier's price in your region against SocialHandoff Starter if approval is a must.
Migration notes
There is no importer. Connect your accounts in SocialHandoff, replace the Zoho Social MCP server in your client config, and issue one key per agent. Zoho users can keep Zoho Social for CRM-linked campaigns and networks SocialHandoff does not cover.
Which one fits
A Zoho customer with a sales team working from CRM data should start with Zoho Social. A technical team that wants the code in view, agents under tight rules, and approval on every plan should start with SocialHandoff. If you are neither, compare approval pricing in your region first.