10 Best Customer Engagement Platform List
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 18 tools reviewed.
Our one-on-one guidance will help you find the perfect fit.
Keeping customers engaged is key to building strong, lasting relationships. A customer engagement platform helps you connect with your audience through personalized interactions, proactive support, and timely communication.
In this article, I’ll explore the best customer engagement platforms available. I’ve reviewed each option with CX professionals in mind, so you can find the tools that best help your team foster loyalty and create meaningful connections.
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The Best Customer Engagement Platform Summary Table
Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Best for customer ticket management + NPS surveys | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $19/month | Website | |
2 | Best for AI-driven social media engagement | 30-day free trial + free demo available | From $199/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
3 | Best for efficient team communication | 7-day free trial | From $19/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
4 | Best for gamification | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
5 | Best for ease-of-use | 14-day free trial + free plan available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
6 | Best for customer surveys | Not available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
7 | Best for chat automation | 30-day free trial | From $80/month for up to 10K targeted sessions | Website | |
8 | Best customer journey orchestration | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
9 | Best workflow automation | 3-day free trial | From $179/month | Website | |
10 | Best for CX analytics & reporting | 7-day free trial + free plan available | From $224/month (billed yearly) | Website |
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CRM Creatio
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.7 -
monday Service
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6 -
Issuetrak
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.1
Overviews of the 10 Best Customer Engagement Platforms
Here’s a brief description of each customer engagement software to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a preview of the interface.
SurveySparrow is a customer experience management platform tailored for businesses seeking to streamline customer feedback and ticket management. It caters to organizations aiming to improve customer satisfaction through effective feedback collection and management.
Why I picked SurveySparrow: This tool offers automated ticketing, which ensures that customer issues are addressed promptly, enhancing your team's efficiency. Its NPS surveys are customizable, allowing you to gather valuable insights specific to your needs. SurveySparrow's AI-driven analysis provides deep insights into the customer journey, helping you make informed decisions. The platform's ability to integrate with various business applications ensures that your data flows smoothly across systems.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include automated survey distribution, which ensures timely feedback collection without manual intervention. AI-powered sentiment analysis helps you understand customer emotions and improve service quality. The platform's dashboard provides real-time insights, allowing you to monitor key metrics effortlessly.
Integrations include Salesforce, Hubspot, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, Slack, Zendesk, Intercom, Microsoft Teams, Asana, and Trello.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Automated feedback collection
- Customizable user surveys
- Comprehensive analytics tools
Cons:
- Occasional integration issues
- Requires setup time
- Complexity for new users
Sprout Social is a social media management platform designed for businesses looking to enhance their online presence. It's primarily used by marketing teams and social media managers to manage various social media accounts, track engagement, and analyze performance metrics.
Why I picked Sprout Social: You can leverage its AI-driven tools to boost social media engagement effectively. These tools help you understand audience sentiments and optimize content accordingly. Additionally, with features like advanced analytics and automated scheduling, your team can save time and focus on crafting more engaging content. The platform's intuitive design ensures you won't need extensive training to get started.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include robust social media analytics that provide insights into your engagement metrics, helping you tailor your content strategy. You can also automate your posting schedule, ensuring your content reaches your audience at the optimal times without manual intervention. The platform's social listening tool allows your team to monitor brand mentions and industry trends in real-time, ensuring you're always in the loop.
Integrations include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google My Business, YouTube, and Reddit.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Scalable for large teams
- Real-time social listening
- AI-driven insights
Cons:
- High cost per user
- Initial setup complexity
- Limited customization options
Front is a customer engagement platform designed to facilitate efficient team communication. It's widely used by businesses looking to manage customer interactions across various channels effectively. The tool primarily caters to teams that require a structured and collaborative approach to handling customer inquiries.
Why I picked Front: Front offers a unique shared inbox feature that helps your team collaborate on customer emails seamlessly. With its real-time collaboration tools, you can ensure that no message goes unanswered. It also provides detailed analytics to help you assess communication performance. The platform integrates email, live chat, and SMS into one unified interface, making it ideal for teams needing efficient coordination.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include shared inboxes that help your team manage emails collaboratively, ensuring everyone stays informed. You can also automate repetitive tasks with no-code automation, saving time and reducing errors. Advanced analytics provide insights into team performance, helping you make data-driven decisions.
Integrations include Slack, Salesforce, HubSpot, Intercom, Asana, Trello, Dropbox, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams, and Zendesk.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- No-code automation
- Real-time collaboration tools
- Efficient shared inbox management
Cons:
- Premium features locked behind higher tiers
- Limited customization options
- Learning curve for new users
Braze is a customer engagement platform that serves businesses by facilitating personalized marketing strategies. Its main users include marketers looking to connect with customers meaningfully and engage them across different channels. The key business function it performs is enhancing customer interactions through data-driven insights and personalized messaging.
Why I picked Braze: Braze excels in gamification, setting it apart from other customer engagement platforms. With its AI-driven insights, Braze provides your team with the tools to create engaging and interactive customer journeys. Features like Canvas Orchestration and personalized messaging capabilities enable you to design strategies that keep your audience hooked. The platform's ability to integrate first-party data ensures a tailored approach to customer engagement, making it a standout choice for gamification.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include real-time data insights that allow you to understand customer behavior better. The platform's AI-powered personalization helps you craft messages that resonate with your audience. Additionally, Canvas Orchestration provides a way to visualize and manage customer journeys effectively.
Integrations include Salesforce, Google Cloud, Amplitude, Segment, mParticle, Looker, Mixpanel, Snowflake, Adjust, and AppsFlyer.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Scalable performance for all business sizes
- AI-driven insights
- Personalized messaging
Cons:
- Limited customer service in some regions
- Some complexity in initial setup
- Requires technical expertise for full utilization
Pendo is a customer engagement platform designed for product teams to improve user onboarding, gather product insights, and increase user adoption. Its primary users include product managers, UX designers, and customer success teams. Pendo aids businesses in understanding user behavior and enhancing product experiences.
Why I picked Pendo: Pendo excels in offering ease-of-use through its intuitive interface, which is crucial for teams aiming to quickly implement and derive value from the platform. You benefit from features like in-app guides and analytics that provide insights without needing extensive technical know-how. Pendo's capabilities include user segmentation and personalized messaging, which are straightforward yet powerful tools for engaging users. The platform's ability to collect direct feedback from users ensures that your team can make informed product decisions effortlessly.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include in-app messaging, which allows you to communicate directly with users within your application. You can also utilize the product analytics feature to track and analyze user interaction, providing valuable insights into user behavior. Additionally, its feedback collection tool enables you to gather user opinions directly, facilitating a user-driven approach to product development.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, Zendesk, Marketo, Google Analytics, Mixpanel, Segment, Amplitude, and Intercom.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Effective feedback collection
- Intuitive in-app messaging
- Strong user analytics
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Higher pricing for advanced features
- Some users report integration challenges
Qualtrics Customer Experience is a comprehensive platform designed for businesses looking to gather and analyze customer feedback effectively. It primarily serves marketing teams, customer experience professionals, and researchers. The tool's principal function is to facilitate the creation, distribution, and analysis of customer surveys, assisting users in making data-driven decisions.
Why I picked Qualtrics Customer Experience: Qualtrics excels in offering a range of features tailored specifically for customer surveys, setting it apart from other platforms. You can create highly customized surveys that cater to specific audience segments. It offers advanced analytics capabilities that help in interpreting survey data with ease. Your team can also leverage its real-time feedback collection to quickly address customer issues as they arise. The ability to seamlessly integrate with various channels ensures that you reach respondents wherever they are.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include robust survey design tools that allow you to create visually appealing and engaging surveys. You can use its advanced logic features to dynamically tailor survey questions based on previous answers. Additionally, its reporting tools offer in-depth insights that help you understand customer sentiment and behavior comprehensively.
Integrations include Salesforce, Slack, Zendesk, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Analytics, SAP, HubSpot, Google Analytics, Marketo, and ServiceNow.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Multichannel distribution
- Real-time feedback collection
- Deep survey customization
Cons:
- Complex setup process
- Limited template variety
- High learning curve
Twik is a versatile customer engagement platform designed to enhance how businesses interact with their customers. It primarily serves marketing teams and customer service departments, providing tools for creating and managing customer surveys to gather valuable insights.
Why I picked Twik: Twik offers unique capabilities that set it apart in the realm of customer engagement. Its customizable survey templates allow you to tailor questions to your specific needs, making it easier to gather precise feedback. You can also utilize its real-time analytics to quickly interpret survey results and make data-driven decisions. The platform's integration with various CRM systems ensures that your survey data is seamlessly incorporated into your broader customer relationship strategies. Additionally, Twik's user-friendly interface facilitates an efficient survey creation process for your team.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include a drag-and-drop survey builder that simplifies the creation process, allowing you to focus on what matters most. Twik also provides automated follow-up emails based on survey responses, ensuring timely engagement with your audience. You can monitor survey performance with detailed analytics dashboards that offer insights into response rates and trends.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Zendesk, Slack, Shopify, Google Analytics, Marketo, Zoho CRM, and Microsoft Dynamics.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Automated follow-up emails
- CRM integration
- Customizable survey templates
Cons:
- Limited customer support hours
- Basic design options
- Limited AI features
MoEngage is a customer engagement platform designed to orchestrate personalized and timely customer journeys across multiple channels. It primarily serves marketing teams looking to enhance customer engagement and retention. The platform allows brands to use real-time insights to tailor interactions based on individual customer behaviors and preferences.
Why I picked MoEngage: MoEngage's platform excels in real-time data analysis and AI-powered identity management, which enhances customer journey orchestration. It enables your team to personalize interactions by leveraging real-time insights, ensuring each customer touchpoint is meaningful. The integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365 allows you to export customer segments easily for omnichannel engagement. MoEngage's AI engine, Sherpa, aids in creating precise customer journeys, making your engagement strategies more effective.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include MoEngage's AI-powered identity management, which helps you create precise customer journeys by analyzing real-time data. You can tailor customer interactions with personalized messaging across various channels, enhancing engagement. The platform also supports cross-channel marketing solutions, activating customers at key lifecycle points.
Integrations include Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, Adobe, Salesforce, Shopify, Mailchimp, HubSpot, Segment, Google Analytics, and Zendesk.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Multi-channel communication
- AI-powered personalization
- Real-time data analysis
Cons:
- Limited free plan features
- Learning curve for new users
- Complex initial setup
Zingle is a customer engagement platform designed to facilitate effective communication between businesses and their clients. Its main user base includes hospitality and service-oriented industries, where timely and personalized customer interaction is key. Zingle's primary function is to manage customer interactions through real-time messaging, making it an ideal tool for enhancing customer service and satisfaction.
Why I picked Zingle: Zingle excels at streamlining customer communication, offering a multi-channel messaging platform that integrates SMS, email, and social media interactions in a single dashboard. This helps your team manage all customer inquiries efficiently. With features like automated responses and message templates, Zingle allows you to maintain consistency and speed in customer interactions, aligning perfectly with its USP of being best for customer surveys. The tool also offers detailed analytics to help you understand customer engagement levels, enabling data-driven decisions to improve service quality.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include automated messaging that saves your team time by sending instant responses to common inquiries. Zingle's analytics feature delivers insights into customer interactions, helping you tweak services for better satisfaction. The platform's multi-channel support ensures you can handle customer queries from various platforms seamlessly.
Integrations include Salesforce, HubSpot, Mailchimp, Slack, Zendesk, Shopify, Microsoft Teams, Google Analytics, Facebook, and Twitter.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Automated response options
- Multi-platform integration
- Real-time messaging capabilities
Cons:
- Potential learning curve
- May require technical setup
- Integration complexity
Delighted is a customer feedback tool designed for businesses aiming to enhance their customer experience analytics and reporting. It primarily serves teams that need to gather and analyze customer feedback efficiently. Delighted's core functions include collecting real-time feedback through surveys and providing insights via analytics dashboards.
Why I picked Delighted: Delighted offers a straightforward way to collect customer feedback and generate reports, which is crucial for businesses focusing on customer experience. Its unique selling point lies in its ability to provide comprehensive analytics for customer feedback, setting it apart from other platforms. You can utilize survey templates like NPS, CSAT, and CES, which are integral for customer experience metrics. The tool's integration capabilities with platforms like Slack and Shopify enhance its functionality, providing seamless data flows for your team.
Standout features & integrations:
Features include survey templates that cater to different feedback types, from NPS to CSAT. You can easily customize branding to align the surveys with your company's identity. The platform also offers advanced reporting tools that help you make data-driven decisions based on customer insights.
Integrations include Slack, Shopify, HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce, Zendesk, Intercom, Mailchimp, Google Analytics, and Segment.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good integration options
- Flexible survey templates
- Intuitive user interface
Cons:
- Lacks advanced resource management
- May require additional tools for in-depth analytics
- Basic reporting features
Other Options
Here’s a few more that didn’t make the top list.
- Birdeye
Competitive benchmarking
- UserGuiding
For boosting user activation rates
- Zoho SalesIQ
Knowledge base creation
- Tremendous
Software that uses API so users can send rewards and incentives.
- Sprinklr Service
Customer experience management platform with sales, marketing, and advertising capabilities.
- Augeo
For enterprises
- Medallia
SaaS customer relationship manager for retail, financial services, and B2B companies.
- Annex Cloud
Loyalty experience solution you can use to create loyalty programs for your brand.
Related CX Software Lists
If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for here, check out these related customer experience management tools that I’ve tested and evaluated.
How to Choose a Customer Engagement Platform
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
Factor | What to Consider |
---|---|
Scalability | Ensure the platform can grow with your business. Check if it handles increased customer interactions without compromising performance. |
Integrations | Look for seamless integration with your existing systems like CRM and email marketing tools to streamline processes. |
Customizability | Your team should be able to tailor the platform to fit your specific workflows and branding needs. |
Ease of Use | Opt for a user-friendly interface that reduces training time and boosts productivity for your team. |
Budget | Evaluate the total cost, including hidden fees, to ensure it aligns with your financial plan. |
Security Safeguards | Verify robust security measures to protect sensitive customer data and comply with industry regulations. |
Support Options | Choose a platform that offers reliable customer support, including live chat, phone, or email assistance. |
Analytics | Ensure it provides comprehensive analytics to track engagement and make data-driven decisions. |
Customer Engagement Platforms Selection Criteria
When selecting customer engagement platforms (CEPs), it's essential to evaluate functionality and specific use cases that align with your business needs. Having personally tried and researched these tools, I can provide criteria that matter most for effective customer engagement. These criteria relate directly to software buyer needs, addressing pain points and ensuring the software is used effectively.
Core Functionality (25% of total weighting score):
Key use cases for CEPs include:
- Omnichannel communication
- Personalized messaging
- Customer journey mapping
- Analytics and reporting
- Integration with existing systems
Additional Standout Features (25% of total weighting score):
Identifying unique features and functionality not offered by the competition:
- Advanced AI Capabilities: Tools that leverage AI for predictive analytics and customer insights, such as sentiment analysis.
- Real-Time Interaction: Platforms that offer live chat and real-time notifications.
- Seamless Integrations: Extensive integrations with CRM, ERP, and marketing automation tools.
- Customization Options: Highly customizable workflows and dashboards.
- Innovative Engagement Tools: Unique features like gamification or augmented reality interactions.
Usability (10% of total weighting score):
Evaluating power and complexity vs ease of use:
- Intuitive Interface: Clean and easy-to-navigate UI.
- Drag-and-Drop Functionality: For creating customer journeys and campaigns.
- Role-Based Access: Easy configuration for different user roles.
- Mobile Accessibility: Full functionality available on mobile devices.
Onboarding (10% of total weighting score):
Evaluating quick, simple, and easy onboarding:
- Training Resources: Availability of training videos, templates, and interactive product tours.
- User Assistance: Chatbots and webinars for ongoing support.
- Migration Tools: Ease of migrating data from previous systems.
Customer Support (10% of total weighting score):
Evaluating customer support against the competition:
- 24/7 Support: Round-the-clock assistance availability.
- Multichannel Support: Access to support via phone, email, and live chat.
- Knowledge Base: Comprehensive self-help resources.
- Dedicated Account Managers: Personalized support for enterprise clients.
Value For Money (10% of total weighting score):
Evaluating pricing against the competition:
- Transparent Pricing: Clear and straightforward pricing models.
- Scalability: Flexible plans that grow with your business.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: Assessing the features offered relative to cost.
- Discounts and Offers: Availability of discounts for long-term commitments or bundled services.
Customer Reviews (10% of total weighting score):
Evaluating customer reviews against the competition:
- Overall Satisfaction: High average ratings from users.
- Feature-Specific Feedback: Positive feedback on specific features relevant to your needs.
- Support and Usability: High marks for customer support and ease of use.
- Case Studies and Testimonials: Success stories from businesses similar to yours.
Trends for Customer Engagement Platforms in 2025
Customer engagement platforms are evolving to meet the dynamic needs of businesses and their customers. Here are some key trends to watch in 2025.
AI-Powered Personalization
AI-driven personalization is enhancing customer experiences by delivering tailored content. This trend is important as it increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. Businesses leveraging AI see higher engagement and conversion rates.
Omnichannel Integration
Omnichannel integration allows seamless communication across various channels. This trend ensures consistent messaging and interaction, regardless of the platform. It is crucial for maintaining a unified customer experience.
Real-Time Customer Insights
Platforms are increasingly providing real-time analytics and insights. This trend helps businesses make immediate, data-driven decisions. It is essential for staying competitive in fast-paced markets.
Enhanced Data Privacy
There is a growing focus on data privacy and security within CEPs. This trend addresses customer concerns and regulatory requirements. Ensuring data protection builds trust and compliance.
Gamification in Engagement
Gamification elements are being integrated into customer interactions. This trend makes engagement more interactive and enjoyable. It drives higher participation and fosters a deeper connection with the brand.
What are Customer Engagement Platforms?
Customer Engagement Platforms (CEPs) are software solutions designed to help businesses interact with their customers across multiple channels, such as email, social media, and websites. These platforms aim to enhance customer experience, foster loyalty, and drive sales by providing tools for personalized communication, behavior tracking, and analytics.
Key features often include customer data integration, automated messaging, and real-time interaction capabilities. By leveraging CEPs, businesses can deliver consistent and meaningful customer experiences, improve customer satisfaction, and boost overall engagement.
Key Features of Customer Engagement Platforms
I’ve worked with many customer engagement platforms and identified the features that truly make a difference. Here are the key features to look for:
- Engagement analytics: Allows users to analyze and understand customer data to create action plans that can improve customer satisfaction.
- Automation: Automates simple tasks such as responding to emails or web chat queries, so customers receive immediate responses.
- Surveys: Enable users to create surveys and understand results to determine areas where customers are dissatisfied and require improvement.
- Customer journey orchestration: Ensures that customers receive assistance throughout the entire customer lifecycle to help foster brand loyalty.
- Omnichannel Communication: Connect with customers across multiple channels seamlessly.
- Personalized Messaging: Deliver customized content to individual users based on their preferences and behavior.
- Customer Journey Mapping: Visualize and plan the customer’s path from initial contact to conversion.
- Real-Time Analytics: Access up-to-date data and insights to inform decisions quickly.
- Automated Workflows: Streamline tasks and processes through automation.
- Integration Capabilities: Connect with existing systems and tools for a cohesive workflow.
- AI-Powered Insights: Use artificial intelligence to gain deeper understanding and predict customer behavior.
- Segmentation: Group customers based on various criteria for targeted marketing.
- Feedback Management: Collect and analyze customer feedback to improve services.
- Security and Privacy: Ensure customer data is protected and compliant with regulations.
- These features are essential for any business looking to engage effectively with its customers and improve overall satisfaction.
Benefits of Customer Engagement Platforms
Customer engagement platforms offer significant advantages for businesses looking to improve their interactions with customers. Here are the primary benefits that potential buyers should consider:
- Enhanced Customer Experience: Provides personalized and consistent communication across all channels, improving overall customer satisfaction.
- Increased Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks and workflows, allowing your team to focus on strategic activities.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Delivers real-time analytics and insights, enabling informed decision-making and strategy adjustments.
- Improved Customer Retention: Builds stronger relationships through targeted engagement, leading to higher customer loyalty and retention rates.
- Scalability: Adapts to your growing business needs, ensuring continuous support and engagement as your customer base expands.
Using a customer engagement platform can transform how you interact with your customers, making your business more efficient and customer-focused. These benefits highlight the value and impact of implementing such a platform.
Costs And Pricing Of Customer Engagement Platforms
Customer engagement platforms typically offer a range of pricing plans to accommodate businesses of various sizes and needs. Understanding these plans and their costs can help you make an informed decision. Here are the common plan options and their pricing details.
Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
---|---|---|
Free | $0 | Basic engagement tools, limited channels, minimal analytics |
Basic | $50/month | Core features, omnichannel communication, basic automation |
Standard | $150/month | Advanced automation, customer journey mapping, integrations |
Professional | $300/month | Real-time analytics, AI-powered insights, segmentation |
Enterprise | Custom Pricing | Full feature set, dedicated support, advanced security |
Customer Engagement Platforms
Here are some questions about customer engagement platforms.
What Does Customer Engagement Mean?
Why is Customer Engagement Important?
What is the difference between CRM and customer engagement platform?
The Takeaway
Loyal customers ensure that your business will have reliable sources of sales for years to come, and keeping them engaged is the best way to keep them loyal to your products and your company. With the help of the customer engagement platforms above, you can craft optimized user engagement programs that can immediately turn even new customers into loyal ones.
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