Brandwatch vs Metricool
Brandwatch
- Platform: Enterprise social suite (multi-platform listening)
- Best For: Consumer intelligence and large-scale monitoring
- Strength: 1.4+ trillion historical posts with AI insights
- Users: Enterprise brands and agencies
Starting at Custom
Metricool
- Platform: Multi-platform social management
- Best For: Marketers, agencies, and small teams
- Strength: Visual planning and integrated AI assistant
- Users: Thousands of brands and agencies
Starting at $18/month
Table of Contents
At a Glance
Social Listening & Intelligence
| Feature | Brandwatch | Metricool |
|---|---|---|
| Historical data access | ✓ 1.4+ trillion posts, 496M new daily | ✗ No deep historical listening |
| AI-powered search and insights | ✓ Iris AI for narratives, custom classifiers | ✓ AI Social Media Assistant for content |
| Image and visual analysis | ✓ Neural networks and deep learning | ✓ Reels, stories, and hashtag analytics |
| Competitor monitoring | ✓ Enterprise-scale with alerts | ✓ Up to 100 profiles on paid plans |
| Crisis and reputation monitoring | ✓ Real-time alerts and expert support | ✗ Basic monitoring via inbox |
Social Media Management
| Feature | Brandwatch | Metricool |
|---|---|---|
| Content scheduling and calendar | ✓ Collaborative calendar for organic/paid | ✓ Visual drag-and-drop planner with best times |
| Unified social inbox | ✓ Centralized for community and care | ✓ For comments and messages across networks |
| Unlimited scheduling | ✓ Enterprise-scale | ✓ On paid plans, subject to fair use |
| Multi-brand support | ✓ Global governance and workflows | ✓ Up to 50+ brands on higher tiers |
| Twitter/X support | ✓ Full integration | ✓ Requires separate paid add-on per account |
Analytics & Reporting
| Feature | Brandwatch | Metricool |
|---|---|---|
| Custom dashboards | ✓ Fully customizable with alerts | ✓ With Looker Studio connector on advanced |
| Export formats | ✓ Advanced reporting with analyst support | ✓ PDF, PPT, CSV with templates |
| Historical data depth | ✓ Trillions of posts | ✓ Unlimited on paid (except X limits) |
| AI analytics insights | ✓ Iris AI and machine learning classifiers | ✗ Basic AI for content, not deep analytics |
| Benchmarking | ✓ Brand monitoring dashboards | ✓ Competitor analysis included |
Influencer Marketing
| Feature | Brandwatch | Metricool |
|---|---|---|
| Creator database | ✓ 30M+ creators with discovery | ✗ No dedicated influencer tools |
| Campaign tracking | ✓ Multichannel reporting | ✗ Basic ad management but no influencer focus |
| Workflow management | ✓ Relationship and campaign tools | ✗ General collaboration only |
Collaboration & Enterprise Features
| Feature | Brandwatch | Metricool |
|---|---|---|
| Team workflows and permissions | ✓ Governance for global teams | ✓ Role-based on Advanced plans |
| Post approval system | ✓ Collaborative for enterprise | ✓ For client/internal on Advanced |
| Expert support | ✓ Analyst support and custom projects | ✓ Priority on higher tiers |
| API and integrations | ✓ Major networks and enterprise tools | ✓ Zapier, Make, Google Drive, Canva |
| SmartLinks or link-in-bio | ✗ Not focused on this | ✓ With analytics and multiple links |
Pricing Comparison
Brandwatch uses custom enterprise pricing with no public tiers, requiring sales contact, while Metricool offers transparent, scalable plans starting at $0 (free) up to $139/month, with a custom enterprise option. Brandwatch suits high-budget enterprises needing deep intelligence, while Metricool provides strong value for growing teams and agencies.
Brandwatch
Consumer Intelligence (Brandwatch Consumer Research)
Custom
Teams needing deep social data analysis
- Access to the world’s largest archive of consumer opinions
- AI-powered search and Iris AI assistant
- Image analysis and custom classifiers
- Customizable dashboards, alerts, and reporting
- Support for first-party data uploads and integration
Social Media Management
Custom
Enterprise social operations
- All-in-one social media management platform
- Collaborative content calendar for organic and paid posts
- Unified social inbox and social CRM
- Brand monitoring and benchmarking dashboards
Influencer Marketing (Influence)
Custom
Influencer campaign management
- Influencer discovery across 30M+ creators
- Relationship and workflow management
- Multichannel campaign tracking and reporting
Media Intelligence & Insights
Custom
Strategic research and crisis management
- Access to expert analysts and consultants
- Custom research projects and strategic reporting
- Support for crisis monitoring and stakeholder management
Metricool
Free
$0/month
Solo users testing basics
- Management of all social media accounts for 1 brand (excluding LinkedIn and Twitter/X)
- Planning up to 50 pieces of content per month
- Analysis of 5 competitor profiles
- Access to analytics with 3 months of historical data
- AI Social Media Assistant with 5 credits per brand per month
- Connection of 1 profile per supported social network and web/blog
- Basic planner with best times and social calendar
- Basic SmartLinks and web/blog real-time analytics
Starter (up to 5 brands)
$18/month
Small teams or freelancers
- Management of all social media accounts for up to 5 brands (excluding Twitter/X without add-on)
- Unlimited* scheduled posts per month, subject to fair use policy
- LinkedIn connection for personal and company profiles
- Access to Twitter/X via paid add-on per account
- Analysis of up to 100 competitor profiles
- Downloadable reports in PDF and PPT formats
- Multiple SmartLinks link-in-bio pages with analytics
- AI Social Media Assistant with 20 credits per brand per month
- Analytics with unlimited historical data (except X/Twitter limits)
- Google Drive and Canva integrations
Starter (up to 10 brands)
$31/month
Growing small agencies
- All features of Starter (up to 5 brands)
- Management of all social media accounts for up to 10 brands (excluding Twitter/X without add-on)
- Unlimited* scheduled posts per month across brands
- Extended capacity for competitor analysis and reporting
Advanced (up to 15 brands)
$45/month
Mid-sized teams with collaboration needs
- All features of Starter plans
- Management of all social media accounts for up to 15 brands (excluding Twitter/X without add-on)
- Unlimited team and client access
- Role-based permissions and brand-level access control
- Post approval system for client and internal workflows
- Customizable templates for reports
- Looker Studio connector for advanced reporting dashboards
- Zapier and Make integrations for workflow automation
- MCP AI connection and enhanced AI features
- API access for custom integrations
Advanced (up to 25 brands)
$72/month
Larger agencies scaling up
- All features of Advanced (up to 15 brands)
- Management of all social media accounts for up to 25 brands (excluding Twitter/X without add-on)
- Higher capacity for multi-brand analytics and reporting
Advanced (up to 50 brands)
$139/month
Large agencies or in-house teams
- All features of Advanced (up to 25 brands)
- Management of all social media accounts for up to 50 brands (excluding Twitter/X without add-on)
- Scalable collaboration for larger agencies and in-house teams
Custom (50+ brands)
Custom
Enterprise agencies
- All features of the Advanced plan
- Management of more than 50 brands with custom limits
- Custom number of brands and publication limits
- Integration capabilities tailored to enterprise needs
- Priority support and onboarding options
- Full access to Looker Studio connector, API, and automation integrations
Feature Deep Dive
Social Listening & Consumer Intelligence
Brandwatch
Strengths
- Access to 1.4+ trillion historical posts and 496M daily
- Iris AI for narrative insights and AI-powered search
- Image analysis via neural networks
- Custom ML classifiers for data categorization
- Real-time alerts and customizable dashboards
Workflow
Set queries and classifiers → Monitor data streams → AI generates insights → Alert on anomalies → Export reports
Metricool
Strengths
- Competitor analysis for up to 100 profiles
- Hashtag, Reels, and stories analytics
- Unified inbox for engagement monitoring
- Basic brand and competitor benchmarking
Workflow
Connect profiles → Analyze competitors → Track engagement in inbox → Generate basic reports
Brandwatch dominates in depth and scale for enterprise listening with massive data and AI, ideal for research and crisis. Metricool offers practical, affordable monitoring for day-to-day competitor tracking but lacks historical depth and advanced AI.
Social Media Management
Brandwatch
Strengths
- Unified inbox for community management
- Collaborative content calendar
- Centralized CRM for customer care
- Integration with major networks
Limitations
- Less visual and intuitive for simple scheduling
- Enterprise focus may overcomplicate basics
Metricool
Strengths
- Visual drag-and-drop planner with best-time suggestions
- Unlimited scheduling on paid plans
- SmartLinks for link-in-bio
- Post approval and role-based access
Limitations
- Twitter/X add-on required
- Fair use policy on unlimited posts
Metricool shines in user-friendly, visual management for multiple brands, perfect for agencies. Brandwatch provides robust enterprise management with strong inbox and collaboration but is heavier for routine scheduling.
Analytics & Reporting
Brandwatch
Strengths
- Fully customizable dashboards and alerts
- AI-driven insights with expert analyst support
- Benchmarking and segmentation
- Integration with enterprise tools
Limitations
- Complex setup for custom reports
- No self-serve exports like PDF/PPT
Metricool
Strengths
- PDF, PPT, CSV exports with templates
- Looker Studio connector for advanced viz
- Unlimited historical data on paid
- Competitor and ad analytics
Limitations
- Less AI depth in insights
- Advanced connectors on higher tiers
Brandwatch excels in enterprise-grade, AI-powered analytics for strategic decisions. Metricool offers flexible, export-friendly reporting that's more accessible and integrated with tools like Looker for mid-market needs.
Influencer Marketing
Brandwatch
Strengths
- 30M+ creator database for discovery
- Workflow and relationship management
- Multichannel campaign reporting
- Integrated with listening data
Workflow
Search creators → Manage relationships → Track campaigns → Analyze ROI with AI
Metricool
Strengths
- Basic ad management
- Collaboration tools for campaigns
Limitations
- No dedicated influencer database or tracking
- Focuses on owned channels only
Brandwatch is purpose-built for influencer programs with comprehensive tools. Metricool lacks specialized features, making it unsuitable for dedicated influencer marketing.
Use Case Comparison
Enterprise Brand Monitoring
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Deep data, AI alerts, and analyst support for global reputation and crisis management.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Metricool
Fair
Basic competitor tracking but no scale for enterprise crises.
Best Plan: Advanced ($45/month)
Score: 5/10
Agency Managing Multiple Clients
Brandwatch
Good
Strong governance but sales-led and complex for mid-agencies.
Best Plan: Social Media Management (Custom)
Score: 7/10
Metricool 🏆
Excellent
Multi-brand workspaces, approvals, and white-label reports at scalable prices.
Best Plan: Advanced up to 50 brands ($139/month)
Score: 10/10
Small Business Content Scheduling
Brandwatch
Poor
Overkill with custom pricing and complexity for simple needs.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Metricool 🏆
Excellent
Free plan and visual planner for easy multi-platform posting.
Best Plan: Free or Starter ($18/month)
Score: 9/10
Market Research Team
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Massive data archive and custom classifiers for in-depth insights.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Metricool
Good
Competitor analytics but limited to surface-level data.
Best Plan: Starter ($18/month)
Score: 6/10
Influencer Campaign Agency
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Dedicated Influence product with 30M+ database and reporting.
Best Plan: Influencer Marketing (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Metricool
Poor
No influencer-specific tools, only general management.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 3/10
In-House Marketing Team
Brandwatch
Good
Integrated suite for listening and management, but high cost.
Best Plan: Full Suite (Custom)
Score: 7/10
Metricool 🏆
Excellent
All-in-one for channels, ads, and reporting at low cost.
Best Plan: Advanced ($45/month)
Score: 9/10
PR and Crisis Monitoring
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Real-time alerts, expert support, and media intelligence.
Best Plan: Media Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Metricool
Fair
Inbox monitoring but no advanced crisis tools.
Best Plan: Advanced ($45/month)
Score: 4/10
Freelancer Social Media Manager
Brandwatch
Poor
Too enterprise-focused and expensive for solo use.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Metricool 🏆
Excellent
Free plan and easy tools for multiple clients.
Best Plan: Free or Starter ($18/month)
Score: 10/10
Global Enterprise Social Team
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Global offices, governance, and multi-region support.
Best Plan: Full Suite (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Metricool
Good
Scalable to 50+ brands but lacks enterprise governance.
Best Plan: Custom ($ Custom)
Score: 7/10
Content Creator Needing Analytics
Brandwatch
Fair
Deep insights but overkill for creators.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 5/10
Metricool 🏆
Excellent
AI assistant, hashtag analytics, and easy reports.
Best Plan: Starter ($18/month)
Score: 9/10
Mid-Size Agency Reporting
Brandwatch
Good
Custom reporting with AI, but sales process.
Best Plan: Social Media Management (Custom)
Score: 7/10
Metricool 🏆
Excellent
Custom templates, Looker integration, and exports.
Best Plan: Advanced ($45/month)
Score: 9/10
Consumer Insights Research
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
AI classifiers and massive data for research.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Metricool
Poor
Limited to basic social analytics.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 3/10
Pros and Cons
Brandwatch
Pros
- Extremely deep data coverage with 1.4+ trillion historical posts and hundreds of millions of new posts daily
- Powerful AI capabilities including Iris, image analysis, and custom classifiers
- Integrated suite covering consumer intelligence, social media management, and influencer marketing
- Strong enterprise readiness with global offices, services, and analyst recognition
- Highly customizable dashboards, segmentation, and reporting for advanced users
- APIs and integrations with major social networks and enterprise tools
- Expert analyst support for custom research
Cons
- No public pricing or self-serve plans, making budgeting and comparison harder
- Sales-led onboarding and multi-step demo forms instead of instant access
- Complexity and breadth can create a steep learning curve for smaller teams
- Overkill for users who mainly need simple content creation and scheduling
- Heavier implementation and governance requirements compared to lightweight social tools
- Limited focus on visual planning or link-in-bio tools
Metricool
Pros
- Comprehensive feature set covering planning, analytics, inbox, SmartLinks, and ads
- Generous free-forever plan suitable for testing and small use cases
- Strong multi-brand support and collaboration features on Advanced and Custom plans
- Robust reporting with PDF, PPT, CSV exports and Looker Studio connector
- Integrated AI Social Media Assistant to speed up content creation
- Visual planner with drag-and-drop and best-time suggestions
- Integrations with Google Drive, Canva, Zapier, and more
- Scalable pricing for agencies without custom quotes initially
Cons
- Twitter/X requires a separate paid add-on per account, increasing costs for X-heavy teams
- Brand caps and tiered pricing may force upgrades as agencies grow
- No full-scale marketing automation or CRM functionality compared to dedicated platforms
- Advanced features like API access and custom report templates are locked to higher tiers
- Interface and options may feel overwhelming for absolute beginners at first
- Lacks deep historical listening or influencer marketing tools
Final Verdict
Brandwatch and Metricool cater to different scales in social media tools. Brandwatch is an enterprise powerhouse for intelligence, listening, and influencer programs with unmatched data depth. Metricool is a versatile, cost-effective platform for management, analytics, and agency workflows across platforms.
Choose Brandwatch for strategic, data-driven enterprise needs where depth justifies custom costs. Opt for Metricool for operational efficiency, multi-brand management, and value in growing teams. For hybrid setups, use Brandwatch for insights and Metricool for execution.
Overall Scores
Brandwatch
Value: 7/10
Metricool
Value: 9/10
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