When it comes to social media management, two of the most popular platforms you’ll hear about are Buffer and Later. Both offer distinct features designed to streamline your social media needs.
While Buffer focuses on simplicity and ease of scheduling posts, Later shines with its visual content calendar and Instagram-centric approach. Choosing between these two options can be a game-changer if you want to make your content planning and posting seamless.
In this Buffer vs Later comparison, we’ll discuss their key features, pricing, and how they compare to help you choose the best one for your social media needs.
Let’s get started!
Quick Summary of Buffer vs Later
When comparing Buffer and Later, each tool offers unique strengths tailored to different needs and strategies for optimizing social media growth. In this summary, we’ll provide you with a quick overview of the key features of both platforms, helping you understand how they can enhance your social media management.
As a bonus, we’ve included insights from SocialPilot in our overview to give you a broader perspective and a better frame of reference for making your choice.
 Buffer |
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 SocialPilot |
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| Number of Reviews | 1006 | 305 | 814 |
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| Ease of Use | |||
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| Ease of Setup | |||
| Minimum Pricing | $6/Month | $25/Month | $30/Month |
| Number of Social Accounts | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Number of Team Members | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Scheduling & Publishing |
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| Analytics |
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| Social Inbox |
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| Collaboration |
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| Best For | Professionals and SMBs | Influencers and Small Business | Marketing Agencies, SMBs, Multi-Location Brands & Professionals |
| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
Buffer and Later offer a fair number of features in their introductory plans and have received impressive overall ratings of 4.3 and 4.4 across several review platforms. Buffer excels in scheduling posts across multiple platforms, offering customizable posting schedules, detailed analytics, and a user-friendly interface that makes setup feel like a piece of cake. In contrast, Later is particularly focused on Instagram, featuring a visual calendar that offers easy drag-and-drop scheduling. Its pricing starts at $25/month for individuals and offers Instagram-centric features such as a Link-in bio, detailed analytics, and more.
Buffer Overview
Buffer is a user-friendly social media management tool that simplifies managing multiple social media accounts from one dashboard. Its intuitive dashboard allows users to easily create, customize, and schedule posts across various social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, Pinterest, and Mastodon. Buffer’s robust analytics tools provide valuable insights into audience engagement and post-performance, helping businesses refine their social media strategies.
Additionally, Buffer offers a free and paid plan for new users for small and medium businesses looking to expand their social media presence. Its team collaboration features allow multiple users to manage accounts efficiently, making it an ideal choice for companies focused on enhancing their social media marketing efforts.
Aditi J.
It makes social media scheduling in advance on different platforms at once very easy than manually scheduling.
Later Overview
Later is a social media marketing tool that helps brands and businesses streamline their workflows and establish a strong and consistent presence. The tool is primarily a hit among solo entrepreneurs and small businesses in their growing stages.
Users can connect their business profiles and pages from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, and TikTok and start automating their post-publishing activities.
Creating content in minutes and scheduling it for publishing on multiple social media platforms saves a lot of time. Users can also easily reschedule their planned posts using the calendar dashboard. Just dragging and dropping the content from the previous slot to the date and time of their choice will do the trick.
Its strong analytical capabilities provide valuable insights into the content and overall performance of the pages, guiding the social marketing strategy in the right direction.
Casey G.
I like the full calendar view you get of your week worth of content. I also find the analytics page very helpful for when I’m doing my monthly overview of content performance.
SocialPilot, in comparison, is an all-in-one social media management tool that allows users to automate content posting and provides a centralized dashboard for easy scheduling and editing of posts. With an overall rating of 4.5, SocialPilot offers an array of features and the strengths of both tools. Starting at $30/month, its intuitive user interface makes setup a breeze, allowing businesses to seamlessly connect and manage multiple social accounts. It’s a better alternative to Buffer and Later for businesses and agencies to simplify social media management, saving time.
Shayne W.
Social Pilot allows me to utilize automation to ensure consistent content posting. The dashboard provides a nice single pane of glass to see what I will be posting this month, with the capability to edit and schedule more posts. Basically, four hours of work allow me to keep constant communication for an entire month, which has proven invaluable for us as a business that does not employ internal marketing. The setup of my social media platforms was easy, and the integration has not had a single issue.
Buffer vs Later: Head-to-Head Feature Comparison
Scheduling and Publishing
When it comes to publishing and scheduling, Buffer is the more versatile option, allowing users to manage multiple social media accounts across various platforms effectively. Later excels in visual content planning for Instagram with its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, but it lacks some advanced scheduling features found in Buffer. We have created a comprehensive comparison table to elaborate the same:
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SocialPilot |
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| Smart & Advanced Queueing |
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| Customize Post for Each Platform |
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| Post Preview |
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| Canva Integration |
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| Unsplash Integration |
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| Slack Integration |
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| URL Shortener |
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| Visual Post Support (Image, Video, GIF) |
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| UTM Parameters |
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| Cloud Storage |
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| Hashtag Suggestions |
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| Advance Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Save Draft Posts |
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| AI Assistant |
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| Watermark on Images |
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| Bulk Scheduling |
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| Auto publishing from RSS |
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| Social media calendar |
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| Mobile App |
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| Browser Extension |
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| Advance Facebook Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Reel Scheduling |
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| Support Album Posts |
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| Support Carousel Posts |
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| Alternate Text on Image |
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| Support Facebook First Comment |
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| Audience Targeting |
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| Boost Post Scheduling |
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| Support Mention and Hashtags |
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| Advance Twitter Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Location Tagging |
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| Support Mention and Hashtags |
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| Support Multiple Image Posts |
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| Threads Scheduling |
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| Advance Instagram Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Reel Scheduling |
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| Story Scheduling |
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| Tag Profiles on Images |
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| Location Tagging |
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| Support Instagram First Comment |
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| Instagram Grid |
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| Advance LinkedIn Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Audience Targeting |
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| Support LinkedIn First Comment |
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| Advance YouTube Publishing Capabilities | |||
| Shorts Scheduling |
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| Mention of Other YouTube Accounts |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial | |
Buffer provides a user-friendly interface that makes scheduling social media posts across multiple platforms streamlined and efficient. The ability to customize posts for each platform and the detailed analytics offered significantly help refine the social media strategy. However, we did encounter some limitations, such as the absence of advanced Facebook scheduling features like carousel posting and audience targeting. Additionally, while Buffer’s content library is handy, it lacks a visual planner that could enhance the content management experience further. Buffer is a strong choice for basic social media management but may not meet the needs of those who require more advanced publishing and scheduling functionality.
Later has been a game-changer when it comes to Instagram-focused social media strategy, thanks to its intuitive visual content calendar that makes scheduling posts a cakewalk. The drag-and-drop feature lets you easily organize and reschedule content, ensuring the feed looks cohesive and well-planned. Later’s analytics provide valuable insights into audience engagement, helping you adjust your marketing approach effectively.
However, while using it, we noticed some limitations, particularly the absence of a comprehensive content library for managing the media assets. Additionally, while Later excels with visual planning, it may not be as robust in managing other social media platforms, limiting its impact for a multi-channel strategy. Overall, Later is a fantastic tool for visual content management but may not fully meet the needs of those looking for extensive features across all social media channels.
While comparing Buffer and Later, it’s important to highlight that both tools lack RSS feed automation, which allows users to automatically share content from their favorite sources. In contrast, SocialPilot stands out in terms of this capability, giving it an edge over both Buffer and Later. Additionally, SocialPilot features a comprehensive content library for better media management and bulk scheduling, allowing users to queue up to 500 posts at once within in seconds—a significant time saver.
Social Media Analytics & Reporting
When it comes to analytics, Buffer provides robust insights across various social media platforms, offering comprehensive metrics that help optimize performance and inform strategy. Later, while effective for Instagram analytics, it lacks the depth of reporting Buffer offers, particularly in areas like cross-platform performance tracking. For users who require detailed analytics and broader insights, Buffer is the superior choice, whereas Later may be suitable for those focused primarily on Instagram metrics.
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SocialPilot |
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| Whitelabel Downloadable Report in PDF Format |
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| Email PDF Report to Client |
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| Auto Schedule Report with Team and Client |
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| Custom Report Builder |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
Buffer offers powerful analytics capabilities that help you track the performance of your social media profiles effectively. The tool provides detailed insights into engagement metrics, post-performance, and audience demographics, all presented in a user-friendly dashboard. While these analytics are beneficial, we found the lack of options to email customized reports or schedule PDF downloads to be a limitation, especially for sharing with team members or stakeholders. Overall, while Buffer excels in delivering actionable data to optimize the social media strategy, the reporting capabilities could be enhanced for a more comprehensive experience.
When it comes to Analytics, Later provides valuable insights into Instagram and other social media performance. The platform’s user-friendly dashboard makes tracking engagement rates, click-throughs, and audience demographics easy, helping businesses refine their content strategy. However, while using the tool, we noticed a significant gap in its reporting capabilities. Later does not generate downloadable white-label PDF reports, which is a drawback for agencies managing multiple clients. Overall, while Later shines in visual content planning and analytics, the reporting limitations may hamper its effectiveness for more extensive social media management needs.
SocialPilot shines in analytics and reporting, giving users a comprehensive suite of features that offer detailed insights into social media performance. Unlike Buffer, SocialPilot allows users to email customized reports directly to stakeholders and schedule PDF reports for regular updates. Additionally, while Later lacks white-label reporting options, SocialPilot provides this feature, making it an excellent choice for agencies managing multiple clients.
Social Media Engagement
Now, let’s examine the tools’ listening capabilities. Monitoring social media conversations, comments, and reviews is crucial for businesses to engage with their audience and cultivate a brand image that demonstrates self-awareness and customer care.
However, both Buffer and Later offer limited listening features. Buffer allows users to reply to messages on Facebook and Instagram comments for business accounts, while Later enables engagement on Instagram and TikTok. Beyond this, neither tool provides much in terms of listening capabilities.
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| Can Reply Message |
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| Can Reply Questions and Reviews |
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| Can Reply on Visitor Posts |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
Buffer’s listening capabilities are somewhat limited. While it does provide basic engagement tools through its social inbox feature, allowing users to respond to comments and messages from various platforms in one place, it lacks advanced listening functionalities. Users can manage interactions but might find it challenging to track broader social media conversations or brand mentions effectively. Buffer primarily focuses on scheduling and analytics, making it less ideal for users looking for robust engagement tools.
Later does not offer a dedicated social inbox or listening capabilities. Its focus is primarily on visual content planning and scheduling, which means users will need to rely on third-party tools or native platforms to monitor engagement and respond to audience interactions. This limitation can hinder users, especially agencies managing multiple accounts, as it does not facilitate seamless communication within the tool.
Unlike Buffer and Later, SocialPilot offers a powerful social inbox that allows users to monitor, engage with, and respond to audience comments and messages across various platforms from a single dashboard. Users can monitor multiple accounts.
Social Media Collaboration
Buffer and Later both provide essential collaboration tools for team management. Buffer offers structured workflows with role assignments, making it ideal for teams needing comprehensive collaboration. Later focuses more on content scheduling and visual planning. While both facilitate teamwork, Buffer’s approach is more robust, so choose based on your team’s specific needs and project requirements.
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| Free Unlimited Client Onboarding |
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| Per Post Multi-User Collaboration |
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| Access Management |
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| Content Approval Workflow |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
When it comes to collaboration capabilities, both Buffer and Later support multi-user access in their agency plans. For Buffer, an unlimited number of users are allowed in one profile, while Later charges users for every person they add after the limit of six is crossed.
The account admin can assign these users particular roles and give them selective access. They can collaborate on each post and use approval workflow to perfect each piece of content they create before scheduling.
Compared to both, SocialPilot excels in collaboration capabilities, offering unlimited team member access, customizable roles, and workflows that facilitate efficient content creation and approval processes. With a comprehensive social inbox for direct audience engagement, SocialPilot is a good alternative for businesses and agencies looking to enhance teamwork in their social media management efforts.
Pricing
Buffer and Later both offer a range of pricing plans to accommodate different user needs. Buffer provides a free option alongside various paid plans that cater to individuals and teams looking for flexible management solutions. Similarly, Later offers multiple paid tiers alongside an enterprise plan for users focused on content scheduling and engagement. Both tools offer different pricing plans targeting businesses and enterprises of different sizes with unique requirements.
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Later |
SocialPilot |
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Free
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Starter
$25/per month
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Professional
$30/per month
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Essential
$6/per channel
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Growth
$45/per month
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Small Team
$50/per month
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Team
$12/per channel
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Advanced
$80/per month
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Agency
$100/per month
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Agency
$120/per channel
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Agency
$200/per month
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Agency+
$200/per month
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14 Days Free Trial
No Credit Card Required
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14 Days Free Trial
Credit Card Required
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14 Days Free Trial
No Credit Card Required
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| Learn More | Learn More | Start Your free Trial |
Buffer offers a free plan to manage three social media accounts with limited features, while paid options start at $6/mo for the Essential plan and go up to $120/mo for the Agency plan.
Later, on the other hand, it starts at $25/mo for the Starter plan, which supports 1 user and 1 channel, and goes up to $200/mo for the Agency plan, which supports 10 users and 15 social media accounts. With Later, you can add more users and social accounts for some extra bucks.
SocialPilot is known for its comprehensive social media management capabilities and accessible pricing. The plans start at $30/mo, which covers 1 user and 10 social media accounts, and go up to $200/mo for unlimited users and 50 social media accounts. The plans are designed for scalability, providing extensive collaboration capabilities without significant price increases, making them an excellent choice for agencies looking to manage multiple clients.
Customer Support
The main parameter of our comparison is customer support. Good support means you can reach out to the team with your concerns at any time. Here is a side-by-side comparison of what Buffer and Later offer regarding support. Alongside, we have put SocialPilot just to showcase how it stacks up against these elites.
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| Live Chat Support |
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| Email Support |
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| Training |
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| Setup Support |
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| Dedicated Account Manager |
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| Learn More | Learn More | 14 Days Trial |
Both Buffer and Later bring valuable support experience to the table for their valued customers; however, both tools have some things that could be improved. Buffer, on the one hand, does not offer Live chat support. If you want a dedicated account manager who always assists you in trouble, both tools miss it.
For businesses and teams who require quick resolution of their support queries, SocialPilot can be a great addition. With all the major social media management capabilities, it also offers responsive customer support that’s one click away. You can get your queries resolved over a quick Live chat, email, and phone (24/5). If you get stuck while setting it up, the team quickly hops on a call to resolve it early and help you make the most of your social media game.
Final Verdict
Both Buffer and Later offer unique strengths for social media management. Buffer is ideal for users seeking simplicity and robust analytics across multiple platforms, making it a solid choice for managing diverse accounts. Later, on the other hand, excels in visual content planning, particularly for Instagram, with its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface.
Ultimately, your decision should align with your social media goals: choose Buffer for comprehensive multi-platform management or Later for aesthetically-driven Instagram strategies.
As an alternative, SocialPilot stands out with features like RSS feed automation, bulk scheduling, and a client portal for seamless collaboration. Its competitive pricing and extensive analytics make it an excellent option for agencies and small businesses looking to enhance their social media efforts effectively.
