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Software · head to head

Buffer vs Talkwalker

Buffer logo

Buffer

Software

Build your audience organically on social media

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Talkwalker logo

Talkwalker

Software

Consumer intelligence to accelerate your brand

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; Talkwalker now rebranded Lumen by Talkwalker; pricing page names three tiers, Core, Analyze and Business, differentiated by non-sampled results volume (2x and 6x) and topic/filter/channel counts, but publishes no figures and directs buyers to request a custom quote
  • They diverge on capability: Buffer covers Post scheduling, Talkwalker covers Social listening.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buffer and Talkwalker actually diverge.

Attributes where Buffer and Talkwalker differ
AttributeBufferTalkwalker
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded20102009

Identical on both: 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 Talkwalker

  • Social listening
  • Image recognition
  • Sentiment analysis
  • Influencer identification
  • Crisis detection
  • Hootsuite
  • Salesforce
  • Tableau

What people use each for

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

Buffer

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

Talkwalker

  • Brand monitoringnot Buffer
  • Competitive intelligencenot Buffer
  • Crisis managementnot Buffer
  • Campaign measurementnot Buffer
  • Market researchnot 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

Talkwalker

  • Now rebranded Lumen by Talkwalker; pricing page names three tiers, Core, Analyze and Business, differentiated by non-sampled results volume (2x and 6x) and topic/filter/channel counts, but publishes no figures and directs buyers to request a custom quote

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

Talkwalker

On request
  • ListenFree
    • Social listening
    • Sentiment analysis
    • Alerts
  • AnalyzeFree
    • Advanced analytics
    • AI insights
    • Benchmarking
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Full platform
    • API access
    • Custom integrations

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 Talkwalker if

  • You need social listening.
  • You also want image recognition.
Talkwalker review

Questions people ask

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

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
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
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
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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