The short answer
Buffer is a simple social media scheduler known for its free plan and per-channel pricing. Later is a visual social media planner known for Instagram and TikTok scheduling and its link-in-bio tool.
At 10 channels Later costs $37.50 a month against $50 for Buffer, so Later is $12.50 a month cheaper (25% less). Buffer lists more networks (12 against 8). On the 15 features we track, Buffer alone has public API and MCP server, and Later has nothing Buffer lacks.
Choose Buffer if you post to Bluesky, Google Business Profile, Mastodon, X and 1 more, you need public API (Every plan includes API access with monthly request limits (3,000 to 15,000)), you need MCP server and you want a free plan. Choose Later if you want the lower price for 10 channels ($37.50 against $50 a month) and you post to Snapchat.
Pricing
Buffer charges per connected channel, while Later charges a flat price per plan. Compare them on the exact number of channels and people you have, not on the entry price.
Buffer: Per connected channel, with volume discounts above 10 channels. Yearly billing saves about 2 months. Later: Flat price per plan, sized in social sets (1 profile per supported network). Yearly billing is 25% off: $25, $50 and $110 a month become $18.75, $37.50 and $82.50.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer Free | Free | Free |
| Buffer Essentials | $6 | $5 |
| Buffer Team | $12 | $10 |
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Later Starter | $25 | $18.75 |
| Later Growth | $50 | $37.50 |
| Later Scale | $110 | $82.50 |
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 | Later | Postozo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 channels | Essentials plan: $30 a month ($25 billed yearly) | Starter plan: $25 a month ($18.75 billed yearly), if each channel is on a different network (1 social set) | Standard plan: $19 a month ($15 billed yearly) |
| 10 channels | Essentials plan: $60 a month ($50 billed yearly) | Growth plan: $50 a month ($37.50 billed yearly), if no network has more than 2 of your profiles (2 social sets) | Team plan: $29 a month ($23 billed yearly) |
At 5 channels Later costs $18.75 a month against $25 for Buffer, so Later is $6.25 a month cheaper (25% less). At 10 channels Later costs $37.50 a month against $50 for Buffer, so Later is $12.50 a month cheaper (25% 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 | Later | Postozo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | Essentials: $30 a month ($25 billed yearly). Per channel, 1 user | Starter: $25 a month ($18.75 billed yearly). 1 social set, 1 user; each set holds 1 profile per network | Standard: $19 a month ($15 billed yearly) |
| Small team | Team: $120 a month ($100 billed yearly). Per channel, unlimited users | Growth: $53.75 a month ($41.25 billed yearly). 2 social sets, 2 users plus 1 extra at $3.75 each; each set holds 1 profile per network | 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 | No listed plan fits | Pro: $39 a month ($31 billed yearly). Unlimited team members |
For 5 channels and 1 person, Later is the lowest at $18.75 a month and Buffer the highest at $25. For 10 channels and 3 people, Later is the lowest at $41.25 a month and Buffer the highest at $100.
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.
Later: 14-day free trial. Card terms are not stated on the pricing page. No free plan listed.
Features
| Feature | Buffer | Later | Postozo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Client approval | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Social inbox | Yes | Yes | No |
| Analytics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AI writing help | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Public API | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Not confirmed | Yes |
| RSS auto post | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes |
| Bulk upload (CSV) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 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 | Yes | 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. Later: Content approval and external comment workflows are on Growth and Scale.
- Public API. Buffer: Every plan includes API access with monthly request limits (3,000 to 15,000). Later: not confirmed.
- Client reports. Buffer: Reports on Essentials and Team; branded reports on Team only. Later: Share an Instagram analytics report through a link.
- Link in bio page. Buffer: Start Page, on every plan including Free. Later: Link in Bio on every plan.
- Browser extension. Buffer: Every plan. Later: Saves pictures from any web page to the media library.
- Canva integration. Buffer: Every plan, plus Google Drive and Dropbox. Later: Every plan, including Free, through Canva's app directory.
Both list client approval, social inbox, analytics, AI writing help, mobile app, client reports, link in bio page, browser extension and canva integration.
Neither confirms RSS auto post, bulk upload (CSV), white label and client connect link.
Area by area
How Buffer and Later 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.
Later: Later posts to 8 networks, including Snapchat, and is built around visual planning for Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest. Posts are capped per profile per month: 30 on Starter, 180 on Growth, unlimited on Scale.
Team and client approval
Buffer: Essentials is for 1 user. Team adds unlimited users and approval workflows.
Later: Starter has 1 user, Growth 2 and Scale 4; extra users on Growth are $3.75 a month each. Content approval and external comments are on Growth and Scale.
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.
Later: Growth and Scale include an inbox for Instagram DMs, comments and mentions, and for Facebook and TikTok conversations.
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.
Later: You can share a detailed Instagram analytics report through a unique link.
AI help
Buffer: An AI assistant for writing posts is included.
Later: AI credits come with each plan: 5 on Starter, 50 on Growth and 100 on Scale.
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.
Later: Link in Bio, a browser extension that saves pictures from any web page to the media library, and Canva are on every plan. We found no public scheduling API.
Networks
Buffer lists 12 networks and Later lists 8. They share 7 networks: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, YouTube.
| Networks | |
|---|---|
| Only on Buffer | Bluesky, Google Business Profile, Mastodon, X, Substack |
| Only on Later | Snapchat |
| On Postozo but on neither | Reddit, Telegram, WhatsApp, 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.
Later
- Visual feed planning and a link-in-bio tool built for Instagram-first brands.
- Inbox for Instagram DMs, comments and mentions, plus Facebook and TikTok, on Growth and up.
- 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 $37.50 for Later, so Postozo is $14.50 a month cheaper (39% less).
- Postozo supports Reddit, Telegram, WhatsApp, SMS, Discord, Slack, WordPress, Medium and 11 more, which neither Buffer nor Later lists.
- Postozo has RSS auto post, which neither confirms.
- Postozo has bulk upload (CSV), which neither confirms.
- Postozo has white label, which neither confirms.
- Postozo has client connect link, which neither confirms.
What you would give up: social inbox (Buffer and Later have it) and canva integration (Buffer and Later have it).
See Postozo vs Buffer and Postozo vs Later for the full head to head pages.
More about each tool
Buffer review, Buffer alternatives, Later review, Later alternatives, Postozo pricing.
Sources
Is Buffer or Later cheaper?
At 5 channels Later costs $18.75 a month against $25 for Buffer, so Later is $6.25 a month cheaper (25% less). At 10 channels Later costs $37.50 a month against $50 for Buffer, so Later is $12.50 a month cheaper (25% less). Prices are the lowest listed per month, with yearly billing where offered, checked on 29 September 2026.
Which has more networks, Buffer or Later?
Buffer lists 12 and Later lists 8. Only Buffer: Bluesky, Google Business Profile, Mastodon, X, Substack. Only Later: Snapchat.
Do Buffer and Later have an API and MCP server?
Buffer: API yes, MCP yes. Later: API not confirmed, MCP not confirmed. Postozo includes both on every plan.
Is there a cheaper option than Buffer and Later?
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 Later?
For 10 channels and 3 people, Later is the lowest at $41.25 a month and Buffer the highest at $100.
Do Buffer and Later have client reports and a link in bio page?
Client reports: Buffer yes (Reports on Essentials and Team; branded reports on Team only), Later yes (Share an Instagram analytics report through a link). Link in bio: Buffer yes, Later yes. Postozo includes both on every plan.
Can clients connect their own accounts in Buffer or Later?
Buffer: not confirmed. Later: not confirmed. Postozo has a client connect link on every plan.
Did you test Buffer and Later?
No. This page compares facts from their official pricing and feature pages, checked on 29 September 2026.
Not sure about Buffer or Later?
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