What is idea management software?

Software that collects improvement and innovation ideas from employees (and sometimes customers or partners), routes each one to someone who evaluates it, and tracks it through to implementation and results. Most tools add challenges or campaigns, voting, notifications and reports on participation and impact.

What is the best idea management software for manufacturing?

Look for capture from a phone without a company email, a path from idea to an improvement project, and savings or KPI tracking. On this list, Rever, KaiNexus and LeanSuite are built around operations and continuous improvement; HYPE and Qmarkets also serve manufacturers with enterprise-wide programs.

Can each type of idea follow its own approval path?

In several of these tools, yes. LeanSuite lets you build custom, multi-stage approval workflows per idea type, so a safety suggestion can go straight to the EHS manager while a large cost saving goes through several levels, including Finance. IdeaScale publishes configurable stage gating and routing, Qmarkets stage-gate workflows, KaiNexus configurable workflows that route improvements through approvals, and Ideawake custom workflows.

Is there free idea management software?

Yes, for small teams. LeanSuite's idea management is free for teams of 25 and under, and HYPE Boards is free for fewer than 10 users with limited features. Larger programs move to paid plans.

Which idea management tools publish their pricing?

Ideawake (Flex at $500 a month; Business from $300 to $2,250 a month) and HYPE Boards (Basic $79, Pro $499 a month, billed annually) publish prices. IdeaScale, KaiNexus, Planview IdeaPlace, Qmarkets and Rever quote on request. LeanSuite publishes its free plan for teams of 25 and under and its pilot price: 90 days for $3,000 per facility, credited to the annual plan.

Why is LeanSuite on a list that LeanSuite publishes?

Because it is one of the options a manufacturing buyer would consider, and leaving it off would be odd. We wrote this page, so read it with that in mind: products are listed alphabetically, every other product is described only from its own public pages, each entry says who it fits best, and we will correct anything a vendor or reader shows us is wrong.

How did you compare these tools?

We read each vendor's own public pages in September 2026 and used only what they publish. Where we could not find something, the table says not published, which does not mean the product lacks it. LeanSuite is our product. If something has changed, email info@theleansuite.com and we will update the page.

Buyer's guide

Best idea management software

Short answer: There is no single best tool; it depends on whose ideas you collect. For shop-floor improvement ideas in manufacturing, look at Rever, KaiNexus and LeanSuite. For company-wide idea challenges at a published price, look at Ideawake or HYPE Boards (formerly Viima). For large enterprise and public-sector programs, look at IdeaScale, Planview IdeaPlace and Qmarkets.

Who wrote this: LeanSuite publishes this guide, and LeanSuite is one of the eight products on it. We describe every other product only from its own public pages, list the products in alphabetical order rather than ranking them, and say where each one fits better than ours.

Last reviewed September 2026. Based on each vendor's public information; tell us if something has changed at info@theleansuite.com.

At a glance

LeanSuite's whole platform next to each product, capability by capability. A question mark means the vendor does not publish it or we could not verify it, not that the product lacks it; the detailed table below has the specifics.

Yes, on the vendor's own site
Partial, limited or a paid add-on
No, outside the product's published scope
Not published, or we couldn't verify it

Swipe sideways to see every product.

At a glance: Best Idea Management Software
Capability	LeanSuite	HYPE Boards	Ideawake	IdeaScale	KaiNexus	Planview IdeaPlace	Qmarkets	Rever
Continuous improvement
Any method: DMAIC, PDCA, A3, 8D or your own	Yes: Incl. your own	Not published	Not published	Not published	Yes: Incl. custom processes	Not published	Not published	Partial: PDCA, DMAIC, Quick Action
Engineering and CapEx projects with stage-gates	Yes:Four stage-gates	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
Non-manufacturing teams and projects	Yes: Any project type	Not published	Not published	Not published	Yes: Healthcare, finance	Not published	Not published	Not published
Ideas and suggestions with configurable approvals	Yes:Approvals per idea type	Partial: Evaluations	Yes: Workflows	Yes: Stage gating	Yes	Partial: Expert review	Yes: Stage-gate	Partial: Approvals not stated
Savings verified before they count	Yes:Finance signs off	Not published	Not published	Not published	Partial: ROI add-on	Not published	Partial: ROI tracking	Yes
Share what worked across sites (yokoten)	Yes:Best Practice Management	Not published	Not published	Not published	Yes: Knowledge base	Not published	Not published	Yes
AI
AI root cause analysis	Yes:RCA Agent	Not published	Not published	Not published	Yes: KaiNexus Intelligence	Not published	Not published	Not published
AI time and motion study from video	Partial:Vision AI, priced separately	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
Video to SOP	Yes:SOP from one video	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
AI one-point lessons (OPLs)	Yes:OPL from before-and-after photos	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
AI drafts checklists and forms	Yes:Lean Creator AI drafts	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
AI sorts and triages ideas	Yes:Lean AI	Partial: Duplicate detection	Partial: Duplicate detection	Partial: Separate subscription	Partial: Summaries	Yes: Merges similar ideas	Yes: IRIS AI	Partial: Idea Match
Frontline operations
Daily issue management with tier escalation	Yes:F-Tags, escalation	Not published	Not published	Not published	Partial: Improvement items	Not published	Not published	Not published
Tiered meetings and huddle boards	Yes:Lean Studio	Not published	Not published	Not published	Yes	Not published	Not published	Not published
Audits and checklists (5S, LPA, CILR), scheduled	Yes:Daily Standard Work scheduling	No: Idea management only	No: Idea management only	No: Idea management only	Not published	No: Innovation management only	Not published	Yes: 5S and quality routines
Breakdown reporting and maintenance work orders	Yes:EWO; works alongside a CMMS	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
Skills and training
Live skills matrix	Yes:Competency Management	No: Idea management only	No: Idea management only	No: Idea management only	Partial: Certification tracking	No: Innovation management only	Not published	Not published
Job cover matrix: who can cover each job	Yes:Job Cover Matrix	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
Training (LMS): courses, quizzes, learning plans	Yes:Trainings (LMS)	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
SOP and OPL sign-off per person	Yes:Signed on a tablet	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
Data and platform
KPI dashboards	Yes:KPI Dashboards	Not published	Not published	Not published	Yes	Not published	Not published	Partial: Improvement dashboards
SSO and a security certification	Yes:SOC 2 Type 1; Entra ID, Okta	Partial: Follows ISO 27001	Partial: Follows SOC 2 criteria	Yes: FedRAMP (its claim)	Yes: SOC 2 Type 2	Not published	Yes: ISO 27001	Yes: ISO 27001
Operator sign-in with an employee ID, no email	Yes:Employee ID	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published	Not published
Free plan or published prices	Yes:Free plan for ideas	Yes: Free under 10 users	Yes: From $300 a month	No: Quote only	No: Quote only	Not published	No: Quote only	Not published
Mobile app (iOS and Android)	Yes:iOS and Android	Yes	Not published	Not published	Yes	Not published	Not published	Yes

Based on each vendor's public website, reviewed September 26, 2026; tell us if something has changed at info@theleansuite.com.

How we chose these tools

We looked for products that are sold for idea management today and that a buyer can research publicly. Each one on this list meets all of these:

Idea management is a core use
Idea capture, evaluation and follow-through are a main product or module, not a template inside a general tool.
Active in 2026
A live site, still sold under the name listed, with 2026 releases, news or app updates. Renamed products are listed under their current name.
Takes ideas to done
Ideas move through evaluation or approval to an owner and an outcome, not just a suggestion box.
Public information
Enough on the vendor's own pages to describe what it does, how it is priced and how it handles security.
A range of buyers
At least one strong option for frontline manufacturing teams, for company-wide programs and for large enterprises.

Eight idea management tools, in alphabetical order

1. HYPE Boards (formerly Viima)
Board-based idea management, renamed from Viima in 2024 after HYPE Innovation acquired it. Each board has its own process, with Kanban and list views, evaluations, duplicate detection, workflow automations, gamification, and native iOS and Android apps. It publishes pricing: free for fewer than 10 users with limited features, Basic at $79 and Pro at $499 a month (monthly prices, billed annually), with a 14-day trial of Pro. Its sister product, HYPE Innovation, is an ISO 27001 certified enterprise platform with on-premises options.
Best for: Small and mid-size teams that want to start free and set up idea boards themselves.
HYPE Boards (formerly Viima) website
2. Ideawake
Idea management software for company-wide programs: idea challenges for employees, customers and partners, voting and evaluation, custom workflows and approval stages, duplicate detection, anonymous posting and gamification, with Teams, Slack and Jira integrations and Aurora AI for tagging, duplicates and scoring. It publishes pricing: Flex at $500 a month with unlimited users, Business from $300 to $2,250 a month, with support plans priced separately. Its security program follows SOC 2 criteria and runs on AWS.
Best for: Mid-size companies that want challenge-based idea campaigns at a published price.
Ideawake website
3. IdeaScale
Workforce innovation software for idea campaigns that can include employees, partners or the public, with configurable stage gating, idea routing and ownership, multilingual communities, and Power BI and Tableau reporting; IdeaScale AI is a separate subscription. It describes itself as the only FedRAMP-certified idea management solution. Pricing is tailored and not published.
Best for: Government agencies and large organizations running campaigns that include external participants.
IdeaScale website
4. KaiNexus
Continuous improvement software founded in 2009 and used in healthcare, manufacturing and other industries. Ideas are captured from any device, routed through approvals and workflows with tasks and deadlines, tied to KPIs and kept in a knowledge base of implemented improvements, next to projects, A3 and PDSA, huddles and strategy deployment. It is SOC 2 Type 2 compliant with SAML single sign-on. Pricing is quoted, with a Fundamentals package for smaller teams.
Best for: Organizations that want ideas managed inside a broader improvement system across many kinds of teams.
LeanSuite vs KaiNexus KaiNexus website
5. LeanSuite
Idea Management is one module of LeanSuite's lean manufacturing platform. Employees submit ideas from the shop floor and earn points for each contribution, with a live leaderboard and a prize catalogue you build. Each type of idea can follow its own multi-stage approval workflow, for example straight to the EHS manager for a safety suggestion or through several levels including Finance for a large cost saving, and Lean AI summarizes each submission and predicts whether it is an idea or a complaint, its priority and its likely status. Approved ideas become projects in any method (PDCA, A3, DMAIC, 8D or your own), from a quick fix to an engineering or CapEx project, next to issue management, audits, tiered meetings, and skills and training. Frontline staff can sign in with an employee ID, no company email needed. Idea management is free for teams of 25 and under; the full platform is one flat price per facility with unlimited users.
Best for: Manufacturing plants that want frontline ideas tied to kaizen projects and daily shop-floor management.
LeanSuite Idea Management
6. Planview IdeaPlace
Enterprise innovation management from Planview, formerly Spigit. It offers challenge templates, self-service team challenges (TeamTap), idea capture forms and workflow automation, expert review, voting, crowd predictions and pairwise ranking, language processing to merge similar ideas, gamification, and connectors that send ideas into Planview's portfolio and project tools. Pricing is not published.
Best for: Enterprises already on Planview that want ideas to flow into portfolio and project funding.
Planview IdeaPlace website
7. Qmarkets
A modular innovation suite: Q-ideate for idea management and Q-optimize for continuous improvement, plus portfolio and scouting products. It offers unlimited challenges, stage-gate workflows, several voting methods, gamification, ROI dashboards, a Microsoft Teams app and IRIS AI. It is ISO 27001 certified and hosted on AWS or Azure in a choice of regions, or on your own servers. Pricing is quoted as an annual license with a setup fee.
Best for: Enterprises that want idea management and continuous improvement in one suite, with a choice of data residency.
Qmarkets website
8. Rever
A frontline improvement app for manufacturing ("Kaizen for Everyone"). Operators log ideas and fixes from a phone, including offline; guided PDCA, Quick Action and DMAIC flows carry them through; savings are validated before they count; and Idea Match suggests fixes proven at other sites. It adds gamification and one-click translation into 18 languages, and is ISO 27001:2022 certified. Pricing is not published on its site.
Best for: Manufacturers that want operators submitting and completing improvements on their phones, with validated savings.
LeanSuite vs Rever Rever website

The eight tools side by side

From each vendor's public pages. "Not published" means we could not find it publicly, not that the product lacks it.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

The eight tools side by side
Capability	HYPE Boards	Ideawake	IdeaScale	KaiNexus	LeanSuite	Planview IdeaPlace	Qmarkets	Rever
Ideas
Built for	Teams of any size	Company-wide idea programs	Enterprise, government, education	Improvement programs across industries	Manufacturing plants	Enterprise innovation	Enterprise innovation and CI	Frontline manufacturing teams
Mobile capture	Native iOS and Android apps	Phone or tablet browser	Mobile-first web	iOS and Android apps	iOS and Android apps; employee-ID sign-in	Mobile-enabled web	Not published	iOS and Android apps, with offline mode
Evaluation and workflow	A process per board, evaluations, automations	Custom workflows, approval stages, voting	Configurable stage gating and routing	Approvals, workflows with tasks and deadlines	Multi-stage approvals per idea type, then a project	Workflow automation, expert review, pairwise ranking	Stage-gate workflows, several voting methods	Guided PDCA, Quick Action and DMAIC flows
Results tracking	Not published	Dashboards; AI business case and ROI	Power BI and Tableau reporting	Ideas tied to KPIs; impact reports	Kaizen & Projects; KPI Dashboards	Embedded Power BI dashboards	ROI dashboards	Savings validated before they count
AI	Not published	Aurora AI: tagging, duplicates, scoring	IdeaScale AI (separate subscription)	KaiNexus Intelligence	Lean AI summaries and predictions; AI Root Cause Analysis	Language processing for similar ideas and trends	IRIS AI: clustering and analysis	Idea Match and suggested fixes
Buying
Pricing	Published: free under 10 users; $79 or $499 a month	Published: from $300 a month	Not published	Not published	Free for 25 users and under; per facility quote	Not published	Not published; annual license plus setup fee	Not published on its site
Trial	14-day trial of Pro	Free trial onboarding; 90-day ROI guarantee	Not published	Demo on request	Free Starter plan; 90-day pilot $3,000 per facility	Not published	Not published	Demo on request
Security	Follows ISO 27001 practices; GDPR	Program follows SOC 2 criteria; AWS	FedRAMP (per its government page)	SOC 2 Type 2	SOC 2 Type 1 report; secure cloud hosting	Not published for IdeaPlace specifically	ISO 27001; AWS, Azure or on-premises	ISO 27001:2022
Single sign-on	Microsoft and Google; SAML on Advanced	Azure, Okta, Ping, OneLogin and others	Yes	SAML 2.0	SAML 2.0 / OAuth (Entra ID, Okta); employee ID	Yes	SAML 2.0 (Entra ID, Okta, ADFS)	Yes; protocol not published

Where LeanSuite is different

This part is about our own product, so read it as LeanSuite's pitch; the entries above describe every other tool from its own pages. Each point links to the LeanSuite page that shows it.

An approval path for each type of idea
Build custom, multi-stage approval workflows per idea type: a simple safety suggestion can go straight to the EHS manager, while a large cost-saving idea goes through several levels, including Finance.
Idea Management
Ideas become any kind of project
An approved idea gets an owner and becomes a project, run as PDCA, A3, DMAIC, 8D or your own method, from a quick fix to an engineering or CapEx project.
From idea to project
AI that sorts the submissions
Lean AI groups similar ideas, summarizes each new submission and predicts whether it is an idea or a complaint, its priority against your goals and its likely status. Reviewers apply or override in one click.
Lean AI for ideas
Points, a leaderboard and your own prizes
Campaigns, points and a live leaderboard, plus a prize catalogue you build, where employees redeem points for swag, gift cards or anything else you choose.
Recognition and rewards
Savings that Finance has signed off
A DMAIC project can't close until Finance verifies its savings. Savings are calculated from your own labor, downtime and scrap rates, and a stage-gate can require review above a savings amount you set.
CI portfolio and ROI
Free for small teams, no company email needed
Idea management is free for teams of 25 and under, and frontline staff sign in with an employee ID instead of a company email.
Pricing

Which one fits

Operators should submit and complete fixes on their phones, even offlineRever
Ideas should feed kaizen projects next to audits, issues and tiered meetingsLeanSuite
Ideas are one part of an improvement program across many kinds of teamsKaiNexus
You want idea challenges at a published priceIdeawake or HYPE Boards
You need FedRAMP or campaigns open to the publicIdeaScale
Ideas should flow into Planview portfolio and project toolsPlanview IdeaPlace
You want ideas, CI and scouting in one suite with a choice of hosting regionQmarkets

What customers say

“Great user-friendly software! It's covering everything that WCM or similar Lean Programs are asking to do, in a very effective way.”
Elena M.Global Head of Marelli Manufacturing System Automotive, Marelli
“The Project Tracking System generates significant savings while ensuring seamless delivery... The Global Kaizen Power Pitch completely transformed our ability to share best practices.”
Ramsey AljahmiSr. Director of NAR Operations Excellence, Whirlpool Corporation
Read the case study

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