Chekkit vs Kenect

Podium

Thryv

Birdeye

Podium is an AI-powered platform that helps businesses manage and convert leads. The platform is designed for a range of industries, such as automotive, healthcare, home services, and retail. It includes a virtual assistant that can drive leads, schedule appointments, and market the business. The system consolidates leads from various channels, including phone calls, text messages, website forms, and third-party sources, into a unified AI-powered inbox.

Thryv helps small businesses manage CRM, marketing, scheduling, payments, and customer communication from one AI-powered platform designed to automate workflows, improve efficiency, and drive business growth.

Birdeye provides an AI-based chat solution for multi-location businesses that engages website visitors 24/7. The platform features intelligent conversation capabilities, lead capture functionality, and seamless handoff to live agents when needed. Businesses can personalize the chat widget to match their brand identity while managing all communications through a centralized smart inbox.

Chekkit is a text messaging platform designed to help businesses collect reviews, accept payments, communicate with customers via web chat, video calls, or other channels, and manage conversations on a unified platform. Supervisors can track competitors and Google search results.

2-Way Messaging

Activity Dashboard

Automated Responses

Autoresponders

Batch Communications

Billing & Invoicing

Campaign Management

Canned Responses

Chat/Messaging

Communication Management

Customizable Branding

Dashboard

Data Security

Debit/Credit Card Processing

Feedback Management

File Sharing

Inbox Management

Interaction Tracking

Interactive Content

Mass Texting

Mobile Access

Mobile Payments

Monitoring

Multi-Channel Communication

Multi-Channel Data Collection

Negative Feedback Management

On-Demand Communications

Online Payments

Payment Fraud Prevention

PCI Compliance

Personalization

Proactive Chat

Ratings/Reviews

Real-time Consumer-facing Chat

Real-Time Notifications

Reminders

Reporting/Analytics

Reputation Management

Response Management

Review Monitoring

Review Notification

Review Request

Sentiment Analysis

SMS Messaging

Social Sharing

Survey/Poll Management

Template Management

Text Analysis

Third-Party Integrations

Transcripts/Chat History

Video Support

Website Integration

Widgets

Chekkit

Web-based

iPad

iPhone

Android

Chekkit Basic

Chekkit Premium

Sales Manager

Not having a separate contact list within Chekkit of who can and can't be messaged, having to upload a CSV every time is a huge hassle.

Head Of Digital

Above all of the great features provided by Chekkit, it is their customer support and service that really helps them shine and blows me away.

Jewellery Claims Advisor

There are some issues with the way it creates and maintains notifications on the cell phone and there are also issues with the interaction with Google that are inhibited by email addresses that don't have the same domain as the company web site.

CEO 

We can instantly communicate with our customer via text for any changes to the reservation, pre-check in processes and review requests.

Owner

Our regulars customers can leave messages and know that we will reply with the information they need.

CEO and Director

I like the fact that you dont have to assign a conversation to others inorder for other team members to interact with that client.

The straight interaction with clients/customers using SMS based messaging is very useful and the access to it from team member cell phones, without the need to divulge personal cell numbers is a big benefit.

Digital Marketing Manager

More importantly, the mobile version needs improvement to match the user-friendly experience of the desktop version.

Manager

The app is easy to learn and use but more colors or obvious differences between all the selections could help with finding features faster.

The team really understands what we are trying to accomplish with the system and work all hours of the day to make sure that we are taken care of.

Marketing Director

Chekkit has all the functionality of Podium at a fraction of the price.

Would like to be able to except payments through Chekkit, but the % is to high.

Working with our representative and the team to come up with solutions to various issues is amazing.

With its easy-to-use live chat and text messaging features, we can interact with our clients efficiently.

Founder

As an added bonus it helps us when someone needs us to look at something using the video chat, or if we need them to send us a copy of a bill - take a pic and text it in... love it.

They could improve by having a combined chatbox feature for all locations, instead of only being able to look at each individually.

Our new visitors see that there is someone at the other end providing answers to their questions rapidly.

Find customer service like this is difficult, which makes me constantly recommend Chekkit to industry peers.

Chekkit has transformed our customer communication.

None at this point that I can think of, the team always takes care of the issue or comes up with a solution.

Office Manager

Features are fabulous and Chekkit does what other more expensive providers do.

We use Chekkit for soliciting client reviews via text and email, and the integration with our Google My Business and Facebook pages is remarkably slick and easy to use. While Chekkit has many other features, getting reviews with a one-stop, predictable, effective solution is as good as it gets.

The ability to see communication thread history from all users is also very beneficial.

We are able to connect with our customers through our chatbox and it has been a great experience using the platform.

We also use text message marketing to keep in front of past clients.

The only drawback that I can think of is that I can’t assign a conversation to an employee exclusively.

The pricing is decent and there is some flexibility when engaging multiple locations.

This may seem like a Google issue, but we were able to do it with our previous provider, so it is not that simple.

It has all the same features as the expensive big boys at a fraction of the cost.

Regional Sales Manager

The service is great and the whole system is easy to use.

Easy to check reviews just not dates given

Sales/Account manager

Occasionally, customers weren’t getting text messages.

marketing

We can also bulk upload review requests to collect online reviews on facebook, google, and more.

Customers do not have to leave a message for a negative review.

Operates like other software we have had for a fraction of the price.

VP of Marketing

From the beginning of setup to training, to everyday use, everything is smooth and dependable.

The functions allow us to keep track of what our customers are asking for, look at pictures as a team and confirm appointments.

Pres

Very easy platform to get your reviews with, I like that it is not integrated with my point of sale so that the sales associate still has a responsibility to follow through on this customer

Long story short, they are a valued partner that helps our brand reputation eclipse that of our competitors in five US states.

Executive VP and CBO

President

Allows us to easily communicate with our customers and helps us get good reviews.

Great value for the features and service provided.

Compared to what we were using, can't ask for better.

Pricing

Review Management

Ease of Use

Customer Text Communication

Message Sending

Features

Chat Features

Customer Support

Integrations

Setup and Implementation

Small Business

Mid-size Business

Large Enterprises

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is a customer communications management software that helps businesses of all sizes create product catalogs and respond to customers’ messages or queries in real-time. The software provides end-to-end encryption to secure chats, voice messages, images, audio/video calls, and more.

Viber

Viber is a mobile messaging platform, which helps businesses communicate and run promotional campaigns via one-to-one chats, video calls or text notifications.

Telegram

Telegram Messenger is a cloud-based mobile and desktop messaging platform supported by native apps on most popular operating systems and devices, allowing users or user groups to connect and conduct voice calls, send messages, multimedia and files of all types across an end-to-end encrypted service

Kenect is the leading AI for dealerships, trusted by over 10,000 businesses across North America to streamline service, sales, and operations. 

ACH Payment Processing

Appointment Scheduling

Complaint Monitoring

CRM Integration

Electronic Signature

Group Messaging

In-Person Payments

Lead Distribution

Lead Qualification

Multiple Payment Options

One-to-One Messaging

Payment Gateway Integration

Real-time Conversations

Screen Sharing

Transfers/Routing

Video Chat

Kenect

Basic

I have thoroughly reviewed our account page and searched our email records but have been unable to locate a copy of this contract or any renewal notifications.

After being on hold for 15 minutes, I was informed that we are under contract and cannot cancel until November due to an automatic annual renewal clause.

This is particularly frustrating given that a prior representative indicated canceling would not be an issue and even discussed removing the website widget, which has since been taken down.

Business Manager

Kenect fills the gap for our business and allows us to communicate with clients and prospective clients via today's most common communication platform.

Legal Assistant

We were initially having issues with Kenect automatically creating contacts in Clio, which would result in duplicate contacts.

It has especially made a large difference in generating reviews from our clients as they are more likely to answer via text.

Reconsideration of the cancellation request given the circumstances and prior communication from your support team.

On February 25, 2026, I contacted customer service to request cancellation of our membership.

We chose to partner with Kenect after a positive experience at a trade show in Las Vegas approximately three years ago.

I value transparency/long-term client relationships-

What I do not like about Kenect is the fact that you cannot mass text images

It has reduced the amount of time spent making and receiving calls

Systems Manager

We could not receive texts or live chat leads for a long period of time as a result and lost messages from clients, business leads, and so forth that went into an abyss.

This is a huge disappointment and can no longer recommend their services.

At the time, Kenect had no way to limit the contacts synced by case type or even if a case was open or closed.

First, Kenect wanted to "test" our numbers to verify they could claim them once we were ready to make the switch.

We mainly moved to Kenect for Neos integration, which is a legal case management software.

the thing about their review request, it needs always to be the same one sent to everybody, and people can only leave a review if they also have an account like Google for Google reviews, etc., but Kenect doesn't offer many, just Google and Facebook and one more--just a couple review kinds, what a rip off.

Having said this, I have never had an issue go unresolved.

case manager

expensive, price point is high we bought this when Clio did not have a texting feature, now they do so we will more than likely not renew since we are already paying for a product that can provide these same features in the future

Prior to the switch to Kenect, most of our reviews mention our great communication.

Attorney

Poor customer service and communication.  

Office Management

It's a giant benefit for my team to communicate with customers without handing out their private contact details.

Changed the speed and effiiciency by which we can speak to clients and serve them better

Receptionist 

When inputting a clients name it doesn't say if there was another person with that same name.

Paralegal

I don't like that if you have multiple contacts with the same number, that you cant connect the message to each of the folders in Filevine.

good customer service, quick response and updates when new features are available

Chekkit vs Kenect Comparison (2026)

Chekkit

Kenect

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives