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Metricool vs Buffer: the two best-value schedulers, compared
Quick answer
Buffer if you want the simplest possible queue for one brand: free for three channels, $5 a month per channel after, learned in ten minutes. Metricool if you want analytics and competitor tracking, or run more than one brand: ten brands for $25. Both are good. Neither makes the posts, which is the third option.
Metricool vs Buffer, and Magic Marketer, side by side
Where Metricool wins
Measurement and multi-brand. The analytics cover organic, paid, competitors and hashtags in one dashboard, and Starter's ten brands for $25 is the best agency deal in the category. If you want to know what is working, or you run social for more than one business, Metricool is the pick.
Where Buffer wins
Simplicity and the free plan. Three channels free, then $5 a channel, with an interface that gets out of the way. Metricool's dashboard can feel like a lot for someone who just wants to post on Tuesday. If you have one brand, a few channels and no interest in charts, Buffer is cheaper and calmer.
What neither of them does
Make the posts. Buffer's AI Assistant tidies a caption you wrote. Metricool's writes one from a prompt on a credit allowance. Both are excellent at distributing content and neither produces it, which for most small businesses is the part that never happens. (The queue is fine. The queue has always been fine.)
Magic Marketer produces the posts. One source - a recording, a voice note, a transcript, a link - becomes finished posts in eight formats in your voice, checked against your guardrails and compliance presets, then scheduled to nine channels at the best time for each. Weekly on Autopilot. It costs more than both combined, because it replaces the part you were doing yourself or paying someone for.
If you have content and one brand, Buffer. If you have content and several brands or want reporting, Metricool. If you have expertise and no posts, this is the one.
Metricool vs Buffer pricing, with Magic Marketer for scale
| Tool | Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metricool | Free | $0 | 1 brand, 20 posts a month, 5 competitor profiles. |
| Metricool | Starter | $25/mo | Up to 10 brands, full analytics, unlimited posts. |
| Metricool | Advanced | $67/mo | Up to 50 brands, more users, white-label reports. |
| Buffer | Free | $0 | 3 channels, 10 queued posts each, 1 user. |
| Buffer | Essentials | $5/mo per channel | Unlimited posts, analytics, AI Assistant. |
| Buffer | Team | $10/mo per channel | Unlimited users, approvals, permissions. |
| Magic Marketer | Free trial | A$0 for 14 days | Unlimited creations and exports, no card. Publishing needs a paid plan. |
| Magic Marketer | Autopilot | A$149/mo | A fresh batch of posts every week, publishing to nine channels. A$99/mo for the first 100 customers, or A$990/yr. |
Metricool and Buffer prices are USD list prices as published on metricool.com and buffer.com, checked September 2026. Magic Marketer prices are in AUD.
Metricool vs Buffer FAQs
Is Metricool better than Buffer?
For analytics and multiple brands, yes. For simplicity and price on a single brand, Buffer. They are the two best-value schedulers and the choice comes down to whether you want charts.
Which has the better free plan, Buffer or Metricool?
Buffer for channels: three, with ten queued posts each. Metricool for depth: one brand, twenty posts a month, plus analytics and five competitor profiles.
Buffer vs Metricool for an agency?
Metricool. Ten brands on a $25 plan with client-ready analytics. Buffer prices per channel, which adds up quickly across clients.
Does either tool create the content?
No. Both have an AI caption assistant. Magic Marketer produces finished posts from a recording, transcript or link, then schedules them.
Related: Metricool alternatives · Buffer alternatives · Buffer vs Later · all alternatives
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