Alternatives / Buffer
Looking for an open source Buffer alternative? We compared 3 open source social media schedulers by license, supported networks, AI features, self-hosting, and pricing. Postiz is the most popular, TryPost is a younger scheduler with AI and MCP support, and Mixpost is an MIT-licensed core with paid upgrades.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| Postiz | Most networks and AI assistance | AGPL-3.0 |
| Mixpost | One-time payment and self-hosting (Pro and Enterprise are paid) | MIT (Lite) + paid Pro/Enterprise |
| TryPost | AI copilot and MCP for agents (young project) | AGPL-3.0 |
We looked for open-source tools that overlap with Buffer's core: scheduling and publishing posts across social networks from one calendar. We verified each project's license, recent activity, stars, and self-hosting in its repository. Buffer is a simple hosted scheduler, so we compare supported networks, AI features, and which parts are paid. See our methodology for the full criteria.
Self-hosting a scheduler means creating your own developer apps and API credentials for each network, such as X, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keeping them approved as platform rules change. Hosted plans from these projects handle that for you, at a cost.
Postiz is the closest in everyday use: a calendar for planning and publishing across 30+ networks with team collaboration, analytics, an API, and AI assistance, available self-hosted or as a managed cloud. TryPost offers a similar calendar with 12 networks, an AI copilot, approvals, and an MCP server, and Mixpost offers a polished scheduler with workspaces, a media library, and analytics.
Mixpost Lite is MIT-licensed and free to self-host, but Mixpost Pro and Enterprise, which add features, are sold separately, with Pro as a one-time purchase. Check what you need before choosing, because some features that Buffer includes are in the paid editions.
Postiz and TryPost are AGPL-3.0, so modified network deployments must share their source. Mixpost Lite is MIT.
Postiz and TryPost were updated within days of this update. Mixpost's last commit and release were in March 2026, so development is slower. TryPost is young, so check its maturity.
Buffer is a proprietary hosted service priced per connected channel, with limits on scheduled posts and features by plan, and your accounts and content live on its platform. Open-source alternatives let you self-host, connect unlimited channels, own your data, and use your own AI keys, at the cost of managing social network API access and updates yourself.
| Alternative | Networks | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postiz | 30+ | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | Wide network coverage |
| Mixpost | Major networks | MIT (Lite) + paid Pro/Enterprise | Yes | One-time payment |
| TryPost | 12 | AGPL-3.0 | Yes | AI and agents |
Want the most networks and AI assistance
Postiz schedules across 30+ networks with analytics, team collaboration, an API, and AI features, self-hosted or in its cloud.
Want a scheduler that AI agents can control
TryPost has an AI copilot, approval flows, workspaces for agencies, and an MCP server with a REST API, but it is a young project.
Want to avoid a monthly subscription
Mixpost Lite is free and MIT-licensed, and Pro is a one-time purchase, though Pro and Enterprise features are not open source.