Comparisons

Cheaper Than Postly: Budget Social Media Tools 2026

Matt
Matt
8 min read

TL;DR - Quick Answer

5 min read

Quick tool comparison. Features, pricing, and what works best for your needs.

Quick answer: Postly at $3/month is already the cheapest AI tool. Only free options (Postly Free, Buffer Free) cost less.

Create content, post everywhere

Create posts, images, and carousels with AI. Schedule to 9 platforms in seconds.

Start your free trial

Postly Pricing

PlanMonthlyChannelsAI
Free$0220k credits
Basic$33Unlimited

At $3/month for unlimited AI, Postly is hard to undercut.


Free Alternatives

ToolPriceChannelsAI
Postly Free$0220k credits
Buffer Free$03None
Later Free$04None

Quick Quiz
Easy

Which free tool includes AI features?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


Free Options Compared

Postly Free

  • 2 channels
  • 50 scheduled posts
  • 20k AI credits/month
  • Limited storage

Best for: AI on zero budget.

Buffer Free

  • 3 channels
  • 30 posts total
  • No AI
  • Clean interface

Best for: Simple scheduling without AI.

Later Free

  • 1 profile per platform
  • 5 posts/week
  • No AI
  • Visual planning

Best for: Instagram visual preview.


Quick Quiz
Easy

You want AI and pay nothing. Best choice?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


Is $3 Worth It Over Free?

FeaturePostly FreePostly Basic
Price$0$3/mo
Channels23
Posts50Unlimited
AI20k creditsUnlimited
Storage1GB100GB

Upgrade for: More posts, unlimited AI, extra storage.


Annual Cost Comparison

ToolMonthlyAnnual
Postly Free$0$0
Buffer Free$0$0
Postly Basic$3$36

$36/year for unlimited AI is exceptional value.


Quick Quiz
Medium

Best value: pay $36/year for unlimited AI or use free with limits?

💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!


The Reality

You can't really beat Postly on price for AI tools:

ToolAI Price
Postly$3/mo
Buffer$18+/mo (basic AI)
SocialRails$29/mo
Hootsuite$99/mo

Postly is 6-30x cheaper for AI than alternatives.


Bottom Line

Cheapest with AI: Postly at $3/month (or Postly Free at $0) Cheapest without AI: Buffer Free at $0

For unlimited AI + unlimited channels, try SocialRails at $29/month.

Create content, post everywhere

Create posts, images, and carousels with AI. Schedule to 9 platforms in seconds.

Start your free trial

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