Buffer vs Planoly Comparison 2026
Buffer is a general per-channel scheduler, free for three channels and $5 each after that. Planoly leads with a visual grid planner for Instagram and Pinterest, dragging posts around a mock feed before anything publishes, with a link-in-bio page included, starting at $14 a month after a mobile-only free plan capped at ten uploads. Planoly's own listing admits the trade: if the grid preview is not what you are after, a general scheduler covers the rest for less.
At a glance
- Buffer starts cheaper, at $5.
- Both have a genuinely free tier.
Side by side
Buffer | Planoly | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (they differ) | From $5 | From $14 |
| Pricing model | Free plan, paid tiers | Free plan, paid tiers |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Billing | Monthly or annual | Not stated |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| API |
Buffer
Schedule posts across every account at once
Buffer queues posts for most networks, suggests times and reports on what landed. The free plan covers three channels, which is enough for a lot of people. It stays out of the way, which is the main thing a scheduler can do.
Our note
Buy it for the calm rather than the features. Per-channel pricing punishes anyone posting everywhere, so count your channels before comparing the headline price with a competitor's flat fee.
Only on this side
- Covers analytics
- Works with X
Planoly
Plan the grid before anything is posted
Planoly started as a visual planner for Instagram and still leads with the thing that made it: drag posts around a mock grid until the feed looks right, then schedule from there. Pinterest and TikTok came later and the link in bio is included rather than sold separately. Pricing is by social set and by user, both of which can be added one at a time, which suits somebody running two accounts rather than twenty.
Why people weigh these two
- Planoly instead of Buffer
- Planoly plans the whole grid visually before a single post goes out, free tier then $14, with a link-in-bio page bundled in alongside the scheduling.
- Buffer instead of Planoly
- Buffer schedules across every account at once from $5 with a free tier, cheaper if the visual plan matters less.
Which one should you pick
Pick Planoly if the feed is planned visually and Instagram or Pinterest is where that matters, since arranging the grid before publishing is the entire reason the product exists. It starts at $14 a month, and the free plan lives in the mobile app with a ten-upload monthly cap, thinner than Buffer's.
Pick Buffer if grid planning is not the point and a straightforward queue across more networks will do. Three channels are free with ten scheduled posts each, cheaper to start than Planoly for a small account, and Buffer's own listing is honest that per-channel pricing is the thing to watch once the channel count grows.
Common questions
- Which free plan is more useful?
- For most people, Buffer's: three full channels with ten scheduled posts each, usable from any device. Planoly's free plan lives only in the mobile app and caps uploads at ten a month, which is thinner.
- Which one shows what an Instagram feed will look like before posting?
- Planoly does, with a drag-and-drop grid preview that is the reason people choose it. Buffer schedules per channel without previewing how posts will sit together visually.
- Does either one include a link-in-bio page?
- Planoly does, bundled into the plan rather than sold separately. Buffer's listing does not describe a bio-link feature.
- Which is cheaper for someone managing several accounts and users?
- It depends on the shape of the account. Planoly's own listing warns that its per-social-set and per-user extras add up quickly for anyone running many accounts across many networks. Buffer's per-channel pricing carries a similar warning in its own listing, so count channels or sets before assuming either is the cheaper one.
Ratings are the average of reviews readers left. The facts are stated by each tool’s own listing and are not verified by CloutStack. How we make money.