Should I use BrandPen or AuthoredUp?

If you want a complete LinkedIn growth tool with AI, scheduling, and carousels, choose BrandPen. If you only need a better post editor that works inside LinkedIn, AuthoredUp is a focused option.

Does AuthoredUp have AI post generation?

No. AuthoredUp is a manual editing and formatting tool. BrandPen includes full AI post generation, hook writing, and content suggestions.

Can AuthoredUp schedule posts?

No. AuthoredUp is an editor only — it doesn't offer scheduling or publishing. You need a separate tool for that. BrandPen includes scheduling as a core feature.

Which has better text formatting?

Both offer strong text formatting with Unicode characters. AuthoredUp has a slight edge in preview accuracy since it works directly inside LinkedIn. BrandPen includes formatting as part of its broader toolset.

Is BrandPen's free plan better than AuthoredUp's paid plan?

In terms of feature scope, yes. BrandPen's free plan includes text formatting, the post editor, basic scheduling, and access to the viral library — all at no cost. AuthoredUp's entry paid tier at $19.95/mo covers only editing and formatting. If you're deciding whether to start paying for LinkedIn tools, BrandPen's free plan lets you experience a much broader toolset before spending anything.

Can I use both BrandPen and AuthoredUp at the same time?

Yes, technically, but most creators find it redundant. AuthoredUp's Chrome extension and BrandPen's text formatter cover the same core need. The main scenario where using both makes sense is if you write and format inside LinkedIn using AuthoredUp, then copy your content into BrandPen for scheduling. This workflow adds an extra step that BrandPen alone would eliminate.

BrandPen vs AuthoredUp

AI-powered LinkedIn growth tool for personal branding vs LinkedIn post editor and formatting tool

Our Verdict

BrandPen is a full LinkedIn growth platform while AuthoredUp focuses primarily on post editing and formatting. BrandPen includes everything AuthoredUp offers (text formatting, templates) plus AI generation, scheduling, carousel maker, and viral library. AuthoredUp's Chrome extension works directly inside LinkedIn, which some users prefer.

Comparing BrandPen and AuthoredUp: What You Need to Know

Most LinkedIn tools make you choose between power and convenience. AuthoredUp solved the convenience problem brilliantly — it works as a Chrome extension directly inside LinkedIn's native interface, requiring no tab-switching or workflow disruption. But convenience has a ceiling: AuthoredUp doesn't write your content, schedule your posts, or create carousels. BrandPen takes the opposite approach, building a comprehensive platform that handles every stage of the LinkedIn content workflow. This comparison is really about philosophy: do you want a lightweight tool that enhances where you already work, or a full-stack platform that replaces multiple tools with one? The answer depends heavily on where your biggest LinkedIn growth bottleneck actually lives.

Feature Comparison

Feature	BrandPen	AuthoredUp
Content Creation
AI Post Generation
Carousel Maker
Hook Generator
Text Formatter
Post Templates
Scheduling
Post Scheduling
Queue System
Best Time to Post
Auto Publish
Analytics
Post Analytics
Profile Analytics
Growth Tracking
Content Discovery
Viral Post Library
Content Inspiration
Profile Tools
Profile Optimizer
Bio Generator
Pricing & Value
Free Plan
Trial Period	7 days	14 days

Pricing Comparison

BrandPen starts free with Pro from $19/mo. AuthoredUp starts at $19.95/mo with no free plan. BrandPen offers significantly more features for a similar price. The pricing comparison is stark when you consider feature scope: AuthoredUp charges essentially the same monthly fee as BrandPen Pro but limits you to editing and formatting. BrandPen's free plan already includes text formatting at no cost, making AuthoredUp's paid tier hard to justify unless the Chrome extension integration is a non-negotiable requirement for your workflow.

Features Breakdown

BrandPen is a complete platform: AI generation, scheduling, carousels, viral library, analytics, and profile tools. AuthoredUp focuses on editing: text formatting, templates, drafts, and preview. AuthoredUp's template library deserves credit — it includes a solid collection of proven LinkedIn post structures that you can fill in with your own content. But BrandPen's AI generation covers the same ground with more flexibility, generating full drafts based on your topics rather than requiring you to fill in blanks. The carousel gap is significant: AuthoredUp has no carousel creation capability, which is one of LinkedIn's highest-engagement content formats.

AI Capabilities

BrandPen offers full AI post generation, hook generation, and content inspiration. AuthoredUp has no AI content generation — it's a manual editing tool. This distinction fundamentally separates the two products. AuthoredUp assumes you already know what you want to say; it helps you say it more clearly and format it better. BrandPen helps you figure out what to say, generates a draft, and then formats it. For creators who struggle with content ideation or blank-page syndrome, BrandPen's AI layer is transformative. For confident writers who just want better formatting tools, AuthoredUp's manual-first approach may feel less cluttered.

Scheduling & Publishing

BrandPen includes full scheduling with queue, auto-publish, and best-time-to-post. AuthoredUp has no scheduling — it's purely an editor. This is a critical capability gap. Without scheduling, AuthoredUp users either post manually in real time or export their content to a separate scheduling tool. Adding a standalone scheduler to AuthoredUp could cost another $10–20/mo. BrandPen's queue system lets you batch-create a week of content and auto-publish at optimal times, which is a core workflow efficiency for serious creators.

Analytics & Insights

Both offer post analytics. AuthoredUp adds profile analytics and growth tracking through its Chrome extension. BrandPen offers similar analytics within its web app. AuthoredUp's analytics are actually more detailed than many users expect from a simple editing extension — it tracks post impressions, engagement trends, and profile view spikes. BrandPen's analytics are part of its web dashboard and cover comparable metrics: post performance, follower growth, and engagement rate trends. The practical difference is where you access the data: AuthoredUp surfaces it inside LinkedIn, BrandPen in its own interface.

Ease of Use

AuthoredUp works as a Chrome extension directly inside LinkedIn, which feels seamless. BrandPen is a web app that offers a more powerful but separate workflow. AuthoredUp's seamlessness is its biggest selling point — there's no context-switching, no separate login, no new tab. For creators who find tool-switching disruptive, this matters. BrandPen requires navigating to a separate web app, but the tradeoff is access to a full content creation suite. For most creators, the minor friction of switching tabs is worth the additional capabilities BrandPen provides.

BrandPen

Pros

All-in-one LinkedIn growth platform
Generous free plan with core features
AI post generation and carousel maker included
Unicode text formatting built in
Viral post library for content inspiration
Affordable pricing compared to competitors

Cons

Newer platform, still building community
No Chrome extension yet
LinkedIn-only (no other social networks)

AuthoredUp

Pros

Excellent text formatting and preview
Works as a Chrome extension directly in LinkedIn
Good post analytics
Draft management system

Cons

No AI post generation
No carousel maker
No scheduling — only editing
No viral post library
Chrome extension only — no web app

Who Should Choose Which?

BrandPen Is Best For

BrandPen is ideal for LinkedIn creators who want a single platform to handle their entire content operation — from ideation and AI drafting to text formatting, carousel creation, scheduling, and analytics. If you're currently juggling a separate writing tool, a formatter, a scheduler, and an analytics dashboard, BrandPen consolidates all of that. It's especially strong for creators posting 3–7 times per week who need both AI assistance and reliable scheduling automation.

AuthoredUp Is Best For

AuthoredUp is ideal for experienced LinkedIn writers who already have a strong content process and primarily need better formatting and post management inside LinkedIn's native editor. If you write your own posts from scratch, don't need AI generation or scheduling, and want the lowest-friction way to add text formatting and save drafts while staying in LinkedIn's interface, AuthoredUp's Chrome extension is elegantly suited to that workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line: BrandPen vs AuthoredUp

If you're evaluating these tools fresh, BrandPen is the stronger choice for the majority of LinkedIn creators. It covers everything AuthoredUp does — text formatting, templates, draft management — plus AI writing, scheduling, carousels, a viral library, and profile analytics, all for a similar price. The only compelling reason to choose AuthoredUp over BrandPen is if you specifically value staying inside LinkedIn's native interface and have no need for scheduling or AI generation. For creators who currently use AuthoredUp and rely on its post analytics, note that BrandPen's built-in analytics cover comparable data. Most AuthoredUp users migrating to BrandPen don't need to keep both tools.

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