Comparison · checked 26 September 2026
Zoho Social vs Buffer
Buffer is cheaper to start: $5 per channel per month, billed annually against $10 per month, billed annually.
At 14 channels the gap changes: Buffer comes to $70 a month against Zoho Social's $10.
Zoho Social charges flat tiers, while Buffer charges per channel, which matters most as you add channels or teammates.
| Zoho Social | Buffer | Hookpost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest paid plan | $10 per month, billed annually | $5 per channel per month, billed annually | ₹599 per month flat |
| Pricing model | flat tiers | per channel | Flat tiers, no per-channel fee |
| Free plan | 6 channels | 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel (refills as posts publish) | 2 channels, 30 posts a month |
| Public API | Not stated | Yes | Yes (Standard and above) |
| MCP server / AI agents | Yes | Yes | Yes (Standard and above) |
| Open source | No | No | Yes, AGPL-3.0 |
| Prices in rupees (India) | Yes, localised | No, USD | Yes, with UPI Autopay |
| Networks | Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, Snapchat, Arattai, WhatsApp Business, Telegram, Google Business Profile | Bluesky, Facebook, Google Business Profile, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mastodon, Pinterest, Substack, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube | X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook Pages, Bluesky, Discord, Slack, Telegram, WordPress, Dev.to and more (Instagram and Threads awaiting Meta approval) |
Sources, read 26 September 2026: zoho.com/social/pricing.html, zoho.com/social/mcp.html, buffer.com/pricing, buffer.com/mcp. Prices change; confirm on the vendor's page before you buy.
Where Hookpost fits
If you are in India, post mainly to X, LinkedIn, YouTube or community channels, and would rather pay one flat rupee price than a fee per channel, Hookpost is worth a look. It is open source, has a free plan, and ships an MCP server so an AI assistant can schedule for you. If you need Instagram today, choose Zoho Social or Buffer for now: Hookpost's Instagram connection is waiting on Meta approval (Facebook Pages work today).
Questions
- Is Zoho Social cheaper than Buffer?
- On the cheapest paid plan, yes, the other way round: Zoho Social starts at $10 per month, billed annually and Buffer at $5 per channel per month, billed annually. Check how each one counts channels and users before comparing totals.
- Does Zoho Social or Buffer have a free plan?
- Zoho Social: 6 channels. Buffer: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel (refills as posts publish).
- Is there a cheaper alternative to Zoho Social and Buffer?
- Hookpost has a free plan (2 channels, 30 posts a month) and a flat ₹599 a month plan for 5 channels, billed in rupees with UPI Autopay. It publishes to X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook Pages, Bluesky, Discord, Telegram and more; Instagram and Threads are waiting on Meta approval.
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