So, you need the best customer engagement platform, but many options come to mind. And, of course, you can’t just close your eyes, pick one, and pay. You’ll be shooting yourself in the foot.
I’ve made it easier for you in this guide.
I’ll show you what these tools look and feel like inside and out, comparing their features, pricing, pros and cons, and everything in between. This will help you pick the right customer engagement platform for your business.
| TelebuSocial is an easy-to-use customer engagement platform with all you need to provide a satisfying experience and delight your customers. Get started or book a demo. |
How to choose a customer engagement platform
There are lots of factors to consider. But these ones are a must.
Get them right, and you’re good to go.
Check out the best customer experience platform for your business.
#1. Know your goals
Before buying, figure out why you want the customer engagement platform. Do you want more product usage or happier customers?
Decide.
#2. Must-have features
Skip the shiny armour; they’re only distractions. Focus on features you’ll actually use.
#3. Integrates well with others
Ensure the new platform integrates easily with your existing software (CRM, marketing tools, and others).
#4. Super easy to use
If it’s confusing, you’re in for trouble. I don’t want that for you. Pick something simple for you and your team.
#5. Room to scale
Don’t pick a customer engagement platform that limits your growth. Get something that scales up and down with your business needs.
#6. Fits your budget
It’s okay to avoid spending too much. And if you have to, it must be worth your revenue.
Customer engagement platforms shouldn’t cost a fortune. So, feel free to contrast their pricing with available features to find what works for you. I share the price of each platform in this guide to make the comparison easy for you.
#7. Great customer support
Need help? You will, whether you’re just getting started with the tool or later. The customer engagement platform you decide to use should have awesome customer support to get you back on track quickly.
For example, TelebuSocial has great customer support.
You see all these vital factors I’ve listed? Only a few customer engagement platforms meet them.
Let’s compare each platform I used and see how they stack up.
Which are the best customer engagement platforms?
These are the best customer engagement platforms in the market:
- TelebuSocial
- HubSpot
- Drift
- Intercom
- Sprinklr
- Sprout Social
- UserGuiding
- Userpilot
- Zendesk
Here’s how they compare with one another.
Check out the best chatbot solutions for your business.
#1. TelebuSocial
TelebuSocial is a product of telecommunications provider Telebu Communications LLP India.
TelebuSocial provides tools to establish 2-way omnichannel communication with your customers on your mobile app, website and other channels like WhatsApp and Facebook.
Here are all the channels:
- Your website
- Facebook Messenger
- Telegram
- Slack
- Microsoft Teams
- Line
- Kik
- Your mobile app
Here’s the kicker.
All of these features are in one app, in one window. You would never open more than one window to use TelebuSocial, except if you want to.
TelebuSocial’s super-simple chatbot builder requires ZERO coding skills.
You can create chatbots on your website and apps to engage with your customers and learn how to serve them better.
You can create helpful chatbots that answer common questions 24/7 and help your users get work done faster.
You can also engage with your customers on WhatsApp and other social channels to gather information about their experience with your product and services and how you can satisfy them.
Ready to turn your customer chats into a symphony of happy interactions? Schedule a TelebuSocial demo today.
Best features of TelebuSocial
TelebuSocial boasts powerful features like the following:
- Unified inbox
- Automated messages
- Broadcast messaging
- Multilingual support
- Switch to agents
- Monitor agent performance
- Drag and drop configuration
- No-code chatbot builder + pre-made chatbot templates
- Real-time analytics
- Easy third-party integrations
- Fast and dev-friendly WhatsApp API
- Interactive and transferrable Live Chat
- Marketing broadcasts and
- Multi-channel support
TelebuSocial’s pricing
TelebuSocial understands every business has different needs. That’s why we offer clear-cut pricing plans with no hidden fees.
- Starter ($99/month): Perfect for small businesses taking their customer engagement game to the next level.
- Business ($179/month): Ideal for growing companies ready to enhance customer happiness.
- Need more? TelebuSocial offers custom plans. Just contact their sales team for a personalised quote.
Drawbacks of TelebuSocial
TelebuSocial might not be the cheapest. But it’s like having a whole customer service team at your fingertips without the hefty costs.
Does TelebuSocial support third-party integrations?
TelebuSocial works great with your favourite tools. No need to ditch Google Sheets, Calendar, Salesforce, Gorgias, or SMS. They all connect nicely together with TelebuSocial.
Need something else? Our integration with Zapier or TelebuSocial’s API is smooth. Schedule a demo now or migrate and connect all your favourite tools.
What customers are saying about TelebuSocial
#2. HubSpot
HubSpot started in 2006 with inbound marketing. Instead of chasing leads, businesses would attract customers with valuable content.
This inbound methodology— Attract, Engage, Delight—became their foundation.
HubSpot’s offerings grew alongside its customer base. They offered marketing automation. Then, they expanded to Sales Hub and Service Hub.
Best features of HubSpot
HubSpot boasts features like the following:
- Always-free CRM
- Live chat
- Self-service
- Insightful reports
- Customer success management
- Customer health scores, and
- Product usage tracking
HubSpot’s pricing
HubSpot offers three pricing plans:
- Starter: For the budget-conscious, $20/month starts you with up to 1,000 marketing contacts.
- Professional: At $890/month with up to 2,000 contacts. Plus, there’s a $3,000 onboarding fee.
- Enterprise: If you’re playing in the big leagues, $3,600/month (billed annually) covers up to 10,000 contacts, with a $6,000 onboarding fee.
Positives I found using HubSpot
- Core CRM software is free: Access to essential features.
- Personalised email sequences: Effective for nurturing leads.
Drawbacks of HubSpot
- Per-user plans: HubSpot can be costly for small businesses.
- Single email per contact: Limitation on email communication
Does HubSpot support third-party integrations?
HubSpot integrates with Zendesk, Intercom, Facebook, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Outlook Calendar, Slack, and Twitter.
What customers are saying about HubSpot
#3. Drift
Drift was launched in 2016 by David Cancel and Elias Torres. Frustrated by clunky customer interactions, they built a different way.
Their first product? A live chat.
It was interactive and personal, letting businesses connect with website visitors in real-time.
Their products include chatbots that answer questions, automated messages to nurture leads, and even video chat for a personal touch.
How does Drift work?
Browsing a website and have a question? No need to fill out forms or wait for emails. Just chat with a bot or a real person from the company.
Best features of Drift
Drift comes with the following features:
- Automated listener
- Insightful results
- Targeted responses
- AI-Powered chatbots
- Real-time ABM notifications
- Conversational landing pages
Drift’s pricing
Drift gives you two main pricing plans:
- Premium: Around $80 per month per seat
- Advanced and Enterprise: Custom pricing based on specific requirements
Positives I found using Drift
- Reporting dashboards: Easy-to-use analytics.
- Ease of use: Intuitive interface.
Drawbacks of Drift
- Pricing complaints: Some users find it expensive.
- Not for multiple teams: Limited multi-team support
Does Drift support third-party integrations?
Drift integrates with various tools, including Salesforce, Zendesk, Zapier, MailChimp, Klaus, Jira, and Statuspage.
What customers are saying about Drift
#4. Intercom
Intercom was started in 2011 by four Dublin friends – Eoghan McCabe, Des Traynor, Ciaran Lee, and David Barrett.
They were fed up with clunky customer communication tools. So they built a better mousetrap: Intercom.
Intercom is a live chat platform for real-time website conversations.
Intercom’s main offer? The platform comes with a customer engagement suite, offering products like
- Live chat
- Chatbots
- Universal inbox
- Self-service help centre
- Product tours, and
- Targeted Messages.
Over the years, how have their products evolved?
Here are features I found using Intercom.
Best features of Intercom
Here are the key features of Intercom for customer engagement:
- In-product messaging
- Automation
- Multi-Channel Engagement
- No-Code Experiences
- Split Testing
- Reporting
Intercom pricing
Here’s Intercom’s pricing model:
- Essential: $39 per seat/month (customer support plan for individuals, startups, and small businesses).
- Advanced: $99 per seat/month (powerful automation tools and AI features for growing support teams).
- Expert: $139 per seat/month (collaboration, security, and reporting tools for large support teams).
Positives I found using Intercom
- AI-first platform: Enhances customer experience and operational efficiency.
- Real-time behaviour update: Notify you about user actions.
Drawbacks of Intercom
- Per-user plans: Intercom is expensive for small businesses.
- Single email per contact: Limitation on email communication.
Does Intercom support third-party integrations?
Intercom offers a wide range of integrations. Notable ones include ClickUp, Haptik, Salesforce, and HubSpot.
What customers are saying about Intercom
| TelebuSocial makes building chatbots simple whether this is your first chatbot or you’ve been doing it for years. Get started or book a demo. |
#5. Sprinklr
Sprinklr was founded by Ragy Thomas in 2009.
Initially, it started out as a social media management platform for busy businesses. One platform to handle all your social media accounts?
Well, Sprinklr grew fast. Now, it’s a customer engagement platform offering tools to:
- Answer customer questions from anywhere (email, chat, etc.)
- Understand your customers better
Best features of Sprinklr
Here are some features I found in Sprinklr:
- In-product messaging
- Powerful data
- Multi-channel engagement
- Deep social listening and analytics
Sprinklr pricing
Check out Sprinklr’s pricing plans:
- Self-Serve Social Media Management Solution: From $199/seat/month.
- Self-Serve SSM and Customer Service Solution: From $299/seat/month.
- Enterprise Custom Social Media Management Solution: Quote-based pricing.
Positives I found using Sprinklr
- Robust listening dashboards: Detailed insights.
- Integrated features: All-in-one social media management.
- Open platform: Connects with other systems.
Drawbacks of Sprinklr
- Customisation complexity: Dashboards can be overwhelming.
- Pricing jumps: Upgrading plans can significantly increase costs.
Does Sprinklr support third-party integrations?
Sprinklr integrates with Salesforce and Zendesk.
What customers are saying about Sprinklr
#6. Sprout Social
Sprout Social started in 2010 as a social media lifesaver for businesses.
Back then, managing social media was a headache. Justyn Howard saw the need for a better solution and built Sprout Social, a tool to schedule posts, respond to messages, and track performance – all in one place.
Today, Sprout Social is a customer engagement platform with offers like:
- Social Media Command Center
- Social Listening
- Customer Service Desk
- Analytics
Sprout Social keeps things organised. They help you listen to and respond to your customers.
Best features of Sprout Social
Sprout Social boasts five features I found while using the tool:
- AI-Powered Engagement Tools
- Consolidated Inbox
- Message Spike Alerts
- Bot Builder
- Sentiment Analysis
Sprout Social’s pricing
Sprout Social offers these pricing plans:
- Standard: $199 per seat/month (billed annually).
- Professional: $299 per seat/month (billed annually).
- Advanced: $399 per seat/month (billed annually).
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with tailored implementation and consulting services.
Positives I found using Sprout Social
- User-friendly: Intuitive interface that makes using the app very easy.
- Solid reporting: Robust analytics and reporting capabilities.
- Social CRM: Strong features for managing interactions with customers.
Drawbacks of Sprout Social
It’s expensive compared to some competitors, and the basic tier offers limited options for social listening.
Does Sprout Social support third-party integrations?
From my experience with Sprout Social, their third-party integrations are unclear.
However, they promise monitoring, engagement, and analytics across major social platforms. Like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
What customers are saying about Sprout Social
#7. UserGuiding
UserGuiding started in 2018 with a mission: ditch the coding and create user guides effortlessly.
The founders saw businesses struggling to onboard new customers. Their answer? UserGuiding is a tool for building interactive guides that pop up within your product.
Fast forward to today, UserGuiding offers a toolbox for success:
- Product tours: Like having a friendly helper walk users through your product, step-by-step.
- Onboarding checklists: Keep new users on track with clear to-do lists, ensuring they don’t miss a beat.
- Tooltips: Mini help bubbles that appear when users hover over features, providing instant explanations.
- Happy customer metre: Gauge user satisfaction with NPS surveys to understand how likely they are to recommend your product to friends.
- Resource centre: A one-stop shop for all your guides, tutorials, and help articles – user self-service made easy!
UserGuiding keeps user onboarding smooth and puts helpful resources at users’ fingertips. They turn user confusion into product mastery, making them a favourite for businesses worldwide.
Best features of UserGuiding
Here are some key features of UserGuiding for customer experience:
- User onboarding checklists
- Resource Centers
- Segmentation
- Analytics
- Customisation
- In-app surveys
- Tooltips
- Hotspots
- Announcement Modals
- NPS Surveys
UserGuiding’s pricing
The UserGuiding platform comes with these prices for customer engagement:
- Basic Plan: $89/month (for 2500 monthly active users).
- Professional Plan: $249/month (for unlimited guides, hotspots, and checklists).
- Corporate Plan: Custom pricing for enterprises with multiple products.
Positives I found using UserGuiding
- Onboarding checklists: Simplify user onboarding.
- Segmentation: Analyse user behaviour.
- Value for money: Affordable for small to midsize organisations.
Drawbacks of UserGuiding
UserGuiding has customisation limitations. And it’s less intuitive for non-tech users.
Does UserGuiding support third-party integrations?
UserGuiding integrates with tools like Intercom, Mixpanel, Segment, Slack, Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager.
What customers are saying about UserGuiding
#8. Userpilot
Userpilot was launched in 2018 to fix a common problem — confusing user onboarding.
Founders Yazan Sehwail and Amer Zureikat built a tool for businesses to create in-app guides without coding.
Today, Userpilot offers more than onboarding.
With Userpilot, you can:
- Guide users through your product’s features.
- Keep new users on track with tasks to complete.
- Mini explanations pop up when users hover over features.
- Gather insights with surveys to understand user experience.
Userpilot simplifies onboarding, equips users with self-service tools, and helps you improve user journeys.
Best features of Userpilot
While navigating Userpilot, here are features that stood out to me:
- UI patterns
- In-app support
- Advanced segmentation
- A/B testing
- User surveys
- Product analytics
- Behavioural analytics
- Feature tagging
- Funnel reports, and
- Trends reports
Userpilot pricing
Userpilot promises these features at the following costs:
- Starter: $119/month (billed monthly) or $99/month (billed annually).
- Growth: Custom pricing.
- Enterprise: Contact Userpilot for details6.
Positives I found using Userpilot
- UI Patterns: Create interactive in-app experiences.
- Advanced Segmentation: Target users based on behaviour.
- Product Analytics: Visualize engagement data.
Drawbacks of Userpilot
- Pricing: Some users find it expensive.
Does Userpilot support third-party integrations?
Userpilot supports native integrations with Segment, Amplitude, Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, Heap, Intercom, Kissmetrics, and Mixpanel.
What customers are saying about Userpilot
| TelebuSocial makes building chatbots simple whether this is your first chatbot or you’ve been doing it for years. Get started or book a demo. |
#9. Zendesk
What was 2007 like for you? Well, for many businesses, customer service software was a clunky deal.
Mikkel, Morten, and Alexander were fed up with the struggle. That’s how they founded Zendesk. Their mission? Making customer service simple.
Their first product was a web-based tool that brought together all your customer emails and inquiries.
Here’s what Zendesk customer engagement suite looks like:
- Zendesk Support: Track and solve customer issues
- Zendesk Guide: Self-service knowledge base.
- Zendesk Chat: Provide support with live chat.
- Zendesk Talk: Integrate phone support with your other channels.
- Zendesk Sell (Optional): Manage leads and deals with a built-in sales CRM.
- Zendesk Explore (Optional): Gain insights from customer data.
That’s how Zendesk went from a simple support tool to a customer engagement platform.
Best features of Zendesk
Here are some key features of Zendesk:
- Live chat
- Knowledge base
- Ticketing system
- Zendesk Explore
- Community forums
- Sales CRM (Zendesk Sell)
- Custom CX (Zendesk Sunshine)
- AI, chatbots, and conversion support
Zendesk’s pricing
Zendesk gives you these features at a price, as follows:
- Suite Team: $55 per agent/month (monthly) or $660/year for 1 agent (annual).
- Suite Growth: $89 per agent/month (monthly) or $1,068/year for 1 agent (annual).
- Suite Professional: $115 per agent/month (monthly) or $1,380/year for 1 agent (annual).
- Suite Enterprise: Custom pricing.
- Advanced AI Add-on: $50 per agent/month.
- Workforce Management Add-on: $25 per agent/month.
- Quality Assurance Add-on: $35 per agent/month.
- Advanced Data Privacy and Protection Add-on: $50 per agent/month.
Positives I found using Zendesk
- Live chat: Real-time customer support and technical assistance.
- Knowledge base: Central repository for self-service information.
- Ticketing system: Efficiently manage customer inquiries.
- AI and chatbots: Enhance customer interactions.
Drawbacks of Zendesk
Zendesk is costly for small businesses. The setup was complex for a beginner, and some functionalities may require integration effort.
Does Zendesk support third-party integrations?
Zendesk offers integrations with JIRA, Mailchimp, and Slack.
What customers are saying about Zendesk
Comparison table of the best customer engagement platforms
This table sums up my experience with these customer engagement platforms.
| Platform | Channels Supported | Core Functionality | Pricing | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TelebuSocial | WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Line, Twitter, Kik, WeChat, and Your mobile app | Omnichannel Messaging, Chatbots, Broadcast Messaging | Starter ($99), Business ($179), Custom | All-in-one, Affordable, Easy to Use | Might not be the cheapest (for all features) |
| HubSpot | Website, Email, Social Media | CRM, Marketing Automation, Live Chat | Free, Starter ($20), Professional ($890), Enterprise ($3600) | Free plan, Powerful features | Per-user plans, Limited email/contact |
| Drift | Website, Live Chat | Live Chat, Chatbots, Lead Nurturing | Premium (~$80/month), Advanced/Enterprise (Custom) | Lead generation, Easy to use | Expensive, Limited multi-team support |
| Intercom | Website, Live Chat, In-App | Live Chat, Chatbots, Self-Service | Essential ($39), Advanced ($99), Expert ($139) | AI-powered, Real-time lead behaviour | Per-user plans, Limited email/contact |
| Sprinklr | Social Media, Email, Chat, etc. | Social Media Management, Customer Service, Marketing | Starts at $199/seat/month | Robust social listening, Integrated features | Complex customisation, Price jumps |
| Sprout Social | Social Media | Social Media Management, Customer Service | Starts at $199/seat/month | User-friendly, Solid reporting | Expensive, Limited social listening (basic tier) |
| UserGuiding | In-App | User Onboarding, User Guides, Self-Service | Basic ($89), Professional ($249), Corporate (Custom) | Affordable, Value for money | Customisation limitations, Less intuitive |
| Userpilot | In-App | User Onboarding, In-App User Guides | Starter ($119), Growth (Custom), Enterprise (Custom) | UI patterns, Advanced segmentation | Expensive, Lacks project management tools |
| Zendesk | Email, Chat, Phone, etc. | Ticketing, Knowledge Base, Live Chat | Suite Team ($55), Suite Growth ($89), Suite Professional ($115), Suite Enterprise (Custom) | Live chat, Knowledge base, Ticketing system | Costly for small businesses, Complex setup |
Use TelebuSocial’s unique platform for outstanding customer engagement
Customers these days want quick, personal service no matter how and where they contact you. TelebuSocial is the best way to get that for your business, all in one place.
Build chatbots that answer customer questions, send surveys to get feedback, and even create forms to collect information. All are tailored to your specific needs. Plus, it works with the tools you already use.
TelebuSocial gives you all this at an affordable price. Don’t miss your chance to improve your business and keep your customers happy. Book a FREE demo today, or contact our sales team to get started.
