What the 2026 data says
The two big studies disagree on TikTok: Buffer's best day is Saturday and its best slot Sunday 9 a.m., while Sprout Social favors weekday afternoons. Thursday 1 p.m. is the one slot both support.
| Finding | |
|---|---|
| Top slots (Buffer 2026) | Sunday 9 a.m., Monday 1 p.m., Sunday 1 p.m. |
| Best days | Saturday, Monday, Sunday |
| Sprout Social 2026 peak windows | Tuesday to Thursday afternoons (about 2–6 p.m.) |
How to find your own best time
- Start with two or three of the slots above, in your audience's time zone.
- Post at each for two to three weeks with similar content.
- Compare reach or views after 48 hours in your analytics, and keep the winner.
Your analytics also show when your followers are online: Instagram Insights (Most active times), TikTok Studio (Followers tab) and YouTube Studio (When your viewers are on YouTube). Those beat any average.
Sources: Buffer: Best time to post on TikTok in 2026 (7.1M posts); Sprout Social: Best times to post on social media (2026). Checked November 13, 2026.