Buffer vs Zernio (2026): Scheduler App vs Social API

Short answer

Pick Buffer if you and your team want an app to plan and schedule posts, with a free plan, an AI Assistant and approvals on Team. Pick Zernio if you are building posting, analytics, comments or messaging into your own software through one API, with the first 2 accounts free. At 10 accounts, Zernio costs $48 a month (8 × $6) and Buffer Essentials $60 (10 × $6).

Prices checked on November 2, 2026, monthly billing, USD. Pricing pages: Buffer, Zernio.

PostDelegate makes a social media scheduler, so we have a stake. We link every source so you can check. PostDelegate is built on the open-source Postiz project (AGPL-3.0). See /licenses.

At a glance

Buffer compared with Zernio
Feature	Buffer	Zernio
What it is	Hosted schedulersource	Social media API for developerssource
Hosting	Hosted servicesource	Hosted APIsource
Pricing model	Per channel per month; channels above 10 cost less eachsource	Per connected account per month, cheaper per account at volumesource
Plans	Essentials $6 and Team $12 per channel/month for channels 1 to 10; $4 each for channels 11 to 25 and $3 each for 26 to 50source	Accounts 1–2 free, 3–10 $6/month each, 11–100 $3/month each, 101+ $1/month eachsource
Free option	Free plan: 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 usersource	First 2 accounts free, no credit cardsource
Trial	14-day trial of Essentials and Teamsource	Not listed
Networks	12 listed: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon and Substacksource	Social, messaging, blog and ads platforms through one API, including X, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Threads, Reddit, Pinterest and Blueskysource
API	API keys on every plan, with monthly request limits per channelsource	The product is the API: posting, analytics, comments, messaging, ads and webhookssource
MCP for AI agents	MCP server on every plan, including Freesource	MCP server, documented at docs.zernio.com/mcpsource
AI writing	AI Assistant included on every plansource	Not listed
Teams and approvals	Unlimited team members and approval workflows on Team; Free and Essentials have 1 usersource	Not listed

Cost at 3, 10 and 30 accounts

Monthly cost of Buffer and Zernio by number of connected accounts
Accounts	Buffer, per month	Zernio, per month
3	$0 / $18 (Free plan (10 scheduled posts per channel), or Essentials at 3 × $6)source	$6 (2 free + 1 × $6)source
10	$60 (Essentials, 10 × $6 (Team: $120))source	$48 (2 free + 8 × $6)source
30	$135 (Essentials: 10 × $6 + 15 × $4 + 5 × $3 (Team: $195))source	$108 (2 free + 8 × $6 + 20 × $3)source

Monthly billing, before tax. Each figure is worked out from the plan prices on the linked pricing page.

Where PostDelegate fits

PostDelegate is a lighter alternative to both: a scheduler with flat plans from $19, team members from $29 and the API and MCP server on every plan, with AI on your own assistant or key. It cannot reach Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest or Reddit yet, because those are waiting on platform approval, and X is not available. Every plan starts with a 7-day trial and no card.

What it is: Hosted scheduler built on Postiz, run by Nasida Apps LLCsource
Price: 7-day free trial, no card, then from $19/month. 3 accounts: $19 (Starter, 5 channels) · 10 accounts: $29 (Team, 10 channels) · 30 accounts: $39 (Pro, 30 channels). Pricing
Live today: 18 networks: YouTube, Bluesky, Mastodon, Google Business Profile, Telegram, Discord, Slack, Tumblr, Lemmy, Nostr, Twitch, Kick, Dribbble, DEV.to, Medium, WordPress, Hashnode, Listmonk (email). Platform status
Waiting on approval: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit. These cannot be connected yet. X is not available.
API and MCP: MCP server on every plan, with sign-in (OAuth) or an API keysource
AI: Bring your own: AI runs on your own OpenAI key or the assistant you connect over MCP; PostDelegate never charges for AIsource

The PostDelegate calendar in month view: a sidebar of six connected channels on the left, and scheduled posts laid out across a week of November. — PostDelegate's calendar in month view: the connected channels down the side, and what is scheduled, day by day.

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FAQ

Is Zernio a scheduler like Buffer?

Zernio describes itself as a social media API for developers, covering posting, analytics, comments, messaging, ads and webhooks. Buffer is a hosted scheduler with an AI Assistant on every plan.

Which one is free?

Both have a free tier. Buffer Free covers 3 channels with 10 scheduled posts per channel and one user. Zernio’s first 2 connected accounts are free, with no credit card.

Does Buffer have an API and MCP server?

Yes. Buffer has API keys on every plan, with monthly request limits per channel, and an MCP server on every plan including Free. Zernio also has an MCP server, documented at docs.zernio.com/mcp.

Which is cheaper for 30 accounts?

Zernio, at $108 a month (2 free, 8 × $6 and 20 × $3), against $135 on Buffer Essentials (10 × $6 + 15 × $4 + 5 × $3).

Buffer and Zernio are trademarks of their owners. PostDelegate is not affiliated with or endorsed by either. Last updated 2026-11-07.

Buffer vs Zernio: a scheduler for people or an API for developers?

Short answer

At a glance

Cost at 3, 10 and 30 accounts

Where PostDelegate fits

FAQ

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