8 Pros + Cons of the MeowApps Social Engine WordPress Plugin

Back in the day, I wrote a detailed guide to how I automated Twitter for an entire year. That was a good year. I grew my Twitter following without having to actually, you know, use Twitter. The tool (Buffer) that I used is still around and better than ever (unlike Twitter).

But it also costs, you know, money to schedule out that many posts. And unless it’s money for ads, money is not what I’m looking to invest in with organic social media nowadays.

My clients mostly have scheduler tools within their CRMs, but what about my own personal social media experiments? Looking around is how I found Social Engine by MeowApps. Here are a few things that I like and don’t like about them.

Pros

Serves A Great Use Case (and it’s Free!)

The MeowApps Social Engine’s free version packs an impressive feature set for basic social media management needs. I’ve found it handles the essential tasks of scheduling and posting to major platforms without costing a dime. During my testing I was able to post to Twitter, Mastodon, and Facebook directly from my WordPress dashboard which saved me hours of copy / pasting and getting distracted by being on the social networks.

The interface is clean, simple and, (sort of) intuitive. I particularly appreciate how it lets me customize post formats for each social network – something many paid plugins charge extra for.

Paid Plugin Still Saves a Lot of Money vs. Buffer

The premium version’s pricing structure is remarkably competitive. I switched from Buffer to MeowApps and cut my social media management costs from ~$250/yr to…$29/yr. The premium features like revive posts, draft mode, etc rival those of major social media management platforms at a fraction of the cost.

Integrated with WordPress Install

The seamless WordPress integration is where this plugin is unique compared to most tools. I love how it works directly within my existing workflow, existing posts, and existing Media Library – no need to toggle between different tabs or platforms or accounts. The plugin adds social sharing options right into the WordPress editor which means I can schedule posts while writing without disrupting my process.

The integration extends to media management too. I can access my WordPress media library directly when creating social posts.

Cons

Backend Interface Is a Bit Unpolished

The backend interface lacks the polish I’ve come to expect from premium WordPress plugins. I noticed the settings panel feels dated with inconsistent spacing and awkward button placements.

The queue management screen specifically needs work – I often find myself clicking multiple times to perform basic actions like rescheduling posts. While these interface quirks don’t break functionality they do slow down my workflow compared to more refined solutions like Buffer or Hootsuite.

Requires Facebook & Instagram App Integration

Setting up Facebook and Instagram connectivity proved frustrating. I had to login to my developer account and configure multiple API keys which took a few minutes. The documentation could better explain the exact steps needed for Meta platform integration. I also discovered that Instagram connectivity requires a business account – something not mentioned prominently in the setup guide.

Complex WordPress Setup – so No Bulk Upload via WP All Import

The plugin’s database structure makes it incompatible with popular bulk import tools. I tried importing 200 scheduled posts using WP All Import but the social sharing data didn’t transfer correctly. For my content calendar planning I now have to manually configure social sharing settings for each post. This becomes tedious when managing multiple client accounts or preparing large batches of content in advance.

Next Steps

I’ve found the free version sufficient for basic needs but the premium features justify the investment, but only if you’re using LinkedIn or Pinterest. Despite some setup hurdles and simple, but unpolished interface, the time-saving benefits make it worthwhile.

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