Buffer vs SocialBu (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 2.4.
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. SocialBu 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
SocialBu
Social media scheduler with inbox, listening and automation
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 SocialBu if
- Fits if you want bulk scheduling and RSS automation
- Works for small agencies on the 20-account plan
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, as 10 lifetime posts run out fast
- Not for you if you need X on the free plan, as it is paid only
- Skip it if you need an inbox on the cheaper plan, as Starter has none
- Watch out: team seats are 4 on Growth and 8 on Agency, and no desktop or phone apps are named
How we grade them
| 2.8GPABufferGood | 2.4GPASocialBuFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 $22 a month on yearly billing for 8 accounts, between the $14 cheaper-quarter line and the $24.99 middle. |
| 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 with 3 accounts, but only 10 lifetime posts and no X. There is also a 7-day trial on paid plans. |
| 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. | BScheduling, bulk posting, inbox, listening, AI writing, RSS automation and approvals. The listing shows no gap in the core job, though the inbox starts on Growth. |
| 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 with accounts, queues and automations to set up. 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 only, with Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox and ChatGPT. |
| Best for | paying only for the channels you use | scheduling with an inbox and automation |
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 SocialBu. 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. SocialBu starts at $22 a month and scores 2.7.
Buffer scores higher and starts $17 a month lower. Of the other social media schedulers on the chart, none scores higher than Buffer for less, and 3 score higher than SocialBu 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.
- SocialBu also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Buffer | SocialBu | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly) | $22 per month, billed yearly ($29 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. | 3 social accounts and 10 lifetime posts; X (Twitter) is available on paid plans only. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial of the paid plans | 7-day free trial on every paid plan |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Buffer | SocialBu |
| Price read from | buffer.com | socialbu.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.
SocialBu
- The free plan allows only 10 lifetime posts and excludes X (Twitter).
- Starter has no social inbox and no teams; those start at Growth.
- Team member counts are small: 4 on Growth and 8 on Agency.
- The pricing page lists a web app only; no desktop or mobile apps are named.
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.
SocialBu
- Scheduling and bulk posting
- Plan posts on a shared calendar, preview them per network, recycle evergreen posts and bulk import campaigns.
- Social inbox
- Messages, comments, mentions and reviews land in one inbox. The inbox is not included on Starter.
- AI writing
- An AI writer drafts captions and posts for each network, paid for with monthly credits that rise from 500 to 10,000 across the paid plans.
- Listening streams
- Track keywords and mentions with listening streams, each plan capping the streams and matched items per month.
- Automation and RSS
- Auto-post from RSS feeds, trigger webhooks and set up auto replies, with run limits that rise by plan.
- Team approvals
- Teams, roles and content approvals keep client work separate; Growth allows 4 team members and Agency 8.
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.
SocialBu
Free$0
3 social accounts and 10 lifetime posts; no X (Twitter).
Starter$22
per month, billed yearly ($29 billed monthly)
8 accounts, up to 750 posts a month, 1 queue, basic analytics, no teams or social inbox.
Growth$59
per month, billed yearly ($79 billed monthly)
20 accounts, up to 3,000 posts a month, 5 teams, social inbox and advanced analytics.
Agency$149
per month, billed yearly ($199 billed monthly)
50 accounts, up to 100,000 posts a month, 20 teams, 30 queues and the highest AI credit allowance.
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.
SocialBu
- Annual discount
Save 25% with yearly billing
SocialBu's pricing page lists a 25% saving on paid plans when billed yearly instead of monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Buffer or SocialBu?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Buffer is cheaper to start with: $5 a month, against $22 a month for SocialBu. Buffer starts at $5 per channel / month, billed annually ($6 billed monthly), and SocialBu starts at $22 per month, billed yearly ($29 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, Buffer or SocialBu?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Buffer and SocialBu have a free plan.
Which platforms do Buffer and SocialBu 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.