Buffer vs Publer

Two Organic social tools side by side: what each does, what it costs and who it suits.

The verdict Side by side Plans and pricing Who each is for Other options

The verdict

On the data we hold, it's close: neither pulls ahead on features, a free plan or AI access. The choice comes down to how you work.

What the data says

Both cover 11 of the 11 features we compared.
Both have a free plan, so you can try each before you pay.
Both start at $5/mo.
Both have an API and an MCP server, so either works with AI employees.
In our Organic social ranking, Buffer places 6 and Publer 5 of 14.

Side by side

Buffer and Publer compared
15 points compared	Buffer	Publer
Starts at	$5/mo	$5/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
API	Yes	Yes
MCP server	Yes	Yes
AI content assistant	Yes	Yes
AI post drafting	Yes	Yes
Analytics & reporting	Yes	Yes
Best time to post	Yes	Yes
Bulk post upload	Yes	Yes
Link in bio page	Yes	Yes
Multi-network publishing	Yes	Yes
Post approval workflow	Yes	Yes
Post scheduling & queues	Yes	Yes
Team collaboration	Yes	Yes
Unified social inbox	Yes	Yes
Links	Visit	Visit

Plans and pricing

Buffer

FreeUp to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user, includes API access.Free
EssentialsPer channel; $6 monthly or $5 per month billed yearly; unlimited scheduled posts and 1 user.$6/mo
TeamPer channel; $12 monthly or $10 per month billed yearly; unlimited team members and approval workflows.$12/mo

Publer

FreeFree forever for one user: 1 workspace, 3 social accounts (no X), 10 scheduled posts per account.Free
ProfessionalFrom $5 per month for 1 social account, plus $4 per extra account; unlimited scheduling and X support.$5/mo
BusinessFrom $10 per month for 1 social account; adds analytics, AI, approvals, and API and MCP access.$10/mo

Prices as the vendors list them. They change often; the final price is on their sites.

Who each is for

Choose Buffer if…

Creators, small businesses and agencies that want to plan, schedule and publish social posts across several channels from one calendar, with light analytics and a shared inbox.

Visit Read the review

Choose Publer if…

Small teams, creators and agencies that post to several social networks and want one calendar, bulk scheduling and client workspaces without paying for a full social suite.

Visit Read the review

Other options worth a look

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Metricool
Schedule social posts, analyse engagement, and manage paid campaigns across multiple platforms in one place.
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From €16/mo yearlyFree plan
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Hootsuite
Schedules posts, monitors conversations and reports on performance across multiple social media networks.
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From $99/mo yearly
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Sprout Social
Manage publishing, engagement, analytics, and social listening across brands from one dashboard.
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From $79/mo yearly
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Later
Schedules and publishes visual content across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn and more.
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From $18.75/mo yearlyAffiliate link
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SocialPilot
Schedule, publish and manage social media across multiple channels and analyse performance from one dashboard.
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From €16.15/mo yearly
Sign up on SocialPilot
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Taplio
Create, schedule and analyse LinkedIn posts with AI to build your personal brand and generate leads.
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From $32/mo yearlyAffiliate link
Sign up on Taplio