We used Buffer with 4 small businesses for 6 months, a restaurant, a salon, a plumber, and a real estate agent. Here's the honest verdict.
Still our top recommendation for small businesses posting on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn
We didn't just read the feature list. We set up Buffer for four real businesses and tracked results over 6 months (September 2025, March 2026):
| Plan | Price | Channels | Scheduled Posts | Analytics | Team Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | 3 channels | 10 per channel | Basic | 1 |
| Essentials ✓ | $6/month per channel | 1+ channels | 2,000 per channel | Advanced | 1 |
| Team | $12/month per channel | Unlimited | 2,000 per channel | Advanced | Unlimited |
| Agency | $120/month | 10 channels | 2,000 per channel | Advanced | Unlimited |
✓ = Our recommended plan for most small businesses. At $6/month per channel, 3 channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn) = $18/month. That's less than a lunch.
| Tool | Free Plan | Paid Starting Price | Best For | Our Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffer ✓ | ✓ Yes | $6/mo per channel | Most small businesses | 9.1/10 |
| Later | ✓ Yes | $18/mo | Instagram-heavy businesses | 8.7/10 |
| Metricool | ✓ Yes | $18/mo | Analytics + scheduling | 8.5/10 |
| Hootsuite | ✗ No (trial) | $99/mo | Enterprise teams | 7.5/10 |
| Sprout Social | ✗ No | $249/mo | Large agencies | 7.2/10 |
After 6 months of testing with real businesses, Buffer remains our #1 recommendation for small business social media scheduling. It's easier than any alternative, cheaper than most, and the free plan is genuinely useful. The $6/month per channel paid plan is exceptional value, at $18/month for 3 channels, it's a no-brainer for any business serious about social.
Try Buffer Free → Buffer Setup TutorialYes. Buffer has a genuinely useful free plan that lets you connect 3 social channels and schedule up to 10 posts per channel at a time. For most small businesses posting 2–3 times per week, the free plan covers basic scheduling needs. Paid plans start at $6/month per channel.
Buffer is simpler, cheaper, and better for small businesses. Hootsuite is more powerful but expensive (starting at $99/month). Buffer's free plan is significantly better than Hootsuite's, and the paid plans are a fraction of the cost. For most local small businesses, Buffer is the better choice.
Yes. Buffer can directly publish to Instagram (both Feed posts and Reels) automatically, without requiring you to approve each post. This requires connecting your Instagram Business account. Buffer also supports Instagram Stories scheduling with a reminder notification.
Buffer supports: Instagram, Facebook (Pages and Groups), Twitter/X, LinkedIn (Pages and Profiles), Pinterest, TikTok, YouTube, Mastodon, and Google Business Profile. Most small businesses use Instagram, Facebook, and optionally LinkedIn.