Buffer Review: Pro Scheduling At a Great Price

Buffer Review: Pro Scheduling At a Great Price
10/10
Features
9/10
UI/UX
9/10
Support
10/10
Trust
Our Rating
4.7 / 5
Networks
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Support
Email
Live Chat
Tickets

Price Plans

  • Pro package ($15/mo)

  • Pro package ($15/mo)

  • Premium package ($65/mo)

  • Business package ($99/mo)

Free Version

Yes

Free Trial

Yes/14 Days
  • Web-Based

  • Android

  • iPhone/iPad

  • Credit Card
  • Debit Cards

Pro package

$15/mo

Buffer Review: In-Depth

Buffer is the place where teams can manage their social accounts and marketing campaigns with less effort. The platform does the majority of the heavy lifting, so businesses have more time for other tasks. Features include content calendars, schedule queues, and analysis reports. A range of price plans is available for different clients. This review details how to use the service for posts, sharing, and more.

Key Features

  • Analytics
  • Automated Publishing
  • Collaboration for Multiple Profiles
  • Content Creation & Management
  • Multi-Account Friendly

Buffer Review: Background Information

They have a team of real people who are located across the globe. They all work together towards a common goal. They want to make social media marketing management easy breezy. CEO Joel Gascoigne founded the platform in 2010 in the UK. Today, hundreds of thousands of people and companies use their tools every single day. Customers can expect careful attention to detail, whether it’s for products, engineering the system, or collaboration.

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To date, over five million clients have signed up for the media software, which is available on Mac, PC, Android, and iPhone. There are a few core areas that the system focuses on. First of all, it makes publishing to different social profiles simple. Through calendars and automatic schedules, customers can get more done in less time. Another feature revolves around optimizing content for the highest audience engagement possible. There are also collaboration tools to make communication between team members seamless. Of course, the platform offers reports and analytics to keep clients on their toes and producing their best work.


Interesting Stats & Facts

This company has quite a history, and the story behind its beginnings is intriguing. Check out some unique tidbits about the service and its founder below.

  • Joel Gascoigne Developed Buffer From His Bedroom
  • He Now Helps Other Start-Up Founders
  • The Company Was Named One of Inc. Magazine’s Best Workplaces in 2018
  • It Was Named One of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Best Workplaces in America in 2018
  • The Business Has 6 Core Values

Buffer Service Features & Technical Details

The service provides a range of automated media tools that can streamline the content management space. The platform works well with multiple-account users, so teams will have an advantage. Even the free version of this system offers various functions that will come in handy for clients in all industries. Check out a review of their top resources below.

Social Media Management

Keeping track of social media profiles is simplified with this platform’s management features. Users can look at all of their accounts at a glance as well as set up a scheduled queue. It’s also easy for team members to collaborate and stay in the loop. The system will monitor performance on a regular basis.

  • Automatic Posting
  • Collaboration
  • Content Curation
  • Multiple Accounts
  • Reporting
  • Scheduling

 

Social Media Marketing

Setting up a marketing plan is much easier with the built-in tools. Clients can edit images in the dashboard before scheduling them to publish. There is also a function that can shorten links to streamline posts on Facebook, Twitter, and more.

  • Analytics
  • Auto Publishing
  • Management Function
  • Multi-Campaign Organization
  • Queue Scheduling

 

Dashboard

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This service is user-friendly and even includes a drag-and-drop function for easy navigation. Team members can keep track of everyone’s activity and see updates in real time. Everything is optimized to be highly visual, so metrics are clear and simple to differentiate. Anyone can click right to key performance benchmarks to gauge their progress. This includes things like tweets, reposts, and more.

Plus, the dashboard integrates seamlessly with over 60 other applications to combine metrics across the board. Over time, this becomes a great tool for monitoring engagement on every single social channel and post. Whether a team is on just a couple of networks or dozens, they can carefully monitor each one and stay focused on creating prime content for them.

  • Drag and Drop Function
  • Easy-To-Read Metrics
  • Highly Visual
  • Integration Reports From Other Interfaces
  • Live Updates
  • See Everything At A Glance
  • Smooth Editing
  • Track Engagement

 

Popular Integrations

They don’t shy away from working with other applications and websites. Here is a small sampling of what users can integrate with. This makes creating evergreen, collaborative content fun and simple.

  • Asana
  • Bitly
  • Dropbox
  • Google
  • MailChimp
  • MeetEdgar
  • PayPal
  • Pinterest
  • Slack
  • SoundCloud
  • Spotify
  • Trello
  • Vimeo
  • WordPress
  • YouTube

 

Key Strengths

There are definitely some key features that place this tool at the top of the class. Their mobile app, browser extension, and blog are just a few. Everywhere they turn, a customer can find a helping hand, whether it’s an article or a website shortcut.

Scheduling Superpowers

buffer-single-review-Scheduling-Superpowers

This is what has set it apart from its competitors. They use a drag-and-drop function to demonstrate the edits that team members can make visually. Navigation is quick and seamless, and collaborators get real-time updates. Another thing that makes this system unique is the ability to customize so much. Most programs will tell users what everything looks like, with no room for personalization. Not here. When taking content from a link, the software allows clients to change the title, cover image, and text description. The tool also supports GIFs and video posts!

Intuitive Interface

Another reason for this system’s high customer ratings is its commitment to social transparency and simplicity. This is especially apparent in its user interface. Even though they strive for ease of use, that doesn’t mean that their features are low quality. Head into the account dashboard, and it’s a breeze to schedule everything in one place. The browser extension makes this task even simpler. While surfing the Web, clients can just use the browser button to add the content to their queue. The system is also similar to Asana, in that leaders can assign particular jobs to their team. Granting approval just takes one click.

Dashing Data Reports

Administrators should have no problem accessing analytics information. Even beginners will find it easy to understand. The key data groups that customers can glean over include Analysis, Influencers, Overview, and Posts. The company does give clients the opportunity to customize their reports as well. They can get them as a CSV, image, or PDF file. All that being said, this is an area that seems to be lacking in the dashboard. Yes, the basic analysis lines up with the business’ dedication to simplicity, but it would be nice to have more features available.

Reliable RSS Integration

The platform includes an RSS feed to the user’s primary blog or channel. This makes it simple to select a post from there and place it directly in the schedule. This works especially well with Twitter. Clients just go to their “Feed” tab in the software, and they’ll get a run-down of their posts. Then, they can choose to add it to the queue or dismiss it. Sharing content (and publishing it at the right time) takes just one click with the program. This is just one of the integration features that really rounds out this software.

Mobile App for Android & iPhone

Customers can easily take their work from the website to Android or iPhone. All of the features that they can do on a computer still apply to a mobile device. This includes things like photo editing, video sharing, and text updates. In general, the mobile application is one of its best functions. It makes work seamlessly smooth for teams who are on the go. This tool has a high ease of use score and is popular with different types of clients. It’s especially useful when taking content from social channels like Twitter and Facebook.

Collaboration & Workflow

buffer-single-review-Collaboration

In general, the team features are meant for smaller groups of people. Small and maybe medium-sized businesses will find them useful. For larger corporations, it could be more difficult to keep track of communication lines. That being said, there is ample room for conversing and sharing ideas.

Link Shortening for More Engagement

Shorter URLs make a company’s content much easier to find in search results. The platform does a great job of helping teams manage this. When someone shares something via the platform, it will automatically shorten the link. The software uses bit.ly, j.mp, and buff.ly. There are also custom options available, too. This helps bring more people to click on the post.

Pablo Image Creator

The software’s image editing tool is called Pablo. This curator helps users select the size and shape of their pictures before posting. Pablo can even assist with text overlays, adding more depth and interest to photos. This comes in handy on Instagram a lot. This social channel is heavy on images, yet many social media management tools have trouble publishing engaging content here. The service paves the way in creating intriguing visuals.

Applications & Partners

This software aims to work with many of the popular social networks that businesses are using. This includes Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The mobile app makes it simple to share content from any of these channels. Plus, the browser extensions means that users can easily add posts from their own personal blogs or websites. Yes, they offer analytics from each social network, but they’re limited in scope.


Buffer Plans & Pricing

Buffer offers a range of plans that pertain to a variety of business people and teams. For example, the smallest paid plan is perfect for solo entrepreneurs. The packages increase in price and features, making them good for start-ups and smaller companies. Interestingly, the highest price is for “Medium-Business.” Anyone can try out a free trial, too. The service will remind them when their trial period is nearing an end.

buffer-single-review-price-plan

Even the lowest priced plan includes loads of functions that will deliver high performance. Reliability and access to customer support are always guaranteed, too. The features get more in-depth and higher in quality as the prices go up. The biggest difference is in the amount of analytics that customers receive with their plan.


Pro Package

This is the cheapest option and is best suited to single-person accounts. Solo entrepreneurs and freelancers are most likely to choose this package. They’ll be able to sync up a maximum of 8 profiles.

buffer-single-review-pro-plan-price
Features Included: Analytics, Browser Extension, Calendar, Link Shortening, Mobile App, Pablo, SchedulingNumber of Users: 1

Number of Social Accounts: 8

Scheduling: Yes

Price: $15/mo

 

PROS:

  • Affordable Price
  • Good for Entrepreneurs
  • Many Advanced Features Available
  • Mobile Application
  • Pablo Image Creator
CONS:

  • Freelancers Only
  • No Advanced Analytics

Premium Package

This package will work well for freelancers or business partners. It allows for 2 different users and up to 8 accounts across the social networks. This plan offers more room for bulk scheduling and better analytics.

buffer-single-review-premium-plan-price
Features Included: Advanced Analytics, Browser Extension, Calendar, Link Shortening, Mobile App, Pablo, SchedulingNumber of Users: 2

Number of Social Accounts: 8

Scheduling: Yes

Price: $65/mo

 

PROS:

  • 14-Day Free Trial
  • Advanced Analytics
  • High Post Limit
  • Scheduling Queue
  • Streamlined Calendar
CONS:

  • Limited Analysis
  • Very Small Teams Only

Business Package

Obviously, this one is great for smaller agencies and companies. A group of 6 people can work on up 25 profiles. It includes many of the features from Premium but also allows for more participants.

buffer-single-review-business-plan-price
Features Included: Advanced Analytics, Browser Extension, Calendar, Link Shortening, Mobile App, Pablo, SchedulingNumber of Users: 6

Number of Social Accounts: 25

Scheduling: Yes

Price: $99/mo

 

PROS:

  • Advanced Analytics
  • All-Inclusive Price
  • Calendar Quality
  • Optimized Schedule
  • Up to 8 Social Accounts
CONS:

  • Best for Smaller Businesses
  • Limited Performance Analytics

 

Buffer’s Pricing Table

Pro Premium Business
Price/mo $15 $65 $99
Users 1 2 6
Social Accounts 8 8 25
Scheduled Posts Per Account 100 2.000 2.000
Browser Extension Yes Yes Yes
Calendar Yes Yes Yes
Link Shortening Yes Yes Yes
Pablo Yes Yes Yes
Social Analytics Yes Yes Yes
Advanced Analysis Yes Yes Yes
Mobile App Yes Yes Yes

 

Enjoy Free Monthly Webinars

Every month, the Buffer employees offer a free webinar on their site. People have the opportunity to attend these seminars live. If they can’t make a date, the recordings are available, too. This is the chance to ask the company any questions or voice concerns. Some of their previous webinars include an introduction to the service and why it can help businesses; getting started with the publishing tool; and learning how to analyze data reports. In February of 2023, the company started offering all of their webinars on-demand. So, any customer can find the past recordings and listen to them whenever they want.

Besides the online seminars, the team also offers an intriguing podcast. It includes solutions to some of the top questions customers have. This primarily pertains to information about social media marketing. The podcast has earned a top spot on the iTunes list.


Terms & Conditions

Signing up and downloading the system signifies that the user agrees to all of the terms of service. A person must be at least 18 years old to use the software. In order to access the platform’s features, clients need to register their account. This includes providing some personal information such as name and contact details. Any fees for premium features are non-refundable. The company reserves the right to alter its prices at any time. Moreover, they may activate recurring payments on a person’s subscription. If an account is unpaid, the team may suspend that member. That individual may also receive delinquent fees. Clients should be aware that the site uses third-party affiliates.

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Privacy Policy

The service may ask for personal information upon sign-up. Failure to provide this data may result in a failure to use the service. The company accesses a customer’s details through the registration process. Other means of collecting this info includes through customer support communication, social media, and transactions. If an individual connects their social media to the platform, it can obtain additional information. This means linking up Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or other networks lets them gather other details. The business may also connect to Google+ and get details that way.

buffer-single-review-privacy-policy

The system uses cookies, and so do many of its third-party partners. These affiliates may also use beacons and other means to access personal data. All of this is used to serve the client better and to gather details for research and study purposes.


Refund Policy

The software tries to make it easy for individuals to cancel their account. If someone wants to request a refund, they can, but they need to do it through customer service. This can be through email or live chat on the website. Just remember that a person needs to contact support within the 30-day window.


Buffer Customer Support

buffer-single-review-customer-support

Should a client ever need some extra assistance, the service makes getting in touch very simple. There are a few different ways to reach out as well as share comments or concerns.

Email

Employees aim to make customer support as smooth as possible. This email address is easy to find on the website. Customers can send a message to [email protected] if they have questions about payments, cancellations, or anything else. The team does their best to respond within a couple of days.

Help Center

buffer-single-review-help-centr

This is the place for individuals to find answers to frequently asked questions. There is a search function at the top of the page that is simple to use. It pulls up various results in seconds and makes it quite easy to navigate the site. The Help Center is the area to find links to additional resources, too.

Twitter

The software stays on top of their game by having a social media account on Twitter. This is for posting updates and being available to clients who may have issues or questions. Anyone can log onto the social channel and tweet at the company or tag them in a question post.

Quality of Service

Overall, the reviews for this software are overwhelmingly positive. Most people have great things to say about the system, citing its scheduling service as the prime focus. Other top features include their customer support, which is much more responsive than competitors. Users also state that requesting a cancellation or refund was quite smooth. The program doesn’t seem to make clients wait around for an answer. Moreover, there are a number of additional resources available to customers. There is a blog, podcast, and even webinars that they can access at any time.

Customer Types

With all of this info, who is this platform really meant for? In general, it seems that smaller groups will be able to take advantage of the service the most. Larger companies are welcome to try it, but they may find some key features lacking. Overall, those who work alone or in small teams will welcome this software’s functions.

Small Businesses

Start-ups and other companies on the smaller side will find a lot to do with this tool. The software is definitely geared towards these kinds of businesses. The first three plans are great for those who are trying to manage multiple accounts with different users. Plus, the tool works on the primary social channels for professionals.

Medium-Sized Businesses

This is a hit or miss, depending on the industry. The size of the company will also determine how useful they find the software. The Medium Business package costs $199 each month and allows for 11 different users. So, it could be helpful for many different teams. That being said, even the advanced analytics aren’t as in-depth as competitors’.

Large Enterprises

It seems that most larger companies won’t have the best experience with this tool. This isn’t because the service is bad; it’s just not as comprehensive as it could be. The system prefers to keep things simple and streamlined, which is great for smaller groups. Bigger teams who have more data to work with might find the tool lacking in areas like analytics and performance.

Freelancers

Those who are working alone will get a lot of use out of this program. It’s like having a personal assistant or team member partnering along. Plus, the image creator is like having a graphic designer ready for action. The Calendar feature is similar to Google’s function, complete with integration.


Buffer Pros & Cons

This program aims to be intuitive and easy to use. It accomplishes both of these with a pretty basic interface and commands. Top features include the browser extension and mobile app. On the other hand, it would be better if their performance data analysis had more to offer.

Pros

Cons

  • Browser Plug-In - Makes uploading easier
  • Mobile App - So clients can work from anywhere on any device
  • Post Previews - See exactly what content will look like online
  • Scheduling - Bulk options available, too!
  • Simple & Intuitive - The interface is visually appealing and user-friendly
  • Performance Reports - The analytics aren’t as advanced as other programs
  • Suited to Smaller Teams - Large corporations won’t be accommodated as well

Top 5 Buffer Alternatives

Yes, there are plenty of competitors out there. So, what makes this service better than the rest? Well, it offers a few resources that the rivals can’t match. Plus, their customer support outshines the crowd, as does their dashboard.

Sprout Social

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Sprout Social is all about connecting brands to their audience. It provides readings on things like hashtag performance and engagement. It employs social listening to help companies get the most out of their marketing efforts. This includes research about market size and publishing patterns.

TweetDeck

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On the plus side, TweetDeck is totally free. It is a third-party app from Twitter, so it’s only for management on that platform. It divides up multiple newsfeeds to make publishing on different accounts a breeze. It also keeps track of DMs and schedules.

SocialOomph

hootsuite-single-review-socialoomph

SocialOomph includes a lot of the features that its rival has. However, this competitor has a free version that might attract more customers. The downside is that a lot of the more advanced functions that teams want requires payment.

IFTTT

buffer-single-review-IFTTT

The primary goal of IFTTT is automation. It uses automatic search functions to provide suggestions for clients. This includes recommendations for what and when to post, as well as RSS integration. The service is more limited than Buffer but could be useful for some industries.

HootSuite

agorapulase-single-review-alternative-hootsuite

HootSuite is a leader in social media management and marketing. It has over 16 million clients around the world. Its top functions include scheduling and delegating tasks for teams. This might be a great alternative for larger enterprises.

Pricing Table for Buffer & Competitors

Buffer HootSuite Sprout Social IFTTT SocialOomph TweetDeck
Price/mo $15 $29 $99 Free Free Free
Users 1 1 1 1 1 1
Accounts 8 10 5 300 5 5
Analytics Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Browser Extension Yes Yes No No No Yes
Calendar Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Image Editor Yes No No No No No
Mobile App Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
RSS Feed Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Scheduling Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Team Features No No No No No No

This chart compares the basic plans for all of the services. In order to get a more accurate reading, some individuals might want to check out all of the packages for each system. That being said, this portrays the similarities and differences between the base plans for each company.


FAQ Section

Does Buffer Have A Free Trial?

Yes. Those who are interested can try out a package plan for free. The free trial period lasts 14 days. As with most trials, the client needs to contact the company if they’d like to cancel the plan. Otherwise, the business will automatically enroll the person in the package they’re trying out. Also, it’s important to note that the 14-day period is for larger business plans. The smaller packages only have a 7-day time frame.

What Can You Do With Buffer?

Individuals can use the schedule and calendar functions to queue up content for their social networks. They can also use the browser extension to set posts up on the content calendar automatically. The platform also has a very cool Pablo image creator and editor. Here, people can size up their pictures and even add text overlays. This is especially good for Instagram posts. Most of the plans also include advanced analytics for reporting performance and engagement.

How Many Posts Can You Schedule on Buffer?

It depends on the package that the person chooses. On the basic Pro plan, one can queue up to 100 posts. The higher packages allow teams to schedule up to 2,000. Moreover, if someone takes a specific post out of the queue, the system will automatically fill that hole with another piece of content. This ensures that there is always something going out online. It keeps audience engagement up and saves time for employees.

Does Buffer Post For You?

Yes. The queue will contain different posts that are ready for publishing. Users can choose the time and date that specific material will go out. The software manages everything else. It doesn’t matter if the person wants different things going out on Instagram or Facebook or Twitter. The system can do publish on these networks as well as LinkedIn and Pinterest. The dashboard is also multi-user-friendly, so everyone on the team can see the calendar of scheduled posts, too.

Can You Edit Photos in Buffer?

Yes! One of the system’s unique features is the Pablo image creator and editor. Here, users can upload the picture they want to use. Then, they can use Pablo to edit the size and shape of the photo depending on the metrics of the social network they’re posting it on. There is even an option to add text to the image, creating something much more dynamic than competitors. Best of all, the editing tool is available on all of the paid plans.

Can You Delete Posts From Buffer?

Yes. Anyone who is an administrator on the account can go in and change the content schedule around. The platform will delete any posts that the user wants, and then it will fill in that missing piece of content with another post. If a client doesn’t want it to do that, they can change their account settings. However, it’s a very useful tool because it ensures that there won’t be a gap in the person’s posting schedule.


The Final Word

Buffer is an organizational tool that can really turn a start-up or small business around. It makes communication efficient, and the interface is extremely intuitive and user-friendly. It’s no problem to manage multiple accounts here, and the automation ensures that the action never stops. That being said, larger corporations will probably want to find an alternative service. This system is great, but it is limited in scope, which can be a disadvantage for bigger brands.

Published: August 09, 2019Updated: March 26, 2024

Megan Green

Megan Green

Megan is a writer who works at the junctures of science and stories. Previously, she has been the editor of a fashion magazine, an educator, mom, and a baker. She is keen on working with brands and lifestyle products, and outdoor tasks. Megan is outgoing, optimistic and has a great personality. She delivers top-notch content with a unique view on usual things.


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