Quick answer: Buffer pricing is a per-channel model: the Free plan covers up to 3 channels, Essentials costs $5 per channel a month billed yearly, and Team costs $10 per channel. Monthly billing costs more, and every added channel raises the bill. As of October 2026, 10 channels on Essentials come to $50 a month billed yearly.
Key facts
- Buffer's Free plan allows up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel and 100 ideas.
- Essentials is listed at $5 per channel a month billed yearly ($60 a year), and Team at $10 ($120 a year).
- Both paid plans offer a 14-day free trial, according to the pricing page read on 22 October 2026.
- Channels 1 to 10 are charged at the standard rate, and channels above 10 cost less each.
- Essentials includes one user account, while Team adds unlimited team members and approval workflows.
- Buffer's FAQ says its pricing was last updated in November 2025.
Buffer pricing looks tiny until you count your channels. Three accounts cost $15 a month on Essentials billed yearly. Ten cost $50. That multiplier is the whole story, so this guide shows the arithmetic at several sizes, plus what the plans leave out. Publiqa publishes this page and competes with Buffer in some use cases, so we stick to figures from Buffer's own pricing page.
Buffer pricing plans at a glance
This is what buyers see today, read from the vendor's page on 22 October 2026. Buffer's own page, buffer.com/pricing, is the official source, so confirm there before you buy.
| Plan | Price per channel | Billed yearly | Channels | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | Up to 3 | 1 |
| Essentials | $5 a month (billed yearly) | $60 a year | Priced per channel | 1 user account |
| Team | $10 a month (billed yearly) | $120 a year | Priced per channel | Unlimited team members |
Annual billing is marketed as "save 2 months" on the cards, while the FAQ describes a 20% discount. Those two numbers do not match exactly (two free months is about 17%), so use the billing toggle on the page for your final figure.
How much does Buffer cost per channel?
A channel is one connected social account, and Start Page counts as one too. Monthly-billing prices are not printed in the page text we read, but "save 2 months" implies about $6 a month per channel on Essentials and $12 on Team. Treat those as estimates and confirm with the monthly toggle.
The per-channel structure is not new: the page says its prices were last updated in November 2025, so guides written around 2025 prices describe the same model. Here is the per-channel math:
- Essentials: $5 per channel billed yearly, or about $6 monthly.
- Team: $10 per channel billed yearly, or about $12 monthly.
- Volume: channels 1 to 10 use the standard rate, and channels above 10 cost less each. The lower rate is not listed on the page, so use Buffer's own calculator for large accounts.
Is Buffer free?
Yes, with limits. Free costs nothing and allows 3 channels. Each channel holds 10 scheduled posts at a time, and you get 100 ideas, 3 tags and one user account. Insights history covers 30 days.
Free leaves out several tools: first comment scheduling, a hashtag manager, custom video covers, channel groups, reports and custom UTM parameters. If you go over 3 channels after a trial, extra channels are locked, although posts already scheduled keep publishing as long as their channels are unlocked.
What does each Buffer plan include?
| Feature | Free | Essentials | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled posts per channel | 10 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Ideas | 100 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| AI Assistant | Limited (5 reply suggestions a week) | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced analytics and reports | No | Yes | Yes |
| Community inbox | No | Yes | Yes |
| First comment scheduling | No | Yes | Yes |
| Approval workflows | No | No | Yes |
| Branded reports | No | No | Yes |
| Team members | 1 user | 1 user | Unlimited |
| Free trial | Not applicable | 14 days | 14 days |
The jump between Essentials and Team is where the price doubles, so ask whether you need approvals or more than one login before choosing Team.
What are the hidden costs in Buffer pricing?
Nothing here is hidden in a deceptive sense. They are easy to miss because the headline price covers a single channel.
- Every account adds up. A brand with Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok and Pinterest has six channels, not one.
- Start Page counts as a channel. A link-in-bio page adds to the total.
- Team members force a plan change. Essentials has one user account, so a second login means Team at double the per-channel rate.
- Free-plan caps are real. Ten scheduled posts per channel runs out quickly for daily posting.
- Billing choice matters. Monthly billing costs more than yearly, and you pay for annual plans upfront.
What do 3, 10 and 20 channels cost?
This is our arithmetic from the listed per-channel prices. Monthly-billing figures use the implied $6 and $12 rates.
| Channels | Plan | Monthly billing | Billed yearly (per month) | Yearly total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Free | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| 3 | Essentials | $18 | $15 | $180 |
| 3 | Team | $36 | $30 | $360 |
| 10 | Essentials | $60 | $50 | $600 |
| 10 | Team | $120 | $100 | $1,200 |
| 20 | Essentials (ceiling) | up to $120 | up to $100 | up to $1,200 |
| 20 | Team (ceiling) | up to $240 | up to $200 | up to $2,400 |
Treat the 20-channel rows as the most you could pay at the base rate. Because channels above 10 cost less each, the real total is lower. Check Buffer's calculator for the exact number.
Why did Buffer raise their price?
We found no official Buffer statement of a price increase in 2026. The pricing page says its prices were last updated in November 2025. If your bill went up, the usual causes are an added channel, a move from Essentials to Team, or a switch from yearly to monthly billing.
Check three things in your account: the channel count (including Start Page), the plan name and the billing interval. If the numbers still look wrong, ask Buffer support for an itemized invoice.
Is Buffer worth it?
For solo creators and small brands with a handful of channels, often yes. The Free plan is a real tool for three channels, and Essentials adds analytics, a community inbox and an AI Assistant at a low unit cost. Simplicity is a feature when you want a calendar and nothing else.
Buffer pricing is less compelling when you run many channels, need multiple seats with approvals, or want listening. At 10 channels, Team costs $100 a month billed yearly. For comparison, as of 22 October 2026, SocialPilot's pricing page lists 10 accounts and 3 users in its Standard plan for $34 a month billed yearly, and Sprout Social's pricing page lists Standard at $199 per seat a month, without stating the billing basis. Each trades different features, so compare the lists, not only the totals.
Alternatives if Buffer pricing does not fit
If the per-channel model does not suit your size, look at flat-tier or per-workspace tools, where adding a channel does not change the bill. Our guides on Buffer alternatives, Later alternatives and social media management tools compare them with dated prices, so you can run the same 3, 10 and 20 channel scenarios against each.
How Publiqa fits next to Buffer pricing
Buffer is a scheduler. Publiqa sits earlier in the process, turning one idea, article or competitor link into content for 12 channels, so the two solve different problems. Here is a neutral comparison of the pricing models:
| Buffer | Publiqa | |
|---|---|---|
| Unit you pay for | Connected channel | Credits |
| Entry | Free for 3 channels | Free Trial with 200 credits, no credit card |
| Paid example | $5 per channel a month, billed yearly | Solo $24 a month billed yearly ($29 monthly), 1,500 credits |
| Job it does | Scheduling and analytics | Creating, adapting and planning content |
A full Publiqa campaign costs about 10 credits. Nothing is published without approval unless you enable conditional or zero-touch autopilot. Publiqa sends content out through outgoing webhooks and headless CMS integrations, which are live, while direct publishing to social networks is rolling out. See the Planner and Autopilot docs and the full Publiqa pricing page.
Audit your own Buffer bill
Open your billing page and check these five things against the Buffer pricing tables above:
- Count every account you post to, including a link-in-bio page.
- Use the billing toggle on the pricing page for your channel count.
- Decide whether you need approvals or more than one login.
- Price one alternative with the same channel count.
- Choose the cheaper option that covers your must-haves, and note the renewal date.
If making the posts takes longer than scheduling them, register for the free trial and see what 200 credits cover.
FAQ
How much does Buffer cost?
As of October 2026, Buffer lists a Free plan for up to 3 channels, Essentials at $5 per channel a month billed yearly, and Team at $10 per channel billed yearly. Monthly billing costs more. Your final price depends on how many channels you connect, so confirm on buffer.com/pricing.
Is Buffer free?
Yes. The Free plan covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel, 100 ideas and one user account. It leaves out first comment scheduling, a hashtag manager and reports. Essentials and Team offer 14-day free trials.
How much does Buffer cost per channel?
Essentials is $5 per channel a month billed yearly ($60 a year), and Team is $10 ($120 a year). Monthly billing works out to roughly $6 and $12 per channel. Channels above 10 cost less each, at a rate Buffer shows in its calculator.
Is Buffer worth it?
For solo creators and small brands with a few channels, usually yes, thanks to the free tier and low entry price. For many channels, large teams or listening needs, compare flat-tier tools first. Price at your real channel count before deciding.
Why did Buffer raise their price?
We found no official statement of a 2026 increase, and Buffer's pricing page says it was last updated in November 2025. A higher bill usually comes from added channels, a move to Team, or monthly billing. Check your invoice or ask Buffer support.