Hootsuite vs Buffer (2026): Pricing and Features Compared
Updated: October 17, 2026 · 3 min read
Hootsuite and Buffer are the two best-known scheduling tools, but they're built for different people. Buffer is simple and cheap per channel; Hootsuite has more features and costs a lot more per user. This post puts them side by side on price and features and ends with which one makes sense when. Prices were taken from both tools' sites in October 2026. The IZY Social team wrote this post.
Price: per channel or per user?
Buffer charges for each social channel you connect. The free plan has 3 channels. Essentials is $5 per channel per month for one user; Team is $10 per channel per month with unlimited team members.
- One person, 5 channels: Buffer Essentials is $25 a month, Hootsuite Standard is $99.
- A team of three, 5 channels: Buffer Team is $50 a month, Hootsuite Standard is $297.
Hootsuite charges per user and has no free plan, only a 14-day trial. Standard starts at $99 per user with 10 social accounts. Professional starts at $199 with unlimited accounts, and Advanced goes up to $399 per user.
Scheduling
Both schedule posts, Reels and videos, and both have an AI writing assistant. Buffer's free plan caps you at 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time; paid plans remove the cap. Every paid Hootsuite plan has unlimited scheduling, and Hootsuite can also generate images with AI.
Teams and approvals
On Buffer, teams and approvals come with the Team plan, with unlimited members. On Hootsuite every user is a paid seat, and post approvals and message assignment are on Advanced. For agencies that gap is large: the same approval flow costs $10 per channel on Buffer and hundreds of dollars per user on Hootsuite.
Inbox and brand monitoring
This is where Hootsuite pulls ahead. From Standard up it gathers messages and comments from every account in one inbox and monitors your brand and competitors. Higher plans add inbox automation and trend forecasting. Buffer has a community inbox even on the free plan, but no brand monitoring or advanced automation.
Analytics and reports
Buffer's free plan keeps 30 days of insights; Essentials adds unlimited history, advanced analytics and reports, and Team adds branded reports. Hootsuite offers custom performance reports from Professional up, with advanced analytics and listening on Enterprise. If you need heavy reporting, Hootsuite gives you more.
Which one fits whom?
- Solo or a small team running a few channels: Buffer. It's cheaper and simpler.
- A large team with lots of messages and comments, and a need for brand monitoring: Hootsuite.
- An agency that works with client approvals: Buffer's Team plan gives you approvals for far less than Hootsuite.
You can try both for free. Buffer's free plan has no end date and Hootsuite's trial lasts 14 days, so scheduling the same week in both is the fairest test.
A third option: IZY Social
IZY Social, our own tool for small businesses and agencies, is priced per plan instead of per channel or per user: the Business plan covers Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, and the Corporate Brand and agency plans add LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads and X for all 8 platforms. Agency plans keep each client in a separate space with one-link approvals. There's a 14-day free trial. For more options, see our posts on Hootsuite alternatives and Buffer alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hootsuite or Buffer cheaper?
Buffer. As of October 2026 Buffer costs $5 or $10 per channel per month, and Hootsuite starts at $99 per user. Only Buffer has a free plan.
Is Hootsuite better than Buffer at anything?
Yes: the inbox, brand and competitor monitoring, inbox automation and enterprise reporting. Large teams pick Hootsuite for those.
Which is better for agencies?
Approvals are on Buffer's Team plan and Hootsuite's Advanced plan. Because the price gap is so wide, Buffer suits most small and mid-size agencies better.