Head to head
Buffer vs Tailwind
Last updated 4 June 2026
The simplest way to schedule a few accounts, and the cheapest entry if you only run one to three channels.
- From
- $5 per channel / mo
- Free plan
Tailwind is a visual-social specialist: it grew up on Pinterest, added Instagram and Facebook, and pairs scheduling with AI that writes posts and designs images. It publishes to just those three networks, runs flat plans from a free tier up to $49.99 a month on annual billing, and ignores X, LinkedIn, and TikTok entirely.
- From
- $17.99 /mo
- Free plan
Bottom line
Buffer is the pick for solo creators, and it's the cheaper start, from $5 per channel / mo. Tailwind fits Pinterest and Instagram creators and small businesses better, and it adds evergreen recycling and bulk upload that Buffer leaves out.
Buffer starts cheaper, $5 per channel / mo against $17.99 a month for Tailwind. They bill on different units, so the real gap depends on how much you run. Buffer brings approvals that Tailwind skips, while Tailwind has evergreen recycling Buffer doesn't.
Key differences
Where the two actually diverge, before the full tables.
- Buffer starts at $5 per channel / mo, Tailwind at $17.99 a month.
- Buffer posts to 11 networks, Tailwind to 3.
- Only Buffer reaches X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky, Google Business, and Mastodon.
- Buffer has approvals; Tailwind doesn't.
- Buffer has social inbox; Tailwind doesn't.
- Buffer has canva integration; Tailwind doesn't.
- Tailwind has evergreen recycling; Buffer doesn't.
Features compared
| Feature | Buffer | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| AI captions | Yes | Yes |
| Basic analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced reports | Partial | Yes |
| Bulk upload | No | Yes |
| Evergreen recycling | No | Yes |
| Team roles | Yes | Yes |
| Approvals | Yes | No |
| Link in bio | Yes | Yes |
Platforms compared
| Network | Buffer | Tailwind |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Auto | |
| Auto | Auto | |
| X (Twitter) | Auto | No |
| Auto | No | |
| TikTok | Auto | No |
| Auto | Auto | |
| YouTube | Auto | No |
| Threads | Auto | No |
| Bluesky | Auto | No |
| Google Business | Auto | No |
| Mastodon | Auto | No |
Pricing
Headline prices are for a single unit. Here is the real monthly cost as each tool scales, costed on its own unit so the two stay honest.
Buffer
Free
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- 10
- 3 channels
- 10 scheduled posts per channel
Essentials
Popular$5/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $6 per channel/mo, $5 on annual
- Analytics
- Engagement tools
Team
$10/mo billed annually
- Seats
- Unlimited
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $12 per channel/mo, $10 on annual
- Unlimited team members
- Approvals
- Priced per channel: the headline $6 / $12 is for a single channel and scales with how many you connect.
- Volume discount lowers the per-channel rate above 10 channels (down to $1-$2 per channel at 51+).
- Annual billing saves about two months, so a channel works out near $60 / $120 per year.
What it really costs
Buffer charges per channel, so the headline price is for one. Here is the monthly cost as you connect more, 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.
Tailwind
Free Forever
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- 5
- 1 account, 1 user, 5 posts a month across Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook
- 5 Tailwind credits and 5 post designs a month
- Smart.bio link, basic analytics
Pro
$17.99/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 1
- Accounts
- 1
- Scheduled posts
- 150
- $29.99/mo, $17.99 on annual (save $144/yr)
- 1 account, 1 user, 150 posts a month
- 150 Tailwind credits, 200 post designs, advanced analytics, Smart.bio
Advanced
$29.99/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 2
- Accounts
- 2
- Scheduled posts
- 300
- $54.99/mo, $29.99 on annual (save $300/yr)
- 2 accounts, 2 users, 300 posts a month
- 300 Tailwind credits, unlimited post designs, advanced analytics
Max
$49.99/mo billed annually
- Seats
- 5
- Accounts
- 3
- Scheduled posts
- Unlimited
- $99.99/mo, $49.99 on annual (save $600/yr)
- 3 accounts, 5 users, unlimited posts a month
- 1,000 Tailwind credits, unlimited post designs, advanced analytics
- Flat, quota-bundled plans: each tier bundles a number of accounts (social profiles), monthly posts, Tailwind credits, and users. Publishing is limited to Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook; there's no X, LinkedIn, TikTok, or YouTube.
- There's a genuine Free Forever plan (1 account, 5 posts a month) and no separate trial; you upgrade when you outgrow it.
- Annual billing is steeply discounted, 40% to 50% off, so Pro is $17.99 a month, Advanced $29.99, and Max $49.99.
- Tailwind Credits power the AI features (Ghostwriter writing and Tailwind Create designs) and refill at about $10 per 100 credits when you run out.
- Separately, Tailwind sells Pinterest-only products (Pin Scheduling and Creation, Pinterest SEO, Pinterest Engagement) priced per Pinterest account; the plans above are the main multi-network suite. Nonprofits get 50% off.
- Prices are USD, read off the live pricing page by toggling monthly and annual and cross-checked against current third-party listings.
Pros and cons
Buffer
- Clean, fast interface
- Cheapest entry for one to three channels
- Widest network list, including Bluesky and Mastodon
- Genuinely useful free plan
- Per-channel pricing adds up quickly
- No CSV bulk upload
- No evergreen recycling
- Analytics are basic
Tailwind
- Best-in-class for Pinterest, with SmartSchedule, SmartLoop, and Communities
- AI that both writes posts (Ghostwriter) and designs images (Tailwind Create)
- Instagram feed planner and Smart.bio link-in-bio built in
- Genuine free plan and steep annual discounts
- Only publishes to Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook
- AI features are metered by credits that cost extra to top up
- No social inbox or approval workflows
- Not built for agencies or client management
Buffer vs Tailwind: FAQ
- Is Buffer or Tailwind cheaper?
- Buffer is cheaper to start, from $5 against $17.99 for Tailwind. The unit each one charges by differs, so the real bill depends on how many channels or seats you run.
- Does Buffer or Tailwind have a free plan?
- Both have a free plan, so you can try either one before paying.
- Which is better, Buffer or Tailwind?
- Buffer is the stronger pick for solo creators, while Tailwind is the better fit for Pinterest and Instagram creators and small businesses. We don't score them; the right call comes down to how you post.