Buffer vs PlanPost (2026): free plan and breadth or revenue tracking
Buffer has a free plan and covers 11 networks. PlanPost covers 7 networks, adds revenue attribution and an MCP server for AI agents. Disclosure: PlanPost is our product.
Short answer
Buffer is the better pick if you want a free plan or need Pinterest, Bluesky, Mastodon or Google Business Profile. PlanPost suits founders who want to see which posts bring revenue, or who want AI agents to schedule through its API and MCP server, at a flat $19.99 a month for up to 15 accounts.
| Buffer | PlanPost | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5 / channel / mo | $19.99 / mo |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Free trial | Not listed | 7-day free trial on every plan, card required |
| Networks | 11 | 7 |
| Public API | Yes | Yes |
| AI assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Fits | Solo, Small team | Solo, Small team |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Yes | Yes | |
| X | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Yes |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Bluesky | Yes | No |
| Yes | No | |
| Google Business | Yes | No |
| Mastodon | Yes | No |
Pricing
- Buffer charges per channel: $5 a month on Essentials with annual billing, $10 on Team. Seven channels on Essentials come to $35 a month. Buffer's free plan covers 3 channels.
- PlanPost charges per plan: Creator is $19.99 a month for up to 15 accounts and 1,000 posts a month, Pro is $39.99 for unlimited accounts and posts. Every plan has a 7-day free trial, and the trial asks for a card. There is no free plan.
The break-even sits at four channels: from there, Buffer Essentials on annual billing costs about the same as or more than PlanPost Creator.
Networks
Buffer lists 11 networks. PlanPost lists 7: Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Threads, YouTube and TikTok. If you need Pinterest, Bluesky, Mastodon or Google Business Profile, PlanPost is not an option today.
What each adds
- Buffer: a long track record, a free plan, and the widest network list in this directory.
- PlanPost: revenue attribution (which posts lead to sales), plus a public API and an MCP server, so tools like Claude can draft and schedule posts for you.
How we compared
Both columns above come from the same data fields, checked against each vendor's own pricing page.