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Software · head to head

Buffer vs Sked Social

Buffer logo

Buffer

Software

Build your audience organically on social media

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sked Social logo

Sked Social

Software

Social media scheduling and approval workflow platform for teams and agencies

From
$24/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; Sked Social basic plan is limited to a single user and one profile per platform.
  • They diverge on capability: Buffer covers Post scheduling, Sked Social covers Approval Workflow.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buffer and Sked Social actually diverge.

Attributes where Buffer and Sked Social differ
AttributeBufferSked Social
Starting priceFree$24/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Sked Social

  • Approval Workflow
  • Content Calendar
  • Unified Social Inbox
  • Smart Assist AI
  • Custom Reports
  • Social Listening
  • MCP AI Connections

What people use each for

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

Buffer

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

Sked Social

  • Getting client or stakeholder approval on posts without giving platform accessnot Buffer
  • Scheduling content across multiple social networksnot Buffer
  • Running a unified inbox for comments and messagesnot Buffer
  • Building recurring performance reports for clientsnot Buffer
  • Connecting live social data to AI tools via MCPnot 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

Sked Social

  • Basic plan is limited to a single user and one profile per platform.
  • Internal and external approval workflows are paid add-ons on the Grow plan rather than included.
  • Extra profiles and users beyond plan limits carry additional annual fees.
  • Threads and Snapchat only support notification-based posting, not full auto-publishing.

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

Sked Social

$24/month
  • Basic$24/month
    • 1 user
    • 1 profile per platform
  • Grow$58/month
    • 3 users
    • 6 included profiles
  • Accelerate$166/month
    • 6 users
    • 10 included profiles
    • Internal and external approvals included
  • Custom$undefined/month
    • Tailored enterprise plan starting from $249/month

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 Sked Social if

  • You need approval workflow.
  • You work on web, ios, android.
  • You also want content calendar.
Sked Social review

Questions people ask

Is Buffer or Sked Social better?
Neither clearly leads. Buffer starts at Free and Sked Social at $24/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buffer or Sked Social?
Buffer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buffer and $24/month for Sked Social.
Does Buffer or Sked Social run on more platforms?
Buffer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Sked Social runs on web, ios, android.
Can I use Buffer for free?
Yes. Buffer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sked Social starts at $24/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 Sked Social is typically brought in for.
What can Buffer do that Sked Social cannot?
Buffer covers Post scheduling, Content calendar, Analytics dashboard, Link shortening. Sked Social covers Approval Workflow, Content Calendar, Unified Social Inbox, Smart Assist AI.

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
Sked Social: What does Sked Social cost?

Plans start at $24/month for Basic (1 user, 1 profile per platform), rising to $58/month for Grow and $166/month for Accelerate, with a Custom tier from $249/month.

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
Sked Social: Is there a free trial?

Sked Social offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required; at trial end users pick a plan or the account pauses.

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
Sked Social: Can I change or cancel my plan?

Upgrades take effect immediately while downgrades apply at the end of the billing cycle, and the company states there is no auto-charging or surprise billing.

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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