Quick Overview
- 1#1: Brandwatch - AI-powered social listening platform that monitors billions of online conversations for brand insights and sentiment analysis.
- 2#2: Meltwater - Global media monitoring and social listening tool providing real-time alerts and analytics across social media and news.
- 3#3: Talkwalker - Consumer intelligence platform using AI for visual social listening, trend detection, and image recognition.
- 4#4: Sprout Social - Social media management suite with robust listening features for tracking mentions and engagement metrics.
- 5#5: Hootsuite - All-in-one social platform offering listening streams for monitoring keywords and conversations in real-time.
- 6#6: Mention - Real-time web and social media monitoring tool for brand mentions, alerts, and competitive intelligence.
- 7#7: Brand24 - Media monitoring software that tracks online mentions, sentiment, and reach across the web and social channels.
- 8#8: Awario - Social listening tool for brand monitoring, influencer identification, and sentiment analysis on social media.
- 9#9: Keyhole - Hashtag and keyword tracking platform providing real-time social listening and analytics for campaigns.
- 10#10: Digimind - Social intelligence platform for listening to consumer conversations and delivering actionable marketing insights.
We selected these tools based on key factors including advanced features (such as real-time analytics, sentiment analysis, and image recognition), user experience, and overall value, ensuring they deliver reliable performance across varied use cases.
Comparison Table
This comparison table examines leading listening software tools, such as Brandwatch, Meltwater, Talkwalker, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, and more, to guide readers in selecting the right solution. It explores key features, practical use cases, and unique strengths, helping users understand how each tool performs across monitoring, analysis, and engagement functions. Whether for social media, media, or customer insights, the table simplifies complex differences to highlight which tool aligns best with specific goals.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandwatch AI-powered social listening platform that monitors billions of online conversations for brand insights and sentiment analysis. | enterprise | 9.5/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.9/10 |
| 2 | Meltwater Global media monitoring and social listening tool providing real-time alerts and analytics across social media and news. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.7/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 3 | Talkwalker Consumer intelligence platform using AI for visual social listening, trend detection, and image recognition. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 4 | Sprout Social Social media management suite with robust listening features for tracking mentions and engagement metrics. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.2/10 | 7.6/10 |
| 5 | Hootsuite All-in-one social platform offering listening streams for monitoring keywords and conversations in real-time. | enterprise | 8.0/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 6 | Mention Real-time web and social media monitoring tool for brand mentions, alerts, and competitive intelligence. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 7 | Brand24 Media monitoring software that tracks online mentions, sentiment, and reach across the web and social channels. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 8 | Awario Social listening tool for brand monitoring, influencer identification, and sentiment analysis on social media. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 9 | Keyhole Hashtag and keyword tracking platform providing real-time social listening and analytics for campaigns. | specialized | 7.8/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.0/10 |
| 10 | Digimind Social intelligence platform for listening to consumer conversations and delivering actionable marketing insights. | enterprise | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.4/10 |
AI-powered social listening platform that monitors billions of online conversations for brand insights and sentiment analysis.
Global media monitoring and social listening tool providing real-time alerts and analytics across social media and news.
Consumer intelligence platform using AI for visual social listening, trend detection, and image recognition.
Social media management suite with robust listening features for tracking mentions and engagement metrics.
All-in-one social platform offering listening streams for monitoring keywords and conversations in real-time.
Real-time web and social media monitoring tool for brand mentions, alerts, and competitive intelligence.
Media monitoring software that tracks online mentions, sentiment, and reach across the web and social channels.
Social listening tool for brand monitoring, influencer identification, and sentiment analysis on social media.
Hashtag and keyword tracking platform providing real-time social listening and analytics for campaigns.
Social intelligence platform for listening to consumer conversations and delivering actionable marketing insights.
Brandwatch
enterpriseAI-powered social listening platform that monitors billions of online conversations for brand insights and sentiment analysis.
AI-powered Image Insights that analyzes visuals in posts for logo detection, product recognition, and emerging visual trends
Brandwatch is a premier social listening platform that monitors billions of online conversations across social media, news, blogs, forums, podcasts, and review sites in real-time. It delivers actionable insights through advanced AI-driven sentiment analysis, trend detection, demographic segmentation, and image recognition capabilities. The platform also integrates consumer research tools and customizable dashboards for crisis management, competitive intelligence, and audience engagement strategies.
Pros
- Unmatched data volume and coverage from 100+ million sources worldwide
- Powerful AI for sentiment, imagery, and predictive analytics
- Highly customizable reports, dashboards, and API integrations
Cons
- Enterprise-level pricing inaccessible for small businesses
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Occasional delays in query processing during peak times
Best For
Large enterprises and agencies requiring enterprise-grade social intelligence, crisis monitoring, and competitive benchmarking.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing via quote; typically starts at $1,000+/month for basic plans, scaling to tens of thousands for full features.
Meltwater
enterpriseGlobal media monitoring and social listening tool providing real-time alerts and analytics across social media and news.
AI-powered Explore module for automated topic discovery, clustering, and predictive trend forecasting across vast multilingual datasets
Meltwater is a powerful enterprise-grade media intelligence platform specializing in social listening, media monitoring, and analytics. It tracks brand mentions, conversations, and trends across millions of global sources including social media, news outlets, blogs, forums, and podcasts in over 300 languages. The tool delivers real-time alerts, AI-powered sentiment analysis, influencer identification, and customizable dashboards to help teams derive actionable insights for PR, marketing, and crisis management.
Pros
- Unparalleled global coverage with millions of sources in 300+ languages
- Advanced AI-driven analytics including sentiment, topic clustering, and predictive insights
- Highly customizable dashboards, reports, and integrations with CRM/ BI tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex setup for non-experts
- High enterprise pricing not suitable for small businesses
- Occasional data accuracy issues in niche or emerging channels
Best For
Large enterprises, agencies, and PR teams requiring comprehensive, real-time global media monitoring and deep analytics.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing, typically starting at $10,000+ per month for enterprise plans depending on data volume and features.
Talkwalker
enterpriseConsumer intelligence platform using AI for visual social listening, trend detection, and image recognition.
Blue Silk™ AI for visual listening, automatically detecting logos, products, and emotions in images and videos
Talkwalker is a powerful social listening platform that monitors billions of online conversations across social media, news, blogs, forums, reviews, and podcasts in 187 languages from 150+ countries. It uses advanced AI for sentiment analysis, emotion detection, image and video recognition, and trend forecasting to deliver real-time insights and customizable dashboards. Ideal for enterprises, it supports reputation management, crisis detection, and competitive intelligence with seamless integrations.
Pros
- Unmatched global coverage and multilingual support spanning 187 languages
- AI-driven visual listening with image/video recognition and peak detection
- Highly customizable dashboards and real-time alerts for proactive insights
Cons
- Enterprise pricing is steep and requires custom quotes
- Steep learning curve for advanced analytics and setup
- Overkill for small businesses with basic monitoring needs
Best For
Large enterprises and marketing agencies requiring comprehensive global social intelligence and advanced AI analytics.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting at around $10,000 annually, based on data volume, sources, and features; contact sales for quotes.
Sprout Social
enterpriseSocial media management suite with robust listening features for tracking mentions and engagement metrics.
Crisis Alerts for real-time notifications on spikes in negative sentiment or high-volume mentions
Sprout Social is an all-in-one social media management platform with robust social listening tools that monitor brand mentions, competitors, and industry trends across major networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It offers advanced query building with boolean logic, sentiment analysis, and real-time alerts to help teams track conversations and respond proactively. The platform delivers actionable insights through customizable reports, visualizations, and competitive benchmarking, making it ideal for data-driven social strategies.
Pros
- Powerful boolean search queries for precise monitoring
- Excellent reporting and visualization tools
- Seamless integration with social publishing and engagement
Cons
- Primarily focused on social channels, limited web/news monitoring
- Expensive pricing scales poorly for small teams
- Full listening features locked behind higher-tier plans
Best For
Mid-sized marketing teams at brands seeking integrated social listening with management and analytics capabilities.
Pricing
Standard ($249/user/mo), Professional ($399/user/mo), Advanced ($499/user/mo), Enterprise (custom); billed annually with social listening in Professional+ tiers.
Hootsuite
enterpriseAll-in-one social platform offering listening streams for monitoring keywords and conversations in real-time.
Customizable streams dashboard for monitoring multiple keywords, mentions, and trends in one unified view
Hootsuite is a versatile social media management platform with integrated social listening tools that enable real-time monitoring of brand mentions, keywords, hashtags, and competitors across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It offers customizable streams for tracking conversations, basic sentiment analysis, and reporting to gauge audience sentiment and trends. While not a dedicated listening-only solution, its listening features are seamlessly tied into scheduling and analytics workflows.
Pros
- Intuitive dashboard with customizable streams for real-time monitoring
- Broad platform coverage and integration with social management tools
- Solid reporting and basic sentiment analysis included
Cons
- Listening capabilities are less advanced than dedicated tools like Brandwatch
- Full features locked behind higher-tier plans
- Interface can feel cluttered for pure listening users
Best For
Social media teams seeking an all-in-one platform that combines listening with publishing and analytics.
Pricing
Starts at $99/user/month (Professional plan); advanced listening and reports in Team ($249/user/month) and Enterprise plans; 30-day free trial.
Mention
specializedReal-time web and social media monitoring tool for brand mentions, alerts, and competitive intelligence.
Real-time monitoring across over 1 billion web sources with Boolean search for precise tracking
Mention is a comprehensive social listening platform that tracks brand mentions, keywords, and competitors across social media, news sites, blogs, forums, and review sites in real-time. It offers sentiment analysis, customizable alerts, reporting dashboards, and influencer identification to help businesses monitor online reputation and engage proactively. With Boolean search capabilities and integrations like Slack and Google Analytics, it's designed for efficient conversation monitoring and trend spotting.
Pros
- Real-time alerts and notifications
- Intuitive interface with easy setup
- Broad coverage across 1+ billion sources
Cons
- Pricing escalates quickly for advanced features
- Limited historical data on lower plans
- Customer support can be slower for non-enterprise users
Best For
Mid-sized marketing teams and agencies seeking real-time brand monitoring and sentiment insights across multiple channels.
Pricing
Free plan (limited); Essential $49/mo, Business $99/mo, Enterprise $199+/mo (billed annually).
Brand24
specializedMedia monitoring software that tracks online mentions, sentiment, and reach across the web and social channels.
Autopilot mode that automatically generates shareable reports and detects crises without manual intervention
Brand24 is a social media monitoring and listening tool that tracks brand mentions, keywords, and competitors across social platforms, news sites, blogs, forums, podcasts, and review sites. It offers AI-driven sentiment analysis, real-time alerts, influencer discovery, and customizable reports to help businesses manage online reputation and discover opportunities. With a user-friendly dashboard, it turns vast online conversations into actionable insights for marketing and PR teams.
Pros
- Comprehensive coverage of 25+ million sources including niche platforms like podcasts and reviews
- AI-powered sentiment analysis and mention grouping for quick insights
- Real-time notifications and easy integrations with Slack, Google Sheets, and Zapier
Cons
- Limited advanced analytics and customization compared to enterprise tools like Brandwatch
- Pricing scales quickly for teams needing multiple projects or high mention volumes
- Occasional gaps in coverage for non-English languages or emerging platforms
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses and agencies seeking an intuitive, affordable entry into social listening without complex setup.
Pricing
Starts at $59/month (Individual, 1 keyword project), $119/month (Team, 3 projects), $239/month (Pro, 10 projects), Enterprise custom; 14-day free trial.
Awario
specializedSocial listening tool for brand monitoring, influencer identification, and sentiment analysis on social media.
Advanced Boolean search for hyper-precise mention tracking across the entire web
Awario is a social listening platform that tracks online mentions of brands, products, or keywords across social media, blogs, forums, news sites, and the web. It offers real-time alerts, sentiment analysis, competitor benchmarking, and custom Boolean searches for precise monitoring. The tool provides share-of-voice metrics, influencer identification, and customizable reports to help businesses manage their online reputation effectively.
Pros
- Comprehensive web-wide monitoring beyond just social media
- Powerful Boolean search and real-time alerts
- Strong sentiment analysis and share-of-voice reporting
Cons
- Limited historical data access on entry-level plans
- No dedicated mobile app
- Higher tiers required for advanced features like API access
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses and marketers seeking affordable, full-spectrum online listening without enterprise complexity.
Pricing
Starter at $39/month (annual), Pro at $99/month, Enterprise at $199+/month; 14-day free trial available.
Keyhole
specializedHashtag and keyword tracking platform providing real-time social listening and analytics for campaigns.
Historical 'Time Machine' data providing unlimited access to hashtag performance since Twitter's inception in 2006
Keyhole is a social media listening and analytics platform focused on tracking hashtags, keywords, mentions, and trends across Twitter (X), Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. It offers real-time monitoring, historical data insights going back over a decade, sentiment analysis, influencer discovery, and competitor benchmarking through interactive dashboards. Ideal for brands seeking to measure campaign performance and audience engagement without deep enterprise-level complexity.
Pros
- Extensive historical data for hashtags since 2006
- User-friendly dashboards and visualizations
- Strong influencer and competitor tracking
Cons
- Limited depth on some platforms like TikTok
- Pricing increases significantly for advanced features
- Fewer integrations compared to enterprise tools
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses and marketers focused on hashtag campaigns and social trend monitoring.
Pricing
Starts at $49/month (Spotlight plan) for basic tracking; Pro at $99/month, Enterprise custom.
Digimind
enterpriseSocial intelligence platform for listening to consumer conversations and delivering actionable marketing insights.
Proprietary AI-driven conversation clustering that groups related discussions across disparate sources for nuanced insights
Digimind is a robust social listening and media intelligence platform that monitors brand mentions, trends, and conversations across social media, news, blogs, forums, review sites, and broadcast sources in over 100 languages. It leverages AI for sentiment analysis, topic clustering, competitive benchmarking, and predictive insights to help marketers and PR teams make data-driven decisions. The platform offers customizable dashboards, real-time alerts, and exportable reports for comprehensive online reputation management.
Pros
- Extensive global coverage of millions of sources including non-social web
- Advanced AI-powered analytics for sentiment, clustering, and trend prediction
- Customizable dashboards and robust reporting capabilities
Cons
- Steep learning curve with a complex interface
- High enterprise-level pricing with custom quotes only
- Limited integrations compared to top competitors
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises and agencies needing deep, multilingual media intelligence and competitive analysis.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing, typically starting at $5,000+ per month based on data volume, sources, and users; contact sales for quote.
Conclusion
While the entire list of tools offers valuable insights for tracking conversations, the top three standout for their exceptional capabilities. Brandwatch claims the top spot with its comprehensive AI-powered monitoring of billions of online conversations, providing deep brand insights and sentiment analysis. Meltwater and Talkwalker, as the second and third, shine with their real-time global coverage and visual intelligence, respectively, making them strong alternatives for varying needs.
If you’re looking to unlock actionable insights from online conversations, Brandwatch is the clear choice. Dive into its features and start leveraging its robust capabilities to stay ahead in your social listening journey.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison