Head to head
Buffer vs Cloud Campaign
Last updated 13 October 2026
Buffer offers a free three-channel plan with ten queued posts per channel, plus per-channel paid plans. It suits a solo publishing routine; teams should check its client-access limitations before using one organization for separate clients.
- From
- Free
- Free scheduling
- Yes
Cloud Campaign manages social publishing, approvals, engagement and reporting in client workspaces with unlimited users. Standard white-labeling starts on Team, with advanced white-labeling on Agency.
- From
- $41a month, billed yearly
- Free scheduling
- No
Bottom line
Buffer is the pick for solo creators, and it's the only one of the two with a free scheduling plan. Cloud Campaign fits agencies managing multiple client workspaces better, and it adds evergreen recycling that Buffer leaves out.
Buffer has a free plan and paid plans from $5 per channel a month, billed yearly, and Cloud Campaign starts at $41 a month, billed yearly. They bill on different units, so the real gap depends on how much you run. Buffer brings a link-in-bio page that Cloud Campaign skips, while Cloud Campaign has evergreen recycling Buffer doesn't.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Buffer has a free scheduling plan; Cloud Campaign doesn't, though it offers a 14-day trial.
- Paid plans start at $5 per channel a month, billed yearly on Buffer and $41 a month, billed yearly on Cloud Campaign.
- Buffer posts to 12 networks, Cloud Campaign to 8.
- Only Buffer reaches Bluesky and Mastodon.
- Buffer has a link-in-bio page; Cloud Campaign doesn't.
- Cloud Campaign has evergreen recycling; Buffer doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | Cloud Campaign |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Yes |
| Bulk upload | Yes | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Yes |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio | Yes | No |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | Cloud Campaign |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Auto | |
| Auto | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | Auto | Not confirmed |
| Auto | Auto | |
| TikTok | Auto | Auto |
| Auto | Auto | |
| YouTube | Auto | Auto |
| Threads | Auto | Auto |
| Bluesky | Auto | No |
| Google Business | Auto | Auto |
| Mastodon | Auto | No |
| Substack Notes | Auto | Not assessed |
Pricing
Prices use each tool’s billing unit. Annual equivalents are labeled as billed yearly; scaling rows show monthly costs and available annual rates.
Free plan available.
- 1 channel · Essentials
- $6/mo~$5/mo annual
- 9 channels · EssentialsTypical
- $54/mo~$45/mo annual
Lowest priced plan at each shown workload. Check the plan's included features before choosing it.
No free plan; 14-day trial.
- Lowest public entry price
- $41 a month, billed yearly
Whole-plan price; it doesn't scale per unit.
Buffer
Free
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- 10
- 3 connected channels
- 10 scheduled posts waiting per channel, replenished after publication
- One user; unlimited drafts
Essentials
Popular$5 per channel a month billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $6 per channel/mo, $5 on annual
- Analytics
- Engagement tools
Team
$10 per channel a month billed annually
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $12 per channel/mo, $10 on annual
- Unlimited team members
- Approvals
- Free has three channels and ten queued posts per channel at a time. It is not a ten-post monthly allowance.
- Paid plans charge for every connected channel, including the original free three. Rates above ten channels are marginal volume bands.
- The annual figures are monthly equivalents of annual channel tariffs; the yearly Essentials rate for channels 51+ is $20, not twelve times its $1 monthly rate.
- Paid scheduling is subject to a 5,000 queued-post fair-use ceiling per channel. Prices exclude applicable taxes.
What it really costs
Monthly cost by channel count. Per-unit tiers grow with usage; flat tiers keep their whole-plan price within the published allowance, with the 9-channel row marked as a realistic setup.
| channels | Essentials | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6/mo | $12/mo |
| 3 | $18/mo | $36/mo |
| 5 | $30/mo | $60/mo |
| 9Typical | $54/mo | $108/mo |
| 10 | $60/mo | $120/mo |
| 25 | $120/mo | $180/mo |
| 50 | $195/mo | $255/mo |
Monthly billing. Volume discounts lower the per-channel rate at higher counts. Annual billing takes about 2 months off.
Cloud Campaign
Freelancer
$41 a month billed annually
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- 7
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $49/month or displayed $41/month annual equivalent
- One workspace, seven social accounts per client, unlimited users
- AI tools, scheduling and approval workflows
Team
Popular$165 a month billed annually
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- Unlimited
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $199/mo, $165 on annual
- 5 brand workspaces (extra at $29/mo), unlimited users and social accounts
- Approval workflows, client portals, client reports
Agency
$249 a month billed annually
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- Unlimited
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $299/month or displayed $249/month annual equivalent
- Everything in Team plus advanced white-labeling
- Paid social reporting, API integrations, migration and SSO
- Workspace-based plans include unlimited users. Freelancer includes one workspace; Team includes five; Agency inherits Team and adds advanced capabilities.
- Monthly extra workspaces cost $49 Freelancer, $29 Team and $35 Agency. Annual equivalents displayed are $41, $24 and $29.
- Standard white-labeling starts on Team; Agency adds advanced white-labeling. Do not claim white-labeling on every plan.
- A 14-day trial is offered. Published annual equivalents are $41/$165/$249 versus $49/$199/$299 monthly.
- CloudStudio is an optional production add-on from $99 per workspace/month; it requires an active platform plan.
Pros and cons
Buffer
- Free three-channel plan with replenishing queues
- Wide network coverage including Substack Notes
- Paid plan volume bands and Team approvals
- API/MCP and automation integrations
- Per-channel pricing adds up quickly
- CSV import supports text and single images; create videos and carousels in the composer
- No evergreen recycling
- Analytics are basic
Cloud Campaign
- Unlimited users
- Client workspaces and approval links
- AI-assisted social inbox
- White-labeling on Team and Agency
- White-labeling is not included on Freelancer
- Extra workspaces increase the subscription
- Current published network list excludes X
- Advanced API/reporting capabilities require Agency
Buffer vs Cloud Campaign: FAQ
- Is Buffer or Cloud Campaign cheaper?
- Buffer has a free entry plan. Cloud Campaign starts at $41 a month, billed yearly. The plans may cover different workloads, so check the required accounts and features.
- Does Buffer or Cloud Campaign have a free plan?
- Buffer has a free plan; Cloud Campaign does not, though it offers a 14-day trial.
- Which is better, Buffer or Cloud Campaign?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while Cloud Campaign is the better fit for agencies managing multiple client workspaces. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.