Buffer has been a go-to social media scheduler since 2010, and for good reason. It is simple, reliable, and has a free plan that works for individuals managing a few profiles. But as your social media presence grows, Buffer's per-channel pricing model, limited integrations, and multi-step posting workflow can become real bottlenecks.
Whether you are hitting Buffer's scheduling caps, tired of paying per social account, or need features like bulk scheduling, Canva integration, or deeper analytics, there are strong alternatives worth considering.
We tested and compared 12 Buffer alternatives across pricing, platform support, workflow speed, team features, and analytics. Here is a quick summary before we dive into each tool.
Quick Comparison: Best Buffer Alternatives at a Glance
| Tool | Starting Price | Best For | Platforms | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PostPlanify | $39/mo (flat) | Creators, teams & agencies | 9 | 7-day trial |
| Hootsuite | €149/user/mo | Enterprise teams | 10+ | No |
| Sprout Social | $199/seat/mo | Enterprise analytics & social listening | 10+ | Free trial |
| SocialBee | $29/mo | Evergreen content recycling | 9 | 14-day trial |
| Later | $25/mo | Visual-first Instagram creators | 7 | Limited free plan |
| SocialPilot | $30/mo | Agencies on a budget | 9 | 14-day trial |
| Publer | $12/mo | Budget-conscious solopreneurs | 12+ | Yes |
| Metricool | $22/mo | Analytics + free plan users | 9 | Yes |
| Loomly | Free ($65 paid) | Teams needing approval workflows | 9 | Yes |
| Sendible | $29/mo | Agency white-labeling | 10 | 14-day trial |
| Planable | $39/workspace/mo | Content approval & collaboration | 8 | Free (50 posts) |
| Agorapulse | $99/user/mo | Social inbox & community management | 11 | Limited free plan |
Why People Switch From Buffer
Before exploring alternatives, it helps to understand the common reasons users look beyond Buffer. These are the pain points we hear most often from creators, marketers, and agencies:
Per-channel pricing adds up fast. Buffer charges per connected social account — $6/channel/month on the Essentials plan and $12/channel/month on the Team plan. Managing 3 accounts on Buffer's free plan is fine, but scaling to 10 or 15 accounts means $60-$180/month or more. Most alternatives on this list use flat-rate or tiered pricing that becomes significantly cheaper at scale. See our full Buffer pricing breakdown for a detailed look at what each plan includes.
The multi-step composer slows things down. Buffer's scheduling workflow requires selecting a channel, composing, previewing, and confirming across separate steps. When you are publishing the same content across 5-6 platforms, the extra clicks add up. Several alternatives offer single-screen composers that handle everything in one view.
Limited native integrations. Buffer does not include a built-in Canva integration or native Google Drive connection inside its composer. You need to design in Canva, download, then re-upload to Buffer. Tools like PostPlanify and others on this list integrate these directly into the posting flow.
No bulk scheduling. Buffer supports CSV import but lacks true bulk scheduling where you can create and schedule multiple posts at once from within the app. For agencies and content-heavy workflows, this is a significant limitation.
Basic post previews. Buffer's previews do not always reflect how your content will actually appear on each platform. Platform-specific previews that show exact formatting before publishing are a feature several alternatives handle better.
These are consistent themes across user feedback. Buffer holds a 4.3/5 on G2 (1,023 reviews) but only 2.1/5 on Trustpilot (93 reviews), with common complaints about per-channel costs, limited analytics, and scheduling glitches. Read our full Buffer reviews analysis for a deeper look at what real users are saying.
For a deeper side-by-side breakdown of Buffer's features and limitations, see our Buffer vs PostPlanify comparison.
1. PostPlanify — Best for Creators & Teams Managing Multiple Accounts
PostPlanify is a social media scheduler built for creators, agencies, and teams who manage multiple accounts and want a faster workflow without paying per channel.
Full disclosure: PostPlanify is our product. We are including it because we genuinely believe it solves real problems that Buffer users face, and we will be honest about where it falls short too.
PostPlanify Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Social Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth | $39/mo | $384/yr | 10 |
| Premium | $99/mo | $948/yr | Unlimited |
All plans include unlimited scheduled posts, unlimited brands, and a 7-day free trial.
Key Features
- Content calendar: Plan, edit, and reschedule all your posts from one clean calendar. Know exactly what is going live, where, and when.
- 9 platforms supported: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Bluesky
- Advanced analytics: Track performance, engagement, and growth across all your platforms with clear, actionable dashboards
- Bulk scheduling: Schedule up to 20 posts across platforms at the same time — perfect for batching content
- Team collaboration: Unlimited team members on all paid plans with roles, approval workflows, and a shared calendar
- Media library: Store, organize, and reuse your brand assets in one place. Import from Canva or Google Drive when needed.
- AI assistant: Generate captions, create images, and improve your content with built-in AI
- Platform-specific previews: See exactly how your post will look on each platform before publishing
- Link-in-bio builder: One page, all your links, styled to match your brand
- Simple, fast interface: Everything happens on a single screen — no multi-step workflows
What PostPlanify Does Better Than Buffer
- Flat pricing — $39/mo covers 10 accounts vs Buffer's per-channel model
- Unified content calendar — one dashboard for all platforms, all posts
- Bulk scheduling — create up to 20 posts at once (Buffer only supports CSV import)
- Platform-specific previews — see exactly how posts will render on each network
- Advanced analytics — performance tracking across TikTok, Instagram, and X with trend data and reporting
Where Buffer Is Still Stronger
- Mobile app — Buffer has mature iOS and Android apps. PostPlanify is web-only (mobile app coming soon).
- More platforms — Buffer supports 11 networks including Google Business Profile and Mastodon
- Free plan — Buffer offers a free plan with 3 channels and 10 posts each. PostPlanify offers a 7-day trial.
- Longer track record — Buffer has been around since 2010 with a larger user base and community
Best for: Creators, teams, and agencies managing multiple social accounts who want a fast, simple workflow with powerful analytics and team collaboration built in.
For a detailed feature comparison, visit our Buffer alternative page.
PostPlanifySchedule your content across all platforms
Manage all your social media accounts in one place with PostPlanify.
2. Hootsuite — Best for Enterprise Teams
Hootsuite is the largest social media management platform by market share (16.6%). It is built for enterprise teams that need advanced analytics, social listening, and team governance features.
Hootsuite Pricing
| Plan | Price | Social Accounts |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | €149/user/month | 10 |
| Advanced | €249/user/month | 50 |
| Business | Custom pricing | Custom |
Pricing is per user per month. Enterprise features require higher tiers.
Key Features
- 10+ platforms including Google Business Profile
- Social listening and brand monitoring (Talkwalker add-on)
- Advanced analytics with competitor benchmarking
- Team workflows with approval chains and user roles
- Ad management for paid social campaigns
- Employee advocacy tools
How It Compares to Buffer
Hootsuite is built for a completely different use case than Buffer. Where Buffer keeps things simple, Hootsuite goes deep — social listening, ad management, competitor benchmarking, and multi-level team governance are all built in.
The trade-off is price. The Standard plan alone costs €149/user/month — more than most teams spend on Buffer for all their accounts combined. There is no free plan, and the interface has a learning curve.
What users say: 4.3/5 on G2 (6,615 reviews) but only 1.8/5 on Trustpilot (511 reviews). Common complaints include billing issues, customer support delays, and a cluttered interface. The G2 audience tends to be enterprise users who value the feature depth.
Best for: Large marketing teams and enterprises that need social listening, ad management, competitor benchmarking, and multi-level approval workflows. Not ideal for solopreneurs or small teams due to pricing.
For more details, see our Hootsuite alternative page, Hootsuite pricing breakdown, Hootsuite reviews, and Buffer vs Hootsuite comparison.
3. Sprout Social — Best for Enterprise Analytics & Social Listening
Sprout Social is the premium option in this space. It is an enterprise-grade platform with the deepest analytics, social listening, and reporting capabilities available.
Sprout Social Pricing
| Plan | Price (per seat/mo) | Social Profiles |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $199 | 5 |
| Professional | $299 | Unlimited |
| Advanced | $399 | Unlimited |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited |
All prices are per seat, billed annually.
Key Features
- Deep analytics with customizable, presentation-ready reports
- Social listening powered by AI for brand sentiment and trend analysis
- Smart inbox that unifies messages from all platforms
- Competitor analysis with benchmarking
- Employee advocacy tools
- Multi-step approval workflows with audit trails
How It Compares to Buffer
Sprout Social is not really competing with Buffer — it is in a different category entirely. The analytics, social listening, and reporting are the deepest you will find in any social media tool.
The cost is significant. A single seat starts at $199/month, which is more than most teams spend on Buffer for everything. One surprising limitation: Sprout cannot publish the same post to multiple networks simultaneously, which feels odd at this price point.
What users say: 4.4/5 on G2 (5,731 reviews) but only 2.2/5 on Trustpilot (75 reviews). Enterprise users praise the analytics and reporting. Complaints focus on unexpected price increases, long contracts, and difficulty canceling.
Best for: Mid-to-large enterprises that need deep analytics, social listening, competitive intelligence, and enterprise-grade reporting. Overkill for freelancers and small teams.
For more details, see our Sprout Social alternative page, Sprout Social pricing breakdown, Sprout Social reviews, and Sprout Social vs Buffer comparison.
4. SocialBee — Best for Evergreen Content Recycling
SocialBee stands out from Buffer with its category-based content system. Instead of a linear queue, you organize posts into categories (like "tips," "promotions," "blog posts") and SocialBee automatically rotates through them on a schedule.
SocialBee Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Social Profiles |
|---|---|---|
| Bootstrap | $29/mo | 5 |
| Accelerate | $49/mo | 10 |
| Pro | $99/mo | 25 |
Key Features
- Category-based scheduling — organize content into buckets and set posting cadence per category
- Evergreen recycling — automatically re-queue top-performing posts
- AI content generation with Copilot AI assistant
- Canva integration inside the composer
- RSS feed auto-posting for curated content
- Workspaces for managing multiple brands
How It Compares to Buffer
The biggest difference is content recycling. Buffer treats every post as a one-time publish. SocialBee lets you organize posts into categories and automatically re-queue your best content on a rotating schedule — something no amount of Buffer usage can replicate.
Pricing is comparable to Buffer at 5 accounts ($29/mo), but you get significantly more automation. The trade-off is a steeper learning curve and less intuitive analytics.
What users say: 4.8/5 on G2 (472 reviews) and 4.0/5 on Trustpilot (43 reviews) — one of the highest-rated tools on this list. Users consistently praise customer service and ease of initial setup.
Best for: Content marketers and small businesses that want to maximize a library of evergreen content with automated recycling and category-based scheduling.
For more details, see our SocialBee alternative page, SocialBee pricing breakdown, SocialBee reviews, and Buffer vs SocialBee comparison.
5. Later — Best for Visual-First Instagram Creators
Later was originally built as an Instagram-first scheduler and it still excels at visual content planning. Its drag-and-drop grid preview is the best in the industry for planning an aesthetic Instagram feed.
Later Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Social Sets |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | $25/mo | 1 social set (8 profiles) |
| Growth | $45/mo | 3 social sets |
| Advanced | $80/mo | 6 social sets |
Later uses "social sets" (one profile per platform) rather than individual accounts. Post limits apply per plan.
Key Features
- Visual content calendar with drag-and-drop Instagram grid preview
- Linkin.bio link-in-bio landing pages
- Best time to post suggestions based on audience activity
- Hashtag suggestions and saved hashtag groups
- User-generated content discovery and reposting
- Instagram Stories scheduling
- AI content tools with monthly AI credits
How It Compares to Buffer
If Instagram is your main platform, Later wins this comparison easily. The drag-and-drop grid preview alone is worth the switch — you can visually plan your entire Instagram feed before anything goes live. Buffer has nothing like it.
Where Later falls short is multi-platform publishing. Its features for LinkedIn, X, and other text-heavy platforms feel more basic. The "social set" pricing model can also be confusing compared to Buffer's straightforward per-channel approach.
What users say: 4.5/5 on G2 (347 reviews) with consistent praise for ease of use and visual planning. The main complaints are limited analytics on lower-tier plans and occasional publishing glitches.
Best for: Instagram creators, visual brands, and influencers who prioritize aesthetic feed planning and Instagram-specific features.
For more details, see our Later alternative page, Later pricing breakdown, Later reviews, and Buffer vs Later comparison.
PostPlanifySchedule your content across all platforms
Manage all your social media accounts in one place with PostPlanify.
6. SocialPilot — Best for Agencies on a Budget
SocialPilot is one of the most cost-effective social media management tools for agencies. It supports bulk scheduling, client management, and white-label reports at a fraction of what Hootsuite or Sprout Social charge.
SocialPilot Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Users | Social Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentials | $30/mo | 1 | 7 |
| Standard | $50/mo | 3 | 15 |
| Premium | $100/mo | 6 | 25 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | 50+ |
Key Features
- Bulk scheduling — upload hundreds of posts via CSV
- Client management — dedicated workflows for agency-client collaboration
- White-label reports — branded PDF reports for clients
- Content curation — discover and share relevant content from RSS feeds
- Social inbox — manage comments and messages from one place
- AI assistant for caption generation
How It Compares to Buffer
For agencies, SocialPilot is a clear step up from Buffer. You get more social accounts at a lower price, white-label reporting (which Buffer does not offer at all), and bulk scheduling with real flexibility.
The interface is functional but not pretty. It gets the job done without Buffer's polish. Analytics are solid for the price but do not match Sprout Social or Hootsuite for depth.
What users say: SocialPilot holds a 2.4/5 on Trustpilot (33 reviews), with some users reporting customer support issues. The low review count means individual experiences can skew the score, so evaluate with a trial before committing.
Best for: Small to mid-size agencies managing multiple clients who need bulk scheduling, white-label reports, and multi-account management at a reasonable price.
For more details, see our SocialPilot alternative page, SocialPilot pricing breakdown, SocialPilot reviews, and Buffer vs SocialPilot comparison.
7. Publer — Best Budget-Friendly Alternative
Publer is the most affordable option on this list. It offers a functional free plan and paid plans starting at just $12/month, making it a natural first step for solopreneurs moving beyond Buffer's free tier.
Publer Pricing
| Plan | Base Price (3 accounts) | 10 Accounts | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | N/A (3 max) | 1 |
| Professional | $12/mo | $36/mo | Add members at $2/mo each |
| Business | $21/mo | $63/mo | Add members at $2/mo each |
Pricing scales based on number of social accounts. Every 10th account is free. Yearly billing gives 2 months free.
Key Features
- 12+ platforms supported including all major networks
- AI-powered captions (GPT-4) and AI image generation (DALL-E 3)
- Bulk scheduling — upload up to 500 posts via CSV
- Content recycling with Spintax for text variations
- Auto-scheduling — set time slots and Publer fills them automatically
- RSS feed automations for curated content
- Link-in-bio pages
- Watermark — automatically add watermarks to images
- Browser extension for quick sharing
How It Compares to Buffer
At $12/month for 3 accounts, Publer is roughly half the cost of Buffer's paid equivalent. But it is not just cheaper — it includes features Buffer does not have at any price: AI image generation, auto-scheduling, watermarking, and bulk creation of up to 500 posts.
The main trade-off is analytics. Publer's reporting is basic compared to larger platforms. If you need detailed performance data, you will want to pair it with a separate analytics tool.
What users say: 4.8/5 on Trustpilot (863 reviews) — one of the highest Trustpilot scores in this space. Users consistently praise the clean interface and ease of use.
Best for: Solopreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses on a tight budget who need solid scheduling features without the price tag of larger platforms.
For more details, see our Publer alternative page, Publer pricing breakdown, Publer reviews, and Buffer vs Publer comparison.
8. Metricool — Best Free Plan With Analytics
Metricool offers one of the most generous free plans in the social media management space — and unlike Buffer's free plan, Metricool includes analytics from day one.
Metricool Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Brands |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 |
| Starter | From $22/mo | Up to 10 |
| Advanced | From $54/mo | Up to 15 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited |
X/Twitter requires an add-on on some plans.
Key Features
- Free plan with analytics — track performance across all platforms at no cost
- Competitor analysis — monitor competitors' social media performance
- Ad management — manage Google Ads and social media ads from one dashboard
- Hashtag tracker — monitor hashtag performance over time
- SmartLinks — customizable link-in-bio pages
- Google Drive & Canva integration
- Reporting with exportable PDF/PPT reports
How It Compares to Buffer
Metricool's free plan gives you something Buffer's does not: analytics. You can track performance across all your platforms at no cost, plus manage Google Ads and social media ads from the same dashboard. For a solo marketer who cares about data, this is a meaningful difference.
Where it falls short is team collaboration (limited on lower plans) and the publishing workflow, which is not as fast or streamlined as Buffer or PostPlanify.
What users say: 4.5/5 on G2 (83 reviews) and 4.2/5 on Trustpilot (519 reviews). Users praise the customer support and analytics depth. The main complaint is the learning curve for the ad management features.
Best for: Data-driven marketers, freelancers, and small businesses who want free analytics and ad management alongside their scheduling tool.
For more details, see our Metricool alternative page, Metricool pricing breakdown, Metricool reviews, and Buffer vs Metricool comparison.
9. Loomly — Best for Teams Needing Approval Workflows
Loomly is designed specifically for marketing teams that need structured content approval workflows. Every post goes through a clear review and approval process before it gets published.
Loomly Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Users | Social Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 | 3 |
| Starter | $65/mo | 3 | 12 |
| Beyond | $332/mo | Unlimited | 60 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | 61+ |
Prices shown are for monthly billing. Annual billing offers approximately 25% discount.
Key Features
- Multi-step approval workflows — define review stages and assign approvers
- Post ideas and inspiration — Loomly suggests content ideas based on trending topics, holidays, and social media best practices
- Interaction management — reply to comments and messages from one inbox
- Content library — store and organize brand assets
- Canva, Unsplash, and Giphy integrations
- Advanced scheduling — calendar and list views with drag-and-drop
- iOS and Android mobile apps
How It Compares to Buffer
If your team needs formal "draft → review → approve → publish" workflows, Loomly handles this much better than Buffer. Buffer has basic approval on higher plans, but Loomly's multi-step review process is more mature and lets you define exactly who approves what.
A unique bonus: Loomly suggests content ideas based on trending topics, holidays, and social media best practices — helpful when you are staring at a blank calendar. The Starter plan at $65/month is pricier than Buffer for smaller teams, though.
What users say: 4.6/5 on G2 (1,793 reviews) but only 1.7/5 on Trustpilot (26 reviews). G2 users praise the approval workflows and content inspiration. Trustpilot complaints focus on declining quality over time and customer support being chatbot-only with no human agents.
Best for: Marketing teams of 3+ people that need structured approval workflows, content inspiration, and organized collaboration.
For more details, see our Loomly alternative page, Loomly pricing breakdown, Loomly reviews, and Buffer vs Loomly comparison.
10. Sendible — Best for Agency White-Labeling
Sendible is purpose-built for agencies that need white-label dashboards, client-specific reporting, and multi-brand management from a single platform.
Sendible Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Users | Social Profiles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creator | $29/mo | 1 | 6 |
| Traction | $89/mo | 4 | 24 |
| Scale | $199/mo | 7 | 49 |
| Advanced | $299/mo | 20 | 100 |
| Enterprise | $750/mo | 80 | 400 |
Annual billing saves 15%. 14-day free trial on all plans.
Key Features
- White-label dashboard — present Sendible as your own branded tool to clients (paid add-on)
- Client connect — let clients approve content without logging into the platform
- Priority inbox — unified inbox with sentiment analysis
- AI Assist for caption generation
- Custom reporting — build branded reports with your agency's logo
- Canva, Google Drive, and Pexels integrations
- iOS and Android mobile apps
How It Compares to Buffer
The key differentiator is white-labeling. If you run an agency and want to present a fully branded dashboard to clients — with your logo, your colors, and no mention of the tool underneath — Sendible is one of the few platforms that makes this possible at a reasonable price. Buffer does not offer anything like it.
The content approval flow is also more agency-friendly. Clients can review and approve posts without needing a full Sendible login, which simplifies the back-and-forth.
What users say: 4.5/5 on G2 (899 reviews), with consistent praise for ease of use and scheduling reliability. The main criticism is that reporting could be deeper for the price.
Best for: Digital marketing agencies that need white-label dashboards, client-facing content approval, and branded reporting.
For more details, see our Sendible alternative page, Sendible pricing breakdown, Sendible reviews, and Buffer vs Sendible comparison.
11. Planable — Best for Content Collaboration & Visual Approval
Planable focuses on one thing and does it exceptionally well: making content collaboration and approval visual, fast, and painless.
Planable Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Posts/Month | Users |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 total posts | Unlimited |
| Basic | $39/workspace/mo | 60 | Unlimited |
| Pro | $59/workspace/mo | 150 | Unlimited |
| Enterprise | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Pricing is per workspace per month. All plans include unlimited collaborators.
Key Features
- Visual content preview — see posts exactly as they will appear on each platform
- Real-time collaboration — comment directly on posts, tag team members, leave feedback
- Multiple calendar views — feed, calendar, grid, and list views
- Approval workflows — none, optional, required, or multi-level approval
- Version history — track changes and revert to previous versions
- External collaboration — invite clients and stakeholders without giving full platform access
How It Compares to Buffer
Planable is the best tool on this list for content collaboration. If your workflow involves multiple people — designers, copywriters, clients, managers — all reviewing and approving posts before they go live, Planable makes that process visual and fast. Buffer's collaboration features feel basic by comparison.
Every plan includes unlimited users, which is a huge advantage over Buffer's team seat limits. The trade-off: Planable's analytics are minimal, and it does not offer bulk scheduling, AI captions, or content recycling. Post limits also apply (60 on Basic, 150 on Pro), so high-volume publishers should check the math.
What users say: 4.6/5 on G2 (937 reviews) with strong praise for ease of use and the collaboration experience. Users love how intuitive the visual approval workflow is.
Best for: Marketing teams and agencies where content review, visual approval, and multi-stakeholder collaboration are the top priorities.
For more details, see our Planable alternative page, Planable pricing breakdown, Planable reviews, and Buffer vs Planable comparison.
12. Agorapulse — Best for Social Inbox & Community Management
Agorapulse is a social media management platform that stands out with its unified social inbox, making it the strongest choice for teams that prioritize community engagement and respond to a high volume of comments and messages.
Agorapulse Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Price | Annual Price | Social Profiles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 3 |
| Standard | $99/user/mo | $79/user/mo | 10 |
| Professional | $149/user/mo | $119/user/mo | 10 |
| Advanced | $199/user/mo | $149/user/mo | 10 |
| Custom | Contact sales | Contact sales | Unlimited |
All paid plans are per user. Additional social profiles available as add-ons.
Key Features
- Unified social inbox — manage all comments, messages, and mentions from every platform in one place
- 11 platforms supported including Google Business Profile, Reddit, and Bluesky
- Inbox assistant — automated rules to label, assign, and prioritize incoming messages
- Social listening — track brand mentions, keywords, and hashtags
- ROI tracking — connect social media activity to website conversions and revenue
- Content queuing with category-based scheduling
- Competitor analysis — benchmark your performance against competitors
- Team collaboration with approval workflows
How It Compares to Buffer
If you spend significant time responding to comments and messages across platforms, Agorapulse's social inbox is the single biggest upgrade over Buffer. It supports automated rules, labeling, and message assignment — so your team can triage incoming messages instead of scrolling through them manually. Buffer has a community inbox, but it is much more basic.
The social listening and ROI tracking also go well beyond what Buffer offers. You can track brand mentions, keywords, and connect social activity to actual website conversions.
The pricing adds up fast, though. At $99/user/month (or $79 annually), a 3-person team costs $297/month on the Standard plan.
What users say: 4.0/5 on Trustpilot (57 reviews) with polarized feedback. Agencies love the inbox and listening features. Some users report unreliable social profile connections and occasional sync issues.
Best for: Brands and agencies that receive a high volume of social media comments and messages and need a powerful inbox, social listening, and ROI tracking.
For more details, see our Agorapulse alternative page, Agorapulse pricing breakdown, Agorapulse reviews, and Buffer vs Agorapulse comparison.
Full Pricing Comparison: All 12 Buffer Alternatives
Here is a side-by-side pricing comparison to help you find the right tool for your budget.
| Tool | Starting Price | 10 Accounts | Free Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer | Free (3 ch) / $6/ch/mo | ~$60/mo | Yes (3 channels, 10 posts each) |
| PostPlanify | $39/mo | $39/mo (10 incl.) | 7-day trial |
| Hootsuite | €149/user/mo | €149/user/mo (10 incl.) | No |
| Sprout Social | $199/seat/mo | $199/seat/mo (5 incl.) | Trial only |
| SocialBee | $29/mo | $49/mo | 14-day trial |
| Later | $25/mo | $45/mo (3 social sets) | Limited |
| SocialPilot | $30/mo (7 accts) | $50/mo (15 accts) | 14-day trial |
| Publer | Free / $12/mo | ~$36/mo | Yes |
| Metricool | Free / $22/mo | $22/mo (up to 10 brands) | Yes |
| Loomly | Free / $65/mo | $65/mo (12 accts) | Yes |
| Sendible | $29/mo (6 profiles) | $89/mo (24 profiles) | 14-day trial |
| Planable | Free / $39/workspace | $39/workspace | Yes (50 posts) |
| Agorapulse | Free / $99/user/mo | $99/user/mo (10 incl.) | Yes (limited) |
Key takeaway: If you manage 10+ social accounts, flat-rate tools like PostPlanify ($39/mo for 10 accounts), SocialPilot ($50/mo for 15 accounts), and SocialBee ($49/mo for 10 profiles) offer the best value compared to Buffer's per-channel pricing.
PostPlanifySchedule your content across all platforms
Manage all your social media accounts in one place with PostPlanify.
How to Choose the Right Buffer Alternative
The best Buffer alternative depends on your specific situation. Here is a quick decision framework:
Choose PostPlanify if you want a fast, simple workflow with a unified content calendar, advanced analytics, and team collaboration built in. Best for creators, teams, and agencies managing multiple accounts.
Choose Hootsuite if you need enterprise-grade social listening, ad management, and team governance. Best for large marketing departments with budget for premium tools.
Choose Sprout Social if deep analytics, competitive intelligence, and presentation-ready reports are your priority. Best for enterprises and agencies that need data to justify their social strategy.
Choose SocialBee if you have a library of evergreen content you want to automatically recycle on a set schedule. Best for content marketers and solopreneurs.
Choose Later if Instagram is your primary platform and visual grid planning is essential to your workflow. Best for influencers and visual brands.
Choose SocialPilot if you run an agency on a budget and need white-label reports, bulk scheduling, and client management. Best for small to mid-size agencies.
Choose Publer if you need a capable scheduler at the lowest possible price. Best for solopreneurs and freelancers just starting out.
Choose Metricool if free analytics and ad management matter more to you than advanced scheduling features. Best for data-driven solo marketers.
Choose Loomly if your team needs structured, multi-step content approval workflows. Best for marketing teams of 3+ people.
Choose Sendible if you need white-label dashboards and branded client-facing reports. Best for digital agencies.
Choose Planable if multi-stakeholder content review and visual approval are your top priorities. Best for collaborative teams.
Choose Agorapulse if you handle a high volume of social media comments and messages and need a powerful unified inbox. Best for community managers and agencies.
How to Switch From Buffer to a New Tool
Switching social media schedulers does not have to be disruptive. Here is the general process:
-
Export your data from Buffer. Download your scheduled and published post history from Buffer's analytics section. Save this as a record of your content calendar and past performance.
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Sign up for your chosen alternative. Most tools on this list offer free trials ranging from 7 to 15 days. Take advantage of the trial to test the workflow before committing.
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Connect your social media accounts. Link your Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, and Bluesky accounts. All tools on this list use secure OAuth authentication.
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Recreate your posting schedule. Set up your content calendar, time slots, and posting cadence in the new tool. If you chose a tool with bulk scheduling, you can re-upload your exported content to get back up and running quickly. Our guide on how to schedule social media posts covers this step in detail.
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Invite your team. Add team members, set permissions, and configure approval workflows if applicable.
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Cancel Buffer. Once you have verified everything works in the new tool, cancel your Buffer subscription from your Buffer dashboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free alternative to Buffer?
If you need a free plan with real functionality, Metricool and Publer are the strongest options. Metricool's free plan includes analytics for one brand, while Publer's free plan supports 3 social accounts with basic scheduling. Planable offers 50 free posts with unlimited users, which is useful for testing collaboration features. Loomly also has a free plan with 3 accounts and 1 user. For a broader comparison of free and paid tools, see our social media scheduling tools guide.
Is PostPlanify better than Buffer?
It depends on your needs. PostPlanify uses flat pricing instead of Buffer's per-channel model, and offers a faster single-screen workflow, advanced analytics, bulk scheduling, and a built-in media library. Buffer has a more mature mobile app, supports more platforms (11 vs 9), and has a longer track record. Read our full Buffer vs PostPlanify comparison for a detailed breakdown.
Which Buffer alternative is best for agencies?
SocialPilot and Sendible are the strongest agency-focused alternatives. SocialPilot offers bulk scheduling, client management, and white-label reports starting at $100/month for 6 users and 25 accounts. Sendible adds white-label dashboards where clients see your branding instead of Sendible's. PostPlanify's Premium plan ($99/month) includes unlimited accounts, unlimited team members, analytics, and approval workflows — making it a strong option for agencies that want simplicity over complexity.
Which Buffer alternative is cheapest?
Publer's paid plans start at $12/month for 3 social accounts, making it the cheapest option on this list. Metricool starts at $22/month for up to 10 brands with analytics included.
Can I schedule posts to all the same platforms as Buffer?
Most alternatives support the major platforms: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads. Buffer uniquely supports Google Business Profile and Mastodon. PostPlanify uniquely supports Bluesky. Agorapulse supports 11 platforms including Google Business Profile and Reddit. Check each tool's platform list to make sure your specific networks are covered.
Do any Buffer alternatives offer a social inbox?
Yes. Agorapulse has the most powerful social inbox with automated rules and message assignment. Hootsuite and Sprout Social also include robust inbox features. SocialPilot, Sendible, and Loomly offer basic inbox functionality. Buffer itself includes a community inbox on paid plans.
Which Buffer alternative has the best AI features?
PostPlanify offers brand-aware AI caption generation and AI image generation integrated directly into the posting flow. Publer includes GPT-4 powered captions and DALL-E 3 image generation. SocialBee includes Copilot AI for content suggestions and generation. Hootsuite has OwlyWriter AI for captions. Most tools on this list now include some form of AI-assisted content creation, but the depth and quality vary significantly.
Final Thoughts
Buffer is a solid tool, especially for individuals managing 1-3 social accounts on its free plan. But once you start scaling — more accounts, more platforms, more team members — the per-channel pricing and workflow limitations become real friction points. If you want to see what actual users think, our Buffer reviews breakdown covers the most common praise and complaints.
The best alternative depends on what matters most to you: simplicity and speed (PostPlanify), enterprise features (Hootsuite or Sprout Social), content recycling (SocialBee), visual planning (Later), agency tools (SocialPilot or Sendible), budget (Publer or Metricool), collaboration (Planable or Loomly), or community management (Agorapulse).
Most tools on this list offer free trials, so the best way to decide is to test 2-3 options with your actual workflow before committing. For more social media strategy resources, check out our best social media management platform guide, social media best practices, and best times to post on social media.
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About the Author
Hasan Cagli
Founder of PostPlanify, a content and social media scheduling platform. He focuses on building systems that help creators, businesses, and teams plan, publish, and manage content more efficiently across platforms.
