Buffer Pricing 2026: Every Plan and What It Costs
Buffer has a free plan and two paid plans priced per channel. Essentials is $6 per channel a month billed monthly or $5 billed yearly ($60 per channel a year), and Team is $12 per channel a month billed monthly or $10 billed yearly ($120 per channel a year). The free plan covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel, and on paid plans channels 11 and up cost less each.
Pricing disclosure. Prices checked on buffer.com/pricing and Buffer's published pricing file at buffer.com/pricing.md on October 27, 2026, in USD. Buffer says its pricing was last updated in November 2025. Plans change, so confirm on Buffer's site before you buy.
Buffer plans and prices
| Plan | Billed monthly | Billed yearly | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 100 ideas, 1 user, AI Assistant, 30 days of insights, 1 API key |
| Essentials | $6 per channel a month | $5 per channel a month ($60 a year) | Unlimited channels and scheduled posts under fair use, unlimited ideas, 1 user, advanced analytics, hashtag manager, first comment scheduling, 3 API keys |
| Team | $12 per channel a month | $10 per channel a month ($120 a year) | Everything in Essentials plus unlimited team members, access levels, approval workflows, branded reports, 5 API keys |
A channel is one connected social account: one Instagram profile, one Facebook Page, one TikTok account. Buffer's own example is 5 brands with an Instagram and a Facebook Page each, which makes 10 channels.
Buffer volume pricing above 10 channels
Buffer lowers the per channel rate as you add channels. These are the monthly billing rates:
| Channels | Essentials | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 10 | $6 per channel | $12 per channel |
| 11 to 25 | $4 per channel | $4 per channel |
| 26 to 50 | $3 per channel | $3 per channel |
| 51 and up | $1 per channel | $2 per channel |
What that adds up to each month:
| Channels | Essentials, billed monthly | Essentials, billed yearly | Team, billed monthly | Team, billed yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $6 | $5 | $12 | $10 |
| 3 | $18 | $15 | $36 | $30 |
| 5 | $30 | $25 | $60 | $50 |
| 10 | $60 | $50 | $120 | $100 |
| 25 | $120 | $100 | $180 | $150 |
| 50 | $195 | $163 | $255 | $213 |
Buffer says yearly billing saves about 2 months.
Buffer free plan and free trial
Buffer's free plan gives you:
- Up to 3 channels
- 10 scheduled posts per channel at any one time. When a post publishes, the slot refills.
- 100 ideas and 1 user
- Unlimited use of the AI Assistant
- Insights with 30 days of history
- 1 API key with 1,000 requests per channel a month, up to 3,000
- Integrations with ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor
Paid plans come with a 14 day free trial. If you add no payment details by the end, your account moves to the Free plan and any channels above the 3 channel limit lock. Scheduled posts still publish as long as their channel is not locked.
Costs people miss with Buffer
- Your free channels get billed when you upgrade. On a paid plan you pay for every channel, including the 3 you had on Free.
- Essentials is 1 user. Teammates and approval workflows need Team, which doubles the rate for your first 10 channels.
- Unlimited posts have a cap. Buffer's fair use policy caps scheduled posts at 5,000 per channel.
- Every profile is its own channel. A brand on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and LinkedIn is 4 channels.
- Nonprofits get 50% off. Buffer offers a 50% discount on paid plans for nonprofits and charities.
- VAT applies in the UK. Buffer charges the local VAT rate to UK consumer customers.
Which Buffer plan fits you
- 1 to 3 accounts and light posting: Free.
- Solo creator or business on more channels, or with more than 10 posts queued per channel: Essentials.
- Team that needs approvals and access levels: Team.
- Agency with many channels: either paid plan, with rates dropping after channel 10.
- Anyone on Mastodon, Google Business Profile or Substack: Buffer supports all three.
A simpler option for posting everywhere: Socialync
Socialync prices by connected account, starting with a 5 account bundle.
Post to all your platforms in one click
Socialync lets you cross-post to TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, and Pinterest, with AI-powered captions for each platform. Free to start.
- Free plan: 5 posts a month across 8 platforms, with X on paid plans. No card. One publish counts as one post, however many platforms it goes to.
- Paid plans: from $20 a month for 5 connected accounts with unlimited posts, or $180 a year billed yearly. 10 accounts is $30 a month. Extra accounts start at $2 a month.
- Platforms: one upload goes to Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky and Pinterest, with a caption per platform.
- AI agents: Buffer and Socialync both include an MCP server on the free plan.
Side by side at 5 accounts: Buffer Essentials is $30 a month billed monthly or $25 a month billed yearly. Socialync is $20 a month billed monthly or $180 a year billed yearly. At 3 accounts or fewer, Buffer Free costs $0.
See the full breakdown in Socialync vs Buffer, more options in Buffer alternatives, and every Socialync price on the pricing page. Related reads: Buffer vs Hootsuite, best Buffer alternatives, Hootsuite pricing 2026 and Metricool pricing 2026.
Buffer pricing FAQ
How much does Buffer cost a month?
Buffer Essentials costs $6 per channel a month billed monthly, or $5 per channel a month billed yearly ($60 a year). Team costs $12 per channel a month billed monthly, or $10 billed yearly ($120 a year). Five channels on Essentials come to $30 a month billed monthly or $25 a month billed yearly.
Does Buffer have a free plan?
Yes. Buffer Free covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 1 user, the AI Assistant and 30 days of insights. Paid plans also come with a 14 day free trial.
Is Buffer cheaper billed yearly?
Yes. Yearly billing drops Essentials from $6 to $5 per channel a month and Team from $12 to $10. Buffer says yearly billing saves about 2 months.
What counts as a channel in Buffer?
A channel is one social account connected to Buffer, such as one Instagram profile, one Facebook Page or one TikTok account. Paid plans bill every channel, and channels 11 and up cost less each.
How does Buffer pricing compare to Socialync?
Buffer bills per channel: Essentials is $6 per channel a month billed monthly or $5 billed yearly, and Buffer Free covers 3 channels at $0. Socialync has a free plan with 5 posts a month across 8 platforms (X is on paid plans) and no card, and paid plans from $20 a month for 5 connected accounts with unlimited posts, or $180 a year billed yearly.
Start free
Start free at socialync.io. The free plan is 5 posts a month with no card.