# Hootsuite vs Buffer

The clearest difference is chart position: Buffer at #131 against Hootsuite's unranked. Buffer also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 46%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hootsuite sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $149.00 per month and Buffer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Hootsuite against 4.7 for Buffer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34K and 34K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 46% of Hootsuite's written reviews are positive against 55% of Buffer's.

Hootsuite ships an update every 2 weeks, Buffer weekly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hootsuite | Buffer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hootsuite-social-media-tools/id341249709/reviews) | [4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 34K | **34K** |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | **54.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#131** |
| Size | 106 MB | 229 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hootsuite Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/341249712) | [Buffer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490474327) |

## What reviewers say

### Hootsuite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hootsuite-social-media-tools/id341249709)

Manage all your social media accounts from one app. Schedule posts, monitor activity, and respond to messages on the go. Create engaging content and grow your brand with this comprehensive social media management tool.

**Highlights:** Schedule and publish posts, Monitor social media activity, Manage messages and comments, Create and edit content, Cross-platform social media management, Dark mode

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mobile | $149.00 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very good
- 🚀 Makes social media life so easy!!
- 👍 Lifesaver
- 👍 Wonderful
- 👍 Great app to keep on top of social media

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Don't give them your credit card information
- 💰 Charged annual fee unknowingly
- 💰 Expensive Help
- 🔒 Unable to cancel subscription
- 🐛 Crashes when editing a draft and scrambles the text

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to sign in
- Crashes when editing a draft
- Scrambles text in drafts
- Fails to post scheduled content
- Disconnects social media accounts

**Requested features**

- Ability to post to TikTok
- Ability to save drafts
- Ability to post hashtags in comments on Instagram
- Ability to post multiple images/videos to Instagram
- Ability to choose location when posting


### Buffer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #201 Top Free · Social Networking (US App Store)

Streamline your social media presence by planning, scheduling, and publishing content across multiple platforms from one app. Engage with your audience and track performance with insightful analytics. Ideal for creators looking to grow their online presence efficiently.

**Highlights:** Cross-platform posting, Content scheduling, Idea organization, Performance analytics, Calendar view, Apple Watch app

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Essentials - 1 Channel | $5.99 | per month |
| Essentials+Team: 1 Channel | $11.99 | per month |
| Essentials - 2 Channels | $11.99 | per month |
| Pro for 1 Month | $14.99 | per month |
| Essentials - 3 Channels | $17.99 | per month |
| Essentials - 4 Channels | $23.99 | per month |
| Essentials - 5 Channels | $29.99 | per month |
| Essentials - 6 Channels | $35.99 | per month |
| Small Business | $99.99 | per month |
| Small Business for 1 Month | $99.99 | per month |
| Pro for 1 Year | $144.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use
- 🕰️ Convenient scheduling
- 🔍 Helpful for social media management
- 🤖 Automated posting
- 📈 Improved engagement and growth

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stability issues and bugs
- 🔗 Unreliable platform integrations
- 📸 Limited image/video handling capabilities
- 🔒 Frustrating login/authentication problems
- 💰 Expensive paid plans

**Reported bugs**

- Drafts not registering in visual calendar
- Inability to reorder scheduled posts
- Inconsistent behavior between mobile and desktop versions
- Automatic posting not working as expected
- Issues with image/video quality and formatting

**Requested features**

- Add support for Twitter threads
- Improve visual planning and calendar view
- Integrate with more platforms like Slack and Discord
- Allow more customization and control over posts
- Provide better analytics and performance insights


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hootsuite free?

Hootsuite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Buffer free?

Buffer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Hootsuite or Buffer?

Hootsuite and Buffer are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 34K and 34K ratings respectively.

### Do Hootsuite or Buffer have ads?

Neither Hootsuite nor Buffer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hootsuite or Buffer?

Hootsuite ships an update every 2 weeks, and Buffer weekly. Most recently, Hootsuite was updated on September 24, 2026 and Buffer on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*