How does Capterra charge software vendors?
Capterra runs on pay per click. "Bids start at $2 per click and can be increased in $0.25 increments", and position follows the bid: "The higher the bid, the higher up in the directory a vendor is displayed" (Capterra, what is PPC). You do not bid on keywords but on its 300+ software categories. A basic listing is free; upgrading to a PPC listing, in Capterra's words, "gives you an edge over the competition".
Its sister site GetApp spells out what a lead is: "Leads are generated from Clicks", and the vendor "is responsible for all fees based on the set budget set and the resulting clicks activity". Disputes "must be made within 60 days of the invoice date" (GetApp, PPC service description). In other words, you pay for a visit to your landing page, whatever happens next.
How does G2 charge software vendors?
G2 sells plans. The free plan lets you claim your profile and collect reviews. Starter costs "$299/month (no contract, cancel anytime) or $2,999/year" for companies with 1 to 100 employees; Professional and Enterprise are priced on request (G2, plans). On top of that, G2 Ads offers pay per click or quarterly and annual paid promotions on category and competitor pages, and Buyer Intent is sold as an add-on.
One important difference: G2 states that "G2 is not a pay-to-play ranking system". Placement on its Grid follows its published methodology, not your plan. You can buy ad space on G2, but not a better Grid position.
Capterra vs G2: what is the difference for a vendor?
| Capterra | G2 | |
|---|---|---|
| You pay for | Clicks to your site | A plan, plus optional clicks and placements |
| Published price | From $2 per click | Starter $299 a month or $2,999 a year |
| Can money buy position? | Yes: the bid sets the order in paid listings | Ad placements yes, Grid ranking no |
| Free option | Basic listing | Free profile with reviews |
| Commitment | Insertion order, budget-based | Starter: no contract, cancel anytime |
What changes now that G2 is buying Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice?
On 29 January 2026, G2 announced it had agreed to acquire Capterra, Software Advice and GetApp from Gartner. According to G2, the combined data will deliver "up to 3x more Buyer Intent signals, powering new pay-per-lead offerings that convert interest into sales-ready leads" (G2 announcement).
What that means for your pricing is not public yet, and we will not guess. What it does mean: four of the largest software review sites answer to one owner, so the rules of the channel you rent can change without you having a say. That is the strongest argument for building a channel next to it that you control.
Is Capterra PPC worth it? Do the maths on won deals, not clicks
A click is not a lead, and a lead is not a deal. The number that matters is cost per won deal = cost per click / (click to SQL rate x SQL to won rate). The table shows how many clicks one deal takes at a 20% SQL to won rate. Multiply by your own cost per click.
| Click to SQL | Clicks per won deal | At $2 per click (the minimum bid) |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | 100 | $200 |
| 2% | 250 | $500 |
| 1% | 500 | $1,000 |
| 0.5% | 1,000 | $2,000 |
Measure your real rates in your CRM for at least a quarter. For a SaaS client of ours, Kaizo, organic traffic converted to key events at 4.6% in September 2025, against 0.12% for paid traffic. Those are intent signals, not demo bookings, and the paid traffic there was not review-site traffic, but it shows how far channels can drift apart once you measure them.
What does a won deal cost via a platform, and via your own channel?
Fill in your own numbers. The prefilled values are examples to show the maths, not benchmarks or platform prices.
Assumptions: the own channel grows linearly to full strength; both channels share the same sales cycle; costs exclude VAT and your sales team's time. To value a single lead, use the lead value calculator or the CAC calculator.
When are Capterra and G2 worth it?
- Your buyers really start there. In some software categories, buyers build their shortlist on review sites; being absent can cost you deals.
- You are new in a category and have no reviews, rankings or content yet. A listing gives social proof while you build.
- The free tiers cover most of the value. A Capterra basic listing and a G2 free profile with reviews cost nothing.
- You want to test without lock-in. G2 Starter is monthly and cancellable; set a budget cap on PPC.
How do you build your own pipeline next to review sites?
The content that wins on review sites is the same content that wins in Google and in AI answers: comparison pages ("your product vs competitor"), an honest pricing page, integration pages and answers to the questions buyers ask before a shortlist. Collect reviews on the free profiles, send buyers from those profiles to pages you own, and keep paid clicks only where cost per won deal stays below your own channel.
That is what we build. Our lead generation programmes are tailored: the price depends on your goals and scope. See the Kaizo case for a full-funnel SaaS example.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Capterra cost per click?
Capterra bids start at $2 per click and go up in $0.25 increments. You bid per software category, and a higher bid places you higher in the directory. A basic listing is free.
Does paying G2 improve your Grid position?
No. G2 states it is not a pay-to-play ranking system: Grid placement follows its methodology. G2 does sell pay-per-click ads and paid promotions on category and competitor pages.
Can you cancel G2 Starter?
Yes. G2 lists Starter at $299 a month with no contract and cancel anytime, or $2,999 a year.
Are Capterra and GetApp the same network?
Both were owned by Gartner, and on 29 January 2026 G2 announced it had agreed to acquire Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice. GetApp also charges vendors per click: its service description says leads are generated from clicks.
Is a free Capterra or G2 profile enough?
For many vendors, yes, as long as it carries recent reviews and links to strong pages on your own site. Pay for clicks or placements only when you can show they produce won deals at a lower cost than your own channels.
Sources · Last checked: 28 September 2026
- Capterra, what is PPC
- GetApp, PPC service description
- G2, plans for vendors
- G2, acquisition announcement
Something out of date? Tell us at tanguy.dekeyzer@customerimpact.be and we will correct it.