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Short.io VS Buffer

Compare Short.io VS Buffer and see what are their differences

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Short.io logo Short.io

Short.io makes short links (vanity urls) on your own domain. Free signup, analytics and API. Chrome, slack, zapier and segment integrations.

Buffer logo Buffer

Buffer makes it super easy to share any page you're reading. Keep your Buffer topped up and we automagically share them for you through the day.
  • Short.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-05
  • Buffer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-19

Short.io features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Short.io features an intuitive user interface, making it easy for users to create, customize, and manage shortened URLs.
  • Custom Domains
    Users can connect their own domains to create branded short links, which can enhance branding and trust.
  • Detailed Analytics
    Provides comprehensive analytics on link performance, including click rates, geographic distribution, and referrer information.
  • Link Management
    Offers robust link management features, such as the ability to edit URLs after they've been created, set expiration dates, and organize links into folders.
  • Integration
    Supports integration with various third-party services like Zapier, Google Analytics, and Slack, making it adaptable to different workflows.
  • Security
    Provides features like password protection and SSL encryption to ensure the security of your links.

Possible disadvantages of Short.io

  • Pricing
    Some advanced features are only available in the paid plans, which might be too costly for small businesses or individual users.
  • Limited Free Plan
    The free plan comes with limitations on the number of custom domains and links that can be created, which may not be sufficient for heavy users.
  • Learning Curve
    While generally user-friendly, some advanced features and integrations may require a bit of a learning curve for new users.
  • Support
    Customer support may not be very responsive on the free plan, potentially leading to delays in resolving issues.

Buffer features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Buffer offers a clean, user-friendly interface that makes it easy for users to navigate and schedule social media posts.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    Buffer supports a wide range of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest, allowing users to manage multiple accounts from one place.
  • Post Scheduling
    Users can schedule posts in advance, helping them maintain a consistent posting schedule without having to be online all the time.
  • Analytics and Reporting
    Buffer provides detailed analytics and reporting tools that help users track the performance of their posts and make data-driven decisions.
  • Collaborative Features
    Buffer offers collaboration tools for teams, allowing multiple members to contribute to social media management efforts.
  • Custom Scheduling
    Users can create custom posting schedules specific to each platform, optimizing their content for the best times to post.
  • Content Suggestions
    Buffer provides content suggestions, helping users find and share relevant content to keep their audience engaged.
  • Customer Support
    Buffer has a reliable customer support system, including live chat, email support, and extensive online resources.

Possible disadvantages of Buffer

  • Limited Free Plan
    The free plan offers limited features and only allows for basic functionality, which may not meet the needs of businesses seeking more advanced tools.
  • Cost
    While Buffer offers several pricing tiers, some users may find the cost of the more advanced plans to be relatively high.
  • Instagram Direct Posting Limitations
    Buffer's direct posting for Instagram has certain limitations due to API restrictions, requiring users to use push notifications for some posts.
  • No Native Support for Some Platforms
    Certain social media platforms, like TikTok, are not natively supported by Buffer, limiting its versatility for those looking to manage all their social media in one place.
  • Limited Advanced Features
    Compared to competitors, Buffer may lack some advanced features and integrations such as detailed sentiment analysis or advanced automation.
  • Reporting Complexity
    The analytics and reporting features, while useful, can sometimes be complex and hard to interpret for novice users.
  • No Comprehensive CRM Integration
    Buffer lacks robust integrations with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platforms, which can be a drawback for businesses looking to merge their social media strategy with customer relationship data.

Analysis of Short.io

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Short.io is considered a good choice for individuals and businesses looking for a reliable URL shortener with comprehensive features. Its ability to offer branded links, detailed analytics, and integration possibilities with other tools makes it a standout option in the market.

Why this product is good

  • Short.io is a URL shortening service known for its ease of use, robust analytics, and custom domain capabilities. It helps businesses and individuals manage and track their link performance with advanced analytics features. This can be particularly advantageous for social media marketing, branding, and data-driven strategies.

Recommended for

    Short.io is recommended for businesses, digital marketers, social media influencers, and any individuals who need to manage multiple links with custom domains while tracking detailed user engagement data.

Analysis of Buffer

Overall verdict

  • Buffer is a good choice for those looking for a reliable and user-friendly social media management tool. It is particularly well-suited for users who prefer a minimalist approach but still require the essential features needed to manage multiple social media accounts efficiently.

Why this product is good

  • Buffer is highly regarded for its simplicity and ease of use, making it an excellent tool for individuals and small to medium-sized businesses that want to manage their social media presence effectively. It offers a range of features including post scheduling, analytics, and team collaboration tools, which help streamline social media marketing efforts. Many users appreciate its intuitive interface and straightforward functionality.

Recommended for

    Buffer is recommended for small to medium-sized businesses, digital marketers, social media managers, and individuals who need to manage multiple social media accounts. It's also well-suited for teams looking for collaboration tools to improve their social media marketing workflow.

Short.io videos

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Buffer videos

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Hootsuite VS Buffer VS Later 2019 | 3 Best Social Media Schedulers

More videos:

  • Review - Hootsuite vs Buffer (Social Media Management)
  • Review - Buffer Review (Social Media Management Tool)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Short.io and Buffer)

Short.io

Buffer

Link Management
100 100%
Link Management
0% 0
Social Media Tools
0 0%
Social Media Tools
100% 100
URL Shortener
100 100%
URL Shortener
0% 0
Social Media Marketing
0 0%
Social Media Marketing
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Short.io and Buffer

Short.io Reviews

Top 10 Bitly alternatives and competitors in 2025
Initially launched as short.cm, to be rebranded from Short.cm to Short.io to reflect its broader vision and global reach better. The platform expanded its features to meet these needs, introducing capabilities like geo-targeting, link expiration rules, branded QR codes, and advanced analytics.
Source: blog.replug.io
10 Excellent Google URL Shortener Alternatives
Short.io has a free plan with basic features. However, to access advanced analytics, you must upgrade to one of their paid plans—Personal ($19/month), Team ($49/month), or Enterprise ($149/month). You can also choose annual billing and get a 17% discount.
Source: bitly.com
07 Best Bitly Alternative You Will Only Need (FREE)
Short.io is one of the best URL shortening alternatives available, and it’s free too!? If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to shorten your URLs, Short.io is definitely worth considering. Not only is it free to use, but it also offers a wide range of features that make it one of the most powerful URL shortening tools out there.
Source: contentastro.com
11 Best Bitly Alternatives & Similar URL Shorteners
As mentioned earlier, there are a series of bit ly alternatives out there. And if you are looking for one of the best, Short.io is definitely another name you should consider. Just like other best alternatives for link shorteners, you can monitor the performance of each link.
Source: www.regendus.com
Top 8 Alternatives of Bit.Ly in 2023
Another effective custom domain URL shortener is Short.io. It furnishes its link-shortening services in your own domain. It is popular because of its quick customer support and affordable prices. Moreover, Short.io furnishes detailed statistics for domain and short links.
Source: startuptalky.com

Buffer Reviews

  1. FaizaAdeel
    · Owner at Peacock.collection111 ·
    My SMM partner

    I love working with buffer its feature of scheduling makes me free for whole month. Best and easy tool to use.

    👍 Pros:    Unlimited scheduling and good speed
    👎 Cons:    Some accounts does not connect easily like pintrest
15 best Agorapulse alternatives for agencies and marketers
Buffer’s powerful analytics tools also provide valuable insights into post performance, engagement metrics, and audience demographics, allowing users to optimize their social media strategy.
Source: contentstudio.io
Top 7 Agorapulse Alternatives You Should Consider in 2024
Overall, Buffer is an excellent Agorapulse alternative for small businesses and solopreneurs seeking an affordable social media marketing platform with solid content planning and publishing tools. If you’ve already tried it and it didn’t fit your needs, check out these 9 Buffer alternatives we found useful.
Source: planable.io
5 Best Taplio Alternatives to Consider Using in 2024
Known for its remarkable commitment to transparency and operating with a fully remote team, Buffer embodies values like gratitude, continuous improvement, no-ego collaboration, optimism, and reflection.
Source: authoredup.com
10 Alternative Tools That Surpass AgoraPulse
Buffer helps users expand their reach and their audience organically. Driven by high values, Buffer provides intuitive marketing tools for companies looking to broaden their horizons.
Source: coschedule.com
ContentCal Alternatives: 10 Social Media Solutions That Outshine It
Buffer is one of the oldest social media tools on the market. This ContentCal alternative offers users a suite of tools to help them with tasks such as scheduling posts, analyzing performance, and managing engagement.
Source: planable.io

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Buffer should be more popular than Short.io. It has been mentiond 58 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Short.io mentions (8)

  • URL shorteners and why would you need one?
    Choose a shortener: Pick a link shortener that fits your needs---many offer options like custom branding, QR code creation, and analytics. Ziplink, Short.io, and Bitly are all capable of that. If you are looking for something really simple, you may want to check out TinyURL as well. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • What’s the best way to share video with a single-use link?
    Same, but a little more elegant is short.io. It's a link shortener, but with a $19/month plan you can add a ton of customization to your links. One of those being limit on clicks. Same problem here that the file is still hosted elsewhere and available if they happen to copy the URL from the address bar. Source: about 2 years ago
  • We've built our startup's app entirely using Glide & Integromat
    Can I ask you how you have integrated short.io into your app? Via Zapier or API? Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Compatibility with Short.io
    Just tried it and https://short.io only allows domains that end with specific TLDs (ICANN's list). So while nothing in Handshake is blocking the service, the service needs to loosen up the restrictions to be able to link handshake names. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Someone on here posted a link to their podcast a few months ago and apologized for it being a linktree. Is that bad?
    Https://short.io on their free tier you can make a smart link like listen.yourdomain.com that sends an apple mobile user to your podcast on iOS, an android mobile user to your podcast on google's podcast app, and a desktop/laptop browser to your website. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

Buffer mentions (58)

  • Mastering Crowdfunding for Open Source Projects
    Promotion is key—don't wait for people to find your campaign. Actively share updates on social media, write blog posts, and engage with industry influencers. Transparency with your backers through regular progress reports builds trust and encourages long-term support. Platforms like GitHub Sponsors offer built-in transparency tools to connect with your backers directly. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Thriving in the Startup Ecosystem: Overcoming Common Challenges
    👉 Work-life balance: While the startup grind is often intense, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for long-term success and employee well-being. Effective time management, clear communication, and self-care are essential to thriving in this fast-paced environment. Companies like Buffer have been vocal about their commitment to employee well-being, offering unlimited vacation time and remote work... - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • I'm looking for practical Rust exercises
    For example look at buffer.com. Create simple web app where user will write a post, select target social networks to publish and time of publishing (like 8 hours from now). Source: over 1 year ago
  • No surf musician?
    I use buffer to post to IG / Tiktok without visiting them. It works fairly well, although not perfect, but they seem to be working on it pretty consistently. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Buffer vs Later 2023: Choosing the Right Social Media Management Tool
    Socialjobnow.com has published a comparison between Buffer and Later, two popular social media management tools used by businesses to schedule and automate their social media posts. The article provides an in-depth analysis of each tool's features, pricing, and benefits, offering valuable insights for businesses looking to optimize their social media strategy. Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Short.io and Buffer, you can also consider the following products

Bitly - Get the most out of your social and online marketing efforts. Own, understand and activate your best audience through the power of the link with Bitly Enterprise.

Hootsuite - Enhance your social media management with Hootsuite, the leading social media dashboard. Manage multiple networks and profiles and measure your campaign results.

Rebrandly - Rebrandly is the easiest way to create, share and manage branded links.

SproutSocial - Sprout Social is a social media management tool created to help businesses find new customers & grow their social media presence. Try it for free.

TinyURL - Are you sick of posting URLs in emails only to have it break when sent causing the recipient to...

AgoraPulse - An easy social media management tool that works with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+, and YouTube. Start your free trial today!

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