Meltwater is a popular media monitoring tool. But according to our research, it can be expensive, and may not be the best fit for all businesses. So any Meltwater alternatives that you consider must let you monitor and analyze media coverage thoroughly – within budget.
Are there tools out there that are better (and ideally cheaper) than Meltwater? Let’s find out!
4 Reasons to Consider Meltwater Alternatives
But first, what are challenges are the most likely to make you want to switch from Meltwater?
Lack of transparency in the pricing
Meltwater’s pricing model has been a source of frustration for some users. Many users have reported a lack of transparency in pricing. It’s highly custom, and difficult to determine without a sales call or demo – with estimates ranging from $8,000 to $25,000 annually.
Complexity of the platform
The Meltwater platform is often described as overly complex, with a steep learning curve. This can hinder user adoption and productivity, especially for those without much experience in media monitoring.
Customer support responsiveness
Some Meltwater users have reported issues with the responsiveness and quality of customer support. This is a make-or-break factor when navigating the platform’s complexities or troubleshooting any challenges.
Limited coverage of online media sources
The media landscape continues to evolve, with the rise of social media, blogs, and other non-traditional channels. As a result some users have expressed a need for media monitoring tools that can provide coverage beyond traditional news sources.
Next, we will explore the top Meltwater alternatives, evaluating their features and capabilities to help you identify the best fit for your organization.
Top 5 Meltwater Alternatives for 2024
At a Glance
| Feature | Statusbrew | SurveySparrow | Cision | Mention | Brand24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Social media management with media monitoring | Stripped-down reputation management and customer feedback | Media monitoring and earned media management | Media monitoring and social listening | Social listening and media monitoring |
| Strengths | Unified social media dashboard, team collaboration, competitor analysis | User-friendly survey creation, customizable surveys, online review management, ticketing | Powerful media monitoring, comprehensive reporting, global coverage | Real-time alerts, multilingual support, influencer identification | Advanced social listening, sentiment analysis, brand reputation tracking |
| Cons | Less comprehensive media monitoring compared to dedicated tools | Not designed for comprehensive media monitoring | Expensive, complex interface | Limited social media management features | Lacks some advanced features like competitor analysis |
| Ideal for | Businesses managing multiple social media channels | Creating surveys for customer feedback, market research, and lead generation | Large enterprises or PR agencies needing in-depth media monitoring | Businesses seeking real-time brand mentions and social media engagement | Businesses focused on social listening, brand sentiment analysis, and reputation management |
1. Statusbrew – For online review monitoring
Statusbrew is a leading Meltwater alternative for businesses that require a unified social media management platform.
Unlike Meltwater, Statusbrew focuses on affordability and ease of use. This platform is ideal for managing brand presence, engaging with followers, and gaining insights to optimize social media marketing.
Strengths of Statusbrew:
- Unified Platform: Manage multiple social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Google My Business) from a single dashboard. This simplifies scheduling, publishing, and engagement across various channels.
- Focus on Marketing and Communication Teams: Take advantage of features like team collaboration, reporting, and analytics to optimize social media efforts.
- Competitor Analysis: While not as in-depth as some social listening platforms, Statusbrew can help track competitor mentions and analyze their social media strategies.
- Customer Support: The platform’s responsive customer support further enhances its value.
Cons of Statusbrew
- Compared to tools like Meltwater or Brandwatch, Statusbrew’s media monitoring might not be as comprehensive.
- If features like advanced sentiment analysis or influencer identification are important to you, you might want to check out other options.
Pricing: Statusbrew’s pricing is transparent, with no hidden charges or fluctuating costs. Their paid plans start at $69.00/month, and all of them come with a free trial.
2. Cision – For PR Reach
Cision is a comprehensive PR platform that’s also a robust Meltwater alternative. It’s a great option for businesses that need a powerful and all-in-one media monitoring solution.
The platform maximizes journalist reach, and offers businesses the largest media database on the market to secure media coverage.
Strengths of Cision:
- Comprehensive Media Monitoring: Cision has a vast database that can help you track mentions across various media sources – like news outlets, websites, social media, and even broadcast media. This provides a more wholesome view of your brand’s coverage compared to Meltwater.
- Earned Media Management: With Cision’s earned media management tools, you can identify journalists, build relationships, and pitch stories to secure valuable media placements.
- Reporting and Analytics: Track campaign performance, measure media impact, and generate reports to understand your consumer awareness and reputation around your brand.
- Global Coverage: Cision offers multilingual monitoring and supports a wide range of international media sources. This is crucial for businesses operating in multiple markets.
Cons of Cision:
- Cision can be expensive. Understandable, as it’s made for larger enterprises with complex monitoring needs.
- The rich feature set also comes with a steeper learning curve compared to Meltwater. This might require additional training or support for your team.
- While Cision offers some social listening features, its social media management tools are limited compared to Statusbrew. So consider integrating Cision with another platform if this is crucial for you.
Pricing: Contact their team to get a quote.
3. Mention – For Multi-Channel Social Engagement
Mention is a social media monitoring tool that’s a strong alternative to Meltwater. This platform excels in tracking brand mentions, sentiment analysis, and social media engagement across various channels.
Overall, Mention is a solid alternative for businesses seeking a user-friendly and affordable solution.
Strengths of Mention:
- Real-time Alerts: Mention provides real-time notifications whenever your brand is mentioned online. This lets you respond swiftly to customer inquiries, crises, or emerging trends.
- Multilingual Support: Track mentions across various languages – a vital feature for businesses with a global audience.
- Influencer Identification: Identify influencers mentioning your brand online. This can be valuable for building relationships and potentially expanding your brand reach.
- User-Friendly Interface: Mention boasts a clean and intuitive interface. This makes it easy to set up and use, even for non-technical users.
Cons of Mention:
- Compared to Meltwater, Mention’s reporting capabilities might be limited.
- Similar to Meltwater, Mention’s primary focus is monitoring, with less emphasis on social media management. So you’ll need to integrate Mention with another platform for advanced social media needs.
Pricing: Mention offers competitive pricing compared to Meltwater, with monthly plans starting at $29.
4. Brand24 – For Reputation Management
Brand24 is a social intelligence platform that helps businesses understand what people are saying about their brand online. It offers a variety of features – including social listening, sentiment analysis, influencer identification, and competitive benchmarking.
The platform’s AI-powered features and filtering options make it a solid Meltwater alternative.
Strengths of Brand24:
- Cost-Effective: Brand24 offers competitive pricing plans compared to Meltwater, making it more accessible for businesses of various sizes.
- User-Friendly Interface: Brand24 boasts a user-friendly interface that’s easy to learn and navigate. This makes it ideal for both technical and non-technical users.
- Social Listening and Sentiment Analysis: Track brand mentions, understand audience perception, and identify emerging trends. While Meltwater offers similar functionalities, Brand24’s user experience makes it easier to access these insights.
- AI-Powered Features: Brand24 incorporates AI to offer features like influencer identification and automated reporting. This can help save time – and provide valuable data for your brand strategy at the same time.
Cons of Brand24:
- While Brand24 offers sentiment analysis and reporting, its analytical features might not be as robust as Meltwater’s.
- Brand24 offers some social media management features. But they might not be as comprehensive as platforms like Statusbrew.
Pricing:
Brand24’s pricing starts at $99 per month (or $79 per month when billed annually).
5. SurveySparrow – For Stripped-Down Reputation Management
SurveySparrow is not a direct media monitoring tool like Meltwater. But it’s a cost-effective option if you’re looking at a specific aspect of reputation management: gathering and responding to customer feedback.
Its reputation management solution comes with features like advanced analytics, automation, customization, and integration capabilities. Its affordability and customization options also make it a good fit for businesses on a budget.
Strengths for SurveySparrow
- Cost-Effective: SurveySparrow offers significantly lower pricing compared to Meltwater, making it a budget-friendly solution.
- Targeted Feedback: Gather specific and actionable feedback from customers, helping you identify areas for improvement in your service or product.
- Customization: Tailor surveys to gather the exact information you need to understand customer sentiment and address concerns.
- Sentiment Analysis: Analyze customer reviews by sentiment.
- Actionable Insights: With SurveySparrow’s analytics features, you can analyze responses, identify trends, and measure customer satisfaction.
- Review Management: Track and follow up on reviews from99+ review sites on one dashboard.
- Ticketing Software: Ticket out negative feedback to the right team member and track till closure.
Pricing:
SurveySparrow offers a range of plans starting at $19 per month (billed annually) for its reputation management tools.
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Other Notable Alternatives
In addition to the Meltwater above alternatives, businesses may also consider exploring options such as Awario, Prezly, and Talkwalker.
These platforms offer unique features and capabilities that better align with certain organizations’ needs.
5 Criteria You Need for Evaluating Meltwater Alternatives
1. Features 📋
When considering Meltwater alternatives, look for tools that provide:
- Comprehensive media monitoring
- Sentiment analysis
- Social media tracking
- Influencer identification
- Customizable reporting
2. Affordability and Pricing 💳
Affordability is a significant factor when evaluating Meltwater alternatives. Compare pricing plans, subscription models, and additional costs for extra features or users.
Additionally, consider your budget, and the value provided by each tool in terms of features, data coverage, and analytics. Finally, look for transparent pricing and scalability to ensure the tool meets your needs.
3. Ease of Use 📱
- Evaluate the platform’s interface, customization options, ease of navigation, and learning curve.
- Moreover, check if the dashboard, design, and search functionalities are user friendly. This can greatly enhance productivity.
- Consider tools that offer customization options for your workflows and dashboard.
4. Customer Support Responsiveness 🎧
Assess the level of customer service provided; including response times, availability of support channels, and expertise of the support team.
5. Number of Data Sources 🌐
This is critical for comprehensive insights. Evaluate the tool’s ability to monitor traditional and online media, social media platforms, blogs, forums, and review sites.
Also, check for the tool’s access to global sources as well as multilingual capabilities, and real-time monitoring of emerging trends.
Meltwater Alternatives: Wrapping Up
Choosing the right Meltwater alternative requires evaluating your organization’s specific needs carefully.
Consider factors such as the number of data sources you need to monitor, the depth of analysis you require, the user-friendliness of the platform, and the overall cost of the solution.
Learn more about each platform’s capabilities through hands-on demos, price comparisons, and customer reviews.
Your business’s requirements and needs determine the “best” Meltwater alternative; it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
When you carefully evaluate your options, you will find a media monitoring tool that aligns seamlessly with your business objectives, allows you to make informed decisions, and provides valuable insights.
