# Metricool vs Buffer: per-brand or per-channel pricing in 2026

> If you pay for one or two channels, Buffer comes out cheaper than Metricool's Starter: it charges about $6 USD a month per channel. If you manage several brands, Metricool wins: Starter covers 5 brands from $20 USD a month billed yearly. Neither replies with AI for you (Buffer suggests replies and Metricool Flows sends fixed texts), which is where HeyMark comes in, replying with AI and your approval.

By HeyMark · Reviewed by Crescente Martinez, CMO and co-founder of HeyMark · Updated September 25, 2026

Metricool vs Buffer is, before anything else, a comparison between two ways of charging. Buffer charges per channel: each social account you connect adds about $6 USD a month. Metricool charges by brand: Starter covers 5 brands from $20 a month billed yearly, and each brand groups the networks of one business. Both have a free plan and a free MCP. Below we run the numbers on concrete cases and look at what each one does with your comments, using data checked on September 25, 2026.

## Metricool vs Buffer at a glance

The first column is HeyMark, the tool we make. Use it as a reference and compare the other two.

| Fact | HeyMark | Metricool | Buffer |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Focus | End-to-end AI agent: plans, creates, publishes, replies and analyzes | Scheduling, analytics, reports and ads | Simple scheduling for creators and small businesses |
| Starting price | $12 USD a month (Creator: 1 brand, 1 person). Company: $30 USD with 3 brands and 5 people | Free plan. Starter from $20 USD a month billed yearly ($25 monthly) for 5 brands | Free plan. Paid plans charge per channel, from about $6 USD a month per channel |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan. 14-day free trial on every plan | 1 brand, 20 posts a month and 30 days of analytics. No LinkedIn or X | Yes, with channel and post limits |
| AI on comments and DMs | Replies to comments and DMs with AI in your brand's voice, with approval and handoff to a person. On every plan | No documented AI replies in the inbox. Its assistant drafts copy with 5 to 35 credits per brand a month | Suggests AI replies that learn your voice (Community). 5 a week on the free plan |
| MCP server | Yes, free on every plan. Publishes, replies to comments and DMs, moderates, automates and shares reports and calendars | Yes, on every plan: 27 documented tools, 2 that write (schedule and edit scheduled posts) | Yes, on every plan (since May 2026): posts, ideas and metrics. No comment or DM tools |
| Networks | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky, Twitch, Google Business Profile and X ($10 USD add-on per account) | 12 networks, including Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Threads and Bluesky |

Checked on each tool's public pages on September 25, 2026. Sources: Metricool: https://metricool.com/pricing/, https://help.metricool.com/main-differences-between-free-and-paid-plans-bl0v9, https://help.metricool.com/inbox-manager-how-to-manage-messages-and-comments-from-metricool-s9zze, https://metricool.com/metricool-mcp-claude/; Buffer: https://buffer.com/pricing, https://support.buffer.com/, https://buffer.com/api.

## Metricool or Buffer? Do the math by channel

On Buffer, each channel costs about $6 USD a month, so 4 channels come to about $24. On Metricool, Starter costs $20 USD a month billed yearly ($25 month to month) for up to 5 brands, and $36 ($45) for 10, with each brand's networks included. X is the exception: Metricool charges for it separately, $10 a month per account since July 2026 (it used to be $5).

Three concrete cases:

| Case | Buffer | Metricool |
|---|---|---|
| A coffee shop on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn | 4 channels: about $24 USD a month | Starter: $20 USD a month billed yearly or $25 month to month, since the free plan doesn't include LinkedIn |
| One person running 5 businesses with 4 networks each | 20 channels at about $6 USD each | The same $20 USD Starter, billed yearly, covers all 5 brands |
| One brand on 1 or 2 networks, no LinkedIn or X | One or two channels at about $6 USD, or the free plan if its limits work for you | Free plan, if 20 posts a month is enough |

The rule that falls out of the table: if a free plan covers you, either one works. Once you're paying, a few channels favor Buffer and several brands favor Metricool. Around 4 channels, they cost about the same. Every Metricool plan is broken down in [Metricool pricing](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/metricool-pricing/).

## Free plans: what each one includes

Metricool's free plan includes 1 brand, 20 posts a month and 30 days of analytics, without LinkedIn or X. It used to be 50 posts and 3 months of history; Metricool cut it between late 2025 and early 2026. Its MCP is available on the free plan too.

Buffer's has channel and post limits (check the current numbers on its pricing page) and comes with 5 AI reply suggestions a week. Its MCP and API have been on every plan since May 2026.

If your brand doesn't use LinkedIn or X and you post up to 20 times a month, Metricool's free plan may be all you need. If you need LinkedIn without paying, Metricool's won't work, so look at Buffer's limits.

## Comments: Buffer suggests, Metricool replies with fixed texts

The two handle comments differently, and neither documents AI replies that go out on their own.

**Buffer** suggests AI replies that learn your voice, inside its Community feature. The free plan gets 5 suggestions a week. It saves you the writing, but you still review and send each reply yourself.

**Metricool** doesn't document AI replies in its inbox; its assistant drafts copy with 5 to 35 credits per brand a month. Since September 1, 2026 it has Flows: when someone comments a keyword, it replies with up to 3 fixed texts, on Instagram and TikTok, with one automation per post. On Instagram it requires a linked Facebook Page. It's free for a limited time and will become a paid add-on. Its inbox also can't hide or delete comments, although on TikTok, Flows does hide comments with banned words.

In short: Buffer helps you write each reply, and Metricool automates fixed replies by keyword.

## MCP and API: both have MCP, with different reach

**Buffer** has had MCP and an API on every plan since May 2026. Its MCP covers posts, ideas and metrics, with no comment or DM tools.

**Metricool** has MCP on every plan, with official connectors in Claude and ChatGPT since September 10, 2026. It documents 27 tools: 25 that read and 2 that write, for scheduling posts and editing scheduled ones. Its API is only on Advanced and Custom.

If you want to schedule from Claude or ChatGPT, either one works. If you're a developer who needs an API without paying for a high tier, Buffer includes one on every plan. If you want your assistant to answer comments too, neither MCP documents that. There's more detail in [the best social media MCP servers](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/best-social-media-mcp-servers/).

## The third option: HeyMark, when nobody's answering

If what got you comparing is that comments go unanswered, the question stops being Metricool or Buffer. HeyMark replies to comments and DMs with AI in your brand's voice, with your approval, and hands off to your team the conversations that need a person. Keyword automations (a public reply plus a DM on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok) come with every plan and don't use credits. Here's how [AI comment replies](https://heymark.ai/en/solutions/ai-comment-replies/) work.

HeyMark doesn't charge per channel either: each brand includes one account per network across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. The coffee shop from the table fits on Creator, $12 USD a month ($10 billed yearly), with all 4 networks and 500 AI credits. If the team grows, Company is $30 a month with 3 brands and 5 people.

Its MCP schedules and replies. With HeyMark connected to Claude or ChatGPT, you can ask for both in the same conversation:

#### Schedule and reply in one conversation

```text
Schedule the Reel I have in drafts for Thursday at 7 p.m. on Instagram, and duplicate it for TikTok with the same caption.

Then go through the comments on my latest Reel and draft replies in the brand's voice. Show them to me before posting.
```

Scheduling runs right away. Replying on the platform asks for your confirmation with a preview first.

What HeyMark doesn't have: a free plan (there's a 14-day trial), posting to X, Pinterest, Threads, Bluesky or Google Business Profile, or ad management. If you need X, Threads or Bluesky, Buffer and Metricool cover them; for Pinterest, Google Business Profile or ads, Metricool.

## Which one fits your case

### Buffer, if...

- You run a few channels and want scheduling with no fuss.
- You need X, Threads or Bluesky, or an API on every plan.
- You'd rather have an AI suggestion at hand and answer each comment yourself.

If you're already on Buffer and something's missing, see [Buffer alternatives](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/buffer-alternatives/).

### Metricool, if...

- You manage several brands: 5 from $20 USD a month billed yearly.
- Analytics, reports and ads matter more to you than the inbox.
- You want a free plan with 20 posts a month.

### HeyMark, if...

- Comments and DMs are a big part of the job and you want them answered with AI, with your approval.
- You want keyword automations without paying for a separate add-on.
- You work on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

## How to get started with HeyMark

### Create your account
Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial.

### Connect your networks
HeyMark pulls in what you've already posted and lays it out on the calendar, so you don't start from zero. Anything a teammate posts straight from Instagram shows up on its own too.

### Turn on replies
Set up AI for your brand's DMs, or create a keyword rule on a post. You can also ask Mark to build it for you.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better, Metricool or Buffer?

Buffer is better if you have a few channels and mainly want to schedule. Metricool is better if you manage several brands or need analytics, reports and ads. If you want comments answered with AI, neither does that for you, so compare HeyMark too.

### Is Buffer cheaper than Metricool?

With one or two paid channels, yes: Buffer charges about $6 USD a month per channel, and Metricool's Starter starts at $20 USD a month billed yearly. At 4 channels they cost about the same, and beyond that, or with several brands, Metricool comes out cheaper.

### Do Metricool and Buffer have free plans?

Yes, both. Metricool's includes 1 brand, 20 posts a month and 30 days of analytics, without LinkedIn or X. Buffer's has channel and post limits and includes 5 AI reply suggestions a week.

### Do Metricool or Buffer have an MCP server for Claude and ChatGPT?

Both do, on every plan. Buffer's covers posts, ideas and metrics, with no comment or DM tools. Metricool's documents 27 tools, 2 of which write: scheduling posts and editing scheduled ones.

### Do Metricool or Buffer have an API?

Buffer has had an API on every plan since May 2026. Metricool offers one only on Advanced and Custom. HeyMark has no public REST API yet; programmatic access is through MCP.

## See it on your own accounts.

Connect Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or YouTube and use HeyMark free for 14 days. Mark answers in your voice, and you approve what goes out.

[Start free](https://app.heymark.ai) · [See pricing](https://heymark.ai/en/#pricing)

## Keep reading

- [Metricool vs Hootsuite: pricing, teams, AI and MCP in 2026](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/metricool-vs-hootsuite/): Metricool vs Hootsuite as of September 2026: per-brand vs per-user pricing, free plan, analytics vs social listening, AI in the inbox, MCP, and a third option.
- [Buffer alternatives in 2026: when scheduling isn't enough](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/buffer-alternatives/): Buffer alternatives as of September 2026: HeyMark, Metricool, Later and Hootsuite compared on price, free plan, AI replies and MCP, plus when to stay on Buffer.
- [Metricool Alternatives in 2026: Pick One Based on Why You're Leaving](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/metricool-alternatives/): Metricool alternatives sorted by what you're missing: AI replies to comments and DMs, a free plan, team seats without Advanced, comment-to-DM, or listening.
- [Metricool Pricing in 2026: Plans, Add-ons and What You'll Actually Pay](https://heymark.ai/en/compare/metricool-pricing/): Metricool pricing as of September 2026: the free plan, Starter and Advanced in USD, the X add-on, the March price increase, and what you'd pay in 4 setups.

## Developer and agent resources

- [HeyMark MCP documentation](https://heymark.ai/en/mcp/)
- [llms.txt](https://heymark.ai/llms.txt)
- [Full site content for language models](https://heymark.ai/llms-full.txt)
- MCP protocol endpoint: `POST https://mcp.heymark.ai`
- OAuth protected-resource metadata: [/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource](https://mcp.heymark.ai/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource)
- MCP server card: [/server-card](https://mcp.heymark.ai/server-card)