Buffer vs Mixpost (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 2.6.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Buffer grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. Mixpost grades higher on value for money and features. They get the same grade on 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
Mixpost
Self-hosted social media scheduler sold with a one-time license
Which one is for you
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
Pick Mixpost if
- Fits if you are comfortable running a PHP application on a server
- Works for agencies that want their own scheduler and their own data
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't want to install and maintain software
- Tight if you pick Lite: only Facebook Pages, Mastodon and X
- Watch out: Pro and Enterprise cover 1 domain and 1 year of updates; a fallback license keeps the version you bought
- Watch out: Mixpost Cloud's monthly prices could not be read, and its plans start with a 7-day trial
- Pricey if you want white label: Enterprise is $1,199 one time
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABufferGood | 2.6GPAMixpostGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | A$299 one time for Pro, under a year of the category's $29 middle plan, though you also pay for a server and get 1 year of updates on 1 domain. |
| 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. | CLite is free to self-host but publishes only to Facebook Pages, Mastodon and X, and needs your own server. |
| 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. | BCalendar, queues, eleven networks, team workflow, inbox, analytics, API, webhooks and white label across Pro and Enterprise. Lite has none of the extras. |
| 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. | DYou install and maintain it yourself, which is self-hosting. |
| 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, with Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, Mastodon and Bluesky, plus an API, webhooks and MCP. No phone apps. |
| Best for | paying only for the channels you use | a self-hosted social scheduler |
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 Mixpost. How we grade
Where they differ
- Mixpost is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Mixpost can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Buffer also covers templates, calendar and reports.
At a glance
| Buffer | Mixpost | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly) | $299 one-time for the Pro license |
| 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. | Lite is free to self-host: Facebook Pages, Mastodon and X, calendar, media library, basic analytics, community support. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the paid plans | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Buffer | Mixpost |
| Price read from | buffer.com | mixpost.app |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
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.
Mixpost
- You install and maintain it yourself; the hosted Mixpost Cloud plans are priced separately.
- Free Lite publishes only to Facebook Pages, Mastodon and X; other networks need Pro.
- Pro and Enterprise include 1 year of updates and cover 1 domain; the page says a fallback license keeps the version you bought.
- Mixpost Cloud's monthly prices could not be read; every cloud plan starts with a 7-day trial.
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.
Mixpost
- Calendar and posting queues
- A calendar view and a posting schedule (queue) place posts at set times, with post versions per network, labels and a media library.
- Eleven networks
- Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, Pinterest, Mastodon, Bluesky, Pixelfed and Google Business are listed. Lite covers only some.
- Team workflow
- Multi-tenant workspaces, an approval flow, post templates, variables and a hashtag manager come with the Pro license.
- Engagement inbox and analytics
- Pro adds an engagement inbox and advanced analytics. Lite includes basic analytics only.
- API, webhooks and MCP
- Pro includes an API, webhooks and an MCP server so scripts and AI assistants can control the installation.
- White label and billing
- The Enterprise license adds white-label branding and customer subscription management, aimed at running Mixpost as a paid service.
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.
Mixpost
Lite$0
Self-hosted by you. Publishes to Facebook Pages, Mastodon and X, with calendar, media library and basic analytics.
Pro$299
one-time, for 1 domain with 1 year of updates
Self-hosted. Adds all networks, multi-tenant, approvals, inbox, AI assistant, API and webhooks.
Enterprise$1,199
one-time, for 1 domain with 1 year of updates
Self-hosted. Adds white-label branding, subscription management, customer dashboard, billing and coupons.
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.
Mixpost
- Nonprofit
30% off Pro for nonprofits and NGOs
Non-profits and NGOs get 30% off the Pro license after verification through the support chat.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Mixpost?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly), and Mixpost starts at $299 one-time for the Pro license.
Which has a free plan, Buffer or Mixpost?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Buffer and Mixpost have a free plan.
Which platforms do Buffer and Mixpost 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.