Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which Social Media Management Tool is Better?
Hey there! So, you’re stuck between Buffer and Sprout Social for social media management.
No worries, I’m here to help you make the right decision!
Thankfully, two of the best tools out there for managing multiple platforms are Buffer and Sprout Social – both of which have the power to maximize your social media presence online!
If you purchase through our partner links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! For more information, visit my disclosure page.
And, over the years, I’ve tried out many digital marketing tools, including setting up campaigns, analyzing metrics, exploring integration capabilities, and contacting customer service to resolve issues.
In this article, I’ll compare Buffer and Sprout Social in detail, exploring their strengths and weaknesses and evaluating their features in different scenarios. By the end of our journey, you’ll have all the information you need to decide which tool best fits your needs.
Remember, the right social network management tool can significantly streamline your workflow, save time, and improve your online presence.
So, let’s get started and find the perfect tool for you.
Brief Overview: Buffer vs Sprout Social
First, I’ll give you a quick overview of Buffer and Sprout Social:
Buffer
Buffer is a streamlined, user-friendly platform designed for efficient social media management. It simplifies content scheduling, publishing, and analyzing performance across multiple social networks, making it a go-to tool for individuals and businesses wanting straightforward solutions.
Key Selling Points:
- Intuitive post scheduling: Easily plan and post content across various social platforms.
- Simple analytics: Track engagement metrics to understand content performance.
- Pablo image creator: Quickly design engaging graphics.
- Multi-account management: Handle all your accounts from a single dashboard.
- Team collaboration: Allocate specific posting privileges and roles among team members.
Sprout Social
Sprout Social is an all-in-one toolkit that provides deep social media management functionalities. It offers advanced listening, analytics, publishing, and engagement features, helping businesses of all sizes drive growth through social insights and stronger customer relationships.
Key Selling Points:
- Comprehensive analytics: In-depth insights with customizable reports and competitive analysis.
- Social listening: Monitor brand mentions, trends, and audience sentiments.
- CRM features: Detailed customer relationship management tools to personalize interactions.
- Advanced publishing tools: Plan, organize, and deliver content and landing pages with a sophisticated publishing suite.
- Team collaboration and workflow: Assign tasks, share drafts, and manage permissions for seamless teamwork.
- Chatbots and automation: Leverage response automation and chatbots for efficient engagement.
Quick Verdict: Buffer vs Sprout Social
Grow Your Audience on Social and Beyond!
Buffer is a social media management platform that simplifies how businesses and individuals manage their online presence.
Buffer shines with its user-friendly interface and streamlined social media scheduling capabilities.
Buffer, perfect for freelancers and smaller businesses, emphasizes simplicity and ease of use. Its clean interface removes the hassle of scheduling, offering straightforward analytics and the ability to plan content on various platforms with minimal fuss.
It may lack some advanced features found in other tools, but it executes flawlessly, The result is that this tool makes social profile management accessible for everyone, even those with limited technical expertise.
A Powerful Solution for Social Media Management
Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media management tool designed to help businesses manage and enhance their presence.
Sprout Social stands out with its robust analytics and multi-level engagement tools for diverse platforms.
For medium-sized to large businesses, Sprout Social is a powerhouse. Its extensive suite of tools encompasses deep analytics, post-scheduling, engagement, and monitoring tools across various social platforms.
With its ability to dive deep into data, create comprehensive reports, and handle multiple profiles seamlessly, it’s designed for teams seeking extensive insight and active social media engagement. It is a one-stop shop for a data-driven approach to social media strategy, justifying its higher price point.
Product Overview: Buffer vs Sprout Social
What is it?
Buffer is a social media management platform designed to simplify scheduling posts, tracking content performance, and managing all your accounts in one place. Its clean, intuitive interface makes social media marketing more accessible for multiple users of all experience levels.
Sprout Social is a comprehensive solution for scheduling posts and provides deep analytics, social listening, and engagement features. Its platform gives businesses the insights to make informed decisions and fully engage with their audience across multiple social channels.
Who is it for?
Buffer is ideal for small businesses, freelancers, and entrepreneurs who need a practical, simple solution for managing their social media channels. It’s perfect for those who want to maintain a consistent online presence with minimal hassle.
Sprout Social is best suited for medium to large businesses, social media professionals, and agencies that require advanced insights and the ability to manage larger social media profiles. Its collaborative features make it a strong choice for teams handling social media strategies for multiple clients or extensive campaigns.
What makes it special?
Buffer stands out for its user-friendliness and simplicity. It offers a straightforward approach to social media scheduling and analytics without an overwhelming array of features. Its pricing structure also makes it accessible for those on a tighter budget or with simpler needs.
Sprout Social differentiates itself with robust, in-depth analytics and a range of features geared toward active engagement and social listening. Its ability to create custom, comprehensive reports and segment audiences offers businesses a clear understanding of their social profiles’ impact and audience behavior.
What does it do?
Buffer allows you to schedule social media posts across various platforms, track content performance, and manage multiple accounts simultaneously. Its functionality revolves around easing and maintaining a solid, consistent social media presence. It also offers an image creator, video and GIF uploader, and link shortening and tracking.
Sprout Social provides a holistic view of social media efforts through detailed analytics, post-scheduling capabilities, competitor analysis, and social listening tools. It facilitates direct audience engagement, including features for monitoring all your messages and comments across platforms. Additionally, it supports team collaboration with task assignments and custom workflows.
Quick Comparison: Buffer vs Sprout Social
| Key Features | Buffer | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| #1) Pricing | Winner | |
| #2) Free Plan | Winner | |
| #3) Design & Functionality | Tie | Tie |
| #4) Scheduling Features | Tie | Tie |
| #5) Social Channels & Integrations | Winner | |
| #6) Analytics Tools | Winner | |
| #7) AI & Automation Tools | Winner | |
| #8) Mobile App | Tie | Tie |
| #9) Customer Support | Tie | Tie |
| Overall | Winner |
Feature Comparison: Buffer vs Sprout Social
Let’s compare the features of these social media management tools so you can make the right decision for you and your business.
#1) Pricing
Buffer offers a variety of pricing tiers, starting as low as $6 per month for the Essentials Plan, which includes one social channel. Its higher-priced plans, such as the Team Plan and Agency Plan, which depend on how many users you need. It also offers additional features and social channels.
Sprout Social’s pricing is significantly higher, with its paid plans starting at $249/month for five social profiles. It also offers Professional, Advanced, and customizable Enterprise plans for growing businesses with greater needs.
When it comes to pricing, Buffer clearly wins due to its affordable price. While Sprout Social offers more advanced features in its plans, small businesses or those new to social networking management may find Buffer’s lower-cost options more appealing.
Verdict: Buffer takes the lead for pricing due to its budget-friendly plans.
#2) Free Plan
Buffer offers a “free forever” plan that allows you to connect up to 3 social channels, making it an accessible option for individuals or small businesses looking to manage their social presence without financial commitment.
On the other hand, Sprout Social doesn’t offer a permanent free version but provides a 30-day trial with no credit card required. This trial gives you full access to the platform’s core features, offering a comprehensive experience of what it provides.
When comparing the two, Buffer’s “free forever” plan makes it the more favorable option for those seeking a cost-free solution for social media management. Though Sprout Social’s 30-day trial is generous, it is time-limited and may not cater to the needs of those requiring long-term free access.
Verdict: For the free plan, Buffer stands out as the winner.
#3) Design & Functionality
Buffer’s design is known for its simplicity and ease of use. It provides a streamlined interface where you can manage and share content across various channels, including tweets, stories, pins, or TikTok, from one place. Additionally, Buffer allows engagement with Facebook and Instagram audiences from a single platform, adding to its versatility.
In contrast, Sprout Social offers a comprehensive suite of robust functionality. It boasts important features that include publishing, analytics, engagement, and listening. The Sprout Social interface is intuitive and user-friendly, making it easy for you to navigate and operate the platform effectively.
Buffer and Sprout Social stand out in their own ways. Buffer’s simplicity and multi-channel support make it an excellent choice for those looking for a straightforward, easy-to-use platform. On the other hand, Sprout Social’s comprehensive functionality caters to a more extensive range of social media management tools. Therefore, the better option would depend on your specific needs and preferences.
Verdict: For design and functionality, it’s a tie.
#4) Scheduling Features
Buffer’s scheduling allows you to manage and share content across multiple channels in one place, whether it’s tweets, stories, pins, or TikTok. You can plan content ahead of time using Buffer’s Content Calendar feature. Additionally, Buffer lets you set time slots in advance for their posts.
On the other hand, Sprout Social offers a wider range of scheduling capabilities as part of its comprehensive social media management tool. You can schedule posts for future publishing and even use the ViralPost feature, which determines the best times to post based on audience engagement data.
Buffer stands out with its ease of use and ability to plan content across multiple platforms, while Sprout Social shines with its data-driven approach to post-scheduling. The choice between the two would depend on your specific needs and preferences.
Verdict: For post-scheduling, it’s a tie.
#5) Social Channels & Integrations
Buffer supports various social platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, allowing users to manage multiple accounts from a single interface. Additionally, it integrates with tools for enhanced functionality, such as link shortening and tracking through Bitly, and an analytics feature for deeper insights into post-performance.
Sprout Social excels with its wide range of integrations and supported channels, including all the major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Its ability to integrate with tools across the digital marketing spectrum, from Google Analytics to Zendesk, sets it apart, providing a holistic view of digital marketing efforts and customer service experiences.
While Buffer maintains ease of use for basic posting across popular platforms, Sprout Social encompasses a broader set of needs, integrating diverse tools that provide businesses with in-depth analytics, customer service capabilities, and a more integrated digital marketing approach.
Verdict: Sprout Social is the superior choice for social channels and integrations.
#6) Analytics Tools
Buffer provides essential analytics features that help you track the performance of your content across various social media platforms. It allows for a straightforward analysis of engagement metrics, including likes, shares, comments, and the reach of your posts. Buffer’s analytics are designed for businesses and individuals who need a quick and clear overview of their social media performance without overly complex data or insights.
Sprout Social goes a step further with more advanced analytics offerings. It tracks engagement metrics and provides in-depth reports, competitor analysis, and audience demographics. Additionally, it offers custom reporting tools. These comprehensive insights are essential for businesses looking to make data-driven decisions and refine their social media strategies.
Sprout Social holds the edge in analytics. While Buffer offers all the necessary baseline insights, Sprout Social’s advanced analytics, custom reports, and competitor analysis capabilities provide a more rounded, strategic view crucial for businesses that leverage social media data for a more significant impact.
Verdict: Sprout Social stands out as the superior option for analytics tools.
#7) AI & Automation Tools
Buffer makes social media management more efficient through its simplified automation processes. Features such as optimally scheduling posts help you stay consistent with their presence without constantly updating manually. While Buffer includes these basic automation features, it doesn’t dive deep into AI-driven insights or personalized marketing automation strategies.
Sprout Social integrates more advanced AI and automation within its system, streamlining various aspects of social media management. One of its standout features is the ViralPost technology, which determines the best times to post based on audience engagement data. Additionally, Sprout Social utilizes chatbots and other AI-driven tools to automate responses and ensure continuous engagement on social platforms.
Comparing the two, Sprout Social leads in AI and content automation processes, offering a more sophisticated approach to social media management. Buffer provides the essentials, but Sprout Social’s advanced functionalities cater to businesses seeking more dynamic, responsive, and personalized interaction with their audience, using technology to optimize their approach.
Verdict: Sprout Social is preferable for AI and automation tools.
#8) Mobile App
Buffer’s mobile app is a straightforward, user-friendly interface that mirrors its web platform’s simplicity. It allows you to create, schedule, and publish posts directly from their phones, making social media management flexible for professionals on the go.
Sprout Social’s mobile app stands out with its comprehensive, clean design and functionality. Like its desktop counterpart, it offers deep-dive analytics, post-scheduling, and prompt customer engagement. It’s a robust application that brings the full range of Sprout’s features to your fingertips, wherever you are.
Deciding on the superior app between Buffer and Sprout Social is challenging as both apps excellently complement their web-based versions and offer unique strengths. Buffer impresses with its minimalistic, straightforward design, perfect if you prefer simplicity and ease of navigation. In contrast, Sprout Social provides a more detailed, analytics-heavy approach for those who want in-depth insights on the go.
Verdict: For mobile apps, it’s a tie.
#9) Customer Support
Buffer offers a streamlined customer support experience, ensuring you can access self-service resources and direct assistance. Their online help center is filled with informative articles and troubleshooting guides. While they don’t offer phone support, their email and social media channels are active, providing personal interactions and timely responses to inquiries.
Sprout Social goes above and beyond in customer service, featuring an extensive help center, interactive webinars, and user training sessions. They offer 24/7 chat support for all plans and direct phone assistance for advanced plan holders, ensuring they cover all bases regarding convenience and immediate issue resolution.
Choosing between Buffer and Sprout Social for customer support is quite balanced. Both offer robust help centers and various contact methods. While Sprout Social has real-time chat and phone support, Buffer compensates with a highly responsive email and presence. Each caters effectively to different preferences for support.
Verdict: For customer support, it’s a tie.
Final Thoughts on Buffer vs Sprout Social
Buffer and Sprout Social offer robust features for managing your presence but cater to slightly different needs.
Buffer is an excellent choice for those who need a straightforward tool for scheduling and publishing content across various platforms. Its simplicity and ease of use make it ideal for small businesses or individual professionals who want to maintain an active social media presence without the need for complex analytics.
On the other hand, Sprout Social is ideal for small to large enterprises looking for an all-encompassing platform with in-depth analytics, advanced scheduling, CRM features, and more interactive customer support. While it comes at a higher cost, its suite of tools and functionalities can be an invaluable investment for a more robust social networking strategy.
If I had to pick one, go with Sprout Social, as it is the more scalable solution for your social media efforts. This tool can grow with you, offering detailed insights and a solid range of features. Its comprehensive solutions and exceptional customer support make it a reliable partner for your social journey.
Invest in the platform that aligns with your long-term goals and watch your social media presence thrive. Try Sprout Social today!
A Powerful Solution for Social Media Management
Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media management tool designed to help businesses manage and enhance their presence.
