Software · head to head
Podium vs Groove
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Podium no monthly price, contact limit or message allowance is published anywhere on the pricing page; Groove billed per ticket at $1 rather than per agent, so support cost scales with how many customers get in touch
- They diverge on capability: Podium covers Text messaging, Groove covers Shared inbox.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Podium and Groove actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Podium
- Text messaging
- Review management
- Webchat
- Payments
- Team inbox
- Automation
Only in Groove
- Shared inbox
- Knowledge base
- Live chat
- Automation rules
- Reporting
- Collision detection
- Slack
- Zapier
Both cover
- Salesforce
- GDPR
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Podium
- Managing customer messages and reviews for local businessesnot Groove
- Converting inbound leads through text and web chatnot Groove
Groove
- Shared inbox and help desk ticketing for small support teamsnot Podium
- Handling email, chat and messaging support in one queuenot Podium
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Podium
- No monthly price, contact limit or message allowance is published anywhere on the pricing page
- The page carries a heading asking what Podium costs monthly and does not answer it
- The AI Employee is an add on across all tiers rather than being included
Groove
- Billed per ticket at $1 rather than per agent, so support cost scales with how many customers get in touch
- A minimum of 250 tickets a month applies, which is a $3,000 annual commitment before any usage
- A quiet month still pays the 250 ticket floor
- No mailbox limit is published
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Groove
$12/month- Standard$12/month
- 1 mailbox
- Knowledge base
- Live chat
- Plus$20/month
- 5 mailboxes
- Full reporting
- Rules
- Pro$35/month
- 25 mailboxes
- Salesforce
- Enterprise SSO
Which should you pick?
Choose Podium if
- You need text messaging.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want review management.
Choose Groove if
- You need shared inbox.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want knowledge base.
Questions people ask
- Is Podium or Groove better?
- Neither clearly leads. Podium starts at $249/month and Groove at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Podium or Groove?
- Podium starts at $249/month and Groove at $12/month.
- Does Podium or Groove run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Podium best used for?
- Podium is most often used for managing customer messages and reviews for local businesses, converting inbound leads through text and web chat. Of those, managing customer messages and reviews for local businesses and converting inbound leads through text and web chat are not what Groove is typically brought in for.
- What can Podium do that Groove cannot?
- Podium covers Text messaging, Review management, Webchat, Payments. Groove covers Shared inbox, Knowledge base, Live chat, Automation rules. Both handle Salesforce, GDPR, Web support, Ios support.