Buffer vs Zoho Social
Buffer or Zoho Social
Buffer Overview
Buffer stands as the veteran champion of social media scheduling, empowering over 180,000 creators, small businesses, and marketers to build consistent audiences across multiple platforms. With 194,011 active users publishing 7.8 million posts monthly across 11 supported social platforms, Buffer has established itself as the go-to solution for content creators and agencies alike.
The platform’s transparent approach extends beyond features, Buffer openly shares company metrics including their $22.9M annual recurring revenue, reflecting their commitment to honest business practices. Digital marketers value Buffer’s reliability and simplicity, making social media management accessible without overwhelming complexity or hidden costs.
Zoho Social Overview
Zoho Social brings the comprehensive power of the Zoho ecosystem to social media management, serving businesses worldwide with an intuitive platform trusted by over 90 million users globally. Part of Zoho’s broader business suite, this tool transforms complex social media workflows into streamlined operations that save time and amplify brand presence.
With 3,516 companies actively using Zoho Social in 2025 and recognition as a shortlisted platform for Social Engagement Platforms 2025, it delivers enterprise-grade capabilities wrapped in user-friendly design. Social media managers appreciate its seamless integration with CRM and customer service tools, making it ideal for businesses seeking unified digital operations.
Overview
In today’s digital landscape, managing multiple social media accounts efficiently is critical for businesses looking to enhance their online presence. Social media management tools like Buffer and Zoho Social provide the essential features to schedule posts, track performance, and engage with followers across various platforms. However, with so many options available, choosing the right tool can be challenging.
This guide will provide an unbiased, in-depth comparison between Buffer and Zoho Social, two of the leading social media management platforms. Our aim is to help you evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, pricing, and ideal use cases for each tool so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs—whether you’re an individual marketer, a digital agency, or a growing business.
Buffer vs Zoho Social: User Rating
| Rating Categories | Buffer | Zoho Social |
| Star Rating (Out of 5) | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Meets Requirements (Out of 10) | 8.9 | 9.3 |
| Ease of Use (Out of 10) | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| Ease of Setup (Out of 10) | 9.3 | 9.1 |
| Ease of Admin (Out of 10) | 9.0 | 9.2 |
| Quality of Support (Out of 10) | 8.8 | 9.0 |
| Business Partnership (Out of 10) | 8.7 | 9.0 |
| Product Direction (% positive) | 88 | 91 |
Buffer
- G2 Rating: 4.3/5 – Users love Buffer’s ease of use and affordable pricing. It’s often praised for its simple interface and consistent performance.
- Capterra Rating: 4.5/5 – Buffer’s scheduling features and user-friendly design receive high marks, although some users desire more robust analytics.
Zoho Social
- G2 Rating: 4.6/5 – Reviewers appreciate Zoho Social’s comprehensive analytics and team collaboration tools. However, some find the interface slightly overwhelming.
- Capterra Rating: 4.7/5 – Users highlight advanced reporting and real-time listening capabilities but mention the price as a consideration.
Buffer vs Zoho Social: Feature Comparison
| Features | Buffer | Zoho Social |
| Pricing (per month in USD) | 15$ | 10$ |
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms Supported | Most Major Platforms | All Major Platforms |
| Bulk Scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| RSS feeds | No | Yes |
| Content Suggestions | No | Yes |
| Social Inbox | No | Yes |
| Advanced Analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Approval Workflow | No | Yes |
| URL Shortener | Yes | Yes |
| Team Management | Yes | Yes |
a. Scheduling and Automation:
Buffer provides a user-friendly scheduling feature that allows users to plan posts in advance across multiple social media platforms. Its Smart Queue feature automatically schedules posts for optimal engagement based on the time of day. Buffer also offers bulk scheduling, making it easy to upload and schedule large batches of posts all at once.
Zoho Social offers a comprehensive Post Scheduler that supports bulk scheduling and allows you to plan content ahead of time. Additionally, it includes an RSS Feed Integration for auto-publishing new content, saving time on manual scheduling. Zoho Social’s SmartQ feature is similar to Buffer’s, intelligently suggesting the best times to post. However, unlike Buffer, Zoho Social provides more customization options for post timing based on your audience’s activity.
Buffer excels in simplicity and ease of use, particularly with its Smart Queue. However, Zoho Social offers more flexibility, especially with its custom post timing and RSS Feed Integration, making it an excellent choice for businesses looking for more advanced scheduling and automation options.
b. Supported Social Media Platforms
Buffer supports a wide range of platforms, including:
- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Google Business Profile
However, Buffer’s support for platforms like YouTube and TikTok is limited compared to Zoho Social.
Zoho Social supports an extensive list of social networks, including:
- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, YouTube
Zoho Social’s platform compatibility is broader than Buffer’s, especially when it comes to supporting YouTube, which is crucial for businesses that use video content.
c. Analytics and Reporting
Buffer provides basic analytics that covers post performance, engagement metrics like likes, shares, and comments, and audience growth. The Analytics Pro plan unlocks more in-depth insights, including engagement breakdowns and post performance by time. However, it lacks advanced features like custom reporting and automatic email reporting.
Zoho Social offers advanced reporting tools, including custom reports and white-label downloadable reports. Its analytics provide detailed insights into post reach, engagement, and performance, as well as social media listening metrics to track brand mentions and sentiment. The platform also allows you to schedule reports for email delivery, a feature missing in Buffer.
Based on my testing, Zoho Social offers more advanced analytics. Its detailed reports, including custom report creation and social media listening, provide much deeper insights into post performance and brand mentions. Additionally, the ability to schedule email reports adds a level of automation that Buffer lacks, making Zoho Social the better choice for businesses needing in-depth, actionable analytics.
d. User Interface and Experience
Buffer has a clean, minimalistic interface that’s easy to navigate, making it ideal for users who want a no-frills experience. While it’s very intuitive, some users feel it’s lacking in advanced customization options for post scheduling and content curation.
Zoho Social offers a more feature-rich interface, which can sometimes feel overwhelming to new users. However, its dashboard is highly customizable, allowing teams to track brand mentions, collaborate on posts, and analyze social media data in real time. Zoho Social’s social media listening feature provides a more holistic view of your social presence, which Buffer lacks.
Zoho Social provides a more comprehensive set of analytics and features that really help me dive deeper into performance and engagement. Its customizable reports and social listening tools make it more versatile, though it may take some time to master the interface.
e. Pricing Comparison
Buffer is highly affordable for smaller teams and individuals, particularly with the low starting price of the Essentials Plan at $6 per month. It is a great option for professionals and small businesses looking for a simple solution.
Zoho Social provides more features at each pricing tier, particularly for businesses that need advanced reporting and team collaboration tools. Its Agency Plan at $320 per month offers a comprehensive solution for larger businesses and agencies.
| Plan | Buffer | Zoho Social |
| Free | 3 accounts, 30 posts | – |
| Essentials | $6/month, 1 account per platform, 2000 posts | $15/month, 10 accounts, basic features |
| Team | $12/month, 25 accounts, advanced features | $30/month, 20 accounts, collaboration |
| Agency | $120/month, 2000 posts | $320/month, 100 accounts, agency features |
f. Ideal Use Cases
Buffer
Best for:
- Individuals and small businesses looking for an affordable solution.
- Content creators seeking simple scheduling tools.
- Solo entrepreneurs who need efficient social media management.
- Small teams that need a basic tool for social media management.
Zoho Social
Best for:
- Marketing agencies needing advanced features and reporting.
- Medium to large businesses managing multiple accounts.
- Teams requiring strong collaboration and approval workflows.
- Companies needing comprehensive social media monitoring and analytics.
Pros and Cons of Using Buffer
Pros
- Great value in the paid version for scheduling more posts
- Helpful and quick customer service
Cons
- Feature loss with some software upgrades
- The app may freeze or fail to post during low connectivity
Conclusion of Buffer vs. Zoho Social Comparison
In summary, both Buffer and Zoho Social offer valuable features tailored to different types of users. Buffer stands out for its affordability and ease of use, making it ideal for individuals, small businesses, and content creators who need a straightforward tool for scheduling and managing social media. On the other hand, Zoho Social shines with its advanced analytics, real-time brand monitoring, and collaboration features, making it better suited for larger teams, marketing agencies, and businesses that require a more robust solution for social media management.
When deciding between the two, consider your specific needs:
- If you’re a solo entrepreneur or small business on a budget, Buffer might be the perfect choice.
- If you’re a marketing agency or need deeper analytics and team collaboration, Zoho Social could offer the extra features you’re looking for.
While Buffer and Zoho Social are strong contenders, you may also want to explore other options like RecurPost. This tool offers unique features such as content libraries for recurring posts and advanced automation—perfect for businesses that need to maximize their content’s lifespan and streamline social media management.
RecurPost can be the perfect Buffer and Zoho Social alternative for businesses looking to streamline content management. When you compare Buffer vs Zoho Social, RecurPost revolutionizes social media automation for over 100,000 businesses across 163+ countries, delivering intelligent scheduling that drives 11–18% more impressions compared to manual posting. This powerful platform has already facilitated 60+ million posts and generated 130+ million user engagements, proving its effectiveness in real-world applications.
Unlike many tools, RecurPost stands out with advanced automation that detects and fixes 850+ post-breaking glitches such as expired tokens and API issues. This ensures your campaigns run smoothly while you focus on strategy. With 32% higher engagement through optimized posting times and white-label reporting, RecurPost transforms social media from a time-consuming task into a growth-driving asset.
When it comes to costs, Buffer and Zoho Social can be pretty expensive. Buffer’s social media tool charges $12 per channel, totaling $60 for five channels, whereas RecurPost offers the same five channels for just $25. Zoho Social does provide a free plan, but it lacks long-term scalability for growing businesses.
The platform’s intuitive design ensures a user-friendly experience for both beginners and pros. With features like shared calendars for client collaboration, seasonal libraries for time-bound campaigns, and Instagram DM automation, RecurPost makes content management effortless. Combined with its two-tier validation system for posting reliability, it’s clear why RecurPost consistently earns praise over other tools.
