Mainstay
Mainstay is an engagement platform that uses empathetic AI and behavioral science to help colleges and businesses support their communities through personalized, automated text messaging conversations.
Mentimeter
Mentimeter is an interactive presentation software that lets you engage your audience in real-time through live polls, quizzes, word clouds, and Q&As to make meetings and lessons more inclusive.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Mainstay | Mentimeter |
|---|---|---|
| Website | mainstay.com | mentimeter.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✘ No free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2014 | 2014 |
| Headquarters | Boston, USA | Stockholm, Sweden |
Overview
Mainstay
Mainstay helps you bridge the gap between your organization and the people you serve through purposeful, AI-driven conversations. Originally built to help students navigate the complexities of college, the platform now supports both higher education institutions and modern workplaces. You can use its behavioral science-backed messaging to proactively reach out to individuals, answer their questions instantly, and guide them toward important milestones like enrollment or employee onboarding.
The platform focuses on boosting retention and engagement by meeting people where they are—on their phones. By automating routine interactions with a 24/7 chatbot, you free up your staff to handle more complex, high-touch tasks. Whether you are trying to reduce summer melt in admissions or improve employee wellness, you can scale your impact without increasing your headcount.
Mentimeter
Mentimeter transforms your static presentations into interactive experiences that capture your audience's attention. Instead of just speaking at a room, you can pose questions that participants answer instantly using their smartphones. You see the results visualize on your screen in real-time, whether you are hosting a large-scale conference, a university lecture, or a remote team meeting.
You can build various interactive elements like dynamic word clouds, multiple-choice polls, and competitive quizzes without any complex technical setup. The platform helps you break the ice, gather honest feedback anonymously, and ensure every voice in the room is heard. It works seamlessly in your browser or through integrations with popular tools like PowerPoint and Microsoft Teams.
Overview
Mainstay Features
- Empathetic AI Chatbots Provide your community with 24/7 instant support using AI that understands nuance and responds with a helpful, human tone.
- Behavioral Nudges Send proactive text messages based on proven behavioral science to encourage users to complete specific tasks or goals.
- Two-Way Texting Engage in real-time conversations with individuals through a centralized inbox that keeps your entire team on the same page.
- Campaign Management Schedule and automate personalized messaging sequences to guide your audience through complex processes like financial aid or benefits enrollment.
- Data Analytics Track engagement rates and conversation trends to understand exactly what your community needs and where they are getting stuck.
- Knowledge Base Integration Upload your existing handbooks and FAQs so your AI bot can provide accurate, institution-specific answers to every question.
Mentimeter Features
- Live Polling. Create multiple-choice or scales questions and watch your audience's responses update instantly on your presentation slide.
- Dynamic Word Clouds. Visualize popular ideas and common themes as your participants submit words that grow and move in real-time.
- Interactive Quizzes. Run fun competitions with leaderboards to check for understanding and keep your energy levels high during long sessions.
- Anonymous Q&A. Allow your audience to ask questions without fear of judgment, ensuring you address the topics they care about most.
- Presentation Templates. Access a library of pre-designed templates for icebreakers, feedback sessions, and workshops to save you preparation time.
- PowerPoint Add-in. Insert interactive Mentimeter slides directly into your existing PowerPoint decks to maintain a smooth flow without switching apps.
Pricing Comparison
Mainstay Pricing
Mentimeter Pricing
- Unlimited audience size
- Unlimited presentations
- All question types included
- Up to 50 participants per month
- Help Center access
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited questions per presentation
- Import existing presentations
- Export results to Excel
- Own your presentation content
- Standard support
Pros & Cons
Mainstay
Pros
- Significantly reduces the burden of repetitive questions on staff
- High engagement rates compared to traditional email communication
- Easy to set up and train the AI knowledge base
- Excellent customer success team provides proactive strategic guidance
Cons
- Initial setup requires significant time to audit existing content
- Pricing can be high for smaller institutions with tight budgets
- Advanced reporting features can feel complex for new users
Mentimeter
Pros
- Extremely easy for participants to join via QR code
- Beautiful real-time visualizations like word clouds
- High engagement rates for both remote and in-person
- Anonymous participation encourages more honest feedback
Cons
- Free version limits the number of questions
- Requires a stable internet connection for all users
- Limited slide design customization on lower tiers