Comparison

Buffer vs CAPTIVATE!

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Cross-platform posting
  • Content scheduling
  • Idea organization
  • Performance analytics
  • Calendar view
  • Apple Watch app
Features
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Earn points for actions
  • Redeem for gift cards
  • Social media sharing
  • Referral program
  • Lease renewal rewards
  • Surveys and feedback
  • Online rent payment rewards
Read full description

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

Buffer4 screens
CAPTIVATE!4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Buffer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. CAPTIVATE! asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, CAPTIVATE! every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Buffer versus CAPTIVATE!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBufferCAPTIVATE!
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (35K ratings)4.8 (340 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.2% of reviews — better40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings35K — better340
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#147 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size154 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBuffer, Inc.Modern Message

Customer experience

Buffer

All ratings34,554 ratings
Positive94.0%
Neutral2.7%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews578 reviews
Positive54.2%
Neutral10.2%
Negative35.6%

CAPTIVATE!

All ratings340 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral3.5%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive40.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative40.0%

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

11 purchases

Buffer

Subscriptions11
  • Essentials - 1 Channel$5.991 Month
  • Essentials+Team: 1 Channel$11.991 Month
  • Essentials - 2 Channels$11.991 Month
Show 8 more
  • 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
None

CAPTIVATE!

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Buffer free?
Buffer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is CAPTIVATE! free?
CAPTIVATE! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Buffer or CAPTIVATE!?
CAPTIVATE! is rated higher. Buffer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 35K ratings, while CAPTIVATE! averages 4.8 from 340 ratings.
Do Buffer or CAPTIVATE! have ads?
Neither Buffer nor CAPTIVATE! shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Buffer or CAPTIVATE!?
Buffer ships an update every 5 days, and CAPTIVATE! every 3 weeks. Most recently, Buffer was updated on October 19, 2026 and CAPTIVATE! on October 19, 2026.

Other comparisons