RankByReviews vs Podium, Birdeye & Cloutly
Most review tools hide their prices, lock you into an annual contract, and sell software only. We publish our prices, never lock you in, and make the tap-to-review plates for your counter too. Below is the straight comparison, including where a rival matches us.
| RankByReviews | Podium | Birdeye | Cloutly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publishes its pricing | Yes. A$56 / $149 / $399 | No, quote only | No, quote only | Yes, from A$44 |
| Entry price | A$56/mo · 140 requests | ~A$600/mo ¹ | Hundreds of US$ per location ¹ | A$44/mo · 50 SMS, Google/Facebook only ² |
| Lock-in contract | None, cancel anytime | Annual contract | Annual, per location | None, cancel anytime |
| Review hardware (NFC plates, stands, stickers) | Yes, we make them | No | No | No, digital QR only |
| Review gating | None. Every rating sees the Google button | Says it doesn't gate | Says it doesn't gate | Rating-based routing critics call gating ² |
| Australian support | Yes, Australian company | Yes, Melbourne office | US-based, AU support line | Yes, Queensland company |
¹ Podium and Birdeye do not publish pricing; figures are from independent 2026 pricing teardowns, not the vendors. The verifiable point is that neither shows a price without a sales call.
² Cloutly's A$44 entry plan covers Google and Facebook only with 50 SMS and is billed in US dollars; matching our 200 monthly requests is its A$82 Growth plan. Its campaigns route by rating, which some reviewers describe as gating.
Comparison current as at July 2026. Rivals change their plans, so tell us if any cell is out of date.
The honest version
Podium and Birdeye are powerful platforms built for multi-location chains. They price to match, and they sell on annual contracts, which is overkill for one Australian shopfront. Cloutly is the closest to us: also Australian, also transparent, also no lock-in. We bill in Australian dollars rather than US, include more messages at the $56 entry, and never route an unhappy customer away from Google. And we make the physical NFC plates, stands and stickers for your counter, which no one else does, so your software and hardware come from one Aussie brand.