Last updated: July 2026
Podium is review-and-messaging software you log into and run yourself. Hearth Standard does the same jobs — review responses, missed-call text-backs, customer follow-up — but runs them for you and sends the results to your phone. Flat monthly price, no dashboard, month-to-month.
Podium is a platform: you (or your team) log in, learn it, and work it every day. Hearth Standard is a service: you answer five questions once, and after that the reviews get answered, the missed calls get texted back, and the follow-ups go out — you just see what happened, on your phone.
| Podium | Hearth Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Software you operate | A service run for you |
| Where the work happens | A dashboard + app you log into | Your phone and email |
| Pricing | Quote-based; third-party estimates start around $399/mo, with review-reply drafting a separate add-on | Flat and published: $299 / $599 / $1,199/mo, all-in |
| Contract | Typically an annual term (per third-party reports) | Month-to-month — cancel anytime |
| Review responses | A paid add-on | Included |
| Missed-call text-back | Yes — you configure it | Yes — we write, tune, and maintain it |
| Getting started | Learn and set up the platform | Answer 5 questions; live in 24 hours |
Comparison based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Podium is a trademark of its respective owner. Hearth Standard is not affiliated with Podium.
If you want a platform your team operates in-house — a full dashboard, built-in payments, and a live webchat you staff yourself — Podium is a mature product built for exactly that. Hearth Standard is for the owner who doesn’t want another dashboard to run, and would rather the whole thing just be handled.