Does Buffer have a DM inbox?

No. Buffer’s community inbox replies to comments on every plan, and its help centre says Buffer does not offer direct messaging.

Does Buffer have approval workflows?

Yes, on the Team plan only. Contributors request approval and owners or full access users approve. Buffer’s agency guide sets clients up as users, so they need a Buffer login.

Is there a free Buffer alternative?

Planable’s free plan allows 50 posts in total. Posty’s Free plan includes Link in Bio only, without scheduling; its paid plans start at $24 a workspace a month billed annually.

Which Buffer alternative suits agencies?

For client work, the per-workspace tools fit best: Posty gives each client a workspace with client approvals and an inbox, and Planable adds unlimited users with monthly post limits.

Buffer alternativeswith a DM inbox and approvals

Teams outgrow Buffer when they need to answer direct messages, get client sign-off or stop paying for every channel. These Buffer alternatives handle each of those differently, compared using each vendor’s own pricing page.

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Why teams look for Buffer alternatives

No DMsin Buffer’s community inbox
No direct messages
Buffer’s community inbox replies to comments, and its help centre says Buffer does not offer direct messaging. Teams that answer customers in DMs need a second tool.
$10a channel a month on Team
Every channel adds to the bill
Buffer charges for every connected channel: $10 a channel a month on Team, billed annually, with a lower rate after the tenth. An agency with several clients pays for each of their accounts.
1 loginper client, set up as a Buffer user
Clients need a Buffer login to approve
Approvals are on the Team plan, and Buffer’s agency guide sets clients up as users with their own login.

4 Buffer alternatives worth a trial

Each option replaces Buffer for a different kind of team. Prices are list prices in USD, checked on each vendor’s own site; the sources are listed below.

Posty
Teams and agencies that want approvals, the inbox and analytics in one price per brand or client.
Comments and DMs in one inbox on every paid plan, billed per workspace rather than per channel, with client approvals from Growth. Each client gets a workspace of their own.
Where it falls short
No X, WhatsApp or Google Business Profile. Growth allows 10 people per workspace, clients included; beyond that you need Accelerate. The inbox covers Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.
How you pay
Per workspace (one brand or client), never per seat
Approval workflows
Growth and Accelerate; your team then the client on Accelerate
Comments and DMs inbox
Comments and messages on every paid plan, from Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube
Planable
Content teams that want unlimited users per workspace and publish to X, within a monthly post allowance.
Per-workspace pricing with unlimited users, required approval from Pro, and an inbox add-on that brings in Facebook and Instagram DMs.
Where it falls short
Posts are limited to 60 or 150 per workspace a month, and the inbox costs extra.
How you pay
Per workspace, with unlimited users
Approval workflows
Optional approval on Basic; required approval from Pro; multi-level on Enterprise
Comments and DMs inbox
An add-on at $9 a workspace a month ($90 a year); DMs from Facebook and Instagram only
Hootsuite
Larger social teams that publish to X or WhatsApp and are happy to pay for every seat.
An inbox for comments and DMs on every plan, including WhatsApp, for teams that handle a lot of customer conversations.
Where it falls short
Billed per user from $99 a month, and approvals need Advanced at $399 a user a month.
How you pay
Per user, every seat billed at the plan’s rate
Approval workflows
Advanced ($399 a user a month, billed annually) and Enterprise
Comments and DMs inbox
Comments and DMs on every plan; assignment and routing from Advanced
Sprout Social
Larger social teams that want deep reporting and external approvers, and are used to paying per seat.
A deep inbox and reporting for larger teams, with external approvers on Advanced.
Where it falls short
Billed per seat from $79 a month, and the Smart Inbox starts on Standard at $199 a seat.
How you pay
Per seat, every seat billed at the plan’s rate
Approval workflows
Professional ($299 a seat a month, billed annually) and above
Comments and DMs inbox
Smart Inbox from Standard ($199 a seat a month); not on Essentials

Every option in one table

Posty first, then Buffer and the rest of the shortlist.

How you pay: PostyPer workspace (one brand or client), never per seat; BufferPer connected channel; PlanablePer workspace, with unlimited users; HootsuitePer user, every seat billed at the plan’s rate; Sprout SocialPer seat, every seat billed at the plan’s rate
Lowest paid plan: PostyStarter, $24 a workspace a month billed annually, or $29 monthly; BufferEssentials, $5 a channel a month billed annually, or $6 monthly; PlanableBasic, $32.50 a workspace a month billed annually, or $39 monthly; HootsuiteStandard, $99 a user a month billed annually; Sprout SocialEssentials, $79 a seat a month billed annually, or $99 monthly
People included: Posty1 on Starter, up to 10 per workspace on Growth, unlimited on Accelerate; Buffer1 on Essentials; unlimited on Team at no extra charge; PlanableUnlimited users on every plan; HootsuiteAs many seats as you buy, each at the per-user price; Sprout SocialAs many seats as you buy, each at the per-seat price
Approval workflows: PostyGrowth and Accelerate; your team then the client on Accelerate; BufferTeam plan only ($10 a channel a month, billed annually); PlanableOptional approval on Basic; required approval from Pro; multi-level on Enterprise; HootsuiteAdvanced ($399 a user a month, billed annually) and Enterprise; Sprout SocialProfessional ($299 a seat a month, billed annually) and above
Client approvals: PostyClients approve in their own workspace and count towards its people; BufferClients approve with their own Buffer login on the Team plan; PlanableClients join as approvers with their own account, from Pro; not on Basic; HootsuiteNo external approvers documented; approvers are team members with access to the account; Sprout SocialUp to three external approvers, on Advanced ($399 a seat a month) and Enterprise; they approve from an email link
Comments and DMs inbox: PostyComments and messages on every paid plan, from Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube; BufferComment replies on every plan; no direct messages; PlanableAn add-on at $9 a workspace a month ($90 a year); DMs from Facebook and Instagram only; HootsuiteComments and DMs on every plan; assignment and routing from Advanced; Sprout SocialSmart Inbox from Standard ($199 a seat a month); not on Essentials
Analytics: PostyEvery paid plan: 30-day history on Starter, 90-day on Growth, 1-year on Accelerate; Buffer30 days of history on Free; unlimited history and reports on paid plans; branded reports on Team; PlanableAn add-on at $14 a workspace a month ($140 a year); included on Enterprise; HootsuiteReports on every plan; custom reports from Professional; branded and shared reports on Advanced; Sprout SocialProfile and post reports on every plan; Premium Analytics is an add-on with no published price
Post limits: PostyUnlimited posts on every paid plan; BufferUnlimited on paid plans, within a 5,000 post fair use cap per channel; Planable60 posts a workspace a month on Basic, 150 on Pro, unlimited on Enterprise; HootsuiteUnlimited posts on paid plans; Sprout SocialNo monthly cap; the queue allows 10 to 30 posts a day by plan
Networks: PostyBluesky, Discord, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, WordPress and YouTube. No X or Google Business Profile.; BufferInstagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, Threads, Pinterest, Bluesky, X, Mastodon and Google Business Profile; PlanableFacebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads and Google Business Profile; HootsuiteFacebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest and Bluesky, plus WhatsApp in the inbox; Sprout SocialX, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, WhatsApp and Google Business Profile
Free plan: PostyLink in Bio only; scheduling needs a paid plan; BufferYes: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 1 user; Planable50 posts in total, with no time limit and no card required; HootsuiteNone; a 14 day trial with no card required; Sprout SocialNone; a 30 day trial with no card required

Posty compared with Buffer and its alternatives
Compared on	Posty	Buffer	Planable	Hootsuite	Sprout Social
How you pay	Per workspace (one brand or client), never per seat	Per connected channel	Per workspace, with unlimited users	Per user, every seat billed at the plan’s rate	Per seat, every seat billed at the plan’s rate
Lowest paid plan	Starter, $24 a workspace a month billed annually, or $29 monthly	Essentials, $5 a channel a month billed annually, or $6 monthly	Basic, $32.50 a workspace a month billed annually, or $39 monthly	Standard, $99 a user a month billed annually	Essentials, $79 a seat a month billed annually, or $99 monthly
People included	1 on Starter, up to 10 per workspace on Growth, unlimited on Accelerate	1 on Essentials; unlimited on Team at no extra charge	Unlimited users on every plan	As many seats as you buy, each at the per-user price	As many seats as you buy, each at the per-seat price
Approval workflows	Growth and Accelerate; your team then the client on Accelerate	Team plan only ($10 a channel a month, billed annually)	Optional approval on Basic; required approval from Pro; multi-level on Enterprise	Advanced ($399 a user a month, billed annually) and Enterprise	Professional ($299 a seat a month, billed annually) and above
Client approvals	Clients approve in their own workspace and count towards its people	Clients approve with their own Buffer login on the Team plan	Clients join as approvers with their own account, from Pro; not on Basic	No external approvers documented; approvers are team members with access to the account	Up to three external approvers, on Advanced ($399 a seat a month) and Enterprise; they approve from an email link
Comments and DMs inbox	Comments and messages on every paid plan, from Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and YouTube	Comment replies on every plan; no direct messages	An add-on at $9 a workspace a month ($90 a year); DMs from Facebook and Instagram only	Comments and DMs on every plan; assignment and routing from Advanced	Smart Inbox from Standard ($199 a seat a month); not on Essentials
Analytics	Every paid plan: 30-day history on Starter, 90-day on Growth, 1-year on Accelerate	30 days of history on Free; unlimited history and reports on paid plans; branded reports on Team	An add-on at $14 a workspace a month ($140 a year); included on Enterprise	Reports on every plan; custom reports from Professional; branded and shared reports on Advanced	Profile and post reports on every plan; Premium Analytics is an add-on with no published price
Post limits	Unlimited posts on every paid plan	Unlimited on paid plans, within a 5,000 post fair use cap per channel	60 posts a workspace a month on Basic, 150 on Pro, unlimited on Enterprise	Unlimited posts on paid plans	No monthly cap; the queue allows 10 to 30 posts a day by plan
Networks	Bluesky, Discord, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Threads, TikTok, WordPress and YouTube. No X or Google Business Profile.	Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, Threads, Pinterest, Bluesky, X, Mastodon and Google Business Profile	Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads and Google Business Profile	Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest and Bluesky, plus WhatsApp in the inbox	X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Bluesky, Threads, WhatsApp and Google Business Profile
Free plan	Link in Bio only; scheduling needs a paid plan	Yes: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel at a time, 1 user	50 posts in total, with no time limit and no card required	None; a 14 day trial with no card required	None; a 30 day trial with no card required

How to choose a Buffer alternative

Decide whether you need DMs: If customers write to you in DMs, Buffer cannot answer them. Posty and Hootsuite include DMs, Sprout Social from Standard, and Planable as an add-on for Facebook and Instagram.
Price your channels, brands and people: Buffer bills per channel, Posty and Planable per workspace, Hootsuite and Sprout Social per seat. Add up your channels, brands and people, then price each model.
Check how clients sign off: On Buffer, clients approve with their own login on Team. Check how each alternative invites clients and which plan includes it.
Match the networks you publish to: Buffer publishes to X, Mastodon and Google Business Profile. Posty does not, but publishes to Discord and WordPress.

Questions about Buffer alternatives

Does Buffer have a DM inbox?: No. Buffer’s community inbox replies to comments on every plan, and its help centre says Buffer does not offer direct messaging.
Does Buffer have approval workflows?: Yes, on the Team plan only. Contributors request approval and owners or full access users approve. Buffer’s agency guide sets clients up as users, so they need a Buffer login.
Is there a free Buffer alternative?: Planable’s free plan allows 50 posts in total. Posty’s Free plan includes Link in Bio only, without scheduling; its paid plans start at $24 a workspace a month billed annually.
Which Buffer alternative suits agencies?: For client work, the per-workspace tools fit best: Posty gives each client a workspace with client approvals and an inbox, and Planable adds unlimited users with monthly post limits.

Sources

Vendors change plans often. Every competitor fact on this page comes from the vendor’s own pricing page or help centre, checked on the date shown. Posty’s figures come from the pricing page.

Keep comparing

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Create a workspace, connect your accounts and run a week of posts through your approval rule before you decide.

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Create your workspace

Buffer alternativeswith a DM inbox and approvals

Why teams look for Buffer alternatives

No direct messages

Every channel adds to the bill

Clients need a Buffer login to approve

4 Buffer alternatives worth a trial

Posty

Where it falls short

Planable

Where it falls short

Hootsuite

Where it falls short

Sprout Social

Where it falls short

Every option in one table

How to choose a Buffer alternative

Questions about Buffer alternatives

Sources

Keep comparing

See whether Posty fits your team