Explore top platforms that deliver more than a SharePoint skin
Akumina positions itself as a digital workplace experience layer built on SharePoint—but for many organizations, it creates more complexity than it solves.
It’s highly customizable, yes—but that often comes with long implementation timelines, heavy IT lift, and limited employee engagement. If you're looking for a solution that’s easier to roll out, more intuitive to use, and built for actual adoption, you're not alone.
In this article, we break down the 12 best Akumina alternatives—modern intranet and employee experience platforms that go beyond SharePoint overlays to deliver real value for today’s hybrid, remote, and mobile workforces.
#1. Blink
Best all-in-one intranet and employee app
Blink is a modern employee platform that combines internal communications, essential tools, and content into one intuitive experience. Unlike Akumina, Blink doesn’t sit on top of SharePoint—it replaces it, offering native mobile and desktop apps that employees actually want to use.
Why Blink over Akumina:
- Lightning-fast deployment (no dev work required)
- Personalized, social-style feed
- Messaging, surveys, forms, and files all in one place
- Works beautifully on mobile and web
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#2. Interact
Best for structured intranets with strong comms features
Interact is a mature intranet platform that offers a blend of content governance and communication tools. It provides more flexibility and a better out-of-the-box experience than Akumina, especially for internal comms teams.
Key strengths:
- Smart content targeting
- Built-in comms features (surveys, likes, comments)
- Page templates and drag-and-drop tools
#3. Simpplr
Best for AI-powered content personalization
Simpplr is a polished, AI-driven intranet focused on employee engagement. It’s known for lifecycle communication (e.g. onboarding, transitions), and offers more automation than Akumina without the same technical setup burden.
Why it stands out:
- AI-powered content surfacing
- Smart search and recommendations
- Built-in templates for lifecycle moments
#4. Staffbase
Best for internal comms at enterprise scale
Staffbase shines when it comes to centralized, top-down communication. With a branded employee app and multi-channel messaging, it’s a better option than Akumina for organizations prioritizing reach and visibility.
Top features:
- Newsletter builder
- Campaign management
- Native mobile app with notifications
#5. LumApps
Best for global enterprise deployments
LumApps offers a broad, customizable employee experience platform with deeper integrations and personalization than Akumina—without being tied to SharePoint. It supports global rollouts and multi-language content delivery.
Why it’s better:
- Google & Microsoft integrations
- AI personalization
- Multilingual and regional content support
#6. Happeo
Best for Google Workspace users
If your organization uses Google Workspace, Happeo is a lightweight, user-friendly intranet that connects seamlessly with your tools. It’s far easier to deploy and use than Akumina, especially for remote teams.
Highlights:
- Tight Google integrations
- Social intranet features
- Customizable layouts
#7. ThoughtFarmer
Best for easy-to-manage intranets
ThoughtFarmer focuses on simplicity and people-first design. Unlike Akumina’s complex configurations, it offers a quick setup and low learning curve—perfect for organizations without large IT departments.
Notable features:
- People directory and profiles
- Easy content editing
- Micro-sites for teams and departments
#8. Igloo
Best for governance and compliance-heavy teams
Igloo is a solid Akumina alternative if your focus is structured content, document control, and knowledge management. It’s more rigid than Blink or Happeo, but ideal for finance, legal, and healthcare.
Strengths:
- Document versioning
- Access controls
- Policy and procedure hubs
#9. Jive
Best for community collaboration
Jive is ideal for organizations that value social collaboration and peer-to-peer interaction. While Akumina layers content, Jive fosters real-time engagement and employee communities.
Features:
- Social groups and forums
- Peer recognition
- Advanced analytics
#10. Haiilo (formerly Smarp)
Best for employee advocacy and engagement
Haiilo is a newer entry but a compelling Akumina alternative if you’re focused on culture, employee voice, and comms amplification. It goes beyond intranet basics into the territory of employee engagement and advocacy.
Why consider Haiilo:
- Omnichannel comms
- Employee-generated content
- Engagement analytics
#11. Noodle
Best for small companies wanting a turnkey intranet
Noodle is a lesser-known but solid option for SMBs. It’s easy to set up and includes standard intranet features without the need for SharePoint or heavy integrations.
Pros:
- Budget-friendly
- Core intranet tools (news, docs, chat)
- On-prem or cloud options
#12. Unily
Best for enterprise intranets with rich features
Unily is a well-known intranet solution with a robust feature set, polished UI, and strong Microsoft integrations. It’s a better alternative to Akumina if you want a full-featured, polished intranet with deep customization—without starting from scratch.
Why it’s a solid pick:
- Beautiful UX
- Strong multilingual and multi-brand support
- Flexible integrations with Microsoft 365 and beyond
Final thoughts: Choosing the right Akumina alternative
Akumina can work well for highly customized intranet needs—but that flexibility often comes at the cost of complexity, budget, and adoption.
Whether you want something faster, simpler, or more engaging, the 12 alternatives above offer modern options that fit different use cases and team types.
Want a platform that people will actually use?
Blink replaces legacy intranet headaches with an all-in-one, beautifully simple platform for communication, tools, and culture.
