Insights

Time to Upgrade Your Social Intranet: Top 5 SharePoint Alternatives for 2025

Written by Anete Vesere | Dec 5, 2024

Are you looking for SharePoint alternatives to boost your internal communications and ensure employee engagement? Check out this honest roundup and make the right pick based on facts.

When it comes to internal comms, SharePoint has been the go-to for desk-based teams forever—and honestly, it’s pretty great at what it does. With solid document management and integration features, it’s not hard to see why so many companies choose to rely on it. However, now is the time to broaden the horizon. You may wonder why?

So here’s the thing: the workplace has changed by leaps and bounds and is no longer just about who’s sitting at a desk. You've got hybrid teams, employees working from home, and most importantly, a huge chunk of the workforce is on the move—whether they’re on the frontline, in the field, or working different shifts. These employees aren’t tapping away at desktops and need quick, mobile-first access to stay in the loop. And this is where SharePoint can start to feel... not quite enough, as it’s not exactly built for the fast, mobile-first world of frontline teams. 

So, what’s the easiest way to bridge that gap? Integrating it with tools like Speakap to get the best of both worlds. You get to keep the structure that works for your desk-based employees, while Speakap gives your deskless teams the mobile-friendly tools they need to stay connected and engaged. That’s not the only option, though,

In this blog, we’ll explore five SharePoint alternatives for supercharging your internal comms for today’s modern, mixed workforce—and, yep, Speakap’s up first. Let’s get started, shall we?

Here are the best social intranet options for 2025 and beyond

1. Speakap

Speakap is more than just an intranet platform. You could think of it like the Swiss Army knife of employee communication. You can brand it to match your company vibe and easily connect with everyone—right from those on the frontline to those in the corner office. It’s mobile-optimized (so no one’s left fumbling with desktop-only access), easily integrates with HR systems, and comes loaded with onboarding, training, and scheduling features. It’s literally the all-in-one employee experience platform that makes you wonder why more companies(or even you for that matter) haven’t jumped on board already!

Key features of Speakap:

  • Branded employee app: Speakap lets you build a fully branded employee engagement app that your employees can easily recognize and trust. It’s designed to create a seamless, easy-to-navigate experience for all your employees unique to your brand. We’d say the customization features stand out for organizations with a strong identity that they want to reinforce internally.

  • HR system integration: Speakap's smooth integration with various HR systems is a significant practical advantage. The extensive integrations help you streamline workflows and automatically sync essential data to ensure a consistent flow of employee-related information across platforms. In short, cut out the extra work(we’d all rather avoid)! Not only does this feature save time, but it also reduces manual errors and keeps all departments on the same page. Win-win!

  • Mobile optimization: Speakap is built with a mobile-first mindset, an essential feature in today’s world, where frontline and remote workforces are rising. Using Speakap’s platforms, your employees can access the platform anywhere, anytime—without needing to be tied to a desktop. This high focus on mobility makes it a standout choice for companies with a high percentage of frontline or on-the-go employees.

  • Additional engagement features: Beyond the basics, Speakap goes the extra mile as an end-to-end employee experience platform. It comes with lots of useful features for simplifying and streamlining onboarding, training, task management, and workplace messaging. Using it, there’s no need for the extra work to schedule shifts or create team training sessions. Speakap’s got it covered, all in one platform.

In short: Speakap brings a fresh, modern approach to the traditional intranet. It’s got a targeted focus on employee engagement, got seamless integration options and doubles up as a holistic employee experience platform.

2. ClearPoint Strategy

ClearPoint Strategy is built with a different angle in mind. So, it’s less of a social intranet platform and more of a strategic planning and performance management tool. This could be your intranet pick if you prioritize data-driven decision-making over other stuff like engagement.

Key Features of ClearPoint:

  • Strategic planning and performance management: ClearPoint offers features specifically for strategic planning and tracking performance metrics. 
  • Customization and data visualization: ClearPoint comes with customization and visualization tools. These allow users to tailor dashboards and data presentations to align with specific business goals and help to analyze and interpret performance data quickly.
  • Automation and integration: ClearPoint automates several routine tasks, thereby reducing manual data entry and errors. It integrates with popular tools like Excel, Power BI, and CRM systems, allowing businesses to pull data from various sources.
  • Mobile optimization: While we don’t mean it’s not mobile-friendly, in all honesty, it’s way less mobile-focused than Speakap if this feature matters to you. 

In short: ClearPoint could be a social intranet contender for companies that need a tool to centralize strategic data for overall business improvement. However, it’s mobile optimization features could be better. 

3. ThoughtFarmer

ThoughtFarmer has been in the intranet space for a while and is known for its user-friendly approach, emphasizing ease of use and customization.

Key Features of ThoughtFarmer:

  • Ease of use and customization: ThoughtFarmer’s straightforward design makes it a good pick for companies looking for a reliable, no-fuss platform. It’s quite customizable, allowing each company to tailor the intranet to fit their needs.
  • Mobile App and Integrations: ThoughtFarmer offers a fully featured mobile app, which is helpful for teams that need on-the-go access. It integrates with Google Workspace, Office 365, and other commonly used software.
  • HR System integration: The platform does offer integrations with a few HR systems. However, its choices aren’t as comprehensive as Speakap, which comes with dedicated HR sync features to enhance workflow simplicity and data consistency.

In short: ThoughtFarmer is a reliable choice that you can consider. However, a point to consider more is its lack of extensive HR integrations and advanced engagement features, which can be quite helpful.

4. Jostle

Jostle takes a simplified approach to internal communication, making it an ideal pick for smaller organizations or companies that value minimalism in their tools. It’s straightforward, easy to navigate, and designed to encourage team interaction.

Key Features of Jostle:

  • Simplicity and effectiveness: Jostle’s platform is designed to streamline communication for smaller teams. It’s got a minimal learning curve and setup time.
  • Communication and collaboration: The platform is suited to boost communication within smaller groups, especially those who don’t need extensive functionality.
  • Scalability: While Jostle works well for small to mid-sized teams, it may not be the best fit for larger or growing organizations. If you compare it to Speakap, the latter offers a much more scalable solution that can better adapt to growing business and evolving communication needs.

In short: Jostle is a practical, no-frills choice for teams with basic comms needs. If that’s you, you can go ahead. However, if you’re a larger or growing company, we’d say go for something with more robust features that you can continue using in the future, too.

5. LumApps

LumApps's visually appealing interface and AI-powered features give its intranet a fresh look. We’d say this one is a good option for companies focused on user experience and advanced search capabilities.

Key Features of LumApps:

  • AI-powered platform: LumApps leverages AI to improve user experience, providing a smart, intuitive interface. It allows employees to find what they need efficiently.

  • User Experience and search capabilities: The Lumapps platform has a modern design and good search functionality. These enhance its overall usability and make it easier for employees to locate resources on the intranet.

  • HR integration: LumApps also offers HR integration. However, in contrast, Speakap’s focus on HR system synchronization ensures a much more seamless experience, especially for companies with extensive HR requirements.

In short: LumApps is an attractive option if you prioritize aesthetics and advanced search. However, its HR integration might not be as tailored as Speakap’s.

Next steps: Make your pick to strengthen internal comms

As we’ve just discussed, each platform on this list offers distinct strengths. There’s no single right choice, but you need to pick the best for you based on your needs. 

If you’re looking for a social intranet solution that prioritizes employee engagement, mobile accessibility, connectivity, and ease of use, Speakap truly stands out. It’s the all-in-one employee experience platform that lets you keep your employees connected and aligned with your brand values, regardless of location. 

Check out Speakap's solutions to learn how its social intranet platform can elevate your internal communication strategy. 

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