Best Pinterest Tools for Every Task (Free and Paid)
You don't need a big tool stack to do well on Pinterest. Pinterest's own free tools cover analytics, trends, and basic scheduling, and a free design app covers pin images. Paid tools earn their place when you publish at volume or want to save design time.
This roundup is organised by task, not by brand, and for each task it says when the free option is enough. Pin Generator is our product, so we've tried to be clear about where it fits and where something else is the better choice. Plans change often, so check each tool's site for current pricing.
Pinterest Tools at a Glance
| Task | Free option | When to pay for a tool |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword research | Pinterest search autocomplete, Pinterest Trends | Rarely needed; free sources are the most accurate |
| Pin design | Canva, Adobe Express (free plans) | When you need many variations per post |
| Titles and descriptions | Free generators, AI chatbots | When copywriting is slowing publishing |
| Scheduling | Pinterest's scheduler (10 pins, 30 days ahead) | When you queue more than 10 pins |
| Analytics | Pinterest Analytics, your site analytics | When you manage many accounts |
Pinterest's Own Free Tools
- Pinterest Analytics (business accounts): impressions, saves, pin clicks, and outbound clicks per pin.
- Pinterest Trends: how interest in search terms rises and falls through the year.
- Pin builder and scheduler: create pins and, per Pinterest's help centre, schedule up to 10 pins, each up to 30 days ahead.
- Search autocomplete: the quickest way to see what people type.
If you publish a few pins a week, these may be all you need beyond a design app.
Keyword Research Tools
Pinterest's own search and Trends show real behaviour, so start there. To brainstorm long-tail variations quickly, our free Pinterest keyword tool turns a seed word into phrase ideas you can check in autocomplete. It suggests patterns; it doesn't show search volume.
Pin Design Tools
- Canva: large library of Pinterest templates and a simple editor; its Content Planner schedules to Pinterest on paid plans.
- Adobe Express: a strong Canva alternative with a content scheduler that supports Pinterest.
- Tailwind Create: generates pin designs from your photos and brand settings inside Tailwind.
- Pin Generator: creates pin designs from a blog post or store listing URL; best when you have many pages to pin.
Our comparison of Pinterest pin makers goes through each in more detail.
Title and Description Tools
Free template tools (like our title and description generators) are fine for occasional pins. AI chatbots with a good prompt write more tailored drafts. Tools such as Tailwind's Ghostwriter and Pin Generator's AI caption tool keep copywriting next to scheduling. We compare them in our roundup of Pinterest description generators.
Scheduling and Automation Tools
| Tool | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pinterest's scheduler | Low volume | Free; up to 10 scheduled pins, 30 days ahead |
| Tailwind | Pinterest-focused creators | Long-standing Pinterest scheduler with design and copy features |
| Pin Generator | Blogs and stores with many pages or products | Creates designs from URLs and store sources, then schedules across boards |
| Buffer, Later | Teams posting to several networks | Pinterest is one channel among many |
Only use official-API tools
Pinterest's spam policy prohibits automation it hasn't approved. Choose tools that connect through Pinterest's official API with your permission, never ones that ask for your password.
For a deeper look at schedulers specifically, read our ranking of the best Pinterest automation tools.
Analytics and Tracking
- Pinterest Analytics for pin-level performance.
- Your website analytics for Pinterest referral traffic by landing page.
- The Pinterest tag for conversions if you sell online.
- UTM parameters on pin links when you want to compare campaigns or pin styles.
Suggested Stacks by Stage
| Stage | Stack |
|---|---|
| Just starting | Pinterest Analytics + Trends + Pinterest's scheduler + a free design app |
| Publishing weekly | Add free keyword and copy tools; batch pins in one session |
| Publishing daily or many pages | Add a Pinterest scheduler or generator that creates and queues pins in bulk |
| Agency or multiple brands | A scheduler with multi-account support plus site analytics per client |
All our free tools are collected on the free Pinterest SEO tools page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best free Pinterest tools?
Start with Pinterest's own: Pinterest Analytics, Pinterest Trends, search autocomplete for keywords, and the built-in scheduler for up to 10 pins at a time. Add a free design tool such as Canva or Adobe Express and free copywriting helpers such as our Pinterest keyword, title, and description tools.
Do I need a paid Pinterest tool?
Not at first. Paid tools start to pay off when you publish more pins than Pinterest's native scheduler handles comfortably, or when design time is what limits how often you publish.
What is the best Pinterest scheduler?
It depends on how you work. Pinterest-focused schedulers such as Tailwind and Pin Generator have features built for pins, while Buffer and Later suit teams posting to several networks. Our Pinterest scheduler comparison goes through the trade-offs.
Are Pinterest automation tools safe?
Tools that publish through Pinterest's official API with your authorisation are the supported route. Pinterest's guidelines prohibit automation it hasn't approved, such as tools that log in as you or simulate clicks.
Start Free, Pay for Time Saved
Pinterest's own tools plus a free design app are enough to start. Add a paid scheduler or generator when the limit on your Pinterest results is the time it takes to make and publish pins, not ideas or strategy.
Create and schedule pins in one place
Pin Generator turns your blog posts and product listings into pin designs and schedules them across your boards through Pinterest's official API.
Try Pin Generator Free