Buffer starts at $5/mo and Hootsuite at $99/mo. Buffer is not open source; Hootsuite is not open source. Below: the two side by side, then what each costs at 5, 10, 50 accounts, with fanout alongside. Every number is from each vendor's own pricing page.
| Buffer | Hootsuite | |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $5/mo | $99/mo |
| Billing unit | Per channel | Per user, annual-billing prices |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Open source / self-host | No | No |
| Platforms listed | 11: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X (Twitter), YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon | 10: Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, WhatsApp, Pinterest, Bluesky |
| Telegram | No | No |
| Gated by plan | Advanced analytics and custom reports above the free plan; Multiple team members and approval workflows on paid plans; First comment scheduling and hashtag manager on paid plans | Unlimited social accounts on Professional ($199/mo) and up (Standard is capped at 10); Inbox reply automation and trend forecasting on Professional and up; Approval workflows and team performance analytics on Advanced ($399/mo) and up |
Buffer: Essentials, $6 per channel per month billed monthly ($5 billed yearly).
Hootsuite: Per user; prices shown are based on annual billing, as stated on their plans page.
| Connected accounts | Buffer | Hootsuite | fanout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | $30 | $99 (annual billing) | $29 |
| 10 | $60 | $99 (annual billing) | $39 |
| 50 | $300 | $199 (annual billing) | $100 |
Cheapest published plan that covers that many accounts, monthly billing unless marked. “—” means that vendor does not price per connected account, so there is no like-for-like number.
| Feature | Buffer | Hootsuite | fanout |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI version per network | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, every plan Rewrites hook, length and hashtags per network; live character limits |
| Post ideas from news & feeds | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, every plan Discover: Google News topics, RSS, Telegram and X, ranked by coverage |
| Drafts in your voice | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, every plan Writing styles: instructions, example posts, words to avoid |
| Best time to post | Not listed | Not listed | Yes, every plan Heatmap from your own posts’ engagement, one-click best slot |
| Comments inbox | Yes, every plan Community inbox | Yes, every plan “Respond to messages from one inbox” | Yes, every plan X, Instagram, YouTube, Threads and Bluesky |
| Analytics | Yes, every plan Advanced reports on Essentials | Yes, every plan | Yes, every plan X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Facebook and Pinterest |
| MCP for Claude & ChatGPT | Yes, every plan Claude and ChatGPT connectors | Not listed | Yes, every plan 8 tools: accounts, posts, schedule, analytics, media |
| First comment scheduling | From the Essentials plan | Not listed | Not yet |
“Not listed” means we could not find it on their pages, not that it does not exist. Checked October 2026.
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It depends on the number of accounts. Monthly cost on the cheapest published plan: 5 accounts: Buffer $30, Hootsuite $99 (annual billing), fanout $29; 10 accounts: Buffer $60, Hootsuite $99 (annual billing), fanout $39; 50 accounts: Buffer $300, Hootsuite $199 (annual billing), fanout $100. "—" means that vendor does not price per connected account.
Buffer: a free plan is listed. Hootsuite: no free plan is listed. Open source: Buffer no, Hootsuite no.
Buffer lists 11 platforms and Hootsuite lists 10, per their own pages. Telegram: Buffer no, Hootsuite no.
fanout is a hosted scheduler for 15 networks, from $29/month for 5 accounts with a 3-day free trial. It is not open source and has no self-hosting, team seats or first-comment scheduling.
Sources: Buffer pricing (checked September 2026) and Hootsuite pricing (checked September 2026). Tell us if something changed: support@tryfanout.com.
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