Buffer vs Postfity (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 2.0.
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, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
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
Postfity
Social post scheduler bundled with AI design and writing tools
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 Postfity if
- Fits if you want AI writing and graphics in the same account as your scheduler
- Works for one person managing about 7 accounts on a plan
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need bulk uploads on the cheap plan, since that's a $19 a month add-on
- Tight if you rely on the free plan, because its scheduling limits aren't published
- Pricey if you add accounts and users: $5 and $10 a month each on the One plan
- Watch out: limits follow Simplified's plan names and AI credits, so the numbers can shift
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABufferGood | 2.0GPAPostfityFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | C$20 a month on yearly billing for 7 accounts and 1 user ($29.99 monthly), around the category middle. Extra accounts are $5, extra users $10 and bulk scheduling $19, each monthly. |
| 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 exists with design projects, 5 GB and a few AI credits, but the pricing page doesn't list its scheduling or account limits, so we can't say how far it gets you. |
| 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. | CCalendar, drafts, inbox, approvals, analytics and link in bio, plus AI writing and design. The gaps are the add-ons: bulk scheduling isn't in the One plan. |
| 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. | CNo store rating on record. You connect accounts, and the Simplified plan names and credits take some working out. |
| 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. | CWeb only. It lists Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google Business Profile, and no wider integrations. |
| Best for | paying only for the channels you use | scheduling with AI writing and design in the same account |
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 Postfity. 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. Postfity starts at $20 a month and scores 2.0.
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 27 score higher than Postfity 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
- Postfity also covers shared inbox and image generation.
At a glance
| Buffer | Postfity | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly) | $20 per month for 7 accounts, billed annually ($29.99 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. | Free plan with unlimited design projects, 5 GB storage and a small credit allowance; the page does not list its scheduling limits. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the paid plans | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Buffer | Postfity |
| Price read from | buffer.com | postfity.com |
| 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.
Postfity
- Pricing is run through Simplified's checkout, so the product and its limits follow Simplified's plan names and AI credits.
- Extra accounts cost $5 a month each and extra users $10 a month on the One plan.
- Bulk scheduling is a $19 a month add-on on the One plan and is included from Growth.
- The free plan's scheduling and account limits are not listed on the pricing page.
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.
Postfity
- Scheduler and calendar
- Plan posts to several networks from a content calendar, save drafts and publish instantly.
- Bulk scheduling
- Queue many posts with graphics and video in one upload. It is an add-on at $19 a month on the One plan.
- AI writing and design
- Paid plans include AI copywriting, AI graphics and video clip tools with monthly allowances.
- Approvals and inbox
- Internal approval workflow and a unified inbox on every paid plan; client approval comes from Growth.
- Analytics
- Reports on shares, likes and which posts do best, plus AI social insights.
- Link in bio
- Build a link-in-bio page that points followers to a site, store or blog.
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.
Postfity
Free$0
Design projects, templates, instant publishing and 5 GB of storage, with some AI credits.
Social Media AI One$20
per month for 7 accounts, billed annually ($29.99 billed monthly)
7 social accounts, 1 user, calendar, drafts, analytics, unified inbox, approvals and link in bio.
Growth$85
per month for 30 accounts, billed annually ($119.99 billed monthly)
30 accounts and 5 users, bulk scheduling, external client approval and private team spaces.
Enterprise$399
per month, billed annually
10 seats, SSO, API access and white-labeled reports; sold through sales.
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.
Postfity
- Annual discount
Save with yearly billing
Annual billing is $20 a month for the One plan against $29.99 monthly, and $85 against $119.99 for Growth.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Postfity?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Buffer is cheaper to start with: $5 a month, against $20 a month for Postfity. Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly), and Postfity starts at $20 per month for 7 accounts, billed annually ($29.99 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Buffer or Postfity?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Buffer and Postfity have a free plan.
Which platforms do Buffer and Postfity run on?
As of Nov 13, 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.