Softwr

Customer Support · head to head

Front vs Podium

Front logo

Front

Customer Support

Where teams collaborate on customer communication

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Podium logo

Podium

Customer Support

Messaging platform for local businesses

From
$249/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Front starter tier limited to single-channel support; omnichannel support requires Professional tier; Podium no transparent pricing published online
  • They diverge on capability: Front covers Shared inbox, Podium covers Text messaging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Front and Podium actually diverge.

Attributes where Front and Podium differ
AttributeFrontPodium
Starting price$25/month$249/month
PlatformsCloud-based SaaSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20132014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Customer Support).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Front

  • Shared inbox
  • Email collaboration
  • Omnichannel messaging
  • Analytics
  • Workflows
  • Integrations
  • Slack
  • Asana

Only in Podium

  • Text messaging
  • Review management
  • Webchat
  • Payments
  • Team inbox
  • Automation
  • Google
  • Facebook

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Front

  • Omnichannel customer supportnot Podium
  • AI-powered helpdesk automationnot Podium
  • Team collaboration on support ticketsnot Podium

Podium

  • Managing customer messages and reviews for local businessesnot Front
  • Converting inbound leads through text and web chatnot Front

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Front

  • Starter tier limited to single-channel support; omnichannel support requires Professional tier
  • AI Copilot, Smart QA, and Smart CSAT are included only in Enterprise tier ($105/seat/month); available as add-ons at higher cost in lower tiers
  • Starter tier limited to 10 automation rules; Professional tier allows 20; unlimited rules only in Enterprise
  • Advanced analytics excluded from Starter tier

Podium

  • No transparent pricing published online
  • 10DLC base fee amount not specified
  • Bulk Messages credits and limits not quantified

Pricing, plan by plan

Front

$25/month
  • Starter$25/month
    • Up to 10 seats
    • Shared inbox and ticketing
    • AI Topics and up to 10 automation rules
  • Professional$65/month
    • Up to 50 seats
    • Omnichannel support (email, SMS, social)
    • Macros and up to 20 automation rules
  • Enterprise$105/month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Smart rules and unlimited macros
    • Multi-language knowledge base

Podium

$249/month
  • Essentials$249/month
    • Inbox
    • Reviews
    • Website chat
  • Standard$449/month
    • Essentials + Campaigns
    • Payments
    • Automation
  • Professional$undefined/month
    • Standard + Advanced analytics
    • Multi-location

Which should you pick?

Choose Front if

  • You need shared inbox.
  • You work on Cloud-based SaaS.
  • You also want email collaboration.
Front review

Choose Podium if

  • You need text messaging.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want review management.
Podium review

Questions people ask

Is Front or Podium better?
Neither clearly leads. Front starts at $25/month and Podium at $249/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Front or Podium?
Front starts at $25/month and Podium at $249/month.
Does Front or Podium run on more platforms?
Front runs on Cloud-based SaaS. Podium runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Front best used for?
Front is most often used for omnichannel customer support, ai-powered helpdesk automation, team collaboration on support tickets. Of those, omnichannel customer support and ai-powered helpdesk automation are not what Podium is typically brought in for.
What can Front do that Podium cannot?
Front covers Shared inbox, Email collaboration, Omnichannel messaging, Analytics. Podium covers Text messaging, Review management, Webchat, Payments. Both handle Salesforce, HubSpot, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Front: How much does Front's Starter plan cost per seat?

Starter plan is $25 per seat per month for up to 10 seats, with 14-day free trial and no credit card required.

Source
Podium: How do I find out Podium pricing for my business?

Podium requires contacting their sales team directly at 1-801-438-4425 or visiting http://podium.com/getpricing for a custom quote based on your business needs.

Source
Front: Does Enterprise include AI features?

Yes, Enterprise at $105 per seat per month includes AI Copilot, Smart QA, and Smart CSAT at no additional cost.

Source
Podium: What messaging features might incur additional costs?

10DLC messaging has a base fee (amount unspecified) and Bulk Messages credits are available with limits that are not detailed on their public pricing page.

Source
Front: What is the seat limit for Professional?

Professional plan supports up to 50 seats at $65 per seat per month.

Source
Podium: Does Podium publish pricing tiers online?

No. Podium states plans are designed to fit specific business needs and requires sales team consultation instead of displaying standard public pricing.

Source
Front: Are there additional AI add-ons available?

Yes, Autopilot starts at $0.05 per conversation; Copilot, Smart QA, and other AI features range from $10-$20 per seat per month on lower tiers.

Source
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