It’s Time You Try AI Roleplays as a Highspot Alternative

So you've been using Highspot for a while. It's good at what it does, helping sales teams manage content, train people, and track how buyers engage. But maybe you're feeling like there should be something better out there. You're not alone. Lots of sales leaders are looking around for tools that feel more natural to use, give better insights, and have AI that actually helps rather than gets in the way. As selling gets more complicated, the tools need to keep up.

Let's talk about why people look beyond Highspot, what other options exist, and what makes newer platforms worth considering. We'll help you figure out what might work better for your team and what switching actually looks like.

Why Teams Are Looking Beyond Highspot

While Highspot covers a lot of bases, several common challenges have sales teams looking for alternatives.

Usability tops the list for many teams. We've talked with sales folks who tell us they spend too much time just figuring out how to use the platform when they should be selling. They need to grab content quickly during calls, but the interface makes this tougher than it needs to be.

Customization also comes up frequently in conversations. Your company sells in its own unique way, but adapting Highspot to match your specific workflow isn't always straightforward. Getting it to work smoothly with your existing tech stack often requires extra steps that slow people down.

The analytics look comprehensive in demos, but many teams struggle to connect all that training activity to actual revenue results. When leadership asks for proof that the platform is driving sales, the answers aren't always clear.

Then there's the investment. According to market data, Highspot's per-seat pricing has increased from $50 to $60 per user, with average contracts now reaching $91,460 annually. This substantial cost has many organizations weighing their options.

What sales teams tell us they really want is:

• Tools that people can learn without extensive training

• Platforms that flex to match how your team actually sells

• AI coaching that works for everyone, regardless of location

• Content systems that surface relevant materials at just the right moment

• Clear analytics that show the direct impact on revenue

Teams using AI in their sales processes see notable improvements when technology helps bring up the right content during key customer conversations. The real value comes when reps have exactly what they need exactly when they need it.

How Highspot Stacks Up Against Alternatives

Let's compare the main players side by side to see what you're getting with each option:

All these platforms cover essential enablement functions but differ significantly in their approach to AI capabilities, user experience, customization flexibility, and industry specialization. Let's look at each alternative in more detail:

1. Exec

Exec takes a fundamentally different approach than Highspot:

Ever tried to navigate Highspot quickly during a sales call? Exec solves that problem with an interface sales reps can master in minutes, not weeks. No more apologizing to customers while you hunt for content.

Highspot has some AI features, but Exec builds its entire platform around AI roleplays that feel like real customer conversations. Your team practices handling objections and perfecting pitches with an AI that gives feedback just like a great sales coach would.

Noticed how Highspot treats all sales the same? Exec doesn't. It knows selling medical devices looks nothing like selling financial services. The platform tailors scenarios specifically to your industry's language, regulations, and buying processes.

Highspot shows you if people viewed your content, but Exec connects those dots all the way to revenue. You can see exactly how improved skills translate to closed deals and bigger numbers.

2. Seismic

Seismic takes content automation further than Highspot:

Where Highspot handles content management basics, Seismic adds powerful automation that creates custom materials on the fly. Enterprise teams with complex proposals particularly love this feature.

Both platforms require technical resources during setup, but Seismic tends to play nicer with other enterprise systems than Highspot does.

Financial services teams often prefer Seismic over Highspot because of its stronger compliance workflows. But watch out for the complexity that comes with it. Smaller teams often find it overwhelming compared to more streamlined options.

3. Showpad

Showpad balances capabilities differently than Highspot:

While Highspot focuses on content intelligence, Showpad puts more emphasis on tracking how buyers engage with your materials. This gives you better visibility into prospect behavior, though Showpad's coaching capabilities don't match what you get with Highspot or Exec.

Field sales teams usually prefer Showpad's mobile experience to Highspot's. If your reps sell on the go, that's worth considering.

Neither platform creates the seamless workflow that newer solutions have built specifically for how sales teams actually work. Both require some adaptation of your processes.

4. Mindtickle

Mindtickle focuses on training first, unlike Highspot's content-first approach:

Ever played a game that taught you something? Mindtickle brings that energy to sales training with strong gamification that makes learning more engaging than Highspot's traditional modules.

New hire onboarding looks completely different in Mindtickle versus Highspot. The structured programs give clear paths to productivity that many teams find more effective than Highspot's approach.

The tradeoff? Mindtickle's content management doesn't match Highspot's robust capabilities. Many teams end up needing additional tools to handle their content needs.

5. Bigtincan

Bigtincan beats Highspot for teams working in the field:

Tried using Highspot without reliable internet? It's frustrating. Bigtincan solves this with superior offline capabilities that field sales teams love. You can access what you need regardless of connectivity.

Bigtincan connects learning and content more seamlessly than Highspot does, though neither creates the practice environments that make Exec so effective for skill development.

The interface feels dated compared to Highspot's more modern look. Teams tell us this sometimes creates adoption challenges despite the strong functionality underneath.

What Makes Exec Different?

AI-Driven Roleplays & Coaching

Most platforms struggle to give personalized coaching that works for large teams. Exec solves this with AI roleplaying training that provides the structure, feedback, and practice opportunities teams need to excel in today's demanding sales environment.

The system creates realistic customer personas and challenging scenarios based on actual selling situations, then gives specific, actionable feedback on performance. Sales reps can practice consistently, no matter where they work or whether their manager has time to help.

It's Super Easy to Use

Highspot has that steep learning curve we mentioned. Exec takes a different approach with a streamlined, intuitive interface built for sales pros, not tech experts. This design cuts training time and speeds up adoption across teams.

The platform organizes content, training, and analytics in a logical way that matches how sales reps actually work. New users become productive right away while experienced users can easily access advanced features.

Customizable Training

Exec understands that effective training needs to reflect the specific challenges of different industries and roles. The platform offers customizable scenarios that address unique selling situations, from complex healthcare solutions to financial services and technology products.

Modern AI-driven simulations replicate real customer interactions accurately, letting reps practice without the pressure of live customer situations. These simulations adapt to industry regulations, buyer personas, and common objections.

Clear ROI Measurement

Highspot provides lots of analytics, but Exec connects training activities directly to performance outcomes. The platform tracks skill development for individuals and teams, spots specific improvement areas, and links training engagement to revenue metrics.

These comprehensive analytics help leaders focus coaching where it matters most and prove clear return on their enablement investments. The system shows which skills connect most strongly with deal progression, helping prioritize training for maximum impact.

Here's What Happens When You Make The Switch

Teams using advanced sales enablement solutions with strong AI capabilities typically see:

• New reps start closing deals much faster

• Win rates improve significantly

• Deal sizes grow substantially

• Sales teams actually use the content marketing creates

• Good salespeople stick around longer

Research shows that companies using AI-driven training approaches report improvements in employee performance by up to 30%. These gains come from more consistent practice, personalized feedback, and targeted skill development.

The impact really shows in complex selling environments where reps must master extensive product knowledge, navigate regulations, and engage multiple stakeholders. AI creates remarkably realistic scenarios that prepare teams for actual customer interactions without the awkwardness of traditional roleplays.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Exec cost?

Exec keeps pricing simple and works for teams of all sizes. The Individual Pro plan runs $10/month (billed yearly) and gives you all the practice scenarios you want, custom situations, and tracking to see how you're improving. Most sales teams go with the Team Essentials plan at $30/month per person (billed yearly), which adds team management, better reporting, custom scoring, and priority support when you need help. Larger companies can get organization-wide analytics, a dedicated success manager, single sign-on, and expert help designing programs. Every plan includes a free trial so you can try it out before committing to anything.

Can Exec integrate with our existing systems?

Absolutely. Exec plays nice with all the major CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Microsoft Dynamics. It also connects to where you store your content (SharePoint, Google Drive, Box) and your communication tools (Slack, Teams, Zoom). If you have custom systems you've built in-house, we can usually create connections to those too.

How long does it take to get up and running?

You'll be surprised how quickly your team can start using Exec. The core features work right away, and because everything feels intuitive, people can jump in and start practicing immediately. Even while we're setting up some of the more advanced features, your team can be getting value from day one.

How does Exec handle industry-specific requirements?

We've built content templates, practice scenarios, and skill frameworks for healthcare, financial services, technology, manufacturing, and professional services. Your medical device reps can practice talking to doctors about clinical outcomes. Your financial advisors can handle tough regulatory questions. Your software team can work through technical objections. We can customize everything further to match exactly how you sell your specific products.

Ready to See What's Possible?

Want to see how Exec could transform your sales approach? Book a demo and we'll show you exactly how it would work for your specific situation.