Buffer pricing (2026): what a café or tour company pays per channel
Buffer charges per channel: Essentials is $6 a month per channel and Team $12, or $5 and $10 on yearly billing, and the free plan covers up to 3 channels. A café posting to Instagram, Facebook and its Google Business Profile pays $18 a month on Essentials once it outgrows the free plan's 10 queued posts per channel.
Key takeaways
- We read Buffer's prices on its pricing page on 6 November 2026, on the monthly and yearly views.
- Every paid plan is priced per connected channel, and one Instagram account or one Facebook page is one channel.
- The free plan connects up to 3 channels, with 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time and 1 user.
- Three channels cost $18 a month on Essentials or $36 on Team, paid monthly.
- Upgrading means paying for every channel, including the 3 that were free.
How much does Buffer cost?
| Plan | Price | Billed | What it includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Free forever | Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 100 ideas, 1 user, the AI Assistant, 30 days of insights, the community inbox |
| Essentials | $6 a month per channel | Monthly; $5 a month per channel billed yearly ($60) | Unlimited scheduled posts, 1 user, advanced analytics and reports, hashtag manager, first comment scheduling, unlimited AI replies |
| Team | $12 a month per channel | Monthly; $10 a month per channel billed yearly ($120) | Everything in Essentials, unlimited team members, access levels, approval workflows and branded reports |
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Who is Buffer for?
Buffer suits a small team that writes its own posts and connects only a few accounts, because the bill grows with each one. A tour company with Instagram and a Google Business Profile fits on the free plan, and pays $12 a month on Essentials once it outgrows the 10-post queue. Agencies get a lower rate per channel past the tenth, which helps them more than a single venue. For how often to post once the queue is set up, read how often a business should post on social media.
How does Buffer compare with PlacePilot?
Pick PlacePilot if
- You want the captions written for you from your menu, tours or rooms, and approve each one before it goes out.
- You want one plan for the website, the Google listing and the posts. Here is what that looks like for tours.
Pick Buffer if
- You post to one or two accounts and want the lowest paid price per account.
- You already write your posts and want a simple queue with a 14-day trial of the paid plans.
- You need several people on one account with an approval step, on Team.
| Feature | PlacePilot | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Who writes the posts | PlacePilot, in your business's voice (the better pick on this row) | You, with Buffer's AI Assistant |
| Website and search | Built and checked every week in the same plan (the better pick on this row) | A Start Page for your bio link, no website or search checks |
| Approving posts | Ask-me-first approval on Group | Approval workflows on Team only |
| Price for 3 channels | $74.99 a month on Group, up to 5 channels | $18 a month on Essentials, paid monthly (the better pick on this row) |
| Free plan | None | Up to 3 channels at $0 (the better pick on this row) |
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Questions
How much does Buffer cost per month?
Essentials is $6 a month per channel and Team $12 a month per channel when paid monthly, as listed on Buffer's pricing page on 6 November 2026. Yearly billing brings them to $5 and $10.
Is Buffer free?
Yes. The Free plan connects up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, for 1 user.
What counts as a channel in Buffer?
One social account you connect, such as an Instagram profile, a Facebook page or a TikTok account. Five brands with an Instagram and a Facebook page each would be 10 channels.
Does Buffer have a free trial?
Yes, a 14-day trial of the paid plans. If you add no payment details, the account moves to the Free plan when it ends.
Is Buffer cheaper if I pay yearly?
Yes. The pricing card shows yearly billing as two months free: Essentials comes to $5 and Team to $10 a month per channel, or $60 and $120 a year. Buffer's FAQ calls it a 20% discount.
Sources
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