# Buffer vs Companion

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Companion at 100% against Buffer's 54%. Companion also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). Buffer's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (35K vs 5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffer sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Companion sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Companion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Buffer has 35K ratings behind it against 5, 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 100% of Companion's.

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, Companion every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer | Companion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/companion-app/id6450290829/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **35K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 54.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#120** | — |
| Size | 154 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Buffer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490474327) | [Kenneth McQueen JE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1692718511) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer

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

**Currently charting:** #120 Top Grossing · Social Networking, #199 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


### Companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/companion-app/id6450290829)

An exclusive, invite-only social club connecting impact-driven professionals. Create a profile, access curated events, and gain perks from premium partners. Apply to join a network focused on meaningful connections and career advancement.

**Highlights:** Professional profile creation, Curated social, professional, and volunteer events, Exclusive talks and panels, Volunteer activities, Members-only gatherings, Premium business partner perks and discounts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Plus | $12.99 | per 7 days |
| VIP | $34.99 | per year |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $34.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Plus | $69.99 | per month |
| Companion | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer free?

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

### Is Companion free?

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

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

Companion is rated higher. Buffer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 35K ratings, while Companion averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do Buffer or Companion have ads?

Neither Buffer nor Companion shows ads.

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

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, and Companion every 3 months. Most recently, Buffer was updated on October 14, 2026 and Companion on October 10, 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.*