Buffer vs Sprout Social
Complete comparison guide to help you choose the right marketing tool for your needs.
The Winner
Sprout Social
Has a slight advantage based on user ratings and overall value. Both tools are excellent - Buffer may still be better for specific use cases.
Quick Comparison
| Criteria |  Buffer |  Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | Free tier Best | $249/mo |
| User Rating | 4.0 | 4.2 Best |
| Review Count | 4,498 | 7,218 Best |
| Free Trial | No | 30 days Best |
| Annual Discount | N/A | N/A |
| Best For | SMBs managing multiple social channels | Enterprise social media teams at scale |
Feature Breakdown
Feature Comparison
Buffer Sprout Social Buffer
- Generous Free Tier
- GPT-4.0 AI Assistant
- Exceptional Simplicity
- Broad Platform Support
- Limited Analytics Depth
- No Social Listening
- Per-Channel Pricing Adds Up
Sprout Social
- AI Assist Actually Delivers
- Social Listening at Enterprise Scale
- Unified Customer Service
- Analytics That Drive Business Decisions
- Premium Add-Ons Are Expensive
- Per-User Pricing Gets Expensive Fast
- Fewer Integrations Than Hootsuite
Buffer Overview
Buffer offers exceptional value for solopreneurs and small teams with its generous free tier (3 channels + AI included) and affordable paid plans starting at $6/month. The AI Assistant generates platform-specific content, while supporting 11+ networks including Bluesky, Threads, and Mastodon. Team plan at $12/month adds unlimited users with approval workflows.
Best For:
- SMBs managing multiple social channels
- Solo content creators and solopreneurs
- Teams needing simple, intuitive scheduling tools
- Startups with limited budgets seeking generous free tier
- Agencies managing multiple client accounts
- Marketers who prioritize AI-powered content generation
- Users who need cross-platform scheduling (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky)
Sprout Social Overview
If you're managing enterprise social at scale, Sprout Social delivers unmatched depth in analytics, AI automation, and team workflows. The Standard tier ($249/user/month) is expensive but pays for itself if you manage 5+ profiles. The AI Assist features (Generate Posts, Sentiment Analysis) save 24 hours weekly. Not for small businesses-the $199/user minimum makes this enterprise-only territory.
Best For:
- Enterprise social media teams at scale
- Cross-functional teams needing sophisticated workflows and approval processes
- Organizations prioritizing customer service through social channels (10% specialist productivity gains)
- Companies seeking comprehensive social listening and sentiment analysis with AI
- Brands managing multiple social profiles and requiring unlimited profile support (Professional tier)
- Teams that value responsive support (8.7/10 quality score on G2, highest in category)
- Businesses consolidating multiple legacy tools into one platform ($224K average savings)
- Marketing teams requiring CRM integration to track customer interactions across social
Our Verdict
Sprout Social has a slight edge based on user ratings and overall value. Both tools are excellent - Buffer may still be better for SMBs managing multiple social channels.
Try Sprout Social Free