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 | ShortsIntel | SOCIALHOSE | Brand24 | YouScan | Hootsuite | Sprout Social | Mention | Meltwater | Talkwalker | Brandwatch | OneUp | ForumScout | KWatch.io | SnitchFeed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRICING & MODEL | ||||||||||||||
| Entry Price | $99/mo | $149/mo | $79/mo | $299/mo | $99/user/mo | $199/user/mo | From $599/mo | ~$575/mo | ~$800/mo | ~$800/mo | $18/mo | Free | $19/mo | $36/mo |
| Median Annual Cost | $1,188/yr | $1,788 - $11,988 | $948 - $4,788 | $3,588+ | $1,188 - $15,000+ | $2,388 + $11,988* | $7,188 | ~$25,000 | ~$27,000 | ~$20,000 | $144 - $2,880 | $0 - $1,548 | $228 - $2,388 | $432 - $948 |
| Pricing Model | Credit-based (10K-50K credits/mo) | Transparent tiers | Transparent tiers | Tiered + custom | Per-user | Per-user + add-on | Custom (opaque) | Custom quotes | Custom quotes | Custom quotes | Transparent tiers | Freemium with paid tiers | Transparent tiers | Transparent tiers |
| Free Trial | 7 days | 14 days | 14 days (no CC) | Demo only | 30 days | 30 days | Demo only | Demo only | Demo only | Demo only | 7 days | Free tier available | Free tier available | 7 days (no CC) |
| Contract Required | No | No (month-to-month) | No | Varies | Annual expected | Annual expected | Annual | Annual | Annual | Annual | No (month-to-month) | Monthly | No (month-to-month) | No (month-to-month) |
| Overage Pricing | Credit purchase | $29/1K mentions | Upgrade tier | Upgrade tier | N/A (lookback) | N/A (topic-based) | Not disclosed | Custom | Custom | Custom | Upgrade tier | Tier upgrade | Upgrade tier | Upgrade tier |
| SEARCHES / TOPICS / QUERIES | ||||||||||||||
| Terminology Used | Credits | Live Searches | Keywords | Topics | Streams | Topics | Alerts | Searches | Topics | Queries | Keywords | Keywords | Keyword Alerts | Keywords/Listeners |
| Entry Tier Limit | 10,000 credits | 7 standard | 3 keywords | 3 topics | 10 streams | 5 topics* | Not disclosed | Custom | Custom | Custom | 1 keyword | 3 keywords | 2-20 alerts per platform | 45 keywords / 3 listeners |
| Mid Tier Limit | 50,000 credits | 15 standard + 3 high-freq | 7-12 keywords | Custom | Unlimited | Custom | Not disclosed | Custom | Custom | Custom | 5 keywords | 10 keywords | 5-100 alerts per platform | 500 keywords / 10 listeners |
| Enterprise Limit | Custom | 40 standard + 10 high-freq | 25 keywords | Unlimited | Unlimited | Custom | Not disclosed | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 10+ keywords | 25 keywords | 25-500 alerts per platform | Custom |
| Boolean Support | N/A | Full | Advanced Alert only | Yes | Enterprise only | Yes | 2,000 chars max | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Basic | Advanced keyword filtering |
| MENTIONS / RESULTS | ||||||||||||||
| Counting Method | Credit-based | Monthly mentions | Monthly mentions | Monthly mentions | Lookback period | Topic-based | Not disclosed | Unlimited* | Custom volume | Custom volume | Total mentions | Monthly mentions | Real-time alerts | Monthly mentions |
| Entry Tier | Credit-based | 5,000/mo | 2,000/mo | 30,000/mo | 7-day lookback | N/A (add-on) | Not disclosed | Varies | Varies | ~10,000/mo | 1,000 total | 100/mo | Per alert basis | 3,000/mo |
| Mid Tier | 50K credits | 25,000/mo | 5,000-25,000/mo | Custom | 30-day lookback | N/A (add-on) | Not disclosed | Varies | Varies | Custom | 10,000 total | 5,000/mo | Per alert basis | 20,000/mo |
| Enterprise Tier | Custom | 100,000/mo | 100,000/mo | Unlimited | Full (Talkwalker) | Custom | Not disclosed | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | 20,000+ total | 100,000/mo | Per alert basis | Custom |
| USERS & SEATS | ||||||||||||||
| Entry Tier Users | 1 | 1 user incl | 1 user | Unlimited | 1 user | 1 user | Not disclosed | Limited | Unlimited | Limited | 1 user | 1 user | 1 user | 1 user |
| Mid Tier Users | Team | 2 users incl | Unlimited | Unlimited | 1 user | 1 user | Not disclosed | 4 users | Unlimited | 5 users | 8 users | Unlimited | Team (Business+) | 5 users |
| Enterprise Users | Custom | 3 users incl | Unlimited | Unlimited | 5+ users | Custom | Not disclosed | 20+ users | Unlimited | 20+ users | Unlimited | Unlimited | Team | Unlimited |
| Extra Seat Cost | Custom | $29/user/mo | N/A (unlimited) | N/A (unlimited) | $99+/user/mo | $199+/user/mo | Not disclosed | Varies | N/A (unlimited) | Seat-based | Upgrade tier | Included | Included in tier | Upgrade tier |
| KEY FEATURES | ||||||||||||||
| Sentiment Analysis | Yes (AI) | Numeric scores | Yes | Multi-language | Basic | Basic | 31 languages | Yes | 186 languages | 44 languages | AI relevancy scoring | Yes | AI-powered | AI-powered (Pro+) |
| Emotion Detection | Via AI | Primary + secondary | Yes | Yes | No | No | 7 emotion types | Yes | Yes | Via Iris AI | No | Yes (Plutchik model) | No | No |
| Intent Classification | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Limited | Via config | Via config | No | No | No | Yes (AI intent signals) |
| Entity Extraction | No | Full | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Yes | Yes | Limited | No | Basic | No | AI Tagging (Pro+) |
| Image Recognition | Yes (Video AI) | No | No | Industry-leading | No | No | No | Limited | Industry-leading | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Webhooks | Slack alerts | Pro tier ($399, 3 hooks) | API only | Unlimited tier | Enterprise only | Enterprise only | API access | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Growth+) | Business tier ($79+) | Pro tier ($79+) |
| API Access | Business tier | Agency tier ($999) | Yes | Unlimited tier | Higher tiers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Growth tier ($84/mo) | Yes (Business+) | Business tier ($79+) | No |
| Publishing Tools | No | No | No | No | Full suite | Full suite | Deprecated | No | Via Hootsuite | Via Cision | Full suite | No | No | No |
| News/Media Coverage | No | 165M+ sources (custom pricing) | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited | Yes (1B sources) | Extensive | 150M+ sites | 100M+ sources | No | No | Hacker News only | No |
| Language Support | Multi-language | 100+ languages | Yes | Multi-language | Limited | Limited | 31 languages | Yes | 186 languages | 44 languages | Multi-language | Multi-language | Multi-language content | Multi-language content |
| UI Languages | EN | EN, AR, ES, FR, PT, KO | EN | Multiple | EN | EN | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple | EN | English | EN | EN |
| BEST FOR | ||||||||||||||
| Primary Audience | B2C growth teams, Creator marketing | Expert users who know exactly what they want - power and precision without hand-holding | SMBs wanting affordable AI-powered listening | Visual-heavy brands (CPG, fashion, F&B) | Teams focused on publishing with basic listening | Teams wanting all-in-one social management | Enterprise teams needing review monitoring | PR teams needing traditional + social media | Global enterprises needing visual AI | Large enterprises needing deep historical data | 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
ShortsIntel
Video-first AI for short-form content. Finds untagged brand mentions in TikTok/Reels.
SOCIALHOSE
Built for experts. 14-day free trial available.
Brand24
Great for beginners. AI Brand Assistant included.
YouScan
Best for brands with visual products (CPG, fashion).
Hootsuite
Publishing-focused. Advanced listening needs Enterprise.
Sprout Social
All-in-one management. Listening costs extra.
Mention
Post-Agorapulse acquisition. Limits not disclosed, expect add-ons.
Meltwater
PR-focused. Strong traditional media coverage.
Talkwalker
Global enterprise visual AI. Part of Hootsuite.
Brandwatch
Deep historical data. Large enterprise focus.
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
Need Help Choosing?
Use our interactive budget calculator to find the right platform based on your team size, mention volume needs, and budget constraints.
Try the Budget Calculator