PostozoThe short answer
Buffer is a simple social media scheduler known for its free plan and per-channel pricing. SocialPilot is a social media scheduler for agencies and small businesses, known for client management and white-label reports.
At 10 channels SocialPilot costs $42.50 a month against $50 for Buffer, so SocialPilot is $7.50 a month cheaper (15% less). Buffer lists more networks (12 against 10). On the 10 features we track, Buffer has nothing SocialPilot lacks, and SocialPilot alone has RSS auto post, bulk upload (CSV) and white label.
Choose Buffer if you post to Mastodon and Substack and you want a free plan. Choose SocialPilot if you want the lower price for 10 channels ($42.50 against $50 a month), you need RSS auto post, you need bulk upload (CSV) (Premium and Ultimate only) and you need white label.
Pricing
Buffer charges per connected channel, while SocialPilot 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. SocialPilot: Flat price per plan, set by accounts and users. Yearly billing saves 15%.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Buffer Free | Free | Free |
| Buffer Essentials | $6 | $5 |
| Buffer Team | $12 | $10 |
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly/mo |
|---|---|---|
| SocialPilot Essentials | $30 | $25.50 |
| SocialPilot Standard | $50 | $42.50 |
| SocialPilot Premium | $100 | $85 |
| SocialPilot Ultimate | $200 | $170 |
| SocialPilot 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 | SocialPilot | Postozo | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 channels | Essentials plan: $30 a month ($25 billed yearly) | Essentials plan: $30 a month ($25.50 billed yearly) | Standard plan: $19 a month ($15 billed yearly) |
| 10 channels | Essentials plan: $60 a month ($50 billed yearly) | Standard plan: $50 a month ($42.50 billed yearly) | Team plan: $29 a month ($23 billed yearly) |
At 5 channels Buffer costs $25 a month against $25.50 for SocialPilot, so Buffer is $0.50 a month cheaper (2% less). At 10 channels SocialPilot costs $42.50 a month against $50 for Buffer, so SocialPilot is $7.50 a month cheaper (15% less).
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.
SocialPilot: 14-day free trial, no credit card required. No free plan listed.
Features
| Feature | Buffer | SocialPilot | 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 | No |
| White label | Not confirmed | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | No |
Plan limits on key features
- Client approval. Buffer: Content approval workflows are on the Team plan only. SocialPilot: Client approval is on Premium and Ultimate.
- Social inbox. Buffer: Community inbox for replying to comments. We found no DM inbox on the pricing page. SocialPilot: Standard plan and up.
- Public API. Buffer: Every plan includes API access with monthly request limits (3,000 to 15,000). SocialPilot: Enterprise plan only.
- Bulk upload (CSV). Buffer: not confirmed. SocialPilot: Premium and Ultimate only.
Both list client approval, social inbox, analytics, AI writing help, public API, MCP server and mobile app.
Networks
Buffer lists 12 networks and SocialPilot lists 10. They share 10 networks: Bluesky, Facebook, Google Business Profile, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, X.
| Networks | |
|---|---|
| Only on Buffer | Mastodon, Substack |
| Only on SocialPilot | None |
| On Postozo but on neither | Reddit, Telegram, 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 and a browser extension.
- Includes a community inbox to reply to comments.
SocialPilot
- Social inbox from the Standard plan.
- White-label reports on Premium and up.
- Mobile app on every plan.
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 $42.50 for SocialPilot, so Postozo is $19.50 a month cheaper (46% less).
- Postozo supports Reddit, Telegram, Discord, Slack, WordPress, Medium, Tumblr, DEV and 9 more, which neither Buffer nor SocialPilot lists.
What you would give up: social inbox (Buffer and SocialPilot have it), bulk upload (CSV) (SocialPilot has it) and mobile app (Buffer and SocialPilot have it).
See Postozo vs Buffer and Postozo vs SocialPilot for the full head to head pages.
More about each tool
Buffer review, Buffer alternatives, SocialPilot review, SocialPilot alternatives, Postozo pricing.
Sources
Questions
Is Buffer or SocialPilot cheaper?
At 5 channels Buffer costs $25 a month against $25.50 for SocialPilot, so Buffer is $0.50 a month cheaper (2% less). At 10 channels SocialPilot costs $42.50 a month against $50 for Buffer, so SocialPilot is $7.50 a month cheaper (15% less). Prices are the lowest listed per month, with yearly billing where offered, checked on 29 September 2026.
Which has more networks, Buffer or SocialPilot?
Buffer lists 12 and SocialPilot lists 10. Only Buffer: Mastodon, Substack.
Do Buffer and SocialPilot have an API and MCP server?
Buffer: API yes, MCP yes. SocialPilot: API yes, MCP yes. Postozo includes both on every plan.
Is there a cheaper option than Buffer and SocialPilot?
Postozo is $19 a month for 5 channels and $29 for 10 with a team. It has no social inbox, bulk upload (CSV) and mobile app, so check those first.
Did you test Buffer and SocialPilot?
No. This page compares facts from their official pricing and feature pages, checked on 29 September 2026.
Not sure about Buffer or SocialPilot?
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