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Direct answer · Updated 2026-05-17

Is Buffer free? What does the free plan include?

Short answer

Yes, Buffer has a permanent free plan: 10 scheduled posts at a time, 3 social channels, 1 user, plus a basic AI Assistant for caption help. The free plan works for casual cross-posting (2-3 posts/week per channel) but caps fast. Paid Essentials at $5/channel/month unlocks 100 scheduled posts per channel, expanded AI Assistant usage, and basic analytics — the natural upgrade for anyone posting daily.

What Buffer Free actually includes (2026)

10 scheduled posts at any time, across up to 3 social channels (any mix of X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Mastodon, Pinterest, Bluesky). 1 user (no team collaboration). Basic posting plus a limited AI Assistant for caption rewrites and idea expansion (not voice-trained generation), no analytics beyond the most basic 'did it publish' status. The '10 posts at a time' limit means you can have 10 posts in the queue. Once a post publishes, it leaves the queue, freeing up a slot. So you can publish unlimited posts over time — you just can't have more than 10 scheduled ahead of any given moment.

What's gated behind Buffer Essentials ($5/channel/mo)

100 scheduled posts per channel (10× the free tier). Expanded Buffer AI Assistant usage — the free tier already includes a limited AI Assistant for caption rewrites + idea expansion, not voice-trained AI; Essentials raises the ceiling. Landing pages (Buffer's mini bio-link product). Analytics dashboard with engagement metrics per post. Hashtag manager. First comment scheduler (auto-post a follow-up comment as the first reply).

When Buffer Free is enough

Casual cross-poster: 2-3 posts/week per channel. Free covers this easily. New to scheduling: trying the workflow without commitment. Free for a month, then decide. Low-volume creator: <5 posts/week total across all channels. Free is the right tier indefinitely. Second brand / experimental account: don't sink $5/channel/mo into a side project that may not pan out.

When to upgrade past Free

Daily poster (5+ posts/week): the 10-at-a-time cap becomes annoying within days. Wanting more AI usage: the free tier's AI Assistant is capped and basic (caption rewrites, not generation); Essentials raises the ceiling. Wanting analytics: even just to see which posts performed best, you need Essentials. Managing 4+ channels: free caps at 3. The upgrade math: $5/channel/mo = $60/year for one channel. For anyone who'll save 1 hour/month from better tooling at any reasonable hourly rate, it's an easy yes. For someone using Buffer 5 minutes a week, stay free.

People also ask

Does Buffer Free expire?+

No. Buffer's free plan is permanent — no trial period, no automatic conversion to paid. The 10-post + 3-channel cap is the constraint, not time. You can stay on Free for years if those limits work for you.

What channels does Buffer Free support?+

You can connect any 3 from: X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Mastodon, Pinterest, Bluesky, Google Business Profile, TikTok, YouTube Shorts. Threads (Meta) support was added in 2024. You can swap channels but only 3 at a time.

Is the Buffer AI on the Free plan?+

Partially. Buffer's free plan includes a basic AI Assistant for caption rewrites and idea expansion, capped and not voice-trained. Essentials ($5/channel/mo) raises the usage ceiling and adds analytics. Neither tier writes autonomously in your voice or runs unattended on a schedule — for that, see the /try generator on AutoTweet (free, no signup) or another AI-native tool.

Buffer Free vs Hootsuite Free vs Typefully Free?+

Buffer Free has the most flexibility (3 channels, 10 posts). Hootsuite removed its free tier in 2024 (trial only now). Typefully Free is X + LinkedIn only with 15 posts/month and a brutal 1-at-a-time scheduling cap. For 'real' free scheduling, Buffer is the strongest option. Typefully Free is better as a writing tool to try, not a sustainable workflow.

Related questions

Can you schedule tweets for free?What is the best time to tweet?Is X Premium (Twitter Blue) worth it?

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