You want an AI-native workflow — research, ideas, drafts in your voice — built for thought leadership.
You want a data-driven workflow. Deep post analytics and formatting are what you're paying for.
Choose AuthoredUp if you already know what to post and want to measure it properly. Their analytics are the deepest in the category.
Choose ThoughtFuel if the hard part is earlier — deciding what's worth saying, then turning it into a post that sounds like you, in minutes rather than an evening.
ThoughtFuel vs AuthoredUp at a glance
| What you're comparing | ThoughtFuel | AuthoredUp |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $8/mo, or $80/year | $19.95/mo, or $199.50/year |
| Free trial | 14 days, no card required | 14 days, no card required |
| Post ideas from live web research | Yes — Live Research reads current sources in your field | Not offered |
| AI drafting | Yes — three distinct angles per topic | Yes — Coauthor, listed as Beta on both plans |
| Voice training | Writing Styles trained on samples you paste in | Coauthor trains on your published post history |
| AI image generation | Yes, inside the editor | Not listed |
| Post analytics | On the roadmap | Yes — dashboards, advanced metrics, CSV export, Analytics API |
| Company pages and LinkedIn groups | No | Yes — unlimited company pages on every plan |
| Template library | Yes | Yes |
| Teams and multiple profiles | No | Yes — Business plan, from 3 profiles |
| Where you write | Web app | Chrome extension and web platform |
The actual difference
AuthoredUp is built around the post you've already decided to write — format it, preview it, publish it, then measure how it did. It does that thoroughly. Recently added Coauthor feature now adds AI assisted drafting on top.
ThoughtFuel starts a step earlier. You bring a domain, not a draft. Live Research reads what's happening in your field, suggests angles worth a post, and AI memory keeps track of the themes you return to so the suggestions sharpen over time. By the time you're editing, the blank page is already gone.
What you get for $8 a month with ThoughtFuel
- Live Research — tell ThoughtFuel your domain and the AI researches current sources to suggest post ideas.
- Writing Style profiles trained on samples you paste in, so drafts start in your voice. Up to five per account.
- Three draft angles per topic, so you pick a direction instead of editing whatever the AI produced first.
- An AI editor with inline rewrites and version history — changes stay local instead of regenerating the whole post.
- Native LinkedIn preview — see exactly how the post will look before it goes out.
- Scheduling and publishing through LinkedIn's official API.
- AI image generation inside the editor.
- AI memory — ThoughtFuel remembers what you've written and what you keep coming back to.
When AuthoredUp is the better tool
Three cases where we'd tell you to stay put:
- You run on analytics. AuthoredUp gives you a performance dashboard, reach and saves data, side-by-side post comparison, historical LinkedIn archive import, CSV export, and an analytics API. ThoughtFuel has none of this yet. If your posting improves because you study what worked, that's a real reason to pay more.
- You post as a company page or to groups. Unlimited company pages are included on every AuthoredUp plan. ThoughtFuel publishes to your personal profile only.
- You're a team or an agency. The Business plan starts at three profiles and charges per profile rather than per seat. ThoughtFuel has no team seats at all.
Why people switch from AuthoredUp
$8 a month instead of $19.95, for a tool deliberately scoped to one person building one reputation.
Live Research turns a topic area into specific, current angles. AuthoredUp assumes you arrived with the idea.
Deep dashboards are worth paying for if you act on them. Plenty of people never open them.
Ready to switch from AuthoredUp?
14-day free trial. No card required. Cancel anytime. Takes under 5 minutes to set up.
Frequently asked questions
Is ThoughtFuel cheaper than AuthoredUp?
Yes. ThoughtFuel is $8 a month or $80 a year. AuthoredUp's Individual plan is $19.95 a month or $199.50 a year. Annually that's $80 versus $199.50 — less than half.
Can ThoughtFuel analyse post performance the way AuthoredUp does?
No. AuthoredUp's analytics are the strongest part of their product and ThoughtFuel doesn't have an equivalent — it's on the roadmap. If your workflow depends on engagement data, AuthoredUp is the better pick today.
Does ThoughtFuel have LinkedIn formatting?
Yes — unicode bold and italic plus a native LinkedIn preview are built in. AuthoredUp goes deeper here, with readability grading, post-length insights, and a large template library. You can also try our formatting without signing up: the free LinkedIn post formatter runs in the browser.
Do I need a browser extension?
Not for ThoughtFuel — it's a web app, and publishing goes through LinkedIn's official OAuth and Posts API. AuthoredUp offers both a Chrome extension and a web platform.
Still comparing? We've written the same breakdown for Taplio, Supergrow, ContentIn and Kleo.