# Buffer vs Photolio

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Buffer at 35K against Photolio's 1. Buffer also leads on chart position (#150 vs unranked) and device support (3 vs 1). Photolio's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buffer sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Photolio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Photolio 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, Photolio weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buffer | Photolio |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (35K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buffer-plan-and-schedule-posts/id490474324/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photolio-contact-manager/id6780179490/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **35K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 54.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#150** | — |
| Size | 148 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Buffer, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/490474327) | [军 王](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525060210) |

## What reviewers say

### Buffer

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

**Currently charting:** #150 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 (10)**

| 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 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


### Photolio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photolio-contact-manager/id6780179490)

This app organizes your contacts using photos, allowing you to quickly find people by recognizing their faces. It supports tagging multiple individuals in a single image and grouping contacts for various relationships. Enjoy seamless access to communication and social apps with a photo-first approach.

**Highlights:** Photo-first contacts, Tag multiple people in photos, Group contacts, Multiple profiles, One-tap communication access, Light & Dark Mode

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photolio Pro - Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| Photolio Pro - Annual | $34.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buffer free?

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

### Is Photolio free?

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

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

Photolio is rated higher. Buffer averages 4.7 out of 5 from 35K ratings, while Photolio averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Buffer or Photolio have ads?

Neither Buffer nor Photolio shows ads.

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

Buffer ships an update every 5 days, and Photolio weekly. Most recently, Buffer was updated on November 8, 2026 and Photolio on October 31, 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.*