Best Brandwatch Alternatives 2026: Social Listening Tools Compared
TL;DR - Quick Answer
10 min readTips you can use today. What works and what doesn't.
Quick answer: The best Brandwatch alternative depends on your needs. For AI sentiment analysis, choose Brand24 ($79/mo). For basic monitoring, Mention ($41/mo) works well. For an all-in-one platform with publishing + listening, go with Sprout Social ($249/user) or SocialRails ($29/mo). Most teams save $9,000+/year by switching from Brandwatch.
Brandwatch costs $800+/month. Most teams don't need that depth.
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Start your free trialWhy Look for Alternatives?
What's the #1 reason people leave Brandwatch?
Top 6 Alternatives
1. Mention, Best Budget Option
Why choose it: 95% cheaper than Brandwatch. Gets the job done for basic monitoring.
Limitation: Less AI depth for sentiment analysis.
2. Brand24, Best for AI Sentiment
Why choose it: AI sentiment analysis at 90% less cost than Brandwatch.
Limitation: 12-month history vs Brandwatch's years.
You need sentiment analysis for your brand mentions. Budget: $100/month. Best tool?
3. Sprout Social, Best All-in-One
Why choose it: Publishing + listening + analytics in one platform.
Limitation: Per-user pricing adds up for teams.
Full comparison →4. Hootsuite + Listening
Why choose it: If you're already on Hootsuite, adds listening to existing workflow.
Limitation: Still expensive when combined.
Full comparison →5. Meltwater, Best for PR
Why choose it: PR and media monitoring stronger than Brandwatch.
Limitation: Custom pricing only. See Meltwater alternatives for budget options.
6. SocialRails, Best for Social Teams
Why choose it: 97% cheaper. Analytics + scheduling + AI content in one.
Limitation: Not deep consumer intelligence.
Try SocialRails free →You need to both monitor brand mentions AND schedule posts. Best option?
Decision Guide
Feature Comparison
Which tool has the most data sources?
Annual Cost Comparison
FAQ
Is there a free Brandwatch alternative?
No true equivalent. Google Alerts is free but limited. Brand24 and Mention offer free trials.
Can Sprout Social replace Brandwatch?
For most social teams, yes. For deep consumer research requiring years of historical data, no.
Which has the best sentiment analysis?
Among affordable options: Brand24. It's not Brandwatch-deep, but 80% accuracy at 90% lower cost works for most.
Bottom Line
Brandwatch is powerful but most teams don't need that depth.
Save $9,000+/year:
- $41/mo: Mention for basic monitoring
- $79/mo: Brand24 for AI sentiment
- $29/mo: SocialRails for social management
Create content, post everywhere
Create posts, images, and carousels with AI. Schedule to 9 platforms in seconds.
Start your free trialRelated
Brandwatch Content
- Brandwatch Pricing 2026
- Brandwatch Review
- Cheaper Than Brandwatch
- Brandwatch vs Sprout Social
- Brandwatch vs Hootsuite
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