Quick Overview
- 1#1: Brandwatch - Brandwatch provides comprehensive social listening to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, and analyze consumer insights across social media and online sources.
- 2#2: Talkwalker - Talkwalker offers AI-powered social listening and analytics to track conversations, trends, and influencers on social platforms and the web.
- 3#3: Meltwater - Meltwater delivers global media monitoring and social listening tools for real-time insights into brand reputation and market trends.
- 4#4: Sprout Social - Sprout Social enables social listening to discover mentions, analyze engagement, and engage with audiences across multiple social networks.
- 5#5: Hootsuite - Hootsuite's listening features track social conversations, monitor keywords, and provide sentiment analysis for strategic insights.
- 6#6: Mention - Mention is a real-time social media monitoring tool that alerts on brand mentions and tracks reputation across web and social channels.
- 7#7: Brand24 - Brand24 monitors online mentions in real-time, measures reach and sentiment, and identifies influencers for brand management.
- 8#8: Keyhole - Keyhole tracks hashtags, keywords, and influencers with real-time analytics and historical data for social listening.
- 9#9: Awario - Awario offers affordable social listening to monitor brand mentions, sentiment, and competitors across social media and blogs.
- 10#10: NetBase Quid - NetBase Quid uses AI for deep social listening, consumer insights, and predictive analytics from vast online conversations.
These tools were carefully selected based on features, accuracy, user experience, and value, ensuring a list that balances depth, usability, and practicality for diverse business needs
Comparison Table
In an era of constant digital interaction, social listening software empowers brands to capture, analyze, and act on conversations across platforms. This comparison table explores leading tools—including Brandwatch, Talkwalker, Meltwater, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, and more—breaking down their core features, strengths, and best-fit scenarios. Readers will discover which software aligns with their goals, whether audience engagement, trend tracking, or competitive analysis.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandwatch Brandwatch provides comprehensive social listening to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, and analyze consumer insights across social media and online sources. | enterprise | 9.3/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 2 | Talkwalker Talkwalker offers AI-powered social listening and analytics to track conversations, trends, and influencers on social platforms and the web. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.7/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 3 | Meltwater Meltwater delivers global media monitoring and social listening tools for real-time insights into brand reputation and market trends. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.4/10 | 7.1/10 |
| 4 | Sprout Social Sprout Social enables social listening to discover mentions, analyze engagement, and engage with audiences across multiple social networks. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | Hootsuite Hootsuite's listening features track social conversations, monitor keywords, and provide sentiment analysis for strategic insights. | enterprise | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.2/10 | 7.0/10 |
| 6 | Mention Mention is a real-time social media monitoring tool that alerts on brand mentions and tracks reputation across web and social channels. | specialized | 8.2/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 7 | Brand24 Brand24 monitors online mentions in real-time, measures reach and sentiment, and identifies influencers for brand management. | specialized | 8.6/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 8 | Keyhole Keyhole tracks hashtags, keywords, and influencers with real-time analytics and historical data for social listening. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.7/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 9 | Awario Awario offers affordable social listening to monitor brand mentions, sentiment, and competitors across social media and blogs. | specialized | 8.3/10 | 8.1/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 10 | NetBase Quid NetBase Quid uses AI for deep social listening, consumer insights, and predictive analytics from vast online conversations. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
Brandwatch provides comprehensive social listening to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, and analyze consumer insights across social media and online sources.
Talkwalker offers AI-powered social listening and analytics to track conversations, trends, and influencers on social platforms and the web.
Meltwater delivers global media monitoring and social listening tools for real-time insights into brand reputation and market trends.
Sprout Social enables social listening to discover mentions, analyze engagement, and engage with audiences across multiple social networks.
Hootsuite's listening features track social conversations, monitor keywords, and provide sentiment analysis for strategic insights.
Mention is a real-time social media monitoring tool that alerts on brand mentions and tracks reputation across web and social channels.
Brand24 monitors online mentions in real-time, measures reach and sentiment, and identifies influencers for brand management.
Keyhole tracks hashtags, keywords, and influencers with real-time analytics and historical data for social listening.
Awario offers affordable social listening to monitor brand mentions, sentiment, and competitors across social media and blogs.
NetBase Quid uses AI for deep social listening, consumer insights, and predictive analytics from vast online conversations.
Brandwatch
enterpriseBrandwatch provides comprehensive social listening to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, and analyze consumer insights across social media and online sources.
Iris AI, which automates deep data analysis and delivers human-like insights from vast unstructured data sources
Brandwatch is a premier social listening platform that tracks brand mentions, consumer sentiments, and emerging trends across over 100 million sources including social media, news, blogs, forums, reviews, podcasts, and broadcast media. It leverages AI-driven analytics for deep insights like audience demographics, influencer identification, crisis alerts, and predictive trend forecasting. The tool excels in customizable dashboards, image and video recognition, and integrated consumer research capabilities, making it ideal for enterprise-level strategy.
Pros
- Unparalleled coverage of 100M+ sources with real-time monitoring
- Advanced AI tools like Iris for automated insights and image recognition
- Highly customizable dashboards and reporting for strategic decision-making
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex interface for new users
- Enterprise pricing is expensive and requires custom quotes
- Lengthy onboarding and implementation process
Best For
Large enterprises and agencies needing comprehensive, AI-powered social intelligence for brand management and market research.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting at around $800/month for basic plans, scaling to $10,000+/month for full features; contact sales for quotes.
Talkwalker
enterpriseTalkwalker offers AI-powered social listening and analytics to track conversations, trends, and influencers on social platforms and the web.
Visual Listening with AI-powered image and video recognition to analyze non-text content like logos and products
Talkwalker is a powerful social listening platform that monitors billions of conversations across social media, news, blogs, forums, reviews, and podcasts in 187 languages. It uses advanced AI for sentiment analysis, emotion detection, trend forecasting, and visual listening to identify brand mentions, emerging risks, and opportunities. The platform offers customizable dashboards, real-time alerts, and comprehensive reporting to drive strategic decisions for brands and agencies.
Pros
- Extensive global coverage with monitoring of 30+ billion posts annually across 187 languages
- Advanced AI capabilities including visual analytics for images/videos and emotion AI
- Highly customizable dashboards, real-time alerts, and exportable reports
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing with no public tiers
- Steep learning curve due to feature depth
- Onboarding can be time-intensive for complex setups
Best For
Large enterprises and agencies requiring in-depth, multilingual social intelligence and competitive benchmarking.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $10,000+ annually based on monitoring volume and features.
Meltwater
enterpriseMeltwater delivers global media monitoring and social listening tools for real-time insights into brand reputation and market trends.
AI-powered global media monitoring with podcast and broadcast transcription across 100+ languages
Meltwater is a robust media intelligence platform specializing in social listening, monitoring millions of sources across social media, news, blogs, forums, reviews, and podcasts in over 100 languages. It delivers real-time alerts, sentiment analysis, influencer discovery, and customizable dashboards to help brands track brand health, manage crises, and identify opportunities. With AI-driven insights and integrations for CRM and BI tools, it's designed for enterprise-scale operations requiring global coverage.
Pros
- Extensive global coverage across 400k+ sources and 100+ languages
- Advanced AI for sentiment analysis, topic clustering, and predictive insights
- Seamless integrations with CRM, BI tools, and custom reporting options
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing not suitable for SMBs
- Steep learning curve and complex interface for new users
- Onboarding process can be lengthy for full customization
Best For
Large enterprises, agencies, and PR teams needing comprehensive global social listening and media monitoring.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting at $20,000+ annually, based on sources, users, and features; quotes required.
Sprout Social
enterpriseSprout Social enables social listening to discover mentions, analyze engagement, and engage with audiences across multiple social networks.
AI-driven Discovery tool for precise keyword monitoring and competitive intelligence
Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media management platform with strong social listening features, enabling users to monitor brand mentions, keywords, hashtags, and competitors across major networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It offers sentiment analysis, trend detection, and customizable reports to uncover insights and track performance. The tool integrates listening data seamlessly with publishing, engagement, and analytics for a unified workflow.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with drag-and-drop reporting
- Seamless integration of listening with engagement and publishing
- Robust competitive benchmarking and AI-powered insights
Cons
- Higher pricing limits accessibility for small teams
- Limited historical data depth compared to dedicated listening tools
- Fewer advanced Boolean search options and data sources
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and marketing teams seeking an all-in-one platform with reliable social listening capabilities.
Pricing
Starts at $249/user/month (Standard, billed annually), $399 (Professional), $499 (Advanced), with custom Enterprise plans.
Hootsuite
enterpriseHootsuite's listening features track social conversations, monitor keywords, and provide sentiment analysis for strategic insights.
Customizable real-time streams for keyword, mention, and competitor tracking across multiple platforms
Hootsuite is a versatile social media management platform with built-in social listening tools that enable users to monitor keywords, hashtags, mentions, and conversations across major networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. It offers customizable streams, sentiment analysis, and reporting dashboards to track brand health and trends in real-time. While primarily focused on publishing and engagement, its listening features provide actionable insights for mid-sized teams managing multiple channels.
Pros
- Broad social platform coverage for monitoring
- Intuitive streams dashboard for real-time alerts
- Seamless integration with scheduling and analytics
Cons
- Limited advanced AI-driven insights compared to dedicated tools
- Interface can feel cluttered for listening-only users
- Advanced features locked behind higher pricing tiers
Best For
Mid-sized marketing teams seeking an all-in-one platform that combines social listening with content scheduling and engagement.
Pricing
Professional plan starts at $99/user/month (billed annually); Team at $249/user/month includes enhanced listening; Enterprise custom.
Mention
specializedMention is a real-time social media monitoring tool that alerts on brand mentions and tracks reputation across web and social channels.
Real-time alerts with direct response capabilities from any mention across 1 billion+ sources
Mention is a comprehensive social listening platform that monitors brand mentions, keywords, and competitors across social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), news sites, blogs, forums, and the web in real-time. It offers sentiment analysis, customizable alerts, Boolean search queries, and interactive dashboards for tracking conversations and trends. The tool enables direct engagement from mentions and provides reporting features to measure share of voice and performance metrics.
Pros
- Real-time alerts and notifications via email, Slack, or mobile app
- Intuitive interface with easy setup and Boolean search for precise monitoring
- Strong web and news coverage beyond just social platforms
Cons
- Pricing escalates quickly for advanced features and higher volumes
- Limited historical data depth compared to enterprise competitors
- Sentiment analysis accuracy can vary and requires tuning
Best For
Small to mid-sized businesses and marketing teams needing straightforward, real-time social monitoring without deep enterprise analytics.
Pricing
Free plan (limited to 1,000 mentions/month); Solo $49/month; Pro $199/month; Enterprise custom pricing.
Brand24
specializedBrand24 monitors online mentions in real-time, measures reach and sentiment, and identifies influencers for brand management.
Real-time 'Mentions Stream' with instant push notifications and a visual 'Wall' dashboard for live monitoring of conversations
Brand24 is a social listening tool that monitors online mentions of brands, keywords, competitors, and hashtags across social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Reddit, as well as blogs, news sites, forums, and podcasts. It provides real-time alerts, sentiment analysis, reach metrics, and influencer identification to help users track reputation, discover trends, and engage with audiences. The platform offers customizable dashboards, automated reports, and integrations with tools like Slack and Google Analytics for streamlined workflows.
Pros
- Real-time mention alerts via email, Slack, and mobile app
- Accurate AI-powered sentiment analysis and influencer scoring
- Intuitive dashboard with easy project setup and customizable reports
- Strong coverage of social media, web, and emerging platforms like TikTok
Cons
- Limited advanced filtering and Boolean search compared to enterprise tools
- Fewer integrations with CRM or marketing stacks
- Occasional inaccuracies in mention sources or duplicates
- Higher tiers needed for unlimited mentions and team features
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses and marketing teams seeking an affordable, user-friendly tool for real-time brand monitoring without complex setup.
Pricing
Starts at $59/month (Individual, 1 keyword, 2K mentions), $119/month (Team, 3 keywords, 25K mentions), $239/month (Pro, 15 keywords, 100K mentions); Enterprise custom; 14-day free trial.
Keyhole
specializedKeyhole tracks hashtags, keywords, and influencers with real-time analytics and historical data for social listening.
Real-time hashtag velocity tracking that visualizes growth momentum and predicts trends
Keyhole is a social listening and analytics platform specializing in real-time tracking of hashtags, keywords, and mentions across major social networks including Instagram, Twitter (X), Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. It offers insights into audience sentiment, engagement metrics, influencer discovery, and competitive benchmarking through interactive dashboards and customizable reports. Ideal for monitoring trends and campaigns, it helps marketers measure ROI and optimize strategies based on live data.
Pros
- Superior real-time hashtag and keyword tracking with velocity charts
- User-friendly interface and visually appealing dashboards
- Effective influencer search and competitive analysis tools
Cons
- Limited depth in advanced sentiment analysis compared to enterprise tools
- No built-in social media publishing or scheduling features
- Coverage gaps on some emerging platforms and less robust historical data
Best For
Marketers and agencies running hashtag campaigns or influencer strategies on Instagram and Twitter.
Pricing
Plans start at $79/month (Analyst) up to $439/month (Corporate), with Enterprise custom pricing; 14-day free trial available.
Awario
specializedAwario offers affordable social listening to monitor brand mentions, sentiment, and competitors across social media and blogs.
Advanced Boolean search for highly precise mention tracking
Awario is a social listening platform that monitors brand mentions, keywords, and competitors across social media, blogs, forums, news sites, and review platforms like Reddit. It offers real-time alerts, sentiment analysis, influencer discovery, and customizable Boolean searches for precise tracking. The tool helps businesses analyze online conversations, generate reports, and respond promptly to customer feedback.
Pros
- Intuitive interface with quick setup
- Affordable pricing for SMBs
- Strong coverage of forums and Reddit
Cons
- Sentiment analysis accuracy inconsistencies
- Limited historical data access
- Fewer native integrations than enterprise tools
Best For
Small to medium-sized businesses needing an affordable, user-friendly social listening solution without complex enterprise features.
Pricing
Starter ($29/mo), Pro ($89/mo), Enterprise ($199+/mo); annual billing discounts available.
NetBase Quid
enterpriseNetBase Quid uses AI for deep social listening, consumer insights, and predictive analytics from vast online conversations.
Cognitive Intelligence engine that automatically clusters topics and predicts emerging trends from unstructured data
NetBase Quid is an enterprise-grade social listening platform that uses AI and natural language processing to monitor billions of social conversations, reviews, forums, and digital sources in real-time. It delivers actionable insights through sentiment analysis, trend detection, competitive benchmarking, and predictive analytics. The tool excels in uncovering consumer intent and market shifts with visual dashboards and customizable reports.
Pros
- Advanced AI for semantic analysis and trend prediction
- Comprehensive coverage of global social and non-social data sources
- Robust visualization tools and real-time alerting
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-expert users
- High enterprise-level pricing
- Fewer native integrations than some competitors
Best For
Large enterprises and marketing teams needing deep, AI-driven consumer intelligence at scale.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting at around $50,000 annually, based on data volume and features; contact sales for quotes.
Conclusion
The reviewed social listening tools each bring unique strengths, but Brandwatch leads as the top choice, offering comprehensive, multi-source insights. Talkwalker shines with its advanced AI-driven analytics, while Meltwater impresses with its robust global reach and real-time reputation tracking, making them strong alternatives for specific needs. With options spanning from affordability to deep predictive analytics, there’s a tool suited to every strategy, but Brandwatch’s versatility and depth set it apart.
Don’t miss out on unlocking actionable insights—start with Brandwatch today to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, and gain the consumer intelligence needed to stay ahead. Try it, explore its features, and discover how it can transform your social strategy.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison