Buffer

Buffer is a social media management tool. It lets you schedule posts to a dozen networks from one queue, reply to comments in one inbox and see what performs. You pay per connected channel, and there is a free plan for up to three channels.

Who is Buffer for?

Buffer suits small businesses, solo marketers and creators who want a simple way to plan and schedule posts without a large monthly bill. The Team plan adds unlimited users and approval workflows, so small agencies and marketing teams can use it too. Large teams that need deep analytics or social listening may outgrow it, as G2 reviewers note below.

What does Buffer do?

Scheduling and publishing

You connect your channels and add posts to a queue or calendar. Buffer supports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, Google Business, Mastodon, X and Substack. You can tailor each post per network. Paid plans add first comment scheduling and a hashtag manager. For ideas on what to post, read our Instagram marketing strategies or LinkedIn marketing strategies.

Ideas and AI

The Create tab holds post ideas so you can collect and repurpose content before it is scheduled. The AI Assistant helps brainstorm, rewrite and adapt posts for each platform.

Community inbox

Comments from your connected channels land in one place, so you can sort and reply without switching apps. On the free plan, AI reply suggestions are limited to five a week.

Analytics

Every plan includes insights on how posts perform. Essentials adds advanced analytics, and Team adds branded reports for clients or managers. See how to measure social media marketing success for what to track.

Start Page

Start Page is a simple link-in-bio page you can customize. It is included on all plans but counts as one of your channels.

How much does Buffer cost?

Prices checked on 1 November 2026 on Buffer's pricing page, for one channel:

You pay the plan price for each channel you connect, and Buffer says channels above 10 cost less each. Essentials and Team come with a 14-day free trial.

What do users say about Buffer?

Buffer is rated 4.3 out of 5 from 1,042 reviews on G2 at the time of checking. In G2's summary of recent reviews, users praise its simple, intuitive design, easy post scheduling, the range of supported networks and the time it saves.

The complaints in the same summary are analytics that are too basic for larger teams, price once you add many channels or advanced features, posts that occasionally fail to publish, and limited engagement features.

When should you choose an alternative?

• You need deeper analytics for a larger team. Compare other social media management tools such as Hootsuite or Later on reporting before you commit.
• You connect many channels. Per-channel pricing adds up, so price out your full set of accounts on each tool.
• You want to track brand mentions, not publish. A monitoring tool such as Brand24 fits better.

For a wider comparison, read the best social media tools for marketers, or browse all social media tools.