Comparison

Buffer vs Captains

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

Captains

Features
Read full description

Set a video dare. Race to respond. Last one standing wins. Captains is the elimination game for friend groups, played entirely on video. Each round, one player (the Captain) sets the challenge. Everyone films their response. The slowest player is cut. When only two remain, the eliminated players vote on a final showdown challenge. Both finalists race to respond, then everyone votes on the winner. HOW IT WORKS • The Captain records a video challenge • Everyone races to respond before time runs out • Slowest player is eliminated each round • Final two face a vote from eliminated players WHAT MAKES IT FUN • Every challenge is on video. No hiding. • Captain rotation means your friends sets the tone of the game. • Play across time zones. Respond on your own schedule. • Reactions, comments, and in-game chat keep the energy up. YOUR MOMENTS, SAVED • Hall of Fame archives the best videos across all your games • Player profiles track your stats and wins • Videos stay private to your group Better with your favourite people.

Screenshots

Buffer4 screens
Captains4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Captains at none against Buffer's 12. Buffer's advantage is chart position (#120 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement 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. Captains asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, Captains every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Buffer versus Captains: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBufferCaptains
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (35K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews54.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings35K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#120 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size154 MB8 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperBuffer, Inc.Simon Luo

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

Captains

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

Captains

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Buffer free?
Buffer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Captains free?
Captains is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Buffer or Captains have ads?
Neither Buffer nor Captains shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Buffer or Captains?
Buffer ships an update every 5 days, and Captains every 3 days. Most recently, Buffer was updated on October 13, 2026 and Captains on October 3, 2026.

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