GLG vs AlphaSights: Which Expert Network Is Right for You?

GLG and AlphaSights are two of the most established names in the expert network industry. Both connect investors, consultants and corporate teams with professionals who can provide first-hand market and industry insight.

The main difference is less about whether they can arrange expert calls and more about how they find experts, how their services are structured and the type of research workflow each provider is designed to support.

GLG was founded in New York in 1998 and reports a network of approximately 1.2 million professionals. AlphaSights was founded in 2008 and places greater emphasis on project-by-project custom search rather than positioning itself around the size of a static expert database.

GLG is one of the longest-established expert network companies. Its reported network of around 1.2 million professionals gives clients broad access across industries, functions and geographies.

That can make GLG attractive for organisations running frequent research programmes or requiring coverage across many different topics. GLG also combines its existing expert network with additional recruitment when a project requires a more specific profile.

Its service range includes expert calls, surveys and other primary research formats, making it more than a simple expert-call provider.

AlphaSights takes a somewhat different approach. The company describes custom search as a central part of its model, with teams sourcing experts specifically against each client brief.

Rather than choosing primarily from a large pre-existing pool, the model places considerable emphasis on finding and qualifying the right person for the live project.

AlphaSights also operates from major global business centres including London, New York and Tokyo.

Both companies are global. GLG lists offices including New York, London, Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore and other major commercial centres. AlphaSights operates from cities including London, New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Shanghai and Seoul.

The better choice therefore depends more on the particular market and expert profile required than simply the number of office locations.

Compliance is central to both models because expert-network clients frequently operate in investment, consulting and other sensitive research environments.

Both providers describe structured expert screening, conflict checks and compliance controls around expert interactions. Clients should still compare individual provider policies against their own internal requirements.

GLG may make sense when you value:

• A very large existing expert network
• Broad global and sector coverage
• Multiple research products within one provider

AlphaSights may make sense when you value:

• Project-specific custom search
• A highly managed sourcing workflow
• Calls, surveys and transcripts within one platform

Neither is automatically the right choice for every project. Many research teams use several expert networks because one provider may perform better for a particular industry, geography or niche requirement.

The Insights Desk takes a custom-sourcing approach built around the individual research brief.

Rather than making database size the central value proposition, TID focuses on identifying and screening relevant professionals for each project. The company positions its model around custom-recruited and verified experts, rapid expert delivery and pay-as-you-go access without mandatory platform subscriptions or minimum commitments.

That makes it worth considering for teams looking for a GLG alternative or AlphaSights alternative with a flexible commercial structure.