How to choose the best intranet platform: What the analysts say

When it comes to choosing the best intranet, there’s no shortage of options — or opinions. One way to narrow the field is to look at what industry analysts are saying. Reports from Gartner®, Forrester®, IDC, and ClearBox can help you understand which platforms are leading the way in various areas, what features matter most, and how the market is evolving.

But don’t just stop at the rankings or quadrant positions. Look deeper into the commentary – that’s where you’ll find the real insight. Analysts highlight what they value most: usability, scalability, support, and how well a platform truly supports the employee experience.

Those details tell a bigger story about where modern intranets are headed, and why organizations are rethinking how people, places, and information connect.

Let’s take a look at what the analysts are saying — and what that means for choosing the best intranet for your organization.

Why intranets still matter and what’s changing

Product names change. Workplace trends evolve. But one thing stays the same: employees everywhere still struggle to find information, stay informed, and work collaboratively.

That’s why the best intranet platforms continue to matter — no matter what we call them. Whether it’s an intranet, digital workplace, employee app, or employee communications platform, the goal is the same: help people do their jobs, stay connected, and easily find the information, tools, and teammates they need.

In its 2025 Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms report, ClearBox notes that intranets shape how employees feel about work, strengthen culture, and can even lift customer service. In other words, this technology is a strategic investment that supports the workday from start to finish.

Recent research from Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and ClearBox shows a consistent trend: modern intranets are no longer static destinations – they’re multichannel, AI-supported experiences that connect people, places, and information. 

At Appspace, we’ve been focused on this evolution for years, helping organizations bring communication, workplace services, and space management together into a single experience.

What Gartner says: A foundation for connection

According to Gartner’s 2025 Magic Quadrant™ for Intranet Packaged Solutions (IPS), intranets remain one of the longest-running technology investments in the enterprise. Yet their role continues to evolve. 

The best intranets today enable:

• Multichannel communication that reaches employees wherever they work
• AI assistance that makes it easier to find and act on information
• Integration with broader workplace orchestration and self-service tools

In the same Gartner Magic Quadrant™, Gartner recognized Appspace’s customer-centric approach and multichannel employee experience. 

On the first, Gartner noted client feedback regarding responsive support and a willingness to adapt offerings, which makes Appspace a strong fit for large, complex, multinational environments. 

On the second, Gartner pointed to Appspace’s ability to reach employees wherever they are by aligning messages across intranet, digital signage, meeting experiences, and other physical and digital channels.

The takeaway? The best intranet is more than a communication channel; it’s the foundation for connection, productivity, and change.

Forrester: Simplifying the workplace tech stack

In the Forrester Wave™ for Intranet Platforms (Q4 2024), Forrester recognized Appspace’s highly differentiated vision of an integrated workplace that serves hybrid, remote, and in-office employees. 

In addition, the report mentioned that by reducing dependencies on Microsoft SharePoint and redesigning key capabilities for native use, Appspace has created an ecosystem-agnostic platform that simplifies the workplace tech stack for large enterprises.

ClearBox: Powerful, mobile, and designed for every team member

ClearBox echoes that sentiment, recognizing Appspace’s evolution from a SharePoint intranet-in-a-box into an independent, integration-ready intranet platform. 

In its latest Intranet and Employee Experience Platforms report, ClearBox highlighted Appspace’s strong user and admin experience, mobile-ready interface, and seamless connections with digital signage, room booking, and other workplace tools.

ClearBox also spotlights innovations such as audio digests that make content more accessible and engaging, particularly for frontline and mobile workers. The report notes that Appspace delivers clear advantages for organizations with distributed teams or those seeking to connect digital experiences to the physical workplace.

IDC: Unified, scalable, and intuitive

IDC adds another layer of perspective. In its MarketScape: Worldwide Employee Experience for Integrated Employee Workspaces 2025 Vendor Assessment, IDC recognized Appspace for its approachable, responsive support, partner ecosystem, and intuitive content management tools.

IDC’s MarketScape notes that interviewed customers cited ease of use, global scalability, and seamless access across mobile, desktop, and embedded tools like Microsoft Teams and Webex. 

IDC further commended Appspace’s proactive product evolution and its ability to unify branding, communication, and workplace services on one platform.

The real takeaway: From communication channel to operating layer

As ClearBox notes, workplace platforms have evolved through countless names, from intranet to digital workplace to employee app. However, the goal remains the same: helping people get things done, stay informed, and find what they need. 

The difference today is how organizations operationalize that value.

Across recent analyst reports, a common pattern emerges. High-performing organizations take these steps to turn communication into action:

• Move from pages to outcomes. Measure clarity, reach, and task completion, not just clicks.
• Make it multichannel by default. Ensure consistent messages across the intranet, desktop, mobile, signage, and meeting spaces.
• Use AI where employees feel it. Apply assistants and agents to summarize, route, and prioritize updates.
• Connect digital and physical. Link content to rooms, resources, and events so communication turns into action without switching between apps.
• Simplify the stack. Consolidate overlapping tools and use the intranet as a hub for orchestration and self-service.
  

Turning analyst insight into the best intranet experience

Organizations with hybrid, remote, and frontline teams need one place to align people, spaces, and information. 

Appspace brings intranet, workplace communications, and workplace management into a single experience, supports mobile and deskless audiences, and uses AI to reduce noise and surface what matters. The result is not another site to visit; it’s a smarter, simpler way to work.

The modern intranet has evolved into an orchestrator of daily work. Learn how Appspace helps organizations turn communication into action and connection into results. Get in touch to learn more or schedule a demo to see Appspace in action. 

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.