--- title: "Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is more popular?" description: "Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media analytics platforms set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-analytics-platforms/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is more popular? Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media analytics platforms set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Buffer and Sprout Social - **Competitive set**: Social media analytics platforms - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Oct 2026 - **Buffer Share of Search**: 2.8% - **Sprout Social Share of Search**: 11.3% ## Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? - In October 2026, Sprout Social had more branded searches than Buffer among social media analytics platforms worldwide. Sprout Social had about 92,300 branded searches, while Buffer had 22,900. Sprout Social made up 11.3% of all social media analytics platform searches we track, and Buffer accounted for 2.8%. - The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending October 2026: Buffer took it in July 2026, Sprout Social took it in October 2026. - Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Buffer’s share of searches among social media analytics platforms worldwide moved from 3.1% to 2.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 21.9K to 22.9K. - Across the 12 months ending October 2026, Sprout Social’s share of searches among social media analytics platforms worldwide moved from 15.9% to 11.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 112K to 92.3K. ## Top social media analytics platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Sprout Social appeared in all five answers. Buffer was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Sprout Social was listed before Buffer in every answer. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Sprout Social | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Metricool | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Agorapulse | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Hootsuite | 4th | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Rival IQ | 5th | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Buffer | 6th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Iconosquare | 7th | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | SocialPilot | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about social media analytics platforms - Asked ChatGPT "Which social media analytics platform should I use?": 1. Metricool, 2. Sprout Social, 3. Hootsuite, 4. Buffer, 5. Agorapulse - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best social media analytics platforms?": 1. Sprout Social, 2. Agorapulse, 3. Metricool, 4. Hootsuite, 5. Buffer, 6. Rival IQ - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best social media analytics platform for performance reporting?": 1. Sprout Social, 2. Metricool, 3. Agorapulse, 4. Hootsuite, 5. Rival IQ - Searched Google, AI Overview "social media analytics platforms": 1. Hootsuite, 2. Sprout Social, 3. Metricool, 4. Agorapulse - Searched Google, AI Overview "best social media analytics tool": 1. Agorapulse, 2. Metricool, 3. Sprout Social, 4. Rival IQ, 5. Iconosquare Not named in any answer: SocialPilot. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in the United States on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for social media analytics platforms worldwide in October 2026? - In October 2026, Hootsuite overtook Buffer to rank 2nd among social media analytics platforms worldwide, with 14% of the searches. - In October 2026, Sprout Social overtook Buffer to rank 3rd among social media analytics platforms worldwide, with 11.3% of the searches. - In October 2026, Buffer lost share of searches among social media analytics platforms worldwide, from 21.3% to 2.8%. ## How has branded search for Buffer and Sprout Social changed worldwide over the last 12 months? | Month | Buffer estimated searches | Buffer Share of Search | Buffer rank | Sprout Social estimated searches | Sprout Social Share of Search | Sprout Social rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Nov 2025 | 21.9K | 3.1% | 5 | 112K | 15.9% | 3 | | Dec 2025 | 24.2K | 3.8% | 4 | 92.1K | 14.3% | 3 | | Jan 2026 | 36.6K | 4.8% | 4 | 112K | 14.8% | 3 | | Feb 2026 | 50.5K | 7.2% | 4 | 92.3K | 13.1% | 3 | | Mar 2026 | 54.6K | 6.8% | 4 | 112K | 14% | 3 | | Apr 2026 | 70.7K | 9.4% | 4 | 92.3K | 12.2% | 3 | | May 2026 | 68.1K | 9.4% | 4 | 92.2K | 12.8% | 3 | | Jun 2026 | 65.7K | 9% | 4 | 92.4K | 12.7% | 3 | | Jul 2026 | 140K | 18.4% | 2 | 92.2K | 12.1% | 4 | | Aug 2026 | 101K | 14.2% | 3 | 92K | 12.9% | 4 | | Sep 2026 | 188K | 21.3% | 2 | 92.4K | 10.5% | 4 | | Oct 2026 | 22.9K | 2.8% | 4 | 92.3K | 11.3% | 3 | ## How are Buffer’s and Sprout Social’s branded searches counted? Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buffer’s and Sprout Social’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **Buffer**: Measured on the search terms “buffer ai”, “buffer app for instagram”, “buffer app instagram”, “buffer app twitter”, “buffer for instagram”, “buffer for twitter”, “buffer instagram scheduling”, “buffer linkedin”, “buffer linkedin scheduling”, “buffer publish”, “buffer scheduling tool”, “buffer social”, “buffer social media”, “buffer social media management” and “buffer social media scheduling”, summed into one figure. - **Sprout Social**: Measured on the search terms “social listening sprout social”, “social media sprout social”, “sprout social”, “sprout social analytics”, “sprout social app”, “sprout social influencers”, “sprout social listening”, “sprout social management”, “sprout social media”, “sprout social platform”, “sprout social reporting”, “sprout social social media” and “sprout social tiktok”, summed into one figure. - [Buffer profile](/demand/global-en/brands/buffer) - [Sprout Social profile](/demand/global-en/brands/sprout-social) - [All social media analytics platforms worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-analytics-platforms): The set both shares are measured inside, 8 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Buffer or Sprout Social more popular in search? In October 2026, Sprout Social had more branded searches than Buffer among social media analytics platforms worldwide. Sprout Social had about 92,300 branded searches, while Buffer had 22,900. Sprout Social made up 11.3% of all social media analytics platform searches we track, and Buffer accounted for 2.8%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is more popular?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-analytics-platforms/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-analytics-platforms/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.