TapToConnectThe best time to post
on Facebook in 2026.
On Facebook you often reach a local audience with its own rhythm. Two 2026 studies give a starting point, but they sharply disagree on one point.
In short
- Monday to Thursday are the best days according to Sprout Social; Buffer sees Wednesday as best and Saturday as weakest.
- On the hour they disagree: Sprout Social sees the peak around midday, Buffer in the morning.
- Posts with an image get the highest engagement rate at Buffer, just ahead of video.
- Because the studies differ, your own numbers matter even more here.
What is the best time to post on Facebook in 2026?
On weekdays, preferably Tuesday to Thursday. On the hour, the two largest studies differ a lot. According to Sprout Social, most engagement happens from 12:00, on Tuesday and Wednesday even until 20:00. According to Buffer, posts published in the morning score best, often between 7:00 and 10:00, and 12:00 to 17:00 is the weakest block on most days. So test both: a morning slot and a midday slot.
These are averages. They come from customers of two US tools, spread around the world. They say something about large groups, not about your followers. Use the table as a starting point, then look at your own numbers. In Socialschedulr, the best times feature shows when your own followers engaged most.
Best times per day
| Day | Sprout Social 2026: peak window | Buffer 2026: top three hours |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 12:00 to 13:00 | 19:00, 21:00, 22:00 |
| Tuesday | 12:00 to 20:00 | 7:00, 8:00, 19:00 |
| Wednesday | 12:00 to 20:00 | 8:00, 9:00, 18:00 |
| Thursday | 12:00 to 14:00, and 20:00 | 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 |
| Friday | Around midday | 6:00, 7:00, 8:00 |
| Saturday | No peak | 6:00, 21:00, 22:00 |
| Sunday | No peak | 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 |
Your followers’ local time. Sources: Sprout Social (2026) and Buffer (2026). Averages across thousands of accounts worldwide.
An overview by day and hour with the moments that got the most engagement
Why do the studies differ?
- Sprout Social (March 2026): nearly 2 billion engagements on about 307,000 profiles of more than 30,000 customers, measured from 27 November 2025 to 27 February 2026. Sprout shows the windows in which most engagement happened.
- Buffer (October 2026): over 14 million Facebook posts from businesses and creators, published through Buffer. Buffer names Thursday 9:00 the best moment of the week.
A post from 9:00 can get most of its reactions around lunch. Then both studies point to the same habit: people look around midday, and whoever posted early is already there.
Which post type works best on Facebook?
| Post type | Median engagement rate |
|---|---|
| Image | 5.20% |
| Video | 4.84% |
| Text only | 4.76% |
| Link | 4.43% |
Source: Buffer, best content format (March 2026). The studies give no separate timing advice per post type.
A bare link scores lowest. Sharing a blog or offer page? Put the link in the text and pick a strong photo of your own.
A local audience
On Facebook, many people follow businesses from their own neighbourhood: the baker, the gym, the hairdresser. For such Pages, what counts most is when a post is useful. Post your weekend offer on Thursday rather than Saturday: Saturday is the weakest day in the Buffer study, and on Thursday people can still plan.
How to find your best time
- Pick two moments: one in the morning (Buffer) and one around midday (Sprout Social).
- Post similar posts at both moments for four weeks.
- Compare engagement per 100 people reached.
- Keep the winner and test a new moment every quarter.
In Socialschedulr, Analytics shows per day and hour when your posts got the most engagement. In the editor, the three best moments of the past 90 days sit right next to the date: click and it is filled in.
Analytics.
Spoken and subtitled in English. You will find more videos in the help centre.
See it in action.
A few parts of Socialschedulr that fit this topic, shown with sample data.
Schedule from your AI assistant
Ask in plain language. After you confirm, it is in your calendar.
Your feed, before it goes live
Scheduled posts appear above your latest real posts.
A whole month in one go
Import your posts from Excel or Google Sheets, up to 200 at once.
Frequently asked questions.
Does Socialschedulr suggest the best time for Facebook?
Yes. When you schedule, click the star next to the date. You see three moments when your posts got the most engagement in the past 90 days, for Facebook too. If you have not posted much yet, you see general advice.
Read next
Try it yourself.
All your socials in one calendar. Free for 14 days, no payment details. After that, pick a plan or carry on for free.