- 15 min read
10 Best Free Social Listening Tools in 2025 [Truly Free]
Sick of social listening tools disguising free plans as free trials? So were we. After testing every free social listening tool we could find, we've compiled a list of the 10 best free social listening tools in 2025 that actually offer lasting value without hidden costs.
Social listening is expensive.
If you're a small business or startup, keeping up with what people say about your brand can feel impossible without pricey software. One viral post or bad review can spread fast, and you almost never see it coming.
In this article, we'll show you the 10 best free social listening tools that actually work. You'll discover how tools like ForumScout, Google Alerts, and F5Bot help you track mentions, monitor sentiment, and protect your brand for free.
Why listen to us?
We're experts in brand monitoring and social listening. Having worked with over 2500 brands, we understand what delivers results when budgets are tight. Our hands-on experience helps us confidently recommend tools that punch above their weight, especially for teams that need powerful features without the enterprise price tag.
What is social listening?
Social listening is the practice of tracking online conversations about your brand, competitors, and industry across social media, forums, and news sites. Unlike simple monitoring, it goes deeper by analyzing sentiment, context, and trends to reveal how people truly feel.
It helps you uncover customer insights, identify market opportunities, and respond strategically in real time. With free social listening tools, even small businesses can access powerful data to understand and engage with their audience more effectively.
Why free social listening tools matter
- Test without risk: Explore strategies without costly contracts.
- Save and allocate: Redirect funds to product development, marketing, or hiring.
- Learn and grow: Master social listening basics before upgrading.
- Cover small-scale needs: Many tools offer enough features for solopreneurs and early-stage startups.
- Monitor competitors: Track industry trends without spending thousands.
10 Best Free Social Listening Tools Compared
| Tool | Free Plan Mentions | Platforms Covered | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ForumScout 🏆 | 100 / month | Forums, Social Media, Blogs, News | AI filtering, sentiment analysis, smart alerts | Comprehensive, AI-powered monitoring |
| Google Alerts | Unlimited | News sites, blogs, web pages | Email & RSS alerts, simple setup | Basic news and web tracking |
| F5Bot | Unlimited | Reddit, Hacker News, Lobsters | Keyword alerts, instant email notifications | Tracking Reddit and tech communities |
| Social Searcher | Limited (Free Tier) | Social media, blogs, forums | Real-time monitoring, sentiment analysis | Multi-platform social listening |
| Websays (Trial) | 250 (trial) | Social, blogs, forums, news | AI-driven sentiment, influencer mapping | Testing advanced analytics |
| Hootsuite (Trial) | Limited (3 profiles) | Major social platforms | Scheduling, streams, unified inbox | Managing multiple accounts |
| Brand24 (Trial) | 2,000 (trial) | Social, web, forums, news | Real-time monitoring, sentiment analysis | Trying premium tools risk-free |
| Awario (Trial) | 30,000 (trial) | Social, blogs, forums, news | Boolean search, lead gen, sentiment | Exploring advanced monitoring |
| Talkwalker Alerts | Unlimited | Web, news, blogs | Email alerts, RSS feeds | Google Alerts alternative |
- ForumScout
- Google Alerts
- F5Bot
- Social Searcher
- Websays (Trial)
- Hootsuite (30-Day Trial)
- Brand24 (Free Trial)
- Awario (Free Trial)
- Buffer
- Talkwalker Alerts
1. ForumScout
ForumScout's free tier makes social listening simple and actionable for small teams. Unlike the other free social listening tools on this list, it doesn't restrict tracking to just news sites or a handful of social networks. Every mention across every platform is accessible without paying a cent.
With the free plan, you can track 100 mentions per month across all platforms, set up 3 keyword alerts, and get updates every 6 hours with 14-day post retention - more than enough for solopreneurs and small businesses who just want to dip their toes into social listening.
Key Features
- AI Filtering & Scoring: Automatically prioritizes mentions by sentiment, context, and intent
- Natural-Language Filters: Set rules in plain English, like "show unhappy competitor customers"
- Smart Notifications: Get alerted only when posts match your criteria
- Sentiment Analysis: Understand the tone of conversations about your brand
- Cross-Platform Coverage: Monitor forums, social platforms, news sites, and more
- Audience Analytics: See which communities are most active and engaged
Pricing
- Free Forever ($0/mo): Includes 100 mentions per month, 3 keywords, updates every 6 hours, and 14-day post retention. Comes with basic insights, email notifications, and various integrations.
- Growth ($19/month): Everything in Free, plus 5,000 mentions per month, 10 keywords, hourly updates, and 30-day post retention. Includes AI filtering for smarter results.
- Business ($49/month): Everything in Growth, plus 25,000 mentions per month, 20 keywords, 60-day retention, and advanced analytics like competitive intelligence, sentiment and emotion tracking, and audience insights.
- Enterprise ($129/month): Everything in Business, plus 100,000 mentions per month, 25 keywords, and extended 180-day post retention for long-term monitoring.
Pros
- The only free tool that tracks every platform
- Tracks niche forums and online communities often missed by other tools
- Plain-language filters make setup fast and easy
- Real-time alerts help you respond quickly to important conversations
- Free plan provides meaningful long-term value for small teams
- Scalable with affordable paid plans as your monitoring needs grow
Cons
- Free plan limits historical post access to 14 days
2. Google Alerts
Google Alerts is a simple, no-frills free monitoring tool that notifies you by email whenever new web pages, news articles, or blog posts mention your chosen keywords. Setup is quick and requires no account, making it accessible for anyone.
It works best for tracking brand mentions in news articles, blogs, and indexed web pages. However, it has limited coverage for social media and forums, so it may not be ideal if you need comprehensive monitoring across platforms like X, Facebook, or LinkedIn.
Key Features
- Email Notifications: Receive alerts directly in your inbox whenever your keywords appear online
- Customizable Frequency: Choose how often you get updates—real-time, daily, or weekly
- RSS Feed Option: Subscribe via RSS instead of email for easier tracking
- Source Filtering: Focus results on specific sources such as news, blogs, web pages, or videos
- Language Selection: Monitor mentions in the languages that matter most to your brand
Pricing
Google Alerts is 100% free, and there are no limits on alerts or keywords.
Pros
- Effortless setup in under 2 minutes
- Unlimited keywords and alerts
- Effective for tracking brand mentions in news articles and blogs
Cons
- Does not cover social platforms, forums, or private communities
- Lacks sentiment analysis and advanced filtering
3. F5Bot
F5Bot is a lightweight monitoring tool focused exclusively on Reddit, Hacker News, and Lobsters. If your audience hangs out in tech communities or Reddit, F5Bot delivers simple email alerts whenever your keywords appear.
The tool is bare-bones but effective. You enter keywords, add your email, and F5Bot sends notifications within minutes of new mentions. It's perfect for developers, SaaS founders, and anyone targeting tech-savvy Reddit audiences.
Key Features
- Reddit Monitoring: Keeps tabs on mentions across every subreddit, ensuring you never miss relevant discussions.
- Hacker News Tracking: Monitor both submissions and comments to stay updated on the latest tech conversations.
- Lobsters Coverage: Stay informed about trends and discussions within the programmer-focused community at Lobsters.rs.
- Email Alerts: Receive instant notifications whenever your chosen keywords appear, so you can act fast.
- User-Friendly Interface: Designed for simplicity, with no complicated setup or steep learning curve.
Pros
- Simple setup in under 2 minutes
- Unlimited keywords and alerts
- Fast notifications for Reddit and tech communities
Cons
- Only covers three platforms (Reddit, Hacker News, Lobsters)
- Lacks sentiment analysis and advanced filtering
4. Social Searcher
Social Searcher offers a free monitoring option that supports mentions across multiple social platforms, blogs, and forums, making it a strong choice for multi-channel listening on a budget.
Key Features
- Real-Time Search: Instantly scan for mentions across social media and the web.
- Sentiment Analysis: Quickly gauge whether mentions are positive, negative, or neutral.
- Influencer & Keyword Monitoring: Track authors and identify frequently used keywords.
- Dashboard Overview: Easy-to-use interface showing mention volume, sentiment trends, and reach metrics.
- Export Reports: Download basic data to share or archive.
Pros
- Sentiment scoring provides quick insight into public perception.
- Multi-platform tracking (social, blogs, web) provides a broader context.
- It's a versatile application that can be used to monitor brands, analyze competitors, track campaigns, and discover trends.
Cons
- The free version has usage limits and lacks historical data depth.
- Advanced analytics and exports are locked behind a paid plan.
5. Websays Trial
Websays is a cloud-based social listening and reputation monitoring platform that helps brands track and analyze conversations across social media, blogs, forums, and news sites. Powered by AI, it delivers real-time insights into sentiment, trending topics, and key influencers. With the free Websays Trial, users can monitor up to 250 mentions across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and TikTok, using data from the past seven days to uncover valuable audience and brand insights.
Key Features
- Real-Time Monitoring: Track mentions from social media, forums, blogs, and news sources in one dashboard.
- AI-Driven Analysis: Automatically classify mentions by sentiment, topic, and relevance.
- Influencer Mapping: Identify key voices and analyze how conversations spread.
- Competitor Benchmarking: Compare share of voice, sentiment, and topic trends across brands.
- Custom Reports & Alerts: Create automated reports, set alerts for spikes or sentiment changes, and export data easily.
Pros
- Automated sentiment scoring for faster prioritization
- Covers multiple social platforms, blogs, and news sources
- Identifies influencers and key topics for actionable insights
Cons
- Advanced features and deep analytics require a paid subscription
- It can be complex for beginners due to the dashboard options
6. Hootsuite (30-Day Trial)
Hootsuite offers a 30-day free trial that gives you full access to manage your social media profiles and explore its monitoring capabilities without commitment. While primarily a social media management platform, the trial lets you test scheduling, engagement, and basic social listening features to see how your accounts perform.
Key Features
- Social Profiles: Connect up to 10 accounts, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram
- Unlimited Post Scheduling: Plan and publish posts across all connected accounts
- Basic Streams: Monitor mentions, keywords, and hashtags for your brand
- Unified Inbox: View and respond to messages from all profiles in one place
- Post Analytics: Track engagement metrics and post performance
Pros
- Great for basic social media management
- Combines scheduling and monitoring in one dashboard
- Easy-to-use unified interface
Cons
- Limited monitoring without paid plans
- Doesn't track broader web mentions; paid plans can be expensive
7. Brand24 Free Trial
Brand24 offers a 14-day free trial with full access to its platform, allowing users to test advanced monitoring and analytics features. It's ideal for trying out real-time social listening, influencer tracking, sentiment analysis, and competitive intelligence before committing to a paid plan.
Key Features
- Real-Time Monitoring: Track mentions across social media, forums, blogs, news sites, and podcasts
- AI Insights & Trend Detection: Automated summaries, topic clustering, and trend spotting
- Sentiment & Emotion Analysis: Classify mentions by positive, negative, or neutral tone
- Influencer & Author Metrics: Identify key voices driving conversations with influence scores
- Custom Reporting & Alerts: Build shareable reports, set keyword alerts, and export data
Pros
- Test premium features risk-free with a 14-day trial
- Comprehensive coverage across social media, blogs, and forums
- Advanced AI-driven insights and analytics for actionable intelligence
Cons
- Pricing can be expensive after the trial ends
- It may be overkill for small businesses with simpler needs
8. Awario (Free Trial)
Awario offers a 7-day free trial with access to its full feature set, including up to 30,000 mentions per month. The platform leverages Boolean search logic for precise filtering and includes lead generation tools to identify potential customers.
Key Features
- Boolean Search: Advanced filtering using Boolean operators for precise monitoring
- Multi-Channel Monitoring: Covers social media, blogs, forums, and news
- Lead Generation: Detects mentions that indicate buying intent
- Sentiment Analytics: Analyzes tone, reach, and intent of conversations
- Influencer Identification: Identifies high-impact authors driving engagement
Pros
- Full-feature trial with unrestricted access during the 7 days
- Comprehensive monitoring across multiple channels for a complete brand view
- Sentiment analysis and lead detection turn mentions into actionable insights
Cons
- Filter options and report customization are limited compared to top-tier tools
- Setting up complex Boolean searches has a steep learning curve for new users.
9. Buffer
Buffer is primarily a social media management platform with a free tier that includes basic analytics and limited monitoring, useful for small teams managing content while keeping an eye on engagement.
Key Features
- Multi-Account Management: Connect and manage up to three social profiles from one dashboard.
- Post Scheduling: Plan and publish posts across supported networks for consistent activity.
- Engagement Metrics: Track likes, shares, comments, and overall post performance.
- Basic Mention Tracking: Monitor keywords and engagement trends to gauge audience sentiment.
- Free Plan: Includes essential tools with limited analytics and scheduling — ideal for beginners or small teams.
Pros
- Offers sentiment scoring and visualizations for actionable insights
- Can monitor multiple platforms, including social media and forums
- Exports data for further analysis or reporting
Cons
- The interface is less polished compared to enterprise tools
- Data collection can be limited for high-volume monitoring
10. Talkwalker Alerts
Talkwalker Alerts is a free alternative to Google Alerts that monitors web pages, news sites, and blogs for your keywords. It provides email notifications and RSS feeds when new mentions appear online.
The tool functions similarly to Google Alerts but claims to deliver more comprehensive results. However, it still doesn't cover social media platforms or forums effectively.
Key Features
- Email Alerts: Receive notifications for new mentions as they happen
- RSS Feeds: Subscribe to alerts via RSS for easy integration with workflows
- Frequency Control: Choose daily, weekly, or immediate notifications
- Web Coverage: Monitors blogs, news sites, and indexed web pages
- Simple Setup: Quick keyword configuration for fast deployment
Pros
- Flexible alert system keeps teams informed in real time
- RSS feed integration supports efficient workflow management
- Broad coverage of blogs, news, and indexed web pages
Cons
- It may be overkill for small businesses with limited monitoring needs
- Reporting and analytics tools are less advanced compared to competitors
How to choose the right free social listening tool
Start with your goals
Ask yourself what you really want to track: brand mentions, customer sentiment, competitor activity, or trending topics. Clear goals help you focus on tools that offer exactly what you need, instead of wasting time exploring unnecessary features.
Check the coverage
Not all tools listen everywhere, so make sure it monitors the platforms your audience actually uses, whether that's X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, or niche forums. The wider the coverage, the better your understanding of where conversations about your brand are happening.
Test the accuracy
A good tool should separate real insights from noise and filter out irrelevant chatter. Accurate data gives you a truer picture of how people really feel, helping you make smarter marketing decisions.
Look for real-time alerts
The best tools notify you the moment your brand or keyword is mentioned, so you can react fast and stay ahead of trends or crises. Real-time listening helps you stay proactive instead of playing catch-up.
Try before you commit
Most free plans come with limits, so take advantage of trials or basic versions to see how each tool performs. A hands-on test will quickly reveal which one feels intuitive, reliable, and worth upgrading later.
The most powerful free plan is from ForumScout
You don't need expensive software to stay ahead of online conversations. Free social listening tools give you the power to track mentions, understand sentiment, and protect your brand reputation without stretching your budget.
ForumScout makes it easy to filter real insights from noise, spot opportunities early, and respond before issues grow.
Start using ForumScout today and turn everyday conversations into powerful brand intelligence. Completely free, no card required.
FAQs
What's the difference between social listening and social monitoring?
Social monitoring tracks mentions of your brand (who, what, when, where). Social listening analyzes the context, sentiment, and trends behind those mentions (why and how). Free tools like ForumScout include both monitoring and sentiment analysis.
Can free tools replace paid social listening platforms?
For small businesses and early-stage startups, yes. ForumScout's free plan provides 100 mentions/month, sentiment analysis, and multi-platform coverage that rivals basic paid tools. You only need paid platforms when monitoring volume exceeds free limits or you require advanced analytics.
How many keywords should I track with free tools?
Start with 3-5 essential keywords: your brand name, main product, top competitor, and 1-2 industry pain points. ForumScout's free plan includes 3 keyword scouts, which is sufficient for basic monitoring.
Which free tool is best for Reddit monitoring?
F5Bot - it provides the fastest Reddit alerts, sending notifications within minutes.
Do free social listening tools cover Instagram and Facebook?
Most free tools have limited Instagram and Facebook coverage due to platform API restrictions. ForumScout monitors public posts where accessible, but private groups and profiles remain hidden.
How often should I check my social listening alerts?
Check critical alerts (competitor crises, negative mentions) immediately. Review routine alerts 2-3 times daily. Use ForumScout's smart notifications to ensure you only get alerted to important mentions.
Can I use free tools to find sales leads?
Yes. ForumScout identifies buying-intent mentions like "looking for alternatives to [competitor]" or recommendation requests in forums and Reddit. F5Bot also works for Reddit lead generation if you monitor relevant keywords.
What happens when I exceed free plan limits?
With ForumScout, you can upgrade to the Growth plan ($19/month) for 5,000 mentions, or wait for your usage to reset. Google Alerts and F5Bot have no limits. Trial-based tools like Brand24 require paid subscriptions after 7 days.