Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Buffer
Score 7.7 out of 10
Small Businesses (1-50 employees)
Buffer is a social sharing tool. When browsing content, clicking on the Buffer icon automatically stores the content and schedules posts to social media channels throughout the day.
$6
per month per channel
Later Social
Score 7.7 out of 10
N/A
Later (formerly Latergramme) in Vancouver offers an Instagram focused social media marketing platform, which supports the planning and scheduling of content to Instagram, as well as Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.
$25
per month
Semrush
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
Semrush is a relatively popular search engine optimization tool set from the company of the same name based in Pennsylvania and founded in 2008. Largely the platforms relies on competitive intelligence, and features SEO staples like backlink checking, keyword analysis to refine SEO and PPC campaigning and locate low-cost / high-yield keywords, analysis of competitors who co-occupy desired ad and listing spaces, domain vs. domain analysis, as well as site audit and domain tracking. Semrush can…
$139.95
per month
Pricing
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Editions & Modules
Free
$0
Essentials
$6
per month per channel
Team
$12
per month per channel
Starter
$25
per month
Growth
$50
per month
Scale
$100
per month
Enterprise
Contact Sales
Pro
$139.95
per month
Guru
$249.95
per month
Business
$499.95
per month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Free Trial
YesYesYes
Free/Freemium Version
YesNoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup feeOptional
Additional DetailsA discount is offered for annual billing.33% discount available for annual subscription.17% discount for annual pricing.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Considered Multiple Products
Buffer
Chose Buffer
Buffer keeps it simple. It was great for when I worked at smaller companies and also for when I have done freelance social media work. Put it this way, Buffer is an accessible tool. The functionality is basic and intuitive so anyone can learn to use it. They also have a free …
Chose Buffer
Buffer has a clear, easy to use interface and a reliable scheduling calendar.
Chose Buffer
Initially we selected Buffer because it is an effective tool for a low cost, especially compared to Sprout Social.

It’s pared down and doesn’t have as many bells and whistles but that is nice when you want to simply accomplish posting.
Chose Buffer
Buffer is much more affordable than some of the other apps we have tried! It also is more user-friendly, the support was quick to help and respond, and we had more success with posts.
Chose Buffer
Buffer keeps things simple. It took a highly sought after feature (social scheduling) and unbundled it from the more complex social tools out there.
Later Social
Chose Later Social
As a social media manager I find that Buffer, Hootsuite and Sproutsocial are superior to all features available on Later.
Semrush
Chose Semrush
SEMRush is a sort of one-stop-shop for SEO and SEM purposes. Moz is a great tool for website evaluations and backlink pursuit, but it is limited in its ability to actually make marked improvements to your website. Buffer is a great social media management tool, but it has …
Features
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Publishing
Comparison of Publishing features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
7.9
77 Ratings
2% below category average
Later Social
8.7
2 Ratings
7% above category average
Semrush
-
Ratings
Content planning and scheduling8.677 Ratings10.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Content optimization7.470 Ratings8.22 Ratings00 Ratings
Workflow management7.866 Ratings8.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Reporting/analytics
Comparison of Reporting/analytics features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
7.1
70 Ratings
8% below category average
Later Social
4.0
1 Ratings
63% below category average
Semrush
-
Ratings
Campaign success analytics7.170 Ratings4.01 Ratings00 Ratings
Account management
Comparison of Account management features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
8.3
72 Ratings
4% above category average
Later Social
6.8
2 Ratings
15% below category average
Semrush
-
Ratings
Role-based user permissions & privileges8.559 Ratings00 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile access8.168 Ratings6.82 Ratings00 Ratings
Channel coverage/integration
Comparison of Channel coverage/integration features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
-
Ratings
Later Social
8.8
2 Ratings
5% above category average
Semrush
-
Ratings
Twitter00 Ratings7.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Facebook00 Ratings8.62 Ratings00 Ratings
LinkedIn00 Ratings8.22 Ratings00 Ratings
Instagram00 Ratings10.02 Ratings00 Ratings
Pinterest00 Ratings10.01 Ratings00 Ratings
YouTube00 Ratings8.82 Ratings00 Ratings
SEO
Comparison of SEO features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
-
Ratings
Later Social
-
Ratings
Semrush
7.9
154 Ratings
3% above category average
Keyword analysis00 Ratings00 Ratings8.6154 Ratings
Backlink management00 Ratings00 Ratings8.3147 Ratings
SERP ranking tracking00 Ratings00 Ratings8.3150 Ratings
Page grader00 Ratings00 Ratings7.6129 Ratings
Competitive analysis00 Ratings00 Ratings8.5149 Ratings
Site audit / diagnostics00 Ratings00 Ratings8.0150 Ratings
Site recommendations00 Ratings00 Ratings7.6139 Ratings
Task management00 Ratings00 Ratings6.691 Ratings
SEO Channels
Comparison of SEO Channels features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
-
Ratings
Later Social
-
Ratings
Semrush
8.2
140 Ratings
8% above category average
Local SEO00 Ratings00 Ratings8.1128 Ratings
Social SEO00 Ratings00 Ratings8.0106 Ratings
Mobile SEO00 Ratings00 Ratings8.3113 Ratings
Global SEO00 Ratings00 Ratings8.2114 Ratings
SEO Platform & Account Management
Comparison of SEO Platform & Account Management features of Product A and Product B
Buffer
-
Ratings
Later Social
-
Ratings
Semrush
8.5
125 Ratings
1% above category average
Multi-domain support00 Ratings00 Ratings8.2115 Ratings
Integration with web analytics tools00 Ratings00 Ratings8.8119 Ratings
Best Alternatives
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Small Businesses
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
Score 10.0 out of 10
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
Score 10.0 out of 10
Nozzle
Nozzle
Score 10.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
Score 10.0 out of 10
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
CoSchedule Marketing Suite
Score 10.0 out of 10
Advanced Web Ranking
Advanced Web Ranking
Score 8.2 out of 10
Enterprises
Social Suite by Reputation.com
Social Suite by Reputation.com
Score 9.4 out of 10
Social Suite by Reputation.com
Social Suite by Reputation.com
Score 9.4 out of 10
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Dupli Checker (DupliChecker.com)
Score 8.5 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Likelihood to Recommend
7.9
(96 ratings)
10.0
(17 ratings)
8.2
(154 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.0
(15 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(3 ratings)
Usability
8.4
(33 ratings)
10.0
(4 ratings)
8.0
(10 ratings)
Availability
8.2
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Performance
8.0
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
7.0
(24 ratings)
9.0
(9 ratings)
9.9
(17 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.0
(3 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Configurability
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Product Scalability
8.6
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
BufferLater SocialSemrush
Likelihood to Recommend
Buffer
It helps me save hours by devoting only half an hour in a month's worth of posting, in addition to that it is quite simple to use. Buffer for scheduling social posts well in advance, but I have begun using it instead of posting natively on the social apps themselves because it makes it super easy to post the same messages to more than one platform.
Read full review
Later
The free version is more than enough for personal use. But if you have a small business or if you're trying to grow your brand, it's better to use one of the premium plans. It's worth it. Later is especially useful if you manage multiple accounts for multiple brands/companies because you'll be managing everything with just one tool
Read full review
Semrush
This is suited to plan for keywords in a single market, but it struggles when you need to consolidate several markets. It is well-suited to discover new keywords directly related to the ones being used currently to expand the content the company is creating to get better results.
Read full review
Pros
Buffer
  • I can plan and publish content on social channels.
  • Buffer's interface is quite tidy and generates the necessary facilities to save us time in publishing consistent content.
  • It has a special price; it is pretty affordable.
  • It has the possibility of integrating with other tools to improve its functions.
Read full review
Later
  • Later's easy upload feature (drag and drop) is incredibly helpful, especially for multiple images and videos.
  • The drag and drop option for scheduling content is easy, and images and videos load rather quickly depending on size.
  • Captions can be saved if there are posts or common phrases that repeated and shared out from the content.
Read full review
Semrush
  • Great visuals for keyword position tracking, love that you can see the page that is ranking
  • Enjoyed the auto-generated reporting feature (specifically in the context of keyword position tracking)
  • Shows many different and useful views for competitive research
  • Great templated keyword research tools for those who are not as hands-on with SEO
  • I LOVE the Keyword Magic Tool for honing in on longtail, high-opportunity keywords
Read full review
Cons
Buffer
  • Expensive Analytics: The upgrade you need to access your analytics is quite expensive, and I have come across other tools that provide the same or even more for a lesser priced plan.
  • No Media Library: The one feature I have found on another social media planning tool that I wish Buffer had is a media library. This allows you to upload photos you aren't using right away to have them readily available when you do decide to use them. This is not a feature in Buffer.
Read full review
Later
  • I wish I could edit the look and feel of my pictures within Later a little easier. There are standard filters, but for brand sake, I need everything to be consistent.
  • I wish there was a direct integration with things like Canva and Lightroom to make uploading and editing my images seamless.
  • The biggest thing I wish Later did was allowing a better threshold for the free accounts. All of the helpful and useful features are for paid only (video posts, multi-image posts, analytics, etc). I can't justify the cost for just a few posts a month. I end up doing all of the video and multi-image posts manually, which lately has me questioning the benefit of Later's free version as a small business.
Read full review
Semrush
  • Extra seats can be expensive, as [an] agency with multiple team members this can be frustrating
  • Backlink data is not great, misses out a lot of backlinks (better off using a specialist backlink tool like Link research tools LRT)
  • Tracking multiple keywords, across multiple clients can be costly
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Buffer
I am giving buffer this rating because of a couple issues that it has compared to other platforms. It does not always post to instagram and you will need to go in an manually post. Also, one of the biggest qualms that we have with buffer is the price it costs to have robust analytics
Read full review
Later
No answers on this topic
Semrush
I [previously] used Semrush for many years and I cannot find any other tool being so complete and easy to use.
Read full review
Usability
Buffer
We use Buffer for certain website content that should be shared on social networks, having this tool helps us to do it faster and easier since we can send the publications from the internet browser and the stack of scheduled messages. It is really fast and easy for all team members who share access to the account, so at the same time that we analyze the information that we can share, the message stack is prepared
Read full review
Later
The desktop site is almost perfect, I love it. I love that I can drag and drop, I love that I can easily and quickly switch to analytics and switching profiles... love the ease of link in bio. so great!
Read full review
Semrush
The interface is a little less intuitive than it could be. The data is often available but filtering and manipulating the data can be a little difficult at times. Expanded comparisons would be helpful since most of the time seeing more than a few competitors at a time allows for a better sense of how to forecast.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Buffer
Buffer is always on hand and very reliable, their software suite rarely has outages
Read full review
Later
No answers on this topic
Semrush
Semrush available when you need it!
Read full review
Performance
Buffer
Buffer performs well on both desktop and mobile platforms. The one area as I have stated before is that it does not always want to automatically push to Instagram and the user will have to go do it manually. Buffer works very well pushing to other platforms. The instagram issue is the only reason buffer does not get a 10 on this section
Read full review
Later
No answers on this topic
Semrush
SemRush performs well with few errors!
Read full review
Support Rating
Buffer
  1. It really helped to my business to grow online.
  2. I was able to take actions mindfully as the analytics are damn good.
  3. Also used for managing clients social media accounts and it proved to be a best resource.
  4. Clients were really happy as they got high demand and growth on internet and the secret is Buffer.
  5. The user interface is really easy to understand and manage. Support is 24/7 available to help.
Read full review
Later
Later are not just a software tool, they also provide marketing advice, tips, and tutorials via their blog. I’ve only had to reach out to them for help a few times and have found them to respond much faster than other tools in their category. I receive weekly emails with updates, marketing tips and invites to online events. I look forward to their emails as I’ve learned a lot of things that I’ve been able to actually implement.
Read full review
Semrush
I'm in a FB group for Semrush paid users and it amazing! They are fast to respond, take suggestions and help with questions. I have not felt alone in using this product at all. Highly recommend their support team. When I had an issue I can jump into the group and they will help get me the right person to help or even tag their programmers to look at something that is going on. Love the group!
Read full review
Implementation Rating
Buffer
We were very satisfied with the implementation of Buffer. We had no issues switching from the platform that we were using over to buffer. Our staff did not even miss a beat when it came to posting content. It was an easy transition and I feel that is something that buffer has really done well. They have an "out of the box" usability platform
Read full review
Later
No answers on this topic
Semrush
I did it by myself and do not have a comment!
Read full review
Alternatives Considered
Buffer
I also used Combin which is easy and free to use. However, Combin only posts when the computer is active and connected to the internet. So, posting while you are not actively using your computer at that moment is not possible, therefore Buffer is much more efficient as you can even post while being on vacation without working.
Read full review
Later
I went with Later for the lower cost subscription. The Hootsuite copy features is missed, but Later has hashtag suggestions which is nice. I really need something to post across multiple platforms. I also needed the ability to schedule more than the 5 free scheduled posts offered by Hootsuite. Later has been working great for what I need it to do to support my small event promotion business.
Read full review
Semrush
We have used both Ahrefs and Semrush extensively at our agency and Semrush remains the tool of choice. We find that Semrush has the largest selection of tools & features to use, with the highest accuracy, and provides top-tier analysis recommendations. It's really is the ultimate all-in-one tool when comparing other performance measurement tools in the digital marketing space.
Read full review
Scalability
Buffer
Buffer does what it say on tin as they say! you can always count on Buffer. Buffer can be scale to 25 social account with 2,000 scheduled post which is enough for most agencies or businesses
Read full review
Later
No answers on this topic
Semrush
Semrush is flexible and scalable software which can be deployed across multiple departments and sites as needed.
Read full review
Return on Investment
Buffer
  • It has saved money by allowing us to automate our social using one person
  • It allows us to connect one channel at a time instead of wasting money on larger account management tools
  • We are making money, because it has already delivered several clients
Read full review
Later
  • Increased social media involvement - Since utilizing Later and another social media scheduling tool, we have seen our growth rise as much as 12% in just a few months. This includes followers, likes, and engagement. This is huge for us since social media is a great way to generate new customers and increase brand awareness.
  • Easier reporting - Analytics tools on most of the big three (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) are pretty limited. Later is a great way to take a look at our Analytics, and it makes it easy to understand the numbers.
Read full review
Semrush
  • Using Semrush on behalf of our clients, we have seen some impressive growth in organic visibility, traffic, conversion and revenue, across multiple industries.
  • The site checks available with Semrush have helped us to pitch and sell our services, securing new clients.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Buffer Screenshots

Screenshot of The Buffer dashboardScreenshot of Customizable posting scheduleScreenshot of Tailored PostsScreenshot of List or calendar view of scheduled postsScreenshot of Browser extensionScreenshot of Social media analytics