--- title: "Buffer vs Hootsuite: which fits your team?" canonical: "https://weekbird.app/compare/buffer-vs-hootsuite" language: "en" type: "comparison" updated: "2026-10-11T16:54:08.714Z" --- # Buffer vs Hootsuite Buffer vs Hootsuite: Buffer bills per channel and has a free plan; Hootsuite bills per user and includes social listening. Three people on 15 channels pay $180 a month on Buffer Team ($150 billed yearly) and $597 on Hootsuite Professional billed yearly. Weekbird costs $24, $49 or $149 a month. Prices checked 10 October 2026. ## Where Weekbird fits Weekbird costs $24, $49 or $149 a month ($228, $468 or $1,428 a year) with unlimited posts on every plan. Team and Agency add approval links that reviewers open without an account, and an Inbox for comments, replies and reviews. Weekbird has no listening, no mobile app and no free plan. Compare it in [Weekbird vs Buffer](/compare/weekbird-vs-buffer) and Weekbird vs Hootsuite. ## Questions ### Is Buffer or Hootsuite cheaper? Buffer, at every size we priced. Three people on 15 channels pay $180 a month on Buffer Team ($150 billed yearly) against $597 on Hootsuite Professional billed yearly. ### Does Buffer or Hootsuite have a free plan? Buffer does: 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts each. Hootsuite has none and offers a 14-day trial. ### Which has approvals? Buffer includes approvals on Team. Hootsuite puts them on Advanced at $399 per user a month billed yearly. Weekbird includes approval links on Team at $49 a month. ### Which has social listening? Hootsuite. Buffer and Weekbird have none. ## Plan next week in one sitting [See Weekbird plans](https://weekbird.app/) ## Buffer Last verified: 2026-10-10 ## Buffer: plans | Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Free | 0 | 0 | USD | per-channel | 1 account | Up to 3 channels | 1 | Posts: 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 threaded post; AI: AI Assistant included; Approvals: No; Inbox: Community inbox included, AI replies 5/week; Analytics: Basic analytics, 30-day history; API: 1 API key, 3,000 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 | | Essentials | 6 | 5 | USD | per-channel | n/a | Per channel purchased | 1 user | Posts: Unlimited scheduled posts; AI: AI Assistant, unlimited AI replies; Approvals: No; Inbox: Community inbox, unlimited saved replies; Analytics: Unlimited (advanced analytics); API: 3 API keys, 7,500 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 | | Team | 12 | 10 | USD | per-channel | n/a | Per channel purchased | Unlimited | Posts: Unlimited scheduled posts; AI: AI Assistant; Approvals: Content approval workflows and access levels; Inbox: Community inbox; Analytics: Unlimited (advanced analytics); API: 5 API keys, 15,000 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | 2026-10-10 | ## Buffer: strengths | Claim | Source | | --- | --- | | Free plan covers 3 channels with AI Assistant and community inbox. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | Pricing is per channel, so a single channel costs $5/month annual. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | Publishes to Bluesky, Mastodon, Threads, Google Business Profile, Pinterest and YouTube Shorts with community engagement on most of them. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | Includes a public API on every plan, including Free. | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | Inbox (Free): Community inbox included; AI replies 5/week | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | API or MCP (Free): 1 API key, 3,000 requests/30 days | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | Analytics (Free): Basic analytics, 30-day history | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | | Approvals (Team): Content approval workflows and access levels | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | ## Hootsuite Last verified: 2026-10-10 ## Hootsuite: plans | Plan | Monthly price | Price per month (billed annually) | Currency | Billing unit | Seats or brands | Channels | Users | Limits | Source | Observed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Standard | — | 99 | USD | per-user | n/a | 10 social accounts | 1+ (buy seats) | Posts: Unlimited scheduled posts; AI: Wisdom AI included (no credit counts published); Approvals: No; Inbox: Single inbox | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 | | Professional | — | 199 | USD | per-user | n/a | Unlimited social accounts | 1+ (buy seats) | Posts: Unlimited; AI: Wisdom AI; Approvals: No; Inbox: Inbox with automated replies and workflows; Custom performance reports, trend forecasting to 90 days | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 | | Advanced | — | 399 | USD | per-user | n/a | Unlimited social accounts | 1+ (buy seats) | Posts: Unlimited; AI: Wisdom AI; Approvals: Yes (review and approve content); Inbox: Assignment and auto-routing | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 | | Enterprise | Contact sales | Contact sales | USD | — | custom | Unlimited | Custom | Approvals: Yes; SSO, advanced listening, advanced analytics | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | 2026-10-10 | ## Hootsuite: strengths | Claim | Source | | --- | --- | | Social listening and competitor monitoring are in the product; advanced listening on Enterprise. | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | Unlimited accounts from Professional. | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | Purchase as many user seats as needed with SSO and compliance on Enterprise. | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | Inbox (Standard): Single inbox | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | Approvals (Advanced): Yes (review and approve content) | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | ## Feature comparison | Feature | Weekbird | Buffer | Hootsuite | Sources | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Inbox for comments, replies and reviews | Comments and replies from Facebook Pages, Instagram, YouTube, Threads, Bluesky and X, and Google Business Profile reviews, in one list. | Inbox (Free): Community inbox included; AI replies 5/week | Inbox (Standard): Single inbox | [Source 1](https://buffer.com/pricing), [Source 2](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | Approvals from a link | Send a reviewer a link to approve or request changes. Reviewers need no account. Links last 30 days and can be revoked. | Approvals (Team): Content approval workflows and access levels | Approvals (Advanced): Yes (review and approve content) | [Source 1](https://buffer.com/pricing), [Source 2](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | ## Base plan examples | Users | Brands | Channels | Plan | Monthly equivalent | Currency | Billing period | Other monthly equivalent | Other currency | Other billing period | Source | Other source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | 1 | 5 | Essentials | 25 | USD | Billed annually | 99 | USD | Billed annually | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | 3 | 3 | 15 | Team | 150 | USD | Billed annually | 597 | USD | Billed annually | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | | 5 | 10 | 50 | Team | 500 | USD | Billed annually | 995 | USD | Billed annually | [Source](https://buffer.com/pricing) | [Source](https://www.hootsuite.com/plans) | ## Verdicts | Use case | Verdict | | --- | --- | | One person, a few channels | Buffer: the free plan covers 3 channels, and Essentials costs $6 per channel a month. Hootsuite starts at $99 a month billed yearly. | | Team of three on 15 channels | Buffer Team at $180 a month ($150 billed yearly) with unlimited users and approvals, against Hootsuite Professional at $597 billed yearly without approvals. | | Social listening | Hootsuite includes listening and competitor monitoring. Buffer has none. | | Many accounts per person | Hootsuite Professional has no account cap; Buffer adds a price for every channel. | | Small agency that needs client sign-off | Look at Weekbird Team at $49 a month: approval links without client accounts. |