Buffer and Hootsuite both schedule your social posts from one place. They are priced in very different ways: Buffer per channel, Hootsuite per user. For a small business, that difference decides most of the choice.
All facts below come from the Buffer pricing page and the Hootsuite plans page, as of October 2026. Prices are in US dollars. Hootsuite's prices exclude taxes. Buffer notes that VAT may apply in some cases.
The short verdict
- Pick Buffer if you are a solo owner or a small team, post to a few channels, and mainly need scheduling and simple analytics.
- Pick Hootsuite if you manage many accounts, need brand monitoring and a shared inbox with message routing, and have the budget.
Pricing
Buffer charges per connected channel:
- Free: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 1 user.
- Essentials: $6 per channel a month, or $5 a month billed yearly.
- Team: $12 per channel a month, or $10 a month billed yearly.
The price per channel drops once you pass 10 channels. Paid plans have a 14-day trial.
Hootsuite charges per user, billed annually:
- Standard: $99 per user a month, up to 10 social accounts.
- Professional: $199 per user a month, unlimited accounts.
- Advanced: $399 per user a month, unlimited accounts.
Monthly billing is available at a higher rate. Each plan has a 14-day free trial with no credit card. During the trial, there is a daily posting limit.
A worked example
Say you post to Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, on your own.
- On Buffer Essentials, 3 channels at $60 each billed yearly is $180 a year.
- On Hootsuite Standard, 1 user at $99 a month billed annually is $1,188 a year.
- On Buffer Free, it costs nothing, as long as 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time is enough.
The gap closes as your team and channel count grow, and as you need Hootsuite's extra features.
Features that matter to a small business
Scheduling. Both let you plan posts on a calendar. Buffer's paid plans allow unlimited scheduled posts per channel, within a fair-use limit. Hootsuite's paid plans include unlimited scheduling as well.
Replying to people. Buffer has a community inbox on every plan, with AI reply suggestions: 5 a week on Free and unlimited on paid plans. Hootsuite's Standard plan includes one inbox for messages. Professional adds automated replies.
Analytics. Buffer's free plan shows 30 days of insights. Essentials and Team add advanced analytics and reports. Hootsuite includes analytics on Standard and adds custom reports on Professional.
Monitoring. Hootsuite's Standard plan includes monitoring of your brand and competitors. Buffer's pricing page does not list social listening.
Teams. Buffer's Team plan adds unlimited team members, access levels and approval steps. Hootsuite's Advanced plan adds content approvals and routing messages to the right person.
Networks. Buffer lists Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon and Substack. Check Hootsuite's page for the networks you need.
Who each one does not suit
Buffer is less of a fit if you need to track what people say about your brand across social media, or if several people answer a busy inbox and need messages routed to the right person.
Hootsuite is less of a fit if you work alone and post to two or three channels. Its per-user price covers features you may not use, such as competitor monitoring and team routing.
How to decide
- Count your channels and people. Buffer's cost grows with channels, Hootsuite's with users.
- Ask if you need listening. If you need to track mentions of your brand or competitors, that points to Hootsuite.
- Ask how many messages you get. A busy inbox with several people answering is where Hootsuite's routing helps.
- Start on Buffer's free plan or a trial of each. Schedule a real week of posts.
Whatever you choose, the hard part is having something to post. A content calendar and a list of small business marketing ideas help. For other options, see Hootsuite alternatives for small business.