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Marketing · head to head

Buffer vs Gravity Forms

Buffer logo

Buffer

Marketing

Build your audience organically on social media

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gravity Forms logo

Gravity Forms

Surveys

The most trusted WordPress forms plugin

From
$59/year
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; Gravity Forms basic license covers only 1 site and renews at $59/year after a discounted $44 first year

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buffer and Gravity Forms actually diverge.

Attributes where Buffer and Gravity Forms differ
AttributeBufferGravity Forms
Starting priceFree$59/year
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
CategoryMarketingSurveys
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Gravity Forms

Nothing recorded that Buffer does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Buffer

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

Gravity Forms

  • WordPress form building and lead capturenot Buffer
  • E-commerce payment form processingnot Buffer
  • Multi-site form managementnot 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

Gravity Forms

  • Basic license covers only 1 site and renews at $59/year after a discounted $44 first year
  • Pro license is capped at 3 sites; using it on more requires the Elite tier at $259/year renewal
  • Marketing integrations like HubSpot and Mailchimp are Basic-tier only, while payment and workflow add-ons (Stripe, Zapier, Trello) require Pro or above

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

Gravity Forms

$59/year
  • Basic$59/year
    • 1 site license
    • 20+ integrations including HubSpot, Mailchimp, Active Campaign
  • Pro$159/year
    • 3 site licenses
    • Payment processing with Stripe, Square, PayPal
    • 15+ Pro-level add-ons
  • Elite$259/year
    • Unlimited site licenses
    • All add-ons included
    • Advanced features: User Registration, Conversational Forms, Signature, Survey

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 Gravity Forms if

Nothing in the data separates Gravity Forms from Buffer on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Gravity Forms review

Questions people ask

Is Buffer or Gravity Forms better?
Neither clearly leads. Buffer starts at Free and Gravity Forms at $59/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Gravity Forms?
Buffer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buffer and $59/year for Gravity Forms.
Does Buffer or Gravity Forms run on more platforms?
Buffer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Gravity Forms runs on Web.
Can I use Buffer for free?
Yes. Buffer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Gravity Forms starts at $59/year.
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 Gravity Forms is typically brought in for.
What can Buffer do that Gravity Forms cannot?
Buffer covers Post scheduling, Content calendar, Analytics dashboard, Link shortening.

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
Gravity Forms: What is the cheapest Gravity Forms plan?

The Basic plan is $59/year and includes 1 site license with 20+ integrations. The Elite plan at $259/year offers unlimited sites and all add-ons.

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
Gravity Forms: Can I process payments with Gravity Forms?

Yes. Payment processing with Stripe, Square, and PayPal is included in the Pro ($159/year) and Elite ($259/year) plans, but not in the Basic plan.

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
Gravity Forms: How many sites can I use Gravity Forms on?

The Basic plan covers 1 site, Pro covers 3 sites, and Elite covers unlimited sites. All pricing is annual subscription.

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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