9 Best Social Media Analytics Tools for ROI Tracking in 2026
Cross-platform social analytics for measuring engagement, reach, and conversion attribution. We tested 19+ tools to find the best for proving social media ROI and optimizing performance.
Sprout Social offers the most comprehensive social analytics on the market. Cross-platform reporting, social listening, and competitive benchmarking combine in presentation-ready reports. The unified inbox and analytics work together for complete visibility.
Starting price$249/mo
Strengths
Most comprehensive analytics
Presentation-ready reports
Social listening included
Competitive benchmarking
Unified smart inbox
Limitations
Premium pricing
Per-user cost adds up
Overkill for simple needs
Who it's for: Best for enterprise teams and agencies who need to prove social ROI to stakeholders. Ideal when reporting quality matters.
Hootsuite Analytics covers the widest range of platforms with customizable report templates. Industry benchmarking shows how you stack up, and the custom report builder creates exactly what stakeholders need.
Strengths
Widest platform coverage
Custom report builder
Industry benchmarks
Team performance tracking
Scheduled report delivery
Limitations
Interface can be complex
Some features require higher tiers
Learning curve for reports
Who it's for: Great for teams managing many platforms who need unified reporting. Best when cross-platform comparison is important.
Brandwatch provides the deepest social listening and consumer intelligence. Beyond your own accounts, track brand mentions, sentiment trends, and industry conversations. AI-powered insights surface emerging trends.
Starting priceCustom
Strengths
Deepest social listening
AI-powered trend detection
Consumer intelligence
Sentiment analysis
Historical data access
Limitations
Enterprise pricing only
Complex for basic needs
Requires training to master
Who it's for: Ideal for brands needing consumer research and trend monitoring. Best for marketing intelligence beyond posting analytics.
Buffer Analyze provides clean, straightforward social analytics. The dashboard highlights what matters without overwhelming with data. Perfect for small teams who need insights without complexity.
Strengths
Cleanest interface
Easy to understand
Affordable pricing
Good free tier
Post performance insights
Limitations
Less depth than enterprise tools
No social listening
Basic competitor analysis
Who it's for: Perfect for small teams and individuals who want clear insights. Best when simplicity and affordability are priorities.
Socialbakers (now Emplifi) specializes in competitive benchmarking and content intelligence. AI recommends optimal posting times and content types based on competitor performance. Strong for brands in competitive markets.
Strengths
Strong competitor analysis
AI content recommendations
Industry benchmarking
Influencer discovery
Content performance scoring
Limitations
Enterprise pricing
Complex platform
Better for larger teams
Who it's for: Great for brands in competitive markets needing benchmarking. Best when understanding competitor performance is key.
Keyhole excels at hashtag and campaign tracking with real-time analytics. Monitor campaign hashtags, track influencer performance, and measure event impact as it happens. Great for campaign measurement.
Starting price$99/mo
Strengths
Best hashtag analytics
Real-time tracking
Campaign measurement
Influencer tracking
Event monitoring
Limitations
Hashtag-focused
Less for everyday analytics
Some platforms limited
Who it's for: Perfect for campaign managers and event marketers. Best when hashtag and real-time campaign tracking matter.
Iconosquare focuses on Instagram, TikTok, and visual platforms with deep analytics including Stories. Competitor tracking and content scheduling complement the analytics. Built for visual-first brands.
Starting price$49/mo
Strengths
Instagram and TikTok focus
Stories analytics
Competitor tracking
Content scheduling included
Hashtag performance
Limitations
Limited platform coverage
Less for text platforms
Smaller company
Who it's for: Ideal for Instagram-first and TikTok brands. Best when visual platform analytics are the priority.
Mention combines social media monitoring with web and news tracking. Real-time alerts notify you of brand mentions across the internet, and sentiment analysis helps gauge public perception. Good for PR and reputation management.
Starting price$41/mo
Strengths
Real-time brand monitoring
Web and social combined
Sentiment tracking
Competitive monitoring
Affordable for features
Limitations
Less depth on individual platforms
Basic scheduling
Analytics not as comprehensive
Who it's for: Great for PR teams and reputation management. Best when you need to track mentions across web and social together.
Rival IQ specializes in competitive social media analytics with deep benchmarking capabilities. Track unlimited competitors, get automatic alerts when competitors post high-performing content, and see industry-wide benchmarks.
Starting price$239/mo
Strengths
Deep competitive analysis
Industry benchmarks
Competitor alerts
Landscape reports
Historical data
Limitations
Higher price point
Competitor-focused only
No scheduling or publishing
Who it's for: Perfect for brands obsessed with competitive intelligence. Best when understanding your competitive landscape is critical.
Reporting Quality (25%) — Report customization, export options, and presentation.
Platform Coverage (20%) — Number of social networks with full analytics support.
Ease of Use (15%) — Dashboard navigation and time to insights.
Value for Money (10%) — Analytics depth relative to pricing.
How to Choose
Choose Sprout Social if you need Enterprise reporting.
Choose Hootsuite if you need Many platforms.
Choose Brandwatch if you need Brand monitoring.
Choose Buffer if you need Small team/budget.
Choose Socialbakers if you need Competitor focus.
Choose Keyhole if you need Campaign tracking.
Choose Iconosquare if you need Instagram/TikTok.
Common Questions
Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares divided by reach) is the key metric. Also track reach growth, click-through rate, and conversions. Follower count matters less than engagement quality.
Track conversions with UTM parameters, measure website traffic from social, and calculate cost per engagement. Tools like Sprout Social help attribute revenue to social activities.
Native platform analytics (Instagram Insights, Twitter Analytics) are free and useful for basics. Paid tools add cross-platform comparison, historical data, and presentation-ready reports.
Weekly for performance trends, monthly for strategic reviews, and real-time during campaigns. Avoid daily checking that leads to overreaction to normal fluctuations.
