Buffer
Buffer
7.9
Overall Score / 10
Sprout Social
Sprout Social
6
Overall Score / 10
Our Verdict
Choose Buffer if:
- —Solopreneurs and small creators managing a few social accounts
- —Teams wanting the simplest possible social scheduling tool
- —Budget-conscious businesses (per-channel pricing is affordable)
Choose Sprout Social if:
- —Enterprise teams needing comprehensive social media management
- —Agencies requiring social listening and competitor analysis
- —Customer care teams using social media as a support channel
The biggest difference: Sprout Social wins for teams needing social CRM, deep analytics, and social listening at enterprise scale. Buffer wins for solopreneurs and small teams wanting simple, affordable scheduling.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Criteria | Buffer | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Paid Plan | $6/mo (Essentials)Source: Buffer pricing page → | $249/mo (Standard)Source: Sprout Social pricing page → |
| Free Tier | Yes 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user, AI assistant included. | No No free plan. 30-day free trial available. |
| Value for Money | 8 | 4 |
| Ease of Use | 9 | 7 |
| Feature Power | 5 | 9 |
| Setup Ease | 9 | 7 |
| Migration Ease | 8 | 4 |
| Transparency | 9 | 5 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud |
| API Available | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Compliance | GDPR | SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, CCPA |
Feature Comparison
Feature Comparison Matrix
22 features compared · 19 differences
| Feature | Buffer | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Core | ||
| Automated publishing | None | Full |
| Competitive analysis | None | Full |
| Content calendar | Full | Full |
| CRM features | None | Full |
| Employee advocacy (add-on) | None | Full |
| Engagement tools | Full | None |
| Hashtag manager | Full | None |
| Influencer marketing (add-on) | None | Full |
| Multi-channel publishing | Full | None |
| Smart inbox | None | Full |
| Start Page (link-in-bio) | Full | None |
| Advanced | ||
| AI assistant for content creation | Full | None |
| Analytics & custom reports | None | Full |
| Analytics & reporting | Full | None |
| Approval workflows | None | Full |
| Approval workflows (Team) | Full | None |
| Chatbots (Advanced) | None | Full |
| Sentiment analysis (Advanced) | None | Full |
| Integrations | ||
| API Access | Full | Full |
| Security | ||
| Custom access permissions (Team) | Full | None |
| Social listening (add-on) | None | Full |
| Social media scheduling | Full | Full |
Pricing Comparison
Buffer Pricing
3 channels, 10 posts per channel, 1 user, AI assistant
$6/channel/mo ($5 annual). Unlimited posts, engagement tools, 30-day analytics
$12/channel/mo ($10 annual). Unlimited users, approval workflows, custom permissions
Sprout Social Pricing
1 user, 5 social profiles, scheduling, content calendar, review management
1 user, unlimited profiles, competitive reports, custom workflows, optimal send times
1 user, chatbots, sentiment analysis, automated rules, CSAT/NPS surveys
Custom users, custom profiles, SSO, premium analytics, dedicated support
Who Should Choose Which?
Who should choose Buffer
Best for
- Solopreneurs and small creators managing a few social accounts
- Teams wanting the simplest possible social scheduling tool
- Budget-conscious businesses (per-channel pricing is affordable)
Avoid if
- You need social listening or brand monitoring
- You need advanced analytics and reporting
- You manage 20+ social accounts (costs add up, and Hootsuite may be better)
Who should choose Sprout Social
Best for
- Enterprise teams needing comprehensive social media management
- Agencies requiring social listening and competitor analysis
- Customer care teams using social media as a support channel
Avoid if
- You're a small business or solopreneur (pricing starts at $199/user/mo annual)
- You need budget-friendly social scheduling (Buffer starts at $6/channel)
- You don't need advanced analytics or social listening
Switching Guidance
Switching from Buffer
Common triggers to leave:
- •Need social listening or monitoring
- •Need advanced analytics or competitor analysis
- •Need team features beyond basic approval workflows
Potential blockers:
- •Scheduled content queue
- •Analytics history
- •Team workflows and permissions
Switching from Sprout Social
Common triggers to leave:
- •Per-user pricing is extremely expensive for teams
- •Add-ons (listening, advocacy) cost extra on top of high base price
- •Overkill for basic scheduling needs
Potential blockers:
- •Social listening alerts and historical data
- •CRM social profiles
- •Team workflows and approval chains
- •Custom report templates
Try Buffer
Start free — no credit card required
Try Sprout Social
Plans from $249/mo