Buffer vs Hootsuite
Buffer vs Hootsuite compared side by side on price, plans and features. Cheapest paid option for one person: Buffer $5/mo on Essentials, against Hootsuite $99/mo on Standard. Cheapest paid option for a team of 10: Buffer $10/mo on Team, against Hootsuite $990/mo on Standard.
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Our verdict
The deciding difference is what each tool bills for and what that buys. Buffer charges per connected channel, and its Team plan covers unlimited users for $12 a channel a month, or $10 billed yearly, so 10 channels cost $120 a month, or $100 on yearly billing, however many people log in. Hootsuite charges per user: Standard costs $99 a user a month billed yearly, or $149 month to month, for up to 10 social accounts, and every colleague adds a seat. The higher price brings tools Buffer leaves out. Hootsuite's inbox takes private messages as well as comments, every plan includes listening with a 7-day Quick Search and benchmarks against five competitors, and ads on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X are published and reported next to organic posts. Buffer's Community covers comments only, and Buffer says it has no listening or competitor benchmarking. Choose Buffer for publishing on a budget; choose Hootsuite when the same team also runs ads, tracks competitors or answers DMs.
The numbers
At a glance
How Buffer and Hootsuite stack up on price and plans. The highlighted cell wins the row; costs are monthly, at the yearly rate where one is published.
| Metric |  Buffer |  Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest for 1 person | $5/mo + usageEssentials | $99/moStandard |
| Cheapest for 10 people | $10/mo + usageTeam | $990/moStandard |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | Yes (14 days) | Yes (14 days) |
| Best for | Best for small businesses and solo marketers publishing to a handful of social accounts | Best for marketing teams that manage organic posts and social ads in the same tool |
Pricing
Pricing compared
Per month, at the yearly rate where one is published. Checked against both vendors' pricing pages (Buffer Oct 5, 2026, Hootsuite Oct 5, 2026).
Buffer
From $5/mo
- Freefree, up to 3 channelsFree
- Essentialsper channel, per month$5/mo
- Teamper channel, per month$10/mo
Hootsuite
From $99/mo
- Standardper user, per month$99/mo
- Professionalper user, per month$199/mo
- Advancedper user, per month$399/mo
- Enterprisecustom pricingCustom
| Team size | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $5/mo + usageEssentials | $99/moStandard |
| 5 people | $10/mo + usageTeam | $495/moStandard |
| 10 people | $10/mo + usageTeam | $990/moStandard |
| 25 people | $10/mo + usageTeam | $2,475/moStandard |
Feature by feature
Buffer vs Hootsuite features
Every feature either tool lists, grouped by area. A check means it's included.
Nothing Buffer offers alone.
Social listening · Competitor benchmarking · Paid & organic together · Scheduled client reports
Publishing7 features
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Approval workflows | Included | Included |
| Bulk scheduling | Included | Included |
| Instagram first comment | Included | Included |
| Link-in-bio page | Included | Included |
| Multi-network scheduling | Included | Included |
| Reels & TikTok publishing | Included | Included |
| Visual content calendar | Included | Included |
Engagement3 features
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Saved replies & automation | Included | Included |
| Social listening | Not included | Included |
| Unified inbox | Included | Included |
Measurement4 features
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Competitor benchmarking | Not included | Included |
| Cross-network analytics | Included | Included |
| Paid & organic together | Not included | Included |
| Scheduled client reports | Not included | Included |
Bottom line
Which should you choose?
Choose Buffer if…
Best for small businesses and solo marketers publishing to a handful of social accounts
Buffer pros and consChoose Hootsuite if…
Best for marketing teams that manage organic posts and social ads in the same tool
Hootsuite pros and consKeep exploring
Related comparisons & guides
Try Buffer
Social media scheduler for small businesses, billed per channel
Try Hootsuite
Social media suite with inbox, listening and ads, priced per user