If you’ve ever sat through a demo of a sales enablement platform and wondered whether it’s going to make your team better—or just add another tab to Chrome—this review is for you. We’re digging into Bigtincan’s B2B go-to-market (GTM) software: what it actually does, how it stacks up against alternatives, and where it falls short. This isn’t a whitewashed list of features; you’ll get the plain truth about what works, what’s overhyped, and what’s surprisingly useful (or not).
What Is Bigtincan, Anyway?
Bigtincan sells itself as an “AI-powered sales enablement platform.” In plain terms, it’s a set of tools aimed at making enterprise sales teams more productive—think content management, training, and some automation. The core pitch is that it helps reps find the right content faster, keeps them trained, and gives managers analytics on what’s working.
If you’ve used Seismic, Showpad, or Highspot, you’re in the right mental ballpark. Bigtincan is after the same market: large sales teams who are tired of content chaos and want more insight into what their sellers are doing.
Who Actually Needs This?
Let’s be honest: these kinds of tools aren’t for everyone. If you’re running a five-person agency, skip it. But if you’re managing a 50+ person B2B sales team, especially with lots of distributed reps, compliance requirements, or a sprawling content library, Bigtincan—or something like it—might be worth a look.
Typical buyers: - Enterprise sales orgs with 50+ reps - Sales enablement or operations leaders - Industries with compliance and documentation needs (think pharma, finance, manufacturing) - Teams with complex onboarding or frequent product updates
If you’re in a high-touch sales motion (big contracts, long cycles), the value is clearer. For transactional, low-touch sales, you’ll probably find it overkill.
What Bigtincan Actually Does (And What It Doesn’t)
Here’s what you get out of the box:
1. Content Management:
Central library for sales collateral. Reps can search, filter, and share files. Admins can manage versions, permissions, and see what’s actually being used.
2. Training & Onboarding:
Built-in LMS (learning management system). You can assign modules, track completion, and build onboarding paths for new hires.
3. Sales Engagement:
Some basic automation and email tracking. Not as robust as Outreach or Salesloft, but you can send content, track opens, and see what lands.
4. Analytics:
Dashboards for managers—see which content gets used, who’s completing training, and some engagement stats.
5. Mobile Apps:
iOS and Android apps for field reps. Not perfect, but better than lugging a laptop.
6. Integrations:
Connects to common CRMs (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics), email, and some file storage systems.
What it doesn’t do:
- It’s not a full-blown sales engagement platform. If you want deep sequencing, call tracking, or pipeline management, look elsewhere.
- It’s not a marketing automation tool. No lead scoring, nurture campaigns, or landing pages.
- It doesn’t magically make bad content better. Garbage in, garbage out.
The Good: Where Bigtincan Shines
Content Control:
If your sales content is spread across 19 SharePoint folders and three Google Drives, Bigtincan’s content hub is a breath of fresh air. You can finally see what’s up to date, what’s approved, and what reps are actually using. The search is faster than SharePoint, and version control is less of a mess.
Training That’s Not Awful:
Most built-in training tools are a slog. Bigtincan’s onboarding and microlearning features are actually usable—especially if you already have content. Assigning modules, tracking completion, and sending reminders just works. That’s not nothing.
Mobile-First (for Real):
The mobile apps are surprisingly good for field reps. If you have sellers at trade shows or on-site with clients, they’ll appreciate not having to dig through email attachments.
Granular Permissions:
For regulated industries, you can lock down who sees what. Not sexy, but important.
Analytics Without a PhD:
You get straightforward dashboards—who’s using what content, who’s completed which training, and some engagement stats. No need to export to Excel and run your own pivot tables.
The Not-So-Great: Where Bigtincan Stumbles
UI/UX:
Let’s be blunt: the interface feels dated. It’s better than some legacy tools, but don’t expect the polish of newer platforms like Highspot. Some users report a learning curve, especially for admins.
“AI” Features:
There’s a lot of talk about AI, but most of it is basic auto-tagging and content recommendations. Don’t expect ChatGPT-level magic. It’s helpful, but not transformative.
Integrations Can Be Fussy:
Yes, there are connectors for Salesforce and others, but setup can be finicky. Some features (like tracking content engagement inside your CRM) require extra configuration. Test before you promise anything to your exec team.
Price:
It’s not cheap. Most enterprise sales enablement platforms aren’t. If budget is tight, you may get sticker shock—especially once you add modules or need custom integrations.
Honest Comparison: Bigtincan vs. The Competition
Here’s how Bigtincan stacks up against the other main players:
| Feature | Bigtincan | Highspot | Seismic | Showpad | |------------------------|-------------------|--------------------|-------------------|-------------------| | Content Management | ✔️ Strong | ✔️ Strong | ✔️ Strong | ✔️ Strong | | Training/LMS | ✔️ Good | ➖ Basic | ✔️ Good | ➖ Basic | | Mobile App | ✔️ Best-in-class | ➖ Decent | ➖ Decent | ➖ Decent | | Integrations | ➖ Good, can be fussy | ✔️ Polished | ✔️ Polished | ➖ Decent | | AI/Automation | ➖ Overhyped | ➖ Overhyped | ➖ Overhyped | ➖ Overhyped | | Analytics | ✔️ Useful | ✔️ Useful | ✔️ Useful | ➖ Okay | | UI/UX | ➖ Dated | ✔️ Polished | ✔️ Polished | ✔️ Polished | | Pricing | $$$ | $$$ | $$$$ | $$ |
Quick Takes: - Highspot has a slicker interface and slightly better integrations, but similar features. Price is comparable. - Seismic is the enterprise heavyweight, with more customization (and a bigger price tag). Overkill for many. - Showpad is lighter, sometimes cheaper, but less robust on training and analytics.
If mobile and training matter most, Bigtincan has an edge. If you want a shiny UI and top-tier Salesforce integration, look at Highspot or Seismic.
What to Ignore (Seriously)
-
AI Hype:
Every vendor claims “AI-powered insights.” Reality: it’s mostly auto-tagging and search. Won’t change your world. -
“Gamification” for Training:
A few badges don’t make salespeople care about training. Focus on content quality, not points. -
All-in-One Claims:
No platform does everything well. You’ll still need CRM, engagement, and marketing tools.
Pro Tips for Rolling Out Bigtincan (or Any Sales Enablement Tool)
-
Start Small:
Pilot with one sales team. Get content in, workflows set up, and fix the rough edges before a full rollout. -
Clean Your Content First:
Don’t migrate junk. If it’s outdated or unused, leave it behind. -
Train the Trainers:
Your admins and enablement leads should know the system inside and out. Most “adoption failures” are actually training failures. -
Set Up Integrations Early:
If you want CRM or email integration, do it up front. Don’t wait until after launch. -
Track Adoption, Not Just Usage:
It’s easy to get dazzled by dashboard numbers. Focus on whether reps are actually using the tool to do their jobs better—not just logging in.
The Bottom Line
Bigtincan is a solid, if not flashy, option for enterprise sales teams who need to wrangle content, train reps, and get some visibility into what’s working. It won’t solve every problem, and it’s not cheap. But if you pick your battles, clean up your content, and don’t expect “AI” to do your job, it’s a platform you can actually use—not just another shelfware license.
Keep things simple, fix the basics first, and don’t be afraid to iterate. Most sales enablement headaches are about people and process, not software. The right tool helps—but only if you use it for what matters.