Introducing G2.ai, the future of software buying.Try now
Compare Buffer and Hootsuite 
Featured Products
Sponsored
You’re seeing this ad based on the product’s relevance to this page. Sponsored content does not receive preferential treatment in any of G2’s ratings.
Planable
Visit Website
Sponsored
You’re seeing this ad based on the product’s relevance to this page. Sponsored content does not receive preferential treatment in any of G2’s ratings.
Cloud Campaign
Visit Website
At a Glance
Market Segments
Small-Business (70.8% of reviews)
Small-Business (59.4% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
Free
$99.00 1 user Per Month
Buffer
Star Rating
(1,023)4.3 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (70.8% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
Entry-Level Pricing
Free
Browse all 4 pricing plansHootsuite
Star Rating
(6,629)4.3 out of 5
Market Segments
Small-Business (59.4% of reviews)
Pros & Cons
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.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Buffer
Free
Free
For individuals and businesses getting started with social media.
- 3 social accounts
- Publish to Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, Google Business Profiles, Mastodon, Pinterest and Bluesky
- 10 scheduled posts per social account
Hootsuite
Standard
$99.00
1 user Per Month
- Up to 10 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
900
8.4
5,987
Ease of Use
9.2
906
8.6
6,064
Ease of Setup
9.2
325
8.6
3,857
Ease of Admin
9.1
309
8.6
2,535
Quality of Support
8.5
644
8.2
4,483
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
8.8
269
8.6
2,308
Product Direction (% positive)
8.2
880
8.0
5,904
Features by Category
Social Analytics
Not enough data
7.5(won by default)
2144
Not enough data
7.9(won by default)
2351
Not enough data
8.6(won by default)
2477
Not enough data
7.4(won by default)
1811
Not enough data
7.4(won by default)
2035
Not enough data
7.6(won by default)
1485
Not enough data
7.5(won by default)
1446
Reports & Dashboards
Not enough data
8.1(won by default)
2384
Not enough data
8.3(won by default)
2360
Not enough data
8.4(won by default)
2321
Not enough data
7.1(won by default)
1386
Agentic AI - Social Media Analytics
Not enough data
6.7(won by default)
145
Not enough data
6.6(won by default)
144
Not enough data
6.6(won by default)
143
Not enough data
6.6(won by default)
145
Not enough data
6.7(won by default)
145
Content & Collaboration
9.0
142
9.0
2735
8.6
125
8.0
2567
8.2
105
8.0
2507
8.6
106
7.8
2390
8.8
115
8.2
2522
8.5
99
8.1
2510
Social Management
7.9
666
8.1
4451
9.3
787
8.9
4927
8.4
642
8.2
4465
8.3
693
8.4
4772
Feature Not Available
7.1
3464
8.6
99
8.0
2523
8.3
25
7.9
2139
Agentic AI - Social Media Management
7.2
12
6.7
275
7.4
12
7.0
273
6.9
12
7.1
272
7.4
12
7.0
272
7.2
12
7.0
268
7.5
12
6.9
268
7.2
12
7.1
264
Platform Interoperability
Not enough data
7.7
563
Agentic AI - Social Media Advertising
Not enough data
7.4
59
Not enough data
7.2
58
Not enough data
7.4
59
Not enough data
7.4
60
Not enough data
7.6
59
Not enough data
7.7
60
Social Functionality
Not enough data
8.4
667
Campaign Management
Not enough data
8.4
671
Not enough data
8.1
665
Not enough data
8.1
657
Not enough data
7.9
664
Not enough data
8.1
661
Not enough data
8.4
654
Not enough data
8.2
647
Not enough data
7.8
633
Not enough data
7.7
635
Not enough data
8.1
628
Not enough data
8.0
621
Not enough data
7.5
621
Not enough data
7.7
615
Targeting
Not enough data
8.1
627
Not enough data
7.8
616
Not enough data
7.9
615
Not enough data
7.8
609
Platform
Not enough data
7.7
598
Not enough data
8.3
615
Not enough data
8.5
612
Not enough data
8.6
608
Not enough data
8.3
601
Not enough data
8.2
598
Not enough data
8.3
600
Not enough data
8.0
588
Not enough data
8.1
592
Monitoring & Listening
Not enough data
8.1
1908
Not enough data
7.2
1507
Not enough data
8.2
700
Not enough data
8.0
675
Not enough data
7.9
668
Not enough data
7.7
647
Agentic AI - Social Media Listening Tools
Not enough data
7.3
58
Not enough data
7.2
58
Not enough data
7.3
57
Not enough data
7.3
58
Not enough data
7.3
58
Data Management & Analysis
Not enough data
7.5
1355
Not enough data
8.1
1859
Not enough data
8.2
717
Not enough data
7.8
645
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
23.1%
Computer Software
7.3%
Information Technology and Services
6.3%
Internet
5.3%
Non-Profit Organization Management
4.2%
Other
53.8%
Marketing and Advertising
15.5%
Non-Profit Organization Management
8.5%
Higher Education
4.3%
Computer Software
3.9%
Information Technology and Services
3.6%
Other
64.2%
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
Hootsuite has deep, rich help pages that often include instructional videos. Adding your Facebook page and other social networks can be found...Read more
Hunting for software insights?
With over 3 million reviews, we can provide the specific details that help you make an informed software buying decision for your business. Finding the right product is important, let us help.
