--- title: "Buffer vs Planable: Which is searched more?" description: "Is Buffer or Planable 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/compare/buffer-vs-planable" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Buffer vs Planable: Which is searched more? Is Buffer or Planable 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 Planable - **Competitive set**: Social media management tools - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Buffer Share of Search**: 18.8% - **Planable Share of Search**: 2.2% ## Is Buffer or Planable more popular in search? - In September 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Planable among social media management tools worldwide. Buffer had about 188,000 branded searches, while Planable had 22,200. Buffer made up 18.8% of all social media management tool searches we track, and Planable accounted for 2.2%. - The lead changed hands 2 times in the 12 months ending September 2026: Planable took it in November 2025, Buffer took it in December 2025. - 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, Planable’s share of searches among social media management tools worldwide moved from 3.1% to 2.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 27.1K to 22.2K. ## Top social media management tools in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Buffer was mentioned in four out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Planable was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Buffer was listed before Planable 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 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. - Estimated monthly branded searches for Planable worldwide fell 18.1% over 12 measured months, from 27.1K to 22.2K in September 2026. ## Month by month | Month | Buffer estimated searches | Buffer Share of Search | Buffer rank | Planable estimated searches | Planable Share of Search | Planable rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 27.4K | 3.1% | 6 | 27.1K | 3.1% | 7 | | Nov 2025 | 21.9K | 2.7% | 8 | 22.2K | 2.7% | 7 | | Dec 2025 | 24.2K | 3.2% | 5 | 22.2K | 2.9% | 8 | | Jan 2026 | 36.1K | 4.1% | 5 | 27.1K | 3.1% | 7 | | Feb 2026 | 50K | 6.1% | 5 | 22.2K | 2.7% | 7 | | Mar 2026 | 54.6K | 5.8% | 5 | 27.1K | 2.9% | 7 | | Apr 2026 | 70K | 7.9% | 5 | 22.2K | 2.5% | 7 | | May 2026 | 68.1K | 8.1% | 5 | 22.2K | 2.6% | 7 | | Jun 2026 | 65.7K | 7.8% | 5 | 22.2K | 2.6% | 7 | | Jul 2026 | 140K | 16% | 2 | 22.2K | 2.5% | 6 | | Aug 2026 | 100K | 12.2% | 3 | 22.2K | 2.7% | 6 | | Sep 2026 | 188K | 18.8% | 2 | 22.2K | 2.2% | 6 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Buffer’s and Planable’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. - **Planable**: Measured on the search term “planable”. - [Buffer profile](/demand/global-en/brands/buffer) - [Planable profile](/demand/global-en/brands/planable) - [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 Planable more popular in search? In September 2026, Buffer had more branded searches than Planable among social media management tools worldwide. Buffer had about 188,000 branded searches, while Planable had 22,200. Buffer made up 18.8% of all social media management tool searches we track, and Planable accounted for 2.2%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Buffer vs Planable: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-planable This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/buffer-vs-planable. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.