Buffer

Starting at: $6/mo
Free trial: Yes
Founded: 2010

About

Buffer is a social media management tool founded in 2010 and known for its simple design and transparent, fully remote company culture. It helps creators and small businesses plan, schedule and analyse posts across social networks.

Users schedule posts to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, Pinterest, YouTube and more, manage comments and track performance. Buffer’s AI Assistant, included on every plan, drafts captions, rewrites posts for different networks and suggests content ideas.

As of October 2026, Buffer has a Free plan for up to three channels, Essentials at $6 per channel a month ($5 billed annually) and Team at $12 per channel a month ($10 annually). Pricing is per connected channel, not per user, and paid plans include a 14-day trial.

Features and integrations

Post Scheduling: Plan and schedule posts across major social networks from one calendar.
AI Assistant: Generate captions, rewrite posts for each network and brainstorm content ideas.
Create Space: Save and organise content ideas before turning them into posts.
Analytics: Track engagement and audience growth with clear reports.
Community Inbox: Reply to comments from multiple channels in one place.
Start Page: Build a simple link-in-bio landing page.

Pros and cons

Pros

Simple and clean: One of the easiest scheduling tools to use.
AI on every plan: The AI Assistant is included even on the free plan.
Affordable for small accounts: Low per-channel pricing.
Generous free plan: Three channels at no cost.

Cons

Costs grow with channels: Many accounts make it expensive.
Lighter analytics: Less depth than enterprise tools like Hootsuite or Sprout Social.
Basic AI: Assistant focuses on text rather than full campaign automation.

Founder

Joel Gascoigne

Founder, Buffer

Joel Gascoigne founded Buffer in 2010 in the UK and serves as its CEO. He co-founded the company with Leo Widrich, and Buffer is known for publishing salaries and other company data openly.