Publer and Buffer are both affordable social media scheduling tools. They are also both easy to misunderstand.
They can help you organize and publish posts. They do not remove the need to create the posts.
Direct Answer
Choose Buffer if you want the simplest scheduler for a small number of channels.
Choose Publer if you want more flexible social account/member pricing, broader workflow features, bulk scheduling, AI tools, and a more feature-rich publishing setup.
Choose neither if your problem is that you do not have finished posts to schedule.
| Need | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Simplest free scheduler | Buffer |
| Flexible paid account/member setup | Publer |
| Broad supported networks | Both |
| Bulk scheduling and agency-style workflows | Publer |
| Posts prepared for approval | Neither; use Glow Social |
For another scheduler comparison, read Later vs Buffer.
Buffer: Best for Simple Scheduling
Buffer is the cleaner, simpler option.
It works well if:
- You want a low-learning-curve scheduler.
- You manage a few profiles.
- You do not need complex workflows.
- You want the free plan to test the habit first.
- You create your own posts.
Buffer's free plan supports up to 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel. During this June 2026 refresh, Buffer's public pricing page listed Essentials from $5/month per channel billed yearly and Team from $10/month per channel billed yearly.
That makes Buffer easy to understand for small setups.
Publer: Best for More Scheduling Flexibility
Publer works well if:
- You manage more social profiles.
- You want bulk scheduling.
- You want AI assistance and post workflows.
- You want collaboration or approval features.
- You want pricing that scales by social accounts and members.
Publer's public plans page says the free plan includes 1 user, 1 workspace, 3 social accounts excluding Twitter/X, and 10 scheduled posts per account. Publer's paid plans scale by social accounts and additional members, which can be useful when Buffer's per-channel structure does not match the way your profiles are set up.
That can be attractive if Buffer's per-channel model does not fit the way your profiles are structured.
Pricing Structure
| Tool | Free plan | Paid pricing shape | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer | Up to 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel | Per-channel pricing for Essentials and Team | Simple scheduling with a clean queue |
| Publer | 1 workspace, 3 social accounts except X, 10 scheduled posts per account | Scales by social accounts and additional members | More workflow controls and account/member flexibility |
| Glow Social | No scheduler-only free plan | $99/month for posts prepared for approval | Businesses that do not have posts ready to schedule |
Supported Channels
Both tools support the major platforms small businesses care about.
Buffer supports platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Google Business Profile, Threads, X, Bluesky, and Mastodon.
Publer supports Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google Business locations, YouTube, WordPress, TikTok, Telegram, Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky.
If Google Business Profile matters to you, both are worth considering.
The Real Difference for Small Businesses
The real difference is not only price or channel support. It is complexity.
Buffer is simpler. Publer is more feature-rich.
That means:
- Buffer is better if you want less to manage.
- Publer is better if you want more control.
- Neither is better if the calendar is empty.
Where Glow Social Fits
Glow Social is not a scheduler comparison winner. It solves a different problem.
It turns your website into 20 posts ready to approve, then publishes approved posts. That makes it a fit for business owners who tried schedulers but still did not keep posting.
Use Buffer or Publer if you already create content. Use Glow Social if content creation is the bottleneck.
Sources Checked
Current details were checked on June 11, 2026 against Buffer pricing, Buffer's scheduled post limit help article, Publer plans, and Publer's supported social networks help article.
Bottom Line
Buffer is better if you want simple scheduling. Publer is better if you want more publishing features and flexible account/member scaling.
If the real problem is that no one has time to create posts, do not buy another scheduler first.
See posts from your website first
Related guides: Buffer pricing and free plan limits | Buffer alternative with content creation built in | Best social media tools under $50/month | Social media management pricing guide | Affordable social media management
