When it comes to customer review management, you may have heard of Podium. It’s helped countless local and small businesses connect with customers, gather reviews, and monitor their online reputations, from restaurants to busy healthcare clinics.
Whether improving customer satisfaction, boosting online visibility, enhancing local SEO, or refining service offerings based on feedback, Podium stands out as a comprehensive solution.
However, as famous as the platform may be, it doesn’t quite hit the mark. You need a more affordable yet robust review management tool to manage superior customer service. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered! In this guide, we’ll dive into the top 8 Podium alternatives to help you achieve your review management goals without breaking the bank.
Why Consider Podium Alternatives?
While Podium is an excellent tool for reputation management, and it meets the needs of businesses of all sizes, it carries its own share of drawbacks. These shortcomings of the platform often lead users to look for alternatives. So, what are some of the main drawbacks of Podium?
Let’s dive in and find out why you should not use Podium as a review management tool for your business:
1. Podium is Very Expensive
Where do we even start? Just the starter Core plan of Podium starts at around $399 per month. If you want access to more advanced features like review response control, review notes, and review templates, you’ll need to upgrade to a plan that costs at least $599 per month. These features offer more control and convenience, but the high cost can be a significant drawback for many businesses.
On top of that, you may need to spend on expensive add-ons to make full use of the plan. There’s also sometimes a setup fee to get your dashboard up and running smoothly.
In comparison, many alternatives of Podium offer similar features without add-ons or setup fees, all for an average price of under $250. This high pricing from Podium understandably frustrates many of its users.
Brittney B.
My only complaint with Podium is their pricing. It’s way too high. Our regular phone bill with 6 phones is less than half of what we pay Podium for only 2 phones.
2. Podium is Complicated to Use
Podium is definitely not for beginners. Even experienced professionals say that it takes time to get started and onboard team members.
At times, the users reported not being notified about new messages from their consumers. In addition, there are problems with its analytics and reporting tool.
Lakiesha F.
I have access to multiple locations within my account, and I loved when I was able to log in and see all the messages from all locations. I now have to adjust this setting each time I log in, which isn’t a huge deal, but because it came with an update, it has taken some getting used to.
3. A Year Long Commitment
If the high prices weren’t enough, Podium also requires users to sign year-long agreements for the annual plan.
Feedback from existing users of Podium highlights how difficult it is to cancel these agreements if you’re unhappy with the platform and want to terminate the contract. This rigid policy is quite unusual compared to other platforms.
This rigid policy of Podium is not a usual practice among other platforms, making it a notable exception.
Despite spending a lot, you might not get the best outcome due to Podium’s limitations.
Erik J.
Trying to cancel with Podium is the worst experience we’ve ever had with a company. My partner had to pretend to be a new client prospect to get Podium to help us because they will dodge and outright ignore correspondences about cancelling service. They’ve admitted their issues, told us they are letting us out of the 1-yr contract, yet they are still charging our credit card each month. We have finally had to take the issue up with our credit card company.
How we analyze and select these tools:
Our process of curating a list of relevant tools involves thorough research and evaluation. Factors considered include platform compatibility, automation, content creation, visualization, analytics, collaboration, pricing, scalability, and user experience. These tools, curated by seasoned professionals, empower marketers with valuable insights to make informed decisions and scale their businesses.
Top Podium Alternatives Comparison at a Glance
When looking for alternatives to Podium, there are several major review management platforms offering the same features at great value. Whether you are looking for affordable pricing, more integrations, automation or enhanced user-friendliness, these top eight options can assist you manage and enhance your online image effectively.
 SocialPilot Reviews |
 Podium |
 Yext |
 Birdeye |
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| Pricing | $25.5 per month | $399 per month | $199 per month | $59 per month | $179 per month |
| Best for | Marketing Agencies, SMBs, Multi-Location Brands | Marketing Agencies, SMBs, Multi-Location Brands & Professionals | Large Enterprises, Mid Size Businesses and Non-Profits | Mid Size Businesses, Small Businesses, and Agencies | Large Enterprises, Mid Size Businesses, Small Businesses, Healthcare and Dental providers |
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Let’s explore these alternatives in greater detail.
8 Best Podium Alternatives for All Business Types
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Marketing Agencies, SMBs, Multi-Location Brands & Professionals.
Star Rating:
4.5/5 star (G2), and 4.4/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Web application
Review Platforms Supported:
Facebook and Google Business Profile
SocialPilot Features Better than Podium
- Smart Campaign Automation
- Reviews Publishing on Social Media
- AI Review Response
- Twilio Integration for SMS
- Unlimited CRM Integrations With Zapier
- Team and Client Collaboration
- Set-Up Multiple Location
- White Label Dashboard
- First Comment Scheduling
- Clean User Interface
- Cost-Effective Pricing
- Social Media Analytics and Reporting
Pros
- The easy to use interface, helps you to quickly set up and manage review generation campaigns in no time.
- Benefit from the intutive centralized dashboard and manage reviews from various platforms in one place, simplifying the process of monitoring and responding to customer feedback.
- SocialPilot Reviews offers affordable pricing options, including a free Starter plan and a Pro plan for only $25 per month, ensuring all businesses can use it.
- Power your review generation with automated email and SMS campaigns. Give a boost to your review volume with minimal effort and time.
- Dedicated account managers provide you with support whenever you need it.
- Access comprehensive analytics to track and analyze the performance of your review generation.
- Enjoy the added benefit of social media management, allowing you to schedule, publish, and analyze posts effortlessly.
Cons
- SocialPilot does not provide review performance analytics. However, it provides important data related to review collection campaigns.
- It provides deep integration only for Facebook and Google reviews, the two most important review platforms.
Our Experience
SocialPilot is one of the best Podium alternatives for agencies, small businesses, and multi-locational brands. The platform has a very user-friendly interface with powerful features that outshine Podium in many review management.
SocialPilot Reviews makes review collection truly seamless, with email and SMS campaigns tailored to customer journeys. This effortlessly maximizes the review volume. Its Twilio integration for SMS ensures fast and reliable delivery of review requests.
Another feature of SocialPilot Review is its great ability to manage multiple locations. Thanks to its intuitive interface, it lets you quickly set up multiple brands, locations, and contacts without any learning curve.
Even its ability to address feedback timely with AI-driven responses is a standout feature. With SocialPilot Reviews, you can respond to reviews swiftly and professionally, ensuring that customers feel heard and valued. In addition, the White label dashboard adds a professional touch, allowing you to present a branded experience to our clients.
When it comes to cost, SocialPilot Reviews offers competitive and transparent pricing, with a free Starter plan and a Pro plan at just $25.50 per month, providing excellent value.
SocialPilot Reviews Pricing
SocialPilot Reviews offers two pricing plans: Starter and Pro. The plans are suitably priced to help you reach out to your list of growing list of customers to get their reviews and build a solid reputation for your brand.
Choose any of the two plans that fit your needs:
- Starter: Free for one brand to help you get started.
- Pro: $25.50/month with unlimited user access.
This low-cost superiority combination with the feature-packed tool makes SocialPilot Reviews one of the best online review management platforms.
Overall Verdict
After in-depth use of both tools, we can confirm that SocialPilot is a leading alternative to Podium. While Podium excels with its automated review invitations and real-time notifications, SocialPilot offers a more budget-friendly solution with its comprehensive social media and review management.
Podium is great for businesses that need high response rates and detailed analytics. On the other hand, SocialPilot Reviews is a comprehensive review management tool perfect for managing multiple locations, making integrations easy, and benefiting from AI-driven review responses, email and text campaigns, negative review management, and more — all without breaking the bank.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Local businesses, Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Non-Profit and Multi-location brands
Star Rating:
4.8/5 star (G2), and 4.7/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web application.
Review Platforms Supported:
Google Business Profile, G2, Capterra, and more
Key Features:
- Review Generation: Automates requests for reviews from customers, integrating with CRM systems.
- AI-assisted Responses: Birdeye uses AI to personalize and streamline replies to reviews.
- Review Monitoring: Tracks reviews across 200+ sites from a single dashboard.
- Review Management: Auto-replies to reviews using templates and rules.
- Review Translation: Automatically translates reviews and responses.
- Review Marketing: Shares reviews on websites and turns them into social media posts.
- Google Seller Ratings: Uses reviews to enhance Google ad performance.
Pros
- Birdeye features an easy-to-navigate, user-friendly interface with a clean and intuitive design.
- This makes it simple for users to find the tools and features they need.
- It helps in building SEO-optimized business profile that displays all your reviews from multiple sites and helps update your business information regularly.
- Birdeye has amazing customer service support. They provide seamless onboarding and post-sales support.
Sammi V.
My company primarily uses Birdeye for online review/reputation management. We find the responsiveness of people writing reviews to be much higher than on our own. The customer support team is very responsive. Whenever I have an issue or question arise, I have an answer back shortly. My clients really appreciate the ease of integration as well. The clients we have that use the system really enjoy it. Many of them have very busy day-to-day lives and are turned off by the idea of sending out review requests. Because of this, they are always pleasantly surprised when they learn how easy the system is to use and how frequently they can send out reviews. Implementing Birdeye into their routine has been seamless. Even the clients who are not integrated and manually enter names for reviews find the process easy. There are a bunch of other features related to reviews that make the system great as well such as replying to reviews, adding widgets to your website, etc. One of my favorites is the addition of AI. Makes responding to reviews super quick!
Cons
- Birdeye has integration issues, offering limited platform support and not being compatible with many third-party applications and tools.
- Birdeye has a slightly difficult learning curve. This makes it challenging for new users to quickly understand and utilize all its features effectively.
- It has issues with review management; reviews often don’t sync properly, and the integration with EMR systems does not work effectively.
Verified User in Automotive
Not being able to integrate all platforms; Yelp, etc. It’s not ideal to have to pull reporting from multiple sources to see all your reviews, track true NPS, etc.
Our Experience
We have found Birdeye to be a powerful AI-powered platform that greatly assists businesses in enhancing their customer review management. It is great tool to tackle various issues, from review management and social media management to client retention and lead conversion. This makes it a good choice for businesses aiming to grow and maintain a positive online image.
Its seamless integration of AI capabilities makes review generation and management a breeze. Moreover, G2 has rated it as the most complete online reputation management platform. As an all-in-one solution, it assists businesses in enhancing their brand image, growing revenue, and providing exceptional customer experiences—all at one place.
Overall Verdict
When comparing Birdeye to Podium, Birdeye shines with its affordable, all-in-one platform. It packs AI-powered tools for seamless review management, social media handling, and more, including appointment booking. This makes it a versatile choice for businesses of all sizes.
In contrast, Podium focuses on customer messaging and review management, which suits local businesses but may come with higher costs and additional fees. Overall, Birdeye stands out for its comprehensive features and cost-effectiveness.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Large Enterprises, Mid Size Businesses, Small Businesses, Healthcare and Dental providers
Star Rating:
4.5/5 star (G2), and 4.6/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web application.
Review Platforms Supported:
Google Business Profile, Healthgrades, Facebook, and more.
Key Features:
- Automate Review Generation: Easily send personalized text invitations to your patients, encouraging them to leave reviews on Google, Facebook, Healthgrades, and more.
- View Detailed Reputation Metrics: Track your review scores across different platforms and see detailed metrics like open rates and response rates.
- Create Custom Campaigns: Send personalized 1-on-1 messages or design impactful campaigns that blend text and email for maximum reach.
- Read and Reply to Reviews: Consolidate all the reviews and feedback from platforms like Google Business Profile and Healthgrades in one place, and quickly reply using review response templates.
- Automate With PMS Integration: Seamlessly integrate with most EHR/PMS systems to automate review requests at key moments in the patient journey.
Pros
- Swell is easy to use and helpful in getting reviews from customers who have had a good experience with your business. It makes it easy for the patients to review the practice of a doctors and dentist.
- Apart from its ease of use, Swell is appreciated by its users for its great customer support. Businesses can get answers to the questions they ask their support team.
- The automation capabilities of Swell help marketers reduce the time that they spend on routine manual activities.
Mallory O.
Love how user-friendly Swell is! I set up with a rep how I wanted our review capturing requests to look, and everything after that was easy. We are a tour company, so there are hundreds of texts going out each day at different times, but I hardly have to do anything. It is well organized on the back end, making it easy to see the responses and troubleshoot any issues. Customer service is excellent as well.
Cons
- Swell has limited platform integrations with leading platforms and tools.
- The layout takes time to get used to. Also, many businesses complain about the hassle of switching between text to email.
- The texting service is not effective as it is difficult to find people by name or number. However, it enables group texting and scheduling texts, it may freeze when you send bulk messages.
Karen S.
Swell’s layout takes time to get used to. Having to either keep all conversations in the inbox or archive them is a bit frustrating. Also, when trying to get many texts out back to back, the program tends to freeze if you are going quickly. It will either not pull up the name you want or not allow you to type. Refreshing helps, just wish it worked at the speed I do. Another thing is auto delivery texts don’t work properly. Some guests will get three texts in a row, and a few get none. We haven’t solved that issue yet.
Our Experience
Swell is a decent custom reputation management platform designed mainly for healthcare providers like physicians, dentists, optometrists, and more. In our experience, it is easy to use, with automation capabilities that streamline review collection and management. At the same time, the customer service is very responsive and helpful, making the experience even smoother.
However, we also found certain drawbacks to the platform. The platform integration is somewhat limited, and we also found that the layout is a bit complex. Additionally, the texting service isn’t as effective as we hoped. Despite these concerns, Swell’s noteworthy features—like robust analytics and anonymous review collection—make it a valuable tool for healthcare professionals looking to enhance their reputation.
Overall Verdict
Swell stands out as a specialized customer experience tool for healthcare providers like dentists and physicians. The custom platform is designed to meet the requirements of healthcare professionals, with features like automated surveys, review requests, and customer satisfaction management. Swell is also a cost-effective solution, making it accessible for many practices.
On the other hand, Podium offers a wide range of features for multiple industries. However, its higher price and extra fees for advanced features are major drawbacks.
While both are robust, Swell’s specialized tools and affordability make it ideal for healthcare businesses, whereas Podium’s broader features suit diverse industries.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Local businesses, Healthcare practices, Real estate agents, Lawyers, and Contractors.
Star Rating:
4.9/5 star (Capterra), and 4.9/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Web application.
Review Platforms Supported:
Facebook, Google Business Profile, Yelp, and more.
Key Features:
- Automated Review Request: ReputationStacker helps you automate the process of seeking customer reviews and ensures a continuous flow of reviews.
- User-Friendly Dashboard: Its simple and intuitive dashboard enables businesses to manage reviews efficiently while saving time and reducing complexity.
- Customized Templates: With ReputationStacker, you can personalize review request templates to match your brand’s voice and tone, helping you create a consistent image.
- Integrate with Existing Tools: To make things more appealing, ReputationStacker can be easily integrated with your current CRM software and other tools to streamline operations.
Pros
- ReputationStacker automation capability helps in monitoring brand reputation across web and social media. Automation functionality also helps in responding to customer reviews and comments.
- It provides a two-way communication platform, allowing for easy engagement with customers and prompt responses to their inquiries.
- Reputation Stacker provides you detailed analytics of the customers. This helps you to understand how people perceive your brand.
Lara S.
We have had Reputation Stacker for all of a couple months and already have countless new reviews on two sites – Yelp and Google. We have had mostly 5-star reviews. It’s such great feedback to know our customers are so happy with our work. We love the ease of it – one and done. It keeps following back up with them and we don’t have to do any more work than the initial data input. The cost of the program is astounding, in that you get a lot more than what you pay for! We have been blown away by the efficacy of Reputation Stacker and believe it to be the “game-changer” for our organization in 2020!
Cons
- The initial setup of the tool is not easy, and at the same time, customer service is not readily available.
- The platform’s billing system is cumbersome. Reviewing or printing the invoice is difficult.
Our Experience
ReputationStacker is an impressive review management tool that helps automate the review generation process, making it hands-free for any industry. In our opinion, the user-friendly dashboard pulls all the online reviews into a single place, allowing easy management, response to feedback, and sharing on social media and your website.
The platform’s detailed reports provide valuable insights to help improve your business. These reports go beyond generating reviews; they help you understand and leverage review data for better operations and customer attraction.
Additionally, you have complete control over your subscription and can cancel anytime. Overall, ReputationStacker is a cost-effective, powerful tool for enhancing online visibility and feedback.
Our Verdict
When we compare Podium and ReputationStacker, our experience suggests that each has its own strengths and weaknesses. ReputationStacker stands out for its affordability and user-friendliness. It offers unlimited email invites, SMS text invites, review monitoring, and detailed analytics, making it ideal for smaller businesses trying to look for cost-effective feedback management tool.
On the other hand, Podium provides a wide range of features, such as customer messaging, payments, and webchat, but at a higher starting price. While Podium’s extensive tools are exceptional offers for multiple industries, its complexity and cost can be drawbacks for small businesses.
In the end, ReputationStacker is great for affordability and simplicity, while Podium is best for those needing extensive features and willing to invest more.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Large enterprises, Mid-size businesses, Non-profit organizations, Public administrations, and Small businesses
Star Rating:
4.4/5 star (G2), and 4.4/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web application.
Review Platforms Supported:
Facebook, Google Business Profile, Yelp, TripAdvisor and more.
Key Features:
- Generate New Reviews: With SurveySparrow, you can turn your happy consumers into promoters by automatically sending them review requests.
- Assign and Resolve Customer Issues: Take action on reviews and close the feedback loop by assigning tickets to the right team or person.
- Reply Directly to Reviews: Enjoy the ease of replying to customer satisfaction reviews straight from SurveySparrow.
- Analyze Trends with Comprehensive Reports: Monitor your brand’s reputation with detailed insights that help you make better business decisions.
- Highlight Your Best Reviews: Sharing positive reviews online can enhance your social proof. With SurveySparrow, you can seamlessly showcase customer reviews on your website and online platforms.
Pros
- SurveySparrow provides built-in templates and sample questions to easily build customized customer experience surveys.
- It provides multiple integrations with platforms such as Facebook, Slack, and more to help you optimize your business reputation.
- It has a simple, clean, and intuitive design for the admin and the participants. This helps to get along with the tool with ease.
Verified User in Financial Services
We’ve used Survey Sparrow to send surveys for almost two years. I’ve found the platform, the sales team, and the support to be excellent. I appreciate the ability to customize every survey and even tweak existing surveys even after sending them out. What I find most helpful is the ability to integrate with Zapier. This integration helps reduce the time spent by automating key areas, such as adding a new contact whenever a new merchant is added to our CRM. I wear a lot of hats in my position, and I love anything that saves precious time.
Cons
- SurveySparrow does poorly and offers value for money. For instance, its lowest-tier plan can include more review responses.
- It can be complex for beginners, and some features are only accessible through costly premium subscriptions.
- While it offers low value for money and expensive subscriptions, it also restricts users from canceling their plans at any time.
Daniel R.
While SurveySparrow is doing a good job when it comes to surveying design and feel, their UI can feel a bit clunky at times, and while the user end feels quite nice, there are sometimes where I feel as though there isn’t enough direction or sometimes parts of the software can feel like they’re missing until I find it in a place I’m not expecting it. The software came out in 2017, so given it’s relatively new, there are updates rolled out to fix these sorts of issues, and it’s easy to forgive them for those cons when there are a lot more pro’s to it. Compared to other software, it can also get very pricy, with their lowest plan coming in at 10 users for $99 a month, and all the way up to $500 a month for enterprise. It’s for sure not a software for your average SMB, and for the features, I would say it wouldn’t be worth it if you are looking for something on the low end.
Our Experience
In our experience, SurveySparrow can help seamlessly connect with your loyal customers while helping address negative reviews across many platforms. One of the best tools for gathering and analyzing customer feedback is that it can provide you with insights that are crucial to your strategic business decisions.
It has certain features, such as custom workflows that automate tasks like ticket management and sentiment analysis capabilities that help companies in understanding customer emotions. We liked the way how it identifies patterns in reviews and focuses on specific regions, improving responsiveness.
We found that the platform’s smart dashboards offer powerful visualizations, while the AI assistance simplifies survey creation, data analysis, and workflow automation.
Overall Verdict
In our opinion, both Podium and SurveySparrow excel in customer review management but cater to different needs. SurveySparrow impresses users with its automation tools for review generation and feedback analysis.
SurveySparrow offers a package of tools for automating review generation and analyzing feedback through features including automated review invitations via text and email, detailed reputation metrics, and customizable messaging campaigns.
Moreover, SurveySparrow integrates with PMS systems to automate review requests and allows users to manage reviews from different platforms, all on a single interface.
On the other hand, Podium is known for its customer interaction tools. It facilitates real-time customer communication via text and includes features like appointment booking and payment collection. Its strength lies in managing and responding to reviews from different platforms such as Yelp and more, in addition to its robust messaging tools that enhance customer engagement.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Large Enterprises, Mid Size Business, Non Profits, and Small Businesses
Star Rating:
4.4/5 star (G2), and 4.3/5 star (GetApp)
Apps:
Web application
Review Platforms Supported:
Google Business Profile, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Trustpilot, Yelp and more
Key Features:
- Review Monitoring: Yext helps by keeping track of mentions and customer sentiment across major review sites, social media platforms, and search engines.
- Intelligent Responses: It utilizes AI to analyze reviews and automatically reply with custom, appropriate messages.
- Review Generation: Yext can actively seek reviews from consumers through email and text messages.
- Review Sites Integration: It can help you manage reviews from Facebook, Yelp, and other review sites using a single, unified dashboard.
Pros
- Yelp excels in review management. It provides a wide reach, detailed insights, and the ability to respond to reviews easily.
- Yext’s support team goes beyond to make sure that your business makes the most out of its resources.
- Its dashboard is quite user-friendly and intuitive, allowing users to navigate and manage their online presence easily.
Courtney B.
The best part of using Yest is having one central knowledge base containing all the details of one location. We have used this knowledge to automatically keep our listings up to date on so many websites, but we also use it to display location-specific information on our own websites, apps, and emails. We take advantage of custom fields to make it house all kinds of information and use the “labels” as a great way to keep track of which locations have amenities, are participating in a promotion, etc. We find ourselves asking other vendors to integrate into our Yext knowledge graph and labels because it is the best single source of truth. We also find their review response tool easy to use with valuable insights. Although the social posting tool isn’t as sophisticated as it could be and doesn’t allow for boosting through the tool, it is very handy when pushing content to many child pages.
Cons
- The steep learning curve for an already established team can make adoption challenging. Also, the onboarding training is not as expected.
- The platform lacks the ability to easily extract actionable insights from the reviews collected from different platforms. This makes it difficult for the teams to implement corrective actions.
- The price of Yext is steeper than that of many other review management tools, such as SocialPilot.
Amanda L.
The onboarding and training could be improved. Also, some of the syncs are not automatic and the updates did not all take and I had to reach out to support.
Our Experience
Our experience suggests that Yext is a great review management platform. The AI-driven solution helps businesses manage reviews efficiently across all locations, ensuring a positive customer experience. It is part of the process of monitoring, generating, and responding to reviews. The single platform of the tool has many standout features that provide comprehensive insights and analytics at our fingertips.
In our opinion, with Yext, you can proactively drive positive reviews and engage with customers effectively, enhancing our overall reputation management strategy. Despite its high price, starting at $499, the value it provides may seem to you as a well-worth investment.
Overall Verdict
Yext and Podium offer robust review management services. Yext shines with capabilities such as AI-powered capabilities, making it a powerhouse for businesses like yours needing scalable review monitoring and response tools.
With automation in review tracking and sentiment analysis, Yext provides a complete dashboard for centralized management across platforms like Google and Facebook to meet you rbusiness requirements. However, the high price, it might be more suitable for businesses with larger budgets and extensive needs.
Simultaneously, Podium focuses on improving customer interaction via SMS-based review requests and user-friendly management tools. It is ideal for businesses that are looking to enhance their online reviews and streamline responses efficiently. Starting at $399, Podium seems to offer a balanced package for companies wanting to integrate customer communication with review management seamlessly.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Freelancers, Mid Size Business, Small Business
Star Rating:
4.6/5 star (G2), and 4.8/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Web application
Review Platforms Supported:
Yahoo, Yelp, Facebook, Google Business Profile, TripAdvisor and more.
Key Features:
- Tracking Ranking: BrightLocal’s local rank-tracking tool assists in boosting local search visibility. The dashboard and tools like Local Search Grid and Geolocation Rank Tracker show where to focus your efforts.
- Review Monitoring: BrightLocal tracks reviews from over 80 sites, such as GBP, Facebook, and Yelp. It gives you real-time alerts so that your teams are always in the loop and can reply quickly.
- Automated Review Generation: It helps you gather more reviews by sending automated review requests via email or SMS. You can customize these requests to make them more engaging.
- Daily Reports: It provides a comprehensive report of the latest reviews so that you can see what people are saying about you.
Pros
- BrightLocal is simple and effective. Because of this, it has a low learning curve.
- Besides the BrightLocal Academy training, the customer support team provides excellent one-on-one assistance.
- Its excellent analytics makes it easy to generate reports and learn about customer experience.
Neil C.
Simple and effective. Use this if you want to figure out why your business isn’t gaining the traction you believe it should. It takes the mystery out of it. The learning curve seems pretty low. I’d say that they worked on creating a few features well…and those features lead into each other, so watch the demo, and you’ll understand 80% of it. There are some bugs here and there, but on the other hand, I’ve used far more expensive systems, and they have bugs as well. The difference is that BrightLocal customer support actually got back to me on the same day. There are a number of features that I’m still trying to understand, but they seem straightforward.
Cons
- The reporting and reputation management capabilities are not the best. You still need to take active manual actions to gather reviews.
- While BrightLocal can hold 100 locations with each account, reporting can only be done for 50 locations per account.
Verified User in Marketing and Advertising
Poor support. Keep avoiding issues and no response to support tickets from 10 days ago. Started a $300 citation campaign and nothing was happening. Contacted support (got a response woo hoo) and they farm it out to the Philippines. Get a response from them saying sorry it “fell through the cracks” and then I have activity but the citations are requested are replaced with less authority citations because they cant complete it for whatever reason.
Our Experience
While researching various Podium alternatives, we found BrightLocal to be an excellent tool for managing online customer reviews. BrightLocal helps to track reviews from over 80 platforms, such as Yelp. The tool provides alerts for reviews so that you can reply quickly and stay on top of customer feedback.
A feature that we loved the most was the automated review requests. You can utilize this to send review request to the consumers through email or SMS. This makes it easy to gather more reviews without extra effort. Simultaneously, the sentiment analysis feature of the tool breaks down customer feedback, showing you what’s working well and where you can improve.
Managing everything through a simple, centralized dashboard of BrightLocal can streamline your workflow. Also, the easily accessible reports make managing the online reputation much more simpler.
Overall Verdict:
BrightLocal and Podium serve different purposes for businesses. BrightLocal excels in supporting your SEO goal while also offering excellent review monitoring from about 80+ sites, detailed reporting, and sentiment analysis; all managed through an easy-to-use dashboard.
On the other hand, Podium focuses on direct customer interactions through SMS-based review requests and management. The user-friendly interface of the platform, along with review management and CRM integrations, makes it ideal for your business if you are prioritizing quick feedback and engagement.
The choice between the two depends on whether your priority is comprehensive local SEO management or streamlined customer review interactions.
Best Podium Alternative Tool for:
Large Enterprises, Mid Size Businesses, and Small Business
Star Rating:
4.5/5 star (G2), and 4.4/5 star (GetApp).
Apps:
Android and iOS Mobile App and Web application.
Review Platforms Supported:
Bing, Glassdoor, Google Business Review, and more.
Key Features:
- Review Request: The tool helps in gathering more feedback through SMS or email. You can also use template review request messages that drive more reviews and also track the conversion rates on review requesting campaigns with real time review measurement.
- Request Response: Reputation helps you to easily respond back to customer reviews and enhance your loyalty. You can speed up the process by using response templates to decrease response time.
- Review Performance Measurement: Reputation gives real-time review management capabilities. Helping you track review ratings, volume, and trends related to a brand or location gives insights that help you understand how your review performance is affecting your reputation.
Pros
- It gives suggestions on action items that can help you enhance your rating across different review platforms.
- The support is readily available to answer your questions and put you in touch with the right support team whenever needed.
- Reputation collects useful data and prepares customizable reports from it to fit the needs of each user.
Savanna F.
Reputation has been amazing to use! It is extremely user-friendly and easy to navigate. It helps us take customer service to the next level with quick pre-generated review responses and monthly surveys automatically sent out. It was very easy to integrate, and I use it almost every day. I love that is gives you recommendations on how to boost your score and also shows you the industry average!
Cons
- While you can filter review platforms on Reputation, you can not collect and respond to all feedback from within the platform.
- The platform can be very slow, sometimes causing delays in routine work.
- It’s quite technical and complex to operate, with the possibility of yielding false positives online. Therefore, it’s advisable to complement it with human engagement on the ground.
Darbie B.
The system’s loading speed is quite slow, the filter always resets when changing pages and the user / customer support is really poor with a really bureaucratic way of doing things.
Our Experience
In our experience, Reputation is a credible review management tool to improve how you engage with your customers and improve your online presence. The automation functionality of the platform to review requests via email and SMS works seamlessly to boost your review volume, indirectly enhancing your local SEO.
We particularly appreciate its centralized review management, simplifying handling reviews from multiple sources. Also, the AI-generated responses help to ensure that you are able to engage with your consumers on time and consistently.
Overall Verdict
When you compare Reputation to Podium, it really depends on your business needs. When you are looking for a user-friendly platform with robust messaging and review generation capabilities, Podium comes out as a great tool for small to medium-sized businesses in retail and services.
At the same time, if you need comprehensive reputation management with detailed analytics and performance tracking, Reputation is a better fit. It can cater to large enterprises, providing in-depth insights and centralized management for a holistic approach to reputation.
Both platforms might help in enhancing reputation and attracting more consumers, but Podium goes ahead in its simplicity and customer interaction, while Reputation offers deep insights and centralized management for a holistic approach.
Factors to Consider Before Choosing Podium Alternatives
Choosing the suitable Podium alternative depends on your requirements and expectations from a review management tool. Here are some key factors to consider:
- Pricing: Your reputation management solution should be cost-effective, but price isn’t the only factor. The real value lies in how much it can benefit your clients. Look for a solution that meets your budget while delivering all the essential features and functionalities you need.
- Automated Review Responses: Automation in review management helps you manage Google reviews better. You should look for tools like SocialPilot Reviews that can send automated responses to common questions and complaints. This will allow you to provide more personalized responses to customers.
- Integrations with Other Tools: Many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), and even agencies are overwhelmed by the multitude of cloud-based tools they use. Your ideal reputation management solution should seamlessly integrate with the platforms and software your clients rely on most.
- Free Trial: A free trial can be a great way to know a reputation management platform. It gives you a chance to test it out before signing on the dotted line. Tools such as SocialPilot Reviews provide a 14-day free trial to take it for a test run for one brand and location.
Conclusion
While Podium is an exceptional tool for collecting and managing customer reviews, its high cost and complex work are big hindrances in its adoption. There are many better Podium alternatives, such as SocialPilot, that offer similar or better features at a more affordable cost and with greater ease of use.
Alternatives such as SocialPilot are very cost-effective start at just $25 per month, making it an attractive option for your business. Whether you prioritize cost, features, or user experience, SocialPilot might be the perfect fit for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is similar to Podium?
The following platforms are similar to Podium:
- SocialPilot
- Swell
- Reputation
- BrightLocal
- Yext
- Birdeye
- SurveySparrow
- ReputationStacker
Is Podium affordable for review management?
No, Podium is not an affordable review management platform. At $399 per month, it is not an affordable option for small businesses. Instead, try SocialPilot Reviews, which is available at just $30 per month.
What are some key features to look for in a Podium alternative?
Important features to consider when looking for Podium alternatives are:
- Automated review requests via email and SMS
- Monitor reviews across platforms such as Google, Yelp, Facebook and more
- Centralized dashboard for review management
- AI-supported review response capabilities
- Reporting and analytics on review performance
- Affordable pricing without long-term contracts
What precautions should I take before canceling my Podium account?
Before canceling your Podium account, you should back up your customer and conversation data and export it. Also, make sure that you review your Podium contract and cancellation terms.
Can Podium alternatives integrate easily with my existing software?
Yes, many Podium alternatives, such as SocialPilot Reviewsconnect easily with common tools like CRMs, scheduling systems, or EHRs for healthcare.
Many do! They connect with common tools like CRMs, scheduling systems, or EHRs for healthcare. Double-check that the software you pick works with your current setup, so you don’t end up dealing with a complicated integration.
Can I run both Podium alternative and my Podium simultaneously during the transition period?
Yes, you can run both Podium and your new platform simultaneously during the transition period. In fact, this approach can help you make sure your data is accurate and that your new platform works as expected.
How do I ensure Podium won’t charge me after I switch?
To avoid unexpected charges after switching from Podium, formally contact customer support to cancel your account. Request written confirmation of your cancellation date.
Carefully review your final bill to ensure accuracy and monitor your bank statements for any unauthorized charges. Keep a record of all communications with Podium, as this may be necessary if you need to dispute any charges.
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