Comparison · 2026
Buffer vs Semrush Social
Pricing, supported platforms, strengths, and best-fit use cases — side by side.
Note: Pricing and features were sourced from each vendor's official site; verify current pricing directly. Last reviewed May 2026.
Buffer — Simple per-channel scheduler with a clean UI and real free plan.
Semrush Social — Social Media Toolkit add-on inside the broader Semrush SEO platform.
Pricing Comparison
| Plan | Buffer | Semrush Social |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $5/channel/mo | $20/mo (Social Toolkit Base, often on top of $139.95+/mo Semrush) |
| Pricing model | per-channel | tiered |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Platforms supported | 11 | 7 |
Platform Support
Buffer supports 11 networks. Semrush Social supports 7 networks. They overlap on 7. BulkPublish is included for context.
| Platform | Buffer | Semrush Social |  BulkPublish |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| X (Twitter) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| TikTok | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| YouTube | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Threads | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Bluesky | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Mastodon | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| Google Business Profile | ✓ | — | ✓ |
Where Buffer Wins
- Clean modern UI
- Real free plan (3 channels)
- Simple per-channel pricing
- Native mobile apps
Trade-offs
- Costs scale linearly with channel count
- No native recycling
- Limited team features
Where Semrush Social Wins
- Integrated with Semrush SEO platform
- Social Tracker for competitors
- AI content with brand context
- Single vendor for SEO + social
Trade-offs
- Realistically requires $139.95+/mo Semrush plan underneath
- API gated to $499.95/mo Business
- 50 scheduled posts/mo on Base
Best For
- Buffer — Solo creators managing a handful of accounts
- Semrush Social — SEO-led teams already on Semrush
Considering Both? Try BulkPublish
BulkPublish covers 11 platforms (Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, Google Business Profile) with flat-rate pricing. Pro at $13.99/mo includes 22 channels and 3 organizations; Business at $39.99/mo includes 55 channels and 10 organizations. A full REST API ships on every plan, including the free tier.
- Free — 10 channels (1 per platform, all except X), 3 posts/day
- Pro — $13.99/mo ($11.89/mo annual): 22 channels, 30 posts/day, 3 orgs
- Business — $39.99/mo ($33.99/mo annual): 55 channels, unlimited posts/day, 10 orgs