Buffer vs PostFast (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 2.2.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Buffer grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. PostFast 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
PostFast
Social scheduler for 11 platforms with an API and MCP server
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 PostFast if
- Fits if you post to many networks from one screen
- Works for developers who want a REST API for posting
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you are on Starter, with 4 accounts, 150 queued posts, 1 user and 30 days of history
- Not for you if you want dollar prices, as the page shows euros only
- Skip it if you need an inbox on Starter, as it is not included
- Watch out: X accounts are capped per plan, from 2 on Starter
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABufferGood | 2.2GPAPostFastFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CStarter is 12.50 euros a month on yearly billing for 4 accounts, near the $14 cheaper-quarter line; no dollar prices are shown. |
| 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. | DA 7-day trial with no card, but no free plan, and it ends in a paid plan only. |
| 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. | B11 networks, workspaces, approvals, inbox, analytics and an API. The listing shows no gap in the core job, though Starter has limited analytics and no inbox. |
| 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. | CA web app where you connect accounts and set up workspaces. No store rating on record. |
| 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 Claude, ChatGPT, Zapier, Make and n8n. No desktop app. |
| Best for | paying only for the channels you use | one composer for 11 networks |
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 PostFast. 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. PostFast starts at about $13.97 a month and scores 2.7.
Buffer scores higher and starts $8.97 a month lower. Of the other social media schedulers on the chart, none scores higher than Buffer for less, and 3 score higher than PostFast 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 also covers templates.
- PostFast also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Buffer | PostFast | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly) | €12.50 per month for 4 accounts, billed yearly (€15 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. | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the paid plans | 7-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Buffer | PostFast |
| Price read from | buffer.com | postfa.st |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
PostFast
- Prices are shown in euros; no dollar prices were found on the pricing page.
- Starter is limited to 4 accounts, 150 queued posts, 1 user and 30 days of post history.
- X accounts are capped per plan, from 2 on Starter to 45 on Enterprise.
- Yearly billing is shown as two months free (for example €150 a year on Starter).
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.
PostFast
- One composer for 11 platforms
- Write once, edit captions, media and first comments per account, and preview each network before scheduling up to a year ahead.
- AI agent access
- An MCP server, a Claude connector and a ChatGPT plugin let assistants create and schedule posts; posts can be held for approval.
- REST API and automation
- The REST API is on every plan, and the pricing table also lists Zapier, Make and n8n.
- Workspaces and approvals
- Separate workspaces for clients or brands, with users per workspace rising from 1 on Starter to 30 on Enterprise.
- Social inbox
- Reply to and triage conversations in one place; the pricing table shows it from Creator upward.
- Analytics
- Starter gets limited analytics; the other plans list analytics and engagement reporting.
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.
PostFast
Starter€12.50
per month for 4 accounts, billed yearly (€15 billed monthly)
150 queued posts, 50 drafts, 1 workspace and 1 user, limited analytics; inbox not included.
Creator€24
per month for 12 accounts, billed yearly (€29 billed monthly)
3,000 queued posts, 600 drafts, 4 workspaces, 5 users and full analytics.
Growth€40
per month for 30 accounts, billed yearly (€49 billed monthly)
5,000 queued posts, 2,000 drafts, 10 workspaces and 8 users per workspace.
Pro (Agency)€82.50
per month for 120 accounts, billed yearly (€99 billed monthly)
Unlimited posts and drafts, 30 workspaces, 15 users, priority support and workspace branding.
Enterprise€199
per month for 500 accounts, billed yearly (€239 billed monthly)
Unlimited posts and drafts, 110 workspaces and 30 users, with priority support and branding.
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.
PostFast
- Annual discount
Two months free with yearly billing
PostFast's pricing page lists yearly billing as two months free, for example €150 a year on Starter against €15 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Buffer or PostFast?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Buffer is cheaper to start with: $5 a month, against about $13.97 a month for PostFast. Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly), and PostFast starts at €12.50 per month for 4 accounts, billed yearly (€15 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Buffer or PostFast?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Buffer has a free plan. PostFast does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Buffer and PostFast run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Buffer lists a browser extension. Both list a web app and iOS and Android apps. 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.