Choosing between Buffer or CoSchedule comes down to what kind of tool you actually need. Buffer is a straightforward social media scheduler built for creators and small teams. CoSchedule is an editorial calendar and content marketing platform designed for WordPress bloggers and marketing departments.
In this 2026 comparison, we put a simple social scheduler against a full marketing suite — these tools barely overlap. We compare them anyway, because understanding the differences helps you avoid paying for features you don't need (or missing ones you do). Here's the full analysis. Want more options? Browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Buffer vs CoSchedule at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/mo per channel | $19/mo per user (annual) |
| Free Plan | Yes (3 channels) | Yes (1 user, 1 profile, 15 messages) |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 11 (X/Twitter costs extra) |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (paid plans) | Yes (paid plans) |
| AI Tools | AI Assistant (captions) | Hire Mia AI (1,600+ templates, image gen) |
| AI Image Generation | No | Yes |
| Bulk Scheduling | CSV import | Yes (Social Calendar+) |
| Team Collaboration | Team plan ($12/mo/channel) | Social Calendar ($19/mo/user) |
| Approval Workflows | Team plan only | Agency Calendar ($59/mo/user) |
| Social Inbox | Basic (Community Inbox) | FB/IG on Social, all networks on Agency+ |
| Social Listening | No | No |
| Analytics | Basic to Advanced | Basic social analytics |
| Content Marketing Calendar | No | Yes (Content Calendar+) |
| WordPress Integration | No | Yes |
| G2 Rating | 4.3/5 (1,023 reviews) | 4.3/5 (152 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 2.1/5 (93 reviews) | 2.8/5 (3 reviews) |
| Best For | Solo creators, simple scheduling | WordPress bloggers, content marketing teams |
Buffer Overview
Buffer is one of the oldest social media scheduling tools, launched in 2010. It focuses on simplicity — a clean interface for scheduling posts, managing a basic content calendar, and viewing analytics.
Buffer supports 11 platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Google Business Profile, Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon.
Key features:
- Post scheduling with queue management
- AI Assistant for generating captions and post ideas
- Hashtag manager and first comment scheduling
- Basic community inbox
- Start Page (link-in-bio builder)
- Content calendar
Buffer is popular among solo creators and freelancers who want a no-frills social media scheduling experience without a steep learning curve. For a deeper look, see what users say about Buffer on G2 and Trustpilot.
CoSchedule Overview
CoSchedule is a marketing suite and editorial calendar platform that combines social media scheduling with content marketing planning. Unlike pure schedulers, CoSchedule is designed around a marketing calendar that coordinates blog posts, campaigns, and social publishing in one place.
CoSchedule supports 11 platforms: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, Google Business Profile, and X/Twitter — though X/Twitter requires a paid add-on ($8-25/profile/month) and is not available on the base Social Calendar plan.
Key features:
- Editorial/marketing calendar with drag-and-drop
- ReQueue for evergreen content recycling
- WordPress integration for blog post scheduling
- Hire Mia AI with 1,600+ templates and image generation
- Bulk social media scheduling
- White label features (Agency Calendar+)
- Approval workflows and social inbox
CoSchedule is positioned for WordPress bloggers, content marketers, and marketing teams who need to coordinate their social media content calendar alongside editorial content. Read real user reviews of CoSchedule from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
Pricing is where Buffer and CoSchedule take different approaches. Buffer charges per channel, while CoSchedule charges per user — and both models scale differently depending on your setup.
Buffer Pricing
Buffer uses per-channel pricing. Each social account you connect adds to your monthly cost. We break this down further in our Buffer pricing guide.
| Plan | Price | Channels | Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | 3 | 1 | 10 posts/channel, basic analytics |
| Essentials | $6/mo per channel | Unlimited | 1 | Unlimited posts, advanced analytics, hashtag manager |
| Team | $12/mo per channel | Unlimited | Unlimited | Approval workflows, permissions, team collaboration |
Example costs:
- 5 channels on Essentials = $30/month
- 10 channels on Team = $120/month
- 25 channels on Team = $300/month
CoSchedule Pricing
CoSchedule uses per-user pricing with profile limits. Additional profiles cost $5/month each, and X/Twitter requires a separate paid add-on. See the full CoSchedule pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Profiles | Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Calendar | $0/mo | 1 | 1 | 15 messages, basic calendar, AI assistant |
| Social Calendar | $19/user/mo (annual) | 3 | Up to 3 | ReQueue, bulk scheduling, social inbox (FB/IG) |
| Agency Calendar | $59/user/mo (annual) | 5 | Up to 3 | White label, all-network inbox, client calendars |
| Content Calendar | Custom | 5+ | Up to 5 | Kanban views, campaigns, custom fields |
| Marketing Suite | Custom | Custom | Custom | SSO, approval workflows, digital asset management |
Example costs:
- 1 user on Social Calendar = $19/month (annual) or $29/month (monthly)
- 3 users on Social Calendar = $57/month (annual)
- 3 users on Agency Calendar = $177/month (annual)
- X/Twitter add-on = $8-25/profile/month extra
Price Verdict
Buffer is cheaper for pure social scheduling. A solo creator pays $6/month per channel on Buffer vs $19/month per user on CoSchedule. For someone managing 5 social channels alone, Buffer costs $30/month on Essentials, while CoSchedule costs $19/month plus $10/month for 2 extra profiles ($29 total) — roughly comparable. But the moment you need X/Twitter on CoSchedule, the add-on fee ($8-25/profile/month) tips the balance.
CoSchedule's pricing makes more sense if you need the full editorial calendar, WordPress integration, and content marketing features. If you only need social scheduling, Buffer gives you more platforms for less money.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
Both tools offer unlimited post scheduling on paid plans, but their approaches differ. Buffer is built purely around social post queues, while CoSchedule centers on an editorial calendar.
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Yes (paid plans) | Yes (paid plans) |
| Bulk scheduling | CSV import | Yes (Social Calendar+) |
| Best time to post | No | Yes |
| First comment scheduling | Yes (Essentials+) | No |
| Content calendar | Yes | Yes (editorial calendar) |
| Post queue management | Yes | Yes |
| Evergreen content recycling | No | Yes (ReQueue) |
| WordPress integration | No | Yes |
| Draft saving | Yes | Yes |
Winner: CoSchedule — if you need an editorial calendar with evergreen recycling (ReQueue) and WordPress integration. Buffer wins on simplicity and first comment scheduling for Instagram.
AI Tools
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (AI Assistant) | Yes (Hire Mia AI) |
| AI image generation | No | Yes |
| AI post ideas | Yes (100 free, unlimited paid) | Yes (1,600+ templates) |
| AI content rewriting | Yes | Yes |
| Collaborative AI editor | No | Yes |
Winner: CoSchedule. Hire Mia AI offers significantly more with 1,600+ project templates, AI image generation, and a collaborative editor. Buffer's AI Assistant covers basic caption generation but lacks image creation. For a broader look at how AI is shaping social media tools, see our guide on AI social media tools.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans | Social Calendar+ |
| Advanced analytics | Essentials+ | No |
| Custom reports | No | No |
| Competitor benchmarking | No | No |
| Export reports | Yes | Limited |
| Campaign reports | No | Content Calendar+ (custom) |
Winner: Buffer — for social media analytics specifically. Buffer offers more detailed post-level and channel-level analytics on paid plans. CoSchedule's analytics are more limited and focused on campaign-level reporting on higher tiers. Neither tool offers deep analytics comparable to enterprise platforms — see our roundup of social media analytics tools for more robust options.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple users | Team plan | Social Calendar (up to 3) |
| Approval workflows | Team plan | Agency Calendar+ |
| User permissions | Team plan | Marketing Suite |
| White label | No | Agency Calendar+ |
| Client calendars | No | Agency Calendar+ (unlimited) |
| Read-only sharing | No | Agency Calendar+ |
Winner: CoSchedule for agency workflows — white label, client calendars, and read-only sharing are powerful for agencies. If approval workflows are critical to your team, CoSchedule delivers more depth. Buffer covers basic team needs (approvals, permissions) at $12/channel/month. CoSchedule's agency features require the $59/user/month Agency Calendar.
Content Marketing Integration
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress integration | No | Yes |
| Blog post scheduling | No | Yes |
| Marketing campaigns | No | Content Calendar+ |
| Kanban project views | No | Content Calendar+ |
| Custom project types | No | Content Calendar+ |
| Digital asset management | No | Marketing Suite |
Winner: CoSchedule. This is CoSchedule's core strength. If you publish blog content on WordPress and want to coordinate social promotion alongside blog posts, CoSchedule is purpose-built for this. Buffer has no content marketing features.
Platform Support
| Platform | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X/Twitter | Yes | Paid add-on ($8-25/mo) |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Bluesky | Yes | Yes |
| Mastodon | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Buffer. Both support 11 platforms, but Buffer includes all of them at no extra cost. CoSchedule charges $8-25/profile/month to add X/Twitter, and it is not available on the base Social Calendar plan at all. This is a significant hidden cost.
What Real Users Say
Buffer Reviews
G2: 4.3/5 (1,023 reviews) — Users praise Buffer's clean interface, ease of use, and efficient scheduling. Common complaints include limited analytics, rising costs at scale, and outdated UI.
Trustpilot: 2.1/5 (93 reviews) — Lower rating driven by complaints about customer support, scheduling glitches, posts not publishing, and sync issues with social platforms.
CoSchedule Reviews
G2: 4.3/5 (152 reviews) — Users value the marketing calendar organization and ease of use for content planning. Common complaints include outdated platform, terrible customer support, subscription cancellation nightmares, and limited social media features for the price.
Trustpilot: 2.8/5 (3 reviews) — Very limited review sample with an unclaimed profile. The few reviews show mixed feedback, and the unclaimed Trustpilot presence suggests CoSchedule is not actively monitoring customer feedback on this platform.
Review Verdict
Both tools share identical G2 ratings (4.3/5), but Buffer has a much larger review base (1,023 vs 152), giving its score more statistical weight. On Trustpilot, both score poorly — Buffer at 2.1/5 and CoSchedule at 2.8/5 — though CoSchedule's score is based on only 3 reviews. A recurring theme in CoSchedule reviews is difficulty canceling subscriptions and poor customer support responsiveness. Buffer reviews more commonly cite scheduling glitches and rising per-channel costs.
Review counts and ratings are as of February 2026 and are updated periodically.
Who Should Use Buffer?
If Buffer sounds right for you but you want to explore other options first, check out our best alternatives to Buffer. You can also see how Buffer stacks up against Hootsuite, Later, SocialBee, Agorapulse, Sendible, and Publer.
Buffer is the better choice if you need a lightweight social media management tool that prioritizes simplicity:
- Are a solo creator or freelancer who needs simple social scheduling
- Want a clean, minimal interface with almost no learning curve
- Need to schedule posts across 11 platforms including X/Twitter at no extra cost
- Prefer per-channel pricing that starts low ($6/mo)
- Don't need WordPress integration, editorial calendars, or content marketing tools
- Want first comment scheduling for Instagram engagement
- Are a small business looking for an affordable entry point into social scheduling
Who Should Use CoSchedule?
If CoSchedule is on your shortlist, you may also want to see our top alternatives to CoSchedule before committing. Also compare CoSchedule with Hootsuite, Later, Metricool, SocialBee, and Sprout Social.
CoSchedule is the better choice if you need a content marketing calendar that goes beyond basic social scheduling:
- Are a WordPress blogger who needs to coordinate blog and social publishing
- Run a content marketing team that needs editorial calendars and campaign planning
- Need ReQueue for evergreen content recycling to keep top posts in rotation
- Want agency features like white label, client calendars, and approval workflows
- Need AI image generation alongside caption creation
- Have the budget for $19-59/user/month plus profile add-on fees
Final Verdict
Buffer is the better choice if you are a solo creator, freelancer, or small team that needs a clean, affordable social scheduler with broad platform support and no learning curve.
CoSchedule is the better choice if you are a WordPress blogger or content marketing team that needs an editorial calendar, evergreen content recycling, and campaign coordination alongside social publishing.
For most social media managers and small businesses, Buffer delivers better value for pure scheduling, while CoSchedule justifies its higher price only if you actively use its content marketing and editorial calendar features. If neither tool fully meets your needs, PostPlanify offers AI-powered scheduling, Canva integration, and team collaboration at a flat monthly rate without per-channel or per-user pricing — see how it compares.
Modern Social Scheduling Without the Bloat
Buffer is clean but basic — no AI images, no approval workflows, no bulk scheduling. CoSchedule is powerful but bloated with marketing suite features most social teams never touch. PostPlanify is built for the modern social media workflow: AI-generated captions and images, Canva integration, team approvals, and platform previews — without project management features you don't need.
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/mo/channel | $19/mo/user | $19/mo flat |
| Unlimited Accounts | Scales per channel | $5/mo per extra profile | $99/mo (Premium) |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Image Generation | No | Yes | Yes |
| Canva Integration | No | No | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | $12/mo/channel | $59/mo/user (Agency) | $99/mo (Premium) |
| First Comment Scheduling | Yes | No | Yes (Growth+) |
| X/Twitter Included | Yes | Paid add-on ($8-25/mo) | Yes |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 11 (X/Twitter extra) | 9 |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Paid plans | Paid plans | All paid plans |
PostPlanify starts at $19/month for 3 accounts with unlimited scheduling and AI tools included. The Premium plan at $99/month includes unlimited accounts, unlimited team members, approval workflows, and analytics — features that cost $177+/month on CoSchedule's Agency Calendar for a 3-person team. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
Schedule the modern way — try PostPlanify free
FAQ
Is Buffer cheaper than CoSchedule?
For pure social scheduling, yes. Buffer starts at $6/month per channel with all platforms included. CoSchedule starts at $19/month per user with only 3 profiles and no X/Twitter support on the base plan. However, for small setups (1 user, 3 profiles), CoSchedule's $19/month is comparable to Buffer's cost for 3 channels ($18/month on Essentials).
Does CoSchedule include X/Twitter?
Not on the Social Calendar plan. X/Twitter profiles require the Agency Calendar ($59/user/month) or a paid add-on costing $8-25 per profile per month. This is a significant hidden cost that many users overlook when comparing base prices. Buffer includes X/Twitter on all plans, including the free tier, making it the more straightforward option if X/Twitter is a key part of your social media strategy.
Which has better analytics — Buffer or CoSchedule?
Buffer offers more detailed social media analytics on paid plans, including post-level performance and channel insights. CoSchedule's analytics are more limited and focused on campaign-level reporting on higher-tier plans. Neither matches enterprise-level analytics platforms like Sprout Social or Hootsuite.
Can I use CoSchedule just for social scheduling?
Yes, but it may be overkill. CoSchedule is built as a marketing suite with editorial calendars, project management, and campaign planning. If you only need social scheduling, you are paying for features you will not use. Buffer or PostPlanify are simpler and more cost-effective for pure social scheduling.
Does Buffer integrate with WordPress?
No. Buffer is a standalone social media scheduler with no WordPress integration. CoSchedule is purpose-built for WordPress users with direct blog post scheduling and social promotion coordination. If WordPress integration is essential for coordinating blog content and social media publishing in a unified calendar, CoSchedule is the better choice. Alternatively, tools like PostPlanify pair well with WordPress through their content calendar and scheduling workflows.
Which is easier to use — Buffer or CoSchedule?
Buffer is widely considered easier to use. Its minimal interface requires almost no learning curve. CoSchedule has a steeper learning curve because it is a full marketing suite with editorial calendars, project management, and campaign tools. Users who only need social scheduling often find CoSchedule overcomplicated.
Is CoSchedule good for agencies?
CoSchedule's Agency Calendar ($59/user/month) includes white label features, unlimited client calendars, and approval workflows, which are useful for agencies. However, the per-user pricing means a 3-person agency team pays $177/month minimum before adding extra profiles. Agencies managing many clients may find flat-rate alternatives like PostPlanify more cost-effective.
Which supports more social media platforms?
Both support 11 platforms, but Buffer includes all of them at no extra charge. CoSchedule charges $8-25/profile/month for X/Twitter as an add-on, and it is not available on the base Social Calendar plan. For full platform coverage without hidden fees, Buffer has the advantage.
Is CoSchedule worth it in 2026?
CoSchedule is worth it if you actively use its editorial calendar, WordPress integration, and content marketing features. For WordPress bloggers and content marketing teams who need to coordinate blog posts, campaigns, and social publishing in one place, CoSchedule delivers genuine value that pure social schedulers cannot match. However, if you only need social media scheduling, CoSchedule's $19-59/user/month pricing is hard to justify when simpler tools like Buffer or PostPlanify offer scheduling at a lower cost without the marketing suite overhead.
What is the best alternative to Buffer?
The best alternative to Buffer depends on what you need. If you want more AI features and Canva integration at a flat rate, PostPlanify is a strong option. For agency-level features like white label and client management, Sendible or CoSchedule's Agency Calendar are worth considering. If you need advanced analytics and social listening, Hootsuite or Sprout Social offer more depth. See our full list of social media management tools for a comprehensive breakdown.
Does CoSchedule offer a free trial?
Yes. CoSchedule offers a free Forever Calendar plan that includes 1 user, 1 social profile, and up to 15 scheduled messages. This is more of a permanent free tier than a time-limited trial, but it is quite restricted. There is no free trial for the paid Social Calendar, Agency Calendar, or Marketing Suite plans — you need to commit to a subscription or request a demo. Buffer's free plan is more generous with 3 channels and no message cap beyond 10 queued posts per channel.
