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Comparison

Buffer vs Maeve Social

Which one fits

Buffer is the better fit for solo creators and small businesses that want a free plan to start on and need networks like Bluesky, Mastodon or Substack. Maeve Social is the better fit for agencies that need client sign-off without handing out logins, or teams that want an inbox with auto DMs and branded PDF reports.

Free plan
Buffer Yes, free plan
Maeve Social Free trial, then paid
Pricing
Buffer Freemium
Maeve Social Free trial
Both do
social scheduling, social analytics

Buffer and Maeve Social both schedule posts, handle comments and report on performance. They differ in who they are built around.

Buffer has a forever free plan and covers channels such as Bluesky, Mastodon and Substack. It also offers a Start page and a GraphQL API. Maeve Social offers a 3 day free trial and posts to nine platforms. It adds a client approval portal that needs no login, a DM inbox and branded PDF reports.

What it is

Buffer
Social media scheduling and analytics for small teams
Maeve Social
Social media scheduling and client approvals for agencies and brands

Free plan

Buffer
Yes, free plan
Maeve Social
Free trial, then paid

Pricing

Buffer
Freemium. The site mentions a forever free plan and paid upgrades, but the pages provided do not list plan names or prices.
Maeve Social
Free trial. The site offers a 3 day free trial and lists Basic, Standard and Premium plans. Plan prices are not stated in the provided text.

Who it is for

Buffer
Suited to solo creators, small businesses, brands and agencies that publish to several social networks and want scheduling, engagement and reporting in one workspace. Teams that need an approval step for posts will find it relevant. Developers and automation users can build on the API or connect an AI assistant.
Maeve Social
Suited to social media agencies that need client sign-off without handing out logins, and to brands, founders and creators who manage several accounts. Teams that want one place for planning, publishing, replies and reporting will find it fits. Developers and people using AI agents can connect through the API, CLI or MCP server.

Highlights

Buffer
Schedules to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X and more. Also posts to Bluesky, Threads, Mastodon and Substack. Single dashboard for triaging and replying to comments. Team workflow to edit and approve posts. GraphQL API with bearer token or OAuth 2.0 PKCE. Connects to Claude or ChatGPT over MCP.
Maeve Social
Schedules to nine platforms from one view, with per-platform captions, media and settings. Client approval portal with no login and no per-client charge. Social inbox for comments and DMs, plus automatic DM replies on Instagram and Facebook. Analytics by label, content pillar and format, exported as branded PDF. MCP server, REST API and maeve-cli for agents and scripts. Competitor tracking with posting frequency and top posts.

Listed

Buffer
23 Oct 2026
Maeve Social
28 Oct 2026
Visit Buffer Visit Maeve Social

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