Plan costs and capacity

The annual column shows a full-year amount paid upfront or derived from the documented annual offer. Its monthly equivalent is a comparison aid, not a monthly cancellation option. A free plan’s zero does not create an annual commitment.

Buffer vs Metricool

Apply the full comparison to your requirements →

Buffer vs Metricool — recorded plan observations
PlanMonthly paymentAnnual optionUnit and quoted scopeCapacity and featuresEvidence
Buffer
Essentials		USD 6.00USD 60.00
USD 5.00 / month equivalent		Per channel
Rate for each of the first ten connected channels only.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Brands: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Channels: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Posts per month: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Queued posts per channel: 5000
  • Users: 1
  • Approval workflows: not included
  • LinkedIn connection: included
  • X connection: included
Plan notes
  • All paid channels are billed; the Free plan’s three channels are not added on top.
  • More than ten channels uses different price bands and requires a vendor quote in this calculator.
  • Supported posting formats and direct publishing depend on the network and profile type.
[1] [2]
Checked 2026-11-01
Buffer
Free		USD 0.00USD 0.00Per plan
Up to three connected social accounts; ten queued posts per account at one time.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Brands: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Channels: 3
  • Posts per month: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Queued posts per channel: 10
  • Users: 1
  • Approval workflows: not included
  • LinkedIn connection: included
  • X connection: included
Plan notes
  • Publishing frees a queue slot. Ten queued posts is not ten posts per month.
  • The Free plan also has a lifetime connection restriction; verify eligibility after reconnecting accounts.
  • Supported posting formats and direct publishing depend on the network and profile type.
[1] [2]
Checked 2026-11-01
Buffer
Team		USD 12.00USD 120.00
USD 10.00 / month equivalent		Per channel
Rate for each of the first ten connected channels only.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Brands: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Channels: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Posts per month: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Queued posts per channel: 5000
  • Users: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Approval workflows: included
  • LinkedIn connection: included
  • X connection: included
Plan notes
  • Approval workflows are included. Higher channel-volume bands are outside this calculator.
  • Supported posting formats and direct publishing depend on the network and profile type.
[1] [2]
Checked 2026-11-01
Metricool
Advanced · 15 brands		USD 67.00USD 636.00
USD 53.00 / month equivalent		Per plan
Fixed bundle for up to fifteen brands; not a per-brand multiplier.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Brands: 15
  • Channels: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Posts per month: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Queued posts per channel: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Approval workflows: included
  • LinkedIn connection: included
  • X connection: needs confirmation
  • Fair-use review above 600 posts per brand per month; this is not a hard cap.
Plan notes
  • Team/approval features included. X add-on and other extras are excluded.
  • Above 600 posts per brand per month, a fair-use review applies.
  • A brand bundles connected profiles; network/profile configuration must be checked before treating a channel count as covered.
  • The 600-post monthly per-brand threshold triggers review rather than an automatic hard cap.
[13] [14]
Checked 2026-11-01
Metricool
Free		USD 0.00USD 0.00Per plan
One brand; twenty posts per month across the included connected networks.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Brands: 1
  • Channels: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Posts per month: 20
  • Queued posts per channel: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Approval workflows: not included
  • LinkedIn connection: not included
  • X connection: not included
Plan notes
  • Free excludes LinkedIn and X. Profiles must fit Metricool’s brand structure.
  • A brand bundles connected profiles; network/profile configuration must be checked before treating a channel count as covered.
  • The 600-post monthly per-brand threshold triggers review rather than an automatic hard cap.
[14]
Checked 2026-11-01
Metricool
Starter · 5 brands		USD 25.00USD 240.00
USD 20.00 / month equivalent		Per plan
Fixed bundle for up to five brands; not a per-brand multiplier.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Brands: 5
  • Channels: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Posts per month: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Queued posts per channel: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Approval workflows: not included
  • LinkedIn connection: included
  • X connection: needs confirmation
  • Fair-use review above 600 posts per brand per month; this is not a hard cap.
Plan notes
  • X requires an additional paid add-on; its price is outside this estimate.
  • Above 600 posts per brand per month, Metricool reviews fair use. This threshold is not a hard publishing cap.
  • A brand bundles connected profiles; network/profile configuration must be checked before treating a channel count as covered.
  • The 600-post monthly per-brand threshold triggers review rather than an automatic hard cap.
[13] [14]
Checked 2026-11-01
Comparison assumptions and limits
  • A Buffer channel is one connected social account. Every paid channel is charged.
  • Metricool paid prices are fixed brand bundles, not multiplied by the brand count.
  • Monthly post input should include each network publication; confirm multi-network counting with the vendor.
  • Buffer estimates stop at ten paid channels; Metricool quotes stop at the included brand tier.
  • Required X access needs a separate Metricool add-on quote.
  • Metricool’s 600-post per-brand review threshold is not a guaranteed or hard maximum.
  • Network, account type and format restrictions still apply.

ChatGPT vs Claude

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ChatGPT vs Claude — recorded plan observations
PlanMonthly paymentAnnual optionUnit and quoted scopeCapacity and featuresEvidence
ChatGPT
Plus		USD 20.00No annual optionPer plan
One individual Plus subscription. No business-team quotation.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Users: 1
  • Shared team administration: not included
Plan notes
  • Plus has no annual billing; 12 monthly payments total $240 before tax if the price remains unchanged.
  • Usage caps vary; a paid subscription does not establish a fixed number of completed business tasks.
  • API usage is billed separately from Plus.
[15]
Checked 2026-11-01
Claude
Pro		USD 20.00USD 200.00
USD 16.67 / month equivalent		Per plan
One individual Pro subscription. Annual price is paid upfront.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Users: 1
  • Shared team administration: not included
Plan notes
  • The exact annual charge is $200; $200/12 is about $16.67. The vendor displays a rounded $17 monthly equivalent.
  • Account and model usage limits still apply.
  • Model/tool access and usage limits can change; this comparison does not establish a quality winner.
[3]
Checked 2026-11-01
Comparison assumptions and limits
  • Individual paid subscriptions only; one person per quoted plan.
  • A twelve-month projection is separate from an annual subscription offer.
  • Free plans, team plans, API usage, taxes and usage add-ons are outside these quotes.
  • No fixed message allowance or model-quality score is inferred.

MailerLite vs Kit

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MailerLite vs Kit — recorded plan observations
PlanMonthly paymentAnnual optionUnit and quoted scopeCapacity and featuresEvidence
Kit
Creator · 1,000 subscribers		USD 39.00USD 390.00
USD 32.50 / month equivalent		Per plan
Only the up-to-1,000 active-subscriber tier is quoted.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Active automations: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Emails per month: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Active subscribers: 1000
  • Users: 2
  • Email sequences: included
Plan notes
  • Larger lists require a separately priced subscriber tier.
  • Annual equivalent is $32.50/month, paid as $390 upfront.
  • Use the required automation features to choose a plan; a larger free list alone does not satisfy a welcome-series workflow.
[5] [6]
Checked 2026-11-01
Kit
Free		USD 0.00USD 0.00Per plan
Broadcast newsletters only; the Free subscriber allowance is not an automation allowance.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Active automations: 0
  • Emails per month: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Active subscribers: 10000
  • Email sequences: not included
Plan notes
  • Sequences and visual automations require a paid plan.
  • Use the required automation features to choose a plan; a larger free list alone does not satisfy a welcome-series workflow.
[4]
Checked 2026-11-01
MailerLite
Comfort · 500 subscribers		USD 12.00USD 129.60
USD 10.80 / month equivalent
Derived total; calculation in notes.		Per plan
Only the up-to-500 active-subscriber tier is quoted.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Active automations: 50
  • Steps in one automation: 100
  • Emails per month: 5000
  • Active subscribers: 500
  • Users: 3
  • Email sequences: included
Plan notes
  • Annual total applies the advertised 10% annual discount: $12 × 12 × 0.90.
  • Do not extrapolate this price to larger subscriber tiers.
  • Each automation is limited to 100 steps; the count of active automations is a separate allowance.
  • Passing a paid subscriber tier can increase billing; passing the Free subscriber cap locks sending until corrected or upgraded.
  • The number of active automations and the number of steps inside each automation are separate limits. Free permits 5 steps per automation; Comfort and Power permit 100.
[7] [8] [9] [10]
Checked 2026-11-01
MailerLite
Free		USD 0.00USD 0.00Per plan
Active subscribers and all campaign/automation recipient sends counted together.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Active automations: 3
  • Steps in one automation: 5
  • Emails per month: 2500
  • Active subscribers: 250
  • Users: 2
  • Email sequences: included
Plan notes
  • Each automation is limited to 5 steps; the count of active automations is a separate allowance.
  • Passing a paid subscriber tier can increase billing; passing the Free subscriber cap locks sending until corrected or upgraded.
  • The number of active automations and the number of steps inside each automation are separate limits. Free permits 5 steps per automation; Comfort and Power permit 100.
[7] [8] [9]
Checked 2026-11-01
MailerLite
Power · 500 subscribers		USD 25.00USD 270.00
USD 22.50 / month equivalent
Derived total; calculation in notes.		Per plan
Only the up-to-500 active-subscriber tier is quoted.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Active automations: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Steps in one automation: 100
  • Emails per month: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Active subscribers: 500
  • Users: no published numeric cap; applicable fair use remains
  • Email sequences: included
Plan notes
  • Unlimited sending remains subject to fair use.
  • Annual total applies the advertised 10% annual discount: $25 × 12 × 0.90.
  • Each automation is limited to 100 steps; the count of active automations is a separate allowance.
  • Passing a paid subscriber tier can increase billing; passing the Free subscriber cap locks sending until corrected or upgraded.
  • The number of active automations and the number of steps inside each automation are separate limits. Free permits 5 steps per automation; Comfort and Power permit 100.
[7] [8] [9] [10]
Checked 2026-11-01
Comparison assumptions and limits
  • Estimated sends = active subscribers × full-list broadcasts + new sequence entrants × welcome emails.
  • Subscriber input is the expected peak active list including new subscribers; new entrants are a subset, not an extra charge added again.
  • All welcome emails are assumed sent within the same billing month.
  • The welcome sequence is modeled as one automation. Count all email, delay, condition and other action blocks in the largest automation, excluding the trigger. The default is 3 emails plus 2 delays = 5 steps.
  • Segmented sends, other sequences, tests and resends can change actual volume.
  • Above quoted subscriber tiers, no exact paid cost is produced.
  • Deliverability and business results were not benchmarked.
  • Step capacity is checked only when active automations are requested. The reviewed Kit sources do not establish a per-automation step cap; that capacity stays unverified rather than being treated as unlimited.

Zapier vs Make

Apply the full comparison to your requirements →

Zapier vs Make — recorded plan observations
PlanMonthly paymentAnnual optionUnit and quoted scopeCapacity and featuresEvidence
Make
Core · 10,000 credits		USD 12.00Not recordedPer plan
10,000-credit entry tier. An exact annual charge was not verified.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Action steps per run: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Credits per month: 10000
  • Premium app access: included
Plan notes
  • Credit use can grow through polling, fan-out, bundles, retries and AI.
  • The $12 quote comes from Make’s own June 2026 plan guide, retrieved on the checked date; confirm checkout before committing.
  • Standard non-AI operations use one credit; AI metering can vary. With a custom AI connection, provider token charges can be additional.
[11] [12]
Checked 2026-11-01
Make
Free		USD 0.00USD 0.00Per plan
Standard Make modules only; integration/API subscription costs are separate.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Action steps per run: no separate meter in this comparison
  • Credits per month: 1000
  • Premium app access: included
Plan notes
  • App/action availability and scheduling requirements still need verification.
  • Standard non-AI operations use one credit; AI metering can vary. With a custom AI connection, provider token charges can be additional.
[11] [12]
Checked 2026-11-01
Zapier
Free		USD 0.00USD 0.00Per plan
Free plan: a trigger plus one action. Task limits are not complete-workflow counts.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Action steps per run: 1
  • Tasks per month: 100
  • Premium app access: not included
Plan notes
  • 100 tasks per month. Only one action after the trigger on Free.
  • Standard successful actions use tasks; triggers and listed built-in logic do not. Replays, error handling, MCP, AI and other products can change the meter.
[16]
Checked 2026-11-01
Zapier
Professional · 750 tasks		Not recordedUSD 239.88
USD 19.99 / month equivalent
Derived total; calculation in notes.		Per plan
750-task tier only; annual total is $19.99 × 12.
Minimum quantity: 1
  • Action steps per run: 99
  • Tasks per month: 750
  • Premium app access: included
Plan notes
  • Annual monthly equivalent is $19.99; an exact monthly-pay quote was not verified in this review.
  • Higher task tiers and pay-per-task overages are outside this estimate.
  • At most 100 total steps per Zap, including the trigger and all paths; the simple calculator allows 99 actions only when no other steps are added.
  • Standard successful actions use tasks; triggers and listed built-in logic do not. Replays, error handling, MCP, AI and other products can change the meter.
[16] [17] [18]
Checked 2026-11-01
Comparison assumptions and limits
  • Zapier estimate = runs × standard billable action steps.
  • Make estimate = runs × (standard action modules + trigger modules) + extra credits.
  • These are user-specified simple-run assumptions, not a platform equivalence benchmark.
  • Polling, bundles, loops, retries and AI can change consumption. Enter additional measured Make credits when known.
  • MCP, Lead Router, AI and extended code runtimes have different Zapier task rates.
  • Overages and larger plan tiers are not extrapolated; outside verified allowances, obtain a quote.

Worked examples

These are reproducible planning examples using the recorded facts and calculator defaults. They are not measured savings, product rankings, or recommendations to buy a paid plan.

Compare the payment commitment

Twelve monthly payments = monthly payment × 12; annual equivalent = recorded annual charge ÷ 12.

Exact inputs
  • People: 1
  • Months in the projection: 12
  • Twelve monthly Plus payments: USD 240.00
  • Claude Pro annual payment: USD 200.00
  • Claude Pro monthly equivalent: USD 16.67

The twelve-payment projection assumes the monthly price stays unchanged. It is not an annual subscription offer or a product-quality comparison.

Use this comparison →

Count email sends before choosing a tier

Estimated sends = peak active subscribers × full-list broadcasts + new sequence entrants × welcome emails.

Exact inputs
  • Peak active subscribers: 250
  • Full-list broadcasts per month: 4
  • New welcome-sequence entrants: 25
  • Welcome emails per entrant: 3
  • Active automations: 1
  • Steps in the largest automation: 5
  • Estimated recipient sends per month: 1,075

New subscribers are already included in the peak list. The example assumes all welcome emails are sent in the same month; other sends and every automation limit still need checking.

Use this comparison →

Keep tasks and credits separate

Zapier tasks = runs × billable action steps. Make credits = runs × (standard action modules + trigger modules) + extra credits.

Exact inputs
  • Workflow runs per month: 100
  • Billable action steps per run: 2
  • Trigger modules per run: 1
  • Additional Make credits per month: 0
  • Premium app required: No
  • Estimated Zapier tasks per month: 200
  • Estimated Make credits per month: 300

These are different usage meters. Polling, bundles, loops, retries, AI and nonstandard actions can change consumption; this is not an equivalent-work benchmark.

Use this comparison →

Multiply the paid channel price

Paid-channel total = per-channel price × number of connected paid channels.

Exact inputs
  • Connected paid channels: 3
  • Selected plan: Buffer Essentials
  • Monthly payment: USD 18.00
  • Annual payment: USD 180.00

This example assumes you choose Essentials. It does not establish that you need a paid plan. Annual payment and monthly payment are separate options; free channels are not added to a paid allowance.

Use this comparison →

Method and scope

A curated compilation of official plan documentation, with billing units and recorded capacity limits preserved. Arithmetic examples use disclosed inputs; no vendor performance or business outcomes were measured.

  1. Select a defined sample. Include the plan tiers already reviewed for these four comparison calculators. This is not a census of software, a random sample of businesses, or a measure of what businesses actually spend.
  2. Keep the units. Preserve the billing currency, payment period, plan tier, billing unit, minimum quantity, features and capacity boundaries. Tasks, credits, sends, subscribers, seats, channels and brands are not interchangeable.
  3. Show the payment obligation. Keep monthly payments separate from annual totals. Annual equivalents divide the recorded annual total by twelve and round to cents. The MailerLite totals apply the recorded annual discount; the Zapier total multiplies its annual-billing monthly equivalent by twelve. The associated notes retain those calculations.
  4. Preserve uncertainty. Zero means no charge. A blank CSV amount or JSON null has an explicit unknown/not-offered state. Capacity states distinguish finite, unlimited subject to scope, not separately metered, and unknown. No missing tier is extrapolated.
  5. Retain the evidence. Every row links to its primary sources and original check date. Rebuilding the page does not refresh those dates. A content-derived version identifies the exact downloadable release.

What is outside the figures?

  • Tax
  • Foreign exchange
  • Usage overages
  • External app/API subscriptions
  • Unpriced add-ons
  • Temporary promotional discounts

Consumer assistant subscriptions and software plans are not interchangeable with API credits or a complete business stack. These calculations exclude implementation work and do not measure model quality, reliability, deliverability, revenue, saved time, or cash savings. There is no aggregate ROI score or industry-average cost.

Read the downloads

The CSV has one row per tool-and-plan observation. Structured limits, features, sources, notes and comparison links are JSON values inside their CSV cells. The JSON download also contains the source register, methodology, comparison defaults and worked-example arithmetic. The original records remain the source of truth; the downloads are generated from them.

Primary source register

  1. Buffer pricing and features ↗
    Buffer · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  2. Pricing ↗
    Buffer · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  3. Claude pricing ↗
    Anthropic · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  4. The Kit Free plan ↗
    Kit · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  5. Creator vs Pro: choose the right plan ↗
    Kit · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  6. Pricing and plans ↗
    Kit · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  7. How to use automation steps (Rules and Actions) ↗
    MailerLite · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  8. Free plan ↗
    MailerLite · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  9. Pricing ↗
    MailerLite · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  10. Email marketing with Squarespace ↗
    MailerLite · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  11. Credits ↗
    Make · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  12. Marketing automation tools in 2026 ↗
    Make · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  13. Fair use policy for social media scheduling ↗
    Metricool · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  14. Plans and pricing ↗
    Metricool · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  15. What is ChatGPT Plus? ↗
    OpenAI · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  16. Plans and pricing ↗
    Zapier · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  17. Zapier pricing ↗
    Zapier · evidence checked 2026-11-01
  18. Zap limits ↗
    Zapier · evidence checked 2026-11-01

Release versions

These links identify exact snapshot bytes. The dates describe the source checks recorded in each release, not a claimed history of market prices.

  • 13fba5ce86ba8c0f — current release; evidence dates 2026-11-01. CSV · JSON

Found a changed price or limitation? Send a correction with the affected plan and its official source. See our editorial standards for how researched guidance is prepared.