Published by the Zolyp team ·
Metricool vs Buffer at a glance
Figures from each vendor's own pricing page, checked on 15 October 2026. A Metricool brand is a business, brand or client, with one profile per social network or ad platform.
| Metricool | Buffer | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | By number of brands | Per connected channel |
| Free plan | Yes: 1 brand, 20 scheduled posts a month, 30 days of analytics; not LinkedIn or X | Yes: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts each at a time |
| Cheapest paid plan | Starter, from $20 a month billed yearly ($25 monthly) for up to 5 brands | Essentials, $5 per channel a month billed yearly ($6 monthly) |
| Posting on paid plans | Unlimited, under a fair use policy | Unlimited, with a fair use cap of 5,000 per channel |
| Team members | Team and client management on Advanced (from $53 billed yearly) | 1 on Free and Essentials; unlimited on Team |
| Approvals | Advanced plan | Team plan ($10 per channel billed yearly) |
| Inbox | On every plan; LinkedIn from Starter | Community inbox for comments on every plan |
| Analytics | 30 days on Free; unlimited history, competitor tracking and automated PDF and PPT reports from Starter | 30 days on Free; unlimited history and exportable reports from Essentials; branded reports on Team |
| Ads | Facebook, Google and TikTok Ads alongside organic posts | Not listed |
| AI | 5, 20 or 35 AI assistant credits per brand a month on Free, Starter and Advanced | AI Assistant on every plan |
| X (Twitter) | Paid add-on, priced per connected account | Included, even on Free |
Sources: Metricool pricing, checked 15 October 2026; Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 15 October 2026
Which is cheaper, Metricool or Buffer?
It depends on how many businesses you run and how many networks each uses. Metricool's price covers whole brands; Buffer's grows with every channel. Some examples:
Metricool's Advanced plan starts at $53 a month billed yearly ($67 monthly) for up to 15 brands. Buffer's channels beyond 10 cost $4 each up to 25 on monthly billing.
- 1 business on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: both free plans cover it (Metricool up to 20 posts a month; Buffer up to 10 scheduled per channel at a time).
- 1 business on 5 networks including LinkedIn, billed yearly: Metricool Starter $20 a month; Buffer Essentials $25 a month.
- 5 businesses on 4 networks each (20 channels), billed monthly: Metricool Starter $25 a month; Buffer Essentials $100 a month.
- 3 people, 1 business, 5 channels, with approvals, billed yearly: Buffer Team $50 a month; Metricool Advanced $53 a month.
Sources: Metricool pricing, checked 15 October 2026; Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 15 October 2026
Where Metricool is stronger
Metricool is an analytics and reporting tool that also schedules. Its pricing page lists:
- Competitor tracking: 5 profiles on Free and up to 100 on paid plans.
- Automated reports with PDF and PPT downloads and monthly sending from Starter, and customisable templates on Advanced.
- Facebook, Google and TikTok Ads connected in the same dashboard.
- Multiple link-in-bio pages from Starter.
- Networks Buffer doesn't list, such as Twitch, and a Data Studio connector on Advanced.
Source: Metricool pricing, checked 15 October 2026
Where Buffer is stronger
Buffer is the simpler publisher. Its pricing page lists:
- LinkedIn and X on the free plan, where Metricool's free plan leaves both out and X is a paid add-on on every plan.
- Unlimited team members and approvals on Team, priced per channel.
- The AI Assistant on every plan without a monthly credit allowance.
- First comment scheduling and a hashtag manager from Essentials.
- Mastodon and a Start Page link-in-bio among its channels, and 50% off for nonprofits.
Sources: Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 15 October 2026; Metricool pricing, checked 15 October 2026
Free plans compared
Metricool's free plan is built around analytics: one brand, 20 scheduled posts a month, 30 days of history, 5 competitor profiles and an inbox, but no LinkedIn or X. Buffer's is built around publishing: 3 channels including LinkedIn and X, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 30 days of insights and a community inbox.
If you post to LinkedIn or X, Buffer's free plan is the one that works. If you mostly want to see how your Instagram, Facebook or TikTok posts perform, Metricool's gives you more to look at.
Sources: Metricool pricing, checked 15 October 2026; Buffer pricing (machine-readable version, with volume rates and FAQ), checked 15 October 2026
Choose Metricool or Buffer?
- Choose Metricool if you manage several brands or clients and want each covered by one price.
- Choose Metricool if analytics, competitor tracking, client reports or ads matter as much as posting.
- Choose Buffer if you post to LinkedIn or X and want them on a free plan.
- Choose Buffer if you want a simple queue, or a small team needs unlimited members.
A third option: Zolyp (disclosed: it's our product)
Metricool and Buffer schedule and measure posts you make. Zolyp, which we make, makes them: it plans the week, writes and designs each post against your Brand Brain, publishes to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads after you approve, and sends a plain-language weekly report. It doesn't manage ads or track competitors, so Metricool fits better if those are the job. 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.
Common questions
Is Metricool cheaper than Buffer?
Usually, once you post to more than 4 channels. Metricool Starter is $20 a month billed yearly for up to 5 brands; Buffer Essentials is $5 per channel a month billed yearly.
Which free plan is better, Metricool or Buffer?
Metricool's has more analytics and 20 posts a month for one brand, but no LinkedIn or X. Buffer's covers 3 channels including LinkedIn and X, with 10 scheduled posts each at a time.
Does Metricool support X (Twitter)?
As a paid add-on on its plans, priced per connected account. Buffer includes X on every plan, Free included.
Which has approvals, Metricool or Buffer?
Metricool includes post approvals on Advanced, from $53 a month billed yearly. Buffer includes them on Team, $10 per channel a month billed yearly.
Can Metricool manage ads?
Yes. Metricool connects Facebook, Google and TikTok Ads in the same dashboard. Buffer's pricing page lists no ads features.