Broadly started as a simple review-generation and website chat platform for local businesses, aiming to help service providers build credibility and convert leads. Over time, the tool has added basic messaging and web chat functions, but it remains mostly focused on helping small teams earn more Google reviews and respond to inbound inquiries.
As brands expand or manage multiple locations, they often need more than just review collection and chat support, and that’s where platforms like Birdeye deliver a more complete solution. With 200,000+ businesses using its AI-powered suite for listings sync across 200+ sites, automated review and message workflows, centralized inbox, and regional roll-up reporting, Birdeye is purpose-built to replace multiple point solutions.
A quick overview of Broadly
Broadly is a customer engagement and reputation management tool designed for local service-based businesses. Founded in 2013 and based in Oakland, California, Broadly combines review generation, web chat, and mobile messaging to help businesses acquire and communicate with customers. While its strength lies in simplicity for small teams, it lacks advanced features and business intelligence needed by growing or multi-location brands.
Broadly's core features
The following Broadly features summarize what the platform offers to small and local businesses:
1. Review generation and follow-up
Automatically sends SMS or email review requests to customers after service.
Monitors reviews across platforms like Google and Facebook.
2. Web chat and lead capture
The website chat widget helps capture inquiry details.
Offers 24/7 managed web chat for lead qualification.
3. Mobile messaging and unified inbox
Centralized inbox for SMS and web chat conversations.
Mobile app enables on-the-go customer communication.
4. Local listings and SEO management
Syncs business data across major directories.
Helps improve online findability and map ranking.
5. Customer campaigns and engagement
Send targeted email and SMS campaigns to nurture contacts.
Manage contact lists and automate periodic outreach.
6. Website and marketing add-ons
Optional website design, SEO, and social media services.
Designed for small teams wanting a single vendor.
Pricing and plans
Broadly pricing follows a subscription-based model that varies by business size, number of locations, and optional add-ons. The core package typically includes tools like web chat, inbox, and review requests, while optional services such as social media management, local SEO, and voice receptionist are available at an additional cost. Since broadly pricing is not listed publicly, businesses need to contact Broadly directly for a custom quote based on their needs.
Pros
Very easy to get started: Many users say Broadly is intuitive and short-learning-curve, allowing non-technical teams to launch review requests and chat quickly.
Strong review-generation capability: Users report that sending automated SMS/email review invites via Broadly helps improve Google/Facebook star ratings and overall reputation.
Unified inbox for chats and messages: The platform brings website chat, SMS, and messaging together in one interface, simplifying communication for small teams.
Good mobile support and flexibility: Many local-business reviewers appreciate that Broadly works well on mobile, enabling on-the-go message responses and review tracking.
SMB-oriented value and support: For small to mid-sized service businesses, Broadly is seen as offering good value and supportive customer service.
Being able to manage multiple platforms on one single dashboard is key for us. The ease of being able to monitor, respond, and track all of the reviews coming in from all the sites we are listed is amazing!
Limited advanced automation features: Several users say that while Broadly covers basic automation (review invites, chat), it lacks deeper rule-based workflows, multi-step bots, or enterprise-level automation capabilities.
Support and billing issues reported: Some reviews describe problems with customer support responsiveness, unexpected charges, or difficulties cancelling the service.
Feature breadth not suited for multi-location scale: Users expanding beyond a few locations say Broadly lacks mature features like roll-up reporting, enterprise permissions, and large-scale directory sync across many regions.
Cost-benefit concerns as needs grow: While initially good for SMBs, some users feel the value diminishes when adding features or locations, noting the cost goes up without clear ROI improvements.
Integration limitations: Some reviewers mention that native integrations and CRM/ERP links are limited, so they must use third-party tools (like Zapier) or manual workarounds to fit complex workflows.
Social media and advanced marketing modules are weaker: Broadly offer social posting and campaign tools, but users say these are basic and not on par with platforms built for marketing automation or enterprise social strategy.
Customer support was unresponsive and overall poor. Integration never fully automated. Very few actual reviews were collected. It just fell really short of what was promised and there wasn't an effort to improve it after numerous requests.
The product I was sold is no longer the product that is being used. It now only focuses on Google. When we joined Broadly the reviews were supposed to toggle to whatever platform the customer used most often. Also, it's not possible to delete past employees from reports
Why Broadly’s limitations drive businesses to switch to better alternatives
Although Broadly remains a solid starting point for small businesses looking to collect reviews and manage basic customer interactions, its limitations around automation, AI capabilities, and scalability prompt many growing companies to look elsewhere. Today’s businesses do not just need tools for managing feedback or live chat; they need platforms that centralize data, intelligently automate tasks, and offer deep insights across every customer touchpoint.
Modern customer experience platforms like Birdeye deliver everything Broadly does, but with more advanced technology built for growth. Birdeye integrates AI across review, messaging, social, and insights workflows, allowing businesses to automate engagement from the first touch to the final review.
Users also report that Broadly’s automation is mostly surface-level, limited to sending review invites or basic chatbot activity. At the same time, platforms like Birdeye offer multi-agent AI systems that collaborate across messaging, reviews, listings, surveys, and more for connected, scalable success.
Birdeye has transformed how we manage reviews across all our locations. Its centralized dashboard provides instant visibility into customer feedback, and automated alerts make sure no important comment slips through the cracks. The robust reporting tools help us identify trends and make data-driven decisions that enhance the customer experience. Thanks to Birdeye, managing our reputation at scale is now more streamlined and efficient
With platforms like Birdeye, multi-location brands are shifting from manual or fragmented workflows to AI-led systems that boost operational efficiency, enhance customer journeys, and contribute measurable value across regions and locations. As businesses scale, many find that Broadly’s basic review and chat capabilities no longer meet their evolving needs, driving a shift toward intelligent, enterprise-ready solutions built for growth.
Birdeye: Trusted by 200,000+ multi-location businesses for growth, visibility, and customer experience
Birdeye is the all-in-one platform for fast-growing franchise, enterprise, and multi-location teams. It combines reviews, listings, Search AI, social media, unified inbox, surveys, and customer insights into one scalable and user-friendly dashboard.
Trusted by over 200,000 businesses across healthcare, automotive, real estate, retail, and finance, Birdeye is recognized by G2, Capterra, and Forbes Advisor as the leader in customer experience platforms. From lead capture to reputation and AI-driven insights, Birdeye helps you manage your operations at scale while delivering exceptional customer experiences every step of the way.
Alternatives to Broadly
Broadly is often a starting point for review collection and basic customer communication. However, businesses that are expanding or managing multiple locations typically need stronger tools with deeper automation, AI capabilities, and a more complete customer experience platform. Here’s how other leading providers compare:
Platform
Birdeye (Preferred)
SOCi
Reputation.com
Yext
Podium
Pricing
Flexible, value-based pricing based on business size and goals. Contact for custom quote.
Small to mid-sized local businesses, healthcare, retail
Ease of use
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Support quality
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
AI Agents (Agentic AI)
10 included
2
3-4 (varies, not core)
0
1-2 (basic)
Review management
✅ Advanced AI
✅ Standard
✅ Advanced
✅ Standard
✅ Standard
Review collection
✅ Multi-channel
✅ Standard
✅ Advanced
✅ Basic
✅ SMS-based
Review monitoring
✅ 200+ sites
✅ Standard
✅ Comprehensive
✅ Standard
✅ Google, Facebook, niche sites
AI review responses
✅ Advanced NLP
✅ Standard
✅ Advanced
✅ Limited
✅ Limited
Multi-location management
✅ Enterprise-grade
✅ Specialized
✅ Advanced
✅ Advanced
⚠️ Basic
Social media management
✅ Full suite
✅ Specialized
✅ Advanced
✅ Basic
❌ Not core
Messaging & communication
✅ Omnichannel
✅ Standard
✅ Advanced
❌ Limited
✅ SMS + webchat
Lead management
✅ Advanced AI
❌ Basic
✅ Standard
❌ Basic
✅ SMS + inbox-based
Analytics & reporting
✅ Advanced insights
✅ Social-focused
✅ Comprehensive
✅ Advanced
✅ Basic
Integration ecosystem
✅ 3,000+ integrations
✅ Standard APIs
✅ Advanced APIs
✅ Enterprise APIs
✅ CRM + POS integrations
Competitive intelligence
✅ AI-powered
❌ Limited
✅ Advanced
❌ None
❌ None
Local SEO & listings
✅ Google Partnership
✅ Standard
✅ Advanced
✅ Specialized
✅ Advanced
Each of these platforms offers different strengths. But, if you are looking for the most complete reputation, messaging, and insights suite, powered by AI and built to scale, Birdeye is the standout choice.
How Birdeye dominates multi-location & advanced AI
Birdeye's unified AI platform brings together every aspect of customer experience, reviews, communication, listings, social, and insights into one intelligent system. Designed for growing and multi-location brands, Birdeye automates, optimizes, and personalizes every customer interaction, helping businesses outperform tools built only for reviews or lead capture.
Here's how each AI capability of Birdeye contributes to stronger results:
Reviews AI: Automates review requests across 200+ platforms, generates on-brand responses, and converts positive feedback into shareable marketing content.
Review Generation Agent: Sends review invites at optimal times.
Review Response Agent: Auto-generates reply drafts, understands tone & context.
Listings AI: Ensures accurate and consistent business information across 100+ directories. With Google Premier Partner status and Apple Business Connect integration, it strengthens local SEO and map visibility.
Listings Optimization Agent: Continuously analyzes and updates listings (keywords, images, descriptions) to boost local SEO.
Insights AI: Delivers in-depth performance analysis, competitive benchmarking, and AI-generated recommendations based on real business data and market trends.
Search AI: Improves brand visibility in AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT and Google’s generative results, tracking performance and prompt trends across regions.
Social AI: Creates brand-consistent social content, automates posting across locations, and analyzes engagement and competitor activity to improve local visibility.
Social Publishing Agent: Drafts and schedules content at scale.
Social Engagement Agent: Routes messages and replies with context and speed.
Search Optimization Agent: (In beta) autonomously analyzes AI-engine prompts, citation share, and can suggest or apply GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) changes.
Competitors AI: Tracks competing brands’ reviews, sentiment, and rankings to provide real-time market insights for smarter strategy and positioning.
Reports AI: Turns complex data into clear, visual summaries with AI-powered insights, trend detection, and plain-language reporting for quick decision-making.
Messaging AI: Combines SMS, web chat, email, and social messages in one inbox. Uses AI to summarize, route, and personalize responses for faster communication.
Surveys AI: Sends text-based or email surveys, analyzes feedback sentiment instantly, and provides actionable insights to improve customer satisfaction.
Referrals AI: Automates referral campaigns by identifying the right time to ask, personalizing each request, and tracking new customer acquisition through CRM integration.
Chatbot AI: Engages website visitors 24/7 through conversational AI, qualifies leads, answers FAQs, and books appointments, even when teams are offline.
Birdeye unifies every customer touchpoint into one AI-powered system that scales with your business. From local visibility to engagement, feedback, and insights, it delivers the intelligence and automation that Broadly lacks, making it the preferred choice for brands focused on growth, consistency, and measurable outcomes.
Broadly vs Birdeye
Category
Broadly
Birdeye AI
AI capabilities
Basic automation limited to review invites, chat replies, and follow-ups.
10+ specialized AI tools: Reviews, Messaging, Listings, Social, Insights, Surveys, Chatbot, Competitors, Search, Referrals, and Reports AI.
Multi-location management
Primarily for small, single-location businesses. Limited scalability beyond a few locations.
Enterprise architecture with centralized dashboards, roll-up reporting, and regional performance tracking.
Integrations
Limited integrations; often requires Zapier for CRM or workflow connections.
3,000+ prebuilt integrations with CRMs, PMS, POS, and marketing systems.
Review collection/monitoring
Review requests via SMS and email for Google and Facebook.
Automated review generation across 200+ platforms with centralized analytics and AI-driven reporting.
AI review responses
No AI response automation; manual replies required.
Advanced AI-generated responses using NLP, customizable tone, and brand consistency across all locations (10-10,000+).
Local SEO & listings
Basic directory updates with limited coverage.
AI-powered listings management and synchronization across 200+ directories with Google Premier and Apple Business Connect partnerships.
Messaging & communication
Basic inbox for SMS and web chat.
Unified inbox for SMS, web chat, social, and email with AI summarization and intelligent routing.
Social media management
Limited social posting tools
Full suite with AI-powered content creation, scheduling, and engagement analytics.
AI visibility & monitoring
No visibility tracking tools; only basic review monitoring
Search AI + Insights AI track search visibility, ranking shifts, keywords, sentiment, and brand coverage across platforms
Surveys & feedback
Manual email or SMS surveys with limited analytics.
Automated survey campaigns with AI sentiment analysis and real-time insights.
Insights & analytics
Basic review and chat reporting.
Insights AI delivers sentiment analysis, competitive benchmarking, and actionable recommendations.
Competitive benchmarking
Not available.
Competitors AI tracks reputation, reviews, and market positioning in real time.
Lead management
Basic website chat capture.
Chatbot AI and Messaging AI qualify leads, answer questions, and book appointments automatically.
Automation & workflows
Simple triggers for review requests and follow-ups.
Advanced, rule-based automation across reviews, messages, social, surveys, and alerts.
Scalability
Designed for small business use only.
Seamless scaling across enterprise and franchise networks with flexible permissions.
Customer support
Reports of slow response and billing issues.
24/7 dedicated enterprise support with success managers.
Pricing transparency
Custom pricing; limited visibility and scaling value.
Transparent enterprise pricing with volume discounts and clear ROI reporting.
AI Agents (Agentic AI)
None.
10+ specialized AI tools automating customer experience end-to-end.
Industry recognition
Focused on the small business category.
Recognized by G2, Capterra, Forbes, Google, and OpenAI as a CX platform leader.
Final recommendation: Choose based on your business needs
Choose Broadly if you:
Operate a single location or a small business team
Primarily need simple tools for review requests and basic web chat
Focus on collecting reviews from Google and Facebook through SMS or email
Have a limited budget and prefer a quick, minimal setup
Don’t require AI automation, social media tools, or advanced reporting
Choose Birdeye for enterprise success if you need:
Multi-location management with centralized dashboards and regional insights
Comprehensive AI automation across reviews, messaging, listings, social, and analytics
Enhanced local SEO and social media visibility
AI visibility across LLMs with structured content designed for improved discovery and citation in AI search results
3,000+ integrations with CRMs, POS, EMRs, and marketing systems
Competitive benchmarking, sentiment analysis, and actionable insights
Transparent enterprise pricing with 24/7 dedicated support
Conclusion: Scale your customer experience with enterprise-grade AI
Broadly supports small businesses with basic review collection and communication tools, but its limited automation and single-location focus can restrict growth. Birdeye, by contrast, delivers an integrated AI platform that connects reviews, messaging, social, listings, and insights, all in one place.
Over 200,000 multi-location businesses use Birdeye to streamline operations, improve visibility, and enhance customer engagement through advanced automation. For organizations seeking efficiency, scale, and measurable impact, Birdeye offers the complete AI-powered customer experience solution.
FAQs about Broadly
What is Broadly, and how does it work?
Broadly is a reputation management platform designed for small service-based businesses. It helps collect reviews, manage basic website chat, and improve local visibility.
How does Broadly compare to Birdeye’s AI suite?
Broadly offers foundational tools for reviews and messaging. Birdeye expands far beyond that, with 10+ AI tools, Reviews AI, Messaging AI, Insights AI, Competitors AI, and more, designed to automate and enhance every stage of the customer experience.
Can Broadly support multi-location operations like Birdeye?
Not effectively. Broadly is built for single-location use, while Birdeye supports large organizations with centralized dashboards, roll-up reporting, and user management across hundreds of sites.
How do pricing models differ between Broadly and Birdeye?
Broadly offers custom quotes with paid add-ons that can increase costs as your business scales. Birdeye provides transparent enterprise pricing with volume discounts and all-inclusive AI capabilities that deliver higher value for multi-location operations.
Disclaimer: The information in this comparison is based on publicly available sources. Birdeye does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of this information and cannot be held responsible for its use.
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