Head to head
Buffer vs Postly
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
Postly sells paid channel-based publishing plans with a 14-day no-card trial. Its current USD 16 display is an annual monthly equivalent for five channels, and AI Studio image/video capacity costs extra.
- From
- Check current price
- Free scheduling
- No
Bottom line
Postly is the pick for creators and small agencies who want wide coverage cheaply. Buffer fits solo creators better, and it's the only one of the two with a free scheduling plan.
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 has a free scheduling plan; Postly doesn't, though it offers a 14-day trial.
- Buffer posts to 12 networks, Postly to 14.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | Postly |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Not assessed |
| Bulk upload | Yes | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Partial |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio | Yes | Yes |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | Postly |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Not assessed | Auto | |
| Snapchat | Not assessed | Not confirmed |
| Telegram | Not assessed | 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.
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.
Postly
Pro
PopularCheck current monthly price; annual billing starts at USD 192/year for five channels
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- Five-channel minimum; USD 192/year for five channels
- Annual monthly equivalents: USD 3.20/channel for 1-10, 1.60 for 11-100 and 0.80 for 101+
- Unlimited posts, team members and workspaces; API and MCP included
- AI Studio image/video capacity is a separate paid add-on
Enterprise
Check current configuration and billing price
- Accounts
- 25
- Enterprise Core includes 25 channels; configuration and governance options change the bill
- The current 14-day trial needs no card and ends with a paid-plan choice; no automatic charge.
- Pro displays USD 16/month equivalent, billed USD 192/year for five channels. This is not a flexible monthly quote.
- Annual channel bands are marginal; each rate applies only to channels in its band. The current flexible monthly tariff was not captured.
- Legacy and lifetime customers may retain separate arrangements; the current trial does not establish loss of existing allowances.
- AI Studio images and video are a separate paid add-on.
- Optional annual-billed add-ons: AI Studio $288/year per stack (100 images and 16 video seconds monthly); X-Pro $288/year per managed account (250 weighted credits monthly; link posts cost 14 credits, standard/media posts one). Enterprise Core displays $2,870.40/year for 25 channels before governance options and $1,500 onboarding.
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
Postly
- Unlimited team members and workspaces on Pro
- API and MCP included in the publishing plan
- 14-day trial without a card
- Five-channel minimum on the standard Pro configuration
- AI Studio images and video need a separate add-on
- Displayed annual equivalents must be separated from flexible monthly prices
Buffer vs Postly: FAQ
- Is Buffer or Postly 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 Postly have a free plan?
- Buffer has a free plan; Postly does not, though it offers a 14-day trial.
- Which is better, Buffer or Postly?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while Postly is the better fit for creators and small agencies who want wide coverage cheaply. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.