Which of these bills in CAD?

None of the paid public stickers in this set print CAD. Later is a Canadian company that bills USD plus provincial sales tax. Hootsuite is a Canadian company that collects GST/HST; the plans FAQ quotes $99 / $199 / $399 without a CAD prefix. Buffer’s official help is USD only. Sprout’s public seats are unlabelled dollars. Meta Business Suite is $0.

Is Meta Business Suite enough if I also need TikTok?

No. Official Meta help covers Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. TikTok is a different app. Later, Buffer, and Hootsuite publish TikTok connections. A retail shop that only posts to a Facebook Page and Instagram can stay on the free Suite.

GST/HST on the scheduler vs GST/HST I charge customers?

Tax on a Hootsuite, Later, or Sprout invoice is tax on software. Buffer’s public tax article lists US sales tax and UK VAT, not GST/HST collection — confirm the live invoice. Tax on a client invoice is your CRA account. A scheduler does not file that return.

Can I run a Quebec shop in French?

Hootsuite publishes a Quebec plans page. Later’s desktop app includes French; the mobile apps are English only and support is English. Buffer and Sprout public pricing pages retrieved here are English. Scheduling a French caption is not the same as a French product or a French inbox.

Is a scheduler the same as email, chat, or reviews?

No. The list is email marketing. The website bubble is live chat. Stars on Google are review management. The pipeline of people who messaged you is a CRM. Instagram is not a till and not Interac.

Best social media management tools for Canadian small businesses

Later is a Canadian company that bills USD. Hootsuite is Canadian and collects GST/HST; the public sticker is unlabelled dollars. Buffer is USD. Meta Business Suite is free and is not TikTok. Sprout is a seat-priced team tool.

Last updated 6 September 2026. About 16 minutes. Research from public vendor docs and CRA pages — not a hands-on lab test.

A Canadian shop does not need a 40-seat social suite. It needs Instagram, Facebook, and often TikTok posted on time, a bill that is CAD or honestly labelled USD, and GST/HST on the software invoice kept separate from GST/HST on the till. US roundups that skip Later’s Canadian tax number and Hootsuite’s GST line miss the actual invoice.

This comparison is the set local retail and trades actually shortlist: Hootsuite (Canadian company, GST/HST on the invoice), Later (Canadian company, USD list), Buffer (USD), free Meta Business Suite, and Sprout Social if a team inbox is the job. Social-media tool prices checked against public vendor pages, 6 September 2026.

The email list that is not a Reel: email marketing for Canadian small businesses. People who DM’d and might buy: CRM for Canadian small businesses. The bubble on the public site: live chat for Canadian small businesses. Stars next to the Map pack: review management for Canadian small businesses.

Who each tool is actually for

Meta Business Suite — one Facebook Page and Instagram, $0, and you do not need TikTok in the same calendar.
Buffer — a cheap USD scheduler, three free channels, and you will accept a USD invoice.
Later — Instagram/TikTok-heavy visual calendar, a Canadian company, USD sticker plus provincial tax.
Hootsuite — one inbox across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, Canadian company, GST/HST on the bill. Price the unlabelled $99+ seat, not a blog’s CAD conversion.
Sprout Social — a team that needs reviews and a shared inbox in one seat-priced product. Not a sole-prop first buy.

Snapshot (public pages, 6 September 2026)

USD labelled USD. Unlabelled dollars are not converted to CAD. Meta Business Suite is free and is not TikTok.

Hootsuite

Public software price: FAQ: paid plans start at $99 for Standard — up to 10 social accounts, one inbox, schedule posts. Per user; annual billing is the lower rate on the page.
Currency honesty: hootsuite.com/plans (retrieved 6 September 2026) does not print a CAD prefix on the plan cards. The FAQ quotes Standard $99, Professional $199, and Advanced $399. Confirm currency at checkout — this page does not invent a CAD conversion.
Canadian company / tax on the bill: Official billing FAQ: Hootsuite is an incorporated company based out of Canada. Canadian tax registration numbers (PST, GST, and QST) appear on Hootsuite invoices. Plans page: prices do not include applicable taxes. Billing FAQ: Canada sales tax applies in all provinces and territories; tax is a separate invoice line based on billing address.
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: Official help: Facebook Pages, Instagram Business/Creator, TikTok
Quebec / French: Hootsuite publishes a Quebec plans page at hootsuite.com/qc/plans. That is a French marketing URL, not a promise that every inbox reply is in French.
GST/HST / who files: GST/HST on the Hootsuite invoice. You file the client return.

Later

Public software price: Starter $18.75 USD/month billed yearly — 1 social set (8 profiles), 1 user, 30 posts per profile, Instagram/Facebook/TikTok best time to post
Currency honesty: later.com/pricing (retrieved 6 September 2026): prices billed in USD; applicable taxes extra. No CAD list on that page.
Canadian company / tax on the bill: Later Help (Sales Tax & VAT): Later is a Canadian company and publishes Canadian tax number 83702 1591. Official Help: tax/VAT is not in the sticker. Canada-based customers are charged sales tax by province or territory from the mailing address.
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: Official compare: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. Auto-publish listed for Instagram business/creator, Facebook, TikTok business, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, and Snapchat.
Quebec / French: Official Help: Later’s desktop app is available in English, Spanish, French, and German. Mobile apps are English only. Support language is English.
GST/HST / who files: Provincial sales tax on the USD Later invoice. You file.

Buffer

Public software price: Free $0/month — up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel (refill when a post publishes), 1 user. Essentials from $6/month per channel (1–10 channels on monthly billing). Yearly example: 1 channel $5/month.
Currency honesty: Official billing help: all Buffer subscriptions are billed in USD regardless of location. You cannot switch currency. Confirm any GST/HST self-assessment with your accountant — Buffer’s public tax article lists US sales tax and UK VAT, not GST/HST collection.
Canadian company / tax on the bill: US company. Official tax article lists US sales tax and UK VAT — not GST/HST collection.
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: Official channel table includes Instagram business/creator, Facebook Pages, TikTok business, Google Business Profiles, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, and Threads. Facebook groups are reminder-publish only.
Quebec / French: Public pricing page retrieved in English. Do not invent a French SKU.
GST/HST / who files: Confirm the live USD invoice. You file.

Meta Business Suite

Public software price: Official Meta Business Help: Meta Business Suite is a free platform to manage a Facebook Page, Instagram account, Threads, WhatsApp, and ad accounts. There is no paid Business Suite SKU on that page.
Currency honesty: $0 — no SaaS currency
Canadian company / tax on the bill: No subscription invoice
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. Not TikTok. A shop that lives on TikTok still needs Later, Buffer, or Hootsuite — or the TikTok app.
Quebec / French: Meta apps are available in French. That is not a scheduler feature matrix.
GST/HST / who files: No SaaS tax line

Sprout Social

Public software price: Essentials $79/seat/month on annual billing ($99/seat/month billed monthly) — up to 5 social profiles. Standard $199/seat/month — 5 social profiles, inbox, keyword and location monitoring, review management
Currency honesty: sproutsocial.com/pricing (retrieved 6 September 2026) prints $199 / $299 / $399 per seat with no CAD label. Treat as the vendor’s dollar list (typically USD). Confirm currency at checkout.
Canadian company / tax on the bill: Official Sales Tax FAQ: GST/HST applies to all Canadian organizations and includes federal tax plus the province or territory. Tax is a line on the Sprout bill.
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok: Standard card: social profiles plus inbox and review management — confirm the live network list at signup
Quebec / French: Public pricing page retrieved in English
GST/HST / who files: GST/HST on the Sprout bill for Canadian organizations. You file.

USD labelled USD. Unlabelled dollars are not converted to CAD. Meta Business Suite is free and is not TikTok.
Compare	Hootsuite	Later	Buffer	Meta Business Suite	Sprout Social
Public software price	FAQ: paid plans start at $99 for Standard — up to 10 social accounts, one inbox, schedule posts. Per user; annual billing is the lower rate on the page.	Starter $18.75 USD/month billed yearly — 1 social set (8 profiles), 1 user, 30 posts per profile, Instagram/Facebook/TikTok best time to post	Free $0/month — up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel (refill when a post publishes), 1 user. Essentials from $6/month per channel (1–10 channels on monthly billing). Yearly example: 1 channel $5/month.	Official Meta Business Help: Meta Business Suite is a free platform to manage a Facebook Page, Instagram account, Threads, WhatsApp, and ad accounts. There is no paid Business Suite SKU on that page.	Essentials $79/seat/month on annual billing ($99/seat/month billed monthly) — up to 5 social profiles. Standard $199/seat/month — 5 social profiles, inbox, keyword and location monitoring, review management
Currency honesty	hootsuite.com/plans (retrieved 6 September 2026) does not print a CAD prefix on the plan cards. The FAQ quotes Standard $99, Professional $199, and Advanced $399. Confirm currency at checkout — this page does not invent a CAD conversion.	later.com/pricing (retrieved 6 September 2026): prices billed in USD; applicable taxes extra. No CAD list on that page.	Official billing help: all Buffer subscriptions are billed in USD regardless of location. You cannot switch currency. Confirm any GST/HST self-assessment with your accountant — Buffer’s public tax article lists US sales tax and UK VAT, not GST/HST collection.	$0 — no SaaS currency	sproutsocial.com/pricing (retrieved 6 September 2026) prints $199 / $299 / $399 per seat with no CAD label. Treat as the vendor’s dollar list (typically USD). Confirm currency at checkout.
Canadian company / tax on the bill	Official billing FAQ: Hootsuite is an incorporated company based out of Canada. Canadian tax registration numbers (PST, GST, and QST) appear on Hootsuite invoices. Plans page: prices do not include applicable taxes. Billing FAQ: Canada sales tax applies in all provinces and territories; tax is a separate invoice line based on billing address.	Later Help (Sales Tax & VAT): Later is a Canadian company and publishes Canadian tax number 83702 1591. Official Help: tax/VAT is not in the sticker. Canada-based customers are charged sales tax by province or territory from the mailing address.	US company. Official tax article lists US sales tax and UK VAT — not GST/HST collection.	No subscription invoice	Official Sales Tax FAQ: GST/HST applies to all Canadian organizations and includes federal tax plus the province or territory. Tax is a line on the Sprout bill.
Instagram / Facebook / TikTok	Official help: Facebook Pages, Instagram Business/Creator, TikTok	Official compare: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. Auto-publish listed for Instagram business/creator, Facebook, TikTok business, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, and Snapchat.	Official channel table includes Instagram business/creator, Facebook Pages, TikTok business, Google Business Profiles, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, and Threads. Facebook groups are reminder-publish only.	Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. Not TikTok. A shop that lives on TikTok still needs Later, Buffer, or Hootsuite — or the TikTok app.	Standard card: social profiles plus inbox and review management — confirm the live network list at signup
Quebec / French	Hootsuite publishes a Quebec plans page at hootsuite.com/qc/plans. That is a French marketing URL, not a promise that every inbox reply is in French.	Official Help: Later’s desktop app is available in English, Spanish, French, and German. Mobile apps are English only. Support language is English.	Public pricing page retrieved in English. Do not invent a French SKU.	Meta apps are available in French. That is not a scheduler feature matrix.	Public pricing page retrieved in English
GST/HST / who files	GST/HST on the Hootsuite invoice. You file the client return.	Provincial sales tax on the USD Later invoice. You file.	Confirm the live USD invoice. You file.	No SaaS tax line	GST/HST on the Sprout bill for Canadian organizations. You file.

Meta Business Suite — free, Facebook and Instagram, not TikTok

Official Meta Business Help: Meta Business Suite is a free platform to manage a Facebook Page, Instagram account, Threads, WhatsApp, and ad accounts. There is no paid Business Suite SKU on that page. Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. Not TikTok. A shop that lives on TikTok still needs Later, Buffer, or Hootsuite — or the TikTok app. Official Page scheduling help: you can schedule a Facebook Page post between 20 minutes and 29 days ahead. Desktop and the Meta Business Suite mobile app can schedule Facebook and Instagram content. Sources: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/113163272211510; https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1252240869631062; https://www.facebook.com/business/help/609176706604372.

Not a till. Boosting a post is ads, not Interac. A trades shop that only needs the Facebook Page and Instagram grid should start here and spend the tool budget on Google reviews or the CRM.

Official site: Open Meta Business Suite. Not an affiliate tracking link.

Buttons go to the vendor’s public site. If a link pays NorthOffice a commission, the price you pay does not change.

Buffer — USD, three free channels

Free $0/month — up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel (refill when a post publishes), 1 user Essentials from $6/month per channel (1–10 channels on monthly billing). Yearly example: 1 channel $5/month. Team from $12/month per channel. Yearly example: 1 channel $10/month. Unlimited team members and approvals. Source: https://buffer.com/pricing.

Official billing help: all Buffer subscriptions are billed in USD regardless of location. You cannot switch currency. Confirm any GST/HST self-assessment with your accountant — Buffer’s public tax article lists US sales tax and UK VAT, not GST/HST collection. Official: Buffer taxes and VAT. Official channel table includes Instagram business/creator, Facebook Pages, TikTok business, Google Business Profiles, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, and Threads. Facebook groups are reminder-publish only. Cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, Discover, Diners). Official FAQ: no PayPal, checks, or bank transfers. No Interac table. 14-day free trial on paid plans. Free plan available without a trial.

Official site: Open Buffer. Not an affiliate tracking link.

Buttons go to the vendor’s public site. If a link pays NorthOffice a commission, the price you pay does not change.

Later — Canadian company, USD sticker, Instagram/TikTok calendar

Later Help (Sales Tax & VAT): Later is a Canadian company and publishes Canadian tax number 83702 1591. later.com/pricing (retrieved 6 September 2026): prices billed in USD; applicable taxes extra. No CAD list on that page. Starter $18.75 USD/month billed yearly — 1 social set (8 profiles), 1 user, 30 posts per profile, Instagram/Facebook/TikTok best time to post Growth $37.50 USD/month billed yearly — 2 social sets, 2 users, 180 posts per profile, social inbox Scale $82.50 USD/month billed yearly — 6 social sets, 4 users, unlimited posts Source: https://later.com/pricing/.

Official Help: tax/VAT is not in the sticker. Canada-based customers are charged sales tax by province or territory from the mailing address. Official: Later sales tax. Official Help: Later’s desktop app is available in English, Spanish, French, and German. Mobile apps are English only. Support language is English. Official languages: Later languages. Official compare: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and Snapchat. Auto-publish listed for Instagram business/creator, Facebook, TikTok business, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Threads, and Snapchat. Official compare: mobile app for iOS and Android. A Later invoice is software. No Interac table.

Official site: Open Later. Not an affiliate tracking link.

Buttons go to the vendor’s public site. If a link pays NorthOffice a commission, the price you pay does not change.

Hootsuite — Canadian company, GST/HST, unlabelled dollars

Official billing FAQ: Hootsuite is an incorporated company based out of Canada. Canadian tax registration numbers (PST, GST, and QST) appear on Hootsuite invoices. hootsuite.com/plans (retrieved 6 September 2026) does not print a CAD prefix on the plan cards. The FAQ quotes Standard $99, Professional $199, and Advanced $399. Confirm currency at checkout — this page does not invent a CAD conversion. FAQ: paid plans start at $99 for Standard — up to 10 social accounts, one inbox, schedule posts. Per user; annual billing is the lower rate on the page. FAQ: $199 for Professional — unlimited social accounts, plus automation and custom reports on the plan card. FAQ: up to $399 for Advanced — approvals and team routing on the plan card. Sources: https://www.hootsuite.com/plans; https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/billing-FAQ.

Plans page: prices do not include applicable taxes. Billing FAQ: Canada sales tax applies in all provinces and territories; tax is a separate invoice line based on billing address. Hootsuite publishes a Quebec plans page at hootsuite.com/qc/plans. That is a French marketing URL, not a promise that every inbox reply is in French. Quebec page: hootsuite.com/qc/plans. Official connect-social help (updated 24 July 2026): Facebook Pages, Instagram Business and Creator, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, X, YouTube, Pinterest, WhatsApp (Inbox), and Google Business Profile (Inbox). Source: https://help.hootsuite.com/s/article/connect-social. FAQ: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, JCB, and PayPal. No Interac table. 14-day trial; no credit card required. One inbox is the reason to pay. It is not a website chat bubble.

Official site: Open Hootsuite. Not an affiliate tracking link.

Buttons go to the vendor’s public site. If a link pays NorthOffice a commission, the price you pay does not change.

Sprout Social — seat price, team inbox, reviews

sproutsocial.com/pricing (retrieved 6 September 2026) prints $199 / $299 / $399 per seat with no CAD label. Treat as the vendor’s dollar list (typically USD). Confirm currency at checkout. Essentials $79/seat/month on annual billing ($99/seat/month billed monthly) — up to 5 social profiles Standard $199/seat/month — 5 social profiles, inbox, keyword and location monitoring, review management Professional $299/seat/month — unlimited social profiles Advanced $399/seat/month Source: https://sproutsocial.com/pricing/.

Official Sales Tax FAQ: GST/HST applies to all Canadian organizations and includes federal tax plus the province or territory. Tax is a line on the Sprout bill. Official: Sprout sales tax. Compare table: mobile app for iOS and Android. Credit card in-app. No Interac table. Review management on Standard is still not a substitute for Google Business Profile honesty.

Official site: Open Sprout Social. Not an affiliate tracking link.

Buttons go to the vendor’s public site. If a link pays NorthOffice a commission, the price you pay does not change.

A practical pick

Facebook Page + Instagram only, no TikTok: Meta Business Suite at $0.
Three channels and a USD card is fine: Buffer Free, then Essentials at $6 USD per channel.
Instagram and TikTok calendar, Canadian vendor, accept USD + provincial tax: Later Starter at $18.75 USD/month yearly.
One inbox across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and you want the GST/HST line on a Canadian-company invoice: Hootsuite Standard — confirm the live currency on the $99 FAQ figure.
Several people sharing an inbox and reviews: Sprout Standard at $199/seat — only if the seat math beats buying reviews and chat separately.
Need the email list, not the grid: email marketing.
Need the person who commented to become a job: CRM.

Buttons go to the vendor’s public site. If a link pays NorthOffice a commission, the price you pay does not change.

Questions people actually ask

Related NorthOffice guides

Best email marketing software for Canadian small businesses
Constant Contact publishes CAD. Mailchimp, Klaviyo, Flodesk, and MailerLite are USD (or a CAD toggle you must confirm). Email is not a till.
Best CRM for Canadian small businesses
A CRM is the pipeline. HubSpot’s public prices are USD plus Canadian tax; paid accounts can host in Montreal. Zoho, Pipedrive, and QBO-tied tools are the usual alternatives.
Best live chat and website messaging for Canadian small businesses
Tidio and Intercom print USD-style stickers. Intercom’s official FAQ is USD only. HubSpot markets live chat as free. Drift redirected to Salesloft / 1mind with no public price. A widget is not a ticket queue.
Best review and reputation software for Canadian small businesses
Google Business Profile is free. Birdeye and Podium are quote forms. Broadly prints $799/month with no CAD label. A review tool is not a CRM and not a website.