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26 Best Buffer Alternatives in 2025 (Free & Paid)

Looking for Buffer alternatives in 2025? Start with RecurPost, then compare it with tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Later to see what fits your content needs best.
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Written by Shalini Nagar

Published December 10, 2025

26 Best Buffer Alternatives in 2025 (Free & Paid)

Table of Contents

Buffer is a reliable platform for scheduling and publishing social media posts, but it doesn’t fit every business. Whether it’s due to pricing, features, or specific needs, many users are on the lookout for Buffer alternatives that offer more tailored solutions.

That’s where Buffer alternatives come into play. These tools vary in pricing, functionality, and user experience, catering to different business sizes, social media strategies, and content management needs.

In this guide, we walk through 26 Buffer alternatives for 2025 starting with RecurPost, plus tools like SocialPilot, Agorapulse, and Sprout Social. So marketers and small businesses can see what actually fits their day-to-day workflow.

1. RecurPost

Dashboard recurpost

RecurPost is a Buffer alternative built around content recycling and evergreen queues, so your best posts keep going out without you rebuilding the calendar every week. Unlike Buffer’s linear scheduling approach, RecurPost vs Buffer comparison reveals that RecurPost allows you to create content libraries that automatically recycle your best-performing posts, ensuring your social media presence remains active without constant manual input.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Starter

Personal

Agency

$9
/ mo
$25
/ mo
$79
/ mo
2 profiles, Individuals or non-business users
5 profiles, Small business owners
20 profiles, Agencies managing multiple clients

Pros

Cons

2. Post Planner

Post Planner

Post Planner is a content curation and engagement-focused Buffer alternative, combining scheduling capabilities with powerful content discovery tools. While Buffer vs Post Planner shows both platforms offer scheduling, Post Planner differentiates itself through its content recommendation engine that suggests viral-worthy content based on engagement metrics, making it easier to maintain an active, engaging social presence.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

3. Planable

Planable

Planable stands out as the most collaboration-focused Buffer alternative, designed specifically for teams and agencies that need streamlined approval workflows. While Buffer vs Planable comparison shows both handle scheduling, Planable’s visual collaboration interface allows teams to comment, annotate, and approve content directly on post mockups, making it the top choice for client-facing work.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

4. Later

Later

Later built its reputation as an Instagram-first social media scheduler, making it an excellent Buffer alternative for visual brands and influencers. While Buffer vs Later shows both offer multi-platform scheduling, Later’s visual content calendar and drag-and-drop planning interface provide superior visual planning, particularly for Instagram, making it the preferred choice for e-commerce brands and content creators focused on aesthetic consistency.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

5. Postfity

Postfity

Postfity (part of the Simplified suite) offers an all-in-one approach to social media management combined with graphic design and AI content creation tools. While Buffer vs Postfity reveals both platforms handle scheduling, Postfity stands out by bundling social media management with comprehensive design tools, AI writing, video editing with auto-captions, and bulk scheduling, making it a strong choice for content creators who need design capabilities alongside scheduling.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

6. Sprout Social

Sprout Social

Sprout Social represents the premium tier of social media management tools, offering enterprise-level features with exceptional analytics and customer care capabilities. While Buffer vs Sprout Social comparison shows both platforms schedule posts, Sprout Social’s sophisticated social listening, advanced reporting, and CRM-style customer relationship features justify its higher price point for larger organizations and enterprises that need comprehensive social media intelligence.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

7. Loomly

Loomly

Loomly is designed for teams that get stuck on ‘what do we post next?’ Both Buffer and Loomly handle scheduling, but Loomly leans hard into ideas. It suggests posts based on trends, holidays, and events, then gives practical tips to tighten them up before you publish.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

8. CoSchedule

CoSchedule

CoSchedule is less a simple scheduler and more a full marketing calendar. It pulls your social posts, blog content, emails, and projects into one place, with social publishing built in. While Buffer vs CoSchedule shows both handle social posting, CoSchedule’s unified marketing calendar brings together social media, blog content, email campaigns, and marketing projects in one visual workspace, making it the preferred choice for marketing teams managing complex, multi-channel campaigns.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

9. Agorapulse

Agorapulse

Agorapulse stands out as a user-friendly yet powerful Buffer alternative with exceptional social inbox capabilities and competitive benchmarking features. While Buffer vs Agorapulse reveals both platforms schedule content, Agorapulse’s superior community management tools, including AI-powered moderation rules and comprehensive social listening, make it the preferred choice for brands that prioritize audience engagement and customer service alongside content publishing.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

10. Metricool

Metricool

Metricool differentiates itself as a budget-friendly, analytics-focused Buffer alternative with particularly strong competitor analysis capabilities. While Buffer vs Metricool comparison shows both offer scheduling, Metricool’s comprehensive analytics (tracking up to 100 competitor profiles on paid plans), SmartLinks bio tool, and integration with Looker Studio for custom reporting make it the value leader for data-driven marketers who need powerful insights without premium pricing.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

11. eClincher

eClincher

eClincher positions itself as a comprehensive social media management and marketing platform with unique SEO and brand monitoring capabilities. While Buffer vs eClincher comparison shows both schedule posts, eClincher’s all-in-one approach combines social media management, local SEO automation (listings management), brand monitoring, and influencer discovery, making it the only platform that manages social media and SEO under one roof,ideal for businesses seeking consolidated digital marketing tools.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

12. Socialoomph

Socialoomph

Socialoomph takes a unique, no-frills approach to social media management with a focus on automation, bulk operations, and power-user features. While Buffer vs Socialoomph shows both offer scheduling, Socialoomph’s extensive automation capabilities (keyword-based auto-follows, auto-DMs, scheduled blog post promotion) and bulk post management make it the preferred choice for marketers who prioritize efficiency and automation over visual interfaces.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

13. Planoly

Planoly

Planoly built its reputation as an Instagram-first visual planner and scheduler, making it a strong Buffer alternative for visual brands, influencers, and e-commerce businesses focused on Instagram aesthetics. While Buffer vs Planoly comparison reveals both schedule posts, Planoly’s drag-and-drop visual grid planner, Instagram Stories scheduling, and emphasis on visual content planning make it the preferred choice for brands where Instagram aesthetic consistency is paramount.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

14. Facebook Creator Studio

Facebook Creator Studio

Facebook Creator Studio (now largely integrated into Meta Business Suite) is Meta’s free native tool for managing Facebook and Instagram content, making it a compelling Buffer alternative for businesses already invested in Meta’s ecosystem. While Buffer vs Creator Studio shows Buffer supports more platforms, Creator Studio’s deep integration with Facebook and Instagram, zero cost, and access to platform-specific features like monetization tools and in-stream ads make it the best choice for creators and businesses focused exclusively on Meta platforms.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

15. Dlvr.it

Dlvr.it

Dlvr.it specializes in RSS-to-social automation and content syndication, making it a unique Buffer alternative for bloggers, news sites, and content publishers who need to automatically promote their blog posts and articles across social media. While Buffer vs Dlvr.it shows both schedule posts, Dlvr.it’s core strength is its sophisticated RSS feed integration that automatically posts new content to social media as it’s published, eliminating manual sharing and ensuring blog promotion happens instantly.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

16. SocialBee

SocialBee

SocialBee is a social media management platform with exceptional content categorization and recycling features powered by AI. While Buffer vs SocialBee comparison reveals both schedule posts, SocialBee’s unique category-based scheduling system allows you to organize content into topic folders that post on rotating schedules, ensuring balanced content mix without manual planning,making it ideal for brands with diverse content pillars and evergreen strategies.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

17. Tailwind

Tailwind

Tailwind specializes in Pinterest and Instagram marketing, making it a highly focused Buffer alternative for e-commerce brands, bloggers, and visual marketers who rely heavily on Pinterest for traffic and sales. While Buffer vs Tailwind shows Buffer supports more platforms, Tailwind’s Pinterest-specific features,SmartSchedule, Tailwind Communities for content amplification, and data-backed best practices that make Pins 54% more likely to go viral,make it the undisputed leader for Pinterest marketing.

The platform’s SmartLoop feature recycles top-performing Pins automatically, and Tailwind Communities allow members to share each other’s content for exponential reach. Tailwind works best for businesses where Pinterest drives significant traffic, particularly e-commerce, food blogs, DIY content, and lifestyle brands.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

18. SocialPilot

SocialPilot

SocialPilot is an affordable, feature-rich Buffer alternative focused on delivering enterprise-level capabilities at accessible prices. While Buffer vs SocialPilot reveals both schedule posts, SocialPilot’s white-label reporting, client management features, bulk scheduling for up to 500 posts at once, and significantly lower pricing (starting at $30/month for professionals) make it particularly attractive for agencies and freelancers managing multiple clients on a budget.

The platform’s Facebook Ads integration and social media inbox consolidation provide additional value. SocialPilot works well for agencies, social media managers, small businesses, and marketing teams that need professional features without premium pricing.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

19. OneUp

OneUp

OneUp differentiates itself as a straightforward, affordable Buffer alternative with unique support for Facebook Groups and Facebook Personal Profiles,features many competitors don’t offer. While Buffer vs OneUp shows both schedule posts, OneUp’s ability to schedule to personal Facebook profiles, Facebook Groups (even those you’re just a member of), and Google Business Profile locations with call-to-action buttons makes it valuable for personal brands, local businesses, and community managers.

The platform’s clean interface, post approval workflow, and competitive pricing make it accessible for small teams. OneUp works well for solopreneurs, small businesses, local multi-location businesses, and anyone needing Facebook Group or personal profile scheduling.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

20. Emplifi (previously Socialbakers)

Emplifi

Emplifi (formerly Socialbakers) represents the enterprise tier of social media marketing platforms, combining social media management, customer care, and commerce in one unified solution. While Buffer vs Emplifi comparison shows Buffer focuses on scheduling simplicity, Emplifi’s sophisticated social listening, analyzing 150+ million sources, AI-powered customer care, and unified CX (customer experience) platform make it suitable only for large enterprises with substantial budgets and complex social media operations.

The platform’s social commerce integration and comprehensive influencer marketing tools differentiate it from basic schedulers. Emplifi works exclusively for large corporations, established brands, and enterprises requiring enterprise-level social intelligence and customer care capabilities.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

21. PromoRepublic

PromoRepublic

PromoRepublic is a multi-location brand and franchise social media management platform with extensive content template libraries. While Buffer vs PromoRepublic shows both scheduled posts, PromoRepublic’s 100,000+ ready-made post templates, local pages management for franchises, and centralized control with local customization make it specifically designed for multi-location businesses, franchise systems, and distributed marketing teams.

The platform’s template-based approach accelerates content creation while maintaining brand consistency across locations. PromoRepublic works best for franchise systems, real estate agencies, retail chains, healthcare groups, and any business with multiple locations requiring coordinated yet locally-relevant social media.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

22. MavSocial

MavSocial

MavSocial combines social media management with advertising campaign management and digital asset organization. While Buffer vs MavSocial reveals both schedule posts, MavSocial’s integrated advertising features for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn ads, plus its visual digital asset library with AI-powered metadata tagging, make it valuable for marketers managing both organic and paid social media from one platform.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

23. MeetEdgar

Meet Edger

MeetEdgar pioneered the evergreen content recycling model, making it a unique Buffer alternative focused on content library management and automated resharing. While Buffer vs MeetEdgar shows both schedule posts, MeetEdgar’s automatic content recycling from category-based libraries, A/B testing variations, and “set it and forget it” automation make it the preferred choice for brands with substantial evergreen content that can be reshared repeatedly without appearing stale.

The platform’s hands-off approach allows marketers to build content libraries once and let MeetEdgar handle ongoing posting indefinitely. MeetEdgar works best for blogs, podcasts, service businesses, coaches, consultants, and anyone with timeless content that remains relevant long-term.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

24. SmarterQueue

SmarterQueue

SmarterQueue is the most intelligent content recycling platform with sophisticated evergreen scheduling and content curation. While Buffer vs SmarterQueue reveals both schedule posts, SmarterQueue’s visual category planning, evergreen post recycling with performance tracking, and content curation from social feeds sorted by engagement make it particularly valuable for content marketers managing high-volume, diverse content strategies.

The platform’s VisualPlan feature color-codes categories on the calendar for immediate strategic clarity. SmarterQueue works well for bloggers, content creators, agencies, and businesses with substantial evergreen content libraries.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

25. Hootsuite

Hootsuite

Hootsuite established itself as one of the first and most recognizable social media management platforms, making it a familiar Buffer alternative for large teams and enterprises. While Buffer vs Hootsuite shows both schedule posts, Hootsuite’s extensive integration library (35+ social networks plus business tools), advanced team collaboration with custom roles and permissions, and comprehensive social listening (add-on) make it suitable for complex organizational needs,though at a significantly higher price point than simpler competitors.

The platform’s streams-based dashboard allows monitoring multiple feeds simultaneously. Hootsuite works best for enterprises, large agencies, and organizations with dedicated social media teams managing complex multi-platform strategies.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

26. NapoleonCat

NapoleonCat

NapoleonCat is a social media management platform with particularly strong customer service and moderation features. While Buffer vs NapoleonCat reveals both schedule posts, NapoleonCat’s unified social inbox with advanced automation rules, auto-moderation for comments and messages, and comprehensive customer support analytics make it valuable for brands prioritizing community management and customer service alongside content publishing. ​

The platform’s competitor analysis and reporting features add additional value. NapoleonCat works well for customer service-focused brands, e-commerce businesses managing high message volumes, and agencies serving clients who need community engagement alongside content.

Key Features

Pricing Plans

Pros

Cons

What is Buffer?

Buffer is a social media management platform trusted by over 100,000 businesses worldwide for scheduling posts, analyzing performance, and engaging audiences across eleven social networks. The platform supports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, Google Business, Mastodon, and X.

Buffer’s main selling point is that it’s simple and affordable. Most teams can pick it up quickly and still get the basics they need for publishing, reporting, and light team collaboration. The platform includes AI-powered content suggestions, native Shopify integration for e-commerce, and a generous free plan that makes it accessible for solopreneurs and small businesses.

Why Look for Buffer Alternatives?

While Buffer provides solid foundational features, specific business needs often demand specialized capabilities that alternative platforms deliver. Teams managing multiple clients benefit from white-label options and advanced approval workflows that many Buffer alternatives offer. Agencies requiring deeper content recycling and evergreen post management find tools like RecurPost more cost-effective. Visual-focused creators need TikTok-specific analytics and Instagram optimization that Later provides. 

Content strategists leveraging AI for creation benefit from platforms like Postfity that integrate design and writing tools. Budget-conscious teams discovering superior pricing models find better value in competitors. Organizations prioritizing team collaboration require approval workflows and real-time editing that Planable excels at delivering. Buffer’s fixed pricing model may not align with growing businesses scaling from managing 5 profiles to 50 profiles across multiple team members.

That’s why a lot of teams end up comparing tools like RecurPost, Later, or other Buffer alternatives. They’re looking for something easier to work in, with better reporting and pricing that doesn’t jump too fast as they add more profiles.

How to Choose the Best Buffer Alternative?

Evaluate your primary use case first: scheduling only, content creation, team collaboration, or analytics depth. Consider the total cost of managing your actual account count, as per-channel pricing models can exceed flat-rate plans when scaling. Assess team size requirements and collaboration features needed, approval workflows, role-based permissions, and client involvement capabilities. Determine if your business requires specialized features like evergreen content recycling, TikTok analytics, design generation, or white-label reporting. 

Examine platform support availability and learning curve, especially for non-technical team members. Test free trials thoroughly, focusing on your actual workflow and account combinations. Research user reviews from businesses similar in size and industry. Compare data analytics depth, scheduling flexibility, and content library organization against your specific reporting requirements. Finally, verify that each platform supports all social networks your business actively manages.

Free vs. Paid Buffer Alternatives

Free plans are handy when you’re still shopping around. They let you run a real week or two of posts without putting a card down.

RecurPost, Planable, and Post Planner provide free tiers with meaningful limitations, allowing solopreneurs and small businesses to manage basic scheduling without payment. Buffer’s free plan includes three accounts and basic publishing, while Post Planner’s free tier covers one account with fifteen scheduled posts. Planable’s free plan permits fifty total posts across unlimited users, perfect for small agencies testing collaboration workflows. Later and Postfity lack free plans but offer 14-day trials enabling short-term evaluation.

Free plans become limiting as you add accounts and team members, typically supporting 1-3 accounts and providing restricted analytics. Paid alternatives become cost-effective once you exceed free plan limits, offering better features than Buffer’s paid tiers. Most platforms offer annual billing discounts ranging from 15-25%, making yearly commitments rewarding for committed users. Evaluate whether free tier limitations align with your current needs or if a low-cost paid plan delivers better long-term value.

Social Media Management Features Comparison

Tool
Free Plan
Starting Price
Notable Features
RecurPost
$9/month
(Starter Plan)
Evergreen content recycling, AI caption tools, white-label analytics, multi-workspace setup
Post Planner
$12/month
(Free /Starter Plan)
Content curation, AI caption & hashtag generation, post recycling buckets, Canva integration
Planable
$33/workspace/month
(Free / Basic Plan)
Visual content calendar, multi-level approvals, team collaboration, client feedback
Later
$25/month
(Starter Plan)
Visual planner, Instagram grid preview, Link-in-Bio, team collaboration, benchmarking
Postfity
$20/month
(Social Media AI One Pro)
AI content creation, video editing, brandbook, bulk scheduling, unified inbox
Sprout Social
$199 per seat/month /workspace
(Standard Plan)
Smart Inbox, AI sentiment analysis, advanced analytics, CRM tools, social listening
Loomly
(Starter: Contact for pricing)
Content inspiration, optimization tips, multi-platform support, workflows, analytics
CoSchedule
$29/user/month
(Free Calendar, Social Calendar)
Unified marketing calendar, ReQueue automation, AI assistants, task workflows
Agorapulse
$79/user/month
(Standard Plan)
Unified inbox, ROI tracking, publishing queues, competitor benchmarking
Metricool
$22/month
(Free Plan, Starter Plan)
Deep analytics, SmartLinks bio tool, AI scheduling assistant, competitor tracking
eClincher
$149/month
(Standard Plan)
Local SEO automation, brand monitoring, social inbox, analytics, API access
Socialoomph
$15/month
(Personal Suite: Free, Advanced Suite)
Bulk scheduling, RSS automation, post variations, advanced Twitter automation
Planoly
$14/month
(Starter Plan)
Instagram grid planner, Stories scheduler, auto-publishing, UGC management
Facebook Creator Studio
$0
(Free Plan)
Native scheduling, analytics, monetization, unified inbox
Dlvr.it
$8.33/month
(Basic Plan)
RSS-to-social automation, video auto-upload, content filters, templates
SocialBee
$24/month
(Starter Plan)
AI copilot, category scheduling, recycling, post variations, hashtag manager
Tailwind
$17.99/month
(Free)
SmartSchedule, Pinterest & Instagram focus, AI design, Tailwind Communities
SocialPilot
$30/month
(Essentials Plan)
Bulk scheduling (500 posts), white-label reports, client management, inbox
OneUp
$12/month
(Starter Plan)
Facebook Group & Profile posting, Google Business scheduling, approvals
Emplifi (Socialbakers)
Custom quote
Unified CX platform, social listening (150M+ sources), influencer management
PromoRepublic
Custom quote
100K+ templates, multi-location control, brand compliance, unified reporting
MavSocial
$29/month
(Advanced Plan)
Integrated ads, digital asset library, UGC curation, social listening
MeetEdgar
$24.91/ month
(Eddie Plan)
Automatic recycling, content libraries, A/B variations, RSS automation
SmarterQueue
$24.99/ month
(Solo Plan: Costs )
Evergreen recycling, visual category system, post variations, analytics
Hootsuite
Standard Plan
($99/user/month)
35+ platform integrations, AI post generation, analytics, team collaboration
NapoleonCat
$79/ month
(Standard Plan)
Auto-moderation, social inbox, competitor analysis, customer service analytics

Buffer Alternatives by Business Type

Small Businesses: RecurPost ($9/month), Postfity Pro ($20/month) – Both give you affordable starting plans with the core scheduling tools you actually use, easy-to-read dashboards, and enough room to grow without jumping straight into enterprise-level pricing.

Enterprises: Later Scale Plan ($82.50/month), Postfity Agency ($85/month) – These options deliver advanced team management, unlimited posting capacity, and dedicated support needed for complex organizational structures managing dozens of profiles and multiple teams.

Agencies: Planable ($33/workspace/month), RecurPost Agency Plan ($65.83/month) – Both platforms excel at multi-client management through white-label options, external client approval workflows, and workspace separation that prevent account confusion across client accounts.

Freelancers/Solopreneurs: Post Planner Free Plan, Postfity Pro ($20/month) – These alternatives provide maximum value at minimal cost, offering content curation and AI assistance that extend limited time and budgets while maintaining professional quality.

E-commerce: Later Growth Plan ($37.50/month), Postfity Pro ($20/month) – Later’s Link in Bio and shopping features drive direct sales, while Postfity’s rapid design generation helps product-heavy brands publish consistently without design teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Planable offers the best free alternative, allowing 50 posts, unlimited users, and four social pages per workspace, ideal for teams testing collaboration. Post Planner gives one account with 15 scheduled posts, while Postfity covers basic design for solopreneurs. Planable stands out for flexible testing and real team collaboration on a free plan.

RecurPost’s $7.5/month Starter Plan and Postfity’s $20/month Pro Plan offer the best value for small businesses managing 2-7 profiles. RecurPost excels in evergreen content and client reporting, great for agencies. Postfity is ideal for quick AI-driven design. Both are more affordable than Buffer for managing multiple accounts.

RecurPost beats Buffer for evergreen content recycling, white-label reporting, and multi-client management, ideal for agencies. Buffer wins on deeper analytics, content suggestions, and e-commerce integration. RecurPost is more cost-effective at scale, while Buffer’s free plan helps for testing. Each platform serves different needs based on workflow and budget priorities.

Buffer gets expensive as accounts grow, lacks white-labeling, and falls short on evergreen content recycling compared to specialized tools. Approval workflows are basic, and analytics offer limited customizations. Social listening is missing, and dedicated support is only in higher plans. Team collaboration and branding tools lag behind rivals like Planable.

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