Meltwater vs Brandwatch
Side-by-side from the Top 11 rankings of The 11 Best PR Software & Media Relations Platforms and The 11 Best Social Media Analytics Tools. Last verified June 19, 2026.
The short answer
Brandwatch ranks higher on Top 11 (#2 vs #3) for PR teams and agencies managing press releases, media lists, and journalist outreach / Social media managers measuring reach, engagement, and ROI. The top platform for deep social listening and market research, with a massive historical data archive.
At a glance
| Meltwater | Brandwatch | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 11 rank | #3 / The 11 Best PR Software & Media Relations Platforms | #2 / The 11 Best Social Media Analytics Tools |
| Score (out of 9.4) | 8.8 | 8.9 |
| Best for | Elite media & social monitoring | Enterprise consumer intelligence |
| Pricing | $$$$ ($10,000 to $40,000+/yr) | $$$$$ (Custom, starts ~$1,000/mo) |
| HQ | Oslo, Norway | Brighton, UK |
| Founded | 2001 | 2007 |
Meltwater
The market leader for media monitoring and social listening, with a solid PR suite.
www.meltwater.comSee full entry in The 11 Best PR Software & Media Relations Platforms
Brandwatch
The top platform for deep social listening and market research, with a massive historical data archive.
www.brandwatch.comMethodology and scoring weights live at /methodology. No vendor pays for placement — see about.