Choosing the right collaboration and knowledge-sharing platform can make or break team efficiency, as employees who feel included in detailed communication are nearly five times more likely to report increased productivity. If you're considering Jostle, you're likely looking for a tool that fosters communication, engagement, and a sense of community within your organization. But is it the best fit for your team's needs? In this guide, we'll break down Jostle's key features, pros and cons, and how it compares to Guru, so you can make an informed decision.

What is Jostle?

Jostle intranet is an employee engagement platform that centralizes internal communication, company announcements, and workplace discussions. Founded in 2009, it's designed as a simple alternative to complex corporate intranets. HR teams and internal communications departments use Jostle to connect employees and build company culture.

Jostle's standout feature is its emphasis on company culture. The platform helps businesses keep employees informed and engaged, particularly in remote or hybrid work environments, a model preferred by many, with over half of workers stating they'd like to work from home at least three days a week. While it's not a full-fledged knowledge management system, it serves as a hub for internal communications and collaboration.

What is an intranet?

An intranet is a private, internal network used exclusively by an organization's employees. It acts as a central hub for internal communication, information sharing, and collaboration. Unlike a public website, an intranet is secure and accessible only to authorized members, giving the organization full control over its content and user access.

Key features of Jostle

Jostle is built to make company-wide communication simple and effective. Here are some of its key features:

• News and announcements – Jostle allows organizations to share company updates, policies, and important messages in a structured way. This ensures that employees stay informed without the need for scattered emails or lengthy meetings.

• Employee directory – The platform includes a built-in directory that helps employees find and connect with colleagues, making it easy to locate team members across departments.

• Activity feed and discussions – Jostle encourages workplace engagement by allowing employees to post updates, share insights, and comment on discussions, similar to a social media-style feed.

• Event and calendar management – Organizations can use Jostle to schedule events, track important dates, and send reminders to employees.

• File and document sharing – While not a dedicated document management system, Jostle supports file uploads, enabling teams to share important documents within the platform.

• Integrations – Jostle integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and other common workplace tools to help teams streamline their workflows, a significant benefit as 39% of online workers report that technology allows them more flexibility in their work hours.

Jostle pricing and plans

Jostle's pricing is based on employee count and required features. The platform offers multiple tiers:

• Bronze, Silver, Gold: Set monthly pricing tiers with increasing functionality

• Platinum: Custom pricing for larger organizations with specific requirements

Choose the plan that aligns with your communication and engagement goals.

Who uses Jostle?

Jostle is primarily used by mid-sized businesses and enterprises that want to improve internal communication. HR teams, leadership, and internal comms professionals find it particularly useful for keeping employees engaged and informed. Industries that prioritize workplace culture—such as nonprofits, healthcare, and education—are among Jostle's most frequent users.

Since Jostle is designed for engagement rather than deep knowledge management, it's best suited for organizations that need a straightforward intranet rather than a robust knowledge-sharing solution.

Pros and cons of Jostle

Jostle is an effective tool for certain use cases, but it also has its limitations. Here's a closer look at its pros and cons.

Pros:

• Simple and user-friendly – Jostle's interface is designed to be straightforward, making it easy for employees to get started with minimal training.

• Strong focus on engagement – With social features like activity feeds and discussions, Jostle fosters a sense of community, which is crucial for mitigating anxiety from poor communication—a factor that makes employees almost three times more likely to report feeling burned out.

• Affordability – Compared to more complex intranet and collaboration tools, Jostle is relatively affordable, making it accessible to mid-sized businesses.

Cons:

• Limited knowledge management capabilities – While Jostle supports file sharing, it lacks advanced knowledge management features like AI-driven verification, search optimization, and deep integrations with workflow tools.

• Basic functionality – Some users appreciate its simplicity, but others find that Jostle lacks the advanced features found in competing platforms. One G2 reviewer noted, "It hasn't got loads of features, but it does the basic ones pretty well."

• Adoption challenges – While designed to be easy to use, some users report poor adoption rates within their organizations, which can be compounded when leadership fails to communicate a clear vision; in fact, 40% of employees say they have yet to hear about any vision for post-pandemic work from their organizations. If employees don't actively engage with the platform, its value diminishes over time.

Guru vs. Jostle

Jostle and Guru both help teams stay connected, but they serve different purposes. Jostle is primarily an intranet and engagement tool, while Guru is a knowledge management platform designed to ensure teams have instant access to trusted information. Here's how they compare:

Guru's strengths

• AI-powered knowledge management – Unlike Jostle, Guru doesn't just store information—it ensures knowledge is up-to-date and easily accessible within your workflow. Guru's AI-driven verification process helps teams maintain accurate, trusted content.

• Seamless integrations – Guru integrates deeply with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and other workplace tools, allowing users to access knowledge without switching between platforms.

• Powerful search capabilities – Guru's search function retrieves relevant information instantly, helping teams find answers without digging through scattered documents or messages.

• Knowledge capture and sharing – With browser extensions and AI-powered suggestions, Guru makes it easy for teams to capture and share knowledge without disrupting their work.

• Pages: a centralized hub for teams – Guru's Pages feature gives teams a personalized home base where they can access the most important information for their role—without digging through emails, chats, or multiple apps. Pages provide a branded, centralized space for key updates, ensuring employees stay informed and connected while reducing distractions from other channels.

Jostle's strengths

• Employee engagement focus – Jostle shines as a tool for improving workplace culture, with features that encourage participation and social interaction.

• Simple setup – For companies that don't need a complex knowledge management system, Jostle offers a straightforward solution for sharing updates and connecting employees.

• Cost-effective intranet – Jostle's pricing makes it a viable option for teams that need a basic intranet without the bells and whistles of more advanced platforms.

Integration and user experience

While both tools integrate with workplace software, Guru's knowledge-sharing capabilities are more deeply embedded into daily workflows. Jostle, on the other hand, functions more as a standalone platform for company announcements and discussions.

If your team needs a lightweight intranet for internal updates, Jostle might be a good fit. But if you're looking for a robust knowledge management solution that integrates seamlessly into your work environment, Guru is the better choice.

What customers are saying

User feedback reveals both strengths and challenges:

• Positive feedback: "Simple, not too complicated, but functional... not too fancy, so not too difficult to learn" (G2 reviewer)

• Common concerns: Limited functionality and adoption challenges over time

Guru users, on the other hand, highlight its ability to centralize important knowledge and streamline workflows. As one Capterra reviewer noted, "What I love most about Guru is that it keeps all our work resources in one place. I can easily favorite and follow the collections that matter to my department, so I stay updated on any changes. The Guru Library is user-friendly, and I've built up a great collection of resources I use daily."

Choosing the right AI source of truth for your team

If your primary goal is to create an engaging company culture and keep employees connected, Jostle might be a suitable option. However, if your team needs quick, reliable access to verified knowledge—right where they work—Guru is the better choice. With AI-powered verification, deep integrations, and powerful search capabilities, Guru helps teams work smarter, not harder.

Want to see how Guru can help every employee and team find, share, and document knowledge? Check out our demo!

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