Buffer vs Shopify: Pricing Comparison (2026)
Buffer starts at $6/mo. Shopify starts at $39/mo. Buffer is $33/mo cheaper on the entry tier than Shopify.
Social media scheduling and analytics from a fully-remote 80-person company known for radical transparency (publishes salaries, revenue publicly). Positioned as the alternative to Hootsuite for small businesses and creators. Distinctive for its calm, no-upsell culture. Priced $6-$120/mo across four tiers. Losing ground to Hootsuite (enterprise) and Later (Instagram-first) but still profitable and cash-generative.
The e-commerce platform that grew from $19/mo startup roots to a $95B market cap public company powering ~10% of all US e-commerce. Positioned as the alternative to running your own e-commerce infrastructure or fighting Amazon's marketplace rules. Distinctive for the 8,000+ app ecosystem plus Shopify Payments (which is where the real margin comes from, on top of $39-$399 subscription). Shopify Plus at $2,300+/mo dominates enterprise e-commerce. Also runs the payment infrastructure for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shopping. Recent 2026 shift raised Basic from $29 to $39 monthly with a new POS Pro add-on at $89/mo per location.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | Buffer monthly | Buffer annual | Shopify monthly | Shopify annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free / Basic | 0 | 0 | 39 | 29 |
| 2 | Essentials / Grow | 6 | 5 | 105 | 79 |
| 3 | Team / Advanced | 12 | 10 | 399 | 299 |
| 4 | Plus | — | — | 2300 | — |
What each is best for
Social media scheduling and analytics from a fully-remote 80-person company known for radical transparency (publishes salaries, revenue publicly). Positioned as the alternative to Hootsuite for small businesses and creators. Distinctive for its calm, no-upsell culture. Priced $6-$120/mo across four tiers. Losing ground to Hootsuite (enterprise) and Later (Instagram-first) but still profitable and cash-generative.
The e-commerce platform that grew from $19/mo startup roots to a $95B market cap public company powering ~10% of all US e-commerce. Positioned as the alternative to running your own e-commerce infrastructure or fighting Amazon's marketplace rules. Distinctive for the 8,000+ app ecosystem plus Shopify Payments (which is where the real margin comes from, on top of $39-$399 subscription). Shopify Plus at $2,300+/mo dominates enterprise e-commerce. Also runs the payment infrastructure for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube Shopping. Recent 2026 shift raised Basic from $29 to $39 monthly with a new POS Pro add-on at $89/mo per location.
At a glance
| Buffer | Shopify | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Entry price | $6/mo | $39/mo |
| Enterprise available | — | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | — |
| Last verified | August 12, 2026 | August 12, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 12, 2026. Tracked daily.