Software · head to head
Podium vs Hiver
The short version
- Only Hiver has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Podium no monthly price, contact limit or message allowance is published anywhere on the pricing page; Hiver hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69
- They diverge on capability: Podium covers Text messaging, Hiver covers Shared inbox.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Podium and Hiver actually diverge.
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Hiver
- Shared inbox
- Email assignment
- Collision detection
- Email notes
- Templates
- Analytics
- Gmail
- Google Workspace
Both cover
- SOC2
- GDPR
- Web 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 Hiver
- Converting inbound leads through text and web chatnot Hiver
Hiver
- Shared inbox managementnot Podium
- Customer support via Gmailnot Podium
- Team email collaborationnot 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
Hiver
- Hiver tiers as captured 28 December 2023: Lite at $15/user/month capped at 2 shared inboxes (up to 10 users each), Pro at $39/user/month capped at 5 shared inboxes and 50 shared labels, Elite at $59/user/month, all annual pricing with higher month-to-month rates of $19/$49/$69
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
Hiver
Free- FreeFree
- 2 users
- Email management
- Basic analytics
- Lite$19/month
- Unlimited users
- Email templates
- Notes & @mentions
- Pro$49/month
- CSAT surveys
- SLA management
- Custom reports
- Elite$69/month
- Round-robin
- Skill-based routing
- Okta SSO
Which should you pick?
Choose Podium if
- You need text messaging.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want review management.
Choose Hiver if
- You need shared inbox.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Chrome-extension.
- You also want email assignment.
Questions people ask
- Is Podium or Hiver better?
- Neither clearly leads. Podium starts at $249/month and Hiver at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Podium or Hiver?
- Hiver has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $249/month for Podium and Free for Hiver.
- Does Podium or Hiver run on more platforms?
- Podium runs on Web, Ios, Android. Hiver runs on Web, Chrome-extension.
- Can I use Hiver for free?
- Yes. Hiver has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Podium starts at $249/month.
- 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 Hiver is typically brought in for.
- What can Podium do that Hiver cannot?
- Podium covers Text messaging, Review management, Webchat, Payments. Hiver covers Shared inbox, Email assignment, Collision detection, Email notes. Both handle SOC2, GDPR, Web support.