Head to head
Buffer vs SocialBu
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
SocialBu offers publishing across twelve networks, with inbox, listening, approvals and automation on Growth and Agency. Its current paid lineup is Starter, Growth and Agency, and API/MCP access is documented.
- From
- Limited free credits; confirm paid offer
- Free scheduling
- No
Bottom line
Buffer and SocialBu go after a similar buyer, so it's a close call. Buffer leans toward solo creators; SocialBu toward small businesses and agencies who want scheduling plus automation.
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; SocialBu doesn't, though a trial is advertised.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | SocialBu |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Yes |
| Bulk upload | Yes | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Partial |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | Yes |
| Link in bio | Yes | Not assessed |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | SocialBu |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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; trial advertised.
Limited free credits; confirm paid offer
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.
SocialBu
Free
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- 10
- Ten lifetime posts; three social accounts
Starter
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- Not confirmed
- Scheduled posts
- 750
- USD29 monthly; annual offer and account allowance conflict across official sources
- No teams, inbox or listening
Growth
- Seats
- 4
- Accounts
- 20
- Scheduled posts
- 3000
- Twenty accounts, four team members, five teams
- Inbox, listening, approvals and automation
Agency
- Seats
- 8
- Accounts
- 50
- Scheduled posts
- 100000
- Fifty accounts, eight team members, twenty teams
- App-limit help specifies 100,000 posts/month despite marketing unlimited label
Custom
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- Unlimited
- Custom plans for agencies and large teams, priced on request
- Current new-customer plans are Free, Starter, Growth and Agency; Standard/Super/Supreme are not the current public lineup.
- Monthly USD29/79/199 agrees across pricing and current help. Annual marketing totals USD261/711/1791 conflict with app-configuration help USD290/790/1990; confirm your offer.
- Starter marketing says eight accounts, current help six. Agency help specifies 100,000 monthly posts. Disputed values are not used in automatic comparisons.
- Growth/Agency include 5/10 listening streams and 5,000/20,000 matched items monthly. API and MCP are on paid plans; not Free.
- The free ten-post allowance is lifetime, not a renewing free scheduling quota. It is excluded from recurring-free-plan comparisons.
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
SocialBu
- Twelve supported social networks
- API and MCP on paid plans
- RSS/webhook automation on Growth and Agency
- Limited free entry allowance of ten lifetime posts
- Official annual pricing and some limits conflict
- Starter lacks team collaboration, inbox and listening
- Automation, AI and listening allowances vary by plan
Buffer vs SocialBu: FAQ
- Is Buffer or SocialBu 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 SocialBu have a free plan?
- Buffer has a free plan; SocialBu does not, though a trial is advertised.
- Which is better, Buffer or SocialBu?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while SocialBu is the better fit for small businesses and agencies who want scheduling plus automation. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.