Product comparison
Buffer vs Metricool
Buffer and Metricool both let you schedule social posts and see how they perform. Buffer brings a queue, comment replies and reports together around each connected account. Metricool puts more emphasis on comparing results across brands, tracking competitors and producing reports you can share.
Buffer is a useful starting point for straightforward publishing, including LinkedIn on its free plan. Metricool deserves a closer look when reports and several brands matter as much as posting. Team approvals are available in both, but on different paid plans.
The main differences
| Product | Main reason to consider it | Free plan | How paid pricing works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer | Prepare posts, handle comments and review results without separate tools | Three channels, ten queued posts per channel, one user | Per connected social account; Team adds unlimited members and approvals |
| Metricool | Combine publishing with competitor tracking and shareable reports | One brand, twenty posts a month, thirty days of analytics; no LinkedIn or X | By number of brands; Advanced adds users, roles and approvals |
Which free plan goes further?
Buffer's ten-post limit is a queue, not a monthly cap. As a post publishes, its space becomes available again. It can therefore support frequent posting across a small set of accounts if you are happy to refill the schedule regularly.
Metricool's free plan is useful for seeing posts and results together for one brand. Its twenty-post allowance resets monthly, and the analytics history covers thirty days. LinkedIn needs a paid plan; X needs a paid add-on.
Neither free plan includes the paid approval tools. If someone must sign off posts before publishing, compare the team subscriptions rather than just the free allowances.
Reporting or day-to-day publishing?
Buffer lets you save ideas, prepare drafts and adjust a post for different networks before it enters the queue. Its Community inbox brings comments together, while Insights shows which posts people respond to.
Metricool's paid Starter plan adds downloadable PDF and PowerPoint reports, a longer performance history and broader competitor analysis. That makes it useful for explaining results to a client or comparing several businesses without rebuilding each report by hand. Advanced adds custom reports and a Looker Studio connection for more tailored reporting.
Compare the total price
The billing units matter more than the lowest headline price. A Buffer channel is one connected account. Metricool sells bundles of brands, with each brand containing its supported connected networks.
| Example | Buffer, annual billing | Metricool, annual billing |
|---|---|---|
| One person, three social accounts | Essentials: $15 a month equivalent | Starter: $20 a month equivalent for up to five brands |
| Several people, three social accounts, with approvals | Team: $30 a month equivalent | Advanced: $53 a month equivalent for up to fifteen brands |
These are subscription examples, not like-for-like feature bundles. Buffer totals multiply its advertised $5 Essentials or $10 Team channel rate by three. Metricool figures use its entry US-dollar brand bundles. Annual payment is required for these prices; monthly billing is available. Extra services, including Metricool's X connection, can change the total.
Buffer Team can be economical when several people share just a few accounts. Metricool's included brand capacity becomes more useful as you manage additional businesses and need separate reports for them.
Our verdict
Choose Buffer for a clear publishing schedule, comment replies and flexible team access across a modest number of accounts. Choose Metricool when reporting across brands and comparing performance are central to the work. Both cover publishing and analytics; the better buy depends on which tools you will use and what your full set of accounts costs.
For the wider choice, compare social media management tools.