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Marketing · head to head

Buffer vs Postscript

Buffer logo

Buffer

Marketing

Build your audience organically on social media

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Postscript logo

Postscript

Marketing

SMS marketing built for Shopify merchants, with carrier fees billed on top of message rates

From
$49/month
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; Postscript carrier pass-through fees are billed on top of the per-message rate, roughly $0.00418 per SMS and $0.00841 per MMS in the United States, and are routinely missing from the cost comparisons buyers build.
  • They diverge on capability: Buffer covers Post scheduling, Postscript covers Shopify segmentation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buffer and Postscript actually diverge.

Attributes where Buffer and Postscript differ
AttributeBufferPostscript
Starting priceFree$49/month
Pricing modelUnknownPer month plus per message sent
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS
Founded2010Unknown

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

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 Postscript

  • Shopify segmentation
  • Automated flows
  • Subscriber acquisition
  • Two-way conversations
  • MMS campaigns
  • Revenue attribution
  • Headless SDK
  • Usage-based tiers

What people use each for

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

Buffer

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

Postscript

  • A Shopify direct-to-consumer brand that wants abandoned cart recovery by text rather than another email in an ignored inboxnot Buffer
  • A brand running a product drop where a timed broadcast to an opted-in list is the whole launch mechanismnot Buffer
  • A merchant segmenting by past purchase and variant to send replenishment reminders at the right intervalnot Buffer
  • A store on headless Shopify or a custom stack that still wants SMS built on order data through the SDKnot 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

Postscript

  • Carrier pass-through fees are billed on top of the per-message rate, roughly $0.00418 per SMS and $0.00841 per MMS in the United States, and are routinely missing from the cost comparisons buyers build.
  • The cheapest per-message rates require the $500 a month plan, so a small sender pays more than double the headline low rate per text.
  • The $0 Starter plan carries a $49 minimum monthly spend, so it is not a free tier and quiet months still generate a bill.
  • US SMS marketing carries real legal exposure under consent, quiet hours and carrier registration rules, and the compliance obligation sits with the merchant, not the platform.
  • It is SMS and MMS only, so email, push and on-site messaging live in a separate tool and audience suppression between the two has to be managed across systems.

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

Postscript

$49/month
  • Starter$49/month
    • $0 base fee but a $49 minimum monthly spend
    • SMS at $0.015 and MMS at $0.045 per message
    • Campaigns, automations, acquisition tools and analytics
  • Growth$100/month
    • Lower per-message rates than Starter
    • Full campaign and automation feature set
    • No contract required
  • Professional$500/month
    • Rates falling towards $0.007 SMS and $0.024 MMS
    • Suited to high-volume senders
    • Upgrade or downgrade at any time
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing on a contract
    • Negotiated message rates and support terms

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 Postscript if

  • You need shopify segmentation.
  • You work on Web, iOS.
  • You also want automated flows.
Postscript review

Questions people ask

Is Buffer or Postscript better?
Neither clearly leads. Buffer starts at Free and Postscript at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Postscript?
Buffer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buffer and $49/month for Postscript.
Does Buffer or Postscript run on more platforms?
Buffer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Postscript runs on Web, iOS.
Can I use Buffer for free?
Yes. Buffer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Postscript starts at $49/month.
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 Postscript is typically brought in for.
What can Buffer do that Postscript cannot?
Buffer covers Post scheduling, Content calendar, Analytics dashboard, Link shortening. Postscript covers Shopify segmentation, Automated flows, Subscriber acquisition, Two-way conversations.

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
Postscript: Is Postscript only for Shopify?

It is built for Shopify and that is where its segmentation advantage lies, but headless and non-Shopify stores are supported through an SDK with more setup work.

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
Postscript: What is the real cost per text?

The plan rate plus carrier fees. On Starter that is about $0.015 plus roughly $0.00418 in US carrier fees per SMS, so budget close to two cents a message before discounts.

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
Postscript: Is the Starter plan free?

No. The base fee is $0 but there is a $49 minimum monthly spend, so it functions as a $49 floor.

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
Postscript: Do I need a contract?

No. Contracts are offered but not required, and plans can be moved up or down at any time under usage-based billing.

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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