PostFast alternatives: 3 free & open-source picks
Curated, verified, and actually free. No trials, no crippled tiers. Star counts and last-activity dates checked by hand, not scraped and forgotten.
More networks, team features, analytics, API and MCP; also more databases than a scheduler ought to need.
licenseAGPL-3.0+
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup, or Docker Compose for self-hosting.
enginesOptional AI/media features connect to OpenAI, ElevenLabs, fal.ai, Tavily, KieAI and Transloadit.
dataPostgreSQL holds application data; Redis and Temporal support jobs; media is stored locally or in Cloudflare R2/S3-compatible storage.
the catch vs PostFastPostiz matches much of the feature surface, but its database, queue, Temporal and credential stack becomes your responsibility.
setupHosted use is straightforward; self-hosting requires Docker, social OAuth apps, and a PostgreSQL, Redis and Temporal stack.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Publishing, analytics, approvals, API and MCP in a free hosted product; network count is broad, not eleven-shaped.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup, or clone the repository and deploy with Docker Compose or a supported PaaS.
enginesNo model is bundled; its REST API and MCP server connect external agents such as Claude Desktop/Code, Cursor or custom clients.
dataHosted data lives in BrightBean's cloud; self-hosted data uses PostgreSQL 16+ with media on local disk or S3-compatible storage.
the catch vs PostFastBrightBean does not promise PostFast's exact eleven-platform coverage or the same maturity of managed publishing and approval workflows.
setupConnecting social networks requires first-party platform developer/OAuth credentials; self-hosting also requires Docker or a PaaS.
facts verified 2026-08-10
Twelve networks, analytics, approvals, REST and MCP; free software with non-free operational attention.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour machine or their cloud
installHosted signup, or production Docker Compose; a bare-metal installation is also documented.
enginesAI writing can use OpenAI or an OpenAI-compatible endpoint; the deployment template also exposes Anthropic and Gemini keys.
dataPostgreSQL or MySQL stores app data, Redis handles queues/cache, and media is local or S3-compatible storage.
the catch vs PostFastTryPost covers twelve networks and approvals, but running its database, queues, media storage and platform apps is the trade.
setupSelf-hosting needs a SQL database, Redis, media storage, and separate developer credentials for each social platform.
facts verified 2026-08-10
last updated 2026-08-10 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postiz | AGPL-3.0+ | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted, cli | 34,300 | 2026-08 |
| BrightBean Studio | AGPL-3.0 | they host it | web, self-hosted, cli | 2,100 | 2026-07 |
| TryPost | AGPL-3.0 | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted, cli | 468 | 2026-08 |
Connecting Instagram or TikTok here is one click because the OAuth app behind it already passed Meta App Review, TikTok's audit, and Google's business verification, a process that takes weeks and that a solo builder often cannot qualify for at all. Video is the other half of the bill: each platform enforces its own container, codec, aspect ratio, duration, and size rules, so a working scheduler runs a real transcode pipeline with async jobs, retries, and honest failure states rather than one hopeful upload call. The subscription also absorbs the work that never finishes: tokens expiring, per-platform media rules changing, endpoints deprecating on someone else's schedule. Above that sits the part a rebuild would not reach anyway, which is cross-account analytics and follower history, approvals and workspaces for running client accounts, and an API plus MCP server so your agent schedules through it instead of you maintaining a poster forever. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $401.4 a year.
Is there a free alternative to PostFast?
Yes: Postiz, BrightBean Studio, TryPost. Every tool on this page is either open source or genuinely free to use long-term: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Should I just build my own PostFast?
Our verdict is PARCIAL. The core loop is the one every scheduler shares and it is genuinely one-shottable: a compose box, a slot queue, a cron tick, one adapter per network. Two things sit outside what a coding agent hands you in a session. The first is paperwork. Only Bluesky and Telegram give you working credentials on signup; the other nine of PostFast's eleven destinations wait behind Meta App Review for Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, a TikTok audit before an app may post publicly rather than to a private draft, YouTube's default 10,000-unit daily quota against 1,600 units per upload, approval flows at LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google Business Profile, and X, where the free tier is capped tightly enough that real volume means paying. The second is video. Every platform enforces its own container, codec, aspect ratio, duration, and size rules, so anything past text and a JPEG turns into a transcode pipeline with somewhere to actually run the jobs and a retry story for the upload that dies at 90 percent. Build the text-and-image version for the two open networks in a sitting; the rest is review forms and a transcode queue. If you'd rather build, the exact one-shot prompt is free at puedovibecodearlo.app/postfast.
