# Podium Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is Podium the right Customer Communications Management solution for you? Explore 522 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/164285/Podium/reviews --- Podium 4.3 (522) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/164285/Podium/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of Podium Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.0 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews JA Jhovanny A Receptionist- New Client LiaisonLaw Practice, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “What i liked most about Podium was the all in one communication found in the application. Whether it was direct messages, attachment requirements, easily accessible and editable contact information and automatic formulas for messaging: all was found in Podium.“ December 21, 2025 IS Ilayda S Marketing DirectorApparel & Fashion, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It’s obviously designed with service businesses in mind, so some features that are common in retail, like inventory integration or product-oriented messaging aren’t exactly on point.“ April 23, 2025 IS Ilayda S Marketing DirectorApparel & Fashion, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I love that I can respond to customer inquiries via SMS quickly, while not switching between platforms including sending reviews requests directly after making a sale while the luster of excitement is still there.“ April 23, 2025 JL Jessica L Dispatcher, Project manager, Purchasing managerConstruction, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “The typed transcripts are not always accurate.“ February 18, 2026 CJ Céline J Social Media ManagerConsumer Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “It works well with our setup — we can send payment links and bulk SMS to clients quickly and securely.“ August 12, 2025 AD Andy D PresidentConstruction, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “It took over three months for them to release my phone number ($1800), and now they are saying that I "automatically" signed up for an additional year. “ April 25, 2024 Vs Vikas s office managerHealth, Wellness and Fitness, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: Less than 6 months. “One of the notable features of Podium is its ability to help businesses improve their online reputation by automating the process of requesting and collecting customer reviews across different review sites“ March 31, 2023 RM Rowena M online sellerRetail, 501 - 1,000 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “From an admin perspective, the mobile app is less enlightening than the browser version.- Monitoring conversations is frequently difficult because inboxes and where things end up are frequently confused.- Podium would be a one-stop shop if it offered document signature alternatives and surveying features.“ May 31, 2023 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 522 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Kevin C. VP of Marketing Real Estate Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Love it but don't always love paying for it!" November 10, 2020 5.0 Overall, it's really good. I'm a big fan of feeling valued as a customer, and I don't feel valued, I feel like a number. I rarely get check-ins from the company. On top of that, I think the ability to get reviews could be a little better. Our customers just don't really react when we ask them for the review. They are always willing, but then seem to have some difficulty completing the process. Pros The ease of use is great, I love taking the conversation from the website to texting, and it's great for that. It also makes it pretty easy to request reviews, and so that is great. Cons It feels really expensive to me. At this point I might be able to get similar functionality for significantly less money, but nonetheless, because we've made the investment in it and trained our team on it, I selfishly don't want to have to deplore another program and do another batch of training. Alternatives considered [Birdeye](https://www.capterra.com/p/152997/BirdEye/)[Intercom](https://www.capterra.com/p/134347/Intercom/) Reason for choosing Podium It had the components of Intercom I liked, but also gave us the ability to hopefully simply get reviews. I also liked that the conversation moves from the web to the phone. Switched from [Intercom](https://www.capterra.com/p/134347/Intercom/) I think about 2 or so years ago, maybe a year and a half Review Source Jennie Z. Marketing Manager Internet Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Interesting mesh of a review and communication service" July 21, 2021 4.0 Originally, I was looking for a reputation management service, but turns out, that's our least used feature for Podium. Instead, we've really been using Podium as a communication tool for our loan officers and new leads. I like that everything is done through SMS and allows our LOs to call the lead right away. Our business is closed mainly through phone, so Podium works well for us. However, I don't recommend for all industries. Pros \-Chats with customers are through texts -Different sales agents can answer, and there is no limit to how many sales agents are allowed on 1 account Cons \-Does not integrate to our CRM tool (Hubspot) -Not really using the review portion of Podium -No automatic chatbot integration Alternatives considered [GetMoreReviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/168691/GetMoreReviews/)[Trustpilot](https://www.capterra.com/p/169618/Trustpilot/) Reason for choosing Podium Podium had an interesting SMS chat feature that I wanted to try. Review Source CS Cate S. Owner Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Steer clear - you cannot get your information out!" November 3, 2024 2.0 Podium integrates with other systems, but only to bring contacts into Podium, it won't syncronise. After trying several ways, I spoke to support who were very hedgy and finally admitted that they account holders can request an export of their data and Podium review the requests "on a case-by-case basis". So you may or may not be able to get your data out, but only if you request it. I'm appalled. Pros It's very easy to use although the way that contacts are entered and default to being unsubscribed is weird and not very intuitive. Cons You can NOT get your contacts out. The only email marketing/CRM system that I've ever come across that does not allow users to export their own contacts. Review Source AM Alondra M. Insurance Agent Insurance Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Podium use for office ;Made easy" July 28, 2025 5.0 Overall having this one number linked to all of our locations makes it easy for any one here to search a client and look at previous conversations , being able to pick up where the last employee left off also helpful to verify staff conversations with needed documents to match our Hawksoft notes and uploads. Pros At our Agency we all have access to Podium letting us send messages to clients /saving their contact info and allowing us to communicate with them efficiently when we are unable to get a hold of them over a phone call or Via email. We all have access to see customer reviews and see any incoming information regarding the agency I work for. Cons I have yet to come across something I dislike using Podium. I have worked in this industry for years and have never until now found something that helps all staff members be able to have access to all text messages being sent in and out with clients. Review Source IS Ilayda S. Marketing Director Apparel & Fashion Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Professional customer messaging that feels personal." April 23, 2025 5.0 Within a matter of weeks of implementing Podium, we had doubled the amount of Google reviews for our store! That also added more visibility for our brand, especially locally. It also allowed us to make up some missed sales by answering questions about fit or availability quickly over text, something email just doesn’t do. Pros Podium assisted us in being able to touch base with shoppers; very much on a personal level, particularly for reviews and text messaging. I love that I can respond to customer inquiries via SMS quickly, while not switching between platforms including sending reviews requests directly after making a sale while the luster of excitement is still there. Cons It’s obviously designed with service businesses in mind, so some features that are common in retail, like inventory integration or product-oriented messaging aren’t exactly on point. We had to work around that a little bit to shape it to our flow. Review Source Julie Anna E. Marketing Manager Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Very Difficult to Get Any Support or Help" March 26, 2024 2.0 If you like help, talking to a real human, and to get what you actually pay for- I would avoid. I personally don't like this platform and would like to switch to Birdeye or something else. Pros It's good for getting customer reviews (sometimes) and has lots of features Cons They throw you to the wolves. You have to get everything figured out yourself. Communication is a huge issue. We had a manager leave at our company and they continued sending emails to her email address for a year and a half! Despite me contacting support and calling in, saying I am the main point of contact. They were sending emails to a non existent inbox. Half of the things we were paying for did not work. Things weren't set up, and nobody told us, or how to do it. Today I got a 16 step instructions document from a rep, with no help. Sometimes it takes a week to hear back from anyone. Alternatives considered [Swell](https://www.capterra.com/p/196277/A-more-creative-way-sell-and-ship-your-products-more-efficiently/)[Chekkit](https://www.capterra.com/p/173154/Chekkit-Reputation/)[Birdeye](https://www.capterra.com/p/152997/BirdEye/)[Trustpilot](https://www.capterra.com/p/169618/Trustpilot/) Reason for choosing Podium It was already set up when I started this position and job Review Source ZD Zach D. director Sports Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Awesome service for schools!" April 10, 2025 4.0 It has been a really positive experience. Our customer service and communication has improved drastically. Pros We are able to send bulk messages as well as easily communicate with members of our school. Cons The interface can be a little overwhelming at times. Review Source CJ Céline J. Social Media Manager Consumer Services Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Podium SMS Manager " August 12, 2025 5.0 Pros Podium is a good tool, easy to use and offers an ergonomic space. It works well with our setup — we can send payment links and bulk SMS to clients quickly and securely. It’s a software that helps us respond efficiently to our clients’ requests. Cons I didn’t notice many downsides with Podium, but I wish it added some features like being able to offer a phone number so people can reach us if needed or in case of urgent issues. Review Source RW Ryan W. Owner Furniture Used the software for: 2+ years ### "All in One Customer Contact" February 17, 2025 5.0 Easy to manage customer reviews and overall relationship, whether calls or texts Pros Easy to use with continually growing features and solutions Cons expensive compared to similar software providers Review Source AG Alexa G. Assistant General Manager Sports Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Podium Texting" April 11, 2025 4.0 Pros Multiple features to utilize all we need to use Podium for. Cons Small glitches which make some tasks harder to use. Review Source HDD H David D. Installed Sales Manager Building Materials Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Wish we never left!" October 30, 2023 5.0 We previously used Podium and we switched to a less expensive option. Well, you get what you pay for. Podium is a far better product. Reviews increase, we get paid faster using card readers or text to pay. Excellent customer service! Pros Podium works so well. Easy to communicate with customers, request reviews and get payments either at the jobsite or from the office. Cons Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Alternatives considered [Birdeye](https://www.capterra.com/p/152997/BirdEye/) Reason for choosing Podium Used Podium previously, more impressed by their product and their people. Switched from [Swell](https://www.capterra.com/p/172802/Swell/) Swell was awful in every phase! Review request failed to send. The did away with text to pay. Review Source HL Holly L. Business Development Manager Automotive Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great Way to Motivate team to get Reviews" September 7, 2024 5.0 I love that fact that you can motivate the salesman to get reviews done. Keeps track of who sent out the most and places them in 1-3 winnings. Pros Great way to get Reviews with easy text and email links to send. Cons That it is not free, would be the only thing that I didn't like. Review Source JA Jeffrey A. General Manager Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Podium helped moved us from 4.1 stars to 4.5 (Google)" February 24, 2024 5.0 Pros Easy to use and responsive - Podium made it easy for me to be personally responsive in our customer experience management. Cons I found a competing product that uses single initial qualifying query to help screen potential problems and allowing me to respond and mitigate prior to the push to review - this is a more effective and compliant approach. Podium made the invite and it the negative review posted even before I had the opportunity to mitigate. Review Source KH Kate H. Marketing Manager Retail Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Podium SMS Manager" May 16, 2024 2.0 Pros Easy to use, easy to set up. Integrates with my POS System, lacks design options and customization. Cons Customer service took a while to fix issues, and most of the time by the time they reached out, I had fixed it. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Jewellery Claims Advisor Retail Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Quality platform, but with a cost" February 2, 2023 4.0 Quality of platform was good, level of customer service / support was good, although somewhat scattered . There were few issues with the functionality of the platform, but it did take a bit to get answers at times and it also felt like once we started to question the cost of the platform that there was a certain assumption were going to be gone, rather than presenting a collaborative environment to look at creating a package that would keep us on board. Pros The platform works well and there are some specific features that others do not have employed, such as the ability for the platform to identify landlines in advance when attempting to initiate SMS messaging, whereas others simply allow the message to go out and you wait for the failure.. Cons The least desirable component of this platform is cost, especially if you happen to be looking at it as a platform to deploy for use with multiple locations. We were a 2 store implementation, so higher cost, but not large enough for volume pricing leverage. the interface for synchronizing contact database information was not overly straightforward. Reason for choosing Podium Podium was a good platform that checked a lot of boxes and there was a bit of a hurry on, to get something implemented. As a result, some research really didn't get done until after implementation and although Podium was still probably the superior platform, the cost was multiples higher. Review Source DP Dana P. Brand Ambassador Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Good Software, lacking customer service" May 9, 2023 4.0 After my contract was up, I switched to Birdeye which was cheaper. Birdeye said I would get everything Podium offered for $100 per month less. Well, I didn't get the competitive they promised me, but I love their automated posts for a 4 star and above rating. Pros I liked the ease of templates and that it works with lots of CRMs Cons Customer service. Had lots of issues that took forever because customer service was so bad. Reason for choosing Podium Open API, worked with other software, good ratings. I dropped Podium and went to Birdeye when my contract was up. So I did not Integrate with any other software. Review Source LA Lisa A. Owner Real Estate Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Great if you want Google Reviews " June 19, 2023 3.0 Google reviews Pros Increased Google reviews exponentially and messaging transparency made it more effective. Cons Quickbooks lack of integration and sane for PestRoutes Review Source TQ Tyler Q. Director of Business Development Transportation/Trucking/Railroad Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Good but expensive" December 11, 2023 4.0 Podium was a great tool for us and it really change the landscape of how we interact with new and existing clients. Once we cancelled the service we kept getting billed from Podium. It took 2 billing cycles and a few calls to finally cancel. Overall it was awesome. We found a more robust cost effective solution for our company with Sinch MessageMedia. Pros Ease of deployment for our web chat box and google review management. This platform really helped our Sales team with response times with new and existing customers. Which in turn captured more business. Podium also made it really easy for new clients to leave us a google review. Cons We no longer using Podium due to price. We moved over to Sinch MessageMedia for all of our SMS and review needs. Review Source jM jerry M. owner Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great until you want to cancel it!" October 10, 2019 3.0 The experience was good but so far overshadowed by their lack of letting us cancel with proper notice that the entire experience is lost. Like an amazing meal with a crap server. All you remember was the final service and it is horrible. Pros Mostly worked well and had pretty good interface with website for chat as well Cons Tried to cancel this and was not allowed. Went through all kinds of hoops including a mandatory "screen share" by our account rep trying to keep us which made it worse. You CANNOT call or write in and cancel ever! They have their methods and basically won't let you out of a contract. We canceled ours finally after the screen share, the hard close from two different people to keep paying and then still got billed since they had our credit card. I would never recommend such a company. I have NEVER heard of someone NOT taking written notice well in advance to close a monthly contract. We did finally get it resolved to only pay an additional 9 days past when we asked for it to be closed, but its 9 days of our money. One of the poorest experiences i have had in 32 years of the retail business trying to cancel something. Mandatory screen share and hard sell to stay - Simply unbelievable Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Sales and Finance Manager Automotive Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Excellent chat software with review integration" December 10, 2019 5.0 Podium allows us to connect with shoppers as they are browsing the site to answer questions immediately and secure more deals. Pros The review integration with facebook and google is excellent. We are able to send review invitations via text and respond to them within the app. We can also assign them to the various salespeople who actually worked the deal so they can respond accordingly. We also have podium on our homepage to engage with browsing customers and answer any questions they may have. Cons It doesn't integrate with some of our third party advertising sources like other options do. Sometimes there are glitches with the software and messages do not send properly. Review Source KC Katie C. Director of Operations Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Podium" August 9, 2023 5.0 Pros We used it daily to send out links to make leaving a review easier for our customers. Cons Not being able to pin point exactly where the issues were coming from. Review Source MC Mikey C. VP Marketing Apparel & Fashion Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Loved in the beginning" April 27, 2023 3.0 In the beginning it was awesome then the support became lacking Pros Loved their software and initially their support was amazing, we saw this as worthy of the price tag. Cons Eventually support dropped off and no longer saw the value in the pricing Review Source SB Samuel B. Owner Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Customer Service Non Existent" March 1, 2022 2.0 Pros Podium makes managing high volumes of texts easy Cons The lack of customer service is truly boggling. It is literally impossible to get someone on the phone. The poor integration should have been my first clue. We lost three days of business and nobody cared. Podium Customer service makes your local DMV look like Chick-fil-a or some other excellent customer service organization. I will be leaving the second my contract is up. The amount of money they charge is absurd compared to other similar products. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Director Financial Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Excellent customer management software" November 8, 2021 5.0 Implementation experience was excellent Support team is great Deployment took weeks Reports and charts coming out of customer interactions is useful for review meetings Pros Many things to like about podium - Fills the gap between sending out blanked newsletters and cold calling customers - turns genuine review, conversations into real customers - Provides sms followup, mobile notifications, web chats, video chats - Team chats and collaboration feature - Deployment is easy Cons Would have benefited from a free trial plan for small businesses to try before they buy. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Web Content Manager Furniture Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A user-to-customer messaging platform for reviews that's hooked in with Google" April 1, 2018 4.0 None Pros Direct Google integration is definitely the biggest pro here. They also are focused on having staff message customers directly for reviews one-on-one. It won't work for everyone, just depends on the business model. Cons Very limited functionality and visibility into your account. Right now, it's basically just a review solicitation platform via messaging and email. It's efficient at getting star ratings and reviews, but that's about it. If you're looking for surveys, look elsewhere. Also, when I was a customer, they didn't even have NPS Score. That's pretty basic. Reporting is very limited and it's hard to get an overview of your total account, only individual locations. Customization is little to none for both the dashboard and the actual campaigns. Oh, and it's crazy expensive. You're basically paying for the direct Google integration. Which is super nice and important, but still. I also had a very negative experience that was unique to me. I had very specific contract conditions that were not met and it was a very difficult and painful process to get rectified. I felt very misled by the company and lost any trust I had in them. It was very disappointing. Review Source Similar Products Featured