Expert network comparisons
Expert network companies: what GLG, AlphaSights, Tegus and others offer
A plain comparison of the main expert network companies, using only what each firm publishes: services, how calls work, and which ones list prices.
The best-known expert network companies are GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge, Dialectica and Tegus (now part of AlphaSense). Maven sells similar services with published starting prices. All of them find people with industry experience and arrange paid calls; they differ in how much of the work they do for you, what else they sell, and whether they publish prices.
This page sticks to what each company says on its own site, checked on September 29, 2026. Network sizes and other figures below are the companies' own claims, not independent measurements. If you are new to the category, start with what an expert network is.
The main expert network companies at a glance
| Company | What its site emphasizes | Published price? |
|---|---|---|
| GLG | Expert calls with custom recruiting, the myGLG self-service portal, AI-moderated calls, a library of more than 20,000 transcripts, deal advisors and board placements | No; contact form |
| AlphaSights | Custom expert search since 2008, account teams, calls, human transcripts, surveys and Deal Advisor searches | No; trial request |
| Guidepoint | Expert consultations, a library it says holds 130,000+ interviews, surveys and healthcare data; says it has 2M+ advisors | No; trial request |
| Third Bridge | Custom-sourced calls, a transcript library, surveys and advisors; says it has 1.5 million expert relationships | No; trial request |
| Dialectica | Custom recruitment; says over 65% of experts it connects are first-time, custom-recruited | No; talk to sales |
| Tegus (AlphaSense) | Expert calls and a transcript library inside the AlphaSense research platform | Calls: expert rate plus $75 transcription |
| Maven | Self-service Ad Hoc Access, team credits and consulting projects | Starts at $150 per 30 minutes (Ad Hoc) |
Sources: GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge, Dialectica, Tegus, Maven.
How the firms differ in practice
Who finds the experts. GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge, Dialectica and Tegus all say they custom-recruit for a brief rather than relying only on an existing database. GLG and Maven also offer self-service options: GLG through myGLG, Maven through its Ad Hoc product with AI matching.
Who runs the call. You can lead the call yourself at GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge, Dialectica and Tegus. AlphaSights and Third Bridge offer staff who can take calls for you, and Tegus sells a concierge add-on that does the same. GLG and Tegus describe AI-run interviews, and Guidepoint mentions an AI option for scaling calls.
What else is in the package. GLG, Guidepoint, Third Bridge and Tegus offer content libraries built largely on expert interview transcripts. Reading a few before booking can tell you whether a new call is needed at all.
How you pay. Tegus says calls are billed at the expert's rate plus a flat $75 transcription fee, rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes, with no minimum commitment. Maven lists Ad Hoc Access from $150 per 30 minutes and Shared Credits from $25k a year. The others quote per client. Ask each for the all-in cost of a single one-hour call so you can compare like for like.
Which company fits which job
- A fund or consulting team running many calls with compliance review: GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge and Dialectica are built for this. Their account teams and compliance processes are a large part of what you pay for.
- Someone who wants transcripts and calls in one research tool: Tegus inside AlphaSense, or the library products at Guidepoint and Third Bridge. See our Tegus pricing guide.
- A small project with a known budget: Maven's Ad Hoc Access publishes a starting price and needs no upfront commitment, according to its pricing page.
- One founder with one specific question: a managed network may be more than you need. You can describe the person yourself, find them and ask. Instant Expert finds people who match your question, lets you review them, and sends your invitations; you pay for calls that get booked.
Other expert network companies
The market is larger than these seven. We have written comparisons for many other firms, each based on that company's own pages:
- Arbolus, Atheneum, Capvision, NewtonX, proSapient
- Techspert, Zintro, Nextyn, Knowledge Ridge, VisasQ/Coleman
- For the firms above: GLG, AlphaSights, Guidepoint, Third Bridge, Dialectica, AlphaSense, Maven
How to shortlist
- Write the brief in one sentence: the question, plus the job history of someone who could answer it.
- Decide whether you need help finding people, help running calls, compliance review, or only access.
- Ask two or three firms for the all-in cost of one call and their minimum commitment.
- Ask each to show sample profiles for your brief before you sign anything. The profiles tell you more than the network size.
If you can already describe the person you need, try a search and see who comes back before you request quotes.