In a very competitive digital environment, customer engagement platforms have been an important aspect of business that aims to develop strong and long-lasting relationships with its audience. They allow automation of the communication process, making it more personal and providing an identical experience across various channels, such as email, SMS, social media, live chat, and others. This list of the top 10 customer engagement platforms is chosen due to their omnichannel and automation capabilities, personalization, usability, integrations, scalability, and affordability.
Marketers, customer service teams, product managers, and even developers will find them perfect for improving customer journeys and loyalty. These platforms help businesses to get insights about their customers and enable automation, thereby making them proactive. Startup or enterprise, regardless of where you find yourself, these tools will offer the infrastructure required to ensure that you can meet the ever-changing needs of your customers and ensure that you can create relevant, rich experiences at every point in the customer journey.
Criteria for Selecting the Best Customer Engagement Platforms
The key features of the best customer engagement platforms are the following criteria for their selection:
- Omnichannel communication: It must be capable of supporting various channels, including email, SMS, social media, live chat, and in-app messaging, in order to provide a unified customer experience.
- Personalization capabilities: Find tools that offer AI-powered or rule-based personalization; this way, you will be able to tailor messages and experiences based on how your customers behave and what they like.
- Automation and workflows: They will include campaign, customer journey, and engagement workflow automation on powerful platforms to save time and build consistency.
- Analytics and reporting: In order to measure the success of engagement and optimize strategies, real-time insights, customer journey tracking, and performance metrics are needed.
- Integration options: The platform must be easy to integrate with CRM, marketing, eCommerce, and other business applications.
- Scalability and flexibility: Choose a solution that can scale to your business and can be able to evolve with time in terms of customer expectations and technology trends.
- User experience and interface: A clean, descriptive UI can boost the efficiency of an entire team, in addition to reducing the amount of time spent on training new users.
- Security and compliance: Make sure that the platform can address data privacy regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, and provide safe data management.
- Customer support: Efficient and competent customer service is essential to problem-solving and platform optimization.
- Cost-effectiveness: Compare the pricing model with the features provided to have a proper alignment with the price and the features provided, in regard to your budget and desired ROI.
Comparison Between the Best Customer Engagement Platforms
Here is a comparison table of the top 10 customer engagement platforms, including key features, pricing, use cases, and official websites:
| Platform | Key Features | Pricing (Starting At) | Best Use Cases | Website |
| FlareLane | Cross-channel messaging, real-time tracking, AI segmentation, webhooks | Custom (Free trial available) | Startups, ecommerce, mid-sized agile brands | flarelane.com |
| Braze | Real-time messaging, AI personalization, push/in-app/email, journey builder | Quote-based | Mobile apps, enterprise consumer brands | braze.com |
| MoEngage | Predictive analytics, SMS/email/push, user journeys, retention focus | Custom pricing | Ecommerce, D2C, mobile-first businesses | moengage.com |
| Iterable | Multi-channel orchestration, data activation, AI recommendations | Quote-based | Data-driven marketing, SaaS, fintech | iterable.com |
| CleverTap | Mobile engagement, real-time analytics, in-app/push messaging, segmentation | ₹6000/month | Mobile apps, gaming, fintech, retention strategies | clevertap.com |
| ActiveCampaign | Email marketing, CRM, automation, SMS, AI content tools | $15/month | SMBs, solopreneurs, small marketing teams | activecampaign.com |
| Salesforce (Emarsys) | CRM, AI-driven engagement, omnichannel automation, personalization | Starts at $25/month | Enterprises, global brands with complex workflows | salesforce.com |
| Zendesk | Omnichannel support, AI bots, ticketing, Sunshine CRM | $25/month/agent | Customer service-heavy teams, SaaS, B2B support | zendesk.com |
| HubSpot | CRM, email marketing, automation, live chat, inbound tools | Free (Paid from $15/month) | Startups, SMBs, inbound marketers | hubspot.com |
| Gupshup | WhatsApp/SMS bots, LLM replies, chat automation, no-code builder | Usage-based (Custom) | WhatsApp-first brands, conversational marketing, retail | gupshup.io |
List of Top 10 Customer Engagement Platforms
1. FlareLane
FlareLane is a customer engagement platform in real-time that aids businesses in reaching out to customers via email, SMS, push notifications, and webhooks. It is reputable in AI-powered audience segmentation, rapid time to value, and easy management of the campaign triggered by behavior. It is built to be agile and customized, specifically helpful to D2C and e-commerce brands that need rapidly iterating campaigns.
FlareLane is already integrated with the most popular CRMs and analytics tools, so it is simple to connect customer data across systems. Its lighter feature set and attentive support make it a perfect match for growth-oriented businesses, although it cannot compete with enterprise tools in terms of some of the deeper analytics.
Key Features
- Real-time user tracking
- Cross-channel messaging (email, SMS, push, webhooks)
- AI-driven audience segmentation
- Campaign automation workflows
- CRM and analytics integrations
Pros
- Easy integration with modern tech stacks
- Fast deployment for time-sensitive campaigns
Cons
- Less known compared to legacy platforms
- Limited advanced analytics compared to enterprise tools
Pricing
Custom pricing (Free trial available)
Who Should Use It?
Startups, D2C brands, or mid-size businesses needing agile, omnichannel engagement.
2. Braze
Braze is an effective customer engagement platform that focuses on real-time, individualized messaging throughout mobile and web channels. It allows email, push notifications, in-app messages, and webhooks, which help marketers to build detailed, automated customer experiences. Braze helps to produce targeted experiences at scale with such features as AI content personalization, A/B testing, and data visualization.
Mobile-first brands and enterprise teams love to use it to increase retention. It might be more expensive to learn, and Braze might be a better choice due to its reliability, scalability, and richness of integrations, such as mobile SDKs to increase app engagement and user lifecycle marketing.
Key Features
- Mobile and web push notifications
- In-app and email messaging
- AI content personalization
- Behavior-triggered campaigns
- Strong data visualization tools
Pros
- Powerful mobile SDK support
- High deliverability and personalization
Cons
- Can get expensive for growing companies
- Steeper learning curve for non-tech teams
Pricing
Quote-based pricing
Who Should Use It?
Mobile app-based businesses and consumer brands with strong digital traffic.
3. MoEngage
MoEngage is an AI-based customer engagement platform that helps to increase user retention and journeys by using automation and cross-channel messaging. It assists companies in understanding behavior and communicating using push, email, SMS, and in-app messages in a personalized way. MoEngage allows data-driven marketing with its journey builder, segmentation, and predictive analytics, which are customizable to each individual user.
It has a solid presence in mobile and e-commerce verticals, where repeat behavior and user retention are the most important factors. Although the platform has certain complex elements on the surface, with its emphasis on lifecycle marketing and robust analytics, it is more than worth considering in case a business aims to scale engagement in a targeted manner.
Key Features
- Predictive AI analytics
- Journey builder with push, SMS, and email
- Dynamic user segmentation
- Product and cart-based targeting
- A/B testing
Pros
- Excellent for retention marketing
- Strong international support
Cons
- Slightly complex UI for beginners
- Limited integrations in some regions
Pricing
Custom pricing
Who Should Use It?
E-commerce and mobile-first companies focus on retention and behavior-based targeting.
Suggested Article: Best AI Customer Support Software
4. Iterable
Iterable is a growth marketing automation platform that allows multi-channel marketing campaigns powered by data. It provides email, SMS, push, and in-app messaging so that users can build unified customer experiences. Iterable, with its sophisticated segmentation, experimentation (A/B and multivariate testing), and AI recommendations, is best suited to companies that want to personalize their outreach efforts at scale.
It has APIs that are developer-friendly and flexible data integration, which makes it more appealing to SaaS and tech companies. Although it needs some preparation and technical knowledge, the performance and scalability of Iterable provide an attractive proposal to brands aiming at the optimization of communication through various touchpoints.
Key Features
- Cross-channel journey orchestration
- AI recommendations
- Multivariate and A/B testing
- Data activation via APIs
- Advanced segmentation
Pros
- Great personalization capabilities
- Developer-friendly APIs
Cons
- Premium pricing
- Can be complex to set up
Pricing
Custom quote-based
Who Should Use It?
Data-driven marketers in SaaS, media, or fintech who prioritize experimentation and personalization.
5. CleverTap
CleverTap is a mobile-first customer engagement platform, that is retention and user-lifetime value-centered. It provides real-time analytics, AI segmentation, in-app messaging, and omnichannel marketing tools to assist brands in reaching users with personalized content. CleverTap has a reputation for behavioral targeting, funnels, cohorts, and automation.
It does best in fintech, gaming, and e-commerce, where messaging needs to be on point and on time. The user interface is not as intuitive as it could have been meant to be especially for first-time users, but its data tools are powerful, making it stand out as a mobile app when it comes to engagement. It’s most appropriate when a company aims at generating loyalty and decrease user churn.
Key Features
- In-app messaging and push notifications
- Real-time analytics and insights
- Funnels, cohorts, and retention reports
- AI segmentation and personalization
- A/B testing
Pros
- Best for mobile app engagement
- Rich user analytics
Cons
- Limited desktop functionality
- UI could be more intuitive
Pricing
Starts at ₹6000/month; custom pricing available
Who Should Use It?
Mobile-first businesses seek to maximize app usage and customer lifetime value.
6. ActiveCampaign
ActiveCampaign is a platform-based email marketing, CRM, marketing automation, and chat all-in-one. It fits perfectly well in small to mid-sized companies that desire the strength of automation without the complexity of the enterprise. ActiveCampaign offers tools to create personalized email sequences, lead scoring, sales tracking, and now generative AI, enabling users to establish meaningful relationships with customers at scale.
It is both visual (easy to use) and has many integrations, making it flexible. On the one hand, its CRM is simpler than that of certain competitors, but the general value and scale are remarkable. It particularly works well with solopreneurs, agencies, and startups in need of an affordable, but powerful solution.
Key Features
- Email automation workflows
- Built-in CRM
- Lead scoring and segmentation
- SMS and live chat integration
- AI content assistance
Pros
- Affordable for SMBs
- Easy to use and scale
Cons
- CRM is basic compared to HubSpot
- Limited for complex enterprise needs
Pricing
Starts at $15/month (Lite); higher tiers available
Who Should Use It?
Small-to-mid businesses and solopreneurs need affordable, integrated automation.
7. Salesforce (Customer 360 / Emarsys)
Customer 360 and Emarsys are robust ecosystems of sales, marketing, service, and analytics tools that are provided by Salesforce. It offers real-time personalization, cross-channel automation, predictive analytics, and AI-powered decisions. Salesforce is a perfect choice to suit the needs of large enterprises, as it allows extensive integration of customer data throughout all touchpoints, including email, web, mobile, and others.
Emarsys throws customer journey orchestration and commerce-centered campaigns into the equation. Though it is an effective remedy to omnichannel engagement, it is expensive and complex. Salesforce will be very effective and customizable in organizations that have committed technology teams and require massive coordination of CRM.
Key Features
- Unified customer data across channels
- Predictive engagement and AI
- Email, mobile, web orchestration
- Campaign personalization and A/B testing
- Enterprise analytics
Pros
- Deep CRM and marketing integration
- Best for enterprise-scale needs
Cons
- High cost of ownership
- Requires technical resources to manage
Pricing
Starts at $25/month (varies by module)
Who Should Use It?
Enterprises and global organizations need end-to-end engagement and analytics.
8. Zendesk
Zendesk is a customer service platform that, in addition to multi-channel, allows chat, voice, email, and social media engagement. It is designed to optimize customer support teams through automation, AI bots, and an integrated agent interface. The Sunshine CRM infrastructure by Zendesk allows companies to centralize their data in order to build customized support experiences.
It is not a conventional marketing platform, but its advantage is conversation-based involvement and responsive service. It is ideal when it comes to support-oriented teams that require stable ticket management and customer knowledge. It might not have outbound marketing tools, but scalability, integrations, and Zendesk’s strong helpdesk capabilities place it at the top of service-based engagement.
Key Features
- Voice, chat, email, and social support
- Automated ticketing and workflows
- AI-powered bots (Answer Bot)
- Integrated CRM
- Analytics dashboard
Pros
- Excellent for customer service teams
- Easy to integrate into existing systems
Cons
- Limited for outbound marketing use
- Expensive at scale
Pricing
Starts at $25/month/agent
Who Should Use It?
Customer service-driven teams or B2B SaaS companies need multi-channel support.
9. HubSpot
HubSpot is an inbound marketing and CRM platform and a leading platform that offers tools including email marketing, live chat, lead capture, automation, and content management. Its free plan is very handsome and its interface is easy to use which makes it best suited to startups and developing companies. HubSpot is a tool that assists companies in managing the entire customer lifecycle (awareness, conversion, and retention) through centralized tools.
Although it has some premium features that are restricted to higher-priced plans, its native ecosystem and powerful analytics transform it into a flexible engagement platform. HubSpot provides a seamless integration of sales, service, and marketing modules to deliver personalized communications at every phase of the customer journey in a consistent manner.
Key Features
- Email marketing and automation
- CRM with contact management
- Landing pages and forms
- Live chat and chatbot
- Campaign analytics
Pros
- Generous free tier
- Seamless marketing + sales sync
Cons
- Can get costly at higher tiers
- Advanced features locked behind paywall
Pricing
Free plan available; paid plans start at $15/month
Who Should Use It?
Startups, SMBs, and marketers seeking all-in-one inbound tools.
10. Gupshup
Gupshup is a chat engagement and CPaaS platform that enables businesses to automate conversations on channels such as WhatsApp, SMS, Instagram, and others. It includes chatbot creation, smart replies with the help of LLMs, and workflow automation to enable customer service, lead generation, and shopping. Gupshup is a high-volume messaging product, many times over, deployed in retail, banking, and government organizations.
Its builder is no-code and multilingual, resulting in quick and scalable bot deployment. It does not have built-in CRM and marketing analytics, though it is powerful in messaging, which is why it is commonly combined with other tools. Gupshup will be very effective with brands aiming to achieve chat-first or WhatsApp-based conversations.
Key Features
- WhatsApp, SMS, and bot messaging
- No-code chatbot builder
- LLM integration for smart responses
- Workflow automation
- Channel performance tracking
Pros
- Excellent for chat-first engagement
- Fast bot deployment
Cons
- Limited CRM features
- May require developer support
Pricing
Based on usage, custom quote available
Who Should Use It?
Retail, banking, and service brands using WhatsApp or conversational channels for engagement.
FAQs
1. What is a customer engagement platform?
A customer engagement platform is an application that assists companies in communicating with customers via various channels, customizing messages, and creating long-lasting relationships with consumers through targeting, automation, and analytics.
2. What roles do customer engagement platforms have in enhancing customer experience?
These channels allow companies to provide timely, relevant, personalized messages, solve problems quickly, and ensure constant communication, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
3. What should I look for in a customer engagement platform?
It features omnichannel support, automation, personalization, analytics, CRM integration, user segmentation, and the ability to scale to meet the increasing customer demands.
4. Do small businesses fit customer engagement platforms?
The answer is yes, there are lots of platforms with scalable pricing and functionality that can fit the needs of small businesses to allow them to effectively engage customers without the need to have large teams and complicated systems.
5. What is the best way to measure the success of a customer engagement platform?
The achievement can be quantified with the help of such KPIs as customer retention rate, engagement rate, conversion rate, Net Promoter Score (NPS), and general customer satisfaction.
