Buffer vs. Sprout Social: Which One Fits Best For Your Business?

Buffer vs. Sprout Social

Last Updated: November 2024

Growing your business in the digital age requires a strategic social media presence. But with a plethora of tools available, how do you choose the right one?

Enter the ring: Buffer vs. Sprout Social, two heavyweight contenders. Buffer boasts seamless scheduling, while Sprout Social offers robust analytics.

According to a recent study, 73% of businesses agree that effective social media management positively impacts their brand’s visibility.

So, whether you’re a startup seeking simplicity or an enterprise craving data-driven insights, let’s dissect these titans to determine which suits your business knockout needs!

Buffer vs. Sprout Social – Quick Comparison

Feature

Buffer

Sprout Social

Scheduling & Publishing

Seamless scheduling across platforms

Optimal posting times and content calendar

Posts Customization

Basic customization options

More advanced customization options

Hashtag Suggestions

Basic suggestions during post creation

Trending and industry-specific hashtag suggestions

Analytics & Reports

Concise overview of social performance

In-depth reporting and audience demographics

Inbox

Streamlined management of interactions

Advanced hub for managing social interactions

Social Listening

Basic tracking of mentions and keywords

Comprehensive tracking of trends and sentiment

Team Collaboration

Simple collaboration features

Advanced team coordination capabilities

Software Pricing

Free plan, affordable tiers, free trial

Tiered pricing, 30-day free trial, Enterprise option

Also, read Buffer Pricing, Features, Reviews [Complete Breakdown]

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Buffer vs. Sprout Social – Detailed Overview

Alright, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty! It’s like comparing a smoothie blender (Buffer) to a high-tech juicer (Sprout Social). Both whip up something tasty, but the devil’s in the details.

Scheduling & Publishing (Final Winner: Sprout Social, Rating – ⭐4.4/5, 426 Reviews)

Posts Scheduling

Buffer: With Buffer, you’ll find a straightforward scheduling system that’s perfect for beginners. You can quickly line up your posts, videos, and images across various social platforms in one go.

Sprout Social: If you crave more control, Sprout Social’s scheduling takes it up a notch. You get advanced features like optimal posting times based on your audience’s activity and engagement. Plus, the content calendar makes arranging and previewing posts a breeze.

Winner: Sprout Social

User Reviews

I like that all of our social media accounts are accessible in one location and that I can schedule posts when they are the most advantageous to our organization.” Dan K, enterprise.

We primarily use Sprout Social for social scheduling, and our team thrives off seeing what each department or brand is posting.” – Adam J, mid-market.

Posts Customization

Buffer: When it comes to customizing your posts, Buffer offers a solid range of options. You can add emojis, tweak captions, and tailor your content for different platforms.

Sprout Social: While Sprout Social shines in various aspects, it falls slightly short in terms of post customization compared to Buffer. Its restricted customization options might affect your ability to craft a distinct and tailored visual identity across your social media channels.

Winner: Buffer

User Reviews

Sprout Social does not offer the same level of customization as other social media management tools. You may not be able to customize the look and feel of your posts.” – Melissa S, small business.

Buffer is a great way for any business to syndicate their content out to all the major social networks. There’s enough customization, though, to retain the quality of each post.” – Kenny K, small business

Hashtag suggestions

Buffer: You’ll receive a selection of relevant hashtags to choose from while composing your posts. This assists in broadening your reach and participating in pertinent conversations that amplify your post’s discoverability.

Sprout Social: Sprout Social leverages its strong analytics to pinpoint trending and industry-specific hashtags that perfectly match your content. By doing so, it elevates your posts beyond the basics, allowing you to tap into the latest discussions and bolster your engagement and visibility.

Winner: Sprout Social

User Reviews

Seeing all social comments in one place is really, really helpful, especially where people tag us or hashtag us.” – Yael F, mid-market.

I like how visual Buffer’s scheduling platform is. I also appreciate how I am able to create hashtag sets for the Instagram accounts I manage.” – Hannah P, small business.

Analytics & Reports (Final Winner: Sprout Social, Rating – ⭐4.7/5, 168 Reviews)

Buffer: Delving into analytics with Buffer, reveals a concise overview of your social media performance. You’ll get insights into engagement metrics, follower growth, and post reach that give you a quick grasp of your social impact.

Sprout Social: Whereas, Sprout Social stands out with in-depth reporting capabilities. Beyond the basic metrics, it offers detailed audience demographics, post-performance breakdowns, and engagement patterns.

Winner: Sprout Social

User Reviews

They make it easier for us to manage over 90 different social media accounts, and easier for us to break down the social media analytics.” – a verified user, Real Estate, mid-market.

Buffer is relatively inexpensive and easy to use. It have great reports and analytics for each social media post.” – Sales Engineer, mid-market.

Inbox (Final Winner: Both, Buffer – ⭐4.8/5, 6 Reviews, Sprout Social – ⭐4.4/5, 241 Reviews)

Buffer: Exploring the “Content Inbox” feature in Buffer provides a streamlined approach to managing your social media interactions. You can respond to comments, messages, and mentions across platforms from a single location, making engagement convenient and organized.

Sprout Social: The “Smart Inbox” feature in Sprout Social goes a step further, offering a robust hub for managing all your social interactions. It gathers messages, comments, and mentions, allowing you to prioritize and categorize them for more efficient responses. Here, you can also easily collaborate with your team to provide timely and comprehensive responses.

Winner: Both

User Reviews

I absolutely love the “Content Inbox” feature, where I can subscribe to various RSS feeds and seamlessly schedule content from resources we use often.” – Allison C, small business.

The Smart Inbox is excellent because I don’t have to log into each platform individually to answer comments and messages.” – Sunny M, mid-market.

Social Listening (Final Winner: Sprout Social, Rating – ⭐4.2/5, 298 Reviews)

Buffer: Within Buffer, social listening offers a basic level of tracking mentions and keywords related to your brand. It helps you stay informed about what’s being said, allowing you to engage with your audience effectively.

Sprout Social: On the other hand, Sprout Social’s social listening not only tracks brand mentions but also monitors industry trends, competitors, and sentiment analysis. This deep dive into the social landscape equips you with valuable insights for refining your strategy and staying ahead.

Winner: Sprout Social

User Reviews

I also use the listening tools to ensure we are keeping up with our competitors and brand health, as well as campaign reporting for collaboration initiatives with our social team.” – Alyssa L, mid-market.

It offers our social team a lot of value, from scheduling our posts to tracking engagement and social listening for campaigns.” – Daniella L, enterprise.

Team Collaboration (Final Winner: Sprout Social, Rating – ⭐4.4/5, 29 Reviews)

Buffer: With Buffer, you can invite team members to collaborate on content creation and scheduling. While it provides a basic level of teamwork, it might be more suitable for smaller teams or those who prefer a simpler workflow.

Sprout Social: Sprout Social steps up the game in team collaboration, providing customizable roles and permissions, content approval workflows, and the ability to assign tasks. This robust system is particularly beneficial for larger teams aiming to maintain a cohesive and organized approach to social media management.

Winner: Sprout Social

User Reviews

it gives our work team everything they need to facilitate collaboration when drafting, reviewing, modifying and scheduling posts on different social networks, all through one place.” – Asha B, mid-market.

It has also helped us incorporate greater collaboration.” – Erin H, enterprise.

Software Pricing

Buffer: Buffer offers various pricing tiers to suit your needs. You can start with a free plan and gradually upgrade as your requirements grow.

    • Essential: The plan is priced at $6 per channel, perfect for individuals and small businesses.
    • Team: Costs $12 per channel, catering to growing teams.
    • Agency: Designed for extensive needs, this plan is priced at $120 per channel.

A 14-day free trial is available across all plans, no credit card is required.

Buffer vs. Sprout Social

Sprout Social: On the flip side, Sprout Social follows a tiered pricing structure.

    • Standard: Costing $249 per month, the Standard plan offers essential features for businesses seeking growth.
    • Professional: At $399 per month, this plan offers more advanced tools.
    • Advanced: For those with even more complex needs, can pick this one priced at $499 per month.
    • Enterprise: This Sprout Social plan is tailored to custom requirements.

All plans come with a 30-day free trial, and just like Buffer, no credit card is needed.

sprout social vs buffer

Ultimately, the winner depends on your specific needs, team size, and the level of social media management tools you require.

Talking about social media management, are you looking for an easy tool that lets you manage multiple channel conversations from one place? Find the details in the coming-up section.

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Lastly!

In the showdown between Buffer and Sprout Social, it’s clear that the choice depends on your business’s specific needs and priorities.

However, if you’re seeking to take your customer support to new heights, consider Saufter. Boasting a remarkable feature set, smooth integration with platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and the capacity for 24/7 self-service via social media, it’s a powerful tool to elevate your brand’s customer care.

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