Simpplr Alternatives

Looking for Simpplr alternatives? Wondering whether your current Simpplr setup is truly delivering what your organisation needs or whether you’re simply used to its pitfalls? You’re not alone. Simpplr has helped many organisations create a clean, structured intranet experience, but as workplaces evolve, expectations evolve too. But building an intranet around what you needed at the time doesn't always translate to what you'll need in the future.  that aren't Perhaps you’re beginning to see gaps in flexibility, personalisation, mobile performance or scalability. Maybe your content ecosystem has outgrown the platform’s structure. Or maybe you’re simply curious whether something out there aligns more naturally with the way your people communicate and work.

Choosing the right intranet software or employee communication platform isn’t about undoing what you’ve already built. It’s about making sure you have a solution that truly supports your communication strategy, your workforce mix and your long-term objectives. Simpplr’s polished, governance-led intranet approach has earned it industry praise, but many organisations are now seeking more adaptable content structures, stronger mobile experiences, deeper social engagement or improved support for both desk-based and frontline employees.

This guide brings together a detailed, evidence-informed look at the strongest alternatives to Simpplr. We compare each one based on real user sentiment, platform capability, governance depth, scalability and long-term suitability, so you can make a confident, well-informed decision about what’s next.

How We Conducted This Comparison

To create this guide, we analysed verified customer feedback from platforms such as G2, Gartner Peer Insights, Capterra and TrustRadius, focusing on consistent themes around usability, search performance, mobile experience, governance, integrations and support. We also validated every feature and capability using up-to-date product documentation and roadmaps to ensure we reflected what each platform can genuinely deliver today — not just what vendors claim.

We combined this with insights from independent digital workplace analysts, including ClearBox Consulting, and applied a consistent evaluation framework across every platform. This allowed us to compare each tool fairly across core intranet criteria such as personalisation, content structure, engagement, scalability and frontline readiness.

All strengths and limitations included here come directly from real user sentiment and documented platform behaviour, ensuring a balanced, evidence-based comparison.

Simpplr: key strengths, limitations and what alternatives must deliver

Below is a summary of Simpplr’s main positives and limitations based on aggregated user feedback and analyst commentary, followed by the essential qualities a strong alternative must offer.

Category	Simpplr Positives	Simpplr Limitations	What a Strong Simpplr Alternative Must Offer
User Experience & Navigation	- Clean, polished UX- Clear information hierarchy- Easy onboarding	– Limited layout flexibility– “Opinionated” structure can feel rigid	→ A modern, intuitive experience with more structural flexibility and customisation options.
Content Governance & Knowledge Management	- Strong governance tools- Content lifecycle management (expiry, archival)- Good for large documentation libraries	– Limited depth vs larger digital workplaces– Search can return inconsistent results for big content stores	→ A powerful search engine, deeper content structuring and stronger enterprise-grade knowledge capabilities.
Personalisation & Targeting	- Personalised content delivery- Solid role-, region- and team-based targeting	– Some organisations want more granular rules– Limited flexibility for personalised homepages	→ Smarter personalisation and audience segmentation, ideally AI-driven for complex organisational structures.
Mobile & Frontline Experience	- Mobile access available	– Slow load times and occasional crashes– Weaker UX on older devices– Not a fully mobile-first experience	→ A highly stable mobile app with fast rendering, intuitive search and strong frontline-friendly design.
Integrations & Scalability	- Integrates with major HRIS, productivity and identity tools- Suitable for mid–large organisations	– Limited advanced integration flexibility– Scalability concerns for very content-heavy environments	→ A more integration-rich, scalable platform capable of supporting enterprise workflows and large content repositories.

Why Companies Leave Simpplr

Many organisations choose Simpplr for its clean design and structured governance. But as workforces evolve and digital ecosystems expand, Simpplr’s strengths can quickly become limitations. The organisations that move away from Simpplr typically share one of the following challenges:

1. The structure becomes too rigid as they scale

Simpplr offers an elegant, opinionated structure — but that rigidity can limit growth.
Enterprises with multiple locations, business units or high content volume often struggle with:

• limited layout flexibility

• restricted homepage personalisation

• predefined architecture that’s hard to adapt

• friction when creating new content spaces

As complexity grows, so do workarounds — which leads to decreased adoption.

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2. The mobile experience doesn’t meet frontline needs

Simpplr’s mobile app works well for basic intranet access, but enterprise teams frequently report:

• slow load times

• occasional crashes

• weak performance on older devices

• difficulty reaching frontline staff consistently

For organisations where most employees aren’t at a desk, this becomes a major barrier.

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3. Search and findability break down with large content ecosystems

Simpplr’s search is serviceable for small-to-mid content libraries — but enterprises with thousands of documents, hubs and updates often experience:

• inconsistent search results

• buried content

• limited metadata control

• difficulty managing content lifespan

This erodes trust in the intranet as a “single source of truth.”

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4. Limited targeting leads to message noise

Simpplr provides solid role- and region-based targeting, but many organisations need:

• granular rules

• multi-attribute targeting

• audience logic for frontline segments

• personalised dynamic homepages

When this isn’t available, content becomes noisy — and relevance drops.

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5. Engagement tools don’t match modern hybrid expectations

Simpplr is more intranet-first than engagement-first. Organisations leaving the platform often cite:

• low employee-generated contributions

• minimal social interaction

• difficulty energising culture and community

• a “read-only” experience rather than two-way communication

Frontline and hybrid teams especially need dynamic experiences.

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Best Simpplr Alternatives

#	Platform	Best For	Key Strengths	Main Limitation (Real User Feedback)
1	Oak Engage	Enterprise, hybrid & frontline workforces	Mobile-first, flexible structure, strong targeting, ClearBox-praised search	Page layout/design flexibility can feel limited; very complex intranet architectures may require bespoke setup
2	Staffbase	Large comms teams, global organisations	Multi-channel comms (app/email/signage), editorial workflows	Not a full digital workplace; limited page/layout flexibility
3	Workvivo	Culture & engagement-focused organisations	Social feed, recognition, strong mobile	Limited content governance + structured knowledge areas
4	Haiilo	Hybrid teams needing reach + engagement	Multi-channel publishing, personalised feeds	Lighter governance; not ideal for formal content structures
5	Powell Intranet	Microsoft 365 enterprises	SharePoint/Teams-native, strong governance	Steeper learning curve; MS-ecosystem required
6	Poppulo	Enterprise comms + segmentation	Advanced targeting, analytics, channel orchestration	Not a full intranet; limited knowledge management
7	GreenOrbit	Mid-size teams needing “all in one”	Intranet + workflows + forms	UI dated; mobile experience less modern
8	Happeo	Google Workspace organisations	Google-native search, channels, intuitive UX	Limited governance; weaker for heavy documentation
9	Intranet Connections	Regulated industries	Governance, workflows, policy tools	Traditional UI; limited social/engagement tools
10	Jive	Large knowledge communities	Forums, discussions, Q&A	Older UX; heavy implementation
11	Interact	Compliance-heavy organisations	Navigation, governance, policy management	Limited social tools; not frontline-friendly
12	ThoughtFarmer	Distributed mid-size orgs	Flexible layouts, directory, multilingual	Mobile UX weaker; analytics lighter
13	OnSemble	Secure deployments (finance, healthcare)	Custom branding, portals, forms	Less modern UX; limited engagement features

1. Oak Engage

Oak Engage is the leading Simpplr alternative for organisations that need a reliable, scalable intranet built for everyone, not just office-based employees. While Simpplr delivers a clean, structured intranet experience, Oak goes further by combining governance with a powerful mobile experience, deeper targeting, and a flexible content model designed for the realities of modern hybrid and frontline work.

Where Simpplr can feel restrictive as communication needs grow, Oak adapts with you. Its mobile-first design ensures every employee — from head office to shop floor to the field, can access information quickly and easily. ClearBox highlights Oak’s search as “innovative and highly usable,” helping large organisations maintain clarity even as their content ecosystem expands.

This emphasis on usability, reach and inclusion is reflected in Oak’s G2 performance. Across almost every category that matters to enterprise comms teams, support, ease of use, mobile experience, newsfeed quality and employee engagement ,Oak consistently outperforms Simpplr. For organisations with complex structures and dispersed workforces, this difference is critical.

Oak’s hubs and structured spaces also give communicators the freedom to organise content in ways that make sense for their people, helping avoid the single-feed clutter that can overwhelm employees in other platforms. The result is a more intuitive, more personalised and more enterprise-ready intranet experience.

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Oak Engage vs Simpplr: G2 Comparison

Verdict: For enterprise, hybrid and frontline communication, Oak delivers more power, more reach and more reliability than Simpplr.

Key Features

• Mobile-first experience for frontline and hybrid teams

• Role-based homepages + advanced targeting

• ClearBox-recognised search for rapid content discovery

• Structured content hubs for enterprise governance

• Deep Microsoft 365 + SharePoint integrations

• Smart AI-powered content delivery

• Transparent analytics for measuring impact

Pros

• Exceptional mobile experience for frontline workers

• Modern, flexible UI built for growing enterprises

• Industry-leading targeting and governance

• Consistently high G2 customer satisfaction

• Designed for hybrid, dispersed and multi-location workforces

Cons

• Smaller integration marketplace than legacy intranet players

• Less globally known than older enterprise platforms

Ideal Use Cases

• Large or multi-location enterprises supporting both office + frontline roles

• Hybrid organisations needing a consistent communication experience

• Teams wanting structure without Simpplr’s layout rigidity

• Businesses seeking a modern, people-centred intranet that scales

I love Oak Engage. The platform is robust but easy to work with.”
— Joe B, G2 Review

Why Oak Engage Is the #1 Simpplr Alternative

For organisations with diverse roles, multiple locations and complex communication needs, Oak Engage provides a more inclusive and more adaptable intranet than Simpplr. Oak brings governance, clarity and structure — but pairs it with a mobile experience built for frontline workers, deeper personalisation for enterprise teams and a flexible content model that grows as you do.

Organisations choose Oak instead of Simpplr because Oak is built for the reality of modern enterprise work. hybrid schedules, frontline teams, multi-location operations and fast-changing communication demands.

- Where Simpplr offers structure, Oak offers structure and adaptability.
- Where Simpplr offers governance, Oak pairs governance with engagement.
- Where Simpplr serves desk-based teams, Oak serves everyone.

Here’s why organisations switch from Simpplr to Oak:

1. Oak is mobile-first and frontline-ready

Oak gives every employee the same seamless experience — whether they’re on a laptop, smartphone, shared device or remote site.

2. Oak scales without rigidity

Hubs, workspaces and flexible layouts grow with your organisation, not against it.

3. Oak delivers deeper targeting and personalisation

Dynamic homepages + audience rules make content relevant at scale.

4. Oak’s search is ClearBox-recognised

It surfaces the right content even across thousands of documents.

5. Oak is built for community and engagement

Modern newsfeeds, employee contributions, campaigns and recognition tools bring culture to life.

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2. Staffbase

Staffbase is one of the most widely adopted and recognised Simpplr alternatives, particularly for large organisations that rely on multi-channel communication and need a platform capable of orchestrating messages across diverse audience groups. Where Simpplr is intranet-first and structured around pages, governance and knowledge architecture, Staffbase is communications-first. Its strength lies in enabling internal comms teams to deliver high-quality content consistently—whether through mobile apps, desktop experience, email newsletters, or even digital signage in physical locations.

What makes Staffbase a compelling Simpplr alternative is its ability to act as the strategic engine behind enterprise communication. Comms teams can plan editorial calendars, schedule campaigns, manage contributors, localise content for global regions, and measure performance across channels. Staffbase provides the kind of tooling that large-scale comms teams need when their remit expands beyond the intranet to organisation-wide storytelling and engagement.

Because Staffbase focuses more on communication than deep intranet functionality, organisations requiring complex knowledge hubs or multi-layer content structures may find Simpplr more appropriate. However, for enterprise comms teams needing consistent reach, Staffbase offers significantly more flexibility in channel delivery and content composition.

Pros

• Multi-channel distribution (mobile, web, email, signage)

• Excellent editorial workflows and governance tools

• Clean, intuitive UI suitable for broad audiences

• Strong segmentation and multilingual capabilities

• Highly scalable for global organisations

Cons

• Not a full digital workplace—focused mainly on communication

• Less flexible page structure than Simpplr, Oak or Unily

• Requires mature internal comms processes for best results

Ideal Use-Cases

• Enterprise internal comms teams with big publishing needs

• Organisations with geographically dispersed or multilingual audiences

• Companies wanting to centralise comms across multiple channels

Key Features

• Editorial calendar & newsroom tools for content planning

• Multi-channel publishing (app, email, desktop, signage)

• Audience segmentation based on role, location, team

• Multilingual content management

• Analytics dashboards to track engagement and reach

Pricing

Fully custom, based on organisation size and communication volume.

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3. Workvivo

Workvivo is one of the strongest Simpplr alternatives for organisations seeking a social, people-driven digital experience rather than a structured knowledge and governance-first intranet. While Simpplr focuses on clean layouts, content hierarchy and controlled communication, Workvivo takes inspiration from social media platforms—focusing on building connection, community and belonging.

Workvivo provides a dynamic feed that feels familiar to users, making adoption high in organisations where employees are spread across locations, roles and devices. Features like shout-outs, recognitions, groups, communities, livestreaming and video updates encourage participation and help reinforce company culture. This makes it particularly appealing for organisations with large frontline or hybrid populations who may feel disconnected from corporate messaging.

Compared to Simpplr, Workvivo has lighter content governance and fewer structured page capabilities. Organisations with extensive policy libraries, formal knowledge hubs or compliance requirements may find the platform too lightweight for their intranet needs. But for teams whose goal is culture, engagement and employee connection, Workvivo excels.

Pros

• Strong social and cultural engagement features

• High mobile adoption across frontline and hybrid teams

• Familiar feed-based UX similar to social platforms

• Great for events, recognition and community building

• Intuitive and easy to onboard

Cons

• Less structured for formal content or documentation

• Limited governance depth compared to Simpplr

• Not ideal for knowledge-heavy or compliance-driven intranets

Ideal Use-Cases

• Organisations prioritising culture and connection

• Highly dispersed or frontline-heavy workforces

• Companies wanting a people-first, consumer-style experience

Key Features

• Social feed for updates, posts and engagement

• Employee recognition tools (shout-outs, kudos, milestones)

• Community groups for teams, interests or projects

• Live streaming and video updates for leadership communication

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4. Haiilo

Haiilo (formerly COYO + Smarp) is a modern communications and employee experience platform designed for organisations prioritising engagement, consistency and unified messaging. It differs from Simpplr by offering a strong blend of content distribution, social features and analytics across multiple channels.

Where Simpplr focuses heavily on structured intranet pages, Haiilo places more emphasis on reach—ensuring employees consume content whether they’re in the intranet, on mobile, on email or within integrated third-party tools. Haiilo’s social features, combined with content targeting and automation, make it suitable for organisations where cultural alignment and multi-channel consistency matter as much as structured content.

Because Haiilo is deliberately more flexible and social in nature, it may feel less rigid and “governance-first” than Simpplr, something many organisations value as they scale.

Pros

• Strong mix of social engagement + top-down comms

• Multi-channel distribution (mobile, email, desktop widgets)

• Personalised content feeds

• Modern UX with strong analytics

Cons

• Lighter governance structure than Simpplr

• Advanced features require thoughtful administration

• Less suited for deep knowledge hubs

Ideal Use-Cases

• Hybrid or frontline-heavy organisations

• Teams needing consistent, multi-channel comms

• Companies shifting away from “static intranet pages”

Key Features

• Personalised employee feeds

• Multi-channel publishing

• Engagement insights

• Social communities

• Integrations with HRIS + enterprise tools

Pricing: Custom

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5. Powell Intranet

Powell Intranet is a Microsoft 365–centric intranet designed for organisations that want tighter integration with their existing productivity stack. It differs from Simpplr by offering deeper alignment with SharePoint, Teams and Azure AD—making it easier for Microsoft-heavy organisations to unify communication, content and collaboration.

Powell provides a structured intranet similar to Simpplr, but with significantly more flexibility around site templates, branding, governance policies and automation. It is particularly strong for IT and IT-governed organisations that need compliance-friendly content structures without sacrificing usability.

While its depth makes it incredibly powerful for enterprise teams, Powell requires more configuration than Simpplr, making it more suitable for organisations with internal intranet governance resources.

Pros

• Exceptional Microsoft 365 integration

• Strong templates for HR, IT, leadership and teams

• Excellent governance and compliance tooling

• Very flexible content architecture

Cons

• Steeper learning curve than Simpplr

• Best suited to organisations already using M365

• Less social and engagement-driven

Ideal Use-Cases

• Enterprises standardised on Microsoft 365

• Organisations with compliance and policy needs

• Teams replacing legacy SharePoint intranets

Key Features

• SharePoint and Teams-native intranet

• Governance and lifecycle policies

• Pre-built templates for workplace functions

• Targeted communication

• Mobile and desktop support

Pricing: Custom

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6. Poppulo 

Poppulo is a communications and engagement platform known for its enterprise-grade targeting, analytics and multi-channel orchestration. It competes more with Firstup or Staffbase than with Simpplr, but is often considered a strong alternative for organisations where communication performance and reach are the primary goals.

Unlike Simpplr, which is traditionally intranet-first, Poppulo is communications-first. It focuses on helping internal comms teams plan, publish, measure and optimise their messaging across email, mobile apps, digital signage and more.

It’s a strong choice for organisations where channel variety and message accuracy matter more than intranet structure.

Pros

• Very advanced analytics

• Multi-channel delivery (email, mobile, signage)

• Enterprise segmentation and target groups

• Great for large comms teams

Cons

• Not a deep intranet or knowledge hub

• Requires strong comms maturity

• Higher price point

Ideal Use-Cases

• Large enterprises

• Organisations with internal comms departments

• Teams prioritising message performance

Key Features

• Campaign management

• Multi-channel publishing

• Advanced analytics

• Segmentation and targeting

Pricing: Custom

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7. GreenOrbit

GreenOrbit is an all-in-one intranet that combines content, collaboration, HR tools, forms, workflows and social features. Compared to Simpplr, it provides more operational functionality out of the box—making it suitable for organisations that want an intranet + digital workplace without buying multiple systems.

GreenOrbit’s strength lies in its ability to replace several tools at once: intranet, document storage, people directory, forms, news feed, team spaces and more. Its emphasis on practical, everyday usability makes it a good option for teams that want a “work hub” rather than a strictly governed intranet.

Pros

• All-in-one intranet + workflow hub

• Built-in forms, processes, libraries and calendars

• Good for mid-sized organisations

• Supports both communication and daily operations

Cons

• UI less modern than emerging platforms

• Mobile experience not as strong as others

• Requires configuration to unlock full value

Ideal Use-Cases

• Mid-sized organisations

• Teams wanting intranet + workflow tools combined

• Companies replacing outdated on-premise portals

Key Features

• Content management

• Workflows and forms

• Social feeds

• People directory

• Team hubs

Pricing: Custom

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8. Happeo

Happeo is a modern, Google Workspace-focused intranet and social collaboration platform. For organisations built around Google tools, it’s an attractive Simpplr alternative that aligns much more naturally with their existing productivity ecosystem.

Happeo balances structured intranet pages with social communication, providing a flexible and dynamic environment. Its channel system, which functions like a hybrid between chat and social feeds, makes it easy to keep teams aligned without overwhelming them with noise.

While Happeo is not as governance-heavy as Simpplr, it excels in usability, social collaboration and Google-native integrations.

Pros

• Best-in-class Google Workspace integration

• Blends structure with social engagement

• Fast and intuitive UX

• Great for distributed teams

Cons

• Limited governance depth

• Not as suited to large document-heavy intranets

• No Microsoft 365 optimisation

Ideal Use-Cases

• Google Workspace organisations

• Startups and mid-market companies

• Teams needing blend of social + intranet

Key Features

• Channels for social communication

• Google-native search

• Page building and hubs

• Analytics

Pricing: Custom

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10. Jive 

Jive is a long-standing enterprise collaboration and community platform. While it’s older than many modern intranets, it remains a viable Simpplr alternative for organisations that want a mature, community-focused solution for knowledge sharing and cross-functional alignment.

Jive provides deep discussion forums, groups, Q&A tools and collaborative spaces—features that appeal to organisations with complex knowledge-sharing needs. Although its design feels more traditional compared to modern intranets, its functional depth remains strong.

Pros

• Very strong collaboration and knowledge communities

• Good for cross-functional alignment

• Scales well for large organisations

• Proven platform with long history

Cons

• Older UX

• Heavy implementation

• Overkill for smaller organisations

Ideal Use-Cases

• Knowledge-driven companies

• Large enterprises

• Teams needing persistent conversations and forums

Key Features

• Team communities

• Discussion threads

• Q&A and knowledge bases

• Spaces and groups

Pricing: Custom

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11. Interact 

Interact remains a solid Simpplr alternative for organisations prioritising compliance-friendly governance and clear, structured navigation. Compared to Simpplr’s modern aesthetic and AI features, Interact focuses on hierarchy, workflows and making information extremely easy to locate—a strength for compliance-heavy industries.

It’s especially valuable for organisations where the intranet serves as the central source of truth for policies, procedures, and operational knowledge.

Pros

• Excellent governance and content lifecycle

• Mature, stable platform

• Strong search and navigation

• Good for regulated industries

Cons

• Less modern UI

• Limited social and engagement tools

• Not designed for frontline-first teams

Ideal Use-Cases

• Healthcare, utilities, government

• Organisations with heavy content governance needs

• Teams replacing legacy SharePoint intranets

Key Features

• Policy management

• Workflows

• Structured pages

• Search + metadata

Pricing: Custom

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12. ThoughtFarmer

ThoughtFarmer is a people-focused intranet that blends structured content with strong directory features, social tools and a clean layout. It is a well-established alternative for organisations needing consistency, personalised content and a solid set of intranet features without excessive complexity.

ThoughtFarmer provides strong support for employee directories, org charts, news, task workflows and multi-language environments. Unlike Simpplr, it is more flexible in layout design and content structuring.

Pros

• Flexible page layouts

• Strong people directory and profiles

• Good balance of structure + engagement

• Strong multilingual support

Cons

• Mobile experience less robust than newer tools

• Lighter analytics than enterprise platforms

• Requires content governance to avoid clutter

Ideal Use-Cases

• Mid-sized organisations

• Teams wanting flexibility without complexity

• Organisations with global or multilingual needs

Key Features

• Personalised intranet homepage

• Employee directory

• Social tools

• Task workflows

Pricing: Quote

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13. OnSemble

OnSemble is a flexible intranet and portal solution built for organisations that want control, structure and internal branding. It is especially popular in credit unions, financial services and small-to-mid enterprises with compliance or formal content needs.

Unlike Simpplr, OnSemble offers more hands-on configuration and more control over on-prem or secure-cloud deployments.

Pros

• Strong for compliance-driven industries

• Custom branding

• Clear content structure

• Multiple deployment options

Cons

• Less modern UX

• Limited social engagement tools

• Requires admin ownership

Ideal Use-Cases

• Financial services, healthcare, education

• Organisations needing secure deployment

• Teams wanting structured governance

Key Features

• Content hubs

• Forms + workflows

• Team portals

• Document management

Pricing: Custom

Conclusion

Now that you’ve explored the strongest Simpplr alternatives, you’re in a much better position to choose a platform that aligns with what your organisation truly needs. Many companies outgrow their intranet long before they expect to. As teams become more distributed, content becomes harder to manage, and communication demands grow more complex, it becomes clear that a more scalable, flexible and employee-centred solution is needed.

The alternatives in this guide highlight just how differently each platform approaches that challenge—and why it’s so important to choose a tool that supports your long-term communication goals, not just your current setup. Whether you need deeper governance, stronger mobile performance, richer engagement, better integration, or simply more room to grow, the right platform can transform how your people connect, communicate and access information.

If you’re re-evaluating your intranet, this is your moment to choose a platform that helps every employee feel informed, included and equipped to do their best work—no matter their location, role or device.