Last Updated: February 2026
Quick Verdict
Viraly is the better choice if: You want a feature-rich scheduling platform without per-channel pricing. Viraly offers flat-rate plans ($19-99/month), content recycling, first comments, and robust team features—including social sets for organizing brands and granular permissions. A 10-profile setup costs $49/month vs Buffer’s $60-120/month.
Buffer is the better choice if: You only need 1-3 channels and prioritize comment management. Buffer’s Engagement feature with AI replies and sentiment analysis is more mature than Viraly’s.
In this Viraly versus Buffer breakdown, we compare flat-rate pricing against per-channel fees, examine content recycling capabilities, and identify where each tool excels for growing teams.
At a Glance: Viraly vs Buffer
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Free Plan | 3 profiles, 10 posts/month | 3 channels, 10 posts/channel |
| Starting Paid Price | $19/month (5 profiles) | $6/month (1 channel) |
| Pricing Model | Flat rate per plan | Per-channel pricing |
| 10 Profiles Cost | $49/month | $60/month |
| 25 Profiles Cost | $49/month | $100/month |
| 50 Profiles Cost | $99/month | $175/month |
| Platforms Supported | 11 | 14 |
| Evergreen/Recycling | Yes | No |
| Link in Bio | Free (included) | Uses 1 channel slot |
| Team Members | Up to 15 (Agency) | Unlimited (Team plan) |
| Social Sets (Brand Grouping) | Yes (all plans) | No |
| Permission-Based Access | Yes (per social set) | Per-channel only |
| AI Content Generation | Yes | Yes (unlimited) |
| Content Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Analytics | Yes (all paid plans) | Yes (paid plans) |
| Founded | 2023 | 2010 |
Pricing Comparison
Viraly Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Profiles | Posts/Month | Team Members |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| Influencer | $19 | 5 | 200 | 1 |
| Business | $49 | 15 | 500 | 5 |
| Agency | $99 | 50 | Unlimited | 15 |
17% discount on annual billing (2 months free)
Buffer Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 3 channels, 10 posts each |
| Essentials | $6/channel | 1-10 channels at $6 each |
| Team | $12/channel | Unlimited users, approval workflows |
Buffer Cost Examples:
| Channels | Essentials | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | $30/mo | $60/mo |
| 10 | $60/mo | $120/mo |
| 15 | $80/mo | $140/mo |
| 25 | $100/mo | $160/mo |
| 50 | $175/mo | $235/mo |
The Math: Real Cost Comparison
For a social media manager with 10 profiles:
- Viraly Business: $49/month (includes 15 profiles + 5 team members)
- Buffer Essentials: $60/month (just scheduling, 1 user)
- Buffer Team: $120/month (with team features)
- Savings with Viraly: $11-71/month ($132-852/year)
For an agency with 25 client profiles:
- Viraly Business: $49/month (still within 15-profile limit, or upgrade to Agency)
- Viraly Agency: $99/month (50 profiles + 15 team members)
- Buffer Essentials: $100/month
- Buffer Team: $160/month
- Savings with Viraly: $1-61/month
For a large agency with 50 profiles:
- Viraly Agency: $99/month
- Buffer Essentials: $175/month
- Buffer Team: $235/month
- Savings with Viraly: $76-136/month ($912-1,632/year)
Bottom line: Viraly’s flat-rate pricing becomes significantly more cost-effective as you add more social profiles.
Platform Support
Both tools support the major social networks. Here’s the comparison:
| Platform | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook Pages | Yes | Yes |
| Facebook Groups | No | Notification only |
| Instagram Business | Yes | Yes |
| Instagram Personal | No | Notification only |
| X (Twitter) | Yes | Yes |
| LinkedIn Personal | Yes | Yes |
| LinkedIn Company | Yes | Yes |
| TikTok | Yes | Yes |
| YouTube | Yes | Shorts only |
| Yes | Yes | |
| Threads | Yes | Yes |
| Bluesky | Yes | Yes |
| Mastodon | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business | Partial | Yes |
| Start Page (Link in Bio) | N/A | Yes (1 channel slot) |
Key Differences:
- YouTube: Viraly supports full videos; Buffer only supports Shorts
- Link in Bio: Viraly includes this free; Buffer counts it as a channel slot
- Facebook Stories: Buffer supports via notification; Viraly supports direct posting
Feature Comparison
Scheduling & Publishing
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Drag-and-drop | Yes | Yes |
| Queue Management | Yes | Yes |
| Bulk Scheduling | Yes | Yes (100 posts max) |
| Custom Time Slots | Yes | Yes |
| First Comments | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Post Categories | Yes | Yes (tags) |
| Timezone Support | Per-post | Per-post |
Winner: Tie – Both offer comprehensive scheduling features.
Evergreen Content Recycling
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-recycle posts | Yes | No |
| Custom intervals | Daily, weekly, monthly, custom | N/A |
| Max recycle limit | Configurable | N/A |
| Content variations | Yes | N/A |
| End date setting | Yes | N/A |
Winner: Viraly wins – Buffer has no content recycling feature. If you want posts to automatically republish on a schedule, Viraly is your only option.
This is a significant advantage for:
- Evergreen content strategies
- Agencies managing recurring campaigns
- Anyone who wants to maximize content ROI
Link in Bio
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Included in plan | Yes (free) | Uses 1 channel slot |
| Custom domains | Yes | Yes |
| Block types | 9 types | Limited |
| Email collection | Yes | Yes |
| Product sections | Yes | Limited |
| Analytics | Yes | No |
| Custom theming | Full control | Templates |
Winner: Viraly wins – Link in Bio is completely free and doesn’t consume a channel slot. Buffer’s Start Page uses one of your limited channel slots.
AI Content Generation
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| AI Assistant | Yes | Yes |
| Powered by | OpenAI GPT-4 | OpenAI GPT-4 |
| Caption generation | Yes | Yes |
| Hashtag suggestions | Yes | Yes |
| Tone adjustment | Yes | Yes |
| Unlimited usage | Yes (all plans) | Yes (all plans) |
Winner: Tie – Both use OpenAI GPT-4 with unlimited usage on all plans.
Analytics
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Post metrics | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Follower growth | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Engagement rates | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| Best time to post | Yes | Limited |
| Export data | Yes | Yes (paid) |
| History (Free) | 2 weeks | Basic only |
| History (Top plan) | 2 years | Not specified |
Winner: Tie – Both offer solid analytics on paid plans.
Team Collaboration
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan users | 1 | 1 |
| Business plan users | 5 | 1 (Essentials) |
| Agency/Team users | 15 | Unlimited (Team) |
| Social Sets (Brand Grouping) | Yes (all plans) | No |
| Permission-Based Access | Yes (per social set) | Per-channel only |
| Approval workflows | Yes | Yes (Team only) |
| Role permissions | Yes | Yes |
Winner: Viraly wins for most teams. Viraly Business ($49/month) includes 5 team members with social sets for organizing brands and granular permissions per set. Buffer Essentials ($60/month for 10 channels) includes only 1 user. Buffer Team ($120/month) offers unlimited users but lacks social sets for brand organization.
Large teams note: Buffer’s unlimited users on Team plan may suit teams of 15+, but you lose the ability to organize profiles into branded sets with specific team access.
Media Management
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Media library | Yes | Yes |
| Collections/folders | Yes | Limited |
| Image editing | Yes | Yes |
| Platform validation | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud integrations | Yes | Canva, Dropbox, Drive |
Winner: Tie – Both handle media well.
Integrations
| Category | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Email Marketing/CRM | 8 platforms (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HubSpot, AWeber, MailerLite, Brevo, Kit, Beehiiv) | Mailchimp only |
| Tracking Pixels | GA4, Meta Pixel, TikTok Pixel, GTM | Limited |
| AI | OpenAI GPT-4 (built-in) | OpenAI (built-in) |
| Stock Photos | Unsplash (built-in) | Unsplash (built-in) |
| Design | Canva (via upload) | Canva, PicMonkey, Stencil |
| Cloud Storage | — | Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Google Photos |
| Link Shortening | Built-in (vrl.link) | Bitly |
| Automation | Zapier, Make | Zapier, IFTTT, Make, Microsoft Power Automate |
| Publishing | WordPress | WordPress, Pocket, Feedly |
| Media Library | Yes (all plans) with collections | Yes |
Winner: Trade-offs. Buffer has more third-party integrations overall (35+ apps). Viraly wins on email marketing (8 platforms vs 1) and tracking pixels. Both have Unsplash and OpenAI built-in. Viraly’s link shortening is built-in; Buffer requires Bitly.
Security & Compliance
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Data Encryption | 256-bit AES at rest | Yes |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| CCPA Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud Hosting | AWS | AWS |
| SOC 2 | No | No |
Winner: Tie – Both meet standard security requirements with 256-bit encryption and GDPR/CCPA compliance on AWS. Neither offers enterprise compliance certifications like SOC 2 or FedRAMP.
Engagement Features
| Feature | Viraly | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Reply to comments | Limited | Yes (6 platforms) |
| AI-generated replies | No | Yes |
| Sentiment labels | No | Yes |
| Comment filtering | No | Yes |
| Saved replies | No | Yes |
Winner: Buffer wins – Buffer’s Engagement/Community feature is more mature for comment management.
Where Viraly Wins
1. Feature-Rich at a Lower Price
Viraly isn’t a stripped-down budget tool—it offers MORE features at lower cost:
| Profiles | Viraly | Buffer Essentials | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $49/mo | $60/mo | $132/year |
| 25 | $99/mo | $100/mo | $12/year |
| 50 | $99/mo | $175/mo | $912/year |
And Viraly includes content recycling, first comments, TikTok Photo Mode, and social sets—features Buffer lacks entirely.
2. Social Sets for Brand Organization
Group profiles by client, brand, or region—then assign team members with specific permissions to each set. This makes Viraly ideal for agencies and multi-brand teams. Buffer only offers per-channel permissions without the ability to group related profiles.
3. Evergreen Content Recycling
Buffer doesn’t offer this at all. If you have content that performs well and want it to automatically republish:
- Daily, weekly, or monthly intervals with AI caption variations
- Set maximum recycle counts and end dates
- Create variations for each cycle
This feature alone saves hours of manual rescheduling.
4. Free Link in Bio
Viraly includes Link in Bio pages at no extra cost with e-commerce, donations, and email collection. Buffer’s Start Page consumes one of your channel slots, effectively costing $6-12/month.
5. Team Members Without Per-Seat Pricing
Viraly Business ($49/mo) includes 5 team members with approval workflows. Buffer Essentials ($60/mo for 10 channels) includes only 1 user—you’d need Team plan at $120/mo for multiple users.
6. YouTube Long-Form Video Support
Buffer only supports YouTube Shorts. Viraly supports full YouTube video scheduling with premieres.
Where Buffer Wins
1. Higher Post Limits
Buffer’s paid plans allow 5,000 scheduled posts total. Viraly Business allows 500/month (though Agency is unlimited).
For high-volume publishers, Buffer’s queue capacity is larger.
2. Engagement/Community Features
Buffer’s comment management is more mature:
- Reply to comments from 6 platforms in one inbox
- AI-generated reply suggestions
- Sentiment analysis and filtering
- Saved replies for common responses
3. Established Brand & Documentation
Buffer has been around since 2010:
- 100,000+ businesses use it
- 185+ help articles
- Active Discord community
- Extensive integration ecosystem
4. Unlimited AI on All Plans
Buffer provides unlimited AI Assistant usage even on the free plan. Viraly’s AI usage may have plan-based limits.
5. More Platforms (Slightly)
Buffer supports 14 platforms vs Viraly’s 11, including Facebook Groups (notification-based) and their Start Page product.
Who Should Choose Viraly
Choose Viraly if you:
- Manage 5+ social profiles and are tired of calculating per-channel costs every time you add a platform
- Want to group client accounts into branded sets with specific team access controls
- Need evergreen content recycling to automatically republish top-performing posts with fresh captions
- Want Link in Bio pages with e-commerce and analytics—features Buffer charges a channel slot for
- Run an agency where predictable monthly costs matter more than unlimited posting capacity
- Publish YouTube long-form videos (Buffer only supports Shorts)
- Have a growing team and don’t want per-user pricing eating into margins
Ideal Viraly users:
- Social media agencies managing multiple clients
- Marketing teams with multiple brands or regions
- Content creators with 5+ platforms and evergreen content
- Any team wanting more features without per-channel pricing
Who Should Choose Buffer
Choose Buffer if you:
- Only need 1-3 channels (free plan works well)
- Prioritize comment management and engagement features
- Want unlimited AI usage on the free plan
- Prefer an established platform with extensive documentation
- Need high-volume posting (5,000+ scheduled posts)
- Value a large user community and support resources
Ideal Buffer users:
- Solo creators with few platforms
- Small businesses just starting out
- Teams prioritizing engagement over publishing volume
- Users who need maximum AI assistance
FAQ
Is Viraly cheaper than Buffer?
Yes, significantly at scale. For 10 profiles, Viraly costs $49/month vs Buffer’s $60/month (Essentials) or $120/month (Team). For 50 profiles, Viraly costs $99/month vs Buffer’s $175-235/month. The savings increase as you add more profiles.
Does Buffer have evergreen content recycling?
No. Buffer does not offer automatic post recycling. Posts publish once and must be manually rescheduled if you want them to repeat. Viraly offers full evergreen content recycling with customizable intervals.
Can I schedule to YouTube with Buffer?
Only Shorts. Buffer supports YouTube Shorts (up to 3 minutes) but not long-form YouTube videos. Viraly supports both YouTube videos and premieres.
Which tool has better analytics?
Roughly equal. Both offer post metrics, engagement tracking, and follower growth on paid plans. Buffer has slightly more platforms with full analytics, while Viraly offers longer analytics history on higher plans.
Is Buffer’s free plan better than Viraly’s?
Depends on usage. Buffer Free: 3 channels, 10 posts each (30 total), unlimited AI. Viraly Free: 3 profiles, 10 posts/month total, 2-week analytics. Buffer’s free plan has more posts; Viraly’s includes analytics history.
Which is better for agencies?
Viraly. The flat-rate Agency plan at $99/month covers 50 profiles with 15 team members. Buffer would cost $175-235/month for the same number of channels, with team features requiring the expensive Team plan.
Does Viraly have comment management like Buffer?
Limited. Buffer’s Engagement feature is more mature with AI replies, sentiment analysis, and a unified inbox. Viraly focuses more on publishing and scheduling.
Can I switch from Buffer to Viraly?
Yes. Both tools connect to the same social platforms via official APIs. You can connect your accounts to Viraly and start scheduling. There’s no direct migration tool, but setting up is straightforward.
Final Verdict
For most teams managing 5+ profiles, Viraly delivers more value. It’s not just cheaper—it’s more capable. Content recycling, social sets for brand organization, TikTok Photo Mode, and YouTube long-form support are features Buffer lacks entirely. The flat-rate pricing means your costs don’t spiral as you add profiles or team members.
Buffer makes sense for solo creators with 1-3 channels who prioritize comment management and AI-powered replies. But once you’re managing 5+ profiles or need content recycling, Buffer’s per-channel pricing becomes a liability. Viraly’s flat-rate model scales without penalizing growth.
The Bottom Line
| Scenario | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| 1-3 profiles, engagement focus | Buffer |
| 5+ profiles, budget-conscious | Viraly |
| Agency/multiple clients | Viraly |
| Evergreen content strategy | Viraly |
| Comment management priority | Buffer |
| YouTube long-form videos | Viraly |
Last updated: February 2026. Pricing and features verified against official documentation.