# Buffer vs Heartbeat Chat

The clearest difference is rating: Buffer at 4.7 against Heartbeat Chat's 3.9. Buffer also leads on ratings volume (34K vs 119) and update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). Heartbeat Chat's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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. Heartbeat Chat asks for nothing beyond the download.

Buffer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buffer has 34K ratings behind it against 119, 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 39% of Heartbeat Chat's.

Buffer ships an update weekly, Heartbeat Chat every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer | Heartbeat Chat |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (34K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324/reviews)** | [3.9 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartbeat-chat/id1540206041/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **34K** | 119 |
| Positive reviews | **54.6% of reviews** | 39.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#158** | — |
| Size | 154 MB | 76 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buffer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490474327) | [Heartbeat Chat, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1540206043) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer

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

**Currently charting:** #158 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


### Heartbeat Chat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartbeat-chat/id1540206041)

Build and manage your online communities with a versatile platform.  Engage members through chat, voice, and video, and create a knowledge base for lasting discussions.  Integrate with other tools to automate actions and track growth.

**Highlights:** Customizable channels for chat and posts, Voice rooms for real-time conversations, Presence indicators for a shared room feel, Knowledge base creation from discussions, Integration with Zoom, Google Calendar, Salesforce, etc., Automated community match-ups and intros, Permission management and payment processing

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Fast and streamlined experience
- 💡 Great for community building and hosting
- ✨ Elegant toggling between memberships
- ✅ User-friendly features for admins

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy performance
- 🐌 Slow loading times
- ❌ Difficult login process for users
- 📱 Poor iPad optimization
- ⚠️ Invasion of privacy concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Audio playback stops when phone locks
- Users struggle with logging in
- App is not optimized for iPad, especially in landscape view
- Invasion of privacy concerns regarding photo access
- Notifications are inconsistent and important messages are missed

**Requested features**

- Allow audio to play while phone locks
- Improve iPad optimization, especially in landscape view
- Fix the app icon to not resemble a dating app
- Allow users to change their RSVP to an event after confirming
- Enable users to join public threads via the app


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer free?

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

### Is Heartbeat Chat free?

Heartbeat Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Buffer or Heartbeat Chat?

Buffer is rated higher. Buffer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 34K ratings, while Heartbeat Chat averages 3.9 from 119 ratings.

### Do Buffer or Heartbeat Chat have ads?

Neither Buffer nor Heartbeat Chat shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buffer or Heartbeat Chat?

Buffer ships an update weekly, and Heartbeat Chat every 5 weeks. Most recently, Buffer was updated on September 27, 2026 and Heartbeat Chat on September 22, 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.*