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Software · head to head

Polco vs PublicInput

Polco logo

Polco

Software

Civic Engagement and Polling Platform

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PublicInput logo

PublicInput

Software

Inclusive Community Engagement

From
$400/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Polco interface has a formal, academic tone compared to modern civic engagement platforms; PublicInput all three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • They diverge on capability: Polco covers Scientific Surveys, PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Polco and PublicInput actually diverge.

Attributes where Polco and PublicInput differ
AttributePolcoPublicInput
Starting price$300/month$400/month
Founded20152014

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 Polco

  • Scientific Surveys
  • Live Polling
  • Community Benchmarking
  • Priority-Based Budgeting
  • Demographic Analysis
  • NRC Surveys
  • ArcGIS
  • Social Media

Only in PublicInput

  • Virtual Public Meetings
  • Online Surveys
  • Comment Management
  • Multi-language Support
  • Engagement Analytics
  • Zoom
  • Microsoft Teams
  • GovDelivery

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Polco

  • Citizen Servicesnot PublicInput
  • Records Managementnot PublicInput
  • Public Safetynot PublicInput
  • Civic Engagementnot PublicInput

PublicInput

  • Running public comment and community engagement programmes for local governmentnot Polco
  • Collecting resident feedback across surveys, interactive maps and project websitesnot Polco
  • Compliant public meeting management for transit agencies, DOTs and MPOsnot Polco

Where each one falls short

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

Polco

  • Interface has a formal, academic tone compared to modern civic engagement platforms
  • Emphasizes surveys and benchmarking over open discussion forums and idea boards
  • Pricing is custom quote-based without transparent pricing on the website

PublicInput

  • All three plans, Listen, Engage and Engage Plus, are listed as Request Pricing with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • HTML and CSS customization, custom workflows and approvals, and external system integration with Accela and ESRI are listed as Enterprise Capabilities rather than core platform features
  • Public meetings functionality is sold under a separate Meetings plan rather than being included with the Engagement plans
  • Getting a plan requires booking a consultation and a tailored demo rather than self serve signup

Pricing, plan by plan

Polco

$300/month
  • Community Engagement$300/month
    • Community Surveys
    • Live Polling
    • Benchmarking

PublicInput

$400/month
  • Enterprise$400/month
    • Virtual Meetings
    • Surveys
    • Comment Management

Which should you pick?

Choose Polco if

  • You need scientific surveys.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want live polling.
Polco review

Choose PublicInput if

  • You need virtual public meetings.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want online surveys.
PublicInput review

Questions people ask

Is Polco or PublicInput better?
Neither clearly leads. Polco starts at $300/month and PublicInput at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Polco or PublicInput?
Polco starts at $300/month and PublicInput at $400/month.
Does Polco or PublicInput run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Polco best used for?
Polco is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what PublicInput is typically brought in for.
What can Polco do that PublicInput cannot?
Polco covers Scientific Surveys, Live Polling, Community Benchmarking, Priority-Based Budgeting. PublicInput covers Virtual Public Meetings, Online Surveys, Comment Management, Multi-language Support. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Polco: How does Polco ensure survey data quality?

Polco uses scientific survey methodology through the National Research Center, with pre-tested survey questions and verification that participants live in the surveyed area to eliminate outside interference and bad-faith responses.

Source
Polco: What's the difference between Polco and open discussion platforms?

Polco emphasizes scientific surveys and benchmarking over open forums or suggestion boards, prioritizing rigorous data collection for policy decisions over broad community brainstorming.

Source
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Related pages

More on Polco

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