Social Media Management Tools
Buffer review
Low-cost, per-channel social scheduler with a free plan, aimed at creators and small teams.
Buffer at a glance
- Category
- Social Media Management Tools
- Starting price
- $5 per channel per month (Essentials)
- Pricing model
- per channel
- Public pricing
- Yes
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- Yes
- Contract
- monthly and annual
- G2 rating
- 4.3 (1,039 reviews)
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Fully remote, no office
- Employees
- 73 (Buffer about page)
Who Buffer is for
Choose Buffer if
- Creators and small businesses with a few channels.
- Teams wanting a free tier to start.
Look elsewhere if
- Teams needing social listening or a deep shared inbox (not found on pricing page)
- Buyers needing SSO or audit logs (not published)
Buffer pricing
| Plan | Price | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | up to 3 channels | 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user |
| Essentials | $5 | per channel/month ($60/year) | 1 user, advanced analytics |
| Team | $10 | per channel/month ($120/year) | Unlimited users, approval workflows |
Pricing page says prices last updated November 2025. Volume pricing above 10 channels, amounts not published. Nonprofits get 50% off.
What Buffer really costs
- Billing
- Monthly and annual.
- Annual discount
- About 17% ('save 2 months'); FAQ says 20%.
- Minimum seats
- Priced per channel, not per seat.
- 20 users per year
- Priced per channel, not per user. Example: 20 channels on Team = $120 x 20 = $2,400 per year (Team has unlimited users)
- Recent price change
- Pricing page states last update November 2025; nature of change not published.
Buffer features by buying criteria
| Criterion | What we found |
|---|---|
| Scheduling and publishing | Unlimited scheduled posts on paid plans; 10 per channel on Free; ideas library. |
| Supported networks | G2 reviewers name Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X; full current list not verified. |
| Analytics and reporting | Advanced analytics on Essentials and Team. |
| Approvals and collaboration | Approval workflows and custom permissions on Team only. |
| Pricing model | Per connected channel, not per user. |
| Target company size | Solo creators to small teams. |
What reviewers say about Buffer
Praised for
- Easy to use.
- Clean calendar and scheduling.
Common complaints
- Limited analytics.
- Pricing grows with channel count.
Themes paraphrased from public reviews on G2 and similar sites, not quotes.
What most Buffer reviews leave out
- Upgrading from Free means paying for all connected channels, including the original three.
- Annual discount shown as 'save 2 months' (about 17%) on cards but 20% in the FAQ.
- API keys: 1 on Free, 3 on Essentials, 5 on Team.
- Accepts cards only: no PayPal, checks or bank transfer.
- Publishes its own finances; about page cited $27.6M ARR.
Buffer alternatives
LaterSolo creators, small brands and small teams that plan visual Instagram and TikTok content.$18.75/month (Starter, billed yearly)
HootsuiteTeams that need scheduling, inbox and listening in one suite and can budget per user.$99 per user per month (Standard, annual billing basis)
Sprout SocialMid-size and enterprise teams that value reporting and a unified inbox.$79 per seat per month (Essentials, annual); $99 monthly
SocialPilotAgencies and small teams that want client management and white-label reports at low entry prices.$17/month billed yearly ($20/month billed monthly)
MetricoolFreelancers and small agencies managing 5 to 50 brands on a budget.$0 (Free, 1 brand); $20/month billed annually (Starter, 5 brands)
PlanolySolo creators and small brands planning Instagram-first visual feeds.$14/month (Starter, 1 social set, 1 user)
Buffer compared
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Buffer's own pricing, product or documentation pages, G2 and company records, checked on October 24, 2026. Unknown values are left out instead of estimated.