As a social media manager, keeping up with multiple social media platforms can be overwhelming. You need a tool that can help you manage all your social media needs in one place. This is where social media management platforms like Buffer and Hootsuite come in handy. Both platforms aim to make managing social media easy, but how do you choose which one is best for you? In this blog post, we will compare Buffer vs Hootsuite to find out which social media management platform is better.
Buffer
Buffer was founded in 2010, and its main focus is on social media scheduling. The platform allows social media managers to plan, create and publish content across various social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Plus, and Pinterest. Buffer's main selling point is its intuitive and user-friendly interface. It's easy to use, and you can get started within minutes.
Main features
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Scheduling: Buffer allows users to schedule posts across multiple social media accounts in one go.
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Analytics: The platform provides in-depth analytics, including the number of clicks, comments, shares, and likes on each post.
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RSS feed integration: Buffer can adjust to your RSS feed, allowing you to share posts automatically from your favorite blogs or websites.
Pricing
Buffer offers three pricing plans:
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Free plan: This allows one user to manage three social media accounts for free.
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Pro plan: For $15 per month, one user can manage up to eight social media accounts.
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Premium plan: For $65 per month, one user can manage up to eight social media accounts and have more in-depth analytics.
Hootsuite
Hootsuite was founded in 2008 and offers a wide range of social media management tools. Hootsuite allows social media managers to schedule posts, monitor conversations, and analyze social media performance. The platform supports over 35 social media networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
Main features
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Scheduling: Hootsuite allows you to schedule posts across multiple social media accounts, along with an auto-scheduler to optimize engagement.
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Analytics: The platform provides detailed analytics, including engagement, follower growth, and content performance.
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Monitoring: Hootsuite enables users to monitor hashtags, mentions, comments, and direct messages across all social media platforms.
Pricing
Hootsuite offers four pricing plans:
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Free plan: This is suitable for individuals looking to manage up to three social media accounts.
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Professional plan: For $19 per month, one user can manage up to ten social media accounts with in-depth analytics.
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Team plan: For $99 per month, five users can manage up to 20 social media accounts through collaborative features.
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Business plan: For custom pricing, users can manage up to 35 social media accounts, which includes multiple team members' access.
Comparison
Both Buffer and Hootsuite offer great social media management solutions, but their offerings differ in terms of the pricing plans and features provided. Here is a table that highlights some of the notable differences between the two platforms.
| ** Feature ** | Buffer | Hootsuite |
|---|---|---|
| Social media channels supported | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Plus, and Pinterest | Over 35 social media networks |
| Free version available | Yes, with up to three social media accounts | Yes, with up to three social media accounts |
| Collaboration features available | No | Yes, with the Team plan or above. |
| Analytics provided | Basic | Advanced |
| Pricing from | Free | Free |
| Pricing to | $65 | Custom pricing |
As you can see, Hootsuite offers a more comprehensive range of features with their pricing plans, while Buffer focuses more on social media scheduling. However, if you are looking for a simple and easy-to-use social media management platform, Buffer might be a better choice.
Conclusion
Ultimately, your choice between Buffer and Hootsuite will depend on your social media needs and the features you value most. Both platforms offer unique and useful features to make social media management more manageable. Whether you choose Buffer or Hootsuite, rest assured that you are in good hands as both are top-rated social media management platforms.