As a reviewer focused on social media management tools, I look for platforms that balance powerful features with ease of use. Having reviewed the public presentations of Buffer and AuthoredUp extensively, I can help you understand which tool fits your specific workflow—and where a more streamlined alternative like PostFlow might be a better fit for creators who prioritize fast content creation.

Emilia Morosini, Chief Content Strategist at PostFlow

Buffer

  • Platform: 10+ platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube
  • Best For: Multi-channel creators, small businesses, agencies
  • Strength: Unified workspace for planning, publishing, and analytics
  • Users: 70,000+ customers

Starting at $5/month per channel

AuthoredUp

  • Platform: LinkedIn only
  • Best For: LinkedIn creators, B2B marketers, personal branding
  • Strength: Rich editor and historical content analysis
  • Users: 2,000+ professionals

Starting at $12.46/month

Looking for a simpler alternative? Try PostFlow for fast LinkedIn post generation. Try out now

At a Glance

Platform Support

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
LinkedIn Full support with scheduling and engagement Exclusive focus with deep editor and analytics
X (Twitter) Full support including threaded posts LinkedIn-only
Facebook & Instagram Comprehensive support with visual calendar Not supported
TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest Support for Shorts, videos, and pins Not supported
Emerging platforms (Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon) Includes Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon Not supported

Content Creation

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
AI-powered post generation Unlimited AI Assistant credits on paid plans No native AI; relies on templates and user input
Rich text editor with formatting Basic editor with hashtag manager Advanced: bold, italics, bullets, emojis, live preview
Drafts and templates Unlimited ideas, drafts, templates on paid plans Unlimited drafts, snippets, 300+ hooks/CTAs
Content reuse suggestions Queue and calendar for reuse Historical posts analysis and 1-click reuse
Visual content tools Custom video covers, integrations with Canva Text-focused; no visual tools

Scheduling & Automation

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
Visual content calendar Visual calendar with queue and drag-and-drop Centralized calendar for LinkedIn posts only
Queue and recurring posts Posting queue and reminder notifications Scheduling but no queue or recurring
Best-time scheduling Best time to post recommendations Best times based on analytics
Threaded/first comment support Threaded posts and first comment scheduling across platforms LinkedIn-specific threading in editor

Engagement & Community

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
Unified inbox Community inbox for replies across platforms with AI replies No inbox; focuses on creation
Saved replies and AI assistance Saved replies and AI for engagement Not available
Comment insights Comment insights in inbox Engagement tracked in analytics only

Analytics & Reporting

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
Basic analytics Basic on free; advanced on paid In-depth impressions, engagement, growth
Advanced insights Best time, demographics, custom reports Follower growth, best times, historical analysis
Branded/custom reports Branded reports with UTM parameters CSV export for saved posts
Posts table/filtering Performance overview Filters by type, tags, keywords

Collaboration & Agency Features

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
Team workspaces Notes, approvals, permissions on Team plan Sub-accounts and organization management on Business
Approval workflows Custom workflows on Team Draft collaboration on Business
Multi-client management Channel groups for clients Multiple profiles and sub-accounts for agencies

Integrations & Extensions

Feature Buffer AuthoredUp
Chrome extension Browser extension for quick management Extension lives inside LinkedIn for editing
Canva/Unsplash integration Direct integrations for visuals Not available
Zapier/IFTTT Extensive automation integrations Limited; Chrome-focused
Link-in-bio tool Start Page builder Not available
Need a tool that focuses on fast content creation? PostFlow generates LinkedIn posts in under a minute. Try out now

Pricing Comparison

Buffer starts at $0 with a generous free plan and $5/month per channel for paid tiers, offering great value for multi-platform users. AuthoredUp starts at $12.46/month (yearly) focused on LinkedIn, with per-profile pricing for teams that can scale costs.

Buffer

Free

$0/month

Solo creators testing core features

  • Connect up to 3 channels
  • 10 scheduled posts per channel (refill anytime)
  • 100 ideas storage
  • 1 user account
  • AI Assistant included
  • Basic analytics
  • Community inbox
  • World-class customer support
  • Start Page included
  • Reply to comments

Essentials

$5/month per channel

Small businesses needing unlimited scheduling

  • Unlimited scheduled posts per channel
  • Unlimited ideas
  • 1 user account
  • AI Assistant with unlimited credits
  • Advanced analytics
  • Community inbox
  • Hashtag manager
  • First comment scheduling
  • Channel groups
  • Custom video covers

Team

$10/month per channel

Agencies and teams with collaboration needs

  • Unlimited scheduled posts per channel
  • Unlimited ideas
  • Unlimited user accounts
  • AI Assistant with unlimited credits
  • Advanced analytics
  • Community inbox
  • Hashtag manager
  • First comment scheduling
  • Channel groups
  • Custom video covers
  • Notes, approval workflows, custom permissions

AuthoredUp

Individual (Yearly)

$16.63/month

Solo LinkedIn creators

  • 1 LinkedIn profile connection included
  • Billed at $199.50 per year
  • Full editor with formatting and preview
  • Full extension and platform access
  • Unlimited drafts, snippets, and company pages
  • 300+ hooks and post endings
  • Content analytics and performance insights
  • Access to all saved posts in one place

Business (Yearly)

$12.46/month per profile

Agencies managing multiple LinkedIn profiles

  • Minimum 3 LinkedIn profiles
  • Billed at $149.50 per profile per year
  • Everything in the yearly Individual plan
  • Multi‑profile connection and management
  • AuthoredUp sub‑accounts for teams and agencies
  • Organization management for admins
  • Team analytics and reporting
  • Draft collaboration and shared workflows

Individual (Monthly)

$19.95/month

Solo users preferring monthly billing

  • 1 LinkedIn profile connection included
  • Full editor with text styling, bullet points, emojis, and preview
  • Full Chrome extension and web platform access
  • Unlimited drafts, snippets, and company pages
  • 300+ hooks and post endings templates
  • 1‑click post reuse from historical content
  • Content analytics for posts and profile performance

Business (Monthly)

$14.95/month per profile

Teams needing flexible monthly billing

  • Minimum 3 LinkedIn profiles
  • Everything in the Individual plan
  • Connect and manage multiple profiles in one organization
  • AuthoredUp sub‑accounts for team members and clients
  • Organization management for centralized control
  • Team analytics across profiles
  • Draft collaboration between team members

Custom Growth Plan

Custom

Large teams and agencies

  • Fast‑tracked LinkedIn success for teams and agencies
  • Personalized onboarding and setup
  • Dedicated training sessions for teams
  • Flexible invoicing options for procurement processes
  • Custom offer tailored to team size and needs
Want simpler pricing? PostFlow offers straightforward plans focused on fast post creation. Try out now

Feature Deep Dive

Content Creation Capabilities

Buffer

Strengths
  • AI Assistant for unlimited idea generation and drafting on paid plans
  • Unified workspace with ideas, drafts, templates, and board view
  • Hashtag manager, first comment scheduling, and channel groups
  • Integrations with Canva, Unsplash for visuals
  • Mobile apps and browser extension for on-the-go creation
Workflow

Generate ideas with AI → Draft in workspace → Customize with templates → Schedule via queue

AuthoredUp

Strengths
  • Rich editor with bold, italics, bullets, emojis, and live LinkedIn preview
  • Unlimited drafts, snippets, and 300+ hooks/endings/CTAs for inspiration
  • 1-click reuse from historical top-performing content
  • Posts table with filters for pattern discovery
  • Chrome extension for in-LinkedIn editing
Workflow

Save ideas as drafts/snippet → Use templates/hooks → Edit with rich formatting → Preview and schedule

AuthoredUp shines in LinkedIn-specific content creation with advanced formatting and reuse tools, ideal for polished posts. Buffer offers broader AI-assisted creation across platforms but lacks AuthoredUp's depth in text styling and historical analysis. Choose AuthoredUp for LinkedIn expertise; Buffer for multi-channel ideation.

Buffer AI assistant and drafts workspace

Scheduling & Automation

Buffer

Strengths
  • Visual content calendar, queue, and reminder notifications
  • Scheduled posts, threaded posts, first comment automation
  • Channel groups for organized multi-platform scheduling
  • Best time to post based on analytics
  • Unlimited posts on paid plans
Limitations
  • No advanced recurring automation beyond queue
  • Per-channel limits on free plan

AuthoredUp

Strengths
  • Centralized content calendar for published/scheduled LinkedIn posts
  • Best times recommendations from analytics
  • Support for multiple company pages
  • Seamless scheduling via Chrome extension
Limitations
  • LinkedIn-only; no queue or multi-platform automation
  • No threaded post automation beyond editor

Buffer dominates scheduling with multi-platform queue, calendar, and automation features, making it reliable for consistent posting. AuthoredUp provides solid LinkedIn scheduling but lacks breadth and advanced automation. Buffer wins for diverse workflows; AuthoredUp for focused LinkedIn timing.

Analytics & Reporting

Buffer

Strengths
  • Advanced analytics: performance overview, best time, demographics
  • Custom analytics, UTM parameters, branded reports
  • Audience insights across platforms
  • Basic on free; full suite on paid
Limitations
  • Less depth in historical content analysis
  • Multi-platform can dilute single-channel focus

AuthoredUp

Strengths
  • In-depth LinkedIn analytics: impressions, engagement, growth timelines
  • Follower growth tracking, best times, saved-post analysis with filters
  • Posts table for patterns, CSV export
  • Historical collection for reuse suggestions
Limitations
  • LinkedIn-only; no cross-platform reporting
  • No branded reports beyond CSV

AuthoredUp offers superior LinkedIn-specific analytics with historical depth and reuse insights, perfect for optimization. Buffer provides broader multi-platform reporting with demographics and custom UTMs but less granular for one channel. AuthoredUp for LinkedIn pros; Buffer for holistic views.

Buffer advanced analytics dashboard

Engagement & Collaboration

Buffer

Strengths
  • Community inbox for multi-platform replies with AI and saved responses
  • Comment insights and engagement centralization
  • Team plan: notes, approvals, custom permissions
  • Unlimited users on Team
Workflow

Monitor inbox → AI/saved reply → Collaborate via approvals → Track insights

AuthoredUp

Strengths
  • Business plan: sub-accounts, draft collaboration, team analytics
  • Organization management for agencies
  • Multiple profile support under one dashboard
Limitations
  • No unified inbox or direct engagement tools
  • Collaboration limited to drafts

Buffer excels in engagement with a full inbox and AI replies across platforms, plus robust team collaboration. AuthoredUp focuses on draft sharing for LinkedIn teams but lacks engagement handling. Buffer is better for interactive management; AuthoredUp for creation-focused teams.

Buffer community inbox
Prefer a streamlined tool? PostFlow focuses purely on creating great LinkedIn content quickly. Try out now

Use Case Comparison

Solo Creator Managing Multiple Platforms

Buffer 🏆

Excellent

Generous free plan, multi-channel support, AI creation, and scheduling queue ideal for solo multi-platform management.

Best Plan: Free or Essentials ($5/channel)

Score: 9/10

AuthoredUp

Poor

LinkedIn-only; no support for other platforms limits solo creators' needs.

Best Plan: Not suitable

Score: 2/10

Building LinkedIn Personal Brand

Buffer

Good

LinkedIn scheduling and basic analytics work, but lacks deep editor and reuse tools.

Best Plan: Essentials ($5/month)

Score: 7/10

AuthoredUp 🏆

Excellent

Rich editor, templates, historical analysis perfect for consistent, optimized LinkedIn branding.

Best Plan: Individual Yearly ($16.63/month)

Score: 10/10

Small Business for Consistent Posting

Buffer 🏆

Excellent

Multi-platform queue, calendar, and analytics ensure reliable posting without complexity.

Best Plan: Essentials ($5/channel)

Score: 9/10

AuthoredUp

Fair

Great for LinkedIn but ignores other channels small businesses use.

Best Plan: Individual ($19.95/month)

Score: 5/10

B2B Marketer Focused on LinkedIn

Buffer

Good

LinkedIn support with engagement inbox, but not specialized for content depth.

Best Plan: Team ($10/channel) for collaboration

Score: 7/10

AuthoredUp 🏆

Excellent

Tailored for B2B with editor, analytics, and reuse for professional content.

Best Plan: Business Yearly ($12.46/profile)

Score: 10/10

Agency Managing Multiple Clients

Buffer 🏆

Excellent

Team plan with approvals, permissions, and channel groups for client management across platforms.

Best Plan: Team ($10/channel)

Score: 9/10

AuthoredUp

Good

Sub-accounts and multi-profile for LinkedIn clients, but limited to one platform.

Best Plan: Business ($12.46/profile)

Score: 7/10

Content Reuser with Historical Posts

Buffer

Fair

Queue allows reuse, but no deep historical analysis.

Best Plan: Essentials ($5/channel)

Score: 6/10

AuthoredUp 🏆

Excellent

Saved-post analysis, filters, and 1-click reuse optimize historical content.

Best Plan: Individual ($16.63/month)

Score: 10/10

Budget-Conscious Starter User

Buffer 🏆

Excellent

Free plan with 3 channels and core features; low entry to paid.

Best Plan: Free

Score: 10/10

AuthoredUp

Fair

No free plan; starts at $12.46 but trial available; LinkedIn-only.

Best Plan: Individual Yearly ($16.63/month)

Score: 6/10

Sales Team Using LinkedIn for Pipeline

Buffer

Good

Engagement inbox and analytics help track interactions, but no lead-specific tools.

Best Plan: Team ($10/channel)

Score: 7/10

AuthoredUp 🏆

Excellent

Deep analytics and content optimization for engagement-driven pipeline.

Best Plan: Business ($12.46/profile)

Score: 9/10

Marketing Team Needing Analytics

Buffer 🏆

Excellent

Advanced multi-platform analytics, demographics, and reports for team insights.

Best Plan: Team ($10/channel)

Score: 9/10

AuthoredUp

Good

Strong LinkedIn analytics but limited scope for team-wide multi-channel needs.

Best Plan: Business ($12.46/profile)

Score: 7/10

Freelancer Focused on LinkedIn

Buffer

Good

Affordable LinkedIn scheduling and AI, but overkill if not multi-platform.

Best Plan: Essentials ($5/month)

Score: 7/10

AuthoredUp 🏆

Excellent

Cost-effective for solo LinkedIn with editor and insights tailored to freelancers.

Best Plan: Individual ($16.63/month)

Score: 10/10

Enterprise Social Media Team

Buffer 🏆

Good

Scalable with Team plan, but per-channel pricing may escalate; strong collaboration.

Best Plan: Team ($10/channel)

Score: 8/10

AuthoredUp

Fair

Custom plan for LinkedIn, but lacks multi-platform enterprise scale.

Best Plan: Custom Growth Plan

Score: 5/10

Creator Seeking AI-Assisted Creation

Buffer 🏆

Excellent

Unlimited AI credits for ideas and content across platforms.

Best Plan: Essentials ($5/channel)

Score: 9/10

AuthoredUp

Fair

No AI generation; templates help but manual-heavy.

Best Plan: Individual ($16.63/month)

Score: 5/10

Still deciding? PostFlow offers a simple, focused approach to LinkedIn content creation. Try out now

Pros and Cons

Buffer

Pros

  • Clean, intuitive interface approachable for beginners
  • Generous free plan with up to 3 channels and core features
  • Strong multi-channel publishing with visual tools and queue
  • Robust analytics including demographics and best times
  • Community inbox with AI replies for efficient engagement
  • Extensive integrations like Canva, Zapier for expanded workflow
  • Transparent per-channel pricing with unlimited AI on paid plans
  • Mobile and browser support for flexible management

Cons

  • Per-channel pricing expensive for many profiles
  • Advanced collaboration locked to Team plan
  • Learning curve for full management beyond simple posting
  • Analytics may overwhelm casual users
  • Not as specialized for single-platform depth like LinkedIn

AuthoredUp

Pros

  • Purpose-built for LinkedIn with nuanced editor and preview
  • Powerful formatting, unlimited drafts, and 300+ templates
  • Deep analytics with historical analysis and CSV export
  • Chrome extension for seamless in-LinkedIn experience
  • 1-click reuse and pattern discovery from past content
  • Sub-accounts and collaboration for teams/agencies
  • EU hosting and strong privacy for professional use
  • Affordable yearly pricing for solo and business users

Cons

  • Limited to LinkedIn; no multi-platform support
  • No native AI for content generation
  • Interface complex for basic users
  • Per-profile pricing scales for teams
  • Chrome-centric; less accessible on other browsers
  • No engagement inbox or direct reply tools
Want the best of both worlds? Try PostFlow for fast content creation without the complexity. Try out now

Final Verdict

Buffer and AuthoredUp cater to different social media needs. Buffer is a versatile multi-platform tool for scheduling, engagement, and analytics, ideal for broad management. AuthoredUp is a specialized LinkedIn studio for superior content creation and insights, perfect for platform-specific depth.

Choose Buffer for multi-platform versatility and engagement. Opt for AuthoredUp if LinkedIn is central to your strategy. For hybrid needs, combine them: AuthoredUp for LinkedIn creation, Buffer for distribution and interaction.

Overall Scores

Buffer

4.4 / 5.0

LinkedIn Focus: 7/10

Content Creation: 8/10

Multi-Platform: 10/10

Value: 9/10

AuthoredUp

4.6 / 5.0

LinkedIn Focus: 10/10

Content Creation: 10/10

Value: 7/10

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