We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It never changes a score or a ranking. How we make money
Brandwatch is positioned for social listening, consumer intelligence, influencer campaigns and coordinating social channels, but its custom pricing leaves the value unclear. The alternatives below vary widely: Talkwalker and Brand24 suit broader monitoring needs, while Social Searcher and Twilert are narrower options. One Reddit thread mentions a marketer planning in spreadsheets before moving work into tools including Brandwatch, but it does not establish a widespread reason for leaving. Check whether a smaller tool covers your actual workflow before replacing a broad suite.
01Why people leave Brandwatch
Pricing is hard to judge
Brandwatch pricing is custom, with no starting price in the published information. That makes it difficult to compare value before talking to sales.
Planning may live elsewhere
One Reddit thread describes planning in Sheets or Excel, then transferring content to tools including Brandwatch. It is an example, not evidence of a broad complaint.
Approval workflows can get spread out
In that thread, commenters describe copy review and approvals as friction points when work is split across tools. The discussion is about workflow, not a direct Brandwatch review.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Broad listening teams
TalkwalkerTalkwalkerTalkwalker is the closest fit here for teams that want to keep tracking social conversations while adding competitor comparison or media coverage monitoring. Its listed use cases overlap with Brandwatch’s social-listening and research positioning. It may suit a team evaluating another broad monitoring option, but the published information does not publish a price or plan limits.
Trade-off: Pricing and limits are unclear, so you may not get a cleaner buying decision.
6.4/10from
Custom - Public mention monitoring
Brand24Brand24Brand24 starts at $199 and is aimed at teams tracking public brand mentions, PR coverage and reach, hashtags and competitors. Consider it if those specific monitoring jobs matter more than Brandwatch’s broader social and consumer intelligence positioning. The published information does not list plan caps, so confirm that your required coverage fits before switching.
Trade-off: It starts at $199, and plan caps are not published here.
6.6/10from
$199/mo - Monitoring and publishing
MentionMentionMention starts at $599 and combines monitoring with social publishing and shared inboxes, according to its listed use cases. That makes it worth considering if you want those jobs under one roof rather than replacing Brandwatch with a listening-only tool. The price is high enough that the switch makes most sense when your team will use the suite’s full breadth.
Trade-off: The $599 starting price is steep if you only need listening.
6.3/10from
$599/mo - A few brand topics
AwarioAwarioAwario starts at $29 and is listed for monitoring a few brand topics, broad web coverage and prospecting from online conversations. It is a lower-priced option to evaluate if your Brandwatch use is focused on those needs rather than a wider intelligence program. Its summary flags Starter caps and mixed lead reports, so check fit carefully before moving workflows.
Trade-off: Starter caps and mixed lead reports call for a careful fit check.
6.0/10from
€29/mo - Audience research
PulsarPulsarPulsar is positioned for mapping audience communities, tracking reputation and analyzing campaign impact. That makes it a possible alternative when Brandwatch’s research side matters more than publishing or channel coordination. The published information gives no price or limits, however, so treat it as an option to evaluate rather than a confirmed lower-cost replacement.
Trade-off: Pricing and limits are unclear before purchase.
5.7/10from
Custom - Free public searches
Social SearcherSocial SearcherSocial Searcher offers a free plan for searching public social posts, discovering profiles and hashtags, and checking mentions without an account. It can cover quick, lightweight checks without the commitment of a broad platform. Its own summary warns that it is not a proven replacement for full monitoring tools, so it is a poor fit if you need that broader coverage.
Trade-off: It is not a proven replacement for full monitoring tools.
6.8/10from
Freefree plan - Scheduled Twitter alerts
TwilertTwilertTwilert starts at $9 and has a free plan. It is aimed at solo users tracking brand mentions, teams scheduling Twitter alerts and agencies monitoring client accounts. Consider it if your need is specifically scheduled Twitter alerts rather than Brandwatch’s wider social and consumer intelligence scope. Check the alert and email caps before moving any ongoing monitoring work.
Trade-off: Alert and email caps may constrain monitoring.
6.5/10from
$9/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Brandwatch Brandwatch (current) | 6.1 | Custom | No | Teams needing social listening and research |
| Talkwalker Talkwalker | 6.4 | Custom | No | Brands tracking social conversations |
| Brand24 Brand24 | 6.6 | $199/mo | No | Teams tracking public brand mentions |
| Mention Mention | 6.3 | $599/mo | No | Companies needing high-volume monitoring |
| Awario Awario | 6.0 | €29/mo | No | Monitoring a few brand topics |
| Pulsar Pulsar | 5.7 | Custom | No | Teams mapping audience communities |
| Social Searcher Social Searcher | 6.8 | Free | Yes | Free searches of public social posts |
| Twilert Twilert | 6.5 | $9/mo | Yes | Solo users tracking brand mentions |
Questions people ask
What is the best Brandwatch alternative?
There is no single best fit in the published options. Talkwalker covers social conversations, competitor comparisons and media monitoring; Brand24 focuses on public mentions, PR coverage, hashtags and competitors. Choose based on the work you need to keep, and verify pricing and limits before switching.
Is there a free alternative to Brandwatch?
Social Searcher has a free plan for public social searches, profile and hashtag discovery, and checking mentions without an account. Twilert also lists a free plan. Neither is described as a full replacement for Brandwatch, and Twilert’s alert and email caps should be checked.
How much do Brandwatch alternatives cost?
The published starting prices are $9 for Twilert, $29 for Awario, $199 for Brand24 and $599 for Mention. Social Searcher and Twilert list free plans. Pricing for Talkwalker and Pulsar is not published on the vendor's site; Brandwatch uses custom pricing.