Metricool vs Buffer: Free Limits, Pricing and When to Switch

Metricool is worth considering when Buffer's publishing queue no longer covers the planning and reporting work you need. Switching makes sense when a specific missing workflow justifies the subscription and migration effort. A different dashboard alone is a weak reason to move.

The free plans measure capacity differently, which makes a headline comparison misleading. Metricool counts posts published during a month, while Buffer limits how many posts can wait in each channel's queue. Check your actual channels, posting cadence and reporting needs before choosing either.

This comparison uses the providers' published plan information checked on November 3, 2026. It does not claim a hands-on performance test, a guaranteed saving or that either platform is the best choice for every team.

Metricool and Buffer have different free-plan limits

Metricool Free includes one brand, a 20-post monthly publishing allowance and 30 days of analytics history. Its help center explains that the counter includes posts actually published, rather than drafts merely scheduled for later. A cross-platform content plan should therefore be checked against the counting rules before you rely on the allowance.

LinkedIn is excluded from Metricool Free, and X access requires a paid plan with the relevant add-on. Do not assume that the networks available in a paid demonstration are included in the free account. The previous claim that Free provides 50 monthly posts was outdated.

Buffer Free connects up to three channels and allows ten queued posts per channel. As a post is published, the queue can be refilled; ten queued posts is not the same as a ten-post monthly publishing cap. That distinction can make Buffer workable for someone willing to refill a small queue regularly.

Metricool describes its allowance by brand and month; Buffer describes its queue by channel. Write down every profile you need, including two profiles on the same network, and compare the relevant units. Neither figure proves that one free plan will cover more of your work.

Compare the full paid commitment

Metricool's US-dollar pricing lists the annual Starter configuration for up to five brands at $20 per month. The displayed monthly equivalent implies $240 for a twelve-month term before applicable taxes or separately priced additions. Check the selected currency, brand band and billing period at checkout.

Buffer lists Essentials at $5 per channel per month with annual billing, or $60 per channel for the year. Essentials includes advanced analytics and one user account; the earlier suggestion that analytics always requires Team was inaccurate. Team adds collaboration features, including unlimited members, access levels and approval workflows.

A five-channel Buffer Essentials configuration has a simple annual-equivalent base of $25 per month before any applicable adjustments. Five brands in Metricool and five channels in Buffer describe different account structures. Treat that arithmetic as a budgeting illustration rather than a like-for-like feature verdict.

Include the work needed after scheduling: approvals, client access, the reports you actually send and any network-specific requirements. A lower entry price can become irrelevant if the necessary function sits in another tier. Equally, paying for an agency workflow you never use creates cost without solving a problem.

Three options worth comparing

Keep the comparison tied to the reason you are considering a change. The following options cover different needs; the table does not rank their results or predict audience growth.

Check Metricool for your actual brand setup

Flick's pricing describes scheduling for Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn, with analytics focused on Instagram. Its Solo allowance and billed-yearly pound price should not be presented as an unlimited, dollar-denominated alternative. Compare the exact job it would replace before adding another subscription.

Run a small switching test

Start with one ordinary publishing week and one realistic reporting task. Keep copies of your captions, media, links and approval notes before connecting a different scheduler. Check that the exact formats and account types you rely on work in the proposed setup.

Record setup, scheduling, correction and reporting time separately. A convenient calendar can still require manual work when a colleague requests a revision or a network rejects a post. Judge a complete publishing cycle, including those exceptions, rather than only the first draft in the planner.

Retain Buffer if its queue and reporting already satisfy your requirements at an acceptable cost. Consider Metricool when its brand structure and documented reporting features address a specific gap. Choose Flick only when its supported scheduling and Instagram-focused tools match the work you need.

Questions to resolve before changing subscriptions

Is Metricool Free a 50-post monthly plan?

No. The current official limit is 20 posts per month, with actual publications counted. Confirm the live help page before relying on an older review.

Does Buffer Free stop after ten posts in a month?

The published restriction is ten queued posts per channel, which can be refilled as posts publish. It is not described as a ten-post monthly cap.

Will switching necessarily save money?

No. Compare your full account structure, required tier, annual commitment and migration work. A saving exists only if the replacement covers the same necessary work at a lower total cost.

Sources: Metricool Free-plan limits; Metricool pricing; Buffer pricing; Flick pricing and supported functions.