Happy Valley

Buffer vs Planable

Buffer and Planable are both social media management tools. Buffer is aimed at creators and small businesses, while Planable is aimed at agencies. Buffer costs less, from $6/mo versus $33/mo for Planable. Both have a free plan.

Buffer

Simple social scheduling with a free plan

Planable

Social content collaboration and approvals

PricingFreemium · $6Freemium · $33
Starting price$6/mo$33/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial14 days—
Built forCreators, Small businessesAgencies
Platformsweb, ios, androidweb
CountryUS · 2010RO · 2016
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 Planable if

Agencies and teams with approval-heavy workflows.

  • Best approval workflow
  • Clients love previews
  • Easy collaboration

Look elsewhere if: Analytics-driven teams (Sprout, Metricool).

Buffer vs Planable 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

Planable

  • Free$0Free trial with no time limit; 50 posts total
  • Basic$33/workspace/mo60 posts/workspace/mo, 2 months free yearly
  • Pro$49/workspace/mo150 posts/workspace/mo, required approvals
  • EnterpriseCustomUnlimited posts, multi-level approval, SSO

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

Planable · Key features

  • Pixel-perfect post previews
  • Inline comments and approvals
  • Multi-level approval workflows
  • Calendar, grid, feed views
  • Scheduling and publishing
  • Universal content beyond social

Cons

  • Analytics limited
  • Pricing per workspace
  • Fewer AI features

Buffer vs Planable: FAQ

Which is cheaper, Buffer or Planable?

Buffer starts at $6/mo and Planable at $33/mo. Both prices are checked on the vendors' own pricing pages.

Do Buffer and Planable have a free plan?

Yes, both Buffer and Planable have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Which is better for small businesses, Buffer or Planable?

Buffer lists small businesses as a core audience, while Planable is aimed more at agencies.

Not sure yet?