If you’re comparing BrightLocal vs. Whitespark, you’re likely trying to figure out which one offers the best value for tracking rankings, managing citations, and improving local visibility. 📈
After all, they’re quite similar and some of the most popular tools for local SEO.
Still, there are some key differences, including the pricing structure, features, and strengths.
We’ll get into all of that for each in detail.
And if neither quite hits the mark for your needs, don’t worry, there’s also a lesser-known alternative worth considering that we’ll touch on later.
What is BrightLocal?
BrightLocal is a local SEO platform built for businesses and agencies that need to manage multiple locations and client accounts.
It combines several functions into one system, helping users track performance, manage citations, and oversee client-facing tasks.
Agencies often use BrightLocal for its white-label dashboards and reports, which can be fully branded to match their own identity. Reporting can be automated, letting teams schedule updates without manual effort. There’s also a lead generation widget designed to capture interest directly from a website, offering an extra way to bring in new clients.
For ongoing campaigns, BrightLocal allows clients to log in and respond to reviews on their own, reducing back-and-forth and freeing up time for broader strategy.
BrightLocal’s features generally aim to improve workflow and communication without adding complexity.
BrightLocal Features
BrightLocal offers a suite of tools designed to streamline local SEO efforts for agencies and businesses managing multiple locations:
- White-label Reporting: Customizable dashboards and reports that can be branded with your agency’s identity, allowing for seamless client presentations.
- Local Search Grid: Visualizes how a business ranks in different parts of a city or neighborhood, so you get a clearer picture of local visibility.
- Local Rank Tracker: Tracks search rankings for local keywords with detailed location targeting to spot traffic growth opportunities.
- Citation Tracker: Identifies existing business listings, highlights inconsistencies, and uncovers opportunities for new citations.
- Google Business Profile Audit: Compares your profile to competitors to find missed opportunities and improve Local Pack rankings.
- Local Search Audit: Reviews performance against core local ranking factors, helping pinpoint where improvements are needed.
- Reputation Manager: Combines review monitoring, collection, and display tools to help manage customer feedback more effectively.
- Citation Builder: A pay-as-you-go service for submitting business listings manually or in bulk, without requiring a monthly plan.
BrightLocal Pricing
With BrightLocal, the more locations you need to manage, the higher the price (for example, with 2 to 5 locations, the Track plan starts at $59 monthly).
Also, while each plan includes Citation Builder, the monthly subscriptions don’t include any credits. You’ll need to purchase campaigns or submission credits separately.
This is the pricing if you want to manage one location, and it’s fairly affordable:
- Track: $39/month – Includes Rank Tracking (Local Rank Tracker, Local Search Grid), Review Management (Monitor Reviews), and access to extra daily free tools usage.
- Manage: $49/month – Everything in Track, plus Auditing tools (Citation Tracker, GBP Audit, Local Search Audit), Listings Management (Active Sync), Review Management (Get Reviews, Showcase Reviews), and Google Analytics Integration.
- Grow: $59/month – Everything in Manage, plus White-labelling, Agency Lead Generator, Location Summary, Advanced GBP Insights, and GBP Post Scheduler.
- Free Simply Listings: $0/month, pay-as-you-go – Access to Citation Builder without a subscription. Ideal if you only need citation submissions. Citation Builder is pay-as-you-go at $3.20 per submission or $2 with bulk credits.
What is Whitespark?
Whitespark is also focused on improving local search visibility, providing specialized software and services. Its tools are designed for businesses that want more control over how they appear in local search results and directories.
The platform allows users to manage Google Business Profiles more efficiently, offering features that prevent unwanted changes and support multi-location updates. Whitespark also provides tools to monitor local rankings with detailed location-level precision, making it easier to assess performance in specific areas.
Businesses can identify where their listings appear online, where citations are missing or inaccurate, and what can be done to improve them. The review management system helps gather and respond to customer feedback, aiming to shape public perception over time.
Each product is sold individually, so users can choose only what fits their needs without committing to a bundled platform.
Whitespark Features
Whitespark offers a suite of tools and services designed to enhance local search visibility and reputation management:
- Local Platform: Manage Google Business Profiles efficiently, prevent unwanted updates, and edit locations in bulk.
- Local Rank Tracker: Track local rankings with pinpoint accuracy and identify opportunities to grow traffic.
- Local Citation Finder: Discover new citation opportunities and monitor existing ones to enhance online visibility.
- Reputation Builder: Automate the process of gathering and managing customer reviews to build a strong online reputation.
- Google Business Profile Audit: Uncover competitive insights to improve rankings in the Local Pack.
- Local Search Audit: Audit local SEO performance against key ranking factors to identify areas for improvement.
- Review Monitoring: Monitor reviews across various platforms to stay informed and respond promptly.
- Citation Builder: Utilize a pay-as-you-go service for building business listings without a monthly subscription.
Whitespark Pricing
Whitespark sells each of its products separately, not as a single platform:
- Local Platform: $1/month per location.
- Local Rank Tracker: $14–$200/month.
- Local Citation Finder: $33–$149/month.
- Reputation Builder: $79/month per location. Custom multi-location pricing.
If you got the cheapest versions of all products together, that would be $128/month.
BrightLocal vs. Whitespark: Comparing Product Features
The Whitespark vs. BrightLocal debate is focused on a few differences, mostly pricing structures and feature functionalities. Let’s compare their main features.
1. Local Citations
BrightLocal’s Local Citation tools include a Citation Tracker that identifies and resolves issues with existing citations and a Citation Builder that builds new listings. The tools also allow for bulk updates and provide detailed reporting on citation performance, making it ideal for agencies.
Whitespark offers a solid local citation tool, including the Local Citation Finder, which helps businesses find high-quality citations and monitor their existing ones. You can also see competitor citations easily, which is a huge plus. Both tools have a data aggregator.
Winner: BrightLocal
This was a close call, but BrightLocal wins primarily for its Local Data Aggregator and ease of use. To illustrate, 5 networks will cost you $120 with Bright Local, while you have to pay $99 for 3 with Whitespark.
2. Local Rank Tracking
BrightLocal’s Local Rank Tracking tool allows users to track local rankings across Google, Bing, and map results. It provides detailed reports on performance in the Local Pack, organic search, and map listings. The platform also offers customizable grids and automated white-label reporting, as well as Horizon, a new tool made specifically for brands with many locations.
Whitespark’s Local Rank Tracking tracks rankings across Google and Bing, providing essential data on local SEO performance. It delivers insights into rankings and competitive benchmarks, but lacks a geolocation-based map feature.
Winner: Tied
Both BrightLocal and Whitespark offer solid local rank tracking tools with comprehensive insights into rankings across key search engines. While BrightLocal excels with its visual Local Search Grid, Whitespark’s tool provides thorough competitive benchmarking.
Ultimately, both are strong options depending on whether you prioritize visual reports or competitive insights. Plus, Whitespark has announced the launch of its own Geogrid.
3. Reputation Management
BrightLocal’s Reputation Manager provides tools for tracking and managing reviews across 80+ platforms. It helps businesses respond to feedback, gain insights into their online reputation, and showcase reviews. However, it focuses more on review monitoring than proactive review collection aimed at Canada, the UK, US, and Australia.
On the other hand, Whitespark’s Reputation Builder monitors feedback across over 100 platforms. It also allows users to request reviews from customers and showcase reviews on their websites. For customer-facing pages and email alerts, it’s an ideal choice for businesses with international or multilingual customers.
Winner: Whitespark
Whitespark stands out with its multilingual client-facing pages and a higher number of review sites, making it a better fit for businesses with diverse customer bases. This approach allows businesses to more effectively manage their online reputation across multiple regions and languages.
4. Google Business Profile Management
BrightLocal’s Google Business Profile Audit goes beyond surface-level checks by uncovering NAP errors, duplicate listings, and off-listing signals that may impact rankings. It also benchmarks your listing against top local competitors and gives access to 18 months of Insights data—three times more than Google provides. Combined with the Local Search Audit, you get over 300 local SEO data points in one place, covering rankings, links, reviews, and on-site SEO.
Whitespark’s Google Business Profile (GBP) management, offered through its Local Platform, gives businesses tight control over their listings with real-time change notifications, easy rejection of unwanted Google edits, and a clean dashboard for multi-location management.
It’s especially useful for agencies or businesses managing multiple profiles, thanks to its clear update tracking, filtering by update source, and overall smoother experience compared to Google’s native interface.
Winner: BrightLocal
Both BrightLocal and Whitespark offer strong GBP tools, but BrightLocal edges out the win for its broader coverage and integration. While Whitespark specializes more narrowly on GBP performance, BrightLocal provides a more complete view of local SEO health with a smoother, more centralized interface. It also has a helpful GBP Post Scheduler tool.
5. Ease of Use and User Experience
BrightLocal is designed with simplicity in mind. Its dashboard is clean, intuitive, and makes navigating between tools feel seamless. Setting up a new campaign is quick, and reporting is clear and customizable. Whether you’re managing one location or several, the interface feels straightforward and beginner-friendly.
Whitespark’s tools are functional and purpose-built. However, the interface can feel a bit more segmented. While each tool works well individually, switching between them may require some orientation. Basically, the layout isn’t as visually polished or beginner-focused as BrightLocal’s. It’s well-suited for experienced users but may have a slight learning curve for new ones.
Winner: BrightLocal
BrightLocal wins for offering a more cohesive and user-friendly experience across its platform, making it easier for users to manage multiple aspects of local SEO in one place.
6. Pricing
The two platforms have different business models, so those who need a single tool may go with Whitespark, and those that need a platform may prefer Brightlocal.
BrightLocal may be cheaper for small businesses who don’t manage a ton of profiles, but the cost becomes more confusing once you include more brands to manage.
Whitespark is costlier even with the bulk discount, although the service range does differ.
Winner: No clear winner
There isn’t a clear winner on pricing. BrightLocal’s pay‑as‑you‑go model and Whitespark’s service‑package model simply price things differently, so which is cheaper depends on how many citations you need, as well as the tools you require.
However, there’s another tool on the market that offers much, much more for a lower price.
A Comprehensive AI Alternative: Search Atlas
Local SEO tools are essential for agencies, multi-location companies, and local businesses. However, their general SEO features are typically limited, with marketers having to buy additional tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, and other tasks.
That tends to get pricey with time, especially as you try to grow your company.
Search Atlas gives you all the local SEO functionalities offered by the two (trailblazing) tools above, together with additional local SEO features, all in a full SEO and PPC platform.
In fact, even if you only plan to use our strictly local SEO tools, it pays off. 💲
So keep reading.
Search Atlas Features
Search Atlas is unique in its scope. It covers all your SEO needs, including:
- Local Heatmaps: A trusted Local SEO tool known for its precision and value. It shows how you rank compared to competitors within a four-mile radius.
- Local Keyword Research: Discover relevant keywords, uncover new ideas, and perform Keyword Gap Analysis with targeting available down to the city level and below.
- Local Backlinks: Review local backlinks in the Site Explorer tool.
- GBP Management: Optimize and manage all your Google Business Profile listings directly from the Search Atlas dashboard. Ideal for agencies supporting local businesses.
- Reputation Management: View and respond to all customer reviews in one centralized location with automated response options.
- Full SEO Platform: Access more than 40 tools covering content, on-page, technical, link building, reporting, and competitor analysis, with options to filter data by location.
- Q&A Automation: Use AI to create and publish question and answer content for your GBP listings to improve rankings for local keywords.
- Local Data Aggregator: Submit your business information to hundreds of directories, mobile apps, and GPS platforms with automatic updates for 12 months.
Local Rank Tracker
Search Atlas’ Rank Tracker lets you keep an eye on keyword rankings by location. With Google’s new Javascript requirements, other tools might start raising prices as their bots get more restricted. But that’s not an issue for Search Atlas — it stays accurate and budget-friendly without skipping a beat.
Local Citations
Submit your business information to hundreds of directories, mobile apps, and GPS platforms with automatic updates for 12 months. The price is significantly lower than for other local SEO tools. With a discount if you use all 5 aggregators at once, you can sort out your citations for $100 per year.
Local SEO Heatmaps
See how you rank in the local search compared to competitors in a four-mile radius. Follow the data over time. This visual tracking aid is especially popular for agencies that work with local businesses.
Local Keyword Tools
All Search Atlas keyword research and competitor keyword research tools have local capabilities.
Localized Content Creation
You can use our AI Writer and Bulk AI Writer to generate optimized content using over 50 templates, including landing pages, which is especially useful for e-commerce businesses.
Google Business Profile Management and Automations
With OTTO SEO, our AI agent, you can track, automate, and optimize multiple GBP profiles. This includes review management, a checklist of tasks and metrics you can track and optimize, AI post creation, and automated reputation management.
Local Search Results
You can see local SERPs worldwide. Our tool is not limited to a few countries.
White-Label Reporting
Create reports with AI overviews that are suitable for your busy clients, schedule automatic sending, and personalize them to fit your brand.
Our white-label agency tools also let you manage order building and add lead generation analysis widgets to your site.
Search Atlas Pricing
Search Atlas offers comprehensive, AI-powered local SEO tools at a more budget-friendly price than Whitespark and BrightLocal. And even if you cancel the subscription, you can still deep freeze your OTTO changes and enjoy a well-optimized, local-friendly website.
| Starter plan | Growth plan | Pro plan | Enterprise | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price: | $99 monthly | $199 monthly | $399 monthly | Custom |
| Free OTTO Activation | 1 | 2 | 4 | Custom |
| User Seats | 2 | 3 | 5 | Custom |
| Automated GBP Accounts | 3 | 10 | 25 | Custom |
| Data Aggregator | 5 networks for $100, updated for twelve months | |||
Try More Local SEO Tools, Better Price, AI, and a Full Search Solution
Local SEO isn’t just about showing up—it’s about showing up better than the competition. And in a world where every minute counts, automation is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must. Tools like Search Atlas make it easy to manage everything from rankings to reviews without getting buried in busywork.
And let’s not forget the Data Aggregator is more affordable compared to the competition.
Ready to level up your local game without the hassle? Try Search Atlas for free, no strings, no stress, cancel anytime with a click.
