Buffer Pricing 2026: Plans, Costs & Complete Breakdown
TL;DR - Quick Answer
15 min readTips you can use today. What works and what doesn't.
Quick answer: Buffer uses per-channel pricing starting at $6/month per channel. Free plan available with 3 channels and 10 posts each.
Simple pricing, but costs add up with more channels. For a complete analysis of Buffer's features, pros, and cons, see our Buffer review 2026.
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Buffer Pricing Table 2026
Annual billing saves 20%.
What Each Plan Includes
Free ($0/month)
Good for testing. You get:
- 3 channels
- 1 user
- 10 scheduled posts per channel
- Basic publishing tools
- Landing page builder
Limit: 10 posts per channel is restrictive for active accounts.
Essentials ($6/channel/month)
Best for solo creators. Adds:
- Unlimited channels (pay per channel)
- 1 user
- Unlimited scheduling
- Engagement tools
- Advanced analytics
- AI Assistant
Example cost: 5 channels = $30/month.
Team ($12/channel/month)
For teams and agencies. Adds:
- Unlimited users
- Approval workflows
- Custom permissions
- Draft collaboration
- Team analytics
Example cost: 10 channels + 3 users = $120/month.
You manage 5 social accounts solo. What's your monthly Buffer cost on Essentials?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Buffer's Per-Channel Pricing Explained
Buffer charges per social channel, not per user or flat rate:
Channels = individual profiles:
- 1 Instagram account = 1 channel
- 1 Facebook page = 1 channel
- 1 LinkedIn profile = 1 channel
Cost calculation:
Advantage: Only pay for what you use. Disadvantage: Gets expensive at scale. If you prefer flat-rate pricing, Enji offers $29/month unlimited for small businesses.
Your agency manages 20 client accounts. What's Buffer Team's monthly cost?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Key Features by Plan
Key insight: AI Assistant requires Essentials or higher.
Buffer vs Competitors
Annual Cost Comparison (5 Channels)
Buffer wins on simplicity. SocialRails wins on features per dollar. For visual planning alternatives, see Later vs Buffer.
You want AI content AND team collaboration. What's the issue with Buffer Essentials?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
What Buffer Does Well
Simple Interface
Buffer's core strength:
- Clean dashboard — no clutter
- Easy scheduling — drag and drop
- Quick setup — connect in minutes
- Intuitive flow — minimal learning curve
Best for users who want straightforward scheduling.
AI Assistant
Included on paid plans:
- Caption suggestions
- Content ideas
- Repurposing help
- Hashtag recommendations
Analytics
Track performance:
- Post engagement
- Best times to post
- Audience growth
- Export reports
What Buffer Lacks
No visual content calendar Buffer's calendar is basic. No Instagram grid preview.
Per-channel pricing adds up 10+ channels gets expensive fast.
Limited social listening No brand monitoring or mention tracking. If you need social listening, see Vista Social which includes it in all paid plans.
No video creation tools You'll need external tools for video content.
Basic AI compared to others AI Assistant is helpful but limited vs. dedicated AI tools.
Is Buffer Worth It?
Worth it if you:
- Manage fewer than 10 channels
- Want simple, no-frills scheduling
- Work solo or small team
- Value clean interface over features
- Need basic AI assistance
Not worth it if you:
- Manage 15+ channels (costs escalate)
- Need advanced visual planning
- Want full AI content creation
- Require social listening
- Need video creation tools
Free Plan Details
Unlimited time, with limits:
What you get:
- 3 channels
- 10 posts per channel
- Basic publishing
- Landing page builder
Good for: Testing Buffer before committing.
Limitation: 10 posts/channel won't last a week for active accounts.
You post 3 times daily on Instagram. How long will Buffer's free plan last?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Special Discounts
Nonprofit Discount
Buffer offers 50% off for registered nonprofits and charities.
Essentials: $3/channel/month Team: $6/channel/month
See Buffer nonprofit pricing →Best Alternatives
SocialRails — Best Value
Same price, but SocialRails adds unlimited AI and video tools.
Hootsuite — For Enterprise
Later — For Visual Planning
Compare Buffer to other tools: Planable vs Buffer, Publer vs Buffer, or Agorapulse vs Buffer.
See all Buffer alternatives →Quick Answers
How much does Buffer cost? Free for 3 channels. Paid plans: $6-12/channel/month. Example: 5 channels on Essentials = $30/month.
Is there a free plan? Yes. 3 channels, 10 posts each, unlimited time.
What's a channel in Buffer? One social profile. Instagram account = 1 channel. Facebook page = 1 channel.
Does Buffer have AI features? Yes, AI Assistant on paid plans. Basic compared to dedicated AI tools.
Is Buffer cheaper than Hootsuite? Yes, significantly. Buffer 5 channels ($30) vs Hootsuite Pro ($99).
What platforms does Buffer support? Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, TikTok, Mastodon, YouTube.
Summary
Buffer pricing:
- Free: $0 (3 channels, 10 posts each)
- Essentials: $6/channel/month (unlimited posts)
- Team: $12/channel/month (unlimited users)
- Agency: $120+ base (10+ channels)
Best for: Simple scheduling, solo creators, small teams, clean interface lovers.
Missing: Visual planner, video tools, advanced AI, social listening.
Best alternative: SocialRails at $29/month with unlimited AI content.
Done comparing? Try the Buffer alternative that does more
Post images, videos & carousels to 9 platforms. AI helps with captions. One flat price.
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Competitor Pricing:
- Hootsuite Pricing
- Later Pricing
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- Postly Pricing
- Postcron Pricing
- Radaar Pricing
- MavSocial Pricing — $29/month with built-in ad management
- SocialFlow Pricing — Enterprise publisher pricing
- Loomly Pricing
- SocialBee Pricing
- Sprout Social Pricing
- SocialPilot Pricing
- Agorapulse Pricing
- Sendible Pricing
- Metricool Pricing
- Statusbrew Pricing
- RecurPost Pricing
- Lately Pricing
- Sociality Pricing
- Viraltag Pricing
- Post Bridge Pricing
- Postpone Pricing — Reddit-focused scheduler
- Lomavis Pricing — German social media tool
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