A Comparison of 15 of the Top Intranet Platforms

Summary

Today’s intranets are no longer outdated, clunky portals - they’re central to workplace communication, automation, and culture. In this blog, we compare 15 top intranet platforms and highlight the essential features to look for. From reseller support to enterprise scalability, Claromentis delivers the tools growing businesses need to thrive.

In the late 90s and early 00s, intranet software solutions were nothing more than clunky digital dumping grounds. Eager to make the post out of these platforms, organisations posted thousands upon thousands of communications without much consideration for UI, UX and employee engagement. They were nice to have but difficult to use; fun to create but garish to look at. 

Needless to say, we’ve come a long way since then. 

The intranets of today are not only slick in design and brimming with innovative features: they’re a fundamental keystone of the digital workplace. They underpin processes, facilitate collaboration, nurture connections, and breathe life into your culture and strategic goals. 

They’re no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a must-have. That’s why, when shopping around for a new platform, you shouldn’t make your decision lightly. With so much riding on this one solution, it’s important you choose the best option for your business – one that truly empowers your people and processes. 

To help you make this decision, we’ve compiled a comparison list of 15 of the top employee intranets on the market today. 

Setting expectations: Which standard intranet features should you expect? 

Before we jump into product comparisons and pros and cons, let’s first discuss feature fundamentals. If you’re new to the world of intranets – or you’re about to make a vendor switch – it’s important to understand what you should expect from your new platform. 

While all solutions differ (and some will offer more than others), most platforms will contain the following intranet features in their base packages: 

Communication and social networking 

Internal communications

UI and design functionality

Document management

Automated workflows and processes

Employee engagement and productivity

User permissions and data security

Tangible usability statistics 

Comparing the 15 best intranet software solutions

Now, let’s get stuck into what you’re really here for: the product overviews. 

In the following list, we’ll introduce you to 15 of the top intranet platforms on the market. Beneath each entry, we’ll feature a list of pros and cons to help you make your comparison. In the spirit of being as unbiased as possible, we’ve sourced these insights from trusted G2 customer reviews. 

1. Claromentis

This next contender has been delivering intranet solutions to businesses across the globe for 25 years. Available on-premise or in the cloud, Claromentis is a highly secure digital workplace solution with a comprehensive API. It consists of four impressive platforms: 

Each platform includes a wealth of powerful employee experience, internal communications, compliance and productivity features, with further generative AI capabilities in the works. 

The Claromentis team also provides a range of additional services to help you get the most from your investment. This includes; specialized custom application development; partner/reseller onboarding and support; Claromentis University learning materials; and full localization support. 

Pros 

Claromentis users love the quality, range and impact of features available within the solution, from the powerful automated e-forms to the detailed reporting. They also highly rate the platform’s intuitive customization, flexible deployment options, and supportive customer service team. 

Cons 

Some users have experienced difficulties with filtering content, searching for specific discussion threads, and finding platform support information. 

As a company, we take all feedback seriously and strive to deliver a stellar user experience for every customer. Our multiple Best Support and High Performer G2 badges are a testament to this commitment. 

Are there intranet software reseller opportunities with recurring revenue models and robust training?

Yes – some intranet providers offer structured reseller programs that include training and long-term revenue options. Claromentis provides a partner program with full onboarding, access to Claromentis University resources, marketing support, and recurring commission on licenses – ideal for resellers seeking a scalable offering with ongoing value.

What intranet solutions offer scalable features for companies with expanding workforces?

Scalability means more than user seats - it requires flexible permissions, custom workflows, and integration support as your organization grows. Claromentis is purpose-built for scaling businesses, offering modular apps, robust APIs, cloud or on-premise deployment, and detailed permissioning to support thousands of users across multiple locations.

2. Workvivo

Owned by Zoom, Workvivo is one of the most well known employee experience platforms on the market. It contains many of the features typical of an employee intranet with a few Zoom-inspired features, such as Workvivo TV. 

For those of you who are migrating from Meta’s Workplace, this corporate intranet software is the official partner of choice. (However, we suggest you research other vendors before committing blindly.)

Pros 

Users praise the platform’s user experience and range of communication features. 

Cons 

Conversely, many reviews criticize Workvivo’s slow application performance, complicated integrations, and lack of mobile compatibility. Some users also claim that the interface is confusing for anyone who isn’t tech savvy. 

3. Guru

Guru is a knowledge base and wiki platform with intranet capabilities. It allows organisations to create, share and translate content across distributed teams. 

Pros 

G2 users praise Guru for its centralized knowledge base features, which encourage information sharing, regular content updates, and process standardization. 

Cons 

The most cited disadvantage of Guru is its poor searchability. Specifically, users express frustration with finding specific information when entering a topic or query. The platform struggles to locate drafts and will sometimes recommend unrelated content. 

4. Simpplr 

Defined as an employee experience platform, Simpplr places heavy emphasis on cultivating a sense of belonging and wellbeing. Unlike some other platforms in this comparison list, the software contains automation and AI functionality. 

Pros 

Simpplr users praise the platform’s ease of use and collaboration features. 

Cons 

The biggest downside to Simpplr is its limited functionality and lack of features, with many users expressing frustration with expensive add-ons. Some small to mid-size companies also criticize the company’s poor customer support and inflexible onboarding approaches. 

5. Microsoft SharePoint 

A well known name in the intranet landscape, Microsoft SharePoint is a content management platform with the ability to create and distribute intranet pages. It’s included in most Microsoft 365 plans, making it a convenient option for many businesses. 

Pros 

The platform is easy to use and enables collaboration. As you might expect from Microsoft, it also contains a number of data management and security features. 

Cons 

Microsoft SharePoint is priced higher than many other competitors. In addition to this, users claim the platform lacks customization and suffers from inefficient searchability and performance. One common issue amongst G2 customers is the fact that only one person can access a file at any given time. 

6. Axero 

Axero is one of the smaller intranet vendors on the market. As well as providing internal communication applications, the solution also contains a number of enterprise social networking capabilities, including social media embedding and instant messaging. 

Pros 

Customers like that the platform offers a range of features, including content segmentation and personalization. 

Cons 

Users criticize the platform’s steep learning curve for new users, poor application design, and slow feature updates. There are also some accuracy issues with the platform’s search feature. 

7. Viva Engage (Yammer)

In 2023, Microsoft rebranded Yammer to Microsoft Viva Engage. (Though many still refer to the platform by its old name!) The platform specializes in enterprise social networking features, allowing employees to message one another, set up virtual town halls, and connect with leadership teams. 

Pros 

Viva Engage provides ample opportunities for employees to share knowledge, achievements, updates and more. In particular, users favor its intuitive social media functionality. 

Cons 

Many users describe the platform as clunky and outdated. Viva Engage also has issues with content filtering and excessive notifications, both of which can impede employee productivity and engagement. 

8. ThoughtFarmer

ThoughtFarmer contains a range of employee engagement, content management, communication and collaboration tools. The platform also offers some personalization and customization options. 

Pros 

G2 customers compliment the platform’s ease of use and intuitiveness. 

Cons 

The downsides of ThoughtFarmer include limited customization, complicated analytics, and some back end design issues. According to some customers, customizations beyond those included in the out-of-the-box package are priced at a high hourly fee. 

9. Happeo

Like many other intranet platforms in our list, Happeo comes ready-made with a suite of internal comms, employee experience, reporting and document management features. The platform also integrates well with Google Workspace. 

Pros 

Users compliment the platform’s simplicity, engaging content and ease of use. 

Cons 

The product features can be stiff, certain intranet features aren’t included in the base purchase, and some users cite frustration with non-real time analytics. 

10. Unily

Unily offers the typical features you would expect from an employee experience platform, including internal comms and communication tools. Unlike some other solutions on the market, they provide some interesting gamified experiences, such as voting-based ideation. 

Pros 

Users enjoy the platform’s customization, ease of use and ability to request new features.

Cons 

Additional features, such as branded mobile apps, come at an added price. Some users also cite problems with customer support and long ticket resolution times. 

11. Bonzai Intranet

Bonzai Intranet is an intranet solution for SharePoint and Microsoft 365. The out-of-the-box platform comes ready-made with pre-built templates and predictive navigation. 

Pros 

Some users enjoy the easily replicable templates on offer, which help to streamline the implementation and build process. 

Cons 

As to be expected from an out-of-the-box solution, Bonzai Intranet limits the amount of customization businesses can achieve. 

12. Jive

Jive is an employee engagement and cloud VoIP platform, created by software developers IgniteTech. The platform contains a range of communication, collaboration, engagement and analytics tools. 

Pros 

The platform is accessible from anywhere – including traditional phones when using a LAN adaptor. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface. 

Cons 

The platform suffers from slow development cycles and new features are few and far between. Some customers experience slow loading times and lag. 

13. Staffbase

Staffbase is an intranet, employee communications and internal comms app, built to drive engagement and nurture digital communities. 

Pros 

Staffbase customers frequently praise the timeliness and quality of the customer support team and onboarding process. 

Cons 

The platform has limited drag and drop functionality, making it difficult for users to rearrange and resize content. Some users believe the UX is clunky and find the platform complicated to use. 

14. Haystack

The four core pillars of the Haystack intranet are: communication, directory, knowledge and events. Predominantly, the software aims to bring teams together and improve knowledge distribution. 

Pros 

Customers like the platform’s UI and find it easy to locate resources. 

Cons 

Content can be crowded and overwhelming for some customers. There are also some limitations with certain features, such as reporting, search and live document editing. 

15. Igloo

Igloo aims to connect, engage and upskill workers across frontline and office environments. As such, they specialize in providing intranets for industries with deskless employees, such as hospitality and retail. 

Pros

The platform is easy to set up and encourages collaboration across dispersed teams. 

Cons

There are a limited number of page layouts and customizations. Some users struggle with searching for files and find the login process vexing. 

Comparing the best intranet platforms for medium-sized and enterprise businesses

While each platform in this list has its strengths, Claromentis offers the most comprehensive feature set for businesses who want an all-in-one digital workplace.

Here’s how Claromentis compares to other vendors:

• Workvivo. Claromentis includes broader functionality beyond social features, with BPA, LMS, and project management included.
• Guru. Claromentis offers a full intranet plus integrated knowledge management, while Guru is primarily a standalone wiki.
• Simpplr. Claromentis includes deeper automation, e-forms, and compliance tools without costly add-ons.
• SharePoint. Claromentis is more customizable and easier to use than SharePoint, and doesn’t require a Microsoft ecosystem.
• Axero. Claromentis supports enterprise scaling and multilingual deployment, with lower training overheads.
• Viva Engage (Yammer). Claromentis offers a more modern UX, granular access controls, and wider intranet functionality beyond enterprise social networking.
• ThoughtFarmer. Claromentis offers more in-built modules, fewer implementation fees, and richer document management.
• Happeo. Claromentis provides real-time analytics, flexible layout options, and full intranet features without gating key tools behind add-ons.
• Unily. Claromentis provides custom apps, reporting, and LMS in a single license, without charging extra for mobile access.
• Bonzai Intranet. Claromentis enables more flexibility and deeper customization than Bonzai’s out-of-the-box SharePoint templates.
• Jive. Claromentis evolves faster with a broader feature set, including automated workflows, training tools, and better UX.
• Staffbase. Claromentis supports full browser-based and mobile intranet use, not just mobile-first comms.
• Haystack. Claromentis includes built-in automation, audit logs, and broader compliance tooling that Haystack lacks.
• Igloo. Claromentis includes wider compliance and workflow automation capabilities, ideal for regulated industries.

Choosing your best intranet software: Why Claromentis should make your shortlist

We know what you’re thinking. Okay, so which intranet software is the best? 

Unfortunately, that’s a question only you can answer.

Much like any investment, what’s best for one company may not be the best for another. Therefore, you need to find an intranet that you believe will make a tangible, profitable difference to your business. This requires plenty of soul searching, independent research and platform demoing. 

That being said, we can say this with confidence: none of the intranets in this blog provide the same quality and breadth of features as Claromentis.

That’s because Claromentis isn’t just an employee intranet. 

Our solution contains four powerful platforms, included in every package at no additional cost. With these extra project management, BPA and e-learning features in your toolkit, you can:

So, if you’re looking for an intranet solution that goes the extra mile and outperforms the rest, look no further.
If you’d like to see Claromentis in action – and learn more about our range of features and pricing – book a tailored demo with our team today. We’d love to show you around.