9 Best Employee Portal Software Options in 2026, Compared

The best employee portal software depends on where your people already work: Microsoft 365 companies should start with Viva Connections, small and shift-based teams get the most for the least from Connecteam or Blink, and large enterprises comparing full platforms should look at Staffbase, Simpplr and Workvivo by Zoom. Jostle and Happeo sit in between, with Jostle publishing per-user prices and Happeo built around company knowledge. If what you need is a narrow internal app (a staff directory, a policy library and a few request forms) rather than a communications platform, building it with an AI app builder like Greta.sh is a real option. Prices below are as of October 2026.

"Employee portal" covers three different products: an intranet for news and documents, a mobile app for staff who don't sit at a desk, and an internal self-service app for requests and records. Buying one when you needed another is the expensive mistake.

How we compared

We looked at who each product is built for (desk workers, frontline staff or both), whether pricing is published and on what basis, the cheapest way to get started, and the limit you're most likely to hit. Prices were checked on each vendor's own pricing page on October 4, 2026, and are stated as of October 2026. Several vendors only sell through a quote, which we say plainly rather than guess at a number.

At a glance

The 9 best employee portal software options

1. Microsoft Viva Connections – the default for Microsoft 365 shops

If your company already runs on Microsoft 365, look here first. Microsoft says its enterprise plans already include a company-branded employee destination for news and announcements, and that Viva Connections builds on existing Microsoft 365 capabilities such as SharePoint and Viva Engage. It's accessible through the Teams desktop and mobile apps (Viva Connections).

On the Microsoft Viva pricing page, Viva Employee Communications and Communities starts at $2.00 per user per month, paid yearly with an annual commitment, and bundles Viva Connections, Viva Engage and Viva Amplify. The full Microsoft Viva Suite starts at $12.00 per user per month, paid yearly.

Strengths: low extra cost if you already pay for Microsoft 365, and no new app to roll out. Limits: it assumes a Microsoft stack; Microsoft notes that Teams-integrated features need a Teams license.

2. Connecteam – a free start for small teams

Connecteam splits its product into Operations, Communications and HR & Skills hubs. The Communications Hub covers chat, updates, a directory, surveys, events, a knowledge base and a help desk. Its Small Business Plan is free for up to 10 users, and Connecteam describes it as including all hubs and all features. Paid Communications plans are $29, $49 and $99 a month billed yearly ($35, $59 and $119 billed monthly) for the first 30 users, plus a per-user charge above that. Prices are in USD and there's a 14-day free trial.

Strengths: a flat price for the first 30 users, and scheduling and time tracking sit in the same app. Limits: each hub has its own plan, so the bill grows as you add hubs.

3. Blink – built for frontline staff

Blink is positioned around frontline communications. Core is $3.75 per user per month billed annually ($4.50 month to month) and includes in-app company branding, an internal communications platform, a collaboration suite and a knowledge hub. Pro is $5.00 per user per month billed annually ($6.00 monthly) and adds richer customization, multi-language publishing, user provisioning and an AI assistant. Enterprise is quote-only.

Strengths: clear per-user pricing, low enough to cover every employee. Limits: API access, deeper integrations and enterprise compliance features are listed under the quote-only Enterprise plan.

4. Jostle – published prices for mid-size teams

Jostle sells four plans (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) priced per user per month, with the figure calculated from your team size on its pricing page. Prices are USD for a prepaid annual subscription; Jostle says to add 15% to pay monthly, and offers a free trial. Bronze covers news, an activity feed, recognition, discussions, a people directory and mobile apps; higher plans add a library, custom views and add-ons such as events, tasks and org charts. Every plan lists integrations (including Google Workspace, Office 365, Slack and Microsoft Teams), SSO and provisioning, and custom branding.

Strengths: transparent, and onboarding and support are included on every plan. Limits: you need your headcount in hand to see a price.

5. Happeo – an intranet built around company knowledge

Happeo frames its product around organizing and finding company knowledge. Its Starter, Growth and Enterprise plans are sold through a demo rather than a public price list. Starter covers topic-based knowledge hubs with AI assistance and sharing updates across Happeo, Slack and email; Growth adds branding, engagement measurement and governance; Enterprise adds SSO with provisioning and developer APIs. Happeo says AI features and MCP access are included on every plan.

Strengths: a clear focus on findable, maintained knowledge. Limits: no published prices, so budgeting starts with a sales call.

6. Staffbase – enterprise intranet, app and email together

Staffbase sells an intranet, an employee app and internal email, and quotes each deal individually. It offers dedicated frontline pricing, mixed pricing for desk and frontline staff, and says frontline-only deployments are a core use case, including workers without corporate email. Its FAQ explains it doesn't publish prices because a single price would be wrong for most organizations.

Strengths: one vendor for intranet, app and email reach. Limits: quote-only, so you can't price it without a sales conversation.

7. Simpplr – enterprise employee experience platform

Simpplr tailors quotes to company size, complexity and support level, with volume-based pricing. The subscription typically covers the Simpplr One platform (intranet and employee experience features), four releases a year and global support, and Simpplr says it offers discounted pricing to organizations with 500 or more employees. Capabilities on its site include an intranet, enterprise search, newsletters, surveys and recognition.

Strengths: a broad platform for large internal comms teams. Limits: no published price, and more platform than a small company needs.

8. Workvivo by Zoom – engagement-led employee communication

Workvivo (its site footer reads Workvivo by Zoom Limited) sells customized packages. You start with Workvivo HQ for communication, knowledge and engagement, or Seer for employee listening, then add options such as agentic search, chat (built on Zoom's Video SDK), digital signage and deeper analytics. It also supports access for employees without a company email address.

Strengths: communication, knowledge and employee listening from one vendor. Limits: quote-only, with key features sold as add-ons.

9. Greta.sh – build a custom staff portal

Sometimes the "portal" HR wants isn't a newsfeed at all. It's a staff directory, a policy library, a leave or equipment request form, and an admin view to approve requests. Greta.sh is an AI app builder: you describe the app in plain English and it generates a full-stack app with frontend, backend, database, authentication and deployment, and the code can be exported as Next.js.

On Greta.sh pricing, the free plan gives 5 credits a day to prototype. Starter is $5 a month on the welcome offer (normally $20 a month) and adds deployment and custom domains. The Database feature and team management are on Pro, $20 a month on the welcome offer (normally $50 a month).

Strengths: the portal matches your process, and you own the code. Limits: you own the building and maintenance too, and there are no prebuilt HRIS integrations, mobile apps or compliance certifications to lean on.

Intranet, employee app or internal app: decide first

Before you book demos, decide which of three jobs you're hiring for:

• Reach: company news, leadership updates and campaigns that have to land with everyone. That's an intranet or employee communications platform (Viva, Staffbase, Simpplr, Workvivo).
• Frontline access: staff without a desk or a company email address need a phone app. Shortlist Blink, Connecteam and Staffbase, and check how each handles sign-in without corporate email.
• Self-service: requests, records and approvals specific to your company. A communications platform will handle this awkwardly; an internal app does it properly.

Many mid-size companies need the first job lightly and the third one badly. In that case Viva (if you're on Microsoft 365) plus a small custom app can be a cheaper route than a large platform contract. Unily, Interact and LumApps are also worth a look for enterprise intranets: Unily and Interact both quote custom packages on their Unily pricing and Interact pricing pages, and LumApps routes buyers to a demo.

What to check before you sign

• Who counts as a user. Per-user pricing across a large frontline workforce adds up fast; ask whether frontline or occasional users are priced differently, as Staffbase does.
• Sign-in without corporate email. Several vendors support it; confirm how, and who manages those accounts.
• Where content already lives. If documents sit in SharePoint or Google Drive, test search across them in the demo, not on a slide.
• Data protection. Employee data rules vary by country and sector, so check the vendor's data residency and processing terms with whoever owns privacy at your company.

If your portal is really an approvals tool, compare approval workflow software first. For custom internal apps more broadly, see the best internal tool builders and how ops teams replace spreadsheets with internal apps. Portals for people outside the company are a different purchase: see client portal software, partner portal software and, for the agreements behind those relationships, contract management software.

Frequently asked questions

What is employee portal software?

It's a single place where employees find company news, documents, colleagues and tools. Depending on the product, that's an intranet (Simpplr, Happeo), an app aimed at frontline staff (Blink), an all-in-one employee management app (Connecteam), or both (Staffbase, Workvivo by Zoom).

Which employee portal is free?

Connecteam's Small Business Plan is free for up to 10 users. Microsoft 365 enterprise plans include a company-branded employee destination for news and announcements, with paid Viva plans on top.

How much does employee portal software cost?

Published prices start low: Blink Core is $3.75 per user per month billed annually, and Viva Employee Communications and Communities starts at $2.00 per user per month paid yearly. Staffbase, Simpplr, Happeo and Workvivo quote each deal.

What's the best employee portal for frontline workers?

Blink is positioned around frontline communications, Connecteam puts communication, scheduling and time tracking in one app, and Staffbase offers dedicated frontline pricing and frontline-only deployments. Check how each handles employees without a company email address.

Can I build my own employee portal instead?

Yes, if the job is self-service (directory, policies, requests, approvals) rather than company-wide communications. An AI app builder like Greta.sh generates the app with database and logins, but you take on building and maintaining it.

Buy for reach, build for process

If the problem is that people miss news, buy a communications platform that reaches every employee. If the problem is that requests live in inboxes and spreadsheets, build the small app that fixes it. Plenty of companies need both, and that's fine.