Report
Podium vs Text Request: Business Texting Services Comparison Report
You already know the value of business texting, now you just need to figure out which business texting service, Podium or Text Request, is the best fit for you.
Below we’ll cover the strengths and weaknesses of each business SMS solution, including features, pricing, and customer reviews, so you can walk away knowing which business texting service suits your business's needs.
What is Podium?
Podium is an AI-powered platform that enables businesses to attract and convert leads. They offer communication, marketing, payment, and review management tools.
Podium Strengths:
Decent for reputation management and gathering reviews
Integrations with CRMs and industry-specific tools
AI tools
Podium Weaknesses:
Starts at a higher price point compared to competitors
Mandatory lock-in contracts, typically annual commitments
More emphasis on review management than on two-way conversational texting
Customer support team is hard to reach
What is Text Request?
Text Request is an SMS platform that places an emphasis on custom contact lists, SMS payments, SMS review requests, and SMS marketing campaigns, in addition to two-way and bulk text messaging.
Text Request Strengths:
Strong focus on two-way, conversational texting
Excellent for managing online reviews and customer engagement
Unlimited users on all plans, great for teams
HIPAA compliance option
Has stronger conversational marketing options
Dedicated and easy to reach support team
Text Request Weaknesses:
Less AI options
Below we’ll cover more of these points in depth to help you determine which platform is best for your business’s individual needs.
Podium vs Text Request Features
Capterra users rate key features of Podium as a 59% fit for their needs, compared to Text Request’s at 64%. Overall satisfaction ratings are also slightly higher for Text Request, with a 4.6 out of 5 compared to Podium’s 4.3. Below is a detailed feature comparison between the two platforms.
Podium Pricing
Podium pricing is quote-based and generally starts around $399/month for their Core package, with costs increasing significantly depending on the number of locations and features added. The next tier offered is their Pro package, which includes all of the Core features and their AI capabilities. Finally, their Signature package offers the ability to build a custom plan based on your personal business needs. Annual contracts are mandatory, making it challenging for businesses to discontinue the service without facing penalties.
Podium Pricing Pros: Includes multiple products (reviews, payments, web chat) in one package, scales well for businesses with multiple locations.
Podium Pricing Cons: Higher starting price, contract commitment required, entry level plan has a low bulk messaging cap, some businesses might only need the texting function but must pay for the whole suite.
Text Request Pricing
Text Request starts at $59/month for 1,000 texts. Their tiered pricing is based on message volume, but often includes more "dashboards" (text lines) and features as you go up. High-volume plans go up to 250,000 texts for $2,750/month.
Text Request Pricing Pros: Unlimited users and contacts on most plans, more features included in our plans at higher tiers, and no contracts.
Text Request Pricing Cons: Some features like scheduled messages, review management, and keywords are add-ons with additional monthly costs.
Podium Reviews
Podium helps generates reviews quickly and boost local SEO rankings. Users like the all-in-one nature of the platform, but many note the steep cost and that they end up paying for features that aren’t always useful to them. Some reviews also mention limited flexibility in bulk texting and deep frustration with mandatory contracts and reaching support.
Text Request Reviews
Text Request is generally praised for its simple plug-and-play solutions for communication problems, and responsive customer support. Users value unlimited seats for team collaboration, strong review management tools, and integrations that improve daily workflows. Overall satisfaction is high thanks to user-friendly design and dedicated support team.
Which platform is best for you?
Podium is primarily focused on reputation management, review generation, and payments. If you are a local business owner and want an all-in-one solution (including webchat, payments, messaging, review generation), Podium is a strong option, especially if boosting your Google presence is a high priority. If your business structure is better suited to long-term commitments and bundled solutions, Podium’s annual contract model may fit your needs.
Text Request offers more diverse business texting solutions, emphasizing two-way conversational texting, customer engagement, and integrations with business tools. Businesses that need robust two-way communication, lead generation, customer service, and review management, and SMS marketing tools for multiple users or locations will benefit the most from using Text Request. If you prefer flexibility with no contracts, Text Request is the more adaptable choice.
