Head to head
Buffer vs HeyOrca
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
HeyOrca organizes client work into separate calendars with ten profiles and unlimited users on paid plans. Different calendars can use different plans; Basic offers reporting, inbox and listening as add-ons while Pro bundles them.
- From
- Free
- Free scheduling
- Yes
Bottom line
Buffer is the pick for solo creators, and it reaches Bluesky and Mastodon, which HeyOrca doesn't. HeyOrca fits agencies whose service revolves around client calendars better.
A verified price comparison requires the same billing term, currency and eligible workload. See each pricing section for the published terms.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Buffer posts to 12 networks, HeyOrca to 9.
- Only Buffer reaches Bluesky and Mastodon.
- Buffer auto-publishes X (Twitter); HeyOrca sends a reminder to post.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | HeyOrca |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Yes |
| Bulk upload | Yes | Not assessed |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Not confirmed |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio | Yes | Yes |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | HeyOrca |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Auto | |
| Auto | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | Auto | Reminder |
| 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.
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.
HeyOrca
Free
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 2
- Scheduled posts
- 15
- 1 calendar, 2 social accounts, 1 user
- 15 scheduled posts a month
- Inspo library, Instagram bio link, AI tools, mobile app
Basic
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- 10
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- USD59 per calendar/month before applicable discounts
- Ten profiles and unlimited users per paid calendar
- Standard approval workflow; reporting, inbox and listening are optional paid add-ons
Pro
Popular- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- 10
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- USD149 per calendar/month before applicable discounts
- Ten profiles and unlimited users per paid calendar
- Reporting, inbox and listening included; custom approval workflows
Agency
- Seats
- Not confirmed
- Accounts
- Not confirmed
- Scheduled posts
- Not confirmed
- Custom plan for a larger roster
- Confirm users, profiles, onboarding and support in the quote
- Choose a calendar or workspace for each brand. Paid calendars include ten social profiles and unlimited users.
- Free, Basic and Pro can be mixed within an account; configure each client around the service it buys.
- Current Basic and Pro cards display USD59 and USD149 per calendar/month. Volume and annual discounts are advertised, but a marginal-band calculation is not established. Confirm the complete mixed-roster bill.
- Basic supports paid Reporting, Social Inbox and Social Listening add-ons; Pro includes these services.
- Free lists two profiles, one user and fifteen monthly posts, with a fourteen-day Pro trial.
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
HeyOrca
- Separate client calendars and shared-link review
- Ten profiles and unlimited users on paid calendars
- Different plan configurations can coexist in one account
- Basic add-ons allow narrower service configurations
- Reporting, inbox and listening add to Basic costs
- Paid calendars are separate billing units
- Custom approval workflows require Pro
- A mixed-roster bill needs plan, add-on and discount checks
- X direct publishing and reports ended; manual notification workflow only
Buffer vs HeyOrca: FAQ
- Is Buffer or HeyOrca cheaper?
- A verified price comparison is unavailable for these configurations. Check the current billing term, currency, required capacity and plan features before comparing totals.
- Does Buffer or HeyOrca have a free plan?
- Both have a free plan, so you can try either one before paying.
- Which is better, Buffer or HeyOrca?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while HeyOrca is the better fit for agencies whose service revolves around client calendars. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.