Buffer vs Hootsuite:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Hootsuite had more branded searches than Buffer among social media scheduling tools worldwide. Hootsuite was estimated to have 125K branded searches compared to Buffer’s 112K, and held a 32.3% Share of Search versus Buffer’s 28.9%. Worldwide · English terms: these are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Hootsuite?
Compare tools for planning, scheduling, and publishing social media posts, measured through worldwide English-language branded search demand. 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.
Share of Search by month for Hootsuite, Buffer. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Hootsuite | Buffer | Sprout Social | Planoly | Loomly | Later |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 46% | 7.5% | 29.1% | 5.9% | 7.2% | 4.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 50.8% | 6.6% | 26.4% | 5.4% | 6.6% | 4.2% |
| Dec 2025 | 48.8% | 9% | 25.5% | 6.3% | 6.3% | 4.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 52.8% | 9.1% | 22.9% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 3.9% |
| Feb 2026 | 50.7% | 13.2% | 21.5% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 4% |
| Mar 2026 | 47.3% | 13% | 24.4% | 5% | 6% | 4.4% |
| Apr 2026 | 43.6% | 18% | 22.1% | 5.5% | 6.5% | 4.3% |
| May 2026 | 42.2% | 19.1% | 23.9% | 4.8% | 5.7% | 4.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 41% | 20.3% | 23.7% | 4.7% | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Jul 2026 | 29.5% | 35.8% | 22.5% | 3.8% | 4.4% | 4% |
| Aug 2026 | 32.3% | 28.9% | 24.8% | 5% | 4.9% | 4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Buffer and Hootsuite comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 2 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Buffer took it in July 2026, Hootsuite took it in August 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, Hootsuite’s estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide moved from 46% to 32.3%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 224K to 125K.
How did search popularity change for social media scheduling tools worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
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, Buffer lost estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide, from 35.8% to 28.9%.
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
23 branded 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
- Buffer.com
Hootsuite
40 branded search terms
- hoot suite com
- hootsuite
- hootsuite ads
- hootsuite advertising
- hootsuite analytics
- hootsuite app
- hootsuite application
- hootsuite cost
- hootsuite enterprise
- hootsuite for nonprofits
- hootsuite insights
- hootsuite media
- hootsuite planner
- hootsuite plans
- hootsuite plans and pricing
- hootsuite pricing
- hootsuite pricing plans
- hootsuite professional plan
- hootsuite reports
- hootsuite sentiment analysis
- hootsuite social
- hootsuite social listening
- hootsuite social listening tool
- hootsuite social marketing
- hootsuite social media
- hootsuite social media analytics
- hootsuite social media listening
- hootsuite social media management
- hootsuite social media manager
- hootsuite social media marketing
- hootsuite social media monitoring
- hootsuite social media planner
- hootsuite social media scheduler
- hootsuite social media scheduling
- hootsuite social media tools
- hootsuite social monitoring
- professional plan hootsuite
- social listening on hootsuite
- social media analytics hootsuite
- social media plan hootsuite
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.