Buffer vs CAPTIVATE!
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Buffer
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.
- Cross-platform posting
- Content scheduling
- Idea organization
- Performance analytics
- Calendar view
- Apple Watch app
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Post to every social platform with a single app — simple, flexible, and powerful. Buffer helps creators stay consistent without the busywork. Plan and publish your posts automatically, engage with your audience, and keep track of what’s working, all from your phone. Whether you’re sharing your first TikTok, building an audience on LinkedIn, or running multiple accounts, Buffer gives you the tools to grow without feeling overwhelmed. What’s new in v15.0 • Fresh new design with Apple’s Liquid Glass system • Brand-new Apple Watch app (queues, goals, streaks, ideas) • Capture ideas instantly with the iOS Shortcut, Action Button, or on your wrist • New calendar day view across all channels WHY CREATORS LOVE BUFFER PLAN, SCHEDULE, AND PUBLISH • Share to Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Bluesky, Mastodon, and more. • Schedule YouTube Shorts, TikToks, Instagram Reels, and Stories. • Cross-post content across platforms with a single tap KEEP YOUR IDEAS ORGANIZED • Save inspiration in a central content library • Use tags to keep ideas organized by theme or campaign • Move ideas straight to your schedule when ready SEE WHAT WORKS • Simple analytics and reports show your top-performing posts • Track growth, clicks, and engagement A CALENDAR BUILT FOR CREATORS • Get an at-a-glance view of your upcoming posts • Drill down from a monthly to weekly view NEED HELP? Our friendly team is here for you with world-class support via email and social. Email: hello@buffer.com Twitter: @buffer Facebook: http://facebook.com/bufferapp Instagram: @buffer Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bufferapp/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bufferapp Privacy Policy: https://buffer.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://buffer.com/legal/terms-of-use/year/2023
CAPTIVATE!
Earn rewards by completing apartment-related actions like social media sharing, referrals, and lease renewals. Accumulate points to redeem for gift cards from popular retailers. Build a stronger apartment community while enjoying exclusive perks.
- Earn points for actions
- Redeem for gift cards
- Social media sharing
- Referral program
- Lease renewal rewards
- Surveys and feedback
- Online rent payment rewards
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Climb the leaderboard as you complete actions and earn points for rewards cards to Amazon, Target, Nike, Adidas, Best Buy and more! Actions include things you’re already doing like sharing about your apartment on social media, referring friends, renewing your lease, filling out surveys, sharing feedback…even paying rent online. CAPTIVATE! is an easy way to build a great apartment community and gather up some free stuff along the way. Download to create an account or log in using the email address given at move-in and start earning points today!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CAPTIVATE! at none against Buffer's 12. CAPTIVATE! also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.0). Buffer's advantage is ratings volume (35K vs 340) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Buffer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. CAPTIVATE! asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Buffer against 4.8 for CAPTIVATE!. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buffer has 35K ratings behind it against 340, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 54% of Buffer's written reviews are positive against 40% of CAPTIVATE!'s.
Buffer ships an update every 5 days, CAPTIVATE! every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.
| Parameter | Buffer | CAPTIVATE! |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (35K ratings) | 4.8 (340 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 54.2% of reviews — better | 40.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 35K — better | 340 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #147 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 154 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Buffer, Inc. | Modern Message |
Customer experience
Buffer
CAPTIVATE!
Bugs and requests
Buffer
Reported bugs
5 issues- 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
5 requests- 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
CAPTIVATE!
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Buffer
- Essentials - 1 Channel$5.991 Month
- Essentials+Team: 1 Channel$11.991 Month
- Essentials - 2 Channels$11.991 Month
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- Pro for 1 Month2 variants$14.991 Month
- Essentials - 3 Channels$17.991 Month
- Essentials - 4 Channels$23.991 Month
- Essentials - 5 Channels$29.991 Month
- Essentials - 6 Channels$35.991 Month
- Small Business$99.991 Month
- Small Business for 1 Month$99.991 Month
- Pro for 1 Year$144.991 Year
CAPTIVATE!
No in-app purchases








