Buffer vs PostFast: Social Media Scheduler Comparison

Buffer vs PostFast: Social Media Scheduler Comparison

Buffer has been around since 2010. It is one of the most recognizable names in social media scheduling. PostFast is newer, built for creators and agencies who need more accounts, more automation, and lower costs at scale.

This is a direct head-to-head comparison. No third tool to muddy the picture. Just Buffer and PostFast on pricing, features, platform support, and where each one actually wins.

What You'll Learn

• How Buffer and PostFast pricing compares at every scale from 1 to 100 accounts
• Which features are exclusive to each tool
• Where Buffer wins and where PostFast wins
• The real cost difference for creators, teams, and agencies
• Which tool fits your specific workflow and budget

Quick Overview

Buffer offers a free tier with 3 channels and 10 scheduled posts each. Paid plans are priced per channel: $6 per channel per month on Essentials or $12 on Team ($5 and $10 billed yearly), with lower rates for every channel above 10. It supports 12 networks, has a clean interface, and includes an AI Assistant for content generation.

PostFast uses flat monthly pricing. The Starter plan is EUR 12 per month for 4 accounts. Creator is EUR 29 per month for 12 accounts. Growth is EUR 49 per month for 30 accounts. Pro is EUR 99 per month for 120 accounts. Every plan includes API access, approval workflows, and CSV bulk import. A 7-day free trial is available with no credit card required.

Feature Comparison

Buffer includes extras like a link shortener and Start Page, its link-in-bio landing page. These are nice additions for creators who want an all-in-one toolkit.

PostFast focuses on scale: flat plans that run up to 500 accounts, approval workflows on every plan, Telegram, full-length YouTube videos, and branded client reports on Pro. These are the features that matter most when you are managing content for many accounts or clients.

Platform Support

Both tools cover the 8 core platforms plus Bluesky and Google Business Profile. PostFast adds Telegram, which Buffer does not support. Buffer adds Mastodon and Substack, which PostFast does not support. On YouTube, Buffer publishes Shorts only, while PostFast also publishes full-length videos.

For most users, the overlap covers everything they need. The decision comes down to specific platforms: if you need Telegram or long YouTube videos, PostFast is your pick. If you need Mastodon or Substack, Buffer is the choice.

Pricing: The Full Picture

This is where the comparison gets interesting. Buffer's per-channel model is simple to understand, and the bill grows with every channel you add, even though the rate drops above 10 channels. PostFast's flat plans stay predictable.

Prices are monthly billing on both tools. Buffer charges $6 (Essentials) or $12 (Team) for each of the first 10 channels, then $4 for channels 11 to 25, $3 for channels 26 to 50, and $1 (Essentials) or $2 (Team) from channel 51. Yearly billing takes about two months off on both: Buffer from $5 per channel, PostFast from EUR 10 per month.

At 3 accounts, Buffer's free tier wins outright. You pay nothing versus EUR 12 per month for PostFast.

At 5 accounts, the gap narrows. Buffer Essentials costs $30 per month, PostFast Creator costs EUR 29 per month. Roughly equivalent.

At 10 accounts, PostFast pulls ahead. Buffer Essentials hits $60 per month while PostFast Creator stays at EUR 29 per month.

At 20 accounts, Buffer costs $100 per month on Essentials or $160 on Team. PostFast Growth costs EUR 49 per month and covers up to 30 accounts.

At 50 accounts, Buffer's volume rates help, but the bill is still $195 per month on Essentials or $255 on Team, against EUR 99 per month for PostFast Pro, which covers up to 120 accounts.

At 100 accounts, Buffer costs $245 to $355 per month. PostFast Pro still costs EUR 99 per month with room for 20 more accounts.

Where Buffer Wins

Free tier. If you manage 3 or fewer channels and can work within the 10 scheduled posts limit per channel, Buffer costs nothing. PostFast has no free tier, only a 7-day trial.

Simplicity. Buffer's interface is intentionally minimal. The learning curve is nearly flat. You can be scheduling posts within minutes of signing up.

Mastodon and Substack. If either of these is part of your strategy, Buffer supports them and PostFast does not.

Extra tools. Buffer's Start Page (link-in-bio) and link shortener add value for creators who want fewer separate tools.

AI Assistant. Buffer's built-in AI helps generate post copy, repurpose content, and brainstorm ideas directly in the composer.

A free API. Buffer's API and MCP server work on the free plan too, so you can test an automation before paying anything.

Brand maturity. Buffer has operated since 2010. For teams justifying a tool purchase to management, Buffer's name recognition carries weight.

Where PostFast Wins

Price at scale. Once you manage more than 5 accounts, PostFast's flat pricing pulls ahead. At 50 accounts, Buffer costs $195 to $255 per month and PostFast Pro costs EUR 99.

API volume. Both tools include an API on every plan. Buffer counts requests across the whole API per 30 days: 3,000 on Free and up to 15,000 on Team. PostFast gives each endpoint its own budget, with 420 post-creation calls a day and 2,400 or more a day on most other endpoints, so heavier automations fit on any plan.

Full-length YouTube videos. Buffer publishes YouTube Shorts only. PostFast publishes Shorts and full-length videos, with the title, privacy and playlist set per post.

Telegram support. PostFast is one of the few schedulers that supports Telegram as a publishing channel.

CSV bulk import with video. PostFast imports up to 200 posts per CSV file, including video, Reels and first comments. Buffer's bulk upload takes text and single-image posts only.

Approval workflows on every plan. Every PostFast plan, including Starter and the trial, can hold posts until someone approves them; starter has one user, so a separate reviewer starts at Creator (5 users). Buffer reserves draft approval for its Team plan.

Branded client reports. PostFast Pro exports client reports with the client's logo and name and without the PostFast footer, at EUR 99 a month for up to 120 accounts. Buffer's branded reports come with the Team plan, billed per channel.

No per-channel math. PostFast plans include a set number of accounts at a flat price. The pricing is predictable as you scale.

Who Should Use What

Choose Buffer if:

• You manage 3 or fewer channels and want a free solution
• Simplicity and fast onboarding are your top priorities
• You need Mastodon or Substack support
• You want built-in extras like a link-in-bio page and link shortener
• Your team is small and the per-channel cost stays reasonable

Choose PostFast if:

• You manage 5 or more accounts and want lower costs as you scale
• You need approval workflows without moving to a team plan
• You publish full-length YouTube videos or bulk-import video posts
• You publish to Telegram
• You are an agency that needs branded client reports or manages many client accounts
• Predictable flat-rate pricing matters to your budgeting

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Buffer really free?

Buffer offers a free plan that covers 3 channels with up to 10 scheduled posts per channel. There are no time limits on the free tier. However, the 10-post queue limit per channel is restrictive for anyone posting daily. Upgrading to Essentials ($6 per channel per month, or $5 billed yearly) removes the 10-post limit.

Does PostFast have a free plan?

PostFast does not have a permanent free tier. It offers a 7-day free trial with full access to all features, and no credit card is required to start. After the trial, the Starter plan begins at EUR 12 per month.

Can I switch from Buffer to PostFast easily?

PostFast supports CSV import, so you can export your content calendar and re-import it. Social account connections need to be set up fresh since OAuth tokens cannot transfer between platforms. The process is straightforward but requires reconnecting each account.

Which tool is better for video content?

Both tools convert video before publishing: Buffer converts uploads to MP4 (H.264) at up to 1080p (720p on LinkedIn) and may compress large files, and PostFast processes each video before it goes out. The differences are coverage and volume. Buffer publishes YouTube Shorts only and cannot bulk upload video. PostFast publishes Shorts and full-length YouTube videos, Instagram Reels, Stories and trial Reels, and TikTok videos, and its CSV import accepts video.

Is PostFast's API useful for non-developers?

The API is primarily a developer tool, but it unlocks automation for anyone using no-code platforms. You can connect PostFast to Make.com, n8n, or Zapier to automate content scheduling from spreadsheets or AI content generators. Buffer also offers an API and an MCP server on every plan, so the difference is volume: Buffer counts requests per 30 days across the whole API, while PostFast gives each endpoint its own daily budget.

Try PostFast Free for 7 Days

If you are managing more than a handful of social accounts, the pricing math speaks for itself. Test PostFast with your full workflow. No credit card, no commitment.

Looking for a head-to-head comparison PostFast vs Buffer side-by-side breakdown with real pricing math, feature tables, and platform support.

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