What Buffer really costs
Buffer starts at $5/mo per channel (Essentials). Free option: Free plan — 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel. Postly is $19/mo flat — and the price buys the finished content itself, built from your website URL. Here's the honest side-by-side.
Buffer organizes the content you bring. Postly brings the content.
Postly vs Buffer
| Feature | Postly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| How you start | Paste your website URL | Connect channels, then write or import posts |
| What you get | Full branded kit: posts, reels, captions & a content calendar | A queue, calendar & analytics for your own content |
| Built from your live website | Yes | No |
| AI content | Whole kit generated for you | AI Assistant helps you draft |
| Networks | Instagram-first, more coming | 11 channels |
| Free option | 3-day free trial — every feature unlocked | Free plan: 3 channels, 10 posts/channel |
| Starting price | $19/mo | $5/mo per channel |
Facts verified August 2026 — check buffer.com for their latest pricing.
Where Buffer shines
- Publishes to 11 networks, including Bluesky and Mastodon
- A genuinely generous free plan (3 channels, AI included)
- Engagement inbox, analytics and link-in-bio in one workspace
FAQ
Buffer or Postly — what's the actual difference?
Buffer manages content you already have: you write or design the posts, Buffer queues, publishes and measures them across up to 11 networks. Postly generates the content itself — it reads your website and delivers branded posts, reels, captions and a content calendar. If your bottleneck is making content, that's the job Postly does and Buffer doesn't.
How does pricing compare?
Buffer has a real free plan (3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel) and paid plans at $5/mo per channel — so 5 channels is ~$25/mo. Postly is $19/mo flat and includes the generated content. Prices change — check buffer.com/pricing for the latest.
Can I use Buffer and Postly together?
Yes — some businesses generate the month with Postly, download the assets, and schedule them anywhere they like, Buffer included. Postly also auto-publishes to Instagram directly.
Is there a free trial?
Postly gives a 3-day free trial with every feature unlocked — see a full kit built from your own site before you pay. Cancel anytime.
Paste your website URL and get a month of ready-to-post content — branded posts, cinematic reels, captions and a calendar.
$19/mo flat · no credit packs · 3-day free trial