Buffer vs Mark
Buffer vs Mark: scheduling you already write, versus drafts a person reviews before they go out.
Buffer schedules and publishes social posts you write, across a dozen networks [1][3]. Mark is a supervised content engine with analytics: it drafts the posts and website pages, a person approves them, and Mark tracks how they perform in search and AI answers so the next draft improves. This page helps you decide which fits how your team publishes.
The short answer
Choose Mark if
- You want posts drafted for you, not only scheduled.
- You want to see each week whether AI assistants name you or a competitor on your buyers' questions.
- You want a draft held when a fact has no source, until someone confirms it.
Choose Buffer if
- You already write your posts and need a dependable queue. The Free plan includes 10 scheduled posts per channel [1].
- You post to Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, Google Business or Substack, which Buffer supports [3].
- You want to start free today. Mark opens seats through a waitlist [1].
Human Approval
Mark: A person reviews each post by default. Mark does not publish on its own unless you configure it that way, and a draft with a missing source is held either way.
Buffer: Drafts exist on every plan. On the Team plan, teammates set to Needs Approval submit drafts, and owners or Full Access members approve them before they go to the queue [1][2].
Three differences that matter
Who writes the post
Mark: Mark drafts posts and pages from your brand's confirmed facts. A person edits and approves them.
Buffer: You write the post. Buffer's AI Assistant, included on every plan, helps with ideas and rewrites [1].
Which networks each covers
Mark: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube, plus website pages sent to your CMS.
Buffer: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, Bluesky, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest, Google Business, Mastodon, X and Substack [3].
What you learn afterward
Mark: Post metrics come back into Mark. Every week, Mark also asks your buyer questions on six AI engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Claude and Perplexity) and records whether each answer names you, names a competitor, or cites your pages.
Buffer: Insights shows how your posts perform. Paid plans can export Insights as CSV, Markdown or PDF [4].
Pricing
Buffer prices were checked on buffer.com/pricing on 2026-10-23 [1].
Mark
- Plan: Starter
- Price: $79/mo
- Start: Waitlist
Buffer
- Plan: Free, Essentials, Team
- Price: Free; Essentials $5/mo per channel and Team $10/mo per channel, billed yearly ($6 and $12 billed monthly)
- Start: Free plan, or a 14-day trial on paid plans
Next step
If you want drafts a person approves, and tracking that shows what worked, join the waitlist at https://use-mark.com.
Sources
- Buffer pricing on buffer.com/pricing, checked 2026-10-23: Free with 10 scheduled posts per channel; Essentials $5/mo and Team $10/mo per channel billed yearly; monthly billing $6 and $12 per channel; 14-day trial on paid plans; AI Assistant on every plan; content approval workflows on Team only.
- Buffer support, Managing and approving draft posts, checked 2026-10-23: drafts on all plans; approving drafts on the Team plan.
- Buffer homepage, buffer.com, checked 2026-10-23: supported networks.
- Buffer support, Using Insights, checked 2026-10-23: CSV, Markdown and PDF export on paid plans.
Questions
Is Buffer cheaper than Mark?
Usually, yes. Buffer has a Free plan, and its paid plans are $5 or $10 a month per channel billed yearly [1]. Mark Starter is $79 a month. Buffer charges to schedule posts you write; Mark's price covers drafting the posts, approval, and search and AI-answer tracking.
Can Buffer write posts for me?
Buffer's AI Assistant, included on every plan, helps with ideas and rewrites, but you write and schedule the post [1]. Mark drafts the post from your brand's confirmed facts, and a person approves it before it goes out.
Does Buffer have an approval step?
Yes, on the Team plan. Teammates set to Needs Approval submit drafts, and owners or Full Access members approve them before they reach the queue [1][2]. In Mark, a person reviews each post by default, and a draft with a missing source is held either way.
Which networks does each support?
Buffer supports a dozen networks, including Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, Google Business and Substack [3]. Mark publishes to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube, and sends website pages to your CMS.
Can I start with Mark today?
A Mark seat opens through the waitlist at use-mark.com. Buffer offers a Free plan and a 14-day trial on paid plans [1].