- Commission
- 25% of subscription revenue from each new paying customer for the first 12 months
- Attribution
- Server-side partner tracking through the current partner platform; no…
- Model
- Recurring
Creator, social-media, agency and community audiences that already use or teach Buffer-style publishing workflows.
First-party source checked · September 8, 2026Agencies, consultants and business-focused social-media publishers with a relevant customer base.
First-party source checked · September 8, 2026Open the current program pages side by side.
Use the comparison to narrow the choice, then confirm the current qualifying event, attribution and promotion rules on each program before publishing a recommendation.
Creator, social-media, agency and community audiences that already use or teach Buffer-style publishing workflows.
Visit BufferAgencies, consultants and business-focused social-media publishers with a relevant customer base.
Visit Sprout SocialSome outbound links may be affiliate links. If you sign up or purchase through one, this site may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where the two offers actually diverge.
Only material fields that differ are shown here. Equal fields are left out so the page is easier to scan.
Active
Active referral program
12-month-recurring
referral-revenue-share
25% of subscription revenue from each new paying customer for the first 12 months
Revenue share on qualifying referred subscriptions; current public page does not publish one fixed percentage
Server-side partner tracking through the current partner platform; no simple public cookie duration is stated
Referral relationship; no public cookie window stated
Free application; Buffer says each application is personally reviewed
Contact/apply to the relevant Sprout partnership track
Application is manually reviewed
No single public commission percentage is stated
Side-by-side research table.
“Not published” means the reviewed first-party source did not expose that field clearly enough to state it as fact.
| Factor | Buffer | Sprout Social |
|---|---|---|
| Current status | Active | Active referral program |
| Category | Social Media Creator Tools | Social Media Creator Tools |
| Commercial model | Recurring | Referral Revenue Share |
| Commission | 25% of subscription revenue from each new paying customer for the first 12 months | Revenue share on qualifying referred subscriptions; current public page does not publish one fixed percentage |
| Attribution | Server-side partner tracking through the current partner platform; no simple public cookie duration is stated | Referral relationship; no public cookie window stated |
| Approval | Free application; Buffer says each application is personally reviewed | Contact/apply to the relevant Sprout partnership track |
| Source reviewed | 2026-09-08 | 2026-09-08 |
| Best fit | Creator, social-media, agency and community audiences that already use or teach Buffer-style publishing workflows. | Agencies, consultants and business-focused social-media publishers with a relevant customer base. |
Strengths and checks
Reasons to consider it
- 25% recurring for 12 months
- Free to apply
- Server-side click and signup tracking is documented
Verify first
- Application is manually reviewed
- No simple public cookie-window figure is stated on the current page
- Paid ads cannot bid on Buffer brand terms
Strengths and checks
Reasons to consider it
- Referral revenue share is explicitly offered
- Agency partners can also refer customers
- Current official partner program is active
Verify first
- No single public commission percentage is stated
- The program is relationship-oriented
- Reseller, agency and referral tracks have different use cases
Open a nearby alternative.
These suggestions come from category, audience and existing comparison relationships—not an opaque ranking.
Metricool
Social-media managers, freelancers, educators, agencies and creator-tool publishers.
Compare with BufferPubler
Social-media management, agency, creator and small-business audiences.
Compare with BufferHootsuite
Social-media marketing publishers, agencies, software reviewers and creators teaching social workflows.
Compare with BufferSocialBee
Social-media marketing, agency, creator and small-business audiences.
Compare with Buffer