# Buffer vs Streamlabs

The clearest difference is rating: Buffer at 4.7 against Streamlabs's 3.9. Buffer also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (54% vs 29%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Streamlabs sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Buffer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buffer has 35K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 54% of Buffer's written reviews are positive against 29% of Streamlabs's.

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, Streamlabs every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer | Streamlabs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324/reviews)** | [3.9 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/streamlabs-live-streaming-app/id1294578643/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **35K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | **54.2% of reviews** | 29.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#125** | — |
| Size | 154 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Buffer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490474327) | [Streamlabs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1296663686) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer

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

**Currently charting:** #125 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #190 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


### Streamlabs

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/streamlabs-live-streaming-app/id1294578643)

This app enables creators to broadcast live video from their mobile devices to various platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook. Stream mobile games or your camera feed, customize your stream with themes and widgets, and engage with viewers through alerts. Monetize your content with tips and ensure stream stability with advanced features.

**Highlights:** Stream to multiple platforms, Live stream mobile games, IRL camera streaming, Stream customization with themes, Add alerts and widgets, Collect viewer tips, Disconnect protection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Ultra | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly Ultra | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Ultra | $18.99 | per month |
| Monthly Ultra | $27.99 | per month |
| Yearly Ultra | $49.99 | per year |
| Monthly Ultra+ | $79.99 | per month |
| Yearly Ultra | $99.99 | per year |
| Yearly Ultra | $119.99 | per year |
| Yearly Ultra | $149.99 | per year |
| Yearly Ultra | $189.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable streaming
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🎨 Customizable overlays
- 📢 Good for IRL streaming

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes/disconnections
- 🔇 Audio issues (sync, mute, quality)
- 📱 Limited mobile functionality (no screen recording, overlays)
- 🤔 Confusing settings/UI

**Reported bugs**

- Attempted to start invalid broadcast session
- Streaming stops unexpectedly
- Overlays not working as expected
- Microphone/audio issues

**Requested features**

- Add screen recording support
- Improve audio settings and quality
- Allow more customization and overlays for mobile
- Provide better tutorials and documentation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer free?

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

### Is Streamlabs free?

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

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

Buffer is rated higher. Buffer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 35K ratings, while Streamlabs averages 3.9 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Buffer or Streamlabs have ads?

Streamlabs shows ads; Buffer does not.

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

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, and Streamlabs every 2 weeks. Most recently, Buffer was updated on October 16, 2026 and Streamlabs on October 15, 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.*