Quick Overview
- 1#1: Brandwatch - AI-powered social listening platform that tracks brand mentions, sentiment, and consumer insights across social media.
- 2#2: Hootsuite - Comprehensive social media management tool with real-time monitoring streams and analytics for multiple platforms.
- 3#3: Sprout Social - Unified platform for social media tracking, engagement, and detailed performance analytics with listening features.
- 4#4: Meltwater - Global media monitoring solution that tracks social conversations, influencers, and brand reputation in real-time.
- 5#5: Talkwalker - AI-driven social intelligence platform for monitoring trends, sentiment, and visual content across social networks.
- 6#6: Mention - Real-time alert system for tracking brand mentions and discussions on social media and the web.
- 7#7: Awario - Affordable social listening tool that monitors mentions, sentiment, and competitors across multiple platforms.
- 8#8: Keyhole - Hashtag and keyword tracking tool providing real-time analytics and influencer insights for social campaigns.
- 9#9: Agorapulse - Social media management platform with unified inbox for monitoring messages and engagement metrics.
- 10#10: Iconosquare - Visual analytics tool specialized in tracking performance and audience insights on Instagram and Facebook.
Tools were selected and ranked based on key factors including feature comprehensiveness (e.g., real-time monitoring, sentiment analysis), platform quality (accuracy, reliability), user-friendliness, and overall value, ensuring they deliver maximum utility across business scales.
Comparison Table
Navigating social media tracking software can be challenging; this comparison table streamlines the process by examining top tools like Brandwatch, Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Meltwater, Talkwalker, and more. Readers will discover key features, core strengths, and ideal use cases to find the software that best fits their goals, whether for brand monitoring, engagement tracking, or cross-platform management needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandwatch AI-powered social listening platform that tracks brand mentions, sentiment, and consumer insights across social media. | enterprise | 9.7/10 | 9.9/10 | 8.6/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 2 | Hootsuite Comprehensive social media management tool with real-time monitoring streams and analytics for multiple platforms. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.3/10 |
| 3 | Sprout Social Unified platform for social media tracking, engagement, and detailed performance analytics with listening features. | enterprise | 9.1/10 | 9.4/10 | 8.9/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 4 | Meltwater Global media monitoring solution that tracks social conversations, influencers, and brand reputation in real-time. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.4/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 5 | Talkwalker AI-driven social intelligence platform for monitoring trends, sentiment, and visual content across social networks. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 6 | Mention Real-time alert system for tracking brand mentions and discussions on social media and the web. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 9.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 7 | Awario Affordable social listening tool that monitors mentions, sentiment, and competitors across multiple platforms. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 8 | Keyhole Hashtag and keyword tracking tool providing real-time analytics and influencer insights for social campaigns. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.6/10 | 7.7/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 9 | Agorapulse Social media management platform with unified inbox for monitoring messages and engagement metrics. | specialized | 8.4/10 | 8.6/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.9/10 |
| 10 | Iconosquare Visual analytics tool specialized in tracking performance and audience insights on Instagram and Facebook. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 8.7/10 | 7.9/10 | 7.4/10 |
AI-powered social listening platform that tracks brand mentions, sentiment, and consumer insights across social media.
Comprehensive social media management tool with real-time monitoring streams and analytics for multiple platforms.
Unified platform for social media tracking, engagement, and detailed performance analytics with listening features.
Global media monitoring solution that tracks social conversations, influencers, and brand reputation in real-time.
AI-driven social intelligence platform for monitoring trends, sentiment, and visual content across social networks.
Real-time alert system for tracking brand mentions and discussions on social media and the web.
Affordable social listening tool that monitors mentions, sentiment, and competitors across multiple platforms.
Hashtag and keyword tracking tool providing real-time analytics and influencer insights for social campaigns.
Social media management platform with unified inbox for monitoring messages and engagement metrics.
Visual analytics tool specialized in tracking performance and audience insights on Instagram and Facebook.
Brandwatch
enterpriseAI-powered social listening platform that tracks brand mentions, sentiment, and consumer insights across social media.
Iris AI, a generative AI engine that uncovers hidden insights, narratives, and opportunities from massive datasets without manual queries.
Brandwatch is a leading enterprise-grade social listening and analytics platform that tracks billions of online conversations across social media, news, blogs, forums, reviews, and podcasts in real-time from over 100 million sources in 195 languages. It leverages advanced AI for sentiment analysis, trend detection, influencer identification, crisis alerts, and competitive benchmarking. The platform empowers brands with actionable insights through customizable dashboards, visual storytelling tools like Vizia, and generative AI via Iris for automated deep analysis.
Pros
- Unmatched data volume and global coverage with real-time monitoring
- Sophisticated AI-driven insights including Iris for automated analysis and sentiment accuracy
- Highly customizable dashboards, reporting, and integrations with CRM/ BI tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve and interface complexity for non-experts
- High enterprise pricing with no public tiers
- Overkill for small businesses due to scale and cost
Best For
Large enterprises, agencies, and brands requiring comprehensive social intelligence for reputation management, campaigns, and competitive analysis.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing via quote; typically starts at $2,000+/month for basic plans, scaling to tens of thousands for full features—demo required.
Hootsuite
enterpriseComprehensive social media management tool with real-time monitoring streams and analytics for multiple platforms.
Customizable real-time streams dashboard for monitoring unlimited social conversations in one unified view
Hootsuite is a robust social media management platform renowned for its real-time tracking capabilities across major networks like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more. It allows users to monitor mentions, keywords, hashtags, and competitor activity through customizable dashboard streams and unified inbox. The tool provides in-depth analytics for engagement metrics, sentiment analysis, and performance reporting to inform strategy.
Pros
- Comprehensive multi-platform monitoring with real-time streams
- Advanced analytics and reporting for tracking ROI and trends
- Integrations with 150+ apps for extended tracking capabilities
Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners due to complex interface
- Higher pricing tiers required for full tracking features
- Occasional glitches in stream loading and mobile app
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and agencies managing multiple social accounts that need powerful, centralized tracking across platforms.
Pricing
Professional plan starts at $99/user/month (billed annually); Team at $249/user/month; Enterprise custom pricing; 30-day free trial available.
Sprout Social
enterpriseUnified platform for social media tracking, engagement, and detailed performance analytics with listening features.
Advanced Social Listening that tracks brand mentions, trends, and competitors across social platforms and the broader web in real-time.
Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media management platform renowned for its robust tracking and analytics capabilities across major networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and TikTok. It offers advanced social listening to monitor brand mentions, track sentiment, analyze competitors, and generate actionable insights through customizable reports and dashboards. The tool unifies engagement in a smart inbox while providing detailed performance metrics to optimize strategies.
Pros
- Powerful social listening for real-time mention tracking and sentiment analysis
- Intuitive dashboards and customizable reporting for deep insights
- Seamless integrations with CRM and other tools for streamlined workflows
Cons
- Premium pricing that may be steep for small teams
- Advanced analytics locked behind higher-tier plans
- Occasional performance lags with very high-volume accounts
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and marketing agencies needing enterprise-grade social media tracking and analytics.
Pricing
Starts at $249/user/month (Standard), $399 (Professional), $499 (Advanced), billed annually; 30-day free trial available.
Meltwater
enterpriseGlobal media monitoring solution that tracks social conversations, influencers, and brand reputation in real-time.
Integrated broadcast monitoring (TV, radio, podcasts) combined with social listening for holistic media intelligence
Meltwater is a powerful enterprise media intelligence platform specializing in social media tracking, monitoring mentions across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more, alongside news, blogs, and broadcast media. It delivers AI-powered insights including sentiment analysis, trend detection, and influencer identification through intuitive dashboards and customizable reports. Designed for large-scale operations, it helps PR and marketing teams manage reputation, engage audiences, and optimize campaigns with real-time alerts and global coverage.
Pros
- Comprehensive global coverage including social media, news, and traditional broadcast (TV/radio)
- Advanced AI-driven analytics for sentiment, trends, and influencer discovery
- Robust reporting, real-time alerts, and API integrations for enterprise workflows
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing inaccessible to SMBs
- Steep learning curve with complex interface and lengthy onboarding
- Overly feature-heavy for basic social tracking needs
Best For
Large enterprises and agencies in PR, marketing, or communications requiring in-depth, multi-channel media monitoring.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $10,000-$20,000+ annually for basic enterprise plans, scaling with usage and features.
Talkwalker
enterpriseAI-driven social intelligence platform for monitoring trends, sentiment, and visual content across social networks.
Visual Listening with AI-powered image and video recognition to detect brands and products in user-generated content
Talkwalker is an enterprise-grade social listening and analytics platform that tracks brand mentions, trends, and conversations across social media, news, blogs, forums, and review sites in 187+ languages. It leverages AI for sentiment analysis, emotion detection, audience demographics, and competitive benchmarking. Unique visual listening capabilities identify brands, logos, and products in images and videos from billions of sources.
Pros
- Comprehensive global coverage of 185M+ sources with real-time monitoring
- Advanced AI-driven insights including sentiment, demographics, and visual recognition
- Customizable dashboards, alerts, and reporting for strategic decision-making
Cons
- High enterprise pricing not suitable for SMBs
- Steep learning curve for advanced features
- Custom quotes make pricing opaque and negotiations lengthy
Best For
Large enterprises and agencies requiring in-depth social intelligence, competitive analysis, and visual listening at scale.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing; typically starts at $20,000+ annually depending on data volume and features—contact sales for quotes.
Mention
specializedReal-time alert system for tracking brand mentions and discussions on social media and the web.
Advanced Boolean search for hyper-precise keyword and mention tracking across vast sources
Mention is a comprehensive social media monitoring platform that tracks brand mentions, keywords, competitors, and hashtags across social networks, news sites, blogs, forums, and review sites in real-time. It offers sentiment analysis, customizable alerts, engagement tools, and detailed analytics reports to help businesses manage online reputation and discover opportunities. With integrations for Slack, Zapier, and more, it enables quick responses and influencer identification.
Pros
- Real-time alerts and notifications across multiple channels
- Broad coverage of over 1 billion sources including social, web, and reviews
- Powerful Boolean search and advanced filtering for precise tracking
Cons
- Pricing escalates quickly for higher mention volumes
- Free plan severely limited to 1,000 mentions/month
- Some analytics features feel basic compared to enterprise rivals
Best For
Mid-sized businesses and marketing teams focused on real-time reputation management and competitive intelligence.
Pricing
Free plan (1,000 mentions/month); Solo $49/month (12,000 mentions); Pro $99/month (50,000 mentions); Enterprise custom.
Awario
specializedAffordable social listening tool that monitors mentions, sentiment, and competitors across multiple platforms.
Advanced Boolean search with historical data up to 2 years for retroactive insights
Awario is a robust social media monitoring tool that tracks mentions of brands, keywords, and competitors across social networks, blogs, forums, news, podcasts, and review sites in real-time. It provides sentiment analysis, influencer discovery, customizable alerts, and historical data search up to two years back for comprehensive online reputation management. The platform excels in Boolean search capabilities, allowing precise filtering to cut through noise and focus on relevant conversations.
Pros
- Extensive coverage across social media, web, and podcasts with historical data access
- Powerful Boolean search for precise mention tracking and filtering
- Real-time alerts and sentiment analysis for quick response to online conversations
Cons
- No permanent free plan, only a 7-day trial
- Reporting and export options lack deep customization compared to top competitors
- Higher-tier plans required for multiple keywords and advanced features
Best For
Marketing teams and agencies seeking detailed brand and competitor monitoring across diverse online sources.
Pricing
Starter at $29/month (1 keyword setup), Pro at $89/month, Enterprise custom; 7-day free trial available.
Keyhole
specializedHashtag and keyword tracking tool providing real-time analytics and influencer insights for social campaigns.
Real-time hashtag velocity tracking with historical trends and competitive benchmarking
Keyhole is a social media analytics platform focused on tracking hashtags, keywords, and mentions across major networks like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. It provides real-time insights, competitor analysis, influencer discovery, and customizable reports to help marketers measure campaign performance and audience engagement. With features like historical data access and visual dashboards, it's tailored for optimizing social strategies.
Pros
- Exceptional real-time hashtag and keyword tracking
- Strong competitor and influencer analysis tools
- Customizable dashboards and exportable reports
Cons
- Limited depth on some platforms like TikTok
- Interface feels somewhat dated
- No perpetual free tier, only trial
Best For
Marketers and agencies focused on hashtag campaigns and real-time social listening on Twitter and Instagram.
Pricing
Starts at $79/month (billed annually) for Analyst plan; Pro at $179/month, Enterprise custom; 14-day free trial.
Agorapulse
specializedSocial media management platform with unified inbox for monitoring messages and engagement metrics.
The Smart Social Inbox that organizes all conversations, mentions, and comments into customizable tabs for efficient tracking
Agorapulse is a robust social media management platform designed for tracking, monitoring, and analyzing performance across major networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Google My Business. It provides a unified inbox to centralize messages, mentions, and comments, along with listening tools to track brand conversations and competitors. The software offers customizable reporting dashboards and automated alerts to help users measure engagement, growth, and ROI effectively.
Pros
- Unified Smart Inbox for streamlined tracking of messages and mentions
- Customizable reports with exportable PDFs and data visualizations
- Listening tools for real-time brand and competitor monitoring
Cons
- Pricing scales quickly for teams managing many profiles
- Lacks advanced AI-driven sentiment analysis compared to top competitors
- Limited integrations with some niche tracking tools
Best For
Social media managers at small to mid-sized businesses or agencies needing an intuitive dashboard for daily tracking and reporting.
Pricing
Starts at $69/month (Essential plan: 1 user, 10 profiles); Pro $89 (3 users, 15 profiles); Advanced $149+ (6+ users, 25+ profiles); 14-day free trial.
Iconosquare
specializedVisual analytics tool specialized in tracking performance and audience insights on Instagram and Facebook.
Advanced Instagram analytics with precise audience demographics, best-time-to-post predictions, and hashtag ROI tracking
Iconosquare is a robust social media analytics and management platform specializing in performance tracking across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X), LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. It offers detailed metrics on engagement, audience growth, content performance, and competitor benchmarking, alongside tools for post scheduling, social listening, and automated reporting. Ideal for data-driven teams, it helps optimize posting strategies with insights like best times to post and hashtag analytics.
Pros
- Deep analytics and customizable dashboards for multiple platforms
- Strong competitor tracking and hashtag performance insights
- Automated reporting and export options for teams
Cons
- Pricing scales quickly with additional social profiles
- Interface feels dated compared to newer competitors
- Limited advanced automation and integrations
Best For
Brands and agencies heavily invested in Instagram and visual platforms needing granular tracking and reporting.
Pricing
Starts at $59/month (Pro, 3 profiles), $99/month (Advanced, 5 profiles), $199/month (VIP, 10 profiles), Enterprise custom; 20% discount on annual plans.
Conclusion
The reviewed social media tracking tools offer diverse strengths, with Brandwatch leading as the top choice, boasting AI-driven insights for deep brand and consumer analysis. Hootsuite excels in comprehensive management, providing real-time monitoring across multiple platforms, while Sprout Social stands out for its unified analytics and engagement features. Together, they cater to varied needs, from detailed trend tracking to all-in-one campaign management.
Take the first step toward smarter social media strategies by exploring Brandwatch—its advanced capabilities can transform how you connect with audiences and protect your brand's voice.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison