Buffer and Later are two of the most popular scheduling tools among creators, freelancers, and small teams. Both focus on simplicity over enterprise features — but they take different approaches to pricing, platform support, and content planning.
In this comparison, we break down Buffer vs Later 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 Later at a Glance
Here's a quick side-by-side overview before we dive deeper:
| Category | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/mo per channel | $25/mo (1 Social Set) |
| Free Plan | Yes (3 channels) | No (14-day trial) |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 8 |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Yes (paid plans) | Scale plan only |
| AI Tools | AI Assistant (captions) | AI content tools (credit-based) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No |
| Link in Bio | Yes (Start Page) | Yes |
| Team Collaboration | Team plan ($12/mo/channel) | Growth plan ($50/mo) |
| Approval Workflows | Team plan only | Growth plan |
| Social Inbox | Basic (Community Inbox) | Growth plan |
| Analytics | Basic to Advanced | 3 months to 2 years |
| G2 Rating | 4.3/5 (1,023 reviews) | 4.5/5 (347 reviews) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 2.1/5 (93 reviews) | 1.3/5 (329 reviews) |
| Best For | Multi-platform creators | Visual-first Instagram/TikTok creators |
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 across many platforms. For a deeper look, see what users say about Buffer on G2 and Trustpilot.
Later Overview
Later is a visual-first social media platform built around content planning and scheduling. Originally focused on Instagram, it has expanded to support multiple platforms while keeping its visual calendar at the core.
Later supports 8 platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X/Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and Threads.
Key features:
- Visual content calendar and media library
- AI content tools with monthly credit system
- Link in Bio page
- Social inbox (Growth+)
- UGC collection (Growth+)
- Smart Scheduling with Future Trends
- Competitive benchmarking (Scale)
Later targets creators and brands that prioritize visual content planning, especially on Instagram and TikTok. Read real user reviews of Later from G2 and Trustpilot.
Pricing Comparison
Buffer and Later use different pricing models — Buffer charges per channel, Later charges per Social Set (a bundle of profiles across platforms).
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
Later Pricing
Later uses Social Set pricing — each set bundles one profile per platform. See the full Later pricing breakdown for details.
| Plan | Price | Social Sets | Users | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | $25/mo | 1 (8 profiles) | 1 | 30 posts/profile, 5 AI credits, 3-month analytics |
| Growth | $50/mo | 2 (16 profiles) | 2 | 180 posts/profile, 50 AI credits, approvals, inbox |
| Scale | $110/mo | 6 (48 profiles) | 4 | Unlimited posts, 100 AI credits, custom analytics |
Example costs:
- 1 Social Set on Starter = $25/month
- 2 Social Sets on Growth = $50/month
- Extra Social Sets = $15/month each
Price Verdict
Buffer is cheaper for most creators. A solo creator managing 3 accounts pays $0/month on Buffer's free plan vs $25/month on Later's Starter. Even on paid plans, 5 channels on Buffer Essentials costs $30/month vs $50/month for Later's Growth plan with similar capabilities.
Later gets expensive once you add extra Social Sets ($15/month each), extra users ($5/month each), and extra AI credits ($5/month for 100). Buffer's per-channel pricing is more predictable.
However, Later's Growth plan includes features (social inbox, approvals, UGC) that require Buffer's more expensive Team plan.
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited scheduling | Yes (paid plans) | Scale plan only |
| Post limits | None (paid) | 30-180 per profile |
| Best time to post | No | Yes (Smart Scheduling) |
| First comment scheduling | Yes (Essentials+) | No |
| Content calendar | Yes | Yes (visual) |
| Bulk scheduling | CSV import | No |
| Draft saving | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Buffer — unlimited scheduling on all paid plans with no per-profile limits. Later restricts posts to 30-180 per profile on Starter and Growth, with unlimited only on the $110/month Scale plan.
AI Tools
| Feature | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| AI caption generation | Yes (AI Assistant) | Yes (credit-based) |
| AI image generation | No | No |
| AI post ideas | Yes (unlimited on paid) | Limited by credits |
| AI credits system | No (unlimited) | 5-100 credits/month |
Winner: Buffer — unlimited AI usage on paid plans. Later's credit system (5 credits on Starter, 50 on Growth, 100 on Scale) limits how much AI you can use, and extra credits cost $5/month per 100.
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Basic analytics | All plans | All plans |
| Analytics history | Advanced | 3 months to 2 years |
| Custom analytics | No | Scale only |
| Competitor benchmarking | No | Scale only |
| Export reports | Yes | Scale only |
Winner: Later on the Scale plan — custom analytics, competitive benchmarking, and up to 2 years of data history. But these features require the $110/month plan. Buffer's analytics are simpler but available on cheaper plans.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple users | Team plan | Growth+ (2-4 users) |
| Approval workflows | Team plan | Growth plan |
| Custom roles | Team plan | Growth plan |
| External approvals | No | Growth plan |
Winner: Later — includes both internal and external approval workflows on the Growth plan, which is useful for client-facing teams. Buffer covers internal approvals on the Team plan.
Content & Creative Tools
| Feature | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| Link in Bio | Yes (Start Page) | Yes |
| Media library | Basic | Yes (visual-first) |
| UGC collection | No | Growth+ |
| Canva integration | No | No |
| Google Drive import | No | No |
Winner: Later — stronger visual planning with a media library and UGC collection. Buffer's Start Page covers link-in-bio, but Later's content tools are more developed for visual-first workflows.
Platform Support
| Platform | Buffer | Later |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Later's 8. Buffer includes Bluesky, Mastodon, and Google Business Profile, which Later 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, and sync issues with social platforms.
Later Reviews
G2: 4.5/5 (347 reviews) — Users appreciate the ease of use, scheduling features, and multi-platform support. Top complaints include limited features, publishing limitations, and Instagram-specific restrictions.
Trustpilot: 1.3/5 (329 reviews) — Very low rating with widespread complaints about unexpected charges, difficulty canceling subscriptions, and denied refunds.
Review Verdict
Later scores higher on G2 (4.5 vs 4.3), but with far fewer reviews (347 vs 1,023). On Trustpilot, Later scores significantly worse than Buffer (1.3/5 vs 2.1/5) — billing and cancellation issues are a major pain point for Later users.
Who Should Use Buffer?
If Buffer sounds right 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 who wants the cheapest option
- Need to schedule across 11 platforms including Bluesky and Mastodon
- Want unlimited AI usage without a credit system
- Prefer per-channel pricing that starts at $6/month (or free)
- Need unlimited scheduling on all paid plans without post limits
Who Should Use Later?
If Later is on your shortlist, you may also want to see our top alternatives to Later before committing.
Later is the better choice if you:
- Are a visual-first creator focused on Instagram and TikTok
- Need a visual content calendar and media library
- Want UGC collection tools built in
- Need external approval workflows for client work
- Prefer Smart Scheduling with trend-based timing suggestions
A Better Alternative to Both
If Buffer feels too basic and Later's credit limits and add-on costs feel restrictive, there's a middle ground.
PostPlanify gives you unlimited scheduling, AI tools without credit limits, and team features — all at a flat monthly rate.
| Feature | Buffer | Later | PostPlanify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $6/mo/channel | $25/mo | $19/mo flat |
| Unlimited Scheduling | Paid plans | $110/mo plan only | All paid plans |
| AI Caption Generation | Yes (unlimited) | Yes (credit-based) | Yes (unlimited) |
| AI Image Generation | No | No | Yes |
| Canva Integration | No | No | Yes |
| Google Drive Import | No | No | Yes |
| Approval Workflows | $12/mo/channel | $50/mo | $99/mo (Premium) |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 8 | 9 |
| Link in Bio | Yes | Yes | No |
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, and approval workflows. See all plans on the PostPlanify pricing page.
FAQ
Is Buffer cheaper than Later?
Yes. Buffer offers a free plan with 3 channels and paid plans starting at $6/month per channel. Later starts at $25/month with no free plan. For most solo creators, Buffer is significantly more affordable.
Does Later have a free plan?
No. Later discontinued its free plan. It now offers a 14-day free trial on paid plans. Buffer still offers a free plan with 3 channels.
Which has better analytics — Buffer or Later?
Later's Scale plan ($110/month) offers custom analytics, competitive benchmarking, and up to 2 years of data history. Buffer's analytics are simpler but available on cheaper plans. For deep analytics, Later wins — but at a higher price.
Can I switch from Later to Buffer?
Yes. You can reconnect your social accounts to Buffer and start scheduling. Buffer supports CSV import for bulk scheduling. The main difference you'll notice is Buffer's wider platform support and simpler pricing.
Which supports more social media platforms?
Buffer supports 11 platforms (including Bluesky, Mastodon, and Google Business Profile). Later supports 8 platforms. Buffer has wider platform coverage.
Is Later worth it for small businesses?
Later can work for small businesses focused on visual content, but the post limits on Starter (30/profile) and Growth (180/profile) plans can be restrictive. Add-on costs for extra Social Sets, users, and AI credits add up quickly. Buffer or PostPlanify offer more predictable pricing for small teams.
Does Buffer have a visual content planner?
Buffer has a content calendar but it's not as visual-first as Later's media library and drag-and-drop planner. If visual content planning is your top priority, Later has the edge.
Which is easier to use — Buffer or Later?
Both are considered easy to use compared to enterprise tools. Buffer has a cleaner, more minimal interface. Later is more visual and media-focused. The choice depends on your workflow preference.
