---
title: "Buffer vs Later: Which is more popular by branded search?"
description: "Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Later? 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/compare/buffer-vs-later"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Buffer vs Later: Which is more popular by branded search?

Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Later? 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 Later
- **Competitive set**: Social media scheduling tools
- **Market**: Global
- **Month measured**: Aug 2026
- **Buffer Share of Search**: 28.9%
- **Later Share of Search**: 4%

## Which is more popular in search, Buffer or Later?

- In August 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Later among social media scheduling tools worldwide. Buffer was estimated to have 112K branded searches compared to Later’s 15.6K, and held a 28.9% Share of Search versus Later’s 4%.
- Buffer was ahead of Later in every measured month of the 11 months ending 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, Later’s estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide moved from 4.2% to 4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 20.4K to 15.6K.

## 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, Planoly overtook Later to rank 4th among social media scheduling tools worldwide, at 5%.
- In August 2026, Buffer lost estimated Share of Search among social media scheduling tools worldwide, from 35.8% to 28.9%.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Later worldwide fell 23.7% over 11 measured months, from 20.4K to 15.6K in August 2026.

## Month by month

| Month | Buffer estimated searches | Buffer Share of Search | Buffer rank | Later estimated searches | Later Share of Search | Later rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | 36.4K | 7.5% | 3 | 20.4K | 4.2% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | 28.9K | 6.6% | 4 | 18.4K | 4.2% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | 33.9K | 9% | 3 | 15.3K | 4.1% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | 46K | 9.1% | 3 | 19.7K | 3.9% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | 58.9K | 13.2% | 3 | 18.1K | 4% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | 62.3K | 13% | 3 | 20.9K | 4.4% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | 78.1K | 18% | 3 | 18.7K | 4.3% | 6 |
| May 2026 | 77.2K | 19.1% | 3 | 17.6K | 4.3% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | 83.5K | 20.3% | 3 | 18.9K | 4.6% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | 154K | 35.8% | 1 | 16.9K | 4% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | 112K | 28.9% | 2 | 15.6K | 4% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — |

## How each brand is measured

Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buffer’s and Later’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.
- **Later**: Measured on the search terms “later app”, “later com”, “later influencer marketing”, “later instagram planning”, “later instagram scheduler”, “later instagram scheduling”, “later link in bio”, “later pricing”, “later scheduling app”, “later social media”, “later social media management”, “later social media management tool”, “later social media planning”, “later social media scheduler”, “later social media tool”, “later social scheduling”, “Later.com”, “linkinbio by later” and “linkinbio later”, summed into one figure.

- [Buffer profile](/demand/global-en/brands/buffer)
- [Later profile](/demand/global-en/brands/later)
- [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 Later?

In August 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Later among social media scheduling tools worldwide. Buffer was estimated to have 112K branded searches compared to Later’s 15.6K, and held a 28.9% Share of Search versus Later’s 4%.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Buffer vs Later: Which is more popular by branded search?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-later

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-later. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.