Social Listening Comparison Matrix
A detailed breakdown of limits, terminology, and capabilities across all major platforms. Understand what "searches," "topics," "keywords," and "mentions" mean for each tool.
Understanding the Terminology
Different platforms use different terms for similar concepts. This guide helps you understand the equivalencies:
Searches / Queries / Topics
The input: What you're monitoring. A Boolean search string or keyword set that defines what conversations to track.
Mentions / Results
The output: Individual posts, articles, or comments that match your search criteria. Usually capped monthly.
Keywords
Tags applied to mentions within a campaign for analytics, filtering reports, and configuring alerts.
Lookback Period
How far back you can search historical data. Some platforms limit by time rather than mention count.
Complete Comparison Matrix
Select platforms to compare. Scroll horizontally to see all columns.
| Feature | Brand24 | Brandwatch | Hootsuite | Meltwater | Mention | SOCIALHOSE | ShortsIntel | Sprout Social | Talkwalker | YouScan | OneUp | ForumScout | KWatch.io | SnitchFeed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICING & MODEL | ||||||||||||||
| Entry Price | $79/mo | ~$800/mo | $99/user/mo | ~$575/mo | From $599/mo | $99/mo | $99/mo | $199/user/mo | ~$800/mo | $299/mo | $18/mo | Free | $19/mo | $36/mo |
| Median Annual Cost | $948 - $4,788 | ~$20,000 | $1,188 - $15,000+ | ~$25,000 | $7,188 | $1,188 - $21,588 | $1,188/yr | $2,388 + $11,988* | ~$27,000 | $3,588+ | $144 - $2,880 | $0 - $1,548 | $228 - $2,388 | $432 - $948 |
| Pricing Model | Transparent tiers | Custom quotes | Per-user | Custom quotes | Custom (opaque) | Transparent tiers | Credit-based (10K-50K credits/mo) | Per-user + add-on | Custom quotes | Tiered + custom | Transparent tiers | Freemium with paid tiers | Transparent tiers | Transparent tiers |
| Free Trial | 14 days (no CC) | Demo only | 30 days | Demo only | Demo only | 14 days | 7 days | 30 days | Demo only | Demo only | 7 days | Free tier available | Free tier available | 7 days (no CC) |
| Contract Required | No | Annual | Annual expected | Annual | Annual | No | No | Annual expected | Annual | Varies | No (month-to-month) | Monthly | No (month-to-month) | No (month-to-month) |
| Overage Pricing | Upgrade tier | Custom | N/A (lookback) | Custom | Not disclosed | $9/10K mentions | Credit purchase | N/A (topic-based) | Custom | Upgrade tier | Upgrade tier | Tier upgrade | Upgrade tier | Upgrade tier |
| SEARCHES / TOPICS / QUERIES | ||||||||||||||
| Terminology Used | Keywords | Queries | Streams | Searches | Alerts | Live Searches | Credits | Topics | Topics | Topics | Keywords | Keywords | Keyword Alerts | Keywords/Listeners |
| Entry Tier Limit | 3 keywords | Custom | 10 streams | Custom | Not disclosed | 50 standard | 10,000 credits | 5 topics* | Custom | 3 topics | 1 keyword | 3 keywords | 2-20 alerts per platform | 45 keywords / 3 listeners |
| Mid Tier Limit | 7-12 keywords | Custom | Unlimited | Custom | Not disclosed | 150 standard + 20 high-freq | 50,000 credits | Custom | Custom | Custom | 5 keywords | 10 keywords | 5-100 alerts per platform | 500 keywords / 10 listeners |
| Enterprise Limit | 25 keywords | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Not disclosed | 300 standard + 50 high-freq | Custom | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10+ keywords | 25 keywords | 25-500 alerts per platform | Custom |
| Boolean Support | Advanced Alert only | Yes | Enterprise only | Yes | 2,000 chars max | Full | N/A | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Basic | Advanced keyword filtering |
| MENTIONS / RESULTS | ||||||||||||||
| Counting Method | Monthly mentions | Custom volume | Lookback period | Unlimited* | Not disclosed | Monthly mentions | Credit-based | Topic-based | Custom volume | Monthly mentions | Total mentions | Monthly mentions | Real-time alerts | Monthly mentions |
| Entry Tier | 2,000/mo | ~10,000/mo | 7-day lookback | Varies | Not disclosed | 15,000/mo | Credit-based | N/A (add-on) | Varies | 30,000/mo | 1,000 total | 100/mo | Per alert basis | 3,000/mo |
| Mid Tier | 5,000-25,000/mo | Custom | 30-day lookback | Varies | Not disclosed | 100,000/mo | 50K credits | N/A (add-on) | Varies | Custom | 10,000 total | 5,000/mo | Per alert basis | 20,000/mo |
| Enterprise Tier | 100,000/mo | Unlimited | Full (Talkwalker) | Unlimited | Not disclosed | 500,000/mo | Custom | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | 20,000+ total | 100,000/mo | Per alert basis | Custom |
| USERS & SEATS | ||||||||||||||
| Entry Tier Users | 1 user | Limited | 1 user | Limited | Not disclosed | 3 users incl | 1 | 1 user | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 user | 1 user | 1 user | 1 user |
| Mid Tier Users | Unlimited | 5 users | 1 user | 4 users | Not disclosed | 5 users incl | Team | 1 user | Unlimited | Unlimited | 8 users | Unlimited | Team (Business+) | 5 users |
| Enterprise Users | Unlimited | 20+ users | 5+ users | 20+ users | Not disclosed | 10 users incl | Custom | Custom | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Team | Unlimited |
| Extra Seat Cost | N/A (unlimited) | Seat-based | $99+/user/mo | Varies | Not disclosed | $29/user/mo | Custom | $199+/user/mo | N/A (unlimited) | N/A (unlimited) | Upgrade tier | Included | Included in tier | Upgrade tier |
| KEY FEATURES | ||||||||||||||
| Sentiment Analysis | Yes | 44 languages | Basic | Yes | 31 languages | 100+ languages | Yes (AI) | Basic | 186 languages | Multi-language | AI relevancy scoring | Yes | AI-powered | AI-powered (Pro+) |
| Emotion Detection | Yes | Via Iris AI | No | Yes | 7 emotion types | 7 Primary + secondary | Via AI | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Plutchik model) | No | No |
| Intent Classification | No | Via config | No | Limited | No | Yes | No | No | Via config | No | No | No | No | Yes (AI intent signals) |
| Entity Extraction | Limited | Limited | Limited | Yes | Limited | Full | No | Limited | Yes | Limited | No | Basic | No | AI Tagging (Pro+) |
| Image Recognition | No | Yes | No | Limited | No | No | Yes (Video AI) | No | Industry-leading | Industry-leading | No | No | No | No |
| Webhooks | API only | Yes | Enterprise only | Yes | API access | Pro tier ($799) | Slack alerts | Enterprise only | Yes | Unlimited tier | No | Yes (Growth+) | Business tier ($79+) | Pro tier ($79+) |
| API Access | Yes | Yes | Higher tiers | Yes | Yes | Enterprise ($1,799) | Business tier | Yes | Yes | Unlimited tier | Growth tier ($84/mo) | Yes (Business+) | Business tier ($79+) | No |
| Publishing Tools | No | Via Cision | Full suite | No | Deprecated | No | No | Full suite | Via Hootsuite | No | Full suite | No | No | No |
| News/Media Coverage | Yes | 100M+ sources | Limited | Extensive | Yes (1B sources) | 165M+ sources (custom pricing) | No | Limited | 150M+ sites | Limited | No | No | Hacker News only | No |
| Language Support | Yes | 44 languages | Limited | Yes | 31 languages | 100+ languages | Multi-language | Limited | 186 languages | Multi-language | Multi-language | Multi-language | Multi-language content | Multi-language content |
| UI Languages | EN | Multiple | EN | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple | EN | EN | Multiple | Multiple | EN | English | EN | EN |
| BEST FOR | ||||||||||||||
| Primary Audience | SMBs wanting affordable AI-powered listening | Large enterprises needing deep historical data | Teams focused on publishing with basic listening | PR teams needing traditional + social media | Enterprise teams needing review monitoring | Expert users who know exactly what they want - power and precision without hand-holding | B2C growth teams, Creator marketing | Teams wanting all-in-one social management | Global enterprises needing visual AI | Visual-heavy brands (CPG, fashion, F&B) | Best for those who want publishing + monitoring in one affordable tool. | SMBs, startups, SaaS companies | Startups and SMBs needing affordable real-time alerts on social platforms | GTM teams and startups needing intent-based lead signals from social conversations |
* Sprout Social listening is a premium add-on ($999+/mo) separate from base subscription.
* Meltwater "unlimited" requires annual contract with custom pricing.
Platform Quick Reference
Brand24
Great for beginners. AI Brand Assistant included.
Brandwatch
Deep historical data. Large enterprise focus.
Hootsuite
Publishing-focused. Advanced listening needs Enterprise.
Meltwater
PR-focused. Strong traditional media coverage.
Mention
Post-Agorapulse acquisition. Limits not disclosed, expect add-ons.
SOCIALHOSE
Built for experts. 14-day free trial available.
ShortsIntel
Video-first AI for short-form content. Finds untagged brand mentions in TikTok/Reels.
Sprout Social
All-in-one management. Listening costs extra.
Talkwalker
Global enterprise visual AI. Part of Hootsuite.
YouScan
Best for brands with visual products (CPG, fashion).
OneUp
Publishing + listening combo. Monitors Reddit, X, YouTube, Bluesky.
ForumScout
Specialized in Reddit/forums. Plutchik emotion model. Generous free tier.
KWatch.io
Free tier + Real-time alerts on 6 social platforms
SnitchFeed
Intent-based listening with AI relevance scoring and lead signals
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