Published by the Zolyp team ·
How much does each Buffer plan cost?
Prices per channel per month, as shown on Buffer's pricing page:
| Plan | Billed yearly | Billed monthly | Users | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | 1 | Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 100 ideas, AI Assistant, 30 days of insights, community inbox |
| Essentials | $5 per channel | $6 per channel | 1 | Unlimited scheduled posts and ideas, advanced analytics and reports, first comment scheduling, hashtag manager, custom video covers |
| Team | $10 per channel | $12 per channel | Unlimited | Everything in Essentials, plus approval workflows, access levels and branded reports |
Sources: Buffer pricing, checked 14 October 2026; Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
What does Buffer cost for 3, 5 or 10 channels?
A channel is one connected account: an Instagram profile, a Facebook Page, a LinkedIn page and so on. Buffer's own example: five brands with an Instagram account and a Facebook Page each is 10 channels. A Start Page (Buffer's link-in-bio page) also counts as a channel, so count every account you would connect, including the ones you post to rarely, before you compare plans. Monthly cost:
| Channels | Essentials, yearly | Essentials, monthly | Team, yearly | Team, monthly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $15/mo ($180 a year) | $18/mo | $30/mo ($360 a year) | $36/mo |
| 5 | $25/mo ($300 a year) | $30/mo | $50/mo ($600 a year) | $60/mo |
| 10 | $50/mo ($600 a year) | $60/mo | $100/mo ($1,200 a year) | $120/mo |
Source: Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
How does Buffer's volume pricing work?
The first 10 channels cost the standard rate. Each channel after that costs less, so the average price per channel falls as you grow. On monthly billing:
- Channels 1 to 10: $6 each on Essentials, $12 each on Team.
- Channels 11 to 25: $4 each on both plans.
- Channels 26 to 50: $3 each on both plans.
- Channels 51 and up: $1 each on Essentials, $2 each on Team.
- Example: 25 channels cost $120 a month on Essentials ($100 billed yearly) and $180 on Team ($150 billed yearly).
Source: Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
What's included in Buffer's free plan?
The Free plan has no time limit. It includes:
- Up to 3 channels.
- 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time. When a post goes out, the slot frees up, so 3 channels can hold 30 scheduled posts at once.
- 100 saved ideas and 3 tags.
- 1 user.
- The AI Assistant, which Buffer says you can use without limits.
- Insights with 30 days of history.
- A community inbox for replying to comments, with 5 AI reply suggestions a week and 1 saved reply.
- Not included: first comment scheduling, the hashtag manager, reports, approvals and extra users.
Sources: Buffer pricing, checked 14 October 2026; Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
Which channels can Buffer publish to?
Every channel costs the same, but not every channel gets the same features. Buffer's own channel table shows the differences:
- Automatic publishing: Instagram business and creator accounts, Facebook Pages, LinkedIn pages and profiles, TikTok business profiles, YouTube (listed as Shorts), Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profiles, X, Bluesky and Mastodon.
- Reminder publishing only: Facebook groups and Instagram personal profiles. Buffer sends a phone notification when it's time, and you finish the post in the app.
- Advanced analytics: Instagram business and creator accounts, Facebook Pages, LinkedIn pages and X. TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Pinterest get basic analytics; Google Business Profiles get none.
- Replying to comments: most channels, including Instagram, Facebook Pages, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads and Google Business Profiles, but not Pinterest.
Source: Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
How do the trial and discounts work?
Essentials and Team come with a 14-day free trial. Buffer's FAQ says that if you haven't entered payment details by the end, the account moves to the Free plan; scheduled posts still go out, but channels beyond the free limit of 3 are locked.
If you upgrade from Free, you pay for every channel, including the 3 you had free. Yearly billing saves about two months compared with paying monthly, and Buffer offers nonprofits and charities 50% off paid plans. Paid plans allow unlimited scheduled posts under a fair use cap of 5,000 per channel. Buffer says its pricing was last updated in November 2025.
Source: Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
Is Buffer worth it?
For a business that makes its own posts and runs a few channels, Buffer is one of the cheapest reliable schedulers, and the free plan is genuinely usable. Team is good value for small teams because members are unlimited and approvals are included.
Essentials or Team? Pick Essentials if you're the only person posting. Pick Team as soon as a second person needs to log in or someone must sign off posts before they go out: it doubles the per-channel price but adds unlimited members, access levels and approvals. For 5 channels, that's $25 more a month, billed yearly.
What Buffer doesn't do is decide what to post or design it. Its AI Assistant helps create, refine and repurpose text, but planning the week and making the visuals stay with you.
Source: Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 14 October 2026
Where Zolyp fits (disclosed: it's our product)
If the slow part is making the posts, not scheduling them, Zolyp, which we make, plans the week, writes and designs each post against your Brand Brain and publishes to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads after you approve. Lite is $9 a month per brand for scheduling posts you make yourself; the plans that create the posts start at $29 a month, with team members included and a 3-day free trial, no card required. It's priced per brand rather than per channel. If you only need a free queue for 3 channels, Buffer's Free plan is the better deal.
Cheaper or different options than Buffer
Buffer is already among the cheapest for a few channels. For many accounts, Publer prices per account from $5 a month ($4 billed yearly), and Metricool has a free plan for one brand with 20 posts a month (not LinkedIn or X). Our guide to the best Buffer alternatives compares them side by side.
Sources: Publer plans, checked 9 October 2026; Metricool pricing, checked 13 October 2026
Common questions
Is Buffer free?
Yes, there's a permanent Free plan for up to 3 channels, with 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time and 1 user. Paid plans add unlimited scheduling, analytics and, on Team, unlimited users.
How much is Buffer per month?
Essentials is $5 per channel a month billed yearly or $6 billed monthly. Team is $10 per channel billed yearly or $12 monthly. Channels above 10 cost less.
Does Buffer charge per user?
No, per channel. Free and Essentials include 1 user; Team includes unlimited team members at $10 per channel a month billed yearly.
What counts as a channel on Buffer?
One connected account, such as an Instagram profile, a Facebook Page or a LinkedIn page. Five brands with Instagram and Facebook each is 10 channels, and a Start Page counts as one too.
What happens when the Buffer trial ends?
If you haven't added payment details, the account moves to the Free plan. Scheduled posts still publish, but channels beyond the 3 allowed on Free are locked.
Does Buffer offer discounts?
Yes. Yearly billing saves about two months, volume rates apply above 10 channels, and nonprofits and charities get 50% off paid plans.