Ayrshare vs Buffer (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Buffer: it is first in our ranking of social media schedulers, and it grades higher too, 2.8 against 1.6.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Buffer grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Ayrshare
Social media API for posting, analytics and comments in your product
Buffer
Social media scheduler priced by the channel, with a free plan
Which one is for you
Pick Ayrshare if
- Fits if you are building a product that needs to post to social networks
- Makes sense if you run an agency with your own client dashboard
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want an app with a calendar to click around in
- Pricey if you only manage one brand: $129 a month annually for 1 profile
- Tight if you pick Premium: single user, basic analytics only; unlimited team members start on Launch
- Watch out: beyond 30 profiles pricing is tiered and the page doesn't list the tier prices
- Watch out: the Max Pack AI upgrade is a paid add-on on Launch and Business
Pick Buffer if
- Fits if you post to a few channels and want to pay only for those
- Works for one person running up to 3 accounts on the free plan
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you keep adding channels on Team, since every one is $10 a month, including the three that were free
- Too light for teams that live in DMs, as its inbox is described for comments, and there's no competitor tracking on record
- Tight if you're staying free, with 10 queued posts per channel, 1 user and 30 days of analytics
- Not for you if you need approvals or more than one user on Essentials, as those need Team
- Watch out: Instagram personal profiles and Facebook groups get a reminder to post by hand, not automatic publishing
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAAyrshareWeak | 2.8GPABufferGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$129 a month on annual billing ($149 monthly) for 1 profile, which is where the category's dearest tenth starts. Launch is $249 for 10 profiles. | CFive channels on Team, which a team needs because Essentials is one user, is $50 a month billed yearly ($10 a channel). That's above this category's $29 middle and under the $58 where the dearer quarter starts. On your own, Essentials is $25 for five. |
| Free plan and trial | D28-day free trial of Launch; the listing doesn't say whether a card is needed. No free plan. | BFree for good with up to 3 channels, AI help, a comment inbox and 30 days of insights. One person can run three accounts on it. The catch is 10 queued posts per channel at a time and a single user. |
| Features | CPosting, analytics, comments and webhooks through the API, with multi-tenant profiles. Premium is single-user and limited to basic analytics. | CQueue, calendar, ideas board, AI help, reports and an API across 12 networks. The gaps it shows: the inbox is described for comments only, there's no competitor tracking on record, and Instagram personal profiles and Facebook groups only get a reminder to post by hand. |
| Ease of use | DIt's an API, so you need to write code. No store rating on record. | AIts iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 from about 34,600 ratings, and the free plan needs nothing but your social accounts connected. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb and API, with LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, Pinterest, YouTube and WhatsApp covered. | BWeb, iPhone, Android and a Chrome extension, plus an API on every plan, an MCP server, and Canva, Zapier, Make and WordPress. No desktop app, which is what an A needs. |
| Best for | adding social posting to your own product | paying only for the channels you use |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Ayrshare and Buffer. How we grade
Price against what you get
Ayrshare starts at $129 a month and scores 2.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Buffer starts at $5 a month and scores 3.0.
Buffer scores higher and starts $124 a month lower. Of the other social media schedulers on the chart, 34 score higher than Ayrshare for less, and none scores higher than Buffer for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Ayrshare also covers AI agents.
- Buffer also covers templates and calendar.
At a glance
| Ayrshare | Buffer | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $129 per month for 1 profile, billed annually ($149 billed monthly) | $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 1 user, 100 saved ideas and 30 days of analytics history. |
| Free trial | 28-day free trial of the Launch plan; other plans are billed at signup | 14-day free trial of the paid plans |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Ayrshare | Buffer |
| Price read from | ayrshare.com | buffer.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Ayrshare
- It is an API to build on; there is no end-user scheduling app to rely on instead.
- Premium is a single-user plan; unlimited team members start on Launch.
- Beyond 30 profiles on Business, pricing is tiered and the page does not list the tier prices.
- The Max Pack AI upgrade is a paid add-on on Launch and Business.
Buffer
- The Free plan holds only 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time and keeps 30 days of analytics.
- Essentials allows a single user; approval workflows, access controls and branded reports need Team.
- Upgrading means paying for every connected channel, including the three that were free.
- Instagram personal profiles and Facebook groups get reminder notifications to post by hand, not automatic publishing.
Key features
Ayrshare
- Publishing API
- One call posts and schedules to 14 or more networks, including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, Pinterest, Bluesky, YouTube and Reddit.
- Multi-tenant profiles
- White-label user profiles let a SaaS product or agency connect each customer's accounts. Billing stops when a profile is deleted through the API.
- Analytics and history APIs
- Cross-network metrics and access to users' past posts come through separate APIs. Advanced analytics start on the Launch plan.
- Engagement API
- Read and reply to comments, DMs and reviews, with a messaging API that also covers WhatsApp.
- MCP server and AI agent
- A hosted MCP server and an AI agent product let AI tools call the same publishing features.
- Ayrshare Connect
- A linking flow lets end users connect their social accounts inside your own app.
Buffer
- Queue and calendar
- Posts go into a per-channel queue or onto a visual calendar for Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, Pinterest, YouTube, Substack and Google Business Profile.
- Ideas and AI Assistant
- An ideas board stores drafts and inspiration (100 on Free, unlimited on paid plans), and the AI Assistant helps write and repurpose posts on every plan.
- Community inbox
- Comments from connected accounts can be answered in one place, with saved replies and AI reply suggestions (5 a week on Free).
- Analytics and reports
- Insights cover follower growth, engagement and post performance. Free keeps 30 days of history; paid plans add reports and UTM tags, and Team adds branded reports.
- Start Page
- A link-in-bio page builder is included on every plan, alongside link shortening and a Chrome extension for sharing from any web page.
- API and MCP server
- Every plan includes API keys, from 3,000 requests a month on Free to 15,000 on Team, and Buffer lists a social media MCP server for AI tools.
Plans
Ayrshare
Premium$129
per month for 1 social profile, billed annually ($149 billed monthly)
1 profile with up to 14 accounts, unlimited scheduled posts, basic analytics, comment moderation, single user.
Launch$249
per month for up to 10 profiles, billed annually ($299 billed monthly)
Up to 10 profiles, advanced analytics, webhooks, custom branding, expanded rate limits, unlimited team members.
Business$499
per month for 30 profiles, billed annually ($599 billed monthly)
30 profiles included, tiered pricing from the 31st up to 300. Facebook, Instagram and Google ads included.
EnterpriseCustom
From 300 profiles with volume pricing, a dedicated account manager, security and compliance, and priority support.
Buffer
Free$0
Up to 3 channels and 1 user, 10 queued posts per channel at a time, the AI Assistant and a comment inbox.
Essentials$5
per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly)
1 user, unlimited scheduled posts, hashtag manager, first-comment scheduling and reports. The rate per channel drops after 10: $100 a month at 25 channels, billed annually.
Team$10
per channel / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly)
Unlimited team members, approval workflows, access levels and branded reports. $150 a month at 25 channels, billed annually.
Ways to pay less
Ayrshare
- Annual discount
Save 17% with yearly billing
The pricing page shows a yearly option labeled as saving 17%: $129, $249 and $499 a month against $149, $299 and $599 billed monthly.
Buffer
- Annual discount
About two months free with yearly billing
Yearly billing brings Essentials to $5 a channel a month from $6, and Team to $10 from $12. The pricing page calls it saving two months.
- Nonprofit
50% off for nonprofits and charities
Buffer's pricing FAQ offers nonprofit and charity organizations a 50% discount on its paid plans.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Ayrshare or Buffer?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Buffer is cheaper to start with: $5 a month, against $129 a month for Ayrshare. Ayrshare starts at $129 per month for 1 profile, billed annually ($149 billed monthly), and Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Ayrshare or Buffer?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Buffer has a free plan. Ayrshare does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Ayrshare and Buffer run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Buffer lists iOS and Android apps and a browser extension. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.