GLG, originally Gerson Lehrman Group, is a large global expert network used by private equity firms, hedge funds, corporates, law firms, and consulting teams. If you need a few high-quality calls or surveys without a six-figure annual retainer, you're usually priced out of GLG and should compare boutique options like FieldSignal.
GLG in 5 minutes
- GLG pioneered the expert network business model in 1998 and has over 25 years of industry experience.
- GLG describes itself as the world's leading platform for trusted human expertise, connecting business leaders to a database of over 1.2 million subject-matter experts (fact sheet).
- GLG delivers 1:1 consultations, calls, transcripts, a content library, surveys, advisory work, and AI-supported tools through myGLG.
- Public pricing guides cite large retainers, credits, and per-call costs, but exact pricing must be confirmed with GLG directly.
- FieldSignal competes with GLG, AlphaSights, and Coleman Research on quality, price clarity, and flexible access — see our deeper GLG alternatives breakdown.
Company profile
GLG is a company built to connect institutional clients with hard-to-access experts across every industry. GLG operates globally from New York and other offices across North America, Europe, and Asia, and it sells itself as a full-service research partner.
- Core buyers: investors, consultants, corporates, lawyers, nonprofits, and decision makers.
- Main use: expert consultations provide bespoke insights for informed decision-making.
- Scale: GLG's platform connects clients with experts globally and claims the world's largest expert database.
Core GLG services
GLG packages primary research inside an expert network and myGLG. FieldSignal offers calls, surveys, transcripts, panels, and custom research with pay-per-use pricing and no annual retainer.
Expert calls and meetings
- You submit a project brief, GLG screens experts, then you choose who to speak with.
- Calls usually run one hour with former leaders, customers, suppliers, regulators, or operators.
- Private equity firms use GLG for commercial due diligence before acquisitions.
- Analysts use GLG for deeper diligence by consulting former customers and industry players.
- Investment analysts use expert calls to assess companies in niche markets.
- FieldSignal gives similar firsthand expertise, with no minimum commitment and paid honoraria passed through without markup.
Expert content and transcript libraries
- Users search by company, industry, geography, theme, or technology.
- Institutional investors use the library for monitoring, thesis checks, and quick sector learning.
- GLG has a Bloomberg integration through ASKB, which matters for financial services workflows.
- FieldSignal produces quality-checked transcripts per project instead of forcing a large subscription.
Surveys and quantitative research
- Research teams use GLG Surveys to launch quantitative studies quickly.
- GLG runs B2B and B2C surveys with customers, channel partners, and other decision makers.
- Outputs include Excel tabs, cross-tabs, and written summaries.
- Timelines are days to a week, or longer for niche samples.
- FieldSignal bundles surveys and calls in one scoped project with clear per-respondent pricing.
Advisory, placements, and extended engagements
- GLG experts can engage as deal advisors, expert witnesses, board advisors, or interim leaders.
- This differs from calls because the advisor may support a family of workstreams over time.
- These projects usually need a separate statement of work and higher fees.
- FieldSignal focuses on research projects first, then scopes longer work when relevant.
myGLG and AI-assisted workflows
- myGLG is where clients submit briefs, review matches, schedule, access transcripts, and track projects.
- GLG's platform uses AI to match clients with relevant experts quickly.
- GLG added AI synthesis for themes, quotes, and transcript review.
- FieldSignal runs lighter coordination with a dedicated team and clean transcript handoff.
Who GLG is built for (and where it fits badly)
GLG is built for high-volume institutional buyers who can commit budget up front.
- Good fit: large hedge funds, global consultancies, Fortune 500 strategy teams, M&A teams, law firms, and life sciences teams.
- Poor fit: sub-$50M funds, seed founders, smaller corporates, and boutique consultants who only need 5 to 15 calls.
These buyers still need qualified expertise but don't want to pay for more platform power than they will use.
How GLG pricing typically works
GLG doesn't publish rate cards. Public sources like Nextyn's pricing guide describe enterprise retainers, credits, add-ons, and per-call pricing.
- Contract: annual retainer or membership.
- Usage: call credits or consumption buckets.
- Add-ons: surveys, content, events, advisory, and overages.
- Pain point: opaque unit economics make it hard to hear what each call really costs.
- FieldSignal: transparent project pricing, no subscription, no minimum, and no honoraria markup.
GLG vs boutique expert networks
- GLG: enterprise contract, onboarding, volume pricing, bundled access. Smaller buyers may submit interest, get contacted late, or not hear back quickly when access is gated by enterprise sales processes.
- FieldSignal: no minimum spend, no subscription, per-project quote.
- Other platforms including AlphaSights, Third Bridge, Guidepoint, Tegus, AlphaSense, Capvision, ProSapient, Coleman Research, Atheneum, Mosaic Research Management, and Inex One use mixes of credits, subscriptions, or project fees.
Quality, vetting, and compliance
GLG markets an industry-leading compliance framework built on integrity.
- Onboarding: GLG screens experts rigorously to enforce compliance and prevent insider trading risks.
- Screening: conflicts, current employer limits, and MNPI checks.
- Client side: training, approval workflows, and audit trails.
- FieldSignal matches the compliance foundation with NDAs, screening, recording controls, and transcript controls.
Expert quality and matching
- GLG associates turn your brief into role, tenure, geography, and company criteria.
- GLG proposes profiles, then you pick the best match.
- Public reviews praise professionalism but mention ghosting, slow responses, or cancelled calls.
- FieldSignal uses fewer profiles, tighter matching, and senior QA to stay a mile ahead on relevance.
GLG vs FieldSignal: how to choose
Many analysts start with GLG because it's the default, then switch when price or flexibility becomes the issue.
When GLG is the better choice
Choose GLG for heavy annual demand, a network used by teams around the world, pre-built content, and strict internal vendor rules. Large enterprises also value the CEO-level visibility and vendor credibility that come with established platforms.
When FieldSignal is the better choice
Choose FieldSignal if you're a founder, boutique PE/VC fund, mid-market corporate, or consultant with irregular demand. Works well for 5 to 15 calls, one panel, or one focused survey. You get clear pricing before work starts, no annual retainer, and honoraria at cost.
Other expert networks in the mix
- Full-service: AlphaSights, Third Bridge, Guidepoint, Coleman Research, Atheneum
- Transcript-heavy or tech-centric: Tegus, AlphaSense, Mosaic Research Management
- Aggregators and marketplaces: Inex One, ProSapient
- Capvision is often discussed for Asia access
Comparison table
| Criterion | GLG | FieldSignal | Other networks | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Retainer and credits | Pay per project | Mixed | FieldSignal |
| Minimum | Often high | None | Varies | FieldSignal |
| Content | Large library | Project transcripts | Varies | GLG |
| Compliance | Mature | Equivalent baseline | Varies | GLG for big institutions |
| Speed | Strong at scale | Fast for scoped work | Varies | FieldSignal |
| Unit clarity | Limited | Clear | Mixed | FieldSignal |
How to scope your next project
Using GLG
- Check policy and budget.
- Contact your GLG account team and answer compliance or scope questions before the project starts.
- Submit the written brief.
- Review expert matches.
- Schedule calls and approve usage.
- Download notes and transcripts.
- Track credit burn so you don't fall short later.
Using FieldSignal
- Email your scope.
- Get a quote with per-call and per-survey pricing.
- Approve the SOW.
- Receive curated expert profiles.
- Run calls, panels, or surveys.
- Receive transcripts and optional synthesis.
Next step
GLG is leading for high-volume institutions. If you need trusted experts without GLG-style overhead, FieldSignal gives you access, support, speed, and transparency for the next project.