BUYING GUIDE 2026
Everything you need to evaluate internal communications software
If you’re an internal communicator looking to buy internal communications software, you’re in the right place. Here you’ll find the guides, vendor comparisons, and resources you need, based on where you are in your journey.
What is internal comms software?
Internal communications software helps organizations send and track communication to employees, across channels like email, intranet, mobile, and digital signage. It’s distinct from external marketing tools because it’s built for your own employees and workforce-specific needs like frontline or deskless reach.
New to internal comms terminology?
If you’re new to internal comms software, you’ll run into plenty of unfamiliar terms while researching and comparing platforms. Our IC glossary covers all of them in one place.
See the full glossaryNot sure where to start? Pick your stage
Every internal comms buying process looks different. We’ve broken down the research for you, from just getting started to comparing vendors, to ready to buy and build the case for leadership. Whatever stage you’re at, you’ll find what you need below.
Just getting started
New to internal comms software and not sure what’s out there? Here are the guides we created that we think will really help you, before you start comparing vendors.
What to look for in an internal communication platform
Internal communications platforms differ on a handful of core capabilities. These are the ones that matter most when you’re evaluating a platform for your team.
Employee feedback tools
Can employees respond to surveys inside the emails they already open, and can you break results down by team, location, or role?
Explore surveysAudience segmentation
Can you build employee segments straight from your HR data, like location or tenure, instead of maintaining lists by hand?
Explore audience segmentationTargeting and personalization
Can the same email show different content, images, or links to different employees based on things like location, department, or role?
Explore dynamic contentAI capabilities
Does AI work alongside you in your workflow to help build emails, review content before you send, offer pre-send feedback, and pull insights from your data automatically?
Explore AI overviewAnalytics and reporting
Can you see opens, clicks, and employee engagement broken down by team or location, in one dashboard instead of piecing it together channel by channel?
Explore analyticsScalability and enterprise comms
Can it support a large, distributed workforce across locations and roles, while meeting the security and IT requirements that come with comms at that scale?
Explore enterprise commsOn-brand employee emails
Can you build branded emails with a drag-and-drop editor, without needing IT or a designer every time you send?
Explore employee emailsOn-brand employee newsletters
Can you build an engaging newsletter with feedback built directly into it, and reuse a saved template so you’re not rebuilding it every send?
Explore employee newslettersIntegrations
Does it integrate with your existing tools, your HR system, Outlook or Gmail, your SSO provider, saving you the time of keeping everything in sync manually?
Explore integrationsAlready using Staffbase, Poppulo, PoliteMail, or Workshop?
We’ve put together breakdowns of alternatives worth considering, including what most internal communicators on these platforms typically switch to.
Best Workshop Alternatives in 2026
Read blogBest PoliteMail Alternatives in 2026
Read blogBest Poppulo Alternatives in 2026
Read blogBest Staffbase Alternatives in 2026
Read blogCheck out the full landscape of internal communication platforms
Not locked into any platform yet? Our guide to the best internal communications platforms and best AI tools for internal communication covers the broader landscape.
The Best Internal Communication Tools for 2026
Learn moreWhat Are the Best AI Tools for Internal Communication in 2026?
Learn moreContactMonkey vs. other internal communications software
Compare ContactMonkey to Staffbase, Poppulo, PoliteMail, and Workshop, with an easy feature-by-feature breakdown of what each platform is actually built for. All the research is already done and in one place, so you don’t have to dig for it yourself.
Building the business case
Now that you’ve done your research, it’s time to build the case. Why should your team invest in internal communications software? Pull from ContactMonkey’s industry reports and budget guides to build a case leadership will actually approve.
Build Your Business Case
Enter your own employee engagement metrics and ContactMonkey builds the ROI case for leadership, covering cost, time saved, and engagement lift.
Try now
