Pricing guide · updated August 2026
Buffer pricing, explained with real math
Buffer prices per channel: every social account you connect adds to the monthly bill. That's genuinely brilliant when you post to two or three places, and it's why Buffer's sticker price looks so friendly next to everyone else's.
It also means "how much does Buffer cost" has no single answer. The honest answer is a function: (number of channels) x (rate for your plan). Here's that function worked through, using Buffer's published rates.
The plans
| Plan | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user. A real free plan, not a trial. |
| Essentials | $5 per channel per month | Unlimited scheduled posts, analytics, engagement tools. Still 1 user. |
| Team | $10 per channel per month | Everything in Essentials plus unlimited users, approvals, and notes. |
Buffer details from their public pricing pages as of August 2026. Plans change, so check their pricing page for the latest.
What you’d actually pay
3 channels, solo
Free, if 10 scheduled posts per channel is enough. Otherwise 3 x $5 = $15/month on Essentials.
One brand on 7 platforms, solo
7 x $5 = about $35/month on Essentials.
One brand on 7 platforms, with a teammate
Team pricing doubles the rate: 7 x $10 = about $70/month.
Two brands on 7 platforms each, with help
14 channels x $10 = about $140/month.
Know before you buy
- The meter runs on channels, not brands: adding TikTok or Threads to an existing brand raises the bill.
- Team access doubles the per-channel rate ($5 to $10) across every channel you've connected, not just new ones.
- The free plan's 10-scheduled-posts-per-channel cap is per channel at a time, which light posters may never hit.
The honest verdict
Buffer is honestly priced and the free plan is real. If you post to two or three channels, it's one of the best deals in social media software, and we'll say so plainly.
The math turns at scale: a business posting one brand across the full seven-platform spread pays about $35/month solo, and about $70/month the moment a teammate needs access. For comparison, Unbusied is $33/month flat for all seven platforms with unlimited posts and up to 5 team seats included: the bill doesn't change when you add a channel or a person.
Fair questions
How much is Buffer per month?
It depends on channels. Buffer's paid plans are $5 per channel per month (Essentials, single user) or $10 per channel per month (Team, unlimited users). Three channels on Essentials is $15/month; seven channels is about $35/month; seven channels with team access is about $70/month.
Is Buffer free?
Buffer has a real free plan: 3 connected channels with up to 10 scheduled posts per channel and 1 user. It's a genuinely usable way to start, not a limited-time trial.
Does Buffer charge per user?
Not per user directly. Instead, team access moves you from the $5/channel Essentials rate to the $10/channel Team rate, which doubles the cost of every connected channel and then includes unlimited users.
Is Buffer cheaper than Unbusied?
For 1 to 5 channels, yes, and often free. At the full seven-platform spread they're about even solo ($35 vs $33), and with a team Buffer is about double ($70 vs $33, since Unbusied includes up to 5 seats). The honest rule: few channels, pick Buffer; whole spread plus help, the flat price wins.