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Firstup
Firstup alternative: Speakap vs. Firstup
Whether you're exploring options for enhancing communication and engagement within your organization, or seeking a platform tailored to the needs of frontline workers, this comparison will help you make an informed decision.
Speakap: #1 alternative to Firstup
Speakap is the award-winning employee experience platform intentionally built to improve internal communications and engagement with your frontline workforce. Whether your goals are seamless employee communication or improving employee satisfaction and productivity, Speakap ensures that your corporate news travels from headquarters to the production floor easily and efficiently via one social intranet.
Pros:
- Easy integration with HR systems: With Speakap, there are two ways to create your own employee hub: with built-in features like Task Management, and API marketplace to integrate all your employee tools.
- Simple setup and adoption: No complex IT involvement or desktop dependence.
- Intuitive interface: Designed for mobile-first users, Speakap is simple and easy to use, even for those with limited tech experience.
- Multiple communication channels: Cater to diverse communication preferences.
- Organized information flow: Hierarchy ensures clarity and simplifies navigation.
- Engaging features: Polls, quizzes, and recognition boost morale and participation.
- Actionable insights: Track sentiment, engagement, and key performance indicators.
- Seamless onboarding: No need for complex Azure setup, Speakap is quick and easy to deploy for non-desk workers.
- Employee Journeys: Create and implement easy-to-follow workflows for onboarding, training, and informing employees on latest safety and compliance updates. With the AI integration, effortlessly generate engaging, step-by-step employee journeys.
- Efficient Task Management. From the small stuff to the big picture, an employee task management system helps you organize work so teams know what to do, why it matters, and how to get it done.
- Easy-to-use Knowledge Base. Equip your employees with essential content personalized to their roles and deliver precise updates on their personal timelines, categorized by team, department, or location.
- Intuitive interface: Designed for mobile-first users, Speakap is simple and easy to use, even for those with limited tech experience.
- Improved communication: Bridge the communication gap between frontline and desk workers with real-time updates, polls, and surveys.
- Enhanced engagement: Boost employee morale and recognition with gamification, rewards, and personalized content.
- Cost-effective: Speakap offers transparent pricing and affordable plans to fit your budget.
Cons:
- Size considerations: For smaller organizations with fewer than 100 employees, cost considerations and resource availability may impact the suitability of Speakap.
Firstup
Firstup is an enterprise-oriented employee communication platform offering advanced features and functionalities. While it caters to large organizations, its complex approach might be excessive for smaller businesses, potentially leading to unnecessary features and costs.
Pros:
- Advanced features and functionalities: Offers robust capabilities like analytics and content management, catering to complex communication needs.
Cons:
- Limited functionalities for other industries: May not be suitable for organizations outside of retail or with diverse employee roles.
- Focus on sales-driven approach: Pricing details not readily available, potentially requiring contact with sales representatives.
Let's compare Speakap with
Firstup
to see which platform might be a better fit for your organization
Feature
Speakap
Firstup
Comparison Summary
Designed for Deskless Employees
✅ Built from the ground up for frontline, non-desk employees
✅ Supports deskless workers but initially built for enterprise comms
Speakap has a deeper UX focus on operational/frontline teams, while Firstup serves a broader audience
All-in-One Employee Experience Platform
✅ Fully integrated platform: comms, engagement, onboarding, training, analytics
⚠️ Advanced comms & EX orchestration, less native onboarding/training
Speakap connects communication, training, and engagement into a single flow
HQ-to-Frontline Communication
✅ Structured top-down, bottom-up, and peer-to-peer
✅ Personalized content delivery engine; top-down primarily
Speakap supports richer two-way communication, Firstup excels in targeted delivery at scale
Content-Rich Messaging & Posts
✅ Rich posts (video, polls, mentions, attachments) + chat
✅ Dynamic storytelling content engine, campaigns, journeys
Firstup is strong in orchestrated storytelling, Speakap is better for real-time engagement and functional comms
Private & Group Messaging
✅ Native 1:1 and group chat with moderation tools
⚠️ Messaging not native; focused on content distribution
Speakap offers built-in communication layers, Firstup requires integrations or external tools
News & Announcements
✅ Targeted news updates, scheduling, tracking, segmentation
✅ Personalized campaign-based announcements, lifecycle content
Both strong, Firstup excels in orchestration, Speakap in agility and admin simplicity
Employee Engagement Tools
✅ Recognition, pulse surveys, engagement dashboards
✅ Sentiment analysis, content reach, survey integrations
Firstup excels in sentiment analysis at scale, Speakap provides integrated engagement tools in daily workflows
Personalized Employee Experience
✅ Role/location/team-based delivery, full branding
✅ Smart content personalization engine, lifecycle targeting
Both platforms score high — Speakap is easier to configure for decentralized teams, Firstup great for orchestrated content journeys
Workforce Insights & Analytics
✅ Comms engagement dashboards, campaign metrics, location tracking
✅ Strong content performance analytics, sentiment tracking
Firstup strong in digital campaign analytics, Speakap stronger in EX and frontline comms analytics
Onboarding & Training
✅ Native onboarding journeys and microlearning tools
⚠️ Onboarding via content journeys only, no LMS structure
Speakap supports HR-led onboarding and L&D natively
Admin & Operational Tools Comparison
Feature
Speakap
Firstup
Comparison Summary
Compliance & Microlearning
✅ Native microlearning and compliance training
⚠️ Not a core feature; compliance via campaigns or LMS integrations
Speakap integrates learning directly, Firstup is campaign-oriented
Task Management
✅ Lightweight task flows, team-level tracking
⚠️ No built-in task module; external tools required
Speakap supports team ops workflows, Firstup lacks task support
Knowledge Base & Searchability
✅ KB with multilingual support and smart search
✅ Content targeting engine with personalization
Firstup great at personalized delivery, Speakap better for structured KB in decentralized teams
Advanced Search & Categorization
✅ Smart filters, tagging, cross-platform search
✅ Search by topics, AI-driven content routing
Firstup more advanced in AI tagging, Speakap better for ease of use
Mobile & Desktop Support
✅ Native mobile apps + desktop platform
✅ Fully responsive platform across devices
Equal strength in access
Integration Capabilities
✅ HRIS, LMS, scheduling tools, open API
✅ Advanced orchestration engine with deep integration (Workday, ServiceNow, M365, etc.)
Firstup wins on enterprise-grade orchestration, Speakap excels in plug-and-play EX use cases
Custom Branding & White-Labeling
✅ Fully white-labeled interface, deeply branded UX
⚠️ Visual branding supported, full white-labeling less prominent
Speakap offers deeper brand immersion in the employee experience
Customer Support & Success
✅ Dedicated onboarding and success management
✅ Enterprise deployment specialists and success teams
Both offer high-level support — Speakap offers faster admin enablement for EX/HR teams
Pricing Comparison:
Firstup pricing utilizes a custom quote approach tailored to individual organizational needs. This can be beneficial for receiving a solution tailored to your specific needs, but it also makes upfront cost comparisons challenging.
Speakap pricing & packages are subscription-based pricing models billed per user, per month (annually). Contact the Speakap team today to request a personalized quote tailored to your organization’s specific needs.
Speakap vs Firstup: Final Thoughts
While both Speakap and Firstup offer employee communication solutions, Speakap emerges as the more accessible and user-friendly option for most organizations, especially those with smaller teams and a focus on affordability. Here's a breakdown:
Choose Speakap if:
- Your organization is smaller or has limited technical resources: Speakap's simple setup and intuitive interface minimize the need for IT expertise, making it easier to implement and manage compared to Firstup's potentially complex approach.
- Cost transparency and affordability are crucial: Speakap offers clear and affordable pricing plans upfront, allowing you to budget effectively, unlike Firstup's custom quote approach which can make cost comparisons difficult and potentially lead to hidden fees.
- Engaging with your workforce is a priority: Speakap's robust engagement features like gamification, polls, and recognition tools foster a more interactive and stimulating work environment compared to Firstup's limited offerings in this area.
Even if:
- Your organization has complex communication needs: Speakap's core features are designed to effectively address common communication challenges, while also offering the flexibility to integrate with additional tools through its API marketplace if additional functionalities are required in the future.
Remember:
- Speakap empowers all employees: Its mobile-first design and user-friendly interface ensure everyone, regardless of their role or location, can easily access and contribute to communication.
- Speakap is future-proof: The platform's adaptability and focus on user experience position it well to meet the evolving needs of diverse workforces and communication styles.
While Firstup might be suitable for large organizations with intricate communication requirements and dedicated IT resources, for most businesses seeking a user-friendly, engaging, and cost-effective employee communication platform, Speakap presents a compelling alternative. However, as always, conducting thorough research and trials to determine the best fit for your specific context is crucial before making a final decision.
What customers say about using Speakap
We've helped businesses just like yours make the shift to employee experience.
And we’ve got the 5-star reviews and detailed success stories to prove it.
And we’ve got the 5-star reviews and detailed success stories to prove it.
We've seen outstanding engagement, with 90% of users active daily and 40% active monthly, far exceeding our expectations!
Simone Meesters
Communications Officer at Viggo
Investing in a communication platform like Speakap is absolutely worth it. It simplifies operations, connects your team, and creates a collaborative culture.
Breann Hall
Director, Retirement & Community Care at Fairview Parkwood Communities
Speakap has been essential in keeping our team informed, aligned, and ready to adapt.
Lindsay Eagleson
Retirement Administrative Lead at Parkwood Seniors Community
Since the app AGM Connect was implemented, our internal communication has transformed. We have transitioned from traditional bulletin boards to a digital platform.
Cynthia Drumond
Senior Graphic Designer & Marketing Communications at AGM Container Controls
One of the biggest improvements we’ve seen is the speed at which we can relay important updates to our entire team. For instance, when we receive last-minute changes to event schedules or special guest requests, we can quickly notify the relevant teams through Speakap.
Janneke Veldhoen
Human Resource Manager at Hotel Okura Amsterdam
It used to take us a week to gather information from service stations, format it into newsletters, and distribute it. You can imagine how challenging it was to keep these newsletters up to date. Speakap has turned this around!
Fleur Donker
Project Manager at Shell
Since using Speakap, we have seen a 93% activation rate and a 53% boost in engagement. Speakap has transformed our internal communication for the better.
Delal Salah
Internal Communications Manager at Martha's Table
We absolutely love the product - it's so easy to use and has been a fantastic shift away from traditional communication channels.
Serina Donkin
Head of Communications and Engagement at Rank Group
The charm of what we created via Speakap lies in its ability to unite people throughout South Florida. Each team member can witness the celebrations, appreciations, and creations unique to every location.
Joelle Elias
Executive Director of Operations at Pura Vida Miami
The implementation of Speakap enables us to easily interact with our employees on a daily basis, and helps RCE being one strong employer brand for all of our concepts and locations.
Mariska Ramp
Marketing & Communication Coordinator at Restaurant Company Europe
Our goal was simple: connect with and recognize every worker, everywhere. Thanks to Speakap and Awardco, we’ve not only reached this goal but have also enhanced our app adoption.
Lance Semenko
CEO at Q&D Construction
We chose Speakap because it brings structure to how we want to communicate with each other and it bridges the communication gap between office, project and service staff.
Huib van Kuilenburg
BAM Bouw en Techniek
Speakap has changed the way we communicate for the better. It’s made everything so much clearer and brought everyone together in one place. Now, our team is more engaged, and everyone feels part of the bigger group.
Erik Groen
Process & Project Manager at Royal Den Hartogh Logistics
If you know how to use Facebook, which almost everyone does, you can use Speakap. It's this accessibility which makes it fun for me and my team to actively use and engage with the platform and with colleagues throughout our locations.
Hans van der Ploeg
Team Leader Sales Support at Van Geloven
The best alternative for complex and expensive communication platforms
From Captera
Invaluable team communication resource for anything imaginable!
Grom G-crowd
Super happy with the service and tools of Speakap! Amazing platform :)
From Google
We needed a platform that was easy to use, that could be tailored to our brand and matched our purpose. That's why we chose Speakap.
Jade Casey
Puttshack UK
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