OpenWeb alternative: how OpenModeration compares
OpenWeb runs comments and forums for large publishers, with AI moderation and an advertising business attached. OpenModeration does one job: it moderates comments on your site and on your social pages, for a public subscription price. Here are the differences, with sources.
Choose OpenModeration if…
- you want to keep your own comment system and add moderation to it;
- you prefer a subscription with a public price to a model tied to advertising;
- your data has to stay in the European Union;
- you also moderate Facebook, Instagram or YouTube comments;
- you need a written reason for every hidden comment, as the DSA requires.
OpenWeb may suit you better if…
- you want a complete hosted comments and forums product on your site;
- you want the tool to generate advertising revenue rather than cost a subscription;
- you want a vendor whose logo bar includes large US publishers such as CNN and Yahoo!.
OpenWeb and OpenModeration, side by side
Information about OpenWeb taken from its website, openweb.com, consulted on October 20, 2026. Forums launch reported by Axios on September 30, 2026.
| Criterion | OpenWeb | OpenModeration |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A hosted community platform for publishers: comments, plus forums | A moderation layer: it decides on comments where they already live and does not display them |
| Business model | A monetization and advertising business alongside the community tools | A subscription that includes setup and our team on doubtful cases. No advertising attached to your readers' comments |
| Where it moderates | The publisher's own site. Social networks: not stated | Website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WordPress natively; TikTok, X, LinkedIn and other networks added on request, quickly; REST API and webhooks for the rest |
| Pricing | Not stated ("Let's Talk") | Public: free up to 1,000 comments analysed per month, Pro at €99 per month for 10,000, custom plans for large volumes |
| Data hosting and GDPR | Not stated on its site | Built and hosted in the European Union, GDPR |
| Moderation | AI moderation branded "Aida". Human moderation: not stated | Rules written in plain language, a threshold per category, a grey zone handled by our team |
| Written reason for every decision | Not stated | Yes, in the language of your choice, returned by the API |
| DSA | Not stated | Activity log showing whether each decision was automatic or by which moderator |
| References | Logo bar includes CNN, Yahoo!, Forbes, WSJ, The Times, HuffPost. Claims 5,000+ publishers | L'Équipe, Challenges, Sud Ouest, actu.fr, Estadão, Südkurier |
What actually changes day to day
A price you know in advance
Pricing is public and you can start for free. You pay for moderation, and your readers' comments are not tied to an advertising product.
Data in the EU, a full audit trail
OpenModeration is built and hosted in the European Union. Every decision is logged with its reason, and you can export your data at any time. On-premise deployment is possible on request: let's talk.
A reason for every hidden comment
The AI reads each comment with the article title and the thread, then decides according to your rules. Every decision carries a written reason, and the activity log shows who decided: the AI or a named moderator.
A side-by-side test before any switch
Sandbox mode analyses real comments without hiding anything. You compare its decisions with your current moderation, then decide.
We set it up and run it for you
Just connect your pages: our team sets up the moderation on your rules and use cases, then runs it day to day. Doubtful cases and reports are handled by us, and you can step in whenever you want.
We set up your rules for you
Our team starts from your existing rules, your use cases and your real comments, sets the moderation up, then fine-tunes it over the first weeks. No work on your side.
Our team handles the doubtful cases
Doubtful cases, user reports and contested decisions are handled by our team. The system learns from every decision and proposes adjustments to your rules, which you approve in one click.
A test without risk
In sandbox mode, OpenModeration analyses your real comments and shows what it would have decided, without hiding or deleting anything.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to OpenWeb?
It depends on what you need. If you want a hosted comments and forums product whose cost is covered by an advertising model, OpenWeb is built that way. If you want to keep your own comment system, moderate your social pages with the same rules, pay a public subscription and get a written reason for every decision, OpenModeration fits that brief.
How much does OpenWeb cost compared with OpenModeration?
OpenWeb does not publish prices on its site and invites publishers to get in touch. OpenModeration publishes its prices: free up to 1,000 comments analysed per month, Pro at €99 per month for 10,000 comments, and custom plans for large volumes.
Can I test OpenModeration without removing OpenWeb?
Yes. In sandbox mode, OpenModeration analyses real comments without applying any action. You send a sample of your comments to the API and compare its decisions with your current moderation, comment by comment, before changing anything.
Where is OpenWeb data hosted?
OpenWeb's site does not state where data is hosted, and we found no GDPR statement on it. Ask the vendor directly if this matters to your legal team. OpenModeration is built and hosted in the European Union, and on-premise deployment is possible on request.
Does OpenModeration help with the DSA?
OpenModeration writes a reason for every decision and keeps an activity log showing whether each decision was automatic or made by a named moderator. Both feed the statement of reasons required by Article 17 of the DSA for publishers operating in the EU.
OpenWeb is a trademark of its owner. Information about it comes from openweb.com (consulted on October 20, 2026) and, for forums, from Axios. Spotted a mistake? Write to us at contact@openmoderation.com.
Moderate your readers' comments for a public price.
Connect your site and your social pages, write your rules in plain language and read the reason behind every decision. Free to start.
No credit card required · DSA-compliant · GDPR-compliant
Questions? contact@openmoderation.com