Brandwatch vs Octopus CRM
Brandwatch
- Platform: Multi-platform listening and management
- Best For: Consumer intelligence and enterprise monitoring
- Strength: Deep AI-driven insights from trillions of posts
- Users: Enterprise brands and agencies
Starting at Custom
Octopus CRM
- Platform: LinkedIn only
- Best For: B2B outreach and lead generation
- Strength: Automated connection and messaging funnels
- Users: 201,350 users
Starting at $6.99/month
Table of Contents
At a Glance
Platform Support
| Feature | Brandwatch | Octopus CRM |
|---|---|---|
| ✓ Full listening and management across social networks including LinkedIn | ✓ Exclusive focus on LinkedIn automation and CRM | |
| Multi-platform (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) | ✓ Comprehensive coverage of 100+ sources for listening | ✗ LinkedIn-only, no support for other platforms |
| Social Listening | ✓ Access to 1.4+ trillion posts with real-time monitoring | ✗ No listening capabilities |
| Influencer Discovery | ✓ 30M+ creator database | ✗ Not available |
Automation & Management
| Feature | Brandwatch | Octopus CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Connection Requests & Messaging | ✗ No automation for outreach | ✓ Automated personalized requests and bulk messaging |
| Content Calendar & Scheduling | ✓ Collaborative calendar for organic and paid posts | ✗ No content scheduling |
| Profile Visits & Endorsements | ✗ Not applicable | ✓ Auto-visits and skill endorsements for visibility |
| Unified Inbox | ✓ Centralized inbox for community management | ✗ No inbox features |
| Multi-step Funnels | ✗ Workflows for governance, not outreach funnels | ✓ Lead generation funnels on LinkedIn |
Analytics & Intelligence
| Feature | Brandwatch | Octopus CRM |
|---|---|---|
| AI-Powered Insights | ✓ Iris AI for narratives, image analysis, custom classifiers | ✗ Basic analytics for views and SSI |
| Custom Dashboards & Reporting | ✓ Fully customizable with alerts | ✗ Simple CRM dashboard |
| Campaign Reporting | ✓ Influencer and media campaign insights | ✓ Outreach campaign tracking |
| Brand Monitoring | ✓ Real-time alerts and benchmarking | ✗ Profile visibility tracking only |
Integrations & CRM
| Feature | Brandwatch | Octopus CRM |
|---|---|---|
| APIs & Enterprise Integrations | ✓ Integrations with major social networks and tools | ✗ Limited to Zapier and HubSpot |
| Zapier & HubSpot Sync | ✗ Enterprise-level APIs preferred | ✓ CSV import/export and CRM sync |
| Personal CRM | ✗ Social CRM for community management | ✓ Lightweight prospect management |
| Activity Controls | ✗ Governance workflows | ✓ Limits to avoid LinkedIn restrictions |
Enterprise & Collaboration
| Feature | Brandwatch | Octopus CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Global Support & Analysts | ✓ Expert analyst support and multi-region | ✗ Self-serve with basic support |
| Team Collaboration | ✓ Collaborative tools for enterprises | ✗ Single-account licensing |
| Chrome Extension | ✗ Web-based platform | ✓ Required for LinkedIn automation |
Pricing Comparison
Brandwatch uses custom enterprise pricing with no public tiers, requiring sales contact, while Octopus CRM offers affordable self-serve plans starting at $6.99/month annually. Brandwatch suits large budgets for deep intelligence, while Octopus CRM provides high value for LinkedIn-focused teams.
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 teams
- 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 managers
- Influencer discovery across 30M+ creators
- Relationship and workflow management
- Multichannel campaign tracking and reporting
Media Intelligence & Insights
Custom
PR and crisis teams
- Access to expert analysts and consultants
- Custom research projects and strategic reporting
- Support for crisis monitoring and stakeholder management
Octopus CRM
Starter (Annual)
$6.99/month
Solo users starting LinkedIn outreach
- Personal CRM with stats
- Automated LinkedIn connection requests
- Bulk messaging to first-degree connections
- Auto profile viewing
- Auto skill endorsements
- Campaign creation and basic funnels
- Data export and import via CSV
Pro (Annual)
$9.99/month
Small teams needing enhanced limits
- All Starter features
- Enhanced automation limits
- Support for connecting with premium LinkedIn users only
- More advanced campaign options for messaging and visiting
Advanced (Annual)
$14.99/month
Advanced funnel builders
- All Pro features
- More advanced funnel building capabilities
- Priority access to new automation features
Unlimited (Annual)
$24.99/month
High-volume users
- All Advanced features
- Unlimited access to all automation tools
- Activity Control for extra safety on LinkedIn
- Full compatibility with LinkedIn Premium, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter
- Maximum campaign and funnel flexibility
Agency Custom Plan
Custom
Agencies with 20+ accounts
- Volume-based licensing for 20+ LinkedIn accounts
- Potential discounts for large teams
- Centralized support and onboarding assistance
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 with neural networks and deep learning
- Custom classifiers using machine learning
- Fully customizable dashboards with alerts
Workflow
Set monitoring queries → AI analyzes data → Generate insights and reports → Alert on anomalies
Octopus CRM
Strengths
- Basic analytics for profile views and Social Selling Index
- No advanced listening or intelligence features
Workflow
Run campaigns → View basic stats → Manually interpret outreach results
Brandwatch dominates in social intelligence with vast data and AI depth, ideal for enterprise monitoring. Octopus CRM offers minimal analytics focused on personal outreach metrics, lacking broad listening capabilities.
Automation & Outreach
Brandwatch
Strengths
- Unified social management with collaborative calendar
- Centralized inbox for community and customer care
- Workflows for governance and multi-user collaboration
Limitations
- No personal outreach automation like connections or DMs
- Focused on publishing and monitoring, not prospecting
Octopus CRM
Strengths
- Automated connection requests, bulk messaging, profile visits
- Multi-step lead funnels with human-like delays
- Activity Control to mimic natural behavior and avoid bans
Limitations
- Relies on Chrome extension, vulnerable to LinkedIn changes
- Single-account per license, no team publishing tools
Octopus CRM excels in LinkedIn-specific automation for B2B prospecting, while Brandwatch provides robust management automation for enterprise teams. Choose Octopus for sales outreach; Brandwatch for scaled social operations.
Influencer Marketing & CRM
Brandwatch
Strengths
- Influence product with 30M+ creator database
- Campaign workflow management and reporting
- Integrated with broader intelligence for discovery
Workflow
Search creators → Manage relationships → Track multichannel campaigns → Report ROI
Octopus CRM
Strengths
- Lightweight CRM for prospect storage and management
- CSV import/export for lead data
- Integrations with Zapier and HubSpot for CRM sync
Limitations
- No influencer-specific features
- CRM limited to LinkedIn prospects, not broad management
Brandwatch offers comprehensive influencer marketing tools, while Octopus CRM provides basic CRM for sales leads. Brandwatch wins for marketing teams; Octopus for sales prospecting.
Analytics & Reporting
Brandwatch
Strengths
- Customizable dashboards and advanced reporting
- AI-driven insights with expert analyst support
- Benchmarking and crisis monitoring alerts
Limitations
- Enterprise complexity may require training
- No simple personal metrics
Octopus CRM
Strengths
- Analytics for profile views, search appearances, SSI
- Campaign performance tracking in CRM
Limitations
- Basic compared to enterprise tools
- No advanced AI or custom reporting
Brandwatch provides deep, AI-enhanced analytics for enterprise needs, while Octopus CRM offers straightforward metrics for outreach effectiveness. Brandwatch for insights depth; Octopus for quick sales tracking.
Use Case Comparison
Enterprise Brand Monitoring
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Deep listening with trillions of posts, AI alerts, and analyst support perfect for reputation management.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Octopus CRM
Poor
No monitoring or listening features; focused on personal outreach.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
B2B Sales Outreach
Brandwatch
Poor
Lacks personal automation; better for broad intelligence.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Octopus CRM 🏆
Excellent
Automated connections, messaging, and funnels scale LinkedIn prospecting efficiently.
Best Plan: Unlimited (Annual $24.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Influencer Campaign Management
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
30M+ database, workflows, and reporting integrated with intelligence.
Best Plan: Influencer Marketing (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Octopus CRM
Poor
No influencer tools; CRM is for sales leads only.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Recruiting & Talent Sourcing
Brandwatch
Fair
Listening can identify trends, but no direct sourcing automation.
Best Plan: Social Media Management (Custom)
Score: 5/10
Octopus CRM 🏆
Excellent
Automates connections and messaging to source candidates on LinkedIn.
Best Plan: Pro (Annual $9.99/month)
Score: 9/10
Agency Multi-Client Management
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Enterprise governance, collaboration, and customizable reporting for clients.
Best Plan: Full Suite (Custom)
Score: 9/10
Octopus CRM
Good
Agency plan for multi-accounts, but limited to LinkedIn outreach.
Best Plan: Agency Custom Plan
Score: 7/10
Market Research & Insights
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Vast data archive, AI classifiers, and analyst support for deep research.
Best Plan: Media Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Octopus CRM
Poor
No research capabilities; basic outreach stats only.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Solo Founder Lead Generation
Brandwatch
Poor
Too complex and costly for individuals; enterprise-focused.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 3/10
Octopus CRM 🏆
Excellent
Affordable automation for personal LinkedIn networking and leads.
Best Plan: Starter (Annual $6.99/month)
Score: 9/10
PR & Crisis Monitoring
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Real-time alerts, image analysis, and expert support for crisis response.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Octopus CRM
Poor
No monitoring or alert systems.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Marketing Agency LinkedIn Focus
Brandwatch
Good
Management and listening, but custom pricing may not fit agencies.
Best Plan: Social Media Management (Custom)
Score: 7/10
Octopus CRM 🏆
Excellent
Scalable for client outreach with agency plan discounts.
Best Plan: Agency Custom Plan
Score: 8/10
Global Enterprise Governance
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
Multi-region support, workflows, and integrations for large orgs.
Best Plan: Full Suite (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Octopus CRM
Fair
Single-account limits; no governance tools.
Best Plan: Agency Custom (for multi-accounts)
Score: 4/10
Budget-Conscious Sales Team
Brandwatch
Poor
Custom pricing too high for small teams.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 2/10
Octopus CRM 🏆
Excellent
Low-cost plans deliver quick ROI on LinkedIn leads.
Best Plan: Starter (Annual $6.99/month)
Score: 10/10
Consumer Insights Team
Brandwatch 🏆
Excellent
AI and data depth for research and trends.
Best Plan: Consumer Intelligence (Custom)
Score: 10/10
Octopus CRM
Poor
No insights beyond personal metrics.
Best Plan: Not suitable
Score: 1/10
Pros and Cons
Brandwatch
Pros
- Extremely deep data coverage with 1.4+ trillion historical posts
- Powerful AI capabilities including Iris, image analysis, and custom classifiers
- Integrated suite covering intelligence, management, and influencer marketing
- Strong enterprise readiness with global offices and analyst support
- Highly customizable dashboards and reporting
- APIs and integrations for enterprise ecosystems
- Expert services for custom research
Cons
- No public pricing or self-serve plans
- Sales-led onboarding with multi-step demos
- Steep learning curve due to complexity
- Overkill for simple needs like basic scheduling
- Heavier implementation and governance requirements
- Not focused on personal automation or outreach
Octopus CRM
Pros
- Powerful LinkedIn automation for connections, messaging, and endorsements
- Multi-step funnel builder for structured outreach
- Compatible with all LinkedIn account types including Sales Navigator
- Activity Control and delays for safety against restrictions
- Integrations with Zapier and HubSpot for CRM sync
- Affordable pricing with annual discounts
- Lightweight CRM for prospect management
Cons
- Chrome extension dependency, fragile to LinkedIn updates
- Requires careful activity management to avoid bans
- No AI for content generation or advanced personalization
- Complex interface for non-technical users
- Single license per LinkedIn account, costly for teams
- Limited to LinkedIn; no multi-platform or listening features
Final Verdict
Brandwatch and Octopus CRM target different ends of social tools: Brandwatch as a comprehensive enterprise suite for intelligence and management, Octopus CRM as a niche LinkedIn automation for B2B efficiency. They don't overlap much but can complement in sales-intelligence workflows.
Choose Brandwatch for deep enterprise intelligence and management needs. Opt for Octopus CRM if LinkedIn automation drives your B2B growth. For hybrid use, leverage Brandwatch for insights and Octopus for targeted outreach.
Overall Scores
Brandwatch
Octopus CRM
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