If you're in charge of enabling a large sales team, you've probably heard pitches for every sales enablement platform out there. The promises always sound the same: better onboarding, more effective content, reps hitting quota faster. But when it’s time to choose (or switch), the details get fuzzy fast. This guide is for sales enablement leaders, ops folks, and anyone trying to cut through the noise—especially if you're considering Brainshark or one of its many competitors.
What Counts as Sales Enablement—And Why It Gets Messy
Before we stack up tools, it’s worth asking: what are you actually trying to solve? “Sales enablement” is one of those terms that means everything and nothing. For most enterprise teams, here’s what matters:
- Onboarding & training: Getting new reps up to speed without wasting months.
- Coaching: Making sure reps actually know what “good” looks like (and can prove it).
- Content management: Giving reps what they need, when they need it, without 12 clicks.
- Analytics: Showing you what’s working—and what’s not—without a PhD in Excel.
The problem? No platform nails all of this perfectly. Some focus on training, others on content, a few try to do everything and end up being mediocre at most of it.
Brainshark: Where It Shines, Where It Doesn’t
First, let’s talk about Brainshark.
The Good: - Solid at video-based training and onboarding modules—especially for distributed teams. - Built-in assessments and “certifications” make compliance tracking less painful. - Coaching tools let managers review rep pitches (think submitting a video for feedback).
The Not-So-Good: - Content management is basic compared to newer platforms; finding the right deck can be a slog. - User interface feels dated. It works, but don’t expect the slickness you see in newer SaaS tools. - Reporting is functional, but not always intuitive. You’ll get the data out, but it takes effort. - Integrations with CRMs like Salesforce exist, but aren’t always as seamless as advertised.
Who tends to like Brainshark? - Enterprises who need structured, compliance-heavy training (think pharma, finance). - Teams with a strong L&D (learning and development) function. - Companies who care more about onboarding and certification than fancy content delivery.
Who gets frustrated? - Fast-moving sales orgs who live and die by content search and sharing. - Leaner teams who want one tool for everything (and don’t want to bolt on extra stuff).
The Main Competitors: What They Do Better (and Worse)
Let’s be honest: the “sales enablement” market is crowded. The main names you’ll hear about, especially for large teams:
- Showpad
- Seismic
- Highspot
- Lessonly by Seismic
- Allego
- SalesHood
Here’s how they stack up, without the vendor gloss.
1. Seismic
Strengths: - Probably the strongest at content management—version control, dynamic templates, personalization. - Deep Salesforce integration, if you live in Salesforce. - Global search and permissions are top-tier.
Weaknesses: - Training and coaching are add-ons or afterthoughts. - Can get expensive fast, especially as you add features. - Setup can be a bear; expect a long implementation cycle.
Pro tip: If your reps complain about finding the latest deck—or you’ve got strict brand guidelines—Seismic is worth a look.
2. Highspot
Strengths: - Modern, intuitive UI; new reps won’t need a week of training to use it. - Good balance between content management and basic training modules. - Analytics are accessible, with solid dashboards.
Weaknesses: - Deep training/coaching is limited compared to Brainshark. - Some features (like advanced analytics) are gated behind higher pricing tiers.
Pro tip: If you want a tool reps will actually use to find content, Highspot is a safe bet.
3. Showpad
Strengths: - Good for companies who care about branded, interactive presentations. - Solid mobile apps for field reps. - Combines content and training decently well.
Weaknesses: - Reporting is less robust than Seismic or Highspot. - Setup requires some handholding; not always plug-and-play.
Pro tip: If field sales or customer-facing presentations are your bread and butter, Showpad fits.
4. Allego
Strengths: - Focused heavily on video-based learning and peer-to-peer sharing. - “Flash coaching” for quick feedback and practice. - Good for remote or hybrid teams.
Weaknesses: - Content management is an afterthought. - Can feel a bit “siloed” if you want everything in one place.
Pro tip: If your coaching program is video-heavy, Allego may win out over Brainshark.
5. SalesHood
Strengths: - Built for collaborative learning and sharing best practices. - Good for onboarding, role plays, and peer feedback.
Weaknesses: - Not as strong on formal content management. - Can be overwhelming with too many bells and whistles.
Pro tip: Works well for organizations that value peer learning and have a culture of sharing.
Where Brainshark Still Wins (and Where It Lags)
Let’s be blunt: Brainshark isn’t the flashiest tool. But it’s battle-tested, especially for complex onboarding and compliance needs. If you’re in a heavily regulated industry, you’ll find a lot to like. The assessments and certifications are actually useful for demonstrating compliance—not just ticking a box.
But if your main pain is content chaos—reps using the wrong deck, or marketing rolling out new messaging that nobody sees—Brainshark feels behind. Platforms like Seismic and Highspot eat its lunch on content search, version control, and “right content, right time” delivery.
What about coaching? Brainshark’s video coaching is solid, but not unique anymore. Allego and SalesHood are both strong here, with some extra bells and whistles (like AI feedback or peer reviews).
Integrations? You’ll get single sign-on and basic CRM integrations, but don’t expect deep magic. If “works perfectly with Salesforce” is a must-have, test everything in a sandbox before you commit.
What Actually Matters When Picking a Platform
Ignore the vendor slide decks for a minute. Here’s what matters in the real world:
- Adoption: If reps hate using it, the fanciest features won’t matter. Get buy-in early.
- Admin overhead: How much ongoing work does it take to keep content fresh, users up to date, and reports clean?
- Integration with your workflow: Does it play nice with your CRM, email, and mobile devices? Or does it require a dozen browser tabs?
- Scalability: Can it actually handle your team size, regions, and compliance needs?
- Cost (and hidden costs): Factor in not just licenses, but implementation, support, and add-ons. Budget creep is real.
Pro tip: Run a pilot with a small group. Ask them what actually helps them sell more—not just what looks cool in a demo.
What to Ignore (Despite the Hype)
- AI features that write content for you: Most aren’t ready for prime time. Focus on foundational tasks first.
- Gamification dashboards: A leaderboard won’t fix a broken onboarding process.
- Vendor promises of “one platform for everything”: No tool does it all. You’ll still need processes, training, and buy-in.
The Bottom Line: Keep It Simple, Iterate Fast
Picking a sales enablement platform for an enterprise team isn’t about ticking every feature box. It’s about solving your biggest pain point first, then building from there. Don’t get distracted by shiny features or promises of “all-in-one” solutions. Get your reps what they need, prove it works, and keep iterating. The right tool is the one your team will actually use—everything else is just noise.