Buffer vs Later
Buffer and Later are both social media management tools aimed at creators and small businesses. Buffer costs less, from $6/mo versus $25/mo for Later. Only Buffer has a free plan.
| Pricing | Freemium · $6 | Paid · $25 |
| Starting price | $6/mo | $25/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Built for | Creators, Small businesses | Creators, Small businesses |
| Platforms | web, ios, android | web, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2010 | CA · 2014 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Buffer if
Individuals, creators and small businesses with a handful of channels.
- Simplest scheduler to learn
- Broad network coverage
- Transparent company and clear pricing
Look elsewhere if: Agencies and enterprises needing listening, approvals at scale and deep reporting.
Choose Later if
Visual brands and creators focused on Instagram and TikTok.
- Best visual planning for Instagram
- Link in Bio included
- Influencer tools available
Look elsewhere if: B2B teams on LinkedIn and X (Buffer, Typefully).
Buffer vs Later pricing
Buffer
- Free$0Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user
- Essentials$6/channel/mo$5/mo billed yearly; unlimited posts, 1 user
- Team$12/channel/mo$10/mo billed yearly; unlimited team members
Later
- Starter$25/mo$18.75/mo billed yearly; 1 social set (8 profiles), 1 user
- Growth$50/mo$37.50/mo billed yearly; 2 social sets, 2 users, 180 posts
- Scale$110/mo$82.50/mo billed yearly; 6 social sets, 4 users
- Influencer marketingCustomCreator campaign platform and managed programs
Buffer · Key features
- Queue-based scheduling with per-network customization
- Support for 10+ networks including Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon
- AI Assistant for drafts, rewrites and repurposing
- Analytics with best-time recommendations and reports
- Engagement inbox for comments
- Start Page link-in-bio and Canva integration
Cons
- Per-channel pricing adds up for agencies
- No social listening
- Inbox lacks DMs on several networks
Later · Key features
- Visual drag-and-drop calendar
- Instagram grid preview
- Link in Bio with shoppable posts
- Best time to post and analytics
- Media library and UGC collection
- Influencer marketing platform
Cons
- Post limits on Starter
- Weaker for X and LinkedIn
- Inbox features limited
Buffer vs Later: FAQ
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Later?
Buffer starts at $6/mo and Later at $25/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.
Do Buffer and Later have a free plan?
Buffer has a free plan. Later has no free plan, a 14-day free trial.