Choosing between Buffer and Hootsuite is one of the most common decisions in social media management. Both are well-known, but they serve very different users at very different price points.
In this comparison, we break down Buffer vs Hootsuite across pricing, features, platform support, user reviews, and real-world fit — so you can pick the right tool without overpaying. Looking at more tools? Browse all social media scheduling alternatives.
Buffer vs Hootsuite at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/mo per channel | €149/mo per user |
| Free Plan | Yes (3 channels) | No (30-day trial) |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 8+ |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (paid plans) | Yes (all plans) |
| AI Tools | AI Assistant (captions) | OwlyWriter AI (captions + images) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No |
| Bulk Scheduling | CSV import | Up to 350 posts (Advanced) |
| Team Collaboration | Team plan ($12/mo/channel) | Advanced plan (€399/mo/user) |
| Approval Workflows | Team plan only | Advanced plan only |
| Social Inbox | Basic (Community Inbox) | Full unified inbox |
| Social Listening | No | Yes (Advanced+) |
| Analytics | Basic to Advanced | Standard to Custom reports |
| G2 Rating | 4.3/5 (1,023 reviews) | 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 2.1/5 (93 reviews) | 1.8/5 (511 reviews) |
| Best For | Solo creators, small teams | Enterprises, large agencies |
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 scheduling experience without a steep learning curve. For a deeper look, see what users say about Buffer on G2 and Trustpilot.
Hootsuite Overview
Hootsuite is an enterprise-grade social media management platform, also founded in 2008. It offers a much broader feature set including scheduling, a unified social inbox, analytics, social listening, team collaboration, and paid ad management.
Hootsuite supports 8+ platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads.
Key features:
- Unified inbox for messages, comments, and DMs
- OwlyWriter AI for caption and image generation
- Social listening and brand monitoring
- Advanced analytics with custom reports
- Team approval workflows and DM assignment
- Employee advocacy tools (Amplify)
- Competitor benchmarking
Hootsuite is positioned for larger teams, agencies, and enterprise organizations that need social listening, advanced reporting, and structured team workflows. Read real user reviews of Hootsuite from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
Pricing is where Buffer and Hootsuite diverge most. They use completely different pricing models.
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
Hootsuite Pricing
Hootsuite uses per-user pricing with much higher base costs. See the full Hootsuite pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Accounts | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | €149/mo per user | 10 | Scheduling, basic analytics, 7-day monitoring |
| Advanced | €399/mo per user | 50 | Custom reports, approval workflows, 30-day monitoring, bulk scheduling |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | SSO, unlimited users, dedicated support |
Example costs:
- 1 user on Standard = €149/month
- 3 users on Advanced = €1,197/month
- 5 users on Standard = €745/month
Price Verdict
Buffer is significantly cheaper for most use cases. A solo creator pays $6/month on Buffer vs €149/month on Hootsuite. Even a small team managing 10 accounts pays $120/month on Buffer's Team plan vs €149+/month for a single Hootsuite user.
Hootsuite's pricing only makes sense for large organizations that need enterprise-level social listening, compliance tools, and Salesforce integrations.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
Both tools offer unlimited post scheduling on paid plans. The main differences:
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Yes (paid plans) | Yes (all plans) |
| Bulk scheduling | CSV import | Up to 350 posts (Advanced) |
| Best time to post | No | Yes |
| First comment scheduling | Yes (Essentials+) | No |
| Content calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Post queue management | Yes | Yes |
| Draft saving | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Tie. Buffer has first comment scheduling. Hootsuite has best time to post and more powerful bulk scheduling. Both get the core job done.
AI Tools
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (AI Assistant) | Yes (OwlyWriter AI) |
| AI image generation | No | No |
| AI post ideas | Yes (100 free, unlimited paid) | Yes |
| AI content rewriting | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Tie. Both offer AI caption generation. Neither offers AI image generation.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans | All plans |
| Advanced analytics | Essentials+ | Standard+ |
| Custom reports | No | Advanced only |
| Competitor benchmarking | No | Yes (5-20 competitors) |
| Export reports | Yes | Advanced only |
| Scheduled reports | No | Advanced only |
Winner: Hootsuite — if you need deep analytics, competitor benchmarking, and custom reporting. But these features require the expensive Advanced plan (€399/mo/user).
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple users | Team plan | All paid plans |
| Approval workflows | Team plan | Advanced plan |
| User permissions | Team plan | Advanced plan |
| DM assignment | No | Yes |
| Saved replies | No | Advanced plan |
Winner: Hootsuite for advanced team features like DM assignment and saved replies, but at a much higher price point. Buffer covers the basics (approvals, permissions) on the Team plan at $12/channel/month.
Social Inbox & Engagement
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Unified inbox | Basic (Community Inbox) | Full unified inbox |
| Social listening | No | Yes (Advanced+) |
| Sentiment analysis | No | Yes |
| Brand monitoring | No | Yes (7-30 day lookback) |
| Auto-responses | No | Advanced plan |
Winner: Hootsuite. This is Hootsuite's biggest advantage. If social listening and inbox management are critical to your workflow, Hootsuite delivers. Buffer's community inbox is basic by comparison.
Platform Support
| Platform | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X/Twitter | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Bluesky | Yes | No |
| Mastodon | Yes | No |
| Google Business | Yes | No |
Winner: Buffer — supports 11 platforms vs Hootsuite's 8+. Buffer includes Bluesky, Mastodon, and Google Business Profile, which Hootsuite does not.
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.
Hootsuite Reviews
G2: 4.3/5 (6,615 reviews) — Users value the centralized management and scheduling tools. Common complaints include expensive pricing, missing features on lower plans, posting issues, and slow customer support.
Trustpilot: 1.8/5 (511 reviews) — Significantly lower rating with widespread complaints about billing issues, unexpected charges, difficult cancellation processes, and poor customer support.
Review Verdict
Both tools have identical G2 ratings (4.3/5), but Hootsuite's much larger review base (6,615 vs 1,023) gives it more statistical weight. On Trustpilot, both score poorly — Buffer at 2.1/5 and Hootsuite at 1.8/5 — suggesting customer support and billing issues are common pain points across both platforms.
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.
Buffer is the better choice if you:
- Are a solo creator or freelancer on a budget
- Need a simple, clean interface without a learning curve
- Want to schedule posts across 11 platforms including Bluesky and Mastodon
- Don't need social listening, advanced analytics, or a full social inbox
- Prefer per-channel pricing that starts low ($6/mo)
Who Should Use Hootsuite?
If Hootsuite is on your shortlist, you may also want to see our top alternatives to Hootsuite before committing.
Hootsuite is the better choice if you:
- Are an enterprise or large agency with dedicated social media teams
- Need a unified social inbox with DM assignment and auto-responses
- Require social listening and brand monitoring
- Want competitor benchmarking and custom analytics reports
- Have the budget for €149-€399+/month per user
- Need Salesforce integration, SSO, or compliance tools
A Better Alternative to Both
If Buffer feels too basic and Hootsuite feels too expensive, there's a middle ground.
PostPlanify combines the simplicity of Buffer with features that would cost hundreds on Hootsuite — at a flat monthly rate with no per-channel or per-user fees.
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/mo/channel | €149/mo/user | $19/mo flat |
| Unlimited Accounts | Scales per channel | €399/mo/user | $99/mo (Premium) |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI Image Generation | No | No | Yes |
| Canva Integration | No | Yes | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | $12/mo/channel | €399/mo/user | $99/mo (Premium) |
| First Comment Scheduling | Yes | No | Yes (Growth+) |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 8+ | 9 |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Paid plans | All 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 €399+/month on Hootsuite. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
FAQ
Is Buffer cheaper than Hootsuite?
Yes. Buffer starts at $6/month per channel with a free plan available. Hootsuite starts at €149/month per user with no free plan. For most solo creators and small teams, Buffer is significantly more affordable.
Does Hootsuite have a free plan?
No. Hootsuite discontinued its free plan. It now offers a 30-day free trial on paid plans. Buffer still offers a free plan with 3 channels and 10 posts per channel.
Which has better analytics — Buffer or Hootsuite?
Hootsuite has more advanced analytics with custom reports, competitor benchmarking, and scheduled report delivery — but these features require the Advanced plan at €399/month per user. Buffer offers basic to advanced analytics on paid plans, which is sufficient for most creators and small businesses.
Can I switch from Hootsuite to Buffer?
Yes. You can export your content from Hootsuite and reconnect your social accounts to Buffer. Buffer supports CSV import for bulk scheduling. The transition typically takes less than an hour.
Which supports more social media platforms?
Buffer supports 11 platforms (including Bluesky, Mastodon, and Google Business Profile). Hootsuite supports 8+ platforms. Buffer has wider platform coverage.
Is Hootsuite worth it for small businesses?
For most small businesses, Hootsuite is too expensive. At €149/month per user for the Standard plan, even a single-user setup costs more than most small business social media budgets. Buffer or PostPlanify offer better value for small teams.
Does Buffer have social listening?
No. Buffer does not offer social listening or brand monitoring. If you need these features, Hootsuite includes them on the Advanced plan, or you can use a dedicated listening tool alongside a more affordable scheduler like PostPlanify.
Which is easier to use — Buffer or Hootsuite?
Buffer is widely considered easier to use. Its clean, minimal interface requires almost no learning curve. Hootsuite has a steeper learning curve due to its broader feature set, and some users describe the interface as cluttered.
