Brandwatch is a popular platform for monitoring the media. It allows users to track and analyze brand mentions, keywords, or related topics that pop up across social media, various web pages, forums, and blogs.
The whole suite offers tools to help with customer experience, social media and media monitoring, as well as influencer marketing management.
Brandwatch keeps its pricing under wraps—you’ll need to book a demo to learn more. However, we’ve done some digging and found useful details. If you're looking for tools with transparent pricing and well-defined features, you're in the right place.
Here’s a close look at the top Brandwatch competitors to consider when choosing the best option to fit your needs.
What is Brandwatch (and how much does it cost)?
Brandwatch is a media monitoring and social listening tool used to track brand mentions, sentiment, and trends across social media, blogs, forums, and news websites. It’s often chosen by marketing and insights teams to analyze online conversations and digital audience behaviors.
Brandwatch also integrates with Falcon.io to offer tools like social media publishing and influencer marketing.
Brandwatch core features
- Social listening across multiple platforms
- AI-powered sentiment analysis and audience insights
- Trend detection and influencer tracking
- Dashboards for data visualization
- Social media publishing
- CRM and analytics integrations
Most relevant for: Marketing teams, insights analysts, and large organizations that need access to broad online data streams and are investing in comprehensive customer intelligence tools.
💰 Brandwatch pricing (2025)
Brandwatch does not provide transparent pricing on its website. To access exact pricing, you must book a demo with their sales team.
However, according to third-party review sites and user-reported insights:
- Pricing per month ranges from $800 to $3,000+ depending on selected features, data volume, and the number of users (according to TrustRadius)
- Monthly pricing options are mostly unavailable, even though they are often preferred by smaller teams for their affordability and flexibility
- A 2-seat licence has been reported to cost around $10,000 per year, according to users on Reddit
- Brandwatch has three plans available: consumer intelligence, social media management, influencer marketing
For teams seeking transparent pricing and quicker onboarding, alternatives like Prowly may be easier to try and adopt—with plans starting at $369/month and a 7-day free trial.
Try Prowly's media monitoring free for 7 days
Start tracking your brand and keywords for free (no credit card required) in Prowly.
- Comprehensive monitoring: Track the web, social media, print, and broadcast mentions
- Transparent pricing: Plans start at $258/month
- All-in-one platform: Get everything you need in one tool for PR, incl. media database, outreach, reporting, and more
Top 10 Brandwatch alternatives list
#1 Prowly – the best tool for PR & media monitoring
💸 Pricing: starts at $369 monthly
Prowly is a media monitoring and PR workflow platform purpose-built for communications teams that need clarity and control during fast-moving news cycles. Its advanced monitoring capabilities track online, print, broadcast, and social media mentions in real time—complete with sentiment analysis, reach estimates, and visual coverage reports that make insights easy to action and share.
But Prowly goes far beyond monitoring. It offers a comprehensive PR toolkit that includes access to a global media database of over one million journalists, intuitive press release creation and distribution, newsroom publishing, and powerful campaign analytics.
Unlike broader marketing tools, Prowly is tailored specifically to PR pros—making it easier to execute, manage, and prove the value of earned media strategies from a single, cohesive platform.
Brandwatch vs Prowly: key features
- Prowly shows a strong focus on PR-specific tools like media database, press release distribution, and coverage tracking, alongside media monitoring (both online and offline).
- In contrast, Brandwatch focuses more heavily on social listening and consumer intelligence, serving marketing and insights teams looking to track online trends and audience sentiment at scale.
👉 TL;DR: Prowly excels by by offering a full PR stack. It’s a Brandwatch alternative that upscales media monitoring and press contact management, making it a compelling choice for those in public relations and communication teams.
Ideal for: PR professionals and teams looking for an all-in-one, intuitive platform to manage outreach and monitor media coverage—with onboarding support included for a smooth start.
#2 Sprout Social – social media management & listening
💸 Pricing: starts at $199 monthly
Sprout Social is a comprehensive social media management tool. It includes social listening capabilities alongside scheduling, engagement, and analytics tools in one interface.
Brandwatch vs Sprout Social: key differences
Sprout Social:
- integrates social listening with social media management workflows
- monitors direct engagement and provides action based on insights
- provides post scheduling, queueing, and cross-channel publishing
- performs social listening for trends, keywords, and sentiment
- offers reporting dashboards and competitor analysis
- supports a unified inbox for engagement tracking
TL;DR: Sprout Social blends social listening with publishing and engagement tools, making it great for managing brand presence and conversations from one central hub.
Ideal for: Social media managers and teams needing to managing their social presence and follow conversations in one unified platform. Sprout Social offers a coherent, in-depth approach to social media.
#3 Brand24 – a budget-friendly Brandwatch alternative
💸 Pricing: starts at $199/ month
Brand24 is a more affordable yet robust social listening tool for tracking brand mentions across the web and social media.
Brandwatch vs Brand24: key differences
Brand24:
- Provides sentiment analysis and keyword tracking
- Displays influence scoring and alert setup
- Offers customizable reports and dashboards
- Has a simple, intuitive interface
TL;DR: Brand24 offers essential media monitoring features like sentiment analysis and alerts in a user-friendly package — great for smaller teams that want value without complexity.
Ideal for: Startups and small to mid-sized businesses looking for an accessible, no-frills media monitoring solution. It is a good choice for those who are looking for a cost-effective way to monitor their brand reputation and online conversations.
#4 Mention – agencies & multilingual monitoring
💸 Pricing: starts at $41/ month
Mention is a real-time media monitoring platform with multilingual support and agency tools, which stands out with its language capabilities.
Brandwatch vs Mention: key differences
Mention:
- Tracks social, blogs, forums, and news
- Provides real-time alerts and sentiment tracking
- Offers multi-user collaboration features
- Is available in multiple languages
TL;DR: With a trial, Mention is one of the few free alternatives to Brandwatch, which makes it a valuable tool for agencies and global brands.
Ideal for: Marketing agencies managing global brands and businesses with an international audience requiring monitoring in multiple languages and the ability to navigate diverse online conversations.
#5 Talkwalker – an enterprise-level data & AI insights
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💸 Pricing: not transparent, but you can find estimates in our research
Talkwalker is an enterprise-grade social listening and analytics platform leveraging advanced AI to process vast amounts of data and extract deep insights.
Brandwatch vs Talkwalker: key differences
Talkwalker:
- Is an analytics-driven platform for large-scale social and media listening
- Provides image, video, and voice recognition
- Gives AI-powered trend prediction
- Offers cross-platform media coverage
- Displays visual analytics dashboards
TL;DR: It essentially offers the power of AI-driven analytics, including image and video recognition, trend forecasting, and comprehensive data visualization. A big pro - it works even for large-scale analysis.
Ideal for: All companies that deal with massive datasets daily. Large enterprises and institutions can gain sophisticated insights into brand perception and market trends.
#6 NapoleonCat – a versatile social media suite
Pricing: starts at $79 monthly
NapoleonCat is a social media management suite which can schedule, monitor engagement, provide analytics, and manage your social inbox.
Brandwatch vs NapoleonCat: key differences
NapoleonCat:
- Has broad integration with various social channels and its own ecosystem extends its listening and analytical capabilities
- Has a unified inbox for managing conversations across platforms
- Provides post scheduling and automated responses
- Offers basic social listening and sentiment tools
- Displays detailed performance analytics and reports
TL;DR: NapoleonCat is a convenient Brandwatch alternative for users who prefer an all-in-one social media solution where monitoring is a key component.
Ideal for: Businesses already using NapoleonCat for social media management who want to implement social listening into their existing workflow. As well as social media teams looking to streamline workflow, engagement, and reporting from a centralized dashboard.
#7 Meltwater – a versatile social media suite
💸 Pricing: not transparent, but you can find estimates in this research
Meltwater is a media intelligence platform that goes beyond social listening to include news monitoring, PR analytics, and influencer management.
Brandwatch vs Meltwater: key differences
Meltwater:
- Is a platform for monitoring news, social media, and influencer content
- Monitors traditional and digital media channels
- Offers PR reporting and competitive benchmarking
- Aids in influencer discovery and campaign tracking
- Provides custom dashboards and alerting tools
TL;DR: Meltwater offers a range of media intelligence tools, providing a view of brand mentions across online news, social media, and broadcast.
Ideal for: Large organizations and PR agencies who areseeking an integrated platform for media monitoring, PR measurement, and competitive intelligence across all media types.
#8 BuzzSumo – an app for content discovery & influencer tracking
💸 Pricing: starts at $199 monthly
BuzzSumo is a tool focused on content analysis and influencer identification with a strong emphasis on content insights, offering monitoring and content performance features. It also supports the following of brand mentions related to specific content.
Brandwatch vs BuzzSumo: key differences
Buzzsumo:
- Helps in identifying trending content and influential voices across the web
- Provides content performance tracking by keyword or domain
- Offers influencer identification and outreach features
- Sends alerts for trending topics and mentions
- Offers topic and backlink research tools
TL;DR: BuzzSumo offers a unique perspective on brand monitoring. It focuses on the content surrounding your brand and the influencers amplifying those conversations.
Ideal for: Content marketers and SEO professionals who are looking to understand content trends. The tool identifies influencers and tracks the reach of their content.
#9 YouScan - visual listening & AI sentiment
💸 Pricing: starts at $299 monthly
YouScan is a social listening platform that emphasizes visual content analysis. It uses AI to identify brand mentions in images and videos, which makes it a solid Brandwatch alternative for AI enthusiasts.
Brandwatch vs YouScan: key differences
YouScan:
- Is an AI-powered platform for detecting brand mentions in visual content
- Provides image and video recognition
- Performs advanced sentiment analysis
- Offers trend detection via visual data
- Povides social media and web coverage
TL;DR: YouScan stands out with its visual content recognition, making it a smart pick for brands that rely heavily on imagery and want to capture mentions beyond just text.
Ideal for: Brands with a strong visual style or those in industries where images and videos are of key importance for brand mentions and customer conversations.
#10 Statusbrew – scalable social listening
💸 Pricing: starts at $69 monthly
Statusbrew is a social media management platform that covers scalable and affordable solutions for social listening, engagement, and automation.
Brandwatch vs Statusbrew: key differences
Statusbrew:
- Is an all-in-one platform for social scheduling, engagement, and listening at an accessible price
- Provides cross-platform publishing and approval workflows
- Performs social listening and sentiment monitoring
- Allows for team collaboration and automation
- Offers scalable plans for growing businesses
TL;DR: Statusbrew provides a solid foundation for social media management and listening. It offers a cost-effective solution to establish a solid position in social media.
Ideal for: SMBs looking for a scalable social media management tool with listening capabilities that can grow with them. Offers a balance of features and pricing. Making it a reasonable Brandwatch alternative.
Brandwatch alternatives - a comparison in a nutshell
| Tool | Features | Pricing | Strengths | Best For | Free Trial/Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prowly | PR workflow, media database, press release distribution, coverage tracking, media monitoring. | Varies based on features and team size. | Integrated PR and media monitoring tools; best for outreach and coverage analysis. | PR professionals and teams. | Free trial |
| Sprout Social | Social media scheduling, engagement, analytics, social listening, competitor analysis. | Tiered subscription plans based on features and the number of social profiles. | Seamless integration of social listening with broader social media management. Strong analytics and reporting. | Social media managers and marketing teams. | Free trial |
| Brand24 | Social listening, sentiment analysis, discussion volume, influence score, alerts, basic analytics. | Tiered subscription plans based on the number of keywords and mentions. | Budget-friendly option with essential brand monitoring features; easy to use. | SMB and start-ups. | Free trial |
| Mention | Real-time alerts, multilingual monitoring, social media and web monitoring, basic analytics. | Tiered subscription plans based on the number of alerts and sources. | Strong multilingual support. | Marketing agencies and businesses with a global audience. | Free trial |
| Talkwalker | Enterprise-level social listening, AI-powered analytics (image/video recognition, trend forecasting), data visualization. | Custom pricing based on features and data volume. | Powerful AI-driven insights; extensive data analysis capabilities; suitable for large-scale research. | Large enterprises and research institutions. | Pricing not transparent, check out this research |
| Meltwater | Comprehensive media intelligence (social, news, broadcast), PR analytics, influencer management. | Custom pricing based on modules and usage; typically higher cost. | Full-suite media intelligence platform offering a holistic view across all media types; strong PR analytics. | Enterprises and PR agencies needing comprehensive PR and media coverage. | Pricing not transparent, check out this research |
| BuzzSumo | Content monitoring and analysis, influencer identification, and limited brand mentions tracking. | Tiered subscription plans based on features and usage limits. | Excellent for content discovery and influencer marketing; provides insights into content performance. | Content marketers and SEO professionals. | Limited free plan, free trial for paid plans |
| YouScan | Social listening with visual content analysis (image/video recognition), AI-powered sentiment analysis. | It varies based on features and volume. | Unique visual listening capabilities; advanced AI for understanding sentiment in images and videos. | Brands with a strong visual identity and those needing to analyze image and video mentions. | Demo |
| Statusbrew | Social media management, scheduling, engagement, scalable social listening, automation tools. | Tiered subscription plans based on features and the number of social profiles. | Affordable and scalable social media management with integrated listening; good for growing businesses. | Small to medium-sized businesses looking for a scalable solution. | Free trial |
| NapoleonCat | Social media management, scheduling, engagement, analytics, unified social inbox | Tiered subscription plans based on the number of social profiles and users. | Strong team collaboration features through the social inbox; integrates listening within a comprehensive management platform. | Social media teams looking for efficient workflow management with integrated monitoring. | Free trial |
What are the best Brandwatch alternatives in 2025?
The top Brandwatch alternatives in 2025 include:
- Prowly for public relations and media monitoring with AI-driven tools
- Sprout Social for social media engagement and scheduling
- Brand24 for budget-friendly social listening
- Talkwalker for AI-driven enterprise insights
- BuzzSumo for content and influencer analysis
What is better than Brandwatch?
While most Brandwatch competitors offer similar core monitoring features, their strengths lie in the details. Some prioritize social listening depth, others leverage advanced AI, and some excel in specific areas like PR or visual analysis. Your ideal choice depends on your unique brand monitoring needs.
Pricing is another key differentiator. Brandwatch's costs are hidden, but tools like Prowly offer transparent pricing structures, which can be a crucial factor for budget-conscious users.
Is there a free trial for Brandwatch alternatives?
Yes, many Brandwatch competitors offer free trials:
- Prowly – 7-day free trial
- Brand24 – Free trial available
- Mention – Offers a limited free plan and trial
- BuzzSumo – Limited free plan with trial access
- Statusbrew – Free trial for all paid plans
What’s the best Brandwatch alternative for PR teams?
If you are checking Brandwatch competitors to find a PR-related solution, Prowly should be your pick. It's a Brandwatch alternative that fully supports public relations efforts, covering media, press distribution and reporting.
Brandwatch alternatives - summing up
Brand tracking is your key to a well-established brand reputation and maintaining relationships with your audience. It will pay off in the long term.
Be proactive, follow social discussions, sentiment and react. Do not settle for numbers only. With the right tool, you will be able to do it.
Below, you can read an in-depth comparison of Brandwatch competitors.
Top Brandwatch alternatives in 2025: a quick overview
- Prowly – All-in-one PR software with advanced media monitoring. Ideal for PR teams seeking full coverage tracking, journalist outreach, press release distribution, and analytics—all from one platform. Transparent pricing and a free trial make it easy to get started.
- Sprout Social – Social media management platform with built-in listening tools.
- Brand24 – Social listening tool that covers basic sentiment tracking and web monitoring at an accessible price.
- Mention – Multilingual media monitoring with real-time alerts.
- Talkwalker – AI-powered platform for large-scale listening and analytics.
- Meltwater – Media intelligence suite combining news, social, and influencer tools.
- BuzzSumo – Content-focused tool for tracking shareable topics and influencers.
- YouScan – Visual listening platform that uses AI to detect brand appearances in images and videos.
- Statusbrew – Scalable social media suite with publishing, automation, and listening.
- NapoleonCat – Social inbox and analytics tool for team collaboration across multiple platforms.
From PR focused Prowly to AI-powered corporate-level Talkwaker, each of them offers unique strengths tailored to your needs.
The options are plentiful, so once again, take a look at this Brandwatch competitors comparison and choose the closest portfolio of features fit to your needs.
