--- title: "Firsthand Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Firsthand Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Mentoring products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/159785/Firsthand/" page_type: "product" language: "en" --- # Firsthand Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on September 6, 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) Firsthand ## What is Firsthand? Firsthand makes it easier than ever to help all students realize their career potential. Boost student engagement, improve career outcomes, and provide mentoring, virtual career fairs, job boards, webinars, and email campaigns all-in-one platform. We're the #1 provider of alumni engagement and mentoring platforms and trusted by hundreds of leading institutions, including Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Cambridge. ## What is Firsthand used for? [Mentoring](https://www.capterra.com/mentoring-software/)[Alumni Management](https://www.capterra.com/alumni-management-software/)[Virtual Event](https://www.capterra.com/virtual-event-software/) Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 41 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 95% Neutral 5% Negative 0% Starting price $7600 Per Feature, Per Month Free trial not 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 Firsthand?[Manage this product listing](https://digitalmarkets.gartner.com/get-listed/claim-bx?url=http://firsthand.co/&name=Firsthand) ## Firsthand Overview Updated September 2026 AI summary Firsthand provides organizations of all sizes with a cloud-based platform for mentoring, alumni management, and virtual event programs. It features mentor and coach matching, mentoring program management, participant profiles, AI-based matching, appointment scheduling, and career development tools. Optional tools like a self-service portal, customizable branding, and reporting help companies manage and evaluate engagement initiatives efficiently. ## 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. ### Firsthand 4.5 (41) VS. [4.7 (144)](https://www.capterra.com/p/133653/Almabase/reviews/) Starting Price $7600 Per Feature, Per Month Starting Price Contact vendor Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.3 (41) Ease Of Use 4.6 (411) Value For Money 4.5 (31) Value For Money 4.7 (387) Customer Service 4.6 (37) Customer Service 4.9 (397) ## Firsthand alternatives Highest Rated [4.9 (151)](https://www.capterra.com/p/140805/ToucanTech/reviews/) Starting price $8000.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 99% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.5 (1,099)](https://www.capterra.com/p/26318/Cvent-Event-Management/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 93% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.7 (29)](https://www.capterra.com/p/204121/PeopleGrove/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Hoopstr](https://www.capterra.com/p/142144/Vaave/) [4.8 (411)](https://www.capterra.com/p/142144/Vaave/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 100% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/142144/Vaave/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/159785/Firsthand/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Firsthand Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Firsthand? Firsthand is most used by career services teams, alumni relations staff, and advancement or partnership leaders at universities and institutions. Advisors and coaches use it to guide career exploration and employer connections, while alumni and engagement teams support mentoring, networking, volunteer coordination, and relationship-building with students, graduates, and external partners. Answer based on 41 reviews Overview ### What company size and specific industries is Firsthand built for? Firsthand is designed for higher-education institutions of all sizes that need a single platform for virtual community engagement. It fits colleges and universities focused on enrollment, alumni relations, and career services, especially those that host virtual fairs and events for students, graduates, and prospective applicants. Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Firsthand? Firsthand offers alumni engagement, career development, and analytics as core features. It also includes AI-based matching, mentoring program management, appointment scheduling, event management, member communities, member directory, and reporting and statistics, plus tools for email marketing, chat and messaging, virtual lobby, and online registration. Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Firsthand integrate with? Firsthand integrates with 7 third-party tools and platforms, including Blackbaud Enrollment Management System and Ellucian for education systems, plus Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and LinkedIn for Business for scheduling and networking. It also connects with NetSuite and Simplicity for broader administrative and operations workflows. Answer based on 1 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Firsthand offer? Firsthand provides in person training, live online sessions, webinars, and documentation to help teams get started. In person training supports direct instruction, live online sessions offer guided remote setup, webinars present scheduled group learning, and documentation gives written reference material for self-paced review. Answer based on 8 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Firsthand offer? Firsthand provides Email/Help Desk, Knowledge Base, Phone Support, 24/7 Live Rep, and Chat. Users describe support as generally helpful and accessible, with some noting strong customer service and close liaison contact. Others report slower replies or unanswered requests, especially when they need faster technical help. Answer based on 8 reviews Features and Usability ### Is Firsthand easy to navigate and use? Firsthand offers a clean, intuitive interface that helps students, alumni, and administrators get started quickly. Many teams like the simple registration flow, direct messaging, scheduling, and familiar profile experience, though some users want more visual branding options and say search navigation can feel limited in certain cases. Answer based on 10 reviews Features and Usability ### How easy is Firsthand to use for students and admins? Firsthand makes setup, registration, and everyday mentoring tasks easy for most students, alumni, and program teams. Many users find messaging, scheduling, LinkedIn sign-up, and matchmaking straightforward, but some administrators find newer updates less clear, and some students struggle with search results or staying active without ongoing program support. Answer based on 10 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 938 Mentoring reviews Capterra reviewers point to these as the top features buyers look for in mentoring software: - **Mentor/Coach Matching** (**58%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Mentoring Program Management** (**44%**) - **Participant Profiles** (**31%**) Firsthand supports all three of the features reviewers rank highest: **Mentor/Coach Matching**, **Mentoring Program Management**, and **Participant Profiles**. Together, these capabilities help organizations connect participants with the right mentors or coaches, manage program structure and progress, and maintain detailed profile information, allowing teams to run mentoring initiatives more effectively and support better participant outcomes. Action Item Tracking Track the status of discussed/agreed tasks Activity Dashboard Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities AI-based Matching Carry out matching automatically using machine learning algorithms Alumni Engagement In addition to having communication abilities, provides opportunities for alumnis to connect and organizes for special interest groups, sharing stories or sharing university spirit camaraderie. Analytics Tools for the systematic analysis of various types of data or statistics API Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases Firsthand 38 features ### All Features - Action Item Tracking: Track the status of discussed/agreed tasks - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - AI-based Matching: Carry out matching automatically using machine learning algorithms - Alumni Engagement: In addition to having communication abilities, provides opportunities for alumnis to connect and organizes for special interest groups, sharing stories or sharing university spirit camaraderie. - Analytics: Tools for the systematic analysis of various types of data or statistics - API: Application programming interface that allows for integration with other systems/databases - Appointment Scheduling: Schedule appointments via a calendar - Attendance Management: Manage attendance for classes, shifts, meetings, or events - Attendee Management: Process of managing, tracking, and communicating with individuals who are registered to attend an event - Campaign Management: Create a collection of marketing actions to complete specific goals and plan and analyze campaign results - Career Development: Process of enhancing skills & experiences for continuous professional growth & advancement - Chat/Messaging: Communicate using direct chat or messages within the system - Content Library: Centralized repository to store content and assets - Customizable Branding: Add customized logos and colors to align with company branding - Email Marketing: Create and send email blasts/campaigns - Engagement Tracking: Tracks metrics that provide insight into how a user interacts with any interface or product - Event Management: Schedule and manage the logistics of activities and other gatherings - For Alumni Associations: Designed for alumni organizations and associations - Fundraising Management: Activities related to raising money for a specific cause - Job Board: Site to advertise jobs openings and letting job seekers search for positions based on skills, experience or preferences - Lead Generation: Manage the process of attracting and converting business prospects into leads - Learning Management: Organize and track educational activities - List Management: Manage contacts across multiple mailing lists - Live Streaming: Live stream to multiple devices simultaneously - Member Accounts: Accounts held by members of an organization - Member Directory: Comprehensive list that contains information and details of all the members associated with a particular organization or group - Member Portal: Online gateway through which members can access/update personal information - Membership Management: Database of members to track personal information of individuals and families - Mentor/Coach Matching: Match mentors and mentees through self-matching, admin-led matching, or automatically based on skills, interests and other parameters - Mentoring Program Management: Manage mentoring programs: registration, pairing, curriculum, and reporting - Online Registration: Real-time registration over the web - Participant Profiles: Personal profiles that may include photos, job roles, skills, interests, qualifications, languages spoken, and more - Progress Tracking: Reporting on how each user, task or process has advanced since its initiation - Real-Time Chat: Engage in direct, instant messaging with customers, users, etc. - Reporting & Statistics: Collection, analysis, and representation of numerical data and generation of reports to understand various patterns - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Self Service Portal: Online portal through which end users can access the system, manage tasks, or obtain information - Virtual Lobby: Virtual waiting area for attendees --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.2 (41) 4.2 Based on 41 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.5 (31) Basic $7,600 Per Feature,Per Month Value for money 4.5 (31) 4.5 Based on 31 reviews ## Integrations [ Google Calendar](https://www.capterra.com/p/213340/Google-Calendar/)[ Microsoft Outlook](https://www.capterra.com/p/227138/Microsoft-Outlook/)[ NetSuite](https://www.capterra.com/p/135757/NetSuite/)[ LinkedIn for Business](https://www.capterra.com/p/213505/LinkedIn-for-Business/)[ Simplicity](https://www.capterra.com/p/89548/SimplicityCollect/)[ Ellucian](https://www.capterra.com/p/135932/Ellucian/)[ Blackbaud Enrollment Management System](https://www.capterra.com/p/205393/Blackbaud-EMS/) 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 4.6 (37) 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 4.6 (37) 4.6 Based on 37 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.5 Based on 41 reviews Filter by rating 5(22) 4(17) 3(2) 2(0) 1(0) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent SG Sunaina G. Director Graduate Business Career Management Higher Education ### "Dashboard" 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 September 2, 2020 We are pushing this resource more and more to facilitate networking and mentorship opportunities for students to connect with advisors for informational conversations. Also we have discontinued another product since this platform's resources provides our students with career webinar videos. Pros Dashboard is user friendly, intuitive and robust enabling ease of communication to students. Cons We haven't hit any roadblocks or limitations yet with respect to the software. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. BD Belinda D. Tech Support Non-Profit Organization Management ### "Year 1 Firsthand" 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 9/10 August 29, 2020 Matching mentors and mentees in our workforce development programs. Pros Very easy to customize this software, which we are doing to support many programs and collaborative partners. Cons It would be nice it had more integration options besides LinkedIn. Reasons for choosing Firsthand The matching algorithm and our ability to customize it was reason #1. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. NT Nicole T. Alumni Relations Coordinator Higher Education ### "Love Firsthand!" 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 August 23, 2020 I'm still fairly new to using Firsthand but love it so far! Using the software is easy and customer service/support is amazing! \[SENSITIVE CONTENT HIDDEN\] has been extremely helpful in getting me set-up as an administrator and explaining all the different features. The whole Firsthand team is always willing to hold a private training session and give you their undivided attention. Very much appreciated! Pros I like how the software is simple and easy to use/navigate whether you are an administrator, student or alumni. Cons I have no complaints about the software. Reasons for choosing Firsthand I was not with the organization when they decided to purchase. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CD CLAY D. Professor Education Management ### "Students love Firsthand" 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 August 22, 2020 Students need to conduct a career conversation with an alumni of our university. Students can select the mentors based on their major, industry or job title. The software does a great job matching mentors with students based on student interests. Many students say this project is among the best they have ever completed while college. Being able to speak with someone in a position that they want to be in is invaluable to their growth. The advice provided is highly valued by students. Pros The software id easy to use and being able to link it to LinkedIn makes signing up very easy. Cons The only Con is on our end. We need more alumni mentors in our system. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JR Joel R. TRIO SSS Education Management ### "Go with Firsthand" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 7/10 August 21, 2020 Pros Firsthand is vital before many universities were forced to go online. Now it is a tool that allows for so much creative use of the platform. It has so much to offer in mentoring, relationship-building, and career fairs. Cons It takes a little bit of time to get started and comfortable with the software. I don't think it's Firsthand's fault - it just takes students some time to get comfortable with the idea to meet a stranger. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DG Daniel G. I.T. Assistant Information Technology and Services ### "First Hand used as for professional community empowerment" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 August 21, 2020 Pros I like the algorithm the most. It helps us find ways to tie mentors and mentees together which makes our intake much more easier. Cons I think we would like the ability to create our own library to import our video collection. Clients need our videos to better prepare them and having it on this platform would make it much easier. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. IA Iara A. Program Officer Education Management ### "Firsthand has made my job easier!" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 August 21, 2020 Pros Firsthand helped make my job easier by allowing us to pair my program mentees and mentors in a simple way. Although my company uses Firsthand a little differently than most companies do, the Firsthand team was all ears and made small changes so the platform could be even more beneficial to us. Cons Some new features do not always work the first time around and updates/changes are not always done in a timely manner. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CL Chris L. Graduate assistant Education Management ### "Not an employee anymore" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 0/10 August 21, 2020 It was great but I'm no longer working with it so I don't know how it's working now. Pros I appreciated the work that the firsthand team provided and their customer service skills Cons It was still not as customizable as we needed at the time Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. SS Stephanie S. MBA Careers Consultant Education Management ### "The students that use it, love it" 4.0 Overall Rating 4.0 4.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 4.0 4.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 August 20, 2020 Firsthand provides a wealth of professionals at the finger tips of students to connect with. This is invaluable in an age where making online jobs applications alone is not enough. Pros The students that engage with Firsthand love it. Students were able to access professionals at short notice and even at weekends and were impressed with the their knowledge and willingness to help. Being able to have these conversations with friendly professionals is a great starting place for students new to networking to have a go in what feels like a safer environment. Cons We're in a very 'noisy' digital world so getting students to engage with the product is our biggest challenge. Firsthand have been supportive is supplying promotional materials which has been useful. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Career Management Associate Director Education Management ### "Great mentoring platform" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 3.0 3.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 August 19, 2020 Pros The access to professional for mentoring, advice and mock interviews. The resources available. Cons Nothing specific. The platform is well designed. Review source Incentivized review: software users are invited to submit an honest review and offered a nominal incentive for their time and effort. All incentivized reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. 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