# Schedule posts

> “Schedule my social posts”. Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

A scheduler pays off when you can batch a week of posts on Monday and stop opening five apps a day. Buffer and Publer are the quick, cheap starts, and Publer can recycle your best posts. Metricool, built in Spain, adds reports on your site and ads next to social. Later and Planoly show your grid before anything goes live, which matters if your brand sells on Instagram looks.

Last checked: 2026-10-03

## Ranking

1. **[Buffer](https://suiteintent.com/t/buffer?m=GB)**: Schedule social posts from one calendar. · Best for: Planning a week of posts in one sitting · Free plan · 50% ([Deals](https://suiteintent.com/deals/buffer))
2. **[Publer](https://suiteintent.com/t/publer?m=GB)**: Affordable social media scheduler. · Best for: Posting often on a tight budget · Free plan
3. **[Metricool](https://suiteintent.com/t/metricool?m=GB)**: Social scheduling and analytics, made in Spain. · Best for: Managing several clients' social accounts · Free plan
4. **[Later](https://suiteintent.com/t/later?m=GB)**: Visual planner for social media posts. · Best for: Instagram and TikTok-first creators · Free plan
5. **[Planoly](https://suiteintent.com/t/planoly?m=GB)**: Visual planner for Instagram and Pinterest. · Best for: Brands that care how their grid looks · Pricing on request

## Side by side

| Tool | Price | Ease of use (1-5) | Team size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Buffer | Free plan, 50% off for nonprofits | 5 | solo, small team, growing team |
| Publer | Free plan | 5 | solo, small team |
| Metricool | Free plan | 5 | solo, small team, growing team |
| Later | Pricing on request | 5 | solo, small team, growing team |
| Planoly | Pricing on request | 5 | solo, small team |

## Why these picks

- Independent reviews: [Zapier](https://zapier.com/blog/best-social-media-management-tools/) (Last checked: 2026-10-02)
- Prices last checked: 2026-10-03
- Ranked by expert consensus and what people use now; affiliate links never change the order.

## Head to head

- [Buffer vs Publer: which social scheduler to pick](https://suiteintent.com/compare/buffer-vs-publer)
- [Hootsuite vs Buffer: schedule your social posts](https://suiteintent.com/compare/hootsuite-vs-buffer)
- [Metricool vs Hootsuite: social tools for agencies](https://suiteintent.com/compare/metricool-vs-hootsuite)

## Questions

### Can I schedule posts for free on several networks?

Buffer, Publer, Metricool and Later all have free plans. Buffer's free plan covers a few channels, enough for a small business on two or three networks. Publer and Metricool also start free and suit tight budgets. Planoly is the paid one in this group.

### Do I need a scheduler if Meta lets me schedule posts already?

Meta's own tools cover Facebook and Instagram only. A scheduler puts TikTok, LinkedIn and X on the same calendar, so you plan the whole week in one place. Buffer and Metricool also report on how each post did. If you post only on Instagram and Facebook, the free Meta tools may be enough.

### Which scheduler shows how my Instagram grid will look?

Later and Planoly both preview your feed before posts go live. Planoly lets you drag posts around a grid and adds a link-in-bio page that works as a small shop. Later lays everything out on a visual calendar and has a free plan. Both suit brands that care how the feed reads as a whole.

### Can I reuse old posts without copying them by hand?

Publer can recycle your best posts so they go out again on a schedule. That keeps evergreen content working without rewriting it. It also gives you AI help with captions and a link-in-bio page. Buffer's AI assistant helps draft new posts if you prefer fresh copy.

### Which tool works for a small agency with several clients?

Metricool has features for agencies managing several brands, and freelancers and small agencies use it widely. One dashboard reports on social accounts, website and ads together, which helps with monthly client reports. Buffer works for teams up to medium size. Publer suits solo marketers more than agencies.