Honest comparison · updated July 2026
Unbusied vs Buffer
Buffer is one of the friendliest, longest-running tools in social media: a clean workspace with a real free tier and per-channel pricing.
Buffer is a good product from a genuinely likable company, so this comparison comes down to one thing: how the pricing model fits the way you post.
Buffer charges per channel: $5/month for each connected account on Essentials, $10/month each on Team. That's brilliant when you post to two or three places. It quietly stops being brilliant when you're a business that wants to be everywhere. The per-channel meter turns "post this everywhere" into a line-item decision, and adding your team doubles the rate on every channel you've connected.
Choose Buffer if…
Choose Buffer if you post to only two or three channels, want a genuinely free plan to start, or need platforms Unbusied doesn't cover like Pinterest, Bluesky, Mastodon, or Google Business.
Choose Unbusied if…
Choose Unbusied if you want one brand on all seven major platforms with your team invited, for one flat price that doesn't change when you add a channel or a person.
Side by side
| Buffer | Unbusied | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free (3 channels, 10 scheduled posts each); paid from $5/channel/month | $33/month per brand, flat |
| Pricing model | Per channel: Essentials $5/channel/mo, Team $10/channel/mo | One plan. One price per Social Set (a brand's accounts on every platform we support). |
| Seven channels, solo | About $35/month on Essentials (7 × $5) | $33/month, same spread, flat |
| Seven channels, with a team | About $70/month on Team (7 × $10) | $33/month, team members included |
| Platforms | 11, incl. Pinterest, Bluesky, Mastodon, Google Business | Instagram, Facebook, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X, all included |
| Post limits | Unlimited on paid plans | Unlimited |
| Support | A real support team | Email answered by Jeff, the person who built it |
| Who's behind it | A well-known independent company, building since 2010 | One person (Jeff Sarris), independent, no investors |
Buffer details from their public pricing and marketing pages as of July 2026. Plans change, so check their pricing page for the latest.
When Buffer is the right call
- You only post to two or three channels, where Buffer will genuinely be cheaper, maybe free.
- You need Pinterest, Bluesky, Mastodon, or Google Business Profile.
- You want to try a tool with zero commitment before spending anything.
When Unbusied is the right call
- You post one brand everywhere: seven channels on Buffer Essentials already costs more than Unbusied.
- You work with a VA or team. Buffer's Team tier doubles every channel to $10, while Unbusied includes your team at no extra cost.
- You'd rather never think about whether a channel is "worth $5/month."
What you’d actually pay
Buffer's per-channel model means the price is a function of your ambition. A solo owner on all seven platforms Unbusied covers pays about $35/month on Essentials, already slightly more than Unbusied, and the moment a teammate needs access, Team pricing doubles it to about $70/month.
Unbusied is $33/month for the brand, not per channel and not per person. Connect all seven platforms, invite whoever helps you, post as much as you want. The bill doesn't move.
Switching from Buffer?
There’s nothing to migrate. Your social accounts stay exactly where they are. Create your Unbusied account, connect the accounts to a Social Set (a few minutes of OAuth), rebuild your upcoming queue, and cancel Buffer whenever it feels safe. Most people are fully moved in one sitting.
Fair questions
Is Buffer's free plan a better deal than Unbusied?
For three channels and light posting, honestly, yes. Unbusied doesn't try to beat free. It's built for businesses past that stage: everywhere at once, unlimited posts, team included.
Does Unbusied support Pinterest, Bluesky, or Mastodon?
Not currently. Unbusied publishes to Instagram, Facebook, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X.
How hard is it to switch from Buffer?
Connect your accounts to Unbusied (a few minutes of OAuth), rebuild your upcoming queue, and cancel Buffer when it feels safe. Nothing about your social accounts themselves changes.