Planable vs Buffer 2026: Which Social Media Tool Wins?
TL;DR - Quick Answer
10 min readSee which tool is better for you. We compare pricing, features, and ease of use.
Planable: Best for team collaboration and approval workflows. (Full Planable review) Buffer: Best for simple, affordable scheduling. (Full Buffer review)
Agencies love Planable. Solo creators love Buffer.
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30-Second Answer
Pricing Comparison
Planable
Buffer
Key difference: Planable charges per user. Buffer charges per channel. Solo users with many accounts save with Buffer. Teams needing approvals save with Planable.
You're a solo marketer managing 8 social accounts. Which costs less?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Where Each Tool Wins
Planable Wins: Approval Workflows
Planable built the best content approval system:
- Multi-level approvals (internal → client → publish)
- Visual feedback with comments on posts
- Version history for all changes
- Role-based permissions
- Client workspaces for agency work
Buffer has no approval workflows.
Buffer Wins: Simplicity & Price
Buffer keeps things simple:
- Clean interface with zero learning curve
- $6/channel pricing that scales predictably
- Generous free plan (3 channels)
- Browser extension for quick sharing
- Consistent updates over 10+ years
Your agency needs clients to approve posts before publishing. Which tool?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Planable Wins: Visual Planning
Planable's calendar and grid view are superior:
- Feed preview shows exactly how posts look
- Drag-and-drop calendar
- Grid view for Instagram aesthetic planning
- Real-time collaboration on content
- Media library organization
Buffer Wins: Analytics
Buffer provides better performance insights:
- Post performance metrics
- Best time to post recommendations
- Engagement tracking
- Audience insights
- Report exports
Planable has minimal analytics.
Feature Comparison
Which tool has better built-in analytics?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Team Cost Comparison
Insight: Solo users managing few channels save with Buffer. Teams needing approval workflows justify Planable's cost.
Who Should Pick What
Choose Planable if you:
- Need client approval workflows
- Work as an agency with multiple clients
- Want visual content planning
- Have teams reviewing content
- Need collaboration features
Choose Buffer if you:
- Want simple, affordable scheduling
- Are a solo creator or small team
- Need solid analytics
- Want predictable per-channel pricing
- Prefer established, stable tools
Neither Is Perfect
Both tools lack:
Better Alternative
Want approval workflows AND affordable pricing?
Try SocialRails free →Final decision: You're an agency managing 5 client accounts with approval needs. Best choice?
💡 Tip: Think carefully before selecting your answer!
Quick Answers
Which is cheaper? Buffer for solo users. Planable can be cheaper for teams managing many channels with one user.
Which has approval workflows? Only Planable. Buffer has no approval system.
Which has better analytics? Buffer. Planable focuses on planning, not performance.
Which is easier? Tie. Both have clean, intuitive interfaces.
Which has AI features? Both have AI caption generation.
Bottom Line
Planable: Best for agencies and teams needing content approval workflows. Visual planning is excellent.
Buffer: Best for solo creators and small teams wanting simple, affordable scheduling.
Best alternative: SocialRails at $29/month with approval workflows, AI content, and team features.
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Reviews & Pricing:
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