First steps

Getting started with Metricool

Updated 2 weeks ago

Welcome to Metricool! This guide walks you through the essential steps to set up your account so you can start managing your social networks in no time.

The process takes just about 5 minutes.

Step 1: Understand how Metricool works

Before connecting anything, one key concept: a Brand is your container for a single business or client.

Each Brand can hold one profile per platform—one Instagram account, one Facebook Page, one TikTok account, and so on. If you manage multiple businesses or locations, you'll create a separate Brand for each one.

On the Free plan, you can have one Brand. Need more? Compare plans here.

👉 Learn more about Brands in Metricool

Step 2: Connect your first social profile

Now connect at least one social media account so Metricool can start pulling in your data.

  1. Click your profile picture (top right) → Connections

  2. Select your Brand from the dropdown

  3. Choose a platform and follow the authorization flow

  4. Repeat for any other profiles you want in that Brand

You'll need admin or owner permissions on the social accounts you're connecting.

Supported platforms: Facebook Pages, Instagram Business/Creator, Threads, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Google Business Profile, YouTube, Twitch, plus Meta Ads, Google Ads, and TikTok Ads.

👉 Full connection guide

Step 3: Find your way around

Metricool is organized into 6 main areas in the top menu:

  • Analytics — Track and analyze the performance metrics of your connected accounts.

  • Reporting — Turn your data into reports or dashboards ready to analyze, share, or present to your clients

  • Inbox — Messages and comments from all your connected profiles

  • Planning — Your content calendar and scheduler

  • SmartLinks — Link-in-bio pages for your profiles

  • Ads — Manage and create ad campaigns

Use the dropdown next to your Brand name to switch between Brands.

👉 Full interface tour

Step 4: Your first quick wins

See your analytics

After connecting, Metricool starts syncing your data. Go to Analytics to see your metrics—it may take a few minutes for the first data to appear.

When you connect a new profile, Metricool retrieves the previous 30 days of data (with some exceptions for follower counts and Stories). From then on, everything is tracked going forward.

👉 How to use and explore the Analytics tab

Schedule your first post

  1. Go to Planning

  2. Click the + or any date on the calendar

  3. Choose the social profile, upload your content, and set the time

  4. Click Schedule

Free plans include 20 scheduled posts per month (posts you actually publish—scheduled drafts don't count). The counter resets on the 1st of each month.

👉 Content planning guide

Step 5: What comes next

Once you're comfortable with the basics, explore these capabilities:

FAQs

Why is another account logged in?

Browsers often save login credentials in their cache. If the account connected to Metricool isn't the one you intended, follow these steps to clear the cache and reconnect the correct one.

Can I see more than 30 days of historical data?

When you first connect a profile, Metricool retrieves the previous 30 days. For follower counts on X/Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, and for YouTube subscribers and Instagram Stories, data only starts from the day you connect—earlier follower data isn't available through the APIs.

Accounts on paid plans can request a manual process to calculate full-year history. See historical data details.

Why can't I connect my Facebook profile?

Meta's third-party API only supports Facebook Pages—not personal profiles. You need admin permissions on the Page to connect it. See Facebook connection details.

Do I need a Facebook Page to connect Instagram?

For publishing and scheduling, you can connect Instagram directly with your credentials. For all features, linking to a Facebook Page is required. Instagram connection details.

I have a promotional code—do I need to add a payment method?

Yes, you'll need to provide a payment method (card or PayPal) to apply a promo code, but you won't be charged during the trial period. Cancel anytime before the trial ends to avoid charges.

Does my IP address, VPN, or VPS affect how Metricool works?

No. Metricool runs on its own servers, so once your social media accounts are connected, everything works normally regardless of the IP address you use to access the app — including scheduled posts, analytics, and all other features.

Your personal IP is never exposed to your social media platforms. They only see Metricool's server IPs.

One thing to keep in mind: when you first connect (or reconnect) a social media account, the OAuth authorization flow runs through your browser. This means the IP you're using at that moment could be seen by the social network during the login step. For day-to-day use of Metricool, however, your IP has no impact.

Why do some features differ from native social platforms?

Each platform's API has limitations—some features simply aren't available to third-party tools. See platform-specific restrictions.

Can I cancel anytime?

Yes. Cancel your paid plan and you'll keep access until the end of your billing period. After that, your account converts to the Free plan (free forever).

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