Image source: Unsplash
Vibes Media is a mobile messaging platform you can use to digitize your loyalty program, connect with customers, increase engagement, and optimize their experience.
However, although feature-rich, Vibes has some disadvantages, such as a lack of customization options, slow customer support, the challenge of tracking new updates, and more.
There are similar solutions on the market that might better fit your specific needs and budget. To save you time, we thoroughly researched the best software-as-a-service you can use to optimize your loyalty program.
One such solution is PassKit, our customer loyalty platform, which helps you create digital passes, loyalty cards, membership cards, and coupons your customers can save and use with mobile wallets. To see how PassKit works, start your 45-day free trial.
In this blog post, we’ll evaluate the top Vibes competitors, compare their features, benefits, pricing, and customer support, and give you the information you need to decide which product best fits your needs.
Let’s start with more information on Vibes and how it works.
What is Vibes mobile marketing platform?
Image source: Capterra
Vibes is a business texting platform that allows you to create smooth and consistent experiences. It helps you engage consumers on the mobile device they use the most.
The platform offers features that put the omnichannel approach front and center. Mobile push notifications, mobile attribution, emails, SMS, MMS, and mobile wallets connect you to consumers wherever they are.
Vibes lets you improve your loyalty reward cards. You can create customer rewards, monitor customer engagement and behavior, and send targeted promotions. It integrates with point-of-sale (POS) systems and CRM software to ensure you understand your audience better.
Vibes helps boost customer retention, build loyalty and increase revenue with its features. The tool delivers persistent loyalty content to encourage consumers to interact with your small business and forget about your competition.
How does Vibes work?
Image source: Revain
Vibes wants to digitize your loyalty program. You must deploy the platform first to interact with your mobile audiences. How does that work?
Similarly to other tools, Vibes integrates with your POS or CRM through APIs. You might need developers’ help to launch the platform. However, Vibes has a developer’s wiki that explains the process from start to finish.
Once integrated, Vibes targets your audience on various messaging channels. SMS marketing, email marketing, and in-app messaging bring customers closer to your brand.
This mobile engagement platform tracks customer engagement as soon as they interact with physical businesses or eCommerce stores. The analytics tool gives you an overview of your audience. You can then create more effective promotions and offers thanks to Vibes.
What are the pros of the Vibes mobile engagement platform?
Image source: Pexels
The Vibes mobile engagement platform elevates your digital marketing efforts. It is an attractive option for businesses for the following reasons:
- Custom rewards – you can leverage the platform to create custom rewards that help you achieve your goals.
- Personalized content – you can deliver personalized content to users’ mobile devices. Vibes collects customer data to enable you to send timely and relevant content on all messaging channels.
- Targeted promotions – you can improve your customer journey with targeted offers. With Vibes, you can launch promotions that cater to a consumer’s specific behavior and preferences.
- Comprehensive data – Vibes integrates with your existing systems, which gives you a complete picture of your audience and helps you make data-driven decisions.
- Scalable – the tool is scalable to meet the needs of various clients, from small businesses to large companies.
- Omnichannel approach – engaging with consumers on one channel is not enough. One of the most powerful features of Vibes is its omnichannel system. You can leverage SMS marketing, social media, QR codes, or push notifications to communicate your message.
There are also some drawbacks to consider before using this solution. Let’s discuss some of them.
What are Vibes cons?
Although Vibes has many benefits, some downsides show you should explore its alternatives. The cons include
- Limited customer support – some clients report receiving limited customer support. Unlike some Vibes alternatives, this tool doesn’t have live chat or phone support. You can contact its representatives through an online form.
- Complex setup process – you might need a developer team to launch Vibes. The deployment can be time-consuming and complicated for those who aren’t tech-savvy.
- High costs – if you’re looking for a cost-effective solution, Vibes might be challenging in the long run. You would need to allocate a large budget to access many features.
Speaking of costs, let’s share some details about its pricing.
Vibes pricing
The Vibes pricing isn’t available on the website. The company tailors it to the specific needs of each business. It usually establishes the pricing based on the number of active users, messaging volume, and other criteria.
It might be challenging if you don’t clearly understand your current needs, as your expenses could increase as your business expands.
Based on what we mentioned above, it’s time to introduce the five Vibes competitors you can consider using for your business.
Vibes competitors: The best mobile marketing platforms in 2023
Marketers need support to launch high-performing marketing campaigns. Platforms that have analytics and engagement tools help make their lives easier. Here are five tools you can try out to improve your digital marketing strategy.
1. PassKit
PassKit is a customer loyalty software that helps you launch your digital loyalty program in minutes, create loyalty cards for business, membership cards, and coupons, and design and manage digital passes such as digital tickets and boarding passes.
You can easily manage your points reward system while customers can store and use your loyalty program cards with mobile wallets.
PassKit ensures you create a connected customer experience. Your online and offline channels will feature the same promotions and engage customers wherever they are.
You can also set up a multichannel distribution system with PassKit and promote and distribute your loyalty cards with SMS marketing, social media referrals, email marketing, or receipt marketing. You can also enjoy the benefits of push notifications and location-based alerts to increase foot traffic.
The icing on the cake is our analytics tool. Since PassKit carefully monitors customer behavior, you can track redemption rates to know how consumers interact with your business and improve to increase their experience, satisfaction, and loyalty.
Industries
PassKit is proud to power millions of digital passes every day. We provide our services to companies and businesses operating in the following industries:
- Hospitality
- Travel
- Retail
- Entertainment
- Insurance
- Food and beverages
- Finance
Anyone from hotels and gyms to nail salons and coffee shops can leverage PassKit and enjoy digital transformation benefits.
Features list
As one of the Vibes competitors, PassKit is our choice because of the following features. You can:
- Create and customize digital passes and loyalty card designs with Pass Designer
- Drive customer engagement and access passes at the point of sale with PassReader scanning app for Android and iOS
- Track and analyze loyalty program data and use it to provide a personalized customer experience
- Leverage mobile devices for multichannel promotion and distribution, including SMS, email, and location-based marketing
- Use Flights API to manage flights and boarding pass for airline loyalty programs
Deployment
To start using PassKit, you must create your account and start your 45-day free trial. You don’t need advanced technical or design skills, as PassKit is suitable for beginners and includes easy-to-use features.
Integrations
Image source: Zapier
Thanks to Zapier, you can integrate PassKit with apps you already use, such as CRM, marketing automation tools, eCommerce tools, payment processing solutions, and more.
If you want to integrate digital passes into your business, you can use the PassKit API. What’s best, we can develop a custom API for your specific needs in days.
What makes this tool unique
The PassKit platform stands out from other competitors for the following reasons:
- It integrates with Apple Wallet and Google Pay to make collecting points and using rewards more convenient
- You can introduce contactless shopping by implementing our loyalty program app
- It is a versatile platform that lets you create everything from event tickets to restaurant loyalty programs
- PassKit leverages permission-based marketing, providing customers’ consent when they sign up for your program
- Integration with Zapier allows you to manage your loyalty program without any hassle
Customer support
If you have questions about PassKit, you can start a chat or email our support agents. You can also check out our support center.
Pricing
Compared to other Vibes alternatives, PassKit is a cost-effective solution. The pricing depends on the number of launched passes. You can pay as you grow and even get discounts when your usage increases. To learn more, visit our Pricing page.
Pros and cons
Every solution has its pros and cons. Let’s check out PassKit.
The pros:
- It’s contactless, ensuring your customers feel safer
- It removes the need for paper or plastic cards
- You don’t have to be a coding or design genius to launch your loyalty program
- It lets you integrate with CRM and POS to track all loyalty data
- You can start a 45-day free trial to test all features and options
- It is affordable compared to other Vibes alternatives
The cons:
- No free plan
2. Airship
Image source: G2
Airship is a customer engagement platform that delivers tailored messages to customers at the right moment. It leverages mobile wallets, SMS, push notifications, in-app messages, and other channels to optimize your customer journey and increase engagement.
The platform relies on mobile wallet marketing to remove paper loyalty programs. Personalized coupons, loyalty cards, and boarding passes are available to customers whenever they need them.
Industries
Airship is suitable for companies in these industries:
- Finance
- Airline
- Retail
- Media
- Sports
- Telecom
Features list
This mobile engagement platform drives growth and helps you build meaningful relationships with these features:
- Automation – you can automate marketing campaigns and deliver trigger messages based on user behavior
- Messaging – the tool lets you send personalized content through text messaging, email, app, or other channels
- Personalization – the analytics tool collects customer data to help you craft relevant content for each customer
- Mobile wallets – you can send a link to customers via engagement channels to encourage them to download a wallet pass. The platform automatically configures passes for each consumer’s OS.
Deployment
Airship offers SDKs that enable you to explore every feature. You need to integrate your website or app with the Airship SDK to launch your mobile marketing campaigns. It allows the tool to communicate with different web browsers and mobile phones.
Integrations
Airship integrates with many marketing automation, eCommerce, and analytics apps. For instance, you can pair it with Google Analytics, Shopify, and RevenueCat, among other tools.
What makes this tool unique
As a mobile engagement platform, Airship is unique because of multichannel messaging. It caters to different consumer preferences to deliver your messages. Consumers will notice your digital marketing efforts through text messaging, email, or in-app content.
Customer support
Companies can reach Airship via email and phone. Their knowledge base also features some of the most asked questions.
Pricing
Airship isn’t among the cheap mobile engagement solutions. You need to set aside $25k per year to access its features.
Pros and cons
The pros are:
- A personalization tool that can improve engagement and conversion rates
- Advanced automation
- Multichannel messaging
On the other hand, the cons include:
- High costs of using the platform
- You would need to hire a development team to integrate through the SDK
- Limited A/B testing capabilities
3. Leanplum
Image source: Capterra
Leanplum is a mobile engagement platform that uses smartphones to entice customers to visit your business. The tool allows you to run campaigns that build a seamless experience across all touchpoints.
Its analytics give you insight into user behavior, preferences, and engagement. You can use the data to optimize your messaging and deliver relevant content. Test what works with A/B testing in real-time with Leanplum.
Industries
Leanplum provides its services in
- Gaming
- Retail
- Finance
- Subscription
- On-demand
- Subscription apps
It is suitable for businesses in various industries to drive growth and boost mobile engagement.
Features list
The features that catch everyone’s attention are:
- Data management
- Audience segmentation
- A/B testing
- Content creation tools like a product catalog
Deployment
Leanplum has five native SDKs. You must integrate one to connect your mobile app to the tool’s ecosystem. Once you enable the platform, you can explore its messaging options and define different variables.
Integrations
Just like other Vibes competitors, Leanplum integrates with many platforms. It integrates with CRM tools like Salesforce, marketing automation platforms like Marketo, and eCommerce platforms like BigCommerce.
What makes this tool unique
Leanplum offers mobile wallet integration that tracks the usage of digital passes. It improves the customer experience and ensures consumers don’t miss out on points and offers.
Customer support
Organizations and local businesses can contact Leanplum support via phone, email, and live chat.
Pricing
Leanplum offers custom pricing to clients. The rates depend on the number of monthly users and features you need.
Pros and cons
The pros are:
- Easy campaign creation and distribution
- Focus on the in-app messaging
- Helpful A/B testing tool
The downsides of Leanplum include:
- High costs of deployment, which makes it suitable for companies with large budgets
- Sometimes the scheduling feature doesn’t work, so you need to launch a campaign manually
- Setting up rules can be difficult and complex
4. Birdeye
Image source: Capterra
Birdeye is a customer experience management platform that allows businesses to collect reviews and increase customer engagement. The main goal of Birdeye is to help you boost your reputation and presence.
You can advertise your business online, manage reviews, or encourage referrals with Birdeye. It also has tools that help you convert more customers. You can manage conversations, set up social media posts, or book appointments across different channels.
Industries
Birdeye is suitable for these industries:
- Healthcare
- Real estate
- Finance
- Legal
- Retail
- Hospitality
Features list
- Webchat allows you to chat with website visitors
- Surveys to gather customer feedback
- Birdeye Payments sends payment links to customers
Deployment
You need to integrate the JavaScript code into your website to deploy Birdeye. It allows you to manage customer reviews and respond to feedback, among other things.
Integrations
The platform integrates with over 3,000 software tools. That includes popular apps like Hubspot, Salesforce, and Power BI.
What makes this tool unique
Birdeye stands out because of its reputation management. You can collect feedback automatically from multiple review sites. You can also improve your online reputation by understanding what works and doesn’t.
Customer support
You have several options to contact customer support. There is phone, email and live chat support to ensure you get a timely response.
Pricing
Birdeye offers three pricing plans:
- Standard: $299 per month
- Professional: $399 per month
- Premium: custom pricing
You must pay for the Premium plan if you need features like surveys, insights, or benchmarking.
Pros and cons
The pros are:
- Automated reputation management
- Custom review forms
- Website management tools
- Multi-location management
However, the downsides include:
- Higher costs if you want to unlock more advanced features
- Issues with integrations and billings
- It takes time to learn how to navigate the tool
5. Attentive
Image source: Capterra
Attentive is a mobile messaging platform that engages customers through text messaging. The tool helps you leverage SMS marketing and send timely messages that interest consumers. You can create personalized SMS campaigns and track their performance.
Industries
The following industries benefit from using Attentive:
- eCommerce
- Retail
- Food and beverage
- Entertainment
- Healthcare
Features list
- SMS campaigns to promote offers and sales
- Automated campaigns based on user preferences and behavior
- A/B testing
- User segmentation
Deployment
You can connect your website or app with the Attentive APIs. Alternatively, you can add a tag to your website to use all of the tool’s features.
Integrations
Attentive integrates with eCommerce platforms, email service providers, and loyalty solutions. For instance, you can integrate the tool with PassKit, Shopify, or Salesforce.
What makes this tool unique
SMS marketing is the main focus of Attentive. It helps you personalize SMS campaigns and leverage data to ensure you deliver relevant content.
Customer support
Like other companies, Attentive strives to be available on multiple channels. The tool offers support via email and phone. However, it has a knowledge base with FAQs and tutorials.
Pricing
Attentive doesn’t promote its pricing publicly. You need to contact the company to get custom pricing based on your needs and requirements.
Pros and cons
The pros are:
- Advanced security
- Integrations with popular apps
- Advanced analytics and reporting
The cons of the platform are
- Few design options
- High costs
- Only focuses on SMS marketing
Vibes competitors: A short overview (table)
Compare the platforms using our overview table.
PassKit | Airship | Leanplum | Birdeye | Attentive | |
Notable features | CRM and POS integrations Mobile wallet APIs and SDKs Zapier Integration | Automation Personalized messaging Mobile wallets | Data management Audience segmentation A/B testing | Webchat Surveys to collect feedback Birdeye Payments | SMS marketing A/B testing UserSegmentation |
Best for | Small businesses | Medium and large businesses | Medium and large businesses | Medium and large businesses | Small and medium business |
Multichannel distribution | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Mobile wallet integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Zapier integration | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Push updates | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Location-based alerts | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Free trial | Yes | No | No | No | Yes |
Pricing starts at | $39.50 | Custom quote | Starts from $299 per month | Custom quote | Custom quote |
Vibes competitors: The verdict
We recommend using PassKit as a cost-effective solution for improving your mobile marketing efforts.
With PassKit, you can create digital membership cards, loyalty cards, coupons, and digital passes that help increase loyalty and foster customer relationships.
Your customers can use mobile wallets to store these cards, collect points and redeem rewards while you can track your performance and send push notifications and location-based alerts to boost their engagement.
Whether you own a nail salon, gym, restaurant, or hotel, PassKit can help you deliver a seamless experience that encourages customers to return to your business.
Sign up now and start your 45-day free trial.