Head to head
Buffer vs Planoly
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
Planoly combines visual Instagram planning with creator-commerce tools, seven auto-publishing networks and reminder posting for X. USD paid plans start at $16 month-to-month or $14 monthly equivalent billed annually, with a separate free mobile allowance.
- From
- Free
- Free scheduling
- Yes
Bottom line
Planoly is the pick for Instagram-led creators who plan their grid visually. Buffer fits solo creators better, and it reaches Bluesky and Google Business among others, which Planoly doesn't.
Buffer has a free plan and paid plans from $5 per channel a month, billed yearly, and Planoly has a free plan and paid plans from $14 a month, billed yearly. They bill on different units, so the real gap depends on how much you run.
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 $14 a month, billed yearly on Planoly.
- Buffer posts to 12 networks, Planoly to 8.
- Only Buffer reaches Bluesky, Google Business, and Mastodon.
- Buffer auto-publishes X (Twitter); Planoly sends a reminder to post.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | Planoly |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Not confirmed |
| Bulk upload | Yes | Not assessed |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Not confirmed |
| Team roles | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Approvals | Yes | Not assessed |
| Link in bio | Yes | Yes |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | Planoly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| 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.
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.
Planoly
Free
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- Not confirmed
- Scheduled posts
- 10
- 1 social set, 1 user (mobile app)
- 10 uploads a month
- Visual planner and link-in-bio
Starter
$14 a month billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- Not confirmed
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $16/mo, $14 on annual
- 1 social set, 1 user, unlimited uploads
- Free link in bio; upgrade to Growth to add sets or users
Growth
Popular$24 a month billed annually
- Seats
- 2
- Accounts
- Not confirmed
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $28/mo, $24 on annual
- 2 social sets, 2 users, unlimited uploads
- Extra social set $10/mo, extra user $5/mo
Pro
$47 a month billed annually
- Seats
- 6
- Accounts
- Not confirmed
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $55/mo, $47 on annual
- 6 social sets, 6 users, unlimited uploads
- Extra social set $8/mo, extra user $3/mo
- USD tariffs: Starter $16 monthly/$14 monthly equivalent annually; Growth $28/$24; Pro $55/$47. Annual plans are paid upfront.
- Plans include 1/2/6 social sets and 1/2/6 users. Each set permits one account per supported channel; set counts are not individual-account counts.
- Growth add-ons: $10 per set and $5 per user monthly; Pro: $8/$3. Starter cannot add either.
- Free mobile plan allows 10 uploads monthly. Paid plans have unlimited uploads and a 14-day trial.
- Current help documentation confirms the monthly prices directly; no price is derived from a rounded discount.
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
Planoly
- Visual Instagram grid planning
- Link-in-bio and creator-commerce features
- Seven auto-publishing networks plus X reminders
- Social Posting MCP and shareable analytics reports
- X requires manual completion from a reminder
- Starter cannot add sets or users
- Cross-network inbox and advanced report customization not established
- No advertised Bluesky or Google Business publishing
Buffer vs Planoly: FAQ
- Is Buffer or Planoly cheaper?
- Both Buffer and Planoly have a free entry plan. Compare their account allowances, publishing limits and any paid features you need.
- Does Buffer or Planoly have a free plan?
- Both have a free plan, so you can try either one before paying.
- Which is better, Buffer or Planoly?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while Planoly is the better fit for Instagram-led creators who plan their grid visually. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.