I like that Podium allows customers to chat with me. It's useful for chatting with potential customers who don’t want to make a phone call or come into the store. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Podium's setup was confusing, and I feel like it has more features than I know how to use. It talks about all the wonderful things it can do, but I can’t see how it can help my business, other than the chat feature. Everything other than the chat feature doesn't seem to help my business. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Podium is extremely easy to use and quick to implement. The AI agents and automation for business operations save a significant amount of time by handling customer inquiries efficiently across channels. The unified inbox makes it simple to manage conversations, and the platform integrates well with existing workflows. Overall, it helps improve response times, customer experience, and operational efficiency without requiring heavy technical setup. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

While Podium is powerful, some advanced features and customization options can feel limited depending on the use case. Pricing can also be on the higher side for smaller teams, and certain AI or automation features require additional configuration or support to fully optimize. More flexibility in reporting and analytics would be a helpful improvement. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

They are snake oil salesman with unethical business practices. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

They have unethical business practices. You are told about an initial 12 month term that you can't out of. Ok, but then they auto renew every year for an entire year. I was promised by the sales person that after I year I could "get out any time, and it was monthly." What they don't share is they bill monthly but they try and fleece your for an entire year. God forbid you don't cancel till January. Oops, sorry, You have to keep paying for a year. I'm going to tell every small business owner I know. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Podium is very easy to use and thoughtfully designed for customer communication. The shared inbox, SMS messaging, and reputation management features run smoothly and make it easier to respond to customers more quickly. I especially liked how straightforward it is to manage both messages and reviews in one place, without any technical complexity or extra steps. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The biggest downside is the pricing, especially for small businesses or individual users. Some of the more advanced features are locked behind higher-tier plans, and the customization options still feel limited. Over time, I got the impression that the platform is geared more toward enterprise needs than what I personally require. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Overall, I’d rate Podium a 7 out of 10. It’s quite useful because it really simplifies communicating with customers. Rather than having messages scattered across different platforms, everything is organized in one place, which makes the experience feel more like a friendly conversation than a complicated process. While it’s not flawless, it certainly makes things more convenient. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Honestly, my biggest issue with Podium is that it can be a bit expensive and isn’t always the easiest to use from the start. While it performs its functions well, there is a bit of a learning curve, and it’s definitely not the most affordable choice out there. Still, once you become familiar with it, it proves to be a solid option overall. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I really appreciate Podium's Unified Inbox, which brings together all messages from SMS, Facebook, Instagram, Google, and Webchat into a single dashboard. It's super helpful not having to jump between different apps. I also like the 'Jerry' AI Employee, which engages leads within two minutes, handles common questions, and books appointments, even after hours, boosting sales by up to 30%. The review collection feature is impressive as well. I just send requests via SMS, saving me from chasing clients for reviews and increasing my local SEO and star ratings. Podium's specialized AI agents are another fantastic element—they're tailored to specific industries like healthcare or home services, making them highly effective at handling objections and booking appointments. Lastly, the interface is super intuitive and user-friendly, making setup a breeze. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

While Podium offers many powerful features, users frequently point out several areas that could be improved or that cause frustration during daily use. One of the most common complaints is the high and often opaque pricing, which many find prohibitive for smaller businesses. Users have noted a lack of transparent pricing on the website, often requiring a sales call for basic cost information, and have reported surprise billings for add-ons like extra phone seats or 10DLC compliance. Additionally, the platform is often criticized for its difficult cancellation process and long-term contracts that some users feel are enforced through hidden wording or automatic renewals. Regarding the software itself, certain functional limitations can impact efficiency. These include inefficient search, as it sometimes only allows you to find old conversations if you remember the exact name of the customer. AI reliability is sometimes an issue, with some instances of AI providing unrelated or weird responses to customers, requiring human intervention to apologize and correct the mistake. Entry-level plans may have strict bulk messaging limits (such as 250 per month) with no rollover for unused credits, which can be frustrating for businesses running monthly marketing campaigns. Many reviews highlight a significant drop in support quality after the initial onboarding phase, citing long wait times to reach a human and a lack of accountability when technical issues arise. Some users were disappointed to find a lack of Yelp integration or that certain promised CRM integrations were slower or more difficult to set up than expected. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like how Podium simplifies and centralizes customer communication by keeping messages, reviews, and feedback in one place. It saves time and makes reputation management easier. The simple interface is quick to use, and the automation for sending review requests ensures consistent follow-ups. Setting up Podium was straightforward and quick, with minimal training needed, which was great for my team. It's a very useful and easy-to-use tool, especially for managing customer reviews and communication effectively. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Some features can feel a bit expensive for small businesses, and a few advanced settings could be more customizable. More control over automated message timing and templates would be helpful, along with simpler pricing tiers for small businesses. Better reporting and analytics would also be a nice improvement. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I like being able to search reviews with names in them. I also love having everything recorded so we can go back in reference if needed. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The area assistant sometimes starts answering conversations when we don’t want them to, and they’re not easily seen, so we sometimes miss them. The AI assistant starts answering conversations and then they sit in that box without letting us know it is there to be dealt with. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find Podium incredibly user-friendly and appreciate its seamless integration with our CRM. Everyone on the team can use Podium effectively, regardless of skill level, which really helps. The transition, setup, and usage experience have been seamless, thanks to the support from Jordan Calhoun, Nick Dibb, and Brian Peterson. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I wish we had started using Podium sooner! Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

I find Podium to be a perfect platform for business interactions with customers through messaging, reviews, and engagement tools. It automates review requests via SMS and email, which is great for boosting online reputation. I like how it brings all the customer communications into one simple and easy platform. The team collaboration feature is especially useful, as multiple teams can manage conversations from the same inbox, keeping everyone aligned. Additionally, Podium was easy to set up by following the clear instructions provided. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

The main thing that could be improved is for some advanced features they lock with higher plans which feels as limitation for the smaller businesses. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.