# Buffer vs Metricool

The clearest difference is rating: Buffer at 4.7 against Metricool's 2.7. Buffer also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 28%) and ratings volume (34K vs 110). Metricool's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Metricool sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $30.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Buffer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buffer has 34K ratings behind it against 110, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Buffer's written reviews are positive against 28% of Metricool's.

Buffer ships an update weekly, Metricool every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer | Metricool |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324/reviews)** | [2.7 (110 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metricool/id1072510529/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 110 |
| Positive reviews | **54.6% of reviews** | 27.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#134** | — |
| Size | 229 MB | 148 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buffer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490474327) | [Metricool Software SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1072510528) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer

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

**Currently charting:** #134 Top Grossing · 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


### Metricool

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/metricool/id1072510529)

This app helps you manage, plan, and optimize your social media and digital advertising efforts. Schedule posts, engage with your audience from a unified inbox, and analyze performance across multiple platforms. It also allows for the management of ad campaigns.

**Highlights:** Schedule posts across multiple platforms, Unified inbox for messages and comments, Manage digital ad campaigns, Track social media analytics, Generate custom reports, Visual content calendar

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starter Mobile 5 | $30.00 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer free?

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

### Is Metricool free?

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

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

Buffer is rated higher. Buffer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while Metricool averages 2.7 from 110 ratings.

### Do Buffer or Metricool have ads?

Neither Buffer nor Metricool shows ads.

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

Buffer ships an update weekly, and Metricool every 2 weeks. Most recently, Buffer was updated on September 24, 2026 and Metricool on September 20, 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.*