Buffer vs Close
Side-by-side plans, pricing, and feature gates for Buffer and Close, verified . Buffer is primarily social media management; Close is primarily crm.
Plans side by side
Every published plan from each vendor, with the headline monthly anchor price. Some prices scale with subscriber count or seats; full detail lives on each tool's page.
Buffer
- Free
Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel
Free - Essentials
Most popular: $5/month per channel
$5/mo - Team
Unlimited team members and approval workflows
$10/mo - Agency
Custom package for agencies managing many clients
Custom
Close
- Solo
Single user, 10,000 lead cap
$9/mo - Essentials
Core CRM with unlimited contacts and leads
$35/mo - Growth
Adds Chloe AI agent, workflows, and Power Dialer
$99/mo - Scale
Adds Predictive Dialer, role-based access, unlimited call recording
$139/mo - Enterprise
Custom pricing for 10+ users or complex needs
Custom
Limits at the entry paid tier
Compares Essentials (Buffer) against Solo (Close). Both are the lowest-priced non-free, non-custom plan on each side.
| Limit | Buffer | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Team seats | 1 | 1 user (Solo plan limit) |
When Buffer wins
- Solopreneurs and small brands publishing to a handful of networks
- Content creators who want a clean, fast scheduling UI
- Small agencies on a budget that can live with the Team plan
Where Buffer is the wrong fit
- Enterprise brands managing 20+ channels (Hootsuite or Sprout Social fit better)
- Teams whose primary need is social listening; Buffer's listening is thin
- Organizations needing deep approval and governance workflows across hundreds of accounts
When Close wins
- Outbound-heavy SDR teams that live in the dialer all day
- B2B sales teams of 1 to 20 reps that want one tool for calls, email, and CRM
- Founders running their own outbound and wanting calling, email, and CRM in one place
Where Close is the wrong fit
- Marketing-heavy teams that need a broader hub (use HubSpot CRM)
- Service-business CRMs needing ticketing (use Pipedrive or Zoho)
- Enterprise sales orgs with complex territory structures (use Salesforce)
Common questions
- Is Buffer cheaper than Close?
- At the entry tier, Buffer starts at Free versus Close at $9/mo. Buffer is cheaper at the entry. Pricing scales differently above that, so check the full plan grid.
- Does Buffer or Close have a free plan?
- Only Buffer has a permanent free plan. Close only offers a free trial.
Buffer: https://buffer.com/pricing · Close: https://www.close.com/pricing
Last verified . Pricing changes between refreshes; confirm at the vendor before purchasing.