Buffer vs Zoho Social
Both are in Social media management. Here is how their plans, prices and features compare, taken from each vendor's own site.
The main differences
- Buffer's cheapest paid plan is $5/mo, against $10/mo for Zoho Social.
| Buffer | Zoho Social | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan · from $5/mo | Free plan · from $10/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Plans | Free ($0); Essentials ($5/mo annual, $60/yr); Team ($10/mo annual, $120/yr) | Free ($0); Standard ($10/mo annual); Professional ($30/mo annual); Premium ($40/mo annual) |
| Fees | Not stated | Not stated |
| Best for | Creators, Small business | Not stated |
| Key features | Post scheduling per channel; Ideas and drafts; AI Assistant; Analytics (advanced on paid plans) | Publishing and scheduling across channels including X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest and Google Business; Threads, WhatsApp, Telegram, Mastodon and Bluesky support; Linkthread by Zoho Social, a link in bio tool; Separate plans for agencies |
| Checked on | 2026-10-01 | 2026-10-04 |
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
Zoho Social
- Free plan
- 15-day all-access trial with no credit card
- Yearly billing saves 33%
Trade-offs
- The page does not state the free plan's limits in the text read
- Prices shown are billed annually; monthly prices were not read
- Premium is $40 a month billed annually