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Buffer vs Hootsuite Pricing

Side-by-side pricing comparison to help you choose the right tool.

Best Price: Buffer starts at a lower price ( $6/mo vs $149/mo )

B

Buffer

Social media scheduling and analytics platform

Freemium 4.3
View full pricing →
H

Hootsuite

Enterprise social media management platform

Free Trial 3.9
View full pricing →

Pricing Comparison

Feature Buffer Hootsuite
Starting Price $6/mo $149/mo
Pricing Model Freemium Free Trial
Free Trial 14 days 30 days
Money-Back Guarantee No 30 days
Number of Plans 3 plans 3 plans
Hidden Fees 1 found 3 found
Rating 4.3/5 3.9/5

Pros & Cons

Buffer

  • + Very affordable for 1-3 channels
  • + Clean, intuitive interface
  • + Good free plan for getting started
  • + AI-powered post suggestions
  • - Per-channel pricing adds up quickly
  • - Limited features compared to Hootsuite
  • - No social listening or monitoring
  • - Basic analytics on lower plans

Hootsuite

  • + Comprehensive feature set
  • + Supports many social networks
  • + 30-day free trial
  • + Good non-profit pricing
  • - No free plan
  • - Per-seat pricing on Advanced adds up fast
  • - Large gap between monthly and annual pricing
  • - Enterprise minimum $15,000/year

When to Choose

Choose Buffer if...

You need small businesses and creators who want simple social media scheduling.

Choose Hootsuite if...

You need agencies and enterprises managing many social accounts across teams.

Detailed Pricing Plans

Buffer Plans

Free

Free
Channels 3
Scheduled posts 10/channel
Users 1
  • 3 social channels
  • 10 scheduled posts per channel
  • Basic publishing tools
  • Landing page builder
  • AI Assistant
Start Free
Most Popular

Essentials

$6 /mo

$5 /mo billed yearly -17%

Price Per channel
Scheduled posts Unlimited
  • Per channel pricing
  • Unlimited scheduled posts
  • Planning & publishing tools
  • Analytics & reporting
  • Engagement tools
Start Free Trial

Team

$12 /mo

$10 /mo billed yearly -17%

Price Per channel
Team members Unlimited
  • Everything in Essentials
  • Unlimited team members
  • Draft collaboration
  • Approval workflows
  • Custom access permissions
Start Free Trial

Prices are per channel per month. 14-day free trial on all paid plans. Save ~17% annually.

Hootsuite Plans

Standard

$149 /mo

$99 /mo billed yearly -34%

Users 1
Social accounts 10
  • 1 user
  • 10 social accounts
  • Unlimited scheduling
  • Best time to publish
  • Hashtag generator
  • Canva integration
  • Analytics and reporting
Start Free Trial
Most Popular

Advanced

$399 /mo

$249 /mo billed yearly -38%

Users Per seat
Social accounts Unlimited
  • Unlimited social accounts
  • Everything in Standard
  • Team roles and permissions
  • Assign posts to team members
  • Custom approval workflows
  • Advanced analytics
Start Free Trial

Enterprise

Free
Users 5+
Social accounts 50+
Min annual spend $15,000/yr
  • 5+ users
  • 50+ social accounts
  • Everything in Advanced
  • Social listening
  • Employee advocacy
  • Advanced analytics
  • Custom onboarding and training
  • 24/7 priority support

30-day free trial. Save up to 38% with annual billing. Skip 30-day trial for extra 10% discount. Non-profits get special pricing (Standard from $24.50/mo).

FAQ

Which is cheaper, Buffer or Hootsuite?

Buffer starts at a lower price point. Buffer starts at $6/mo while Hootsuite starts at $149/mo.

Is Buffer or Hootsuite better?

It depends on your needs. Buffer is best for small businesses and creators who want simple social media scheduling. Hootsuite is best for agencies and enterprises managing many social accounts across teams.

Does Buffer or Hootsuite have a free plan?

Buffer offers a free plan. Hootsuite does not have a free plan.