Best Employee & Intranet Portal Software in 2026: 10 Top Platforms Compared
The intranet has been reborn as the AI-native "employee experience platform" — a single hub for company news, search, knowledge and self-service that reaches desk and frontline workers alike. Several tools that topped 2021 lists are now gone: Samepage shut down in 2023, and Workplace from Meta is being deleted on June 1, 2026. This guide covers the platforms actually leading the market in 2026, what they cost, and who each one is best for.
Key takeaways:
- Several tools from older buyer's guides are gone — Samepage shut down in 2023 and Workplace from Meta is deleted on June 1, 2026 — so always verify a platform is still active before choosing it.
- The 2026 Forrester Wave named Simpplr, Workvivo, Unily and LumApps as Leaders, making them the safest enterprise shortlist.
- Your workforce profile is the single most important factor: desk-heavy teams suit Simpplr, Unily or Viva, while frontline-heavy teams need mobile-first Blink, Staffbase or MangoApps.
- AI is now table stakes — every leading platform ships AI search, agents and content tools — but only about half of customers actually use those features.
- Transparent per-user pricing (Blink, Happeo, MangoApps, Viva) is easiest to budget, while most enterprise platforms remain quote-only with separate implementation costs.
Best Employee Portal Software at a Glance
- Simpplr — Custom pricing (best 500+ employees) · cloud · AI-native EX platform
- Workvivo by Zoom — Custom pricing · cloud · social-first intranet; Meta Workplace migration partner
- Staffbase — Custom enterprise pricing · cloud · multi-channel comms + branded app
- LumApps — Custom pricing (discounts at 2,000+) · cloud · Google & MS 365 hub
- Unily — Custom enterprise pricing · cloud · highly branded (1,000–100,000+ users)
- Microsoft Viva Connections + SharePoint — Included in M365; Viva Suite ~$12/user/mo · cloud · Microsoft-native
- Blink — From $3.75/user/mo (Core, annual) · cloud · mobile-first frontline app
- MangoApps — From $19/seat/mo (under 200 employees) · cloud · unified intranet + app
- Happeo — ~$4–$6/user/mo (annual) · cloud · Google Workspace–native
- Jostle — Tiered Bronze–Platinum, ~$8–$19/user/mo · cloud · culture-focused
The Tools, Reviewed
1. Simpplr
Custom pricing (best 500+ employees) · cloud · AI-native EX platform
Simpplr is an AI-native employee experience platform that pairs a clean, no-code modern intranet with AI Search across connected business systems and AI Agents that resolve common HR and IT questions. It was named a Leader in the Forrester Wave: Intranet Platforms, Q2 2026. Best for mid-to-large, mostly desk-based organizations that want personalization and AI search out of the box. Standout 2026 features include content governance that flags stale pages and native instant messaging.
2. Workvivo by Zoom
Custom pricing · cloud · social-first intranet; Meta Workplace migration partner
Workvivo is a social-first intranet and employee-engagement platform now owned by Zoom, blending a company-wide feed, recognition, podcasts and live events. It is Meta's only named migration partner for Workplace, which shuts down June 1, 2026, making it the default landing spot for those customers. A Forrester Wave Q2 2026 Leader and repeat Gartner Leader, it suits mid-size to enterprise teams with large distributed or frontline workforces. Pricing is quote-only and skews enterprise.
3. Staffbase
Custom enterprise pricing · cloud · multi-channel comms + branded app
Staffbase is an AI-native employee communications platform that unites a branded employee app, modern intranet, email, SMS and digital signage in one hub. Its strength is reaching deskless and frontline workers who lack a corporate email address, with strong SAP and Active Directory integrations. 2026 additions include an AI Companion editor and AI sentiment analysis in Staffbase Studio. Best for large internal-comms teams prioritising reach and measurement.
4. LumApps
Custom pricing (discounts at 2,000+) · cloud · Google & MS 365 hub
LumApps is a connected employee hub that unifies internal comms, knowledge management, employee services and business apps, built for large global enterprises with complex governance. It integrates deeply with both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and its Agent Hub gives IT one place to manage company-approved AI agents. A Forrester Wave Q2 2026 Leader. Best for global enterprises wanting an AI employee hub on top of an existing Google or Microsoft stack.
5. Unily
Custom enterprise pricing · cloud · highly branded (1,000–100,000+ users)
Unily is an AI-native employee experience platform known for visually rich, heavily branded intranets and deep Microsoft 365/Teams integration. Its AI experience agent helps teams design, structure and publish on-brand pages within governed approval workflows. Named a Leader again in the Forrester Wave Q2 2026. Best for global enterprises that prioritise design flexibility and brand polish and have the resources to invest in a premium platform.
6. Microsoft Viva Connections + SharePoint
Included in M365; Viva Suite ~$12/user/mo · cloud · Microsoft-native
For organisations standardised on Microsoft 365, Viva Connections delivers a SharePoint-powered intranet directly inside Microsoft Teams — included with M365 at no extra cost. The broader Viva Suite, bundling Insights, Learning and Goals, runs about $12/user/month. It is the most cost-effective option if you already own M365 and have IT capacity to configure SharePoint. Note Viva Topics was retired in February 2025, so knowledge discovery now leans on Copilot.
Visit Microsoft Viva Connections + SharePoint »
7. Blink
From $3.75/user/mo (Core, annual) · cloud · mobile-first frontline app
Blink is a mobile-first employee experience app purpose-built for frontline and deskless workers, centred on a single SSO hub with chat, a personalised feed, surveys, forms and self-service for leave and benefits. Plans are unusually transparent: Core from $3.75/user/month (annual), Pro from $5.00, plus custom Enterprise. Best for retail, hospitality, healthcare and manufacturing where most staff have no corporate email or desk.
8. MangoApps
From $19/seat/mo (under 200 employees) · cloud · unified intranet + app
MangoApps runs the intranet, mobile app and internal communications on one data model, with AI agents embedded across every app and 200+ native integrations to M365, Google Workspace, HRIS and payroll. Pricing is transparent and all-inclusive with no feature gating, from $19/seat/month for organisations under 200, and most customers go live in 8–12 weeks. Best for mid-market companies blending desk and frontline staff that want predictable pricing.
9. Happeo
~$4–$6/user/mo (annual) · cloud · Google Workspace–native
Happeo is a digital-workplace platform built specifically to make Google Workspace organisations more productive, combining structured Pages, social Channels and an AI Knowledge Engine. Its federated Universal Search reaches into Google Drive, Gmail, Slack and other tools to surface curated answers in any language. List pricing is roughly $4–$6/user/month billed annually, among the most affordable here. Best for Google Workspace–first companies.
10. Jostle
Tiered Bronze–Platinum, ~$8–$19/user/mo · cloud · culture-focused
Jostle is an easy-to-deploy "employee success" platform focused on culture, with structured features like Teams, Events, News, Listings and JostleTV rather than open-ended document repositories. Every plan includes mobile apps, free onboarding coaching, SSO, AI features and Google/Microsoft integrations, with no setup fees. Best for small and mid-size organisations that want a quick, low-maintenance intranet centred on connection and engagement.
How to Choose Intranet & Portal Software
Start with your workforce profile. The single biggest selection factor is who you need to reach. Desk-heavy teams are well served by Simpplr, Unily or Microsoft Viva, while frontline-heavy teams need mobile-first platforms like Blink, Staffbase or MangoApps. A useful rule of thumb: if more than 30% of your employees lack a company email address, eliminate any platform that requires one.
Match the platform to your existing stack. If you already run Microsoft 365, Viva Connections is the cheapest starting point; Google Workspace shops should look at Happeo or LumApps. Independent platforms (Simpplr, Unily, Workvivo) add richer personalisation, governance and out-of-the-box AI on top of either.
Budget for the whole project. Transparent per-user options (Blink, Happeo, MangoApps, Viva) are easiest to plan around, while enterprise platforms are quote-only and carry separate implementation and migration costs that can run from a few thousand dollars to $30,000+ for complex deployments.
Treat AI as table stakes, not a tiebreaker. Every leading 2026 platform ships AI search, agents and content tools — but reference data shows only about half of customers actually use them, so weigh adoption support as heavily as the feature list.
Sources & Further Reading
- Forrester Wave: Intranet Platforms, Q2 2026
- Gartner Peer Insights: Intranet Packaged Solutions
- Workvivo named Meta's preferred Workplace migration partner
- Microsoft Viva plans and pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an intranet and an employee experience platform?
A traditional intranet was mainly a content and document repository for company news and policies. In 2026 the category has evolved into the employee experience platform (EXP), which adds AI-powered search across business systems, personalised feeds, self-service HR/IT agents and multi-channel reach to mobile and frontline staff. Most leading vendors now market themselves as EXPs rather than plain intranets.
How much does intranet software cost in 2026?
Most platforms charge per employee per month. Transparent options range from about $3.75/user/month (Blink Core) and $4–$6 (Happeo) up to $19/seat (MangoApps) and around $12 for the Microsoft Viva Suite. Enterprise platforms like Simpplr, Staffbase, LumApps, Unily and Workvivo are quote-only, and you should budget separately for implementation and migration, which can run from a few thousand dollars to $30,000+.
Which intranet is best for frontline or deskless workers?
If a large share of your workforce has no corporate email or desk, prioritise mobile-first platforms. Blink, Staffbase and MangoApps are all designed to reach frontline staff through branded mobile apps, SMS and push notifications. A useful rule of thumb: if more than 30% of your employees lack a company email address, eliminate any platform that requires one.
Do I need a separate intranet if we already use Microsoft 365?
Not necessarily. Microsoft Viva Connections delivers a SharePoint-based intranet inside Teams and is included with your existing Microsoft 365 licence, so it is the most cost-effective starting point for Microsoft-centric organisations. The trade-off is that it requires internal IT capacity to configure SharePoint, and dedicated platforms like Simpplr, Unily or LumApps offer richer personalisation and out-of-the-box AI.
What happened to Samepage and Workplace from Meta?
Samepage, which topped older portal-software lists, shut down in 2023. Workplace from Meta is also being discontinued — it became read-only on September 1, 2025, and all accounts are deleted on June 1, 2026. Meta named Workvivo by Zoom as its only preferred migration partner, though Staffbase, Simpplr and others actively court Workplace customers too.
Recommendations are based on public information, vendor pages and independent reviews current as of June 2026. Prices, plans and product details change frequently — please verify on the official site or retailer before buying. SaveDelete may earn a small commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.