Buffer vs. Hootsuite vs. PostFast: Which is Better in 2025?
A feature-by-feature, pricing & ROI comparison of three leading social-media management tools for creators, brands and agencies.
Which social-media scheduler suits creators, teams & agencies best?
TL;DR – Buffer wins on simplicity and freemium pricing, Hootsuite packs the deepest enterprise toolkit, while PostFast blends multi-platform publishing, white-label workspaces and full Instagram Reels automation at a creator-friendly price. Use the table of contents to jump to any section.
Table of Contents
- Supported Platforms & Publishing
- Pricing & Value
- Scheduling & Content Management
- Team Collaboration & Branding
- Analytics & Engagement
- Verdict: When to Choose PostFast
Supported Platforms & Publishing
| Network (2025) | Buffer | Hootsuite | PostFast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook & Instagram | ✅ Posts, Reels | ✅ Ads & inbox | ✅ Auto-publish Reels/Stories |
| X / Twitter | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Communities Posting |
| LinkedIn Pages + Profiles | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| TikTok | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| YouTube / Shorts | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| ✅ | ✅ | — | |
| Bluesky / Mastodon | ✅ | — | ✅ |
| Google Business | ✅ | ✅ | — |
Key Takeaways
- PostFast covers every major network Buffer does—but uniquely auto-publishes Instagram Reels, Carousels and Stories without a Facebook Page (huge time-saver for influencers).
- Hootsuite lacks Bluesky & Mastodon scheduling but adds WhatsApp Business and built-in social listening.
- Buffer is usually first to support new consumer networks, making it a safe choice for trend-watchers.
Pricing & Value
| Tier | Buffer | Hootsuite | PostFast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0 – 3 channels | ❌ | 7-day free trial |
| Entry paid | $5 / channel/mo | $99 / mo | €9 / mo (4 accounts) |
| Growth tier | $10 / channel/mo (unlimited users) | $249 / mo | €19 / mo (12 accounts + calendar) |
| Agency | $120 / 10 channels | Custom quote | €79 / mo (120 accounts, WL, API) |
Effective Cost‐per‐Account: PostFast’s Pro works out to €0.66 per social account, undercutting both rivals at scale.
| # Social Accounts | Buffer Essentials | Hootsuite | PostFast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | $20 / mo | $99 / mo | €9 / mo |
| 12 | $60 / mo | $249 / mo | €19 / mo |
| 120 | $600 / mo | $249 / mo | €79 / mo |
Hootsuite’s Standard plan covers up to 5 social accounts; anything above that requires the Advanced plan, which removes the account cap but is priced per user.
Scheduling & Content Management
- Buffer keeps things clean with a drag-and-drop queue and AI-assisted “Ideas” board—perfect for solo creators.
- Hootsuite layers on bulk-upload (CSV) for 350 posts at once, AutoSchedule, Canva templates and asset libraries—great, but it comes with a learning curve.
- PostFast sits in the middle: lightning-fast composer, multi-image carousels, and a colour-coded calendar that shows historic posts alongside future slots.
Nice-to-have extras
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite | PostFast |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI caption generator | ✅ All plans | ✅ “OwlyGPT” tokens | ⚡ Roadmap Q3 2025 |
| Platform-specific copy fields | ➖ | ✅ | ✅ |
| REST API | ➖ | Enterprise-only | Included on every plan |
Team Collaboration & Branding
| Capability | Buffer Team Plan | Hootsuite Advanced | PostFast Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Users Included | Unlimited | 5 + | 15 / workspace |
| Approval Workflows | ✅ | ✅ granular | ✅ Smart chains |
| White-label / Custom logo | — | Enterprise add-on | Basic WL built-in |
PostFast’s built-in white-label option lets agencies resell under their own brand without extra fees—a rare perk at under €80/month.
Analytics & Engagement
| Metric depth | Buffer | Hootsuite | PostFast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic post stats | Free | Standard | Starter |
| Custom dashboards | Essentials + | Advanced + | Creator + |
| Social listening | — | ✅ | (Planned) |
| Unified Inbox | Paid add-on | ✅ | (Roadmap) |
Fast Insight: If you need real-time sentiment or benchmark reports across 20 competitors, Hootsuite wins. If you mainly track likes, clicks and follower growth, Buffer or PostFast will cover it without the price premium.
Verdict: When to Choose PostFast
Choose PostFast if you:
- Need auto-publishing of Instagram Reels, Stories or Carousels without extra apps.
- Manage multiple brands and want workspace-level white-labeling.
- Prefer simple, fast UI but still need an API and team approvals.
- Want agency-scale quotas at sub-€100 pricing.
Stick with Buffer if you’re a solo creator who values a forever-free tier and minimal learning curve.
Opt for Hootsuite if you’re an enterprise team that needs deep social listening, advanced analytics and tight ad/CRM integrations.
Ready to save 10+ hours a week? → Sign up for PostFast’s free trial.
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