The short answer
Buffer is a simple social media scheduler known for its free plan and per-channel pricing. Hootsuite is an enterprise social media suite known for its inbox, listening and team workflows.
At 10 channels Buffer costs $50 a month against $99 for Hootsuite for 1 user, so Buffer is $49 a month cheaper (49% less). Buffer lists more networks (12 against 10). On the 15 features we track, Buffer alone has browser extension, and Hootsuite alone has RSS auto post and bulk upload (CSV).
Choose Buffer if you want the lower price for 10 channels ($50 against $99 a month), you post to Google Business Profile, Mastodon and Substack, you need browser extension (Every plan) and you want a free plan. Choose Hootsuite if you post to WhatsApp, you need RSS auto post and you need bulk upload (CSV).
Pricing
Buffer charges per connected channel, while Hootsuite charges per user. The per-user tool gets more expensive as your team grows; the other does not in the same way.
Buffer: Per connected channel, with volume discounts above 10 channels. Yearly billing saves about 2 months. Hootsuite: Per user (seat) per month. Monthly and annual billing both exist; annual is cheaper.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer Free | Free | Free |
| Buffer Essentials | $6 | $5 |
| Buffer Team | $12 | $10 |
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Hootsuite Standard | Not listed | $99 |
| Hootsuite Professional | Not listed | $199 |
| Hootsuite Advanced | Not listed | $399 |
| Hootsuite Enterprise | Not listed | Not listed |
Cost at 5 and 10 channels
The cheapest listed plan that covers the number of channels. Where a price depends on seats, brands or workspaces, the table says so.
| Buffer | Hootsuite | Postozo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 channels | Essentials plan: $30 a month ($25 billed yearly) | Standard plan: $99 per user a month billed yearly. The monthly-billed price is not listed | Standard plan: $19 a month ($15 billed yearly) |
| 10 channels | Essentials plan: $60 a month ($50 billed yearly) | Standard plan: $99 per user a month billed yearly. The monthly-billed price is not listed | Team plan: $29 a month ($23 billed yearly) |
At 5 channels Buffer costs $25 a month against $99 for Hootsuite for 1 user, so Buffer is $74 a month cheaper (75% less). At 10 channels Buffer costs $50 a month against $99 for Hootsuite for 1 user, so Buffer is $49 a month cheaper (49% less).
Cost for a solo user, a small team and an agency
Seats, brands and workspaces change the bill as much as channels do. This table picks the cheapest listed plan of each tool for 3 setups.
| Setup | Buffer | Hootsuite | Postozo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Essentials: $30 a month ($25 billed yearly). Per channel, 1 user | Standard: $99 a month billed yearly. Per user, for 1 person | Standard: $19 a month ($15 billed yearly) |
| Small team | Team: $120 a month ($100 billed yearly). Per channel, unlimited users | Standard: $297 a month billed yearly. Per user, for 3 people | Team: $29 a month ($23 billed yearly). Unlimited team members |
| Agency | Team: $180 a month. Per channel, unlimited users; the yearly price above 10 channels is not listed | Professional: $995 a month billed yearly. Per user, for 5 people; Standard covers only 10 accounts | Pro: $39 a month ($31 billed yearly). Unlimited team members |
For 5 channels and 1 person, Buffer is the lowest at $25 a month and Hootsuite the highest at $99. For 10 channels and 3 people, Buffer is the lowest at $100 a month and Hootsuite the highest at $297. For 25 channels and 5 people, Buffer is the lowest at $180 a month and Hootsuite the highest at $995.
Trials and free plans
Buffer: 14-day free trial of paid plans. Without payment details the account drops to the Free plan. Free plan: Yes: 3 channels, 1 user, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 100 ideas, 30 days of analytics.
Hootsuite: 14-day free trial, no credit card. Trial accounts are limited to 10 to 20 posts per day and cannot bulk schedule. No free plan listed.
Features
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite | Postozo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client approval | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Social inbox | Yes | Yes | No |
| Analytics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI writing help | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Public API | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RSS auto post | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk upload (CSV) | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes |
| White label | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Client reports | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio page | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Browser extension | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Canva integration | Yes | Yes | No |
| Client connect link | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes |
Plan limits on key features
- Client approval. Buffer: Content approval workflows are on the Team plan only. Hootsuite: Content approvals are on the Advanced plan and up.
- Public API. Buffer: Every plan includes API access with monthly request limits (3,000 to 15,000). Hootsuite: included.
- Client reports. Buffer: Reports on Essentials and Team; branded reports on Team only. Hootsuite: Custom reports you can schedule and export, Professional and up.
- Link in bio page. Buffer: Start Page, on every plan including Free. Hootsuite: Through the OneClick.bio app, free with Hootsuite Enterprise only.
- Browser extension. Buffer: Every plan. Hootsuite: not confirmed
- Canva integration. Buffer: Every plan, plus Google Drive and Dropbox. Hootsuite: Built into the Composer. Dropbox can be connected too.
Both list client approval, social inbox, analytics, AI writing help, public API, MCP server, mobile app, client reports, link in bio page and canva integration.
Neither confirms white label and client connect link.
Area by area
How Buffer and Hootsuite handle each part of the job, in the words of their own pages.
Publishing and scheduling
Buffer: Buffer posts to 12 networks, including Substack, Mastodon and Bluesky. The free plan holds 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time; paid plans remove that cap.
Hootsuite: Hootsuite posts to 10 networks and adds WhatsApp for inbox messages. Standard covers 10 social accounts; Professional and up have unlimited accounts. Bulk scheduling is not available during the trial.
Team and client approval
Buffer: Essentials is for 1 user. Team adds unlimited users and approval workflows.
Hootsuite: Pricing is per user. Content approvals and message routing are on Advanced and up.
Inbox and replies
Buffer: A community inbox for replying to comments is on every plan. We found no direct message inbox on the pricing page.
Hootsuite: A unified inbox is on every plan, and Professional adds automated inbox replies. Brand monitoring and social listening are part of the product.
Analytics and reports
Buffer: Reports are on Essentials and Team, and branded reports are on Team only. The free plan keeps 30 days of analytics.
Hootsuite: Custom performance reports that you can schedule and export are on Professional and up.
AI help
Buffer: An AI assistant for writing posts is included.
Hootsuite: AI writing help is included.
Integrations and apps
Buffer: Every plan, including Free, has Start Page (a link in bio page), the browser extension, Canva, Google Drive and Dropbox. API access is on every plan with 3,000 to 15,000 requests a month, and Buffer lists an MCP for Claude, ChatGPT and Cursor.
Hootsuite: Canva is built into the Composer and Dropbox can be connected. Link in bio comes through the OneClick.bio app, free with Enterprise only. MCP connectors for ChatGPT, Claude and others launched in 2026.
Networks
Buffer lists 12 networks and Hootsuite lists 10. They share 9 networks: Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, X.
| Networks | |
|---|---|
| Only on Buffer | Google Business Profile, Mastodon, Substack |
| Only on Hootsuite | |
| On Postozo but on neither | Reddit, Telegram, SMS, Discord, Slack, WordPress, Medium, Tumblr, DEV, Hashnode, Lemmy, Listmonk, Nostr, VK, Farcaster, Dribbble, Twitch, Kick |
Strengths from each side
Buffer
- Has a free plan for up to 3 channels.
- Has iOS and Android apps in the app stores.
- Start Page, Canva, Google Drive and Dropbox on every plan, including Free.
Hootsuite
- Unified inbox with direct messages, automated replies and message routing.
- Brand monitoring and social listening.
- iOS and Android apps in the app stores.
Postozo as a 3rd option
Postozo is a social media scheduler with 30 channel types, client review links, team roles, AI writing help, a public API and an MCP server. Plans are flat: $19, $29, $39, $79 a month for 5, 10, 30, 100 channels, with unlimited posts.
- Postozo costs $29 a month ($23 billed yearly) for 10 channels with team members. At 10 channels Postozo costs $23 a month against $50 for Buffer, so Postozo is $27 a month cheaper (54% less). At 10 channels Postozo costs $23 a month against $99 for Hootsuite for 1 user, so Postozo is $76 a month cheaper (77% less).
- Postozo supports Reddit, Telegram, SMS, Discord, Slack, WordPress, Medium, Tumblr and 10 more, which neither Buffer nor Hootsuite lists.
- Postozo has white label, which neither confirms.
- Postozo has client connect link, which neither confirms.
What you would give up: social inbox (Buffer and Hootsuite have it) and canva integration (Buffer and Hootsuite have it).
See Postozo vs Buffer and Postozo vs Hootsuite for the full head to head pages.
More about each tool
Buffer review, Buffer alternatives, Hootsuite review, Hootsuite alternatives, Postozo pricing.
Sources
Is Buffer or Hootsuite cheaper?
At 5 channels Buffer costs $25 a month against $99 for Hootsuite for 1 user, so Buffer is $74 a month cheaper (75% less). At 10 channels Buffer costs $50 a month against $99 for Hootsuite for 1 user, so Buffer is $49 a month cheaper (49% less). Prices are the lowest listed per month, with yearly billing where offered, checked on 29 September 2026.
Which has more networks, Buffer or Hootsuite?
Buffer lists 12 and Hootsuite lists 10. Only Buffer: Google Business Profile, Mastodon, Substack. Only Hootsuite: WhatsApp.
Do Buffer and Hootsuite have an API and MCP server?
Buffer: API yes, MCP yes. Hootsuite: API yes, MCP yes. Postozo includes both on every plan.
Is there a cheaper option than Buffer and Hootsuite?
Postozo is $19 a month for 5 channels and $29 for 10 with a team. It has no social inbox and canva integration, so check those first.
Which is cheaper for a team of 3 with 10 channels, Buffer or Hootsuite?
For 10 channels and 3 people, Buffer is the lowest at $100 a month and Hootsuite the highest at $297.
Do Buffer and Hootsuite have client reports and a link in bio page?
Client reports: Buffer yes (Reports on Essentials and Team; branded reports on Team only), Hootsuite yes (Custom reports you can schedule and export, Professional and up). Link in bio: Buffer yes, Hootsuite yes. Postozo includes both on every plan.
Can clients connect their own accounts in Buffer or Hootsuite?
Buffer: not confirmed. Hootsuite: not confirmed. Postozo has a client connect link on every plan.
Did you test Buffer and Hootsuite?
No. This page compares facts from their official pricing and feature pages, checked on 29 September 2026.
Not sure about Buffer or Hootsuite?
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