--- title: "IdeaScale Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about IdeaScale Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Idea Management products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/139651/IdeaScale/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- # IdeaScale Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on October 19, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) IdeaScale ## What is IdeaScale? IdeaScale is an award-winning idea management software solution that helps businesses, governments, and social change-makers empower their workforce. With IdeaScale, these diverse entities can capture the ideas of their employees and streamline their development in order to maximize the impact of each idea. ## What is IdeaScale used for? [Idea Management](https://www.capterra.com/idea-management-software/)[Community](https://www.capterra.com/community-software/)[Knowledge Management](https://www.capterra.com/knowledge-management-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 28 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 93% Neutral 7% Negative 0% Starting price $4999 Per Feature, Per Year Free trial available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for IdeaScale?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/ideascale/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### IdeaScale 4.6 (28) VS. [4.4 (3,046)](https://www.capterra.com/p/76113/Wrike/reviews/) Starting Price $4999 Per Feature, Per Year Starting Price $10 Per User, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.4 (26) Ease Of Use 4.2 (46) Value For Money 4.7 (13) Value For Money 4.2 (28) Customer Service 4.8 (25) Customer Service 4.3 (34) ## IdeaScale alternatives [4.7 (27)](https://www.capterra.com/p/146207/ITRP/reviews/) Starting price $5.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 96% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Keto AI+ Platform](https://www.capterra.com/p/206236/Keto-Platform/) [4.0 (46)](https://www.capterra.com/p/206236/Keto-Platform/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 76% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/206236/Keto-Platform/) Highest Rated [Howspace](https://www.capterra.com/p/161180/Howspace/) [4.8 (9)](https://www.capterra.com/p/161180/Howspace/reviews/) Starting price $12.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/161180/Howspace/) [Universe](https://www.capterra.com/p/186770/Universe/) [4.3 (16)](https://www.capterra.com/p/186770/Universe/reviews/) Starting price $1.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 81% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/186770/Universe/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/139651/IdeaScale/alternatives/) ## FAQs about IdeaScale Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from IdeaScale? IdeaScale is most used by innovation, continuous-improvement, and business-analysis teams that collect, evaluate, and advance employee or customer ideas. Project managers and special-projects leaders organize initiatives and track participation, while IT, digital, and risk teams gather solutions for operational challenges. Executives use it to guide innovation programs and review priorities. Answer based on 22 reviews Overview ### What company size and specific industries is IdeaScale built for? IdeaScale is designed for government agencies and other organizations that require strong data protection and regulatory compliance, including public sector teams and enterprises handling sensitive information. Its FedRAMP-certified status makes it a fit for large organizations and regulated industries that need a secure idea management solution. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of IdeaScale? IdeaScale offers ideation and innovation management tools such as brainstorming, crowdsourcing, and idea ranking, plus collaboration features including discussions, commenting, chat/messaging, and whiteboards. It also includes workflow and governance functions like approval workflows, prioritization, moderation, access controls/permissions, reporting, and integrations with API and third-party tools. Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does IdeaScale integrate with? IdeaScale integrates with 12 third-party tools for analytics, communication, and project tracking, including Google Analytics 360, Microsoft Power BI, Jira, Trello, YouTrack, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Viva Engage, Intercom, LinkedIn for Business, Meta for Business, and Twitter/X. Answer based on 1 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does IdeaScale offer? IdeaScale provides in-person training, live online sessions, webinars, documentation, and videos to help teams get started. In-person and live online formats support guided instruction, webinars cover scheduled group learning, documentation offers written reference material, and videos provide visual self-paced guidance. Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does IdeaScale offer? IdeaScale provides Email/Help Desk, FAQ/Forum, Knowledge Base, Phone Support, 24/7 Live Rep, and Chat. Reviewers describe support as responsive, helpful, and courteous, with quick access to technical help and staff who stay involved during setup and issue resolution, though some note the platform can feel complex. Answer based on 9 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 3,180 Idea Management reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these as the features buyers care about most when choosing idea management software: - **Progress Tracking** (**62%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Real-Time Updates** (**54%**) - **Activity Dashboard** (**56%**) IdeaScale includes **Activity Dashboard**, giving teams a central view of idea activity and participation. However, it does not include **Progress Tracking** or **Real-Time Updates**. Instead, it offers **Workflow Management** (**56%**), which helps teams organize idea review steps and move submissions through a defined process. Together, these features help businesses keep idea programs visible and structured while giving teams a clearer way to monitor activity and manage decisions. Workflow Management 4.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks Activity/News Feed 5.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Continuous profile-based stream of news and activity Gamification 4.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Games or game-like elements to track progress and reward accomplishments Idea Ranking 5.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Facilitates users voting on ideas that are presented so the most favorable ones can be highlighted and further pursued Ideation 5.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important The creation, development, and sharing of potentially innovative new ideas Status Tracking 4.0 (1) 0.00% of 1 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction IdeaScale 45 features ### All Features - Access Controls/Permissions: Define levels of authorization for access to specific files or systems - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Activity/News Feed: Continuous profile-based stream of news and activity - Alerts/Notifications: Alerts or notifications of various types such as pop-up messages, sounds, banners, or badges - API: Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases - Approval Workflow: Route documents and other data through one or more stakeholders for review and approval - Brainstorming: Group collaboration to solve ideas in a productive and concentrated manner. - Change Management: Track and monitor efficient handling of all changes/transitions - Change Planning: Planning training and tasks to facilitate the transition to new technology, process, or workflow. - Chat/Messaging: Communicate using direct chat or messages within the system - Collaboration Tools: Provides a channel for team members to share AI models, media files, communicate, and work together - Commenting/Notes: Leave comments and notes on documents for others to view - Configurable Workflow: Configure existing workflows to meet your organization's needs - Crowdsourcing: Collects information, opinions, or ideas from a group of people - Customizable Reports: Alter the layout and content of reports - Data Import/Export: Import and export data to and from software applications - Data Security: Protect sensitive data for digital privacy - Discussions/Forums: Online forums/groups where users can ask questions, share ideas, best practices, etc. - Engagement Tracking: Tracks metrics that provide insight into how a user interacts with any interface or product - Evaluation Management: Create, share, and manage the distribution of job descriptions/duties - Feedback Management: Collecting, analyzing, and utilizing feedback from users or customers to improve a product or service - Gamification: Games or game-like elements to track progress and reward accomplishments - Idea Ranking: Facilitates users voting on ideas that are presented so the most favorable ones can be highlighted and further pursued - Ideation: The creation, development, and sharing of potentially innovative new ideas - Innovation Management: Process of developing, planning, managing, and executing new ideas or innovations - Member Directory: Comprehensive list that contains information and details of all the members associated with a particular organization or group - Mind Maps: Diagram used to organize information in a hierarchical way to show relationships - Moderation: Controls/tools to moderate the session - Polls/Voting: Enable custom polls/voting to facilitate decision-making or increase engagement - Prioritization: Arrange tasks based on the level of priority or urgency - Project Tracking: Monitor the progress of projects from start to finish - Projections: Estimate or forecast of a future scenario based on the study of present trends - Ratings/Reviews: Ratings/Reviews - Real-Time Notifications: Notifications that are delivered to users as soon as an event occurs - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Self Service Portal: Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information - Single Sign On: Allow users to access multiple services after entering their login credentials once - Social Media Integration: Integrate with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. - Status Tracking: Track the status over time for a request, process, asset, or transaction - Strategic Planning: At a high level, visualize a preferred outcome, define goals and identify specific steps to achieve them - Third-Party Integrations: Set up connections to third-party platforms to improve business processes - Trend Analysis: Review data from past periods to reveal recurring tendencies and predict future performance - User Management: Manage user accounts, profiles, roles, permissions, and other details across applications, devices or networks - Whiteboard: Allows multiple users to simultaneously annotate on a digital whiteboard - Workflow Management: Create, design and manage workflows for repetitive tasks --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.4 (14) 4.4 Based on 14 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.7 (13) Free Trial Basic $4,999 Per Feature,Per Year Value for money 4.7 (13) 4.7 Based on 13 reviews ## Integrations [ Slack](https://www.capterra.com/p/135003/Slack/)[ Trello](https://www.capterra.com/p/211559/Trello/)[ Jira](https://www.capterra.com/p/19319/JIRA/)[ Microsoft Teams](https://www.capterra.com/p/168668/Microsoft-Teams/)[ Google Analytics 360](https://www.capterra.com/p/177042/Google-Analytics/)[ Meta for Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/213257/Facebook/)[ Microsoft Power BI](https://www.capterra.com/p/176586/Power-BI/)[ Twitter/X](https://www.capterra.com/p/214056/Twitter/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.8 (25) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.8 (25) 4.8 Based on 25 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.6 Based on 28 reviews Filter by rating Counts reflect reviews available in this feed. 5(19) 4(7) 3(2) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Recent reviews first, then most helpful RE Reviewer Innovation Officer Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "A platform that can connect the entire organisation" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 9/10 August 20, 2021 Its been more than a year and it has really helped all staff feel that they have a voice. Pros It is collaborative and staff from across the organisation can interact wit each other and their ideas. Cons The registration process could be more seemless. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VR Verified Reviewer Director of Special Projects Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Effective, Easy, Reliable" 5.0 December 10, 2015 IdeaScale worked for us "out of the box'. We launched it and were up and running almost immediately. With zero prior experience, I was able to customize the interface to meet some very specific needs. When I had a question, one-on-one technical support was available on a moment's notice. Our account rep is equally helpful. He stays in touch enough to maintain a great relationship, but has never become a pest like some vendors. Pros Easy to set up and launch. Very intuitive user interface both from an administrator's perspective and for the people in the field who log on simply to vote on ideas. Technical support is knowledgeable and always available. The system is reliable, too - zero down time the entire time we've used it (2 years+). Good value for the money. We have the least expensive option and it does everything we need. Cons Nothing major - Some of the customization processes seemed a little 'clunky' at first but once you get in sync with their way of doing things it isn't a problem. As stated above, I believe this is a good value for the money, but if you want to go beyond the basic features there is a pretty steep jump in price. Might be nice to have a 'mid-range' option as well. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. James P. IT Specialist Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Cool Product for Ideation" 3.0 December 17, 2015 Working for the Social Security Administration we use IdeaScale to engage discussion with advocacy groups in the vast Disability area. Understanding that some are hesitant to try “new things,” my team had to be diligent in our quest to use this platform for ideation. Now, after the initial angst and the anonymity feature, we run 3 to 4 concurrent campaigns a month. This product is awesome Pros Export to Microsoft Excel Feature Privacy settings Assign Moderator Settings Easy to code Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Verified Reviewer Librarian Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Great for crowd-sourcing input on big projects" 4.0 December 10, 2015 Our library system has used IdeaScale to source feedback from both staff and the public on renovation projects, and it's proved to be a useful and easy-to-manage system for gathering and organizing that input. Pros Very easy and intuitive to use, even for non-tech-savvy users, and allows for input to be built through conversations rather than just filling in forms. Wonderful, attentive support from IdeaScale staff. Helpful, easy-to-use metrics and a very cool, customizable infographic generator. Cons The number of options for community moderation can be a bit overwhelming, and the function of each isn't always clear. Attached images show up very small, and attached links or documents could be placed or shown more prominently. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VR Verified Reviewer Interdisciplinary Scientist Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Great App, Great Service" 5.0 December 22, 2015 Within our center, we use IdeaScale as a way to engage staff in brainstorming like discussions that they otherwise would not be able to participate in. Topics range from internal office improvements to new policy implementation and the tool has been incredibly valuable for both senior leadership and the rest of the staff! Service with the IdeaScale time has always been top notch from getting quick responses to technical questions, discussions on campaign strategy, all the way to full program discussion within the office, IdeaScale has been great to work with every step of the way. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. Verified Reviewer Executive Direct Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Talent and tech" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 July 31, 2020 Great Pros The staff including sales, support and others we responsive, talented and passionate about the product, their individual craft and providing great customer service. The technology is feature rich, easy to use and reliable. Cons Although it is easy to configure, I 'd say more use of preconfigured templates could make it even easier. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Senior Digital Specialist Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Awesome Partnership!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 17, 2017 Ideascale has one of the most solid platforms on in the marketplace AND they are well advanced from anyone out there in system integrations. They are constantly improving their site with input from real customers that are using it. They actually- eat their own dog food -by asking clients to use their community site to post feature requests AND take action on ideas regularly. I have used other software and done a thorough review of competitors, there are none that compete at this level. Pros solid, secure and flexible (enough). Cons we don't have the power to do everything ourselves for some things. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Voice Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Grow with Ideascale!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 29, 2019 The scalability of this product is immense and we are just scratching the service on how it can impact our organization. It’s been an awesome team to work with so far! Pros I love that Ideascale is so passionate about helping companies reach their innovation potential. Understanding that even small ideas can have a big impact. Their network of users is amazing for collaborating and helping each other. Great community all around. Cons I do wish the analytics was more customizable for our organization. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Innovation Coordinator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Like" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 25, 2019 Love Pros I like the ease of use for myself as a moderator and the end uaers Cons Sometimes there are bugs in the system. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RE Reviewer Management Analyst ### "Look no further than IdeaScale for Outstanding Collaborative Software - Outstanding" 5.0 May 17, 2017 Working as a Federal Employee for decades, I have had the opportunity to participate in a host of application development. Consequently, you would think that I wouldn't be impressed by IdeaScale's offerings, but I was in for a very pleasant experience. I was tasked by my Agency's Leadership to develop a Leading Practices Community for the purpose of sharing efficient and effective ideas organizational wide. I thought, I have no experience with this new software, how can I pull this off? Well all that stress could have been avoided had I talked to my IdeaScale SME, Mr. Matt Paulson, prior to my assignment. To make a long story short, Matt showed incredible product knowledge and was essential in having a fully, functional community available in a matter of weeks. Additionally, Matt was readily accessible and eager to provide his expert knowledge in the event of requested changes. As a result we have a great tool, which I see as providing an outstanding ROI. The Leading Practices Community will serve 30,000 employees and has the capacity to serve far more. How better could we share effectiveness and efficiency than through this tool? In my opinion IdeaScale offers unequaled product value and impressive customer support. If there are any cons to this program, they haven't surfaced so I have nothing to report. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/139651/IdeaScale/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.