Buffer vs Riff
Both are in Social media management. Here is how their plans, prices and features compare, taken from each vendor's own site.
| Buffer | Riff | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan · from $5/mo | Free plan |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Not stated by the vendor |
| Plans | Free ($0); Essentials ($5/mo annual, $60/yr); Team ($10/mo annual, $120/yr) | Free ($0) |
| Fees and pricing notes | None stated | None stated |
| Best for | Creators, Small business | Creators, Small business |
| Key features | Post scheduling per channel; Ideas and drafts; AI Assistant; Analytics (advanced on paid plans) | Writes a reply to a post on X, LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram from your rough point; Drafts replies to direct messages on LinkedIn Messaging, Messenger on facebook.com and Instagram Direct; Drafts your own posts and first messages; Runs on-device with Chrome's built-in Gemini Nano, with no server or API key |
| Checked on | 2026-10-01 | 2026-10-22 |
Prices change; confirm on the vendor's site before you buy. Full details and sources are on each tool's page.
Buffer
- Free plan for up to 3 channels
- 14-day free trial of paid plans
- Priced per channel, so you pay only for what you connect
- API access on every plan
Trade-offs
- The free plan allows only 10 scheduled posts per channel
- Pricing is per channel, so cost grows with each account
- Approval workflows and unlimited team members need the Team plan
Riff
- Free, with no account or subscription
- Your voice, drafts and history stay in Chrome storage on your computer
- It never posts or sends for you, so every message is yours
Trade-offs
- Needs desktop Chrome 138 or newer and a one-time download of about 4 GB for the on-device model
- Drafts come from a local model and may need rewriting
- Not supported on messenger.com, and the page gives no one-time price or compliance guarantee