Buffer Alternatives: 6 Schedulers Compared on Price and Features

Buffer has been around since 2010, which in social media years makes it roughly medieval. It's survived because it does one thing well: you write a post, it goes out on time, and the app doesn't make you feel stupid.

It's also the tool people outgrow, usually when they want deeper analytics, a more visual planner, team workflows or help making the content itself. Here are six alternatives. Disclosure: Sharevia is ours.

Buffer in brief

As of October 2026, Buffer:

• Free: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time.
• Essentials: $5 per channel a month, unlimited scheduling, analytics, hashtag manager, first-comment scheduling.
• Team: $10 per channel a month, adds unlimited users and approval workflows.

Per-channel pricing is great for small setups and adds up for bigger ones: 10 channels on Team is $100 a month.

1. Metricool: better analytics for the money

Metricool includes scheduling, detailed analytics, competitor tracking and reports. Free plan for one brand; Starter $25 a month billed monthly for up to five brands.

Pick it if: you want reports and competitor data. Metricool alternatives.

2. Later: the visual planner

Later is built around a visual calendar and Instagram grid preview. From $18.75 a month billed yearly.

Pick it if: you plan Instagram visually. Later alternatives.

3. Hootsuite: the enterprise option

Hootsuite adds social listening, benchmarking and enterprise controls. From $99 per user a month billed yearly.

Pick it if: you're a larger team with compliance and approval needs. Hootsuite alternatives.

4. Postiz: open source

Postiz can be self-hosted, or used as a hosted service from $29 a month for five channels.

Pick it if: you're technical and want control. Postiz alternatives.

5. Genviral: scheduling plus AI content

Genviral adds AI video, a slideshow editor and a viral content library to multi-account scheduling. From $29 a month.

Pick it if: you run several accounts and want to generate content too.

6. Sharevia: content first, scheduling included

Sharevia (ours) is for people whose problem isn't scheduling, it's having enough good content to schedule. It creates AI influencer videos, UGC-style content, slideshows and hook-and-demo videos for your brand, then schedules them to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and more. From $25 a month.

Pick it if: you'd post more if making posts were easier. Stick with Buffer if: you already have content and just need it to go out on time.

Quick comparison

What Buffer does better than most

Before switching, credit where it's due:

• Ease of use. New team members get it in minutes.
• Transparent per-channel pricing. You pay for what you connect.
• A genuinely useful free plan.
• An API on every plan, including free.
• Reliable publishing across the major platforms.

If those are what you value, Buffer may still be the right tool, and the question is whether a paid tier makes more sense than switching.

Switching without missing a post

1. Schedule a week ahead in Buffer before you start the move, so nothing gaps.
2. Connect all channels in the new tool and post a test to each.
3. Rebuild your posting slots and any saved hashtags or caption snippets.
4. Move one channel first, then the rest after a successful week.
5. Cancel Buffer once the new tool has published reliably.

Price comparison for a typical small business

A business posting to five channels:

• Buffer Essentials: $5 × 5 = $25 a month.
• Buffer Team: $10 × 5 = $50 a month, unlimited users.
• Metricool Starter: from $25 a month (monthly billing) for up to five brands, with analytics.
• Later Starter: $18.75 a month billed yearly, with post limits.
• Sharevia Starter: $25 a month, including content creation.

At small scale, prices cluster closely. Choose on features, not a few dollars.

The real question

Before switching schedulers, ask what's actually slowing you down. If it's the scheduler, switch. If it's coming up with and making posts, a new scheduler won't help, and a content tool will. Our roundup of free social media schedulers is a good place to start if price is the main concern.

FAQ

How much does Buffer cost?

As of October 2026, Buffer's free plan covers three channels with 10 scheduled posts each. Essentials is $5 per channel a month and Team is $10 per channel a month, both with a 14-day trial.

What is the best free alternative to Buffer?

Metricool's free plan (one brand, 20 posts a month, analytics) and the platforms' own native schedulers. Postiz is free if you self-host it.