Google Alerts is free and works for many people. If you run a small business and want one tidy morning email, in French or English, with the noise filtered out, here is how Crowb compares, honestly.
| Google Alerts | Talkwalker Alerts | Crowb | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | From $6/month, 14 days free |
| Where it looks | Google's own index | News, blogs, forums and Twitter/X, per Talkwalker | Several search engines at once (metasearch), checked every morning |
| Noise filtering | Keyword operators you write yourself | Keyword operators | An AI relevance check sets aside results that aren't about your business; you can still review them |
| Negative mentions | — | — | Tone label on each mention; same-hour alert on Business and Agency plans |
| Language | Many languages | Many languages | Fully bilingual French/English, made in Quebec |
| History and export | Your inbox | Email, RSS or Slack | Searchable dashboard; CSV export on Business and Agency |
Competitor details from their own pages, checked October 12, 2026: google.com/alerts, talkwalker.com/alerts. Features change; check them yourself before deciding.
If you only follow one or two words, don't mind tuning search operators, and are happy sorting through results yourself, a free alert is a fine choice.
If you watch your business name, a few competitors and your neighbourhood, want one short email a day in your language, and need to hear quickly about a bad review or an angry post, Crowb does that for the price of a coffee a month.