Buffer
$60/yr
95% less than Hootsuite
Buffer vs Hootsuite
Price, free plan and alternatives, side by side
The comparison in short
- Bufferhas a free plan
- Hootsuiteno free plan
Buffer
With trade-offs
multi-day
On price, Buffer wins. To start without paying, Buffer has a free plan. If you would rather build it, Buffer is the simplest to rebuild.
Side-by-side comparison
| APPLICATION | BufferSocial media |  HootsuiteSocial media |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly billing | $6/mo$6Essentials | $99/mo$99Standard |
| Per year | $60/yrannual plan · −17% | $1,188/yr |
| Billing model | Flat subscription | Flat subscription |
| Free tier | 3 channels; 10 scheduled posts/channel; 100 ideas; 1 user; 1 API key; 3,000 API requests/month; 5 AI reply suggestions/week; 1 saved reply; 30-day analytics history | no free tier (14-day no-card trial only; trial publishing is capped at 10–20 posts/day per organization and bulk scheduling is disabled) |
| Additional costs | Pricing is per connected channel, and a Start Page counts as a channel. Volume discounts begin after 10 channels, but the full current discount schedule is not publicly itemized. | Each additional seat is separately billed; premium add-ons and tax can increase the total. The no-card trial does not auto-charge. |
| Can you rebuild it? | With trade-offsmulti-day | Worth subscribingclosest consolation build: one sitting |
| Free alternatives | +5 | +5 |
| Checked on | 10/20/2026 | 10/20/2026 |
| Buy on the official site | Buy View app page | Buy View app page |
The free plan compares up to 2 apps. Pro compares up to 4. See plans →
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Prices from each app’s latest check; confirm on the official site before buying.