maebe vs. Buffer
Buffer is the lean scheduler for many channels. maebe is built for the path from raw material to approved post — with PIN client approvals, hosting in Germany and AI from the EU.
In short
For anyone whose posts get approved by someone else — and anyone who wants their data in Germany.
Buffer is based in San Francisco and its privacy policy names no storage location. maebe stores at Hetzner in Germany, runs AI in France and puts client approvals in every plan. You can start for free with either.
maebe fits if …
Honestly: if you post to many channels on your own and cheaply, Buffer is hard to beat.
Eleven networks, a free plan with three channels, per-channel pricing from $5. If you don’t need approvals and post to Mastodon, Bluesky or Google Business Profile, Buffer is the right place.
Stay with Buffer if …
Facts
Verifiable facts only — everything about Buffer comes from the provider’s public pages, checked on 15 September 2026.
| Criterion | maebe | Buffer |
|---|---|---|
| Company & data | ||
| Headquarters | Germany | Buffer, Inc., San Francisco, USA |
| Where your data is stored | Stored in Germany (Hetzner); images and videos are delivered via the Bunny CDN (EU provider, edge servers worldwide) | Not stated in the privacy policy (as of 15 September 2026); refers to the Data Privacy Framework for EU data |
| AI provider | Mistral AI (France, EU) | Not named on the public pages (as of 15 September 2026) |
| Approvals & collaboration | ||
| Approval workflow | In every plan, including Free | Team plan only (“Content approval workflows”) |
| Client approval without an account | Via link and PIN | Approval workflow for team members (Team plan: unlimited members) |
| Users | Included in the plan (Solo 1, Pro 3 per team, Studio unlimited) | Free/Essentials 1 user account, Team unlimited |
| AI & integrations | ||
| AI writing assistant | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server for AI clients | From Pro | Mentioned on the website (“Social Media MCP”) |
| Networks | ||
| Connectable networks | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Threads, YouTube, Bluesky, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, XING | Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Threads, Pinterest, Google Business Profile, Bluesky, Mastodon |
| Pricing & getting started | ||
| Free entry | Free plan: 1 team, 1 project, 5 GB, PIN approvals, media pools — plus a 14-day trial of all features | Free plan: up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user account |
| Smallest paid plan | Solo €19.90 per month, incl. VAT | Essentials $5 per channel per month ($60 per year, “save 2 months”) |
| Smallest plan with an approval workflow | Free (€0) | Team $10 per channel per month ($120 per year) |
| Price scaling | By plan, team members included, euros incl. VAT | Per channel, US dollars; VAT added for UK consumers |
Source: Buffer pricing page, as of 15 September 2026.
The difference
Most scheduling tools start in the calendar: pick a slot, fill in content. maebe flips that. Material lands in the media pool, gets curated with a traffic light, posts emerge from the good stuff — and only then comes the date, suggested by AI if you like.
Your client gets a link, sees the post exactly as it will go live and confirms by PIN. In every plan, even the free one. In Buffer, approval workflows exist only on the Team plan.
Separate accounts, media and permissions per client. Posting to the wrong client is structurally impossible, and new colleagues only see their own clients.
maebe is deliberately not a business cockpit. Planning, approving, publishing — every task has its place, and clients need no training to approve. Buffer, in turn, deliberately stays a lean scheduler for many channels.
maebe learns from your own texts and your briefing. Caption drafts sound like you or your client, not like a generic prompt — processed by Mistral AI in France.
Best posting times from your own performance, complemented by the field of similar accounts. With Radar (from Pro) you also keep an eye on competitors.
German law, privacy policy and data processing agreement in German, storage at Hetzner in Germany, AI by Mistral from France. For clients with data-protection requirements that’s one line in the contract instead of a discussion.
Team members are included in the plan, clients pay nothing to approve and need no account. Prices in euros incl. VAT, German-language interface, German support. The price grows with your setup, not with every new colleague.
To be fair
Eleven networks
Including X, Pinterest, Mastodon, Bluesky and Google Business Profile. If you spread wide, Buffer has more connections.
Cheap per channel
From $5 per channel per month. For solo users with two or three channels and no approval needs, that’s hard to undercut.
Free plan with three channels
Three channels, ten scheduled posts per channel, forever. maebe’s Free has one project and 5 GB, but approvals and pools.
Pricing
maebe
Free
For trying things out and small setups — without AI.
1 team · 1 person per team · 1 project · 5 GB storage
Solo
For solo creatives running their own feed.
1 team · 1 person per team · 3 projects · 150 GB storage
Pro
For small teams posting regularly.
3 teams · 3 people per team · 10 projects · 250 GB storage
Studio
For setups with many teams and roles.
8 teams · unlimited people · unlimited projects · 500 GB storage
All maebe prices per month incl. VAT, cancel monthly. 14-day free trial, no card.
Start freeBuffer
Free
Up to 3 channels, 10 scheduled posts per channel, 1 user
Essentials
Per channel, 1 user account, no approval workflow
Team
Per channel, unlimited members, with approval workflow
All Buffer prices in US dollars per channel per month.
The pricing page lists “$5 /month” and “$10 /month” next to “$60 / $120 billed yearly (save 2 months)”; no separate monthly-billing figure is shown.
Source: Buffer pricing page, as of 15 September 2026.
buffer.com/pricing
· Something out of date? Let us know.
FAQ
For agencies whose clients approve posts, yes. Buffer offers approval workflows only on the Team plan, for team members. maebe creates a team per client and lets clients approve via link and PIN, no account, from the Free plan.
No. Clients open an approval link, see the post in preview and confirm with a PIN. If you like, you can also add clients as team members.
There is no automatic import. You reconnect your social accounts in maebe, upload your material to media pools and plan from there. Posts scheduled in Buffer keep running independently until you stop them there.
Yes. Free includes one team, one project, 5 GB of storage, client approvals with PIN and media pools, without AI features. You can also try all features for 14 days without a payment method; after that you continue on Free automatically.
Stored on Hetzner servers in Germany; images and videos are delivered via the Bunny CDN. AI features run via Mistral AI in France, payments through an EU provider. Details are in the privacy policy.
Buffer is a trademark of Buffer, Inc., San Francisco. maebe has no business relationship with Buffer. All information about Buffer comes from the provider’s publicly accessible pages (pricing, home, privacy policy), checked on 15 September 2026, and may have changed since. Only the provider’s own statements are binding.
maebe vs. Buffer
Try all features for 14 days, then continue on Free at no cost. No card.
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