Buffer pricing, read from the source
Buffer pricing per channel, month by month
Buffer bills per channel: $6 a month billed monthly, or $5 a month billed yearly ($60 a year), with a free plan up to 3 channels.
Buffer's paid plans start at $6 a month per channel billed monthly, or $5 a month per channel billed yearly, which is $60 a year per channel. Team is $12 a month per channel billed monthly, or $10 a month per channel billed yearly, which is $120 a year. The pricing page loads with the yearly toggle already selected, so the $5 and $10 rates are what a visitor sees first (buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026).
The unit that matters is the channel, not the person. Buffer counts each connected social profile as a channel, so a business that runs Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn pays for three channels. A free plan covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts each, and the paid tiers charge per channel on top of it.
Where every number came from
- The page loaded with the yearly billing toggle already selected. Essentials was shown at $5 a month per channel, billed yearly at $60 a year per channel (save 2 months), and Team was shown at $10 a month per channel, billed yearly at $120 a year per channel (save 2 months). Free was $0 a month, free forever for up to 3 channels. buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026
- With the monthly toggle selected, the same page showed Essentials at $6 a month per channel billed monthly and Team at $12 a month per channel billed monthly, with no yearly discount applied. Free stayed $0 a month for up to 3 channels in either mode. buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026
- The feature comparison listed the AI Assistant on every tier, described as "Refine and repurpose your content using AI. Unlimited credits." It is a text tool: the page listed no image or video generation allowance on any plan. buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026
- The Free plan's card read "Free forever" and listed 10 scheduled posts per channel, 100 ideas and 1 user account, with no expiry. The Essentials and Team cards each opened with a "Start 14-day free trial" button, and the FAQ carried the questions "Does Buffer have a free trial?" and "What happens at the end of the 14-day trial?". buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026
- The comparison table marked approval workflows, custom access and permissions, reports, branded reports, performance overview, custom analytics and custom UTM parameters as not included on Essentials. "Included users" read 1 on Free and Essentials, and unlimited on Team. buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026
What Buffer charges, tier by tier
Buffer prices per channel and shows two billing modes, and the page loads on yearly by default. In that mode Essentials is $5 a month per channel billed yearly, which is $60 a year, and Team is $10 a month per channel billed yearly, which is $120 a year. Switch to monthly and the same two tiers are $6 and $12 a month per channel.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly, per month | Yearly total | Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | $0 | $0 | 1 |
| Essentials | $6 | $5 | $60 | 1 |
| Team | $12 | $10 | $120 | Unlimited |
Source: buffer.com/pricing, read 18 September 2026
The channel math, in full
Each row is one channel count, priced in both modes. The monthly figure is what the plan costs that month billed monthly; the yearly figure is the 12-month commitment at the yearly rate, which is the per-channel monthly rate times twelve. Buffer prices per channel, not per person, so this table is the bill for a roster of one, two or three connected profiles.
| Channels | Essentials monthly | Essentials yearly | Team monthly | Team yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 channel | $6 a month | $60 a year | $12 a month | $120 a year |
| 2 channels | $12 a month | $120 a year | $24 a month | $240 a year |
| 3 channels | $18 a month | $180 a year | $36 a month | $360 a year |
What the entry Essentials plan does not include
- A second seat: Free and Essentials both include exactly 1 user account. Adding a teammate means Team, the only tier with unlimited team members.
- Approval workflows and custom access: both sit on Team only. Essentials has no way to route a draft past someone for sign-off.
- Reports and branded reports: exporting your data as CSV, PDF or markdown, and adding your logo to a report, are not on Essentials.
- Performance overview and custom analytics: Essentials gets 30-day insights history and Takeaways, but not the fuller performance summary or per-tag filtering.
- Image and video generation: Buffer's AI Assistant refines and repurposes text with unlimited credits, but does not make images or video.
Buffer has a free plan and a 14-day trial
The free plan is permanent, not a trial. It covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel and 100 ideas, for 1 user account, and it never expires or asks for a card.
On the paid tiers the page shows a "Start 14-day free trial" button instead of a free tier. The trial is a clock on Essentials and Team; when it ends the plan bills at whichever rate you picked.
Who Buffer fits, and who it does not
Buffer is a scheduler first. Its $5 a month per channel billed yearly, or $6 a month per channel billed monthly, buys a calendar and a queue, and the posts still have to be written somewhere. That is the line this page draws.
Pick Buffer
Pick Buffer if you already make your own posts and want a clean, inexpensive scheduler. One person running a single channel pays $5 a month per channel billed yearly, or $6 a month per channel billed monthly, and the free tier covers up to 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts each.
Look at SpeedRun Social
We build SpeedRun Social, so this section is where we name the stake. If you want the posts written, designed and scheduled for you, our paid plans are $49.99, $99.99 and $199.99 a month for the whole workspace, with image and video generation included. Underneath them is a permanent free plan: 300 credits a month refilled forever, one free campaign a week (3 posts, 1 video, 1 cross-post), no card, watermarked media on free.
Questions about the Buffer price
How much does Buffer cost per month?
Buffer's cheapest paid plan, Essentials, is $6 a month per channel billed monthly, or $5 a month per channel billed yearly, which is $60 a year for one channel. Team is $12 a month per channel billed monthly, or $10 a month per channel billed yearly, which is $120 a year. A free plan covers up to 3 channels.
Does Buffer have a free plan?
Yes. The free plan is free forever and covers up to 3 channels, with 10 scheduled posts per channel and 100 ideas on 1 user account. It is a permanent tier, not a timed trial.
How does Buffer price a team?
Per channel, not per person. Three channels on Essentials are $18 a month billed monthly, or $180 a year billed yearly. Team at three channels is $36 a month billed monthly, or $360 a year, and Team is the tier that adds unlimited team members.
What does the entry Essentials plan not include?
Essentials includes 1 user account, so a second person needs Team. It also omits approval workflows, custom access and permissions, reports and branded reports, and the fuller performance overview and custom analytics. Buffer's AI Assistant refines and repurposes text and does not generate images or video.
When should I pick Buffer over an AI content tool?
If you write your own posts and only need a scheduler, Buffer's per-channel price is the point. It does not write or design the posts for you: its AI Assistant refines and repurposes text you bring, and does not generate images or video.