Buffer vs Later in 2026: a queue for every network, or a visual planner?
Buffer prices per channel and posts to 12 networks; Later sells social sets for Instagram-first planning. Prices, post limits, link in bio and grid compared.
Short answer
Buffer suits a queue across many networks: $6 per channel a month, with X, Bluesky and Mastodon, and a free plan for 3 channels. Later suits Instagram-first planning: $25 a month for one profile on each of 8 networks, with a grid and link in bio, but no X, Bluesky or Mastodon.
Buffer and Later side by side
| Buffer | Later | |
|---|---|---|
| Priced by | Channel | Social set: one profile on each network |
| Cheapest paid plan | Essentials: $6 a channel a month ($5 yearly) | Starter: $25 a month ($18.75 yearly) for 1 set |
| Free plan | 3 channels, 10 posts queued on each | Help centre only: 1 set, 12 posts per profile a month |
| Post limits | Unlimited, within a fair-use cap | 30 per profile a month on Starter, 180 on Growth |
| Users | 1 on Essentials, unlimited on Team | 1 on Starter, 2 on Growth, 4 on Scale |
| Networks | 12, with X, Bluesky and Mastodon | 8, with Snapchat; no X, Bluesky or Mastodon |
| Threads of posts | X, Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon | No |
| First comment | Instagram and LinkedIn | Instagram only |
| Instagram grid | Grid preview | Visual planner on every plan |
| Link in bio | Start Page closed to new pages on 4 Nov 2026 | On every plan |
| Approvals | Team plan; approvers need a Buffer login | Growth and up; the approver needs an account |
| Inbox | Comments on 10 networks, every plan | Growth and up, in beta, for Instagram, Facebook and TikTok |
| Bulk upload | CSV, 100 posts per upload | No CSV import |
What they cost
- One person, 5 networks, one account each: Buffer Essentials, $30 a month ($25 yearly). Later Starter, $25 ($18.75), if you stay under 30 posts per profile.
- Two Instagram accounts: Buffer charges for each channel, $12 a month for the pair. Later needs a second set, which means Growth at $50 a month.
- Three people: Buffer Team, $12 a channel a month with unlimited users and approvals. Later Growth with one extra user, $55 a month ($41.25 yearly), on 2 sets.
Buffer pricing and Later pricing work through every plan.
Choose Buffer if
- You post to X, Bluesky, Mastodon or Substack, or write threads.
- You post often: there's no monthly cap per profile.
- You want a free plan or several people on one subscription.
Choose Later if
- Instagram is the centre of your week and you plan from the grid.
- You want a link-in-bio page; Buffer's is closing to new pages.
- You post to Snapchat, or work with creators through Later's influencer tools.
A third option: PostDaily
PostDaily is our product, so weigh this accordingly. Like Buffer it's a queue for many networks rather than a grid planner: it publishes to Bluesky, Mastodon, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube and Pinterest, schedules threads, and has no monthly post cap on paid plans. Unlike either, a client approves from a review link with no account, on Pro. PostDaily vs Later says who should stay with Later.
Buffer vs Later questions
Is Buffer or Later better for Instagram?
Later, if you plan visually: its grid planner and link in bio are on every plan. Buffer is better if Instagram is one network among several.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Later?
For one account on each of up to 5 networks, Later's Starter ($25 a month) is close to Buffer ($30 for 5 channels). For two accounts on the same network, or many posts, Buffer is cheaper.
Does Later post to X (Twitter)?
No. Later's supported platforms don't include X, Bluesky or Mastodon. Buffer publishes to all three.
Do Buffer and Later have free plans?
Buffer's covers 3 channels. Later's isn't on its pricing page, but its help centre lists one with 12 posts per profile a month.
Last checked against buffer.com/pricing, later.com/pricing and both help centres.
