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Marketing · head to head

Buffer vs Chartio

Buffer logo

Buffer

Marketing

Build your audience organically on social media

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Chartio logo

Chartio

Business Intelligence

Cloud-based data exploration (discontinued)

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Buffer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Buffer the free plan allows 3 connected channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel; Chartio product was discontinued and sunset on March 1, 2022 after company acquisition by Atlassian
  • They diverge on capability: Buffer covers Post scheduling, Chartio covers Visual Query Builder.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buffer and Chartio actually diverge.

Attributes where Buffer and Chartio differ
AttributeBufferChartio
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryMarketingBusiness Intelligence

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2010).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Buffer

  • Post scheduling
  • Content calendar
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Link shortening
  • Hashtag manager
  • First comment
  • Instagram Stories
  • Shop Grid

Only in Chartio

  • Visual Query Builder
  • Interactive Dashboards
  • Data Blending
  • Collaboration
  • Embedding
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • Redshift

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Buffer

  • Social media schedulingnot Chartio
  • Content planningnot Chartio
  • Performance analyticsnot Chartio
  • Team collaborationnot Chartio
  • Client managementnot Chartio

Chartio

  • Drag and drop chart building over SQL databasesnot Buffer
  • Shared business dashboards for non-technical teamsnot Buffer
  • Exploring warehouse data without writing SQLnot Buffer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Buffer

  • The free plan allows 3 connected channels and 10 scheduled posts per channel
  • Essentials at $5 a month covers a single user; team members need the Team plan at $10 a month
  • Approval workflows and custom permissions are Team tier only
  • API access is rationed by plan, from 3,000 monthly requests on free to 15,000 on Team
  • Content ideas are capped at 100 on the free plan

Chartio

  • Product was discontinued and sunset on March 1, 2022 after company acquisition by Atlassian
  • No current pricing available as service no longer operates
  • Users were migrated to alternative Atlassian solutions

Pricing, plan by plan

Buffer

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 connected accounts
    • 10 scheduled posts per channel per month
    • 100 content ideas
  • Essentials$5/month
    • Unlimited scheduled posts
    • Per-channel pricing
    • Advanced analytics
  • Team$10/month
    • Unlimited team members
    • Unlimited scheduled posts
    • Content approval workflows

Chartio

On request
  • DiscontinuedFree
    • Service ended March 2022

Which should you pick?

Choose Buffer if

  • You need post scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want content calendar.
Buffer review

Choose Chartio if

  • You need visual query builder.
  • You also want interactive dashboards.
Chartio review

Questions people ask

Is Buffer or Chartio better?
Neither clearly leads. Buffer starts at Free and Chartio at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Chartio?
Buffer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buffer and On request for Chartio.
Does Buffer or Chartio run on more platforms?
Buffer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Chartio runs on Web.
Can I use Buffer for free?
Yes. Buffer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Chartio starts at On request.
What is Buffer best used for?
Buffer is most often used for social media scheduling, content planning, performance analytics, team collaboration. Of those, social media scheduling and content planning are not what Chartio is typically brought in for.
What can Buffer do that Chartio cannot?
Buffer covers Post scheduling, Content calendar, Analytics dashboard, Link shortening. Chartio covers Visual Query Builder, Interactive Dashboards, Data Blending, Collaboration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buffer: Does Buffer's free plan include all social media platforms?

The free plan supports 3 connected accounts across any of Buffer's 11 supported platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon) with up to 10 scheduled posts per channel per month.

Source
Chartio: Is Chartio still available?

No, Chartio was discontinued on March 1, 2022. The product was acquired by Atlassian and the service was shut down. Users were offered migration to alternative solutions.

Source
Buffer: Can I schedule Instagram Stories with Buffer?

No. Instagram Stories cannot be auto-published. Buffer sends a mobile notification to manually post stories, as Instagram does not provide an API for automated Story scheduling.

Source
Chartio: What should I use instead of Chartio after its discontinuation?

Atlassian, which acquired Chartio, recommends users migrate to other data visualization and business intelligence tools within the Atlassian ecosystem or compatible alternatives.

Source
Buffer: What is Buffer's per-channel pricing model?

Buffer charges per social media account (channel) rather than per user. Channels 1-10 cost standard rates ($5 Essentials or $10 Team), with additional channels beyond 10 discounted per channel.

Source
Chartio: Can I still access Chartio's pricing information?

No, historical pricing is not relevant as Chartio ceased operations in March 2022. Any archived pricing information would not reflect current market options.

Source
Buffer: Does Buffer have a mobile app and what platforms does it support?

Yes, Buffer offers iOS and Android apps for mobile management. The iOS app supports Mastodon and YouTube comment features, while Android support for these features is in development. Android community access works on the six most recent major Android versions.

Source
Buffer: What discount does Buffer offer for annual billing?

Buffer offers a 20% discount for annual billing across all paid plans, plus an additional 50% discount on paid plans for nonprofit organizations.

Source
Buffer: Can Buffer integrate with content creation and storage tools?

Yes. Buffer integrates with 24 tools including Canva, Google Drive, Dropbox, Unsplash for media, Zapier and Make for automation, WordPress for publishing, and Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity for AI-assisted content creation.

Source
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