Compare Buffer and Hootsuite 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (70.8% of reviews)
Small-Business (59.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
Free
$99.00 1 user Per Month
Buffer
Star Rating
(1,009)4.3 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (70.8% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
Free
Browse all 4 pricing plansHootsuite
Star Rating
(5,755)4.2 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (59.9% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
$99.00 1 user Per Month
Free Trial is available
Browse all 3 pricing plansSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that Hootsuite's "Content Calendar" feature is highly effective for planning and scheduling posts, scoring 9.0, while Buffer's similar feature scores slightly higher at 9.2, indicating a more user-friendly experience for content management.
- Reviewers mention that Hootsuite's "Social Publishing" capabilities are robust, with a score of 8.8, but Buffer excels in this area with a score of 9.3, suggesting that Buffer offers a more streamlined publishing process.
- G2 users highlight that Hootsuite's "Quality of Support" is rated at 8.1, which is lower than Buffer's 8.5, indicating that users may find Buffer's customer service more responsive and helpful.
- Users on G2 report that Hootsuite's "Approval Workflows" feature, scoring 7.9, lacks some flexibility compared to Buffer's 8.6, which may lead to a more efficient content approval process for teams using Buffer.
- Reviewers say that Hootsuite's "Social Analytics" features, while solid at 8.0, do not match the depth of Buffer's analytics capabilities, which are rated at 7.9, suggesting that users may find Hootsuite's analytics more comprehensive for tracking performance.
- Users say that Hootsuite's "User, Role, and Access Management" feature scores 8.6, indicating a strong focus on team collaboration, while Buffer's similar functionality is rated lower, suggesting Hootsuite may be better suited for larger teams needing detailed access controls.
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Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Buffer
Free
Free
For individuals and businesses getting started with social media.
- 3 social accounts in total
- Publish to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Business Profiles, Mastodon, Pinterest
- 10 scheduled posts per social account
Hootsuite
Standard
$99.00
1 user Per Month
- Up to 5 social accounts
- Unlimited post scheduling
- Best time to post recommendations
Free Trial
Buffer
Free Trial is available
Hootsuite
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.6
887
8.4
5,165
Ease of Use
9.2
893
8.6
5,210
Ease of Setup
9.2
312
8.6
3,057
Ease of Admin
9.1
307
8.6
2,233
Quality of Support
8.5
634
8.1
3,827
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.8
267
8.5
2,012
Product Direction (% positive)
8.1
867
7.8
5,065
Features by Category
Social Analytics
Not enough data
7.5(won by default)
1720
Not enough data
7.9(won by default)
1929
Not enough data
8.6(won by default)
2041
Not enough data
7.5(won by default)
1408
Not enough data
7.5(won by default)
1639
Not enough data
7.7(won by default)
1084
Not enough data
7.5(won by default)
1047
Reports & Dashboards
Not enough data
8.1(won by default)
1926
Not enough data
8.3(won by default)
1911
Not enough data
8.4(won by default)
1884
Not enough data
7.3(won by default)
976
Content & Collaboration
9.2
129
9.0
2062
8.7
112
8.0
1909
8.2
92
8.0
1852
8.6
93
7.8
1744
8.8
102
8.2
1866
8.5
86
8.2
1845
Social Management
7.8
653
8.0
3702
9.3
774
8.9
4180
8.4
629
8.2
3726
8.4
680
8.4
4030
Feature Not Available
7.2
2778
8.6
86
8.0
1797
8.5
12
8.0
1432
Platform Interoperability
Not enough data
7.6
374
Social Functionality
Not enough data
8.3
436
Campaign Management
Not enough data
8.3
439
Not enough data
8.1
432
Not enough data
8.2
430
Not enough data
7.8
434
Not enough data
8.0
429
Not enough data
8.3
424
Not enough data
8.1
424
Not enough data
7.7
420
Not enough data
7.6
421
Not enough data
8.0
417
Not enough data
7.9
416
Not enough data
7.3
412
Not enough data
7.6
411
Targeting
Not enough data
8.0
413
Not enough data
7.8
409
Not enough data
7.7
408
Not enough data
7.7
405
Platform
Not enough data
7.6
397
Not enough data
8.2
410
Not enough data
8.5
408
Not enough data
8.6
409
Not enough data
8.3
400
Not enough data
8.2
397
Not enough data
8.2
398
Not enough data
7.8
391
Not enough data
8.0
393
Monitoring & Listening
Not enough data
8.1
1739
Not enough data
7.1
1349
Not enough data
8.1
535
Not enough data
7.9
515
Not enough data
7.8
507
Not enough data
7.6
488
Data Management & Analysis
Not enough data
7.4
1196
Not enough data
8.0
1701
Not enough data
8.2
559
Not enough data
7.8
492
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Buffer and Hootsuite are categorized as Social Media Management
Unique Categories
Buffer has no unique categories
Hootsuite is categorized as Social Media Suites, Social Media Listening Tools, Social Media Analytics, and Social Media Advertising
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Buffer
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Hootsuite
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Marketing and Advertising
23.2%
Computer Software
7.4%
Information Technology and Services
6.0%
Internet
5.3%
Non-Profit Organization Management
4.2%
Other
53.8%
Marketing and Advertising
15.2%
Non-Profit Organization Management
7.7%
Higher Education
4.4%
Computer Software
3.9%
Information Technology and Services
3.7%
Other
65.1%
Most Helpful Reviews
Buffer
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Spencer T.
Verified User in Internet
Buffer works better than any other service I have tried. Other services have failed me by posting incorrectly, or not at all, while Buffer works properly ALL the time. Reliability is a MUST in a scheduling tool! Its interface is simple, elegant, and...
Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Design
- they send way too many emails (sure you can unsubscribe, but this is annoying) - you can't directly connect Instagram with Buffer (you have to IFTTT to do this) - can't view Twitter feed - pricing is expensive
Hootsuite
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Kristin H.
Verified User in Higher Education
Hootsuite lets you control your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Foursquare, and more all from one dashboard. You can schedule posts, collaborate with team members by assigning messages to people, and you can run reports of your social media, all for...
Most Helpful Critical Review
Francis P.
Verified User in Computer Software
It could support more social networks. Also Google+ functionality only allows you to post to a page rather than your profile.
Spencer T.
Verified User in Internet
Buffer works better than any other service I have tried. Other services have failed me by posting incorrectly, or not at all, while Buffer works properly ALL the time. Reliability is a MUST in a scheduling tool! Its interface is simple, elegant, and...
Kristin H.
Verified User in Higher Education
Hootsuite lets you control your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Foursquare, and more all from one dashboard. You can schedule posts, collaborate with team members by assigning messages to people, and you can run reports of your social media, all for...
Verified User in Design
- they send way too many emails (sure you can unsubscribe, but this is annoying) - you can't directly connect Instagram with Buffer (you have to IFTTT to do this) - can't view Twitter feed - pricing is expensive
Francis P.
Verified User in Computer Software
It could support more social networks. Also Google+ functionality only allows you to post to a page rather than your profile.
Alternatives
Discussions
Can I have tabs open for multiple companies at a time?
4 comments
MM
I have one Buffer account with multiple clients on that one account, so I just click on which platform/client I want to work on within that (so just one...Read more
Which platforms are next on the Buffer integration roadmap?
2 comments
GP
Buffer has a new feature to offer: Shop Grid.
It is a landing page made specifically for your Instagram profile, where you can direct people back to your...Read more
LinkedIn workarounds
2 comments
ED
When a data source like Facebook or LinkedIn removes an API (the way the data is shared from their warehouse to someone else’s, like Buffer’s, and the way...Read more
What is the most popular feature of Hootsuite?
4 comments
HV
Scheduling in advance and recommend post timesRead more
What do you get with free Hootsuite?
4 comments
MW
Nothing. Hootsuite discontinued their free tier Read more
How to connect Hootsuite to Facebook business page
3 comments
JM
The text is already in English and does not require translation.Read more
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