Buffer vs Tailwind: Which Is Better in 2026?
Affiliate disclosure: the link to Tailwind is an affiliate link — we may earn a commission if you buy, at no cost to you. The link to Buffer is a plain link: we earn nothing from it. Neither changes this comparison, which is based on editorial research.
Buffer's own site still links to a 'Tailwind vs Buffer' post dated July 10, 2023, and its plan figures for both products are out of date. Since then the two have moved in opposite directions. Buffer bills per channel across twelve networks, from Facebook to Substack. Since September 25, 2026, Tailwind has sold only Pinterest tools, accounts created since late September 2026 cannot connect Instagram or Facebook, and its help center says Instagram and Facebook scheduling 'is available only on legacy plans'. The matchup today is a generalist that, at $10 /month for two channels on yearly billing, is the cheapest of the seven schedulers we priced for Pinterest plus Instagram, against a Pinterest specialist.
| Buffer | Tailwind | |
|---|---|---|
| Our rating | 4.3/5 | 4.0/5 |
| Price from | Free plan (up to 3 channels); paid from $5/channel/mo billed yearly ($6 billed monthly) | Pin Scheduling & Creation $17.99 per Pinterest account/mo billed annually ($29.99 billed monthly; Pinterest SEO or Pinterest Engagement $11.99 per Pinterest account/mo billed annually, $14.99 billed monthly); one-time free trial actions, no credit card required |
| Free plan | ✓ | Unclear |
| Free trial | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pricing model | Billed per channel, where a channel is one connected social account and a Start Page also counts as one. On monthly billing Essentials costs $6 and Team $12 per channel per month for channels 1 to 10; both drop to $4 for channels 11 to 25 and $3 for 26 to 50, then to $1 (Essentials) or $2 (Team) from channel 51. Yearly billing is shown on the plan cards as save 2 months ($5 and $10 per channel per month for up to 10 channels, or $60 and $120 a year per channel), although the billing FAQ on the same page calls it a 20% discount. Upgrading from Free means paying for every channel, including the ones that were free. Nonprofits and charities get 50% off paid plans. Payment is by card only. | Three Pinterest products (Pin Scheduling & Creation, Pinterest SEO, Pinterest Engagement) sold separately or as a Bundle, each priced per Pinterest account and billed monthly or annually. Annual prices are shown as a monthly equivalent and charged once a year upfront; the help center says annual billing saves up to 40%. Every plan includes a monthly credit allowance that pays for actions such as scheduling a Pin (1 credit); extra credits cost $10 per 100. Verified non-profits get 50% off any product. |
| Best for | Creators and small businesses posting to a few networks | Bloggers and online shops that rely on Pinterest traffic |
| Platforms | Web (browser), iOS App, Android App, Browser Extension | Web; browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Firefox |
Social media scheduler for 12 networks, with a free plan for 3 channels and paid plans billed per channel
WHY PICK IT- Free plan with up to 3 channels, no credit card and the AI Assistant without usage limits
- Paid plans start at $5 per channel per month billed yearly ($6 monthly), and per-channel rates fall after 10 channels
- Publishes to 12 networks: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, Google Business, Mastodon, X and Substack
Pinterest scheduler with keyword research and AI Pin creation, priced per Pinterest account and metered in credits
WHY PICK IT- Built around Pinterest: SmartSchedule time slots, Pin Spacing (7 days apart by default), interval scheduling across boards, and Rich, Carousel and Simplified Pins
- Bulk tools: upload up to 100 images at once, CSV import that also takes video Pins, and browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox
- Modular pricing: buy scheduling, SEO or engagement on its own, and the help center publishes a credit price list for the main actions (as of September 29, 2026)
The verdict
Choose Buffer if Pinterest is one of several networks you post to, Instagram included. Essentials is $5 /month per channel billed yearly or $6 monthly. You set the board, title, description and link for each Pin, can schedule photo, GIF and video Pins, including to a board marked secret, and the Free plan connects up to 3 channels. Expect basic Pinterest analytics, and no Pinterest comment replies in the community inbox.
Choose Tailwind if Pinterest is the channel that sends you traffic and you want tools built for it. Tailwind offers SmartSchedule time slots, and Pin Spacing keeps Pins that link to the same URL 7 days apart by default. It also has interval scheduling across boards and CSV bulk upload that includes video Pins, and sells Keyword Research with Pinterest search volume in the separate Pinterest SEO tool ($11.99/mo on Annual). Pin Scheduling & Creation is $17.99/mo on Annual or $29.99/mo on Monthly per Pinterest account, with 300 credits a month at 1 credit per scheduled Pin.
Bottom line: If Pinterest is one channel among several, Buffer covers it for $5 a month per channel on yearly billing, and Tailwind's plans for new accounts cannot take on the rest. If Pinterest is the job and you want Pinterest-only tools such as Pin Spacing and SmartPin, Tailwind is the specialist, at $17.99 a month per Pinterest account on yearly billing.
