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Head-to-head · Social Tools

Sprout Social vs Brandwatch Listen

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Sprout Social #1 in Social Tools 9.2/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 5 features Visit Sprout Social
Brandwatch Listen #7 in Social Tools 8.6/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Brandwatch

Sprout Social leads on 0 checks, Brandwatch Listen on 0, and 2 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSprout Social · 9.2/10
  • Free trialonly Sprout Social
  • Most featuresSprout Social · 1 of 5

Sprout Social scores higher on our rubric for social tools: 9.2 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #7.

Sprout Social is the better fit for teams managing social across multiple networks. Brandwatch Listen is the better fit for teams prioritizing social listening and trend detection.

  • Sprout Social fits best

    Teams managing social across multiple networks

  • Brandwatch Listen fits best

    Teams prioritizing social listening and trend detection

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Sprout Social 9.2/10 Visit ↗ Brandwatch Listen 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.2 8.6
Ranking #1 in Social Tools #7 in Social Tools
Best for Teams managing social across multiple networks Teams prioritizing social listening and trend detection
Pricing model Paid Paid
Starting price $79/seat/mo Pricing on request
Free plan — Not checked yet
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web
Integrations 20 integrations 1 integrations
Features Sprout Social 1/5 · Brandwatch Listen 0/5
Analytics reports Not checked yet Not checked yet
Social inbox ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Social listening Not checked yet Not checked yet
Approval workflow Not checked yet Not checked yet
Mobile app Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Social accounts 5 accounts Not checked yet
Supported networks Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Combines scheduling, approvals, inbox, listening and review management
  • Supports 10 named social networks, plus mobile apps and an API
  • 30-day trial does not require a credit card
  • Boolean search, sentiment analysis and mention-volume trends support focused monitoring.
  • Saved searches provide one year of historical analysis.
  • AI and email alerts flag unusual volume changes, increases or new mentions.
Cons
  • Essentials is limited to five social profiles
  • Annual Essentials pricing starts at $79 per seat monthly
  • Advanced annual pricing reaches $399 per seat monthly
  • Pricing requires a demo or contact with sales.
  • Quick searches default to 30 days of history; two years is a premium add-on.
  • Publishing capabilities are not listed; Engage is the listed social inbox integration.
Our verdict

Sprout Social brings social publishing, scheduling, engagement, reporting, listening and review management into a cloud platform for organizations and teams. Its tools span a collaborative content calendar, publishing queue, consolidated…

Read the review →

Brandwatch Listen is a social listening product for brands, agencies and social media teams that need to monitor online conversations. Its search-based approach covers mentions of competitors, products, hashtags and phrases across X,…

Read the review →
  1. Sprout SocialSocial Tools 9.230-day trial
  2. Brandwatch ListenSocial Tools 8.6Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Sprout Social — where it wins

    • Combines scheduling, approvals, inbox, listening and review management
    • Supports 10 named social networks, plus mobile apps and an API
    • 30-day trial does not require a credit card

    Where it doesn't

    • Essentials is limited to five social profiles
    • Annual Essentials pricing starts at $79 per seat monthly
    • Advanced annual pricing reaches $399 per seat monthly

  • Brandwatch Listen — where it wins

    • Boolean search, sentiment analysis and mention-volume trends support focused monitoring.
    • Saved searches provide one year of historical analysis.
    • AI and email alerts flag unusual volume changes, increases or new mentions.

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires a demo or contact with sales.
    • Quick searches default to 30 days of history; two years is a premium add-on.
    • Publishing capabilities are not listed; Engage is the listed social inbox integration.
  • Sprout Social9.2/10 · 30-day trial

    A broad social suite with publishing, inbox, monitoring and analytics, priced per seat.

    Visit Sprout SocialFull verdict →
  • Brandwatch Listen8.6/10 · Pricing on request

    A search-led listening tool for tracking mentions, sentiment and trends across social and web sources.

    Visit BrandwatchFull verdict →

More comparisons

All social tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update