Head to head
Buffer vs CoSchedule
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
CoSchedule combines social scheduling and ReQueue with broader content and campaign planning on Suite. Its current paid lineup is Starter, Professional and Suite; social-message approvals start on Professional.
- From
- Free
- Free scheduling
- Yes
Bottom line
Buffer is the pick for solo creators. CoSchedule fits teams coordinating editorial campaigns and social promotion 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 CoSchedule has a free plan and paid plans from $29 a month, billed yearly. They bill on different units, so the real gap depends on how much you run. CoSchedule adds evergreen recycling that Buffer leaves out.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Paid plans start at $5 per channel a month, billed yearly on Buffer and $29 a month, billed yearly on CoSchedule.
- CoSchedule has evergreen recycling; Buffer doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | CoSchedule |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Auto | |
| Auto | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | Auto | Auto |
| Auto | Auto | |
| TikTok | Auto | Auto |
| Auto | Auto | |
| YouTube | Auto | Auto |
| Threads | Auto | Auto |
| Bluesky | Auto | Auto |
| Google Business | Auto | Auto |
| Mastodon | Auto | Auto |
| WordPress | Not assessed | Auto |
| 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.
Free plan available.
- Free entry plan
- Free
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.
CoSchedule
Free
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- 15
- One social profile; up to fifteen posts waiting at a time
Starter
$29 a month billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- USD39 monthly or USD29/month with annual billing
- One user; three included profiles; X is billed separately
- ReQueue, social reporting and Facebook/Instagram inbox
Professional
Popular$49 a month billed annually
- Seats
- 2
- Accounts
- 5
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- USD59 monthly or USD49/month with annual billing
- Two included users; one additional user available
- Five included profiles; social-message approvals and client calendars
Suite
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- Unlimited
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- Custom quote; verify the complete configuration
- Broader content/campaign planning, permissions and workspaces
- Current paid plans are Starter, Professional and Suite, with bundled users and profiles rather than multiplying the headline price by every seat.
- Extra non-X profiles cost $5/month on Starter and Professional. Professional includes two users and permits one additional user at $29/month. X profiles are separately purchased; verify their checkout rate.
- Professional adds social-message approvals. Suite adds broader content/campaign planning.
- Free is a queue of up to fifteen waiting posts on one profile; it is not a recurring fifteen-post monthly quota.
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
CoSchedule
- ReQueue for recurring promotion
- Professional social-message approval
- Suite campaign and project planning
- Current plans bundle users and profiles
- Extra profiles and X need separate budgeting
- Broader planning requires Suite
- A campaign move needs a workflow-specific check
- Recurring promotions need factual and expiry maintenance
Buffer vs CoSchedule: FAQ
- Is Buffer or CoSchedule cheaper?
- Both Buffer and CoSchedule have a free entry plan. Compare their account allowances, publishing limits and any paid features you need.
- Does Buffer or CoSchedule have a free plan?
- Both have a free plan, so you can try either one before paying.
- Which is better, Buffer or CoSchedule?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while CoSchedule is the better fit for teams coordinating editorial campaigns and social promotion. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.