Buffer vs Hootsuite

Buffer and Hootsuite both serve the social-media space, but they target different segments of the market and solve fundamentally different problems. Buffer positions as a growth-tier solution, while Hootsuite aims at the enterprise segment.

Buffer: Schedule and create social content across channels — Buffer's AI assists with drafting and timing so small teams publish consistently without a dedicated social manager.

Hootsuite: Schedule, create, and monitor social across platforms — Hootsuite handles publishing, listening, and sentiment analysis from one dashboard.

In our 9-dimension evaluation, Buffer scores 74/100 and Hootsuite scores 74/100. The scores are close, reflecting that both tools deliver genuine value — the right choice depends on your specific use case and team context.

Buffer's key advantage: Schedule and create social content across channels — Buffer's AI assists with drafting and timing so

Hootsuite's key advantage: Schedule, create, and monitor social across platforms — Hootsuite handles publishing, listening, and

Our take on Buffer: Our social scheduler. Simple, reliable, and the AI assistant genuinely helps with writer's block. Best value in the category.

Our take on Hootsuite: The incumbent. Still strong for enterprise teams but the pricing has pushed smaller teams to alternatives.

Choose Buffer if your team focuses on growth teams, social media workflows. Choose Hootsuite if you prioritize enterprise teams, social media workflows.

Watch out: Buffer — Newer entry — full review in progress. Hootsuite — Newer entry — full review in progress.