Buffer vs Metricool
We give Buffer a 2.8 GPA and Metricool a 2.4, out of 4.0. Buffer grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. Metricool grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Buffer
Social media scheduler priced by the channel, with a free plan
Metricool
Social media planner and analytics priced by the number of brands
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABufferGood | 2.4GPAMetricoolFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CTeam access starts on Advanced, $53 a month billed yearly for up to 15 brands, so that's what two or three people pay for five profiles. That's between this category's $29 middle and $58 dearer quarter. On your own, Starter is $20 for 5 brands. |
| Free plan and trial | 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. | CA free plan for 1 brand, with 30 days of analytics and 5 competitors. But it leaves out LinkedIn and X and stops at 20 scheduled posts a month, which a business posting daily will hit. |
| Features | 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. | BA planner for 11 networks, an inbox, comment-to-DM automations, reports with ads and website data, 100 competitors and an API. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job; extras sit in add-ons, like X at $10 an account. |
| Ease of use | AIts iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 from about 34,600 ratings, and the free plan needs nothing but your social accounts connected. | CThere's no App Store rating on record for us to go by, and you'll connect social, ad and website accounts to get the most from it. So it gets the ordinary grade. |
| Platforms and integrations | 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. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Canva, Google Drive, Adobe Express, Zapier, Make, Data Studio, WordPress and Shopify, plus an API on Advanced. No desktop app, which an A needs. |
| Best for | paying only for the channels you use | social, ads and website stats in one place |
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: Buffer and Metricool. How we grade
Price against what you get
Buffer starts at $5 a month and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Metricool starts at $20 a month and scores 2.7.
Buffer scores higher and starts $15 a month lower. Of the other social media schedulers on the chart, none scores higher than Buffer for less, and 3 score higher than Metricool 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
- Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly). Metricool starts at $20 per month for up to 5 brands, billed annually ($25 billed monthly).
- Only Buffer lists a browser extension.
- Buffer also covers templates.
At a glance
| Buffer | Metricool | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly) | $20 per month for up to 5 brands, billed annually ($25 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 1 user, 100 saved ideas and 30 days of analytics history. | 1 brand on every network except LinkedIn and X, 20 scheduled posts a month, 5 competitors and 30 days of analytics. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the paid plans | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Buffer | Metricool Software, S.L. |
| Price read from | buffer.com | metricool.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Buffer
- Solo creators and small businesses posting to a handful of accounts
- People who want a free plan for up to three social accounts
- Agencies that add and drop client accounts and want to pay only for those connected
Metricool
- Freelancers and small agencies paying by brand rather than by user
- People who want ad and website analytics beside social reports
- Anyone starting out on a free plan with one brand
Worth knowing
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.
Metricool
- The Free plan leaves out LinkedIn and X and allows 20 scheduled posts a month with 30 days of analytics.
- X needs an add-on at $10 a month per connected account on every paid plan.
- Team access, approvals, the API and Data Studio connector need Advanced at $53 a month, billed annually.
- Metricool Studio and unlimited campaign dashboards need the Advanced Analytics add-on, from $12 a month on Starter and $36 on Advanced.
Key features
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.
Metricool
- Planner
- A calendar with best-time suggestions auto-publishes to Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Bluesky, X, Twitch and Google Business Profile.
- Analytics and competitors
- Reports cover social profiles, Facebook, Google and TikTok ads, and a website or blog. Paid plans keep unlimited history and follow up to 100 competitors.
- Reports
- PDF and PPT reports can be downloaded or sent monthly; Advanced adds customizable templates and a Data Studio connector for combined reports.
- Inbox and Flows
- Messages and comments from Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Business Profile in one inbox, plus automations that turn comments into DMs.
- AI assistant and MCP
- AI credits per brand each month (5 on Free, 20 on Starter, 35 on Advanced) write and adapt posts, and a Metricool MCP server works with AI assistants.
- SmartLinks
- A link-in-bio page with unlimited links, images and buttons, a YouTube feed and click analytics; paid plans allow several pages.
Plans
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.
Metricool
Free$0
1 brand, 20 posts a month, 30 days of analytics, 5 competitor profiles and 5 AI credits a month.
Starter$20
per month for up to 5 brands, billed annually ($25 billed monthly)
Unlimited publishing, LinkedIn, unlimited analytics history, 100 competitors, PDF and PPT reports. $36 a month for 10 brands, billed annually.
Advanced$53
per month for up to 15 brands, billed annually ($67 billed monthly)
Team and client access, roles, post approvals, report templates, Data Studio connector and API. $85 at 25 brands, $159 at 50, billed annually.
CustomCustom
More than 50 brands, white label, a dedicated account manager and custom AI credits.
Ways to pay less
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.
Metricool
- Annual discount
Up to 24% off with annual billing
Annual billing brings Starter to $20 a month from $25 for 5 brands, and Advanced to $53 from $67 for 15 brands.
