📂 How Buffer reversed their MRR decline

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For over a decade, Buffer has been one of the most transparent companies in SaaS. They openly share revenue, churn, and traffic data — the good, the bad, and the ugly.

And for the past few years, there was a lot of ugly.

Revenue peaked at $22M ARR in 2020, but then it declined for three straight years.

Unlike many SaaS companies facing downturns, Buffer didn’t pivot upmarket or drastically change pricing. They just kept losing customers.

But now? They’re profitable and growing again.

2024 was Buffer’s first profitable year in a long time, closing with $202,459 in net profit.

In 2024, Buffer returned to profitability, closing with $202,459 in net profit.

Launched in 2010, Buffer grew fast and took VC funding in 2014. But they soon realized they weren’t a venture-scale company.

Unlike most SaaS startups chasing endless funding rounds, Buffer wanted control. In 2018, they made a rare move — buying back $3.3M in investor shares to go fully independent.

For a while, it worked. By 2020, they hit $22M ARR and were a leading bootstrapped SaaS company.

Then the decline started.

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As COVID hit, Buffer’s revenue steadily shrank. The decline lasted three years. What makes this unusual is that they didn’t make a drastic pricing mistake, pivot to enterprise, or suddenly lose product-market fit. They just kept losing customers.

Unlike many SaaS companies that react to downturns with layoffs, aggressive pivots, or upmarket moves, Buffer stuck to their core model.

How Buffer became profitable again

Joel Gascoigne @joelgascoigne We’ve been working to turn around a decline for a few years now at Buffer. Last year everything finally came together, in 2023 we had our least decline in the past 4 years, and we’re now growing in 2024. How did we do it? Here are some of our learnings: 8:21 PM • Feb 26, 2024 22 Retweets 302 Likes Read 23 replies

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Instead of chasing enterprise customers or raising prices, Buffer focused on their core audience — entrepreneurs, creators, and small businesses.

This focus paid off.

By 2023:

✅ Revenue decline slowed to 1.75% (vs. 6-8% in prior years)

✅ 7 out of 12 months saw growth (vs. only 1 in 2022)

✅ 946,614 new signups (+28.95%)

✅ 39,463 new paying customers (+9.97%)

They made free the default entry point, invested in content and SEO, and fixed product friction to improve retention.

Most importantly? They re-engaged their community.

Instead of drastic changes, Buffer focused on steady improvements. By 2024, they were profitable again — closing with $202K in net profit and a stronger foundation for 2025.

What we can learn from Buffer

Buffer’s story challenges the belief that growth at all costs is the only way. Instead of chasing aggressive VC-backed scaling, they:

1. Taking venture capital means playing by VC rules. Buffer realized they’d rather control their future than chase artificial growth.
2. Instead of burning through cash, Buffer focused on building a sustainable business that doesn’t rely on outside capital.
3. They doubled down on product improvements and organic growth.
4. Instead of shifting focus, Buffer stayed committed to helping small businesses and creators succeed.

And now, they’re stronger for it.

It’s not life-changing money. But it aligns incentives — when Buffer does well, everyone benefits.

What’s your path to profitability?

Not every company needs to be bootstrapped like Buffer. But their story raises an important question: Are you chasing hypergrowth, or are you building a business that lasts?

Buffer didn’t just survive — they turned things around on their own terms. And now, they’re profitable, independent, and stronger than ever.

Would your business survive three years of revenue decline? It’s worth thinking about.

Let me know your thoughts — whether you followed Buffer’s journey firsthand or are just hearing about it now. What stands out to you?

—Corey