--- title: "Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is more popular by branded search?" description: "Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Sprout Social? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media scheduling 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-scheduling-tools/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is more popular by branded search? Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Sprout Social? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Social media scheduling 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 Sprout Social - **Competitive set**: Social media scheduling tools - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Aug 2026 - **Buffer Share of Search**: 28.9% - **Sprout Social Share of Search**: 24.8% ## Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Sprout Social? - In August 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Sprout Social among social media scheduling tools worldwide. Buffer was estimated to have 112K branded searches compared to Sprout Social’s 95.6K, and held a 28.9% Share of Search versus Sprout Social’s 24.8%. - The lead changed hands once in the 11 months ending August 2026: Buffer took it in July 2026. - Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Buffer’s estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide moved from 7.5% to 28.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 36.4K to 112K. - Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Sprout Social’s estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide moved from 29.1% to 24.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 142K to 95.6K. ## How did search popularity change for social media scheduling tools worldwide in August 2026? - In August 2026, Hootsuite overtook Buffer to take the highest estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide, at 32.3%. - In August 2026, Sprout Social gained estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide, from 22.5% to 24.8%. - In August 2026, Buffer lost estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide, from 35.8% to 28.9%. ## Month by month | Month | Buffer estimated searches | Buffer Share of Search | Buffer rank | Sprout Social estimated searches | Sprout Social Share of Search | Sprout Social rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 36.4K | 7.5% | 3 | 142K | 29.1% | 2 | | Nov 2025 | 28.9K | 6.6% | 4 | 116K | 26.4% | 2 | | Dec 2025 | 33.9K | 9% | 3 | 95.5K | 25.5% | 2 | | Jan 2026 | 46K | 9.1% | 3 | 116K | 22.9% | 2 | | Feb 2026 | 58.9K | 13.2% | 3 | 96.1K | 21.5% | 2 | | Mar 2026 | 62.3K | 13% | 3 | 117K | 24.4% | 2 | | Apr 2026 | 78.1K | 18% | 3 | 96K | 22.1% | 2 | | May 2026 | 77.2K | 19.1% | 3 | 96.5K | 23.9% | 2 | | Jun 2026 | 83.5K | 20.3% | 3 | 97.3K | 23.7% | 2 | | Jul 2026 | 154K | 35.8% | 1 | 96.5K | 22.5% | 3 | | Aug 2026 | 112K | 28.9% | 2 | 95.6K | 24.8% | 3 | | Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ## How each brand is measured 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 app for instagram”, “buffer app instagram”, “buffer app twitter”, “buffer com”, “buffer for instagram”, “buffer for twitter”, “buffer instagram scheduling”, “buffer linkedin”, “buffer linkedin scheduling”, “buffer pricing”, “buffer publish”, “buffer scheduling tool”, “buffer social”, “buffer social management”, “buffer social media”, “buffer social media management”, “buffer social media management tool”, “buffer social media marketing”, “buffer social media marketing tool”, “buffer social media scheduling”, “buffer social media tool”, “buffer social tool” and “Buffer.com”, 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 com”, “sprout social community management”, “sprout social cost”, “sprout social for agencies”, “sprout social for nonprofits”, “sprout social influencer marketing”, “sprout social influencers”, “sprout social link in bio”, “sprout social listening”, “sprout social management”, “sprout social media”, “sprout social media analytics”, “sprout social media management”, “sprout social media monitoring”, “sprout social platform”, “sprout social premium analytics”, “sprout social pricing”, “sprout social reporting”, “sprout social social listening”, “sprout social social media”, “sprout social tiktok” and “sproutsocialcom”, summed into one figure. - [Buffer profile](/demand/global-en/brands/buffer) - [Sprout Social profile](/demand/global-en/brands/sprout-social) - [All social media scheduling tools worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-scheduling-tools): The set both shares are measured inside, 6 brands. ## Methodology - [How is branded search demand measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Sprout Social? In August 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Sprout Social among social media scheduling tools worldwide. Buffer was estimated to have 112K branded searches compared to Sprout Social’s 95.6K, and held a 28.9% Share of Search versus Sprout Social’s 24.8%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Buffer vs Sprout Social: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-scheduling-tools/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/categories/social-media-scheduling-tools/compare/buffer-vs-sprout-social. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.