Short answer
F5Bot is a good free choice for email alerts on Reddit, Hacker News and Lobsters. Choose BuyerSpotter instead if you need Facebook groups, X (Twitter), LinkedIn or Nextdoor, want matches graded by buyer intent rather than every mention, or want alerts in desktop notifications, Telegram or a webhook. BuyerSpotter costs $39 per month.
Try it on the same brief you use today. 5-day trial, no card needed.
Add to ChromeKey takeaways
- F5Bot covers Reddit, Hacker News and Lobsters and has a free-forever plan, according to its website.
- F5Bot's free plan sends alerts on a delay, cannot watch very common words and caps hits per day.
- BuyerSpotter covers Reddit, Facebook groups, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and Nextdoor, but not Hacker News or Lobsters.
- BuyerSpotter grades matches by buyer intent; F5Bot reports mentions.
What F5Bot does well
According to F5Bot's FAQ (opens a new tab), it sends email alerts when your keywords appear on Reddit, Hacker News or Lobsters. There is a free-forever plan with no card. The free plan sends alerts on a delay, cannot watch very common words, and has a daily cap per keyword and per account. Paid tiers send promptly and can hold alerts for a daily digest. If you only need mentions from those three sites by email, F5Bot is hard to beat on price.
F5Bot vs BuyerSpotter
Swipe sideways for more columns, if needed.
| F5Bot | BuyerSpotter | |
|---|---|---|
| Sources | Reddit, Hacker News, Lobsters | Reddit, Facebook groups (up to 25), X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Nextdoor |
| What it looks for | Keyword mentions | Keyword matches graded by buyer intent, requests first |
| Alerts | Email (free); faster delivery and digests on paid tiers | Desktop, Telegram or webhook, plus an inbox |
| Where it runs | Web service | Chrome extension on your computer, while Chrome is open |
| Price | Free plan; paid tiers | $39/month or $390/year; 5-day trial, no card |
Competitor details are taken from each vendor's own website as published on 26 September 2026 and can change. BuyerSpotter has not run a side-by-side test. Tell us at hello@buyerspotter.com if something here is out of date.
When BuyerSpotter is the better fit
BuyerSpotter is a Chrome extension that monitors Facebook groups, Reddit, LinkedIn, X (Twitter) and Nextdoor for posts where someone asks to buy, hire or get a recommendation, and alerts you so you can reply yourself. It suits local services, agencies and SaaS teams whose customers ask in Facebook groups, on Nextdoor or on X, where F5Bot does not look. Use exclusions to skip job posts and promotions; the noise-reduction guide shows how.
Can you use both?
Yes. Some teams keep F5Bot for Hacker News mentions of their brand and use BuyerSpotter for buyer requests in groups and on social networks. They do different jobs. For a Reddit-focused comparison with another alert service, read BuyerSpotter vs Syften.
If you are replacing Google Alerts rather than F5Bot, read the Google Alerts alternative guide; for the difference between mentions and requests, see social listening vs buyer intent.
Frequently asked questions
Is F5Bot free?
F5Bot has a free-forever plan with email alerts, sent on a delay and with daily caps, according to its website. Paid tiers remove the delay.
Does F5Bot monitor Facebook groups or X?
Its website lists Reddit, Hacker News and Lobsters only.
Does BuyerSpotter monitor Hacker News?
No. BuyerSpotter covers Reddit, Facebook groups, X (Twitter), LinkedIn and Nextdoor.
Can BuyerSpotter send email alerts?
Not directly. It sends desktop, Telegram and webhook alerts; a webhook can forward to a service you configure.