The best intranet CMS software in 2023

The last few years brought a storm of change to the HR industry. Artificial Intelligence. The gig economy. And more recently, a global pandemic has altered our reality and redefined workflows. 

While Covid-19 has forced us to make many temporary adjustments to the way we live and work, not every new development is short-lived. There has been an influx of new trends that are here to stay.

These innovations have pushed us to view different areas of the HR function from a new perspective. And they have made us wonder: What’s in store for the future? What are the developments that will transform HR for good? Which trends will shape the new reality of work?

Read on for answers. In this post, we take a look at the top HR trends in 2021 for frontline business and HR leaders to take into account as they prepare for what’s to come. 

Top HR trends for 2022

Designing work for frontline employees’ well-being 

The line between work and home life has been blurring for some time, but the pandemic has all but erased it for many employees. In response, HR leaders have shifted from promoting work-life balance to pushing well-being into the work itself.

As per the 2020 Hartford’s Future of Benefits Study, workers are now demanding benefits like hospital indemnity insurance, additional paid time off, and employee assistance programs.

Companies, on their part, are focusing on online experiences that improve employees’ health. These include virtual team-building events, yoga and fitness sessions, and mindfulness classes, and so on. 

So organizations that thrive beyond 2021 are going to be those that integrate health-related initiatives into the design of work. This will be done at the individual, team, and organizational levels to create an environment in which employees are at peak health. 

Reskilling to unlock frontline worker potential 

During Covid, many organizations struggled to retain employees because of financial problems, sick leave, or losing workers to the virus. So managers called on remaining employees to expand their roles and fill the gaps left by their coworkers. And like the Spartans, employees rose to the challenge. 

Workers’ resourcefulness and agency in these hard times have shown that they can learn and contribute in unexpected ways. And in doing so, they have positioned their organizations to thrive in the long term.

So employee reskilling is another important trend to watch out for. According to a recent Udemy survey, the demand for building employee skills grew by 38% in 2020. The consulting company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) illustrates this trend. It invested $3 billion in the learning and development of employees who have stayed with the business for at least 3 years. This suggests that reskilling is a lean and sustainable way to strengthen your workforce. 

Building 'Superteams' 

Organizations have been using ‘teaming’ (setting up a temporary team of people who aren’t familiar with each other) as a survival strategy to counter the impact of Covid-19. Many leaders have now begun to realize teaming as an opportunity to form “superteams.” 

Coined by Thomas Malone, the term ‘superteam’ refers to the pairing of people with technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, to rethink workflows and get faster outcomes. 

The strategy of turning teams into superteams is still in its infancy, as many companies still see technology from a limited viewpoint — more as a tool than a team member. 

According to Deloitte’s 2021 Global Human Capital Trends report, only 16% of executive-level leaders said that they plan to transform work by combining humans and machines.

But the trend is expected to accelerate, with organizations shifting to this new mindset and strategy in a strong position to realize the untapped potential it offers to drive growth and handle uncertainty. Making sure you have the right employee experience software, and the right tech stack is vital.

Rethinking governance of workforce strategies 

Covid-19 has opened our eyes to the fact that using data on your workforce’s current state to determine employee strategies is not enough. Relying solely on the metrics showing the workforce’s present situation is risky because it limits a company’s potential to survive drastic changes. This applies to all strategies, from staffing levels to employee retention. 

Some organizations are shifting their approach from strategizing for likely, minor events to planning for the unexpected. 17% of HR executives say that their companies plan to focus on the occurrence of unlikely, high-impact events, as opposed to 6% before the pandemic. 

Companies that want to handle change with confidence must address questions that force them to look into the future. It’s forward-looking insights that will help businesses accomplish new milestones. 

Shifting from managing employees to re-architecting work 

Covid-19 has positioned HR as a prominent part of surviving a crisis. And the good news is that HR has lived up to this new standard, gaining more credibility as a result. 

A survey by Deloitte has shown that both HR and business leaders are now more certain of HR’s ability to tackle future challenges. 

This creates an opportunity for HR departments to leverage their new position and transform their role from that of managing employees to re-architecting work. 

HR leaders can make the most of this by taking charge of reimagining both the workforce and the workplace to ensure future success.

The survey also found that 61% of business and HR executives are planning to reimagine work in the next one to three years. This would mean:

• Prioritizing outcomes over outputs 
• Focusing on building superteams that combine human and technological capabilities
• Managing the cultural and leadership changes that arise from the new approach to work

As a result, HR trends and goals will align better with business objectives. And HR will need to work closely with other departments to shape the new architecture of work. 

Conclusion

These HR trends show the future holds both big opportunities and tough challenges for HR and business leaders. All this is pushing HR professionals to search for and leverage innovative technologies to improve employee productivity and engagement.  

In the near future, AI-based predictive and automation technologies are likely to improve all the areas under the HR function, including talent acquisition, workforce analytics, and reskilling of employees. All these ultimately help HRs role in employee engagement.

So use these trends to anticipate new developments in the human resource field, and to inform your business processes moving forward. It will give you a solid foundation to not just survive but thrive in the face of upcoming changes. 

If it’s been a while since you set up an intranet, you may remember how clunky the process of setting up traditional intranets used to be.

Companies relied on custom solutions that involved a long-winded setup and required lots of tech expertise. But times have changed. In today’s digital workplaces, a modern intranet solution with a comprehensive employee app is now the norm.

These intranets and apps offer the same communication and knowledge management features as a traditional intranet — and they offer rock solid security. But they’re more user-friendly. They’re also easier to set up, customize, and maintain.  

Before you can even think about launching a new digital workspace, you have to lay the right foundation. Setting up your platform requires more than just migrating old files. It requires choosing the best intranet software and mapping out exactly how your frontline workforce will use it on a daily basis.

With a more effective and engaging platform in place, you can reap the benefits of improved communication. You can also use a modern intranet to support collaboration, co-worker connection, workplace recognition, and a strong company culture.

In this post, we look at the dos and don’ts of setting up a modern intranet like Blink. We share our tips and real customer experiences to help you transform your company intranet — making it more streamlined, effective, and fit for the future.

What is an employee intranet?

An employee intranet is a private network your company uses for internal communications. Typically, access is restricted to current employees.

The system is a centralized hub where your workers can access workplace tools and resources. It’s a place where they can communicate with co-workers, check their schedules, request leave, and collaborate on projects.

The best company intranets enhance internal communication and knowledge management. They streamline HR operations and give employees access to all the workplace resources they need.

This can have a big impact on company performance and employee retention. Effective communication can increase workplace productivity by 25% — and employees who get enough information to do their jobs well are 2.8 times more likely to feel engaged in their work.

How company intranets are changing

Large, enterprise-level companies traditionally built their own, branded intranets while smaller firms tended to rely on cloud-based intranet software that required minimal coding.

While big, traditional intranets were an effective way to centralize company information, they didn’t inspire employees to start their days by logging on.

So now, many enterprise organizations are joining those smaller firms. They’re switching from traditional intranets to modern intranets. Benefits of a modern intranet include:

• Cost savings and scalability
• On-the-go intranet access for employees
• Speedy deployment
• An engaging and personalized user experience

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Modern intranet features include a news feed, two-way communication tools, and multimedia content. Organizations can also incorporate workforce apps into one intranet interface, making it easy for employees to access the tools and resources they need. 

For a frontline workforce, an intranet with an employee app is essential. This type of intranet allows frontline workers to access company news, feel part of company culture, and build workplace connections — without a desktop computer or company email address.  

The dos and don’ts of setting up an employee intranet

Now we know what a modern company intranet looks like, let’s take a closer look at the setup process. Here, we explore the dos and don’ts of setting up an employee intranet.

DO: Get clear on the functionality you need

There are lots of different ways you can use an intranet. So before you start looking at intranet software providers and signing up for demos, you need a clear idea of the functionality you need.

Spend time deciding how your ideal intranet will aid internal communication, employee engagement, and other organizational goals. Do you need a way to keep frontline workers in the loop? Or to support remote worker collaboration?

If you’re unsure where to start, consider a few intranet must-haves. These include:

• Communication and collaboration tools
• A centralized knowledge hub
• HR tools
• Customization and easy integrations

Then, think about the extra features and functionality that will encourage employees to adopt and use your intranet platform.

That may be a social-media-style news feed that enhances employee engagement. Or survey and recognition tools. Perhaps you want to keep a closer eye on communication and engagement performance with robust analytics functions.

Many Blink customers have told us that, at this stage of the intranet setup process, they took a cross-functional approach. They brought together people from across their organization to find out what they needed from an intranet solution.

At the Capital District Transport Authority (CDTA), this meant including senior leaders, HR, operations, communications, IT, and frontline managers.

DON’T: Neglect your workforce

It’s important to involve departmental leaders of your organization when deciding on what the ideal intranet solution looks like. But don’t forget about your end users — your workforce.

These are the people using whatever traditional intranet or communication channels you already have in place — and they’ll be the ones using the new system when it goes live.

So use surveys to ask them what features and tools they’d most like to see in your company intranet. Quiz them on the problems they experience with your current system. If employees aren’t using your existing intranet, find out why. Involve employees in platform pilots.

Be sure to include employees from all sectors of your workforce to get a holistic picture of intranet needs. Survey frontline workers, office workers, and remote workers. Seek feedback from employees in different locations and departments.

When a representative sample of employees is involved in the decision-making process, you choose solutions that meet workforce needs. You also get employee buy-in, which becomes really important at the rollout stage of intranet setup.

DON’T: Rush into choosing intranet software

There are countless intranet software options to choose from, all with a different combination of features and functionality. So at this point in the intranet setup process, you need to compare solutions in terms of integrations, security, cost, support, and the user experience.

Also, think about the user experience on mobile devices. If your workforce will access your intranet via a smartphone, they should enjoy the same features and functionality as those using the platform on a desktop computer.

Blink’s employee intranet was created for organizations with a large frontline workforce. We know that most frontline workers don’t have a company email address. They also tend to spend their days away from HQ.

So our mobile-first app makes all intranet features available via smartphone. This makes our platform particularly suited to companies working in sectors like transport, construction, healthcare, and retail.

But there are others suited to fully desk-based organizations. There’s a solution out there for every type of company. So take your time looking at options and taking them for a test ride, with a demo or free trial.

For impartial advice, you can look at sites like G2 and Capterra, where verified users contribute to software ratings. You can also use these sites to compare your shortlisted intranet software options, side by side.

Clearbox Consulting, an independent intranet and digital workplace consultancy, also provides a detailed intranet comparison report each year. Blink won a ClearBox choice award in 2024 and you can see the full intranet report here.

DON’T: Forget about your usage policy and access controls

Software switching wastes time — and having to chase down resources is frustrating for intranet users. So it’s a good idea to keep as many important documents on your employee intranet as possible.

To ensure that sensitive information is handled carefully, you need a clear usage policy, outlining how confidential data should be shared and stored on the platform.

You should also outline acceptable and unacceptable platform behavior and give users guidance on creating and maintaining strong passwords.

Some areas of your employee intranet will contain confidential information. In these cases, access controls are essential. When setting up an intranet, you need to decide early on who has access to what, to avoid data getting into the wrong hands.

DO: Customize your intranet

Most company intranet systems allow some degree of customization. In some cases, you may need a developer to make changes. Other platforms give managers drag-and-drop controls.

Blink allows for a high degree of customization. Some clients choose to completely rebrand the app to match their own company branding. This creates an engaging and immersive experience for intranet users.

Our platform also allows you to build your own micro-apps, quickly and easily. You can create apps and digital forms that make it easy for employees to request leave, give feedback, report incidents, or swap shifts, all via your intranet. This streamlines tasks for your employees, their managers, and HR teams.

Customizing content is also important. When employees see information and resources that don’t apply to them, they’re more likely to switch off from your intranet. So segment employees based on team, department, location, and tenure. That way, only relevant communications reach their dashboards.

DON’T: Be vague about ownership

To get the most from a modern intranet, you need an internal communication strategy. You also need to clarify who will own and create intranet content.

Start by appointing an intranet manager. This person should oversee content sharing and restrictions in your employee intranet app. They may be responsible for creating content themselves as well as gathering content from department heads and your leadership team.

Depending on the size of your intranet and your organization, you may need a wider team to help with publishing content and maintaining the platform. This will keep your intranet relevant and up-to-date.

Intranet content from HQ keeps employees in the loop on company news and culture. But — for optimum engagement — you also need locally-produced content, specific to each team and location.

That might mean involving team leaders in intranet content creation and getting them to post tailored content, exclusively for their teams, on a specified basis.

DO: Create a launch pad

It’s best to start with a bang. So think carefully about how you plan to launch your new intranet — and have lots of engaging intranet content ideas ready to go.

The best intranet solutions require minimal employee training. They’re easy and intuitive to use. But you still have to create some buzz and momentum to encourage adoption of your new intranet app.

Here are a few launch ideas Blink customers have put into action:

• Launching Blink at their annual convention to encourage opt-in, right there right then
• Promoting the app a month ahead of launch with the help of letters, posters, and digital screens
• Visiting staff in break-out rooms in every company location to promote the intranet and field questions
• Running contests and giveaways to incentivize employees to download the Blink app — free ice cream proved popular! 

At Blink, we work with you to plan an effective intranet launch. Our team goes out to all partners during the rollout phase. We help explain the app to employees, showing them how to download and use it.

When setting up a new intranet, it also helps to establish intranet ambassadors within your organization. These are influential people within the company who get to know the new intranet platform inside out. They can then recommend the platform, talk about its benefits, and answer co-worker questions.

DON’T: Feel like you have to launch everything all at once

Most intranet solutions come with a variety of different features. But if you’re unsure you need all of them — or you have doubts about how your organization will respond to them — it’s ok to take things step by step.

For example, at Blink, we’ve had customers who jumped right in with the news feed, giving employees the ability to comment on posts from day one. This has helped boost adoption and engagement, and it’s contributed to a transparent company culture.

But other companies like to take things more slowly. So they have the option to switch off the features they don’t want — like employee comments. They can also pilot features with a small group of employees, deciding at a later date if they want to roll them out to the wider organization.

DO: Highlight the benefit for employees

Your company intranet is only effective when employees choose to log onto it. It can’t benefit internal communication, employee engagement, and company culture if people simply don’t use it.

So during the launch phase — and beyond — highlight the benefit your new intranet solution offers to employees. 

Tell them what they can do on the app. That might be shift swapping, requesting leave, checking their pay slips, or getting up to speed with the latest company policies. Your intranet may be a place where employees go for learning and development courses or for co-worker connection.

As well as telling employees how useful your new intranet is, it’s important to create content that employees actually want to see. Sharing company news is vital. But you should also post informal content to your company intranet.

Photos of your latest away day, recognition for a co-worker’s birthday, or information on workplace benefits are all engaging and relevant to employees. These types of content help to ensure high intranet adoption and engagement rates. 

DON’T: Ignore analytics

Whatever your intranet goals, you need analytics to understand whether you’re achieving them.

If you had a traditional intranet or any other previous system in place, take baseline metrics before you switch to your new solution. Select the internal communication metrics and employee engagement KPIs you want to track. Then, as you set up your new intranet, set new targets.

Once your new platform is up and running, you can track employee adoption and usage alongside your other performance metrics. Also, seek employee feedback.

By uncovering problems and points of friction, you can make targeted improvements to the user experience, improving engagement, communication, and productivity as a result.

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DO: Model the intranet behaviors you want to see

Something we see time and again at Blink is the leadership impact. When leaders are active on the company app, employee adoption and engagement increase.

That’s because employees see that the intranet is a valuable and integral part of the workplace experience — and that their leaders are listening to what they have to say.

So encourage leadership to model the intranet behavior you want to see from your workforce. They should try to check into the app every day to answer questions, praise hard work, or acknowledge feedback. They should share company news transparently and regularly reference company values.

Make your intranet a place for open, relevant, and reliable communication and you’re more likely to make it a vibrant company hub.

When an organization rolls out a new tool, the temptation is to focus on the C-suite sign-off and the IT checklist. However, for frontline organizations, there's a group whose support matters far more than either, the frontline manager.

They're the ones whose teams will actually use Blink every day. They're the bridge between leadership intent and frontline reality. Get them on board early, and you get a rollout that sticks. Miss them, and even the best technology collects digital dust.

Here's how to do it right.

Why frontline managers are the make-or-break variable

The data here is striking. According to Gallup, managers account for 70% of the variance in team employee engagement. That single number explains why so many technology rollouts fail despite strong executive sponsorship and generous budgets.

Frontline managers directly shape how their teams perceive their work. Research suggests 50–70% of an employee's work experience is influenced by their direct manager. When a manager is disengaged, skeptical, or simply too stretched to champion a new tool, that attitude ripples straight down to the team.

And right now, managers are stretched. More than 50% of frontline managers report feeling burned out. Manager engagement dropped from 30% to 27% in 2024 alone. These aren't abstract statistics - they represent thousands of leaders who don't have the headspace to learn a new system on top of everything else, unless someone makes a compelling case for why it makes their lives easier.

The good news: when organizations do win manager buy-in, the results are transformational. Companies with high frontline engagement report 63% fewer safety incidents and profitability gains of roughly 20–25%. One organization that invested seriously in frontline leadership development cut attrition by more than half. Blink customers specifically report a reduction in frontline attrition of up to 25%, a figure that only materializes when managers are genuinely using and advocating for the platform. The upside is enormous here, it just has to be unlocked at the manager level first.

What great buy-in actually looks like

Buy-in isn't a manager nodding along in a training session. It's a manager who opens Blink before their shift briefing. Who sends a message to their team through Chat instead of chasing people down. Who points a new hire to the Hub when they ask where to find a form. Who shares a recognition post when someone goes above and beyond.

That behavior doesn't happen by accident. It's the result of three things: understanding the "what's in it for me," seeing early wins, and feeling supported throughout the rollout.

One question worth asking every skeptical manager early on: "If you spent two fewer hours a week answering questions your team could self-serve on what would you do with that time?" In real conversations with frontline managers, the answer is almost always the same: coaching. That's the actual sell. Not features. Not dashboards. The promise that Blink handles the noise so they can get back to the work that matters.

Best practices for securing manager buy-in from day one

Involve managers before launch, not after. Run a focused discovery session with a cross-section of frontline managers before you go live. Ask them what slows their day down. What questions do they get asked constantly? What tools do they wish they had? This isn't just research, it tells managers their input shaped the product they're using. That's a very different relationship than "here's a new system, please use it."

Make the first demo about their pain, not the product's features. Lead with the problems Blink solves for managers specifically. Don't open with a feature tour. Open with a scenario: "Right now, when you need to share a schedule change with your team, how long does that take? Here's how it works with Blink." Specificity converts skeptics.

Create a manager champion cohort. Identify four to eight managers who are influential with their peers and genuinely curious about the tool. Give them early access, a dedicated onboarding session, and a direct line to your Blink implementation team. These people become your internal advocates, and they field questions in the break room that no IT team ever could.

Tie rollout metrics to manager recognition. If managers see their team's adoption rates celebrated publicly (on the Feed, for example), adoption becomes a point of pride rather than a compliance metric. Leaders want to lead. Give them something to lead toward.

Keep training short and role specific. Don't send a manager to a two-hour training that spends 40 minutes on features they'll never use. Give them a 20-minute session focused on exactly what a manager needs: how to broadcast to their team, how to find and share resources in the Hub, how to read a survey response. Respect their time and they'll respect the tool.

Follow up at 30 days. The drop-off point for most rollouts is the four-week mark, when early excitement fades and old habits pull people back. A short check-in like a 1-2 question survey, or a brief conversation, tells managers you haven't forgotten about them, and it surfaces friction before it becomes abandonment.

What to show managers in a Blink demo

The features that resonate most with frontline managers aren't the flashiest ones. They're the ones that solve the friction they feel every single day.

Chat and team messaging. Managers spend enormous amounts of time chasing people down, everything from confirming shift changes and answering the same questions repeatedly, to trying to reach someone without a work email. Blink's Chat gives them a direct line to every team member via their personal device, with no need for anyone to share personal phone numbers. Group chats mean a shift update goes to everyone at once. It's faster, cleaner, and it creates a record.

The Feed for top-down comms. When leadership shares a policy update, a safety notice, or a company announcement, it often gets lost in email chains or stuck with line managers who forget to pass it down. The Feed means critical information lands directly with the whole team, in a format that looks and feels like the social media they already use. Managers stop being the bottleneck for comms they didn't write. There's also a compliance dimension here that's easy to overlook, organizations still running frontline briefings through informal tools like WhatsApp have no way to confirm who saw what. The Feed creates a trackable, auditable record which matters when a safety or HR message absolutely has to land.

The Hub as a one-stop resource center. How much time does a manager spend fielding questions like "where's the absence form?", "what's the return-to-work policy?", "how do I log overtime?" The Hub puts everything in one place - HR systems, scheduling tools, payroll links, compliance documents, onboarding checklists all organized and searchable. Integrate Workday, UKG, ServiceNow, or whatever your tech stack looks like, and suddenly managers don't have to be the answer to every procedural question.

Surveys and pulse checks. Frontline managers often have the least visibility into how their team is actually feeling. A quick one or two question survey via Blink gives them a real-time read on morale, concerns, or feedback without waiting for a quarterly engagement score that arrives six months too late.

Kudos and recognition. Recognition is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost tools a manager has. Blink makes it instant. A manager can send a public shoutout to the whole team in 30 seconds. When employees feel seen, they stay, and managers who recognize their teams well tend to run the most engaged ones.

Push notifications and alerts. Time-sensitive information such as a last-minute shift change, a safety alert, or an urgent update from HQ, can be pushed directly to every team member's device. Managers don't have to rely on word of mouth or hope someone checks a noticeboard.

AI-assisted workflows. Blink gives frontline managers back an estimated 8 to 10 hours per week by reducing the administrative drag of repetitive tasks and questions. For managers who are already stretched, that's not a small thing. That's a shift where they can actually manage, and it shows in adoption. Blink customers average seven app opens per day per user, which tells you this isn't a tool people open once and forget. It becomes part of the daily rhythm, because it actually makes the day easier.

The bottom line

Frontline managers aren't just users of Blink, they're multipliers. Win them early, and they'll carry the rollout further than any communications plan could. Lose them, and the best technology in the world won't move the needle.

The organizations that get this right share a common approach: they treat managers as partners in the rollout, not recipients of it. They show them the "what's in it for me" in concrete terms and give them the tools, the support, and the space to become champions.

The Blink platform achieves a 95% employee activation rate across customers. That number doesn't happen because the technology is magic. It happens because someone, somewhere in those organizations, got the frontline managers on board first.

That's what day-one buy-in looks like, and it's what separates a rollout that lands from one that lingers.

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Sources:

Gallup - State of the American Manager report, State of the Global Workplace: 2025 Report, Frontline Worker Experience reports.

Yourco - Frontline engagement ROI guide

Harvard Business Review - More than 50% of Managers Feel Burned Out

As companies rethink how they connect with employees in a hybrid, mobile, and fast-moving world, many are looking beyond traditional intranet platforms like LumApps. While LumApps is a solid option for knowledge management and Microsoft/Google integrations, it can fall short when it comes to usability, real-time communication, and mobile performance.

Whether you’re rolling out internal comms globally, trying to unify systems into one employee app, or simply seeking a more flexible and modern intranet experience, there are better options out there.

What to look for in a LumApps alternative

When evaluating alternatives to LumApps, here are five key factors to consider:

#1. Mobile usability

Your employee experience platform should be just as powerful on mobile as it is on desktop — especially with today’s hybrid, frontline, and remote workforces.

#2. Ease of use

A modern intranet or communications tool must be intuitive for both admins and end users. Platforms with steep learning curves or clunky interfaces will see low adoption.

#3. Real-time communication

Timely communication is essential — whether it's leadership announcements, crisis updates, or team alerts. Look for platforms that offer native chat, push notifications, or news feeds.

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#4. Integration ecosystem

You shouldn’t have to cobble together multiple tools. The right platform integrates with your HRIS, LMS, scheduling, payroll, file storage, and more.

#5. Analytics & insights

Data matters. Choose a solution with actionable dashboards that help you measure what’s working, what’s being read, and where to improve.

The top 12 LumApps alternatives

Now that you know what to look for — and why LumApps might not be the best long-term fit — here are the best alternatives, starting with the standout:

#1. Blink – The #1 LumApps alternative for unified employee experience

Blink is an employee experience platform designed to bring communications, resources, and tools into a single, easy-to-access app. With a strong focus on usability, real-time engagement, and seamless integrations, Blink empowers companies to connect with their entire workforce—whether they’re on mobile, desktop, or a shared device.

Why Blink is the best LumApps alternative:

• All-in-one communications hub: Combines chat, news, content, HR tools, recognition, and surveys into one streamlined platform.
• Mobile + desktop parity: Offers full functionality on any device, with no reliance on corporate email.
• Powerful analytics: Gives real-time insights into usage, engagement, and sentiment to help you optimize comms strategies.
• Integrations-first approach: Blink integrates with HRIS, LMS, payroll, scheduling, and document systems to centralize everything your workforce needs.
• Top-rated platform: 4.8★ average on Gartner Peer Insights and a leader in G2 for internal communications and employee apps.

Pros:

• Unified digital workplace accessible from anywhere
• Highly intuitive UI with rapid user adoption
• Dedicated support and success teams for onboarding and beyond
• Transparent pricing and strong ROI

Cons:

• May require customization for highly complex intranet needs
• Some advanced analytics features are part of higher-tier plans

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#2. Simpplr

Simpplr is an intranet platform designed to streamline internal communication, content distribution, and knowledge sharing. It includes personalization features, integrations with HR tools, and prebuilt templates to simplify setup. The platform is geared toward companies looking for a structured, branded experience.

‍Pros: Great personalization, modern interface
Cons: Limited customization, costly at scale
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.7★

#3. Staffbase

Staffbase supports internal communications across multiple channels, including email, mobile apps, and digital signage. It offers features for content scheduling, targeting, and employee surveys. Often used by global enterprises, the platform emphasizes scalability and branding consistency.‍

Pros: Email, mobile, signage comms; powerful targeting
Cons: Less flexible for content management or smaller teams
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.1★

#4. Interact Software

Interact Software delivers an intranet platform with features for content publishing, employee engagement, and search. It includes integrations with Microsoft products and offers tools like blogging, forums, and document sharing. The platform is designed for medium to large organizations.‍

Pros: Social features, easy setup
Cons: Limited analytics and design flexibility
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.6★

#5. Haiilo

Haiilo combines intranet functionality with features for social advocacy and personalized content delivery. The platform includes analytics, customizable pages, and AI-based search to help surface relevant information. It is commonly adopted by organizations prioritizing internal engagement and branding.‍

Pros: Strong search, personalization, advocacy tools
Cons: Steep learning curve for admins
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.1★

#6. Unily

Unily provides a cloud-based intranet designed for enterprise use, with features for knowledge management, internal communications, and collaboration. It integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other enterprise tools. The platform is known for its flexible content management and multilingual support.‍

Pros: Rich design options, integrations
Cons: Expensive and complex setup
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.4★

#7. MangoApps

MangoApps offers a unified platform that combines intranet, collaboration, learning management, and document storage. It supports both desktop and mobile access and is used by a variety of industries. The platform is modular, allowing organizations to deploy only the tools they need.‍

Pros: Feature-rich; good for training-heavy orgs
Cons: Dated interface; inconsistent UX
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.4★

#8. Workvivo by Zoom

Workvivo is a social intranet platform that combines internal communications with engagement tools like activity feeds, shout-outs, and surveys. It offers a familiar social media-style experience and integrates with Zoom and Microsoft 365. The platform is primarily used by mid-size to large organizations.‍

Pros: Engaging UX, employee advocacy tools
Cons: Lacks unified mobile-desktop parity and deep analytics
Pricing: Custom pricing
Gartner: 4.7★

#9. Firstup

Firstup is a communications platform focused on personalization, automation, and real-time analytics. It supports targeted messaging and integrates with a range of enterprise systems. Firstup is commonly used by large organizations with distributed workforces.‍

Pros: Powerful targeting, personalization, and analytics
Cons: High cost; not ideal for smaller teams
Pricing: Custom
Gartner: 4.8★

#10. Connecteam

Connecteam is a mobile-first platform designed for managing non-desk workforces. It includes scheduling, task management, chat, and time tracking tools. The platform is often used in industries like retail, logistics, and hospitality.‍

Pros: Ideal for dispersed teams; affordable tiers
Cons: Lacks deep intranet functionality
Pricing: Free tier available; paid starts around $29/month
Gartner: 4.7★

#11. ThoughtFarmer

ThoughtFarmer focuses on knowledge sharing and collaboration within hybrid and remote teams. It provides customizable intranet pages, wiki functionality, and employee directories. The platform is suited for organizations seeking structured documentation and internal search tools.‍

Pros: Excellent for documentation and wikis
Cons: Setup can be time-intensive
Pricing: Custom
G2: 4.8★

#12. Bitrix24

Bitrix24 is a collaboration suite that includes intranet features alongside tools for CRM, task management, and chat. It offers free and paid tiers, making it accessible to a wide range of teams. The platform is modular but can be complex to navigate.‍

Pros: Wide feature set for budget-conscious teams
Cons: Overwhelming interface; some tools feel outdated
Pricing: Free plan available; paid starts ~$24/user/month
G2: 4.2★

Final thoughts: Blink vs. LumApps

While LumApps remains a strong player — especially for companies tightly integrated with Google Workspace or Microsoft — Blink stands out for teams that value ease of use, real-time communication, data-driven insights, and a single place for everything work-related. It offers a more unified experience across devices, better analytics for employee engagement, and faster time to value.

If you’re looking for an employee experience platform that’s as intuitive as it is powerful, Blink is your best bet.

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Why teams choose Blink over LumApps

LumApps is a strong enterprise intranet, particularly for Google Workspace-centric organizations, but it's built with desk-based collaboration as the default. Blink is mobile-first, requires no corporate email, and is used daily by teams at McDonald's, Domino's, and Chick-fil-A. See how Blink compares.

Good internal communication is the glue that holds organizations together. It keeps everyone informed, aligned, and connected — helping employees understand company priorities and feel part of a shared purpose.

In 2026, internal communication involves more than noticeboards and scattered email threads. Organizations with hybrid or frontline teams need modern internal communication platforms like Blink to connect employees, simplify updates, and enable easy collaboration. 

A successful internal communication strategy includes all communication types: top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer. These channels work together to connect employees and ensure information flows throughout your organization.

For larger or dispersed teams, achieving this can feel like a tall order. But with the right internal communication software, even global workforces can stay connected and engaged.

Luckily, many new tools and platforms can help your company improve communication. 

So, which platforms are worth your investment? 
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Types of internal communication tools and platforms

Before diving into specific providers, it helps to understand the main types of internal communication software shaping the modern workplace in 2026.

The most effective organizations use a combination of these tools — or a single employee experience platform like Blink, which combines many of these functions into a single mobile-first solution.

Instant messaging tools

Internal communication isn’t just top-down. Co-worker collaboration tools keep conversations flowing across teams and locations by enabling quick information sharing, file exchange, and informal social connections.

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Advantages:

• A communication tool that allows employees to chat and share information (along with emojis and GIFs)
• Most instant messaging tools are available on both desktop and mobile
• Messaging tools can be used for communication between co-workers, but also for information-sharing between leadership and employees

Best tools: Blink, Slack, Jive, Workvivo

Emails and newsletters

Digital newsletters have always been great for sharing essential company updates. Modern tools enhance this channel with templates, analytics, and branded content delivery.

Best tools: ContactMonkey, Axero, Poppulo, Staffbase

Audio and video conferencing tools

Rewind a decade and video conferencing probably wouldn’t be one of the top staff communication tools on your list. Today, however, in a world of remote and hybrid teams, video conferencing tools are a workplace essential. They allow employees to talk face-to-face, even when they’re not based in the same office.Now a workplace essential, these tools make remote and hybrid meetings seamless — from one-to-one calls to company-wide events.

Best tools: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams

Employee recognition center

Recognition platforms reward effort and build engagement by blending social recognition with tangible rewards to boost morale and employee retention.

Best tools: Blink, Bonusly, Unily

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Employee engagement and surveys

Engage your employees and you experience countless benefits, including improved productivity, customer loyalty, and profitability. But if you really want to improve employee engagement, you need to measure it.

Employee surveys and feedback forms are an essential part of any internal communication toolkit. They support bottom-up communication and give you valuable insight into how employees really feel about working for your firm.

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Best tools: Blink, SurveyMonkey, Bonusly, Qualtrics

Company news feed

A private, social-style feed alerts employees to company updates and important cultural moments.

Best tools: Blink, Workvivo, Staffbase, Happeo

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Project management

Project management platforms keep work visible, accountable, and collaborative.

Best tools: Asana, monday.com

Intranet

Evolving beyond traditional intranets, these tools now enable engagement, two-way communication, and document collaboration.

Best tools: Blink, Simpplr, Happeo, Unily

Employee communication app

Mobile-first employee communication apps centralize updates, messaging, and engagement features — ideal for hybrid and frontline teams.

Best tools: Blink, Workvivo

Employee experience platform

These top-tier employee experience platforms offer a user-friendly way to access messaging, news, surveys, recognition programs, and HR functions.

These platforms go beyond communication — supporting onboarding, engagement, and culture-building.

Best tools: Blink, Workvivo, Staffbase

The takeaway:

Modern internal communication relies on an integrated ecosystem or a unified platform like Blink, which simplifies your tech stack and enhances workforce connection.

Blink serves as a mobile-first communication app, a modern intranet, a recognition tool, and a complete employee experience platform. That agility makes it ideal for companies looking to streamline their technology and boost employee engagement.

20 best internal communication tools

Ready to find the right comms solution for your organization? Take a look at our round-up of the best internal communication tools for 2025.

1. Blink

Blink is a modern internal communication tool and employee experience platform that brings together messaging, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics into a single mobile-first solution. It’s designed for organizations that want to improve communication, engagement, and access to information across both desk-based and frontline teams.

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As a mobile-first internal communication platform, Blink’s unified interface lets teams share updates, message peers, and access essential workplace applications in real time, without a corporate email address — no matter their location.

Unlike single-purpose messaging apps, Blink functions as an all-in-one internal communication software, combining collaboration and employee engagement tools in one place.

Features like pulse surveys, recognition, and content personalization enable two-way communication and make company-wide updates more meaningful.

Blink also includes social-style communication features — such as Stories, Communities, and a personalized news feed — that make information sharing intuitive and engaging. Built-in analytics help leaders understand message reach, engagement trends, and content effectiveness.

Pros

• Unified internal communication toolset: Blink combines chat, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics.
• Mobile-first accessibility: It works on smartphones and desktops, and doesn`t require a company email.
• Personalized communication: Blink’s audience segmentation and employee journeys ensure targeted updates.
• Seamless integrations: Connects with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, HRIS, and scheduling tools.
• Data-driven insights: The analytics dashboards measure communication performance and engagement.

Cons

• The search functionality could benefit from more advanced filtering and refinement options.

Pricing

Pricing is available on request

Use Cases

• Strengthening culture and alignment through data-informed communication strategies
• Connecting hybrid and frontline teams with one internal communication platform
• Centralizing all company messages, tools, and resources in a single hub

Improving engagement through interactive multimedia content

2. Asana

Asana is a well-known project management tool and, if you use it, you’re in good company. Around 85% of Fortune 100 companies say they use Asana.

With this workplace communication platform, you can create, prioritize, and allocate tasks. You can view tasks in timeline, board, and list formats — and track your progress toward milestones.

The visual format makes it easy to see which tasks your team needs to complete first. And the process of identifying and remedying project bottlenecks becomes much easier too.

Pros

• A free version that supports 10 members and comes with unlimited storage, tasks, and messages
• A clean, intuitive interface and a comprehensive selection of project and task management tools
• Comes with a mobile app so employees can keep of track of projects on the go
• Good integration with third-party tools

Cons

• A high volume of email notifications can be frustrating for users
• One of the more expensive project management solutions available
• The mobile experience pales in comparison to the desktop experience
• Collaboration tools aren’t as extensive and effective as those of other project management tools on the market

Pricing

Monthly pricing for Asana starts at a basic free plan. A business plan costs $24.99 per user per month when billed annually.

Use cases

• Giving remote teams the tools they need to manage projects effectively
• Cross-team collaboration
• Status updates and reporting — leaders can view dashboards and reports to stay informed of project progress.

3. Jive

Jive is a community-building communication tool that you can use for top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer connection. Team members can share photos, videos, documents, status updates, and blog posts. They can also decide whether their post gets seen by one team member, a specific group, or the whole organization.

Another great feature of Jive is its People Directory. Here, employees can search for co-workers they want to connect with, based on their skills, endorsements, and favorite activities.

Pros

• Jive is an all-purpose business communication tool
• Supports personalized news updates
• Provides a single inbox so employees can manage all company communications and conversations in one place

Cons

• Jive has a complicated interface and a cluttered layout that can be difficult for users to understand and navigate
• Limited integrations with the other workplace tools you use
• Some users say the Jive mobile app is slow and clunky with lackluster features

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating a centralized hub for updates and document sharing
• Personalizing company updates to make them more relevant and engaging
• Giving employees the tools they need to interact with leadership, managers, and coworkers

4. Zoom

Zoom is often listed as one of the most reliable video conferencing platforms. It offers excellent audio and visual quality, even when internet connection is patchy, and it’s really easy to use.

You can record meetings, direct meeting participants to breakout rooms, and make use of a meeting annotation function. Zoom offers a range of other useful features too, including an online whiteboard and virtual working spaces (known as Zoom Huddles). 

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Can run small one-to-one meetings, large conferences, and anything in between
• Advanced features include breakout rooms and webinar hosting

Cons

• Zoom can be expensive for larger teams, with add-ons needed for meetings of more than 500 participants

Pricing

A Pro plan, for up to 99 users, costs $15.99 per user per month. A Business Plan, for up to 250 users and with a greater range of features, costs $21.99 per user per month.

Use cases

• Running live meetings and webinars
• Supporting video and audio communication for hybrid and remote teams

5. Bonusly

Bonusly gives you all the tools you need to run a successful recognition program. Via an intuitive platform, employees can tag peers and congratulate them on their accomplishments. Congratulated employees earn points, which they can then use to claim their preferred reward — a gift card, cash, or a charitable donation. 

Reporting tools give leaders insight into team dynamics and patterns of recognition. It helps you to discover top performers and identify people who haven’t had any recognition in a while.

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Pros

• A user-friendly interface and next to no learning curve
• The option to tailor recognition programs to fit your culture and values
• Out-of-the-box integrations with other workplace tools including Workday, Asana, and Slack

Cons

• Limited analytics — so it can be hard for companies to understand employee engagement and recognition patterns

Pricing

Monthly pricing options for Bonusly starts at $2 per user.

Use cases

• Strengthening company culture and employee morale with regular recognition, even when employees are working remotely
• Creating a culture of peer-to-peer recognition — employees can award points and praise to their co-workers

6. Axero

Axero is an internal comms platform designed to unify teams, increase productivity, and improve workplace culture. It features mass email tools, an activity stream, a blogging platform, and instant messaging.

Using Axero, you can create a central hub for files, communications, and company updates. Collaboration features also come in handy, with space for team discussions and the option to co-edit documents.

Pros

• Axero’s customer service is responsive and helpful
• Good customization and integration options
• A comprehensive employee directory that makes it easy for staff to find and connect with co-workers

Cons

• A steep learning curve — users say that Axero can be overwhelming for beginners
• Some users say that Axero functionality lags behind that of other intranet competitors
• Limited features on the mobile version 

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating a single hub for news, updates, and resources
• Supporting collaboration across your company, with file sharing and team discussions
• Building a personalized employee experience, with custom dashboards tailored to the roles and departments of employees

7. ContactMonkey

ContactMonkey is one of the best newsletter platforms available. Unlike some of its competitors, ContactMonkey integrates with both Outlook and Gmail so you can send emails from and receive replies to your usual inbox.

The platform provides an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop email builder. Multiple team members can collaborate on the same email. And analytics tools help you judge which newsletter content is best engaging your workforce, so you can create more of the same.

Pros

• Employee survey tools so you can email your surveys to the workforce with ease
• Integration with Outlook and Gmail
• SMS integration that allows you to reach employees with urgent updates
• Real-time tracking and analytics — so you get insight into email open rates and click-throughs

Cons

• You can only use ContactMonkey for internal emails, not external marketing emails
• Only supports communication over email, which may not be particularly engaging or appropriate for all organizations
• Unlikely to fulfill all your internal communication needs

Pricing

Prices start from $600 per month for 500 employees. Prices for more extensive plans are available on request.

Use cases

• Engaging email and newsletter communication for employees
• Launching employee surveys to help you acquire useful feedback

8. Slack

Slack is an instant messaging tool that supports asynchronous communication. Slack works well for desk-based employees who have access to other platforms, like Google Drive. Slack doesn’t work as well for on-the-go, field-based employees, who don’t have such easy access to separate cloud storage.

People within your organization can launch chat threads, including as many or as few team members as they like. They can create threads for different projects, departments, and topics. Teams also get access to little extras, like file sharing, message search, and a task reminder function.

Pros

• User-friendly interface
• Integration with a wide range of other workplace software
• Customizable notifications

Cons

• Doesn’t work well for teams who are on the go — Slack is most suited to desk-based teams
• Can be hard to find what you’re looking for across multiple chats and channels

Pricing

Slack offers a limited free plan. Paid plans start from $8.75 per user per month.

Use cases

• Ensuring real-time communication between dispersed team members
• Providing a variety of internal communication channels — including direct messages, group chats, and channels

Read more: Top Slack alternatives

9. SurveyMonkey

SurveyMonkey has made it to our employee survey top spot for its ease of use. This employee communications platform has lots of survey templates to choose from and, if speed is your priority, lots of features that help you get employee feedback fast.

You can choose from hundreds of expert-written questions or write your own. And with the help of custom templates, you can find or create surveys for any situation, whether you want to conduct 360 reviews, find out your Net Promoter score, or seek feedback on your employee engagement efforts.

Pros

• Ease of use — SurveyMonkey has a clean, uncluttered interface that employees will enjoy using
• Using the Genius Assistant and the “build it for me” feature, you can create surveys quickly
• Excellent analytics that help you make sense of employee responses

Cons

• Limited free features
• Limited customization options, so you may struggle to create complex or specialized surveys

Pricing

Prices start from $30 per user per month.

Use cases

• Boosting employee satisfaction and engagement with the help of employee feedback
• Making it easy for your teams to launch and respond to employee surveys 

10. Microsoft SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is a file-sharing software that integrates seamlessly with the other Microsoft tools you may already use. You can create branded document libraries called sites, customizing them for document collaboration or top-down comms.

Teams get to share news, documents, and data. They can also edit documents collaboratively — setting notifications so they know when a co-worker makes changes.

Pros

• Easy integration with other Microsoft products
• Allows you to segment employees by division, giving each division its own calendar and visual timeline
• Customization options so you can build forms, workflows, and custom applications for your teams

Cons

• Not particularly user-friendly, especially on mobile
• Cost of implementation is high and adoption rates tend to be low

Pricing

A basic SharePoint plan costs $5 per user per month.

Use cases

• Project collaboration — teams can co-edit documents and manage workflows
• An easy way for desk-based teams to access company documents and resources
• Using internal announcements and newsletters to communicate with all employees

11. Monday.com

Monday.com is a project management tool that supports comms and employee engagement. You can use this internal communications software to create and assign tasks, track project progress, and create performance-tracking templates for employees.

Team members receive notifications when action is required. And an easy-to-use visual interface makes it easy to see where each project is up to at a glance.

Pros

• A comprehensive set of project management tools
• Customizable project templates to get you started
• A weekly overview so you can see tasks and project milestones you need to tackle over the next few days

Cons

• The backend of this business communication software is complicated and involves a steep learning curve
• Limited comms tools so Monday.com isn’t useful as a standalone business communication platform

Pricing

Prices start from $8 per user per month.

Use cases

• Improving project management and work collaboration
• Task and workflow automation to streamline repetitive processes

12. Workvivo

Workvivo is an intranet software company owned by Zoom. You can use this internal communication tool to improve comms, employee engagement, and recognition, too. You can also make use of multiple communication channels and employee feedback tools.

Standout features include live broadcasting tools, so you can launch live streams and podcasts. You can also create microsites, where teams and special interest groups can create their own, tailored communities.

Pros

• Strong translation abilities for multilingual organizations
• An engaging, social-media-style interface that will feel familiar to employees
• Rich communication tools including a news feed and instant messaging (available through integrations with tools like Slack, MS Teams, and Zoom meetings)

Cons

• Chat functionality on the mobile app falls behind the desktop experience
• Advanced features — including chat, Workvivo TV, and advanced analytics — are add-ons that come at an additional cost
• Admins say they want better customization options and improved third-party integrations

Pricing

Workvivo’s Business Plan starts at $20,000.

Use cases

• Creating engaging, social-media-style communications
• Ensuring internal communications move in all directions — top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer
• Opening up internal communications to deskless employees

Read more: Top Workvivo alternatives

13. Staffbase

Staffbase is an internal communication platform designed to connect and engage employees. It brings company news, messaging, and resources into one place, making it easier for you to reach your workforce — whether they’re remote, hybrid, deskless, or office-based.

With Staffbase, you can communicate over the company intranet and send emails and SMS, all from one centralized dashboard. You can also create tailored content paths so employees receive the right information at the right time.

Pros

• A great user experience across desktop and mobile versions
• Brings a range of communication and workplace functions into one location, supporting top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer conversations
• Built-in reporting so you can see how employees are using the platform and interacting with your content
• You can customize the platform so it matches the look and feel of your branding

Cons

• Some add-ons and integrations come at an additional cost
• There are few out-of-the-box features on the employee app
• Search functionality and integrations aren’t as good as they could be

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Launching employee surveys with in-built tools
• Creating a single source of truth within your organization thanks to communication channels that all workers can access
• Making comms more personal, with the option to segment your audience and deliver relevant content to different employee groups

14. Poppulo

Poppulo is an email and mobile communications software. It also provides digital signage functionality and digital tools for desk and meeting room management.

You can target messages based on location, role, or interests to cut through the noise. You can also access tools for planning and promoting internal events, like town halls and team meetings.

Pros

• Omni-channel communications, across email, SMS, intranet, and digital signage
• Drag and drop email design tools plus advanced personalization
• Strong analytics — Poppulo gives comms teams clear visibility into message performance

Cons

• Poppulo is more complex than some of the other tools on this list, so there can be quite a learning curve
• While it brings multiple communication channels together, Poppulo isn’t comprehensive enough to work as a standalone company communication system

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Enterprise email communication and analytics
• Improving the quality of email messaging with employee segmentation tools
• Managing office workspace among hybrid teams

15. Qualtrics

Qualtrics is an employee survey and feedback tool. You can use it to capture employee data via surveys and passive listening — and discover how your business is doing across metrics like intent to stay, engagement, inclusion, and wellbeing.

Surveys are easy to customize, with advanced question types and logic, while analytics and reporting tools help you turn insights into actionable strategies. 

Pros

• Flexible survey design options
• Powerful analytics and reporting capabilities
• AI tools that guide you to take action based on your employee feedback findings

Cons

• Using advanced features effectively may require training
• Qualtrics can be overly expensive for smaller businesses

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Improving employee satisfaction and engagement with the help of regular surveys
• Creating a culture of 360 feedback to improve the effectiveness of management and leadership

16. Happeo

Happeo is a Google-based intranet that provides a centralized location for all internal communications. It provides a hub for company news, documents, and collaboration tools.

Key features include a social intranet, an employee directory, and an intuitive search function. You can also use AI tools to find and fix gaps in your knowledge base. 

Pros

• Easy integration with Google Workspace tools
• Excellent search functions so it’s easy to find the people, posts, and integrated third-party apps you’re looking for
• The option to create hubs and communities based on departments, roles, and shared interests

Cons

• Limited integrations beyond the Google suite
• A web-first platform, best suited to desk-based teams

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating a centralized hub for updates and document sharing
• Building company culture and employee engagement
• Connecting hybrid, remote, and office-based teas

Read more: Top Happeo alternatives

17. Unily

Unily is an employee experience and internal communications tool. It provides features that support its “four cornerstones” of digital employee experience: Alignment, Engagement, Enablement, and Simplicity.

Key features include email, employee feedback, and recognition tools. You can design, sequence, and automate employee journeys so staff receive relevant information at the right time. You can also use gamification features to improve intranet engagement.

Pros

• An excellent desktop version, with an engaging and intuitive user experience
• Fine-grained controls for admins
• A good range of notifications

Cons

• Mixed opinions on Unily’s customer service and ability to support its partners
• Translating Unily’s comprehensive desktop features to mobile is a challenge for admins

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Creating channels for company-wide communications
• Boosting employee engagement with dynamic content and gamification
• Making recognition a key part of company culture

Read more: Top Unily alternatives

18. Simpplr

A comprehensive intranet platform, Simpplr supports internal communication and employee engagement. It provides a user-friendly, social-media-style interface and provides AI-driven content recommendations.

Standout features include employee listening tools, surveys, and a recognition program. There are also lots of communication channels you can use across email, SMS, a mobile app, and desktop software.

Pros

• An intuitive, uncluttered interface
• Strong analytics that make it easy to track engagement metrics and content performance
• Great search functions

Cons

• Difficult login process, with multiple links provided
• Some users say the struggle to integrate Simpplr with their preferred third-party apps
• Advanced features can be expensive

Pricing

Pricing is available on request.

Use cases

• Making employee feedback and listening a key part of company culture
• Creating a centralized hub for communications, resources, and community
• Bringing large organizations and distributed teams together

Read more: Top Simpplr alternatives

19. Google Meet

Google Meet is a video conferencing and virtual meeting tool. It’s integrated into Google Workspace, so it connects easily to Gmail, Calendar, and any other Google tools your team happens to use.

It’s incredibly easy to use via an internet browser so users don’t even have to download the software. This makes it one of the most accessible virtual meeting tools currently available.

Pros

• Easy to set up and use
• The ability to hold meetings with up to 1,000 participants
• Chat, emoji, and screen share functions available during meetings

Cons

• You need additional tools to fulfil all internal communication needs
• Fewer advanced features compared to Zoom and Microsoft Teams

Pricing

Prices start from $6 per user per month.

Use cases

• Virtual team meetings, webinars, and company-wide announcements
• One-on-one video meetings
• Virtual training and employee onboarding 

20. Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams combines instant messaging, video conferencing, and file-sharing tools. As you’d expect, it offers the best possible integration with other Microsoft Office tech. You can use a selection of tools to create an all-round internal communication solution.

You can use Teams to run video meetings and team chats when your employees are working remotely or across different locations.

Pros

• Strong integration with other Microsoft products
• Secure communication and file sharing

Cons

• Interface isn’t particularly engaging and there are few social-media-style features
• Teams is designed for desktop use so mobile users don’t get the same user experience

Pricing

Prices start from $4 per user per month.

Use cases

• Creating digital channels for internal communication and project management
• Launching video and audio calls and sharing company-wide updates
• Bringing remote and hybrid teams together, even when they’re working in different locations

Read more: Top Teams alternatives

Choosing an internal communication tool for your frontline organization (2026)

The right choice depends on your organization’s structure, workforce, and goals — particularly if you operate with hybrid or frontline teams.

For frontline organizations, the most significant communication challenge is dispersion. To resolve this, every employee should receive critical updates and feel part of the same company culture, even if they rarely visit headquarters.

To build a sense of belonging, choose a mobile-first internal communication platform that’s user-friendly and equally accessible for all.

To identify the best fit, ask yourself these four questions when evaluating internal communication software:

#1. Is your organization office-based, or do you have deskless workers to consider?

Some internal communication tools suit desk-based teams, such as intranets designed for desktop access. However, these are often unsuitable for reaching frontline workers who rely on smartphones.

To prevent information gaps, look for mobile-first internal communication solutions that offer the same functionality across devices. A dedicated mobile app ensures equal access and engagement across every team member — no matter where they work.

#2. Do your employees have regular opportunities to connect during the workday?

Connection drives performance, and employees who feel they belong are much more engaged and productive.

The problem for frontline teams is that they often lack organic “water cooler” moments. Using internal communication tools that enable social-style interaction — such as chat, feeds, and communities — fosters real-time collaboration between field and office teams.

#3. How much time can your employees spend on internal comms each day?

As frontline employees are busy serving customers, maintaining operations, or working off-site, they need a simple and reliable communication platform. 

When evaluating tools, prioritize their ease of use, onboarding speeds, and precise message delivery.

Also check adoption rates and engagement levels as they’re powerful indicators of how smoothly a tool integrates into your daily workflow.

#4. How many internal communication goals do you want to cover?

Some platforms specialize in single functions, such as surveys, document sharing, or project management. Others, like all-in-one employee communication platforms, combine these capabilities.

To streamline your tech stack while enhancing connection and engagement, choose an internal communication tool that supports multiple channels — chat, news, surveys, recognition, and analytics — within one system.

The importance of internal communications in an organization

Every organization — frontline or otherwise — needs an effective internal communication strategy that unites employees behind the company culture and values, improves collaboration, and enhances retention.

Strong internal communication also supports:

• Company connection: When employees feel aligned with organizational goals, engagement and satisfaction rise
• Change management: Transparent communication ensures buy-in during transitions
• Problem-solving: Clear, direct messaging limits misinformation and strengthens trust
• Productivity: Employees perform best when information is easy to find and act upon

Many internal communication tools support these goals — from instant messaging and surveys to intranets and recognition platforms. For frontline teams, the right solution must be mobile-first and easy to access on the go.

The right internal communication software can transform a disconnected team into a cohesive, informed community. 

Blink shows how this works by helping companies like Go North West connect all their employees through a single digital hub.

Blink. And transform company communication with an all-in-one internal communication platform built for every worker.

The best modern intranet platforms for organizations ready to move beyond SharePoint

SharePoint has been a mainstay in the enterprise toolkit for over two decades. It’s a powerful document management system, deeply integrated with Microsoft 365, and often the default choice for storing and sharing internal files.

But here’s the problem: SharePoint was never built to be a communications platform.

While it excels at managing content libraries and handling compliance-heavy workflows, SharePoint often falls short when it comes to engaging employees, delivering real-time updates, and building a connected culture across modern, distributed teams.

In a world where employees expect internal tools to be as intuitive and engaging as the apps they use outside of work, SharePoint can feel clunky, outdated, and hard to navigate—especially on mobile.

That’s why more organizations are seeking SharePoint alternatives that are easier to use, faster to deploy, and actually drive adoption. Whether you’re leading HR, IT, or Internal Comms, this guide will help you find a platform that fits how people work today—not how they worked in 2005.

Below, we break down the top 10 SharePoint alternatives in 2025—from modern employee apps to full-featured intranet platforms—so you can choose the right solution for your team.

#1. Blink

Best for modern organizations that want one app for everything work-related

Blink is a next-generation employee platform that combines intranet, internal communications, and essential tools in one mobile-first app. Unlike SharePoint, Blink is designed with the end user in mind—delivering a personalized, social-style experience that’s as easy to use as your favorite consumer apps.

It works across all employee types—desk-based, remote, frontline, and hybrid—giving everyone a single access point for updates, resources, and action.

Standout features:

• Personalized feed with dynamic content
• Native mobile and desktop experience
• Chat, surveys, micro-apps, and file sharing in one place
• Fast rollout with minimal IT dependency
• Rich analytics to track engagement and reach
• Instagram at work features like Stories

Ideal for: Mid-to-large organizations ready to unify communications, culture, and tools in a single platform.
Limitations: Not focused on traditional document-heavy intranet use cases.

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#2. Interact

Best for internal comms teams building structured, branded intranets

Interact is a well-established intranet platform known for its structured content management, branded design options, and targeting capabilities. It helps internal comms teams deliver timely, relevant content to the right audiences, while offering tools for feedback and measurement.

Standout features:

• Drag-and-drop design tools
• User segmentation and targeting
• Feedback features (likes, comments, polls)
• Integrations with Microsoft 365 and other tools

Ideal for: Communications teams in mid-size organizations.
Limitations: Mobile experience isn’t its strongest suit.

#3. Staffbase

Best for enterprise comms with campaign-style messaging

Staffbase is built for centralized internal communication at scale. With a branded employee app and features tailored to top-down messaging, it’s a strong choice for large organizations where internal communications is a dedicated function.

Standout features:

• Personalized content feeds
• Internal email and newsletter tools
• Branded mobile apps
• Communication planning and analytics

Ideal for: Enterprises with large, distributed workforces and centralized comms teams.
Limitations: More focused on broadcasting than collaboration.

#4. Happeo

Best for Google Workspace-based companies

Happeo is a sleek, modern intranet designed to integrate deeply with Google Workspace. It blends intranet content, social channels, and G Suite tools into a unified interface that’s especially popular with remote and digital-first companies.

Standout features:

• Real-time Google Drive integration
• Team channels and social intranet feed
• Drag-and-drop intranet page builder
• Easy onboarding and admin

Ideal for: Teams using Google Workspace who want a polished UX.
Limitations: Less relevant for Microsoft-heavy environments.

#5. LumApps

Best for complex enterprise needs and deep integrations

LumApps is an advanced intranet and employee experience platform with a strong focus on personalization, multilingual content, and integration across enterprise systems. It's a go-to for global companies that need a highly structured, configurable solution.

Standout features:

• Rich personalization based on user roles
• AI-powered recommendations
• Microsoft and Google integrations
• Multilingual and multi-brand support

Ideal for: Large enterprises with global teams and complex requirements.
Limitations: High cost and long implementation time.

#6. Simpplr

Best for AI-driven content delivery and lifecycle comms

Simpplr’s strength lies in making large volumes of content feel personalized and accessible. With built-in AI and lifecycle capabilities, it helps organizations deliver the right information at the right time—especially useful for onboarding, change management, and HR comms.

Standout features:

• AI-powered content targeting
• Lifecycle campaigns (e.g., onboarding)
• User-friendly CMS
• Engagement analytics and sentiment tracking

Ideal for: Enterprises that want smarter content delivery.
Limitations: More focused on desk-based teams than mobile workers.

#7. Igloo

Best for governance and compliance-focused content management

Igloo offers a more traditional intranet experience with emphasis on document control, structured spaces, and knowledge management. It’s well-suited to organizations with strict compliance, approval workflows, or audit requirements.

Standout features:

• Version-controlled document repositories
• Approval workflows and access control
• Wiki-style knowledge base
• Integration with cloud storage systems

Ideal for: Legal, finance, and regulated industries.
Limitations: Interface can feel dated; not mobile-first.

#8. Jive (by Aurea)

Best for peer collaboration and internal communities

Jive prioritizes community-driven engagement. It’s a feature-rich platform that encourages social interaction, collaboration, and internal networking, with robust forums and group spaces for employee-led discussions.

Standout features:

• Community and interest groups
• Discussion threads and forums
• Recognition and gamification
• Advanced user activity analytics

Ideal for: Knowledge-sharing organizations with a culture of collaboration.
Limitations: UI feels less modern; slower updates and innovation.

#9. ThoughtFarmer

Best for small-to-mid teams that want a clean, simple intranet

ThoughtFarmer focuses on usability and simplicity. It offers enough flexibility to meet most intranet needs while staying easy to use for both employees and admins. It’s known for its approachable design and personal touch.

Standout features:

• Easy intranet editing tools
• Staff directory and org chart
• Localized content targeting
• Light project and task tools

Ideal for: Mid-sized companies that don’t need enterprise complexity.
Limitations: Not ideal for global scale or highly mobile teams.

#10. Basecamp

Best for teams focused on projects, not pages

While not an intranet in the traditional sense, Basecamp is a viable SharePoint alternative for small, project-driven teams. It consolidates file sharing, team comms, tasks, and scheduling into one easy-to-use platform.

Standout features:

• Message boards, to-dos, and docs in one place
• Calendar and schedule management
• File versioning and access control
• Notification control and auto-check-ins

Ideal for: Startups and small teams prioritizing execution over content architecture.
Limitations: Lacks structured intranet features like targeting, workflows, or internal news.

Final thoughts: Choosing the right SharePoint alternative

The best SharePoint alternative isn’t just about replacing software—it’s about enabling a better employee experience.

Ask yourself:

• Does this platform work for all employees—across roles, devices, and locations?
• Is it engaging, personalized, and intuitive?
• Will people actually use it?

If you want an intranet that employees love—not just tolerate—Blink is a powerful alternative worth exploring.

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Why teams choose Blink over SharePoint

SharePoint is a powerful document and content platform, but it was built for desk-based collaboration, not for reaching frontline workers who don't have a company email address or a laptop. Blink is mobile-first from the ground up, and is used daily by teams at McDonald's, Domino's, and Chick-fil-A. See how Blink compares.