--- title: "Buffer vs Hootsuite: Which is searched more?" description: "Is Buffer or Hootsuite more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media management tools 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-management-tools/compare/buffer-vs-hootsuite" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Buffer vs Hootsuite: Which is searched more? Is Buffer or Hootsuite more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media management tools 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 Hootsuite - **Competitive set**: Social media management tools - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Buffer Share of Search**: 18.8% - **Hootsuite Share of Search**: 11.3% ## Is Buffer or Hootsuite more popular in search? - In September 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Hootsuite among social media management tools worldwide. Buffer had about 188,000 branded searches, while Hootsuite had 113,000. Buffer made up 18.8% of all social media management tool searches we track, and Hootsuite accounted for 11.3%. - The lead changed hands 3 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Buffer took it in July 2026, Hootsuite took it in August 2026, Buffer took it in September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Buffer’s share of searches among social media management tools worldwide moved from 3.1% to 18.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.4K to 188K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Hootsuite’s share of searches among social media management tools worldwide moved from 23.5% to 11.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 207K to 113K. ## Top social media management tools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Buffer and Hootsuite were each mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Buffer was listed before Hootsuite in three out of four answers. 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Buffer | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Sprout Social | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Hootsuite | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | Metricool | 4th | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Agorapulse | 5th | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Later | 6th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Planable | 7th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Sprinklr | 8th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Loomly | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | | SocialPilot | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about social media management tools - Asked ChatGPT "Which social media management tool should I use?": 1. Buffer, 2. Metricool, 3. Later, 4. Agorapulse, 5. Sprout Social, 6. Hootsuite - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best social media management tools?": 1. Buffer, 2. Metricool, 3. Later, 4. Sprout Social, 5. Hootsuite, 6. Planable - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best social media management tool for a marketing team?": 1. Sprout Social, 2. Hootsuite, 3. Agorapulse, 4. Buffer, 5. Planable, 6. Sprinklr - Searched Google, AI Overview "social media management tools": 1. Buffer, 2. Hootsuite, 3. Sprout Social, 4. Metricool, 5. Agorapulse - Searched Google, AI Overview "schedule instagram posts": named none of the brands we track Not named in any answer: Loomly and 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 management tools worldwide in September 2026? - In September 2026, Buffer overtook Hootsuite to rank 2nd among social media management tools worldwide, with 18.8% of the searches. - In September 2026, Hootsuite lost share of searches among social media management tools worldwide, from 13.7% to 11.3%. ## Month by month | Month | Buffer estimated searches | Buffer Share of Search | Buffer rank | Hootsuite estimated searches | Hootsuite Share of Search | Hootsuite rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 27.4K | 3.1% | 6 | 207K | 23.5% | 2 | | Nov 2025 | 21.9K | 2.7% | 8 | 207K | 25.3% | 2 | | Dec 2025 | 24.2K | 3.2% | 5 | 170K | 22.4% | 2 | | Jan 2026 | 36.1K | 4.1% | 5 | 251K | 28.5% | 2 | | Feb 2026 | 50K | 6.1% | 5 | 207K | 25.3% | 2 | | Mar 2026 | 54.6K | 5.8% | 5 | 207K | 22% | 2 | | Apr 2026 | 70K | 7.9% | 5 | 171K | 19.2% | 2 | | May 2026 | 68.1K | 8.1% | 5 | 147K | 17.5% | 2 | | Jun 2026 | 65.7K | 7.8% | 5 | 156K | 18.4% | 2 | | Jul 2026 | 140K | 16% | 2 | 113K | 13% | 3 | | Aug 2026 | 100K | 12.2% | 3 | 113K | 13.7% | 2 | | Sep 2026 | 188K | 18.8% | 2 | 113K | 11.3% | 3 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buffer’s and Hootsuite’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. - **Hootsuite**: Measured on the search terms “hootsuite”, “hootsuite ads”, “hootsuite analytics”, “hootsuite app”, “hootsuite application”, “hootsuite enterprise”, “hootsuite for nonprofits”, “hootsuite insights”, “hootsuite media”, “hootsuite reports”, “hootsuite sentiment analysis”, “hootsuite social”, “hootsuite social listening”, “hootsuite social marketing”, “hootsuite social media”, “hootsuite social media listening”, “hootsuite social media marketing”, “hootsuite social media monitoring”, “hootsuite social monitoring” and “social listening on hootsuite”, summed into one figure. - [Buffer profile](/demand/global-en/brands/buffer) - [Hootsuite profile](/demand/global-en/brands/hootsuite) - [All social media management tools worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-management-tools): The set both shares are measured inside, 10 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 Hootsuite more popular in search? In September 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Hootsuite among social media management tools worldwide. Buffer had about 188,000 branded searches, while Hootsuite had 113,000. Buffer made up 18.8% of all social media management tool searches we track, and Hootsuite accounted for 11.3%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Buffer vs Hootsuite: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-management-tools/compare/buffer-vs-hootsuite This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-management-tools/compare/buffer-vs-hootsuite. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.