ComparisonUpdated
Influencer marketing agency vs platform: hire influencers yourself, with no retainer fee.
An influencer marketing agency finds creators, negotiates with them and runs your campaigns, usually for a retainer fee every month or a project fee, plus what the creators are paid. Most teams now hire influencers themselves (66.33% run influencer marketing entirely in-house in Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2026 survey), and on Octoclip you post a job free, influencers apply and you pay only when a creator accepts your offer.
- Free until you hire
- Fixed price per video
- You approve every video
In short
influencer marketing agencies details checked| Point | OCTOCLIP | An influencer marketing agency |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A UGC marketplace where creators apply to your job | A company that runs influencer campaigns for you |
| Monthly fee | €0 | Often a retainer fee |
| How you pay | Per hire, when a creator accepts your offer | A retainer fee or a project fee, on top of creator fees |
Of the 10 points comparedinfluencer marketing agencies figures as influencer marketing agencies publishes them
7Octoclip ahead
3Equal
What they are
What is an influencer marketing agency, and what is Octoclip?
An influencer marketing agency is a company that plans influencer campaigns for a brand, picks the creators from its network, negotiates their fees and reports on the results, usually for a retainer fee or a project fee. Octoclip is an influencer marketplace where brands hire creators directly at a fixed price per approved video.
Octoclip is built for brands that want to start without a commitment. It costs €0 a month, posting jobs and reviewing applicants are free, and you pay only when a creator accepts your offer. Creators apply to your job, every applicant shows a delivery record, and each creator confirms your must-include points before sending a video.
Influencer marketing agencies typically plan the campaign, choose creators from their own roster or network, handle contracts and payments, and charge a retainer fee every month or a project fee on top of the creators’ fees. Terms differ by agency, so confirm them with each.
Octoclip (octoclip.io) is a UGC marketplace and is not related to the clipboard app of the same name.
How a hire works on Octoclip
The first three steps are free.
- 01FreePost a job
Type, price per video, volume, deadline and the brief, with the must-include points every video is checked against.
- 02FreeReview applicants
Creators apply with a note. You see their profile, connected account and record on Octoclip.
- 03FreeSend offers
The contract is generated from your job’s terms. Hire one creator or twenty from the same brief.
- 04You pay hereHire and approve
When a creator accepts, you pay and they start. You approve every video before the creator is paid.
Side by side
Influencer marketing agency vs Octoclip, side by side on 10 points
Octoclip is ahead on 7 of the 10 points compared, and equal on the other 3.
Showing all 10 pointsShowing 7 of 10 pointsShowing 3 of 10 points
| Point | OCTOCLIP | An influencer marketing agency |
|---|---|---|
| PriceOctoclip ahead on 2 | ||
| Octoclip aheadAgency retainer feesA fee you pay an agency every month to keep it working for you, whether or not anything is posted that month. | Yes: None, €0 | No: Often, or a project fee instead |
| Octoclip aheadPay only for the posts you hireEach hire is priced on its own, with no minimum. | Yes: Yes, a fixed price per approved video | No: Usually a retainer fee or a campaign budget |
| CreatorsOctoclip ahead on 4 | ||
| Octoclip aheadCreators apply to your jobThe creators who want the job come to you. | Yes: Yes | No: The agency picks for you |
| Octoclip aheadYou choose every creatorSend offers only to the people you want on your brand. | Yes: Yes, you send offers to the ones you want | No: From the agency’s roster or shortlist |
| Octoclip aheadYou keep the creator relationshipRehire the influencers who delivered, directly. | Yes: Yes, on Octoclip’s roster | No: The relationship sits with the agency |
| Octoclip aheadDelivery record before you hireVideos delivered, on time and approved first time, counted from real jobs. | Yes: On every profileVideos delivered, on time, approved first time | Not published: Rarely shared |
| Briefs and reviewOctoclip ahead on 1 · Equal on 1 | ||
| EqualOne brief for many creatorsWrite it once. Every creator gets the same brief and terms. | Yes: Yes, each with their own dates | Yes: Yes, the agency briefs creators |
| Octoclip aheadMust-include checklistCreators confirm each point before sending, so fewer videos miss the brief. | Yes: Confirmed by each creator | Not published: Varies by agency |
| Rights and paymentsEqual on 2 | ||
| EqualA contract on every hireBuilt from the job’s terms and accepted by the creator. | Yes: Automatic, built from your job’s terms | Yes: Handled by the agency |
| EqualPayments and receipts handledCreators are paid as you approve, with a receipt in your history. | Yes: Secured before work startsA receipt for every payment | Yes: One invoice from the agency |
Posting a job is free. You’re charged only when a creator accepts.
influencer marketing agencies details checked 18 Oct 2026Post a job freeinfluencer marketing agencies details come from its public Influencer Marketing Hub, Benchmark Report 2026 pages, checked 18 Oct 2026. influencer marketing agencies may change them, so tell us if anything is out of date.
Cost
How much does an influencer marketing agency cost?
Octoclip costs €0 a month, with no retainer fee: you pay only when a creator accepts your offer. Influencer marketing agencies often charge a retainer fee every month or a project fee, on top of the creators’ fees, and the amount varies by agency.
Octoclip pricing
No plan and no minimum. You pay only when you fund a hire, and you see the full amount before you send an offer.
Always free
- Posting jobs
- Reviewing applicants
- Sending offers
- Revisions
- Contracts and receipts
Every hire includes
- A contractBuilt from your job’s terms and accepted by the creator
- Payment secured before work startsThe creator is paid for each approved video
- Must-include points, confirmedEach creator ticks every point before sending
- 5 days to reviewThen the video approves itself
- Usage rights worldwide, with no end dateSpark Ads and partnership ads included
- A receipt for every paymentIn your history
How does each way of working differ?
An agency is a service: it runs the influencers for you, for a fee. A marketplace is a tool: you hire the influencers directly and the platform runs the contracts and payments.
This describes how agencies typically work, not any one agency. Confirm the terms with each.
| The difference | OCTOCLIP€0 plan, pay per hire | An influencer marketing agencyTypical terms |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | Per hire, when a creator accepts | Often a retainer fee or project fee |
| Who picks the influencers | You, from the ones who apply | The agency, from its network |
| Who manages the influencers | You, with the platform running contracts and payments | The agency |
| How long a post stays live | At least 90 days, in every contract | Agreed per campaign |
| Starting small | One creator, one video | Depends on the agency’s minimum |
How influencer marketing agencies charge
Influencer marketing agency pricing varies widely. Many charge a retainer fee every month or a project fee on top of creator fees. Ask each agency for its minimum, what the fee covers, and who keeps the creator relationship.
Who each one suits
Why choose Octoclip instead of an influencer marketing agency?
Choose Octoclip instead of an influencer marketing agency if you want to stay in control, pay only when you hire, and keep the creators who deliver.
- €0No plan to pay for
Post jobs and review applicants for free. You pay when you hire, not every month.
- 1Start with one video
No minimum: hire one influencer for one video, then hire again.
- 5 daysEvery review has a deadline
Approve in one click, and a video you do not review within 5 days is approved for you.
An agency is the right shape when you want someone else to run the programme. Octoclip is for brands that want to stay in control: you write the brief, choose the influencers, approve every video and rehire the ones who delivered, while the platform runs the contracts and payments. There is no retainer fee and no minimum.
Octoclip suits you when…
Look elsewhere when…
If something goes wrong
Built for the parts that usually go wrong.
The same rules run on every Octoclip hire, for brands and creators alike.
- 01
A video misses the brief
Ask for one revision, tied to the must-include point it missed. The creator has 3 days to send the new version.
1 revision - 02
You can’t review in time
You have 5 days, and we remind you 24 hours before they’re up. After that the video approves itself, so the creator is paid on time.
5 days - 03
A creator doesn’t answer your offer
Nothing is charged. You give every offer an answer-by date of 1 to 7 days.
Nothing charged - 04
You want to turn a video down
Only for an objective reason, such as a missed deadline or a must-include point still missing after the revision. Low views or a change of mind don’t count.
Judged on the brief - 05
You and the creator disagree
A person at Octoclip looks at both sides and decides within 5 business days.
A person decides - 06
You want to stop
Stop posting jobs. A month with no hires costs €0, and there’s nothing to cancel.
€0 a month
FAQ
Influencer marketing agency vs platform: common questions
Straight answers, with influencer marketing agencies’ figures as it publishes them.
Weighing Octoclip against influencer marketing agencies? Write to us and someone at Octoclip replies.
Talk to usWhat does an influencer marketing agency do?
An influencer marketing agency plans the campaign, picks influencers from its network, negotiates their fees, handles contracts and payments, and reports on the results. You pay the agency for that work, usually as a retainer fee or a project fee.
How much does an influencer marketing agency cost?
Influencer marketing agency pricing varies widely: many charge a retainer fee every month or a project fee on top of creator fees, and the amount depends on the agency and the volume. Octoclip has no retainer fee: a month with no hires costs €0, and you pay only for the hires you fund.
Do most brands use an influencer agency?
No. In Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2026 benchmark survey of 600+ respondents, 66.33% run influencer marketing entirely in-house, 10.71% use a mix of in-house and agency, and 10.71% run it through an agency partner.
What is the difference between an influencer agency and an influencer platform?
An agency runs influencer campaigns for you, usually for a retainer fee, and picks the creators from its network. A platform such as Octoclip lets you hire influencers directly: you post a job, creators apply, you send offers, and the platform runs contracts and payments.
Is an influencer platform cheaper than an agency?
Octoclip has no retainer fee and no minimum, so a month with no hires costs nothing and you pay only for the hires you fund. An agency’s fee covers running the campaign for you, so compare what each includes before you decide.
What are the best influencer marketing agencies?
The right agency depends on your product, your budget and how much management you want. If you would rather hire influencers yourself, Octoclip is the alternative: creators apply to your job, every applicant shows a delivery record, and you send offers to the ones you want. See the best influencer marketing platforms.
Can I run influencer marketing without an agency?
Yes. On Octoclip you post a job, see which influencers apply, and hire them directly. There is no agency fee, no retainer fee and no minimum. The influencer marketing guide walks through the steps.
How do I hire UGC creators on Octoclip?
Post a job by choosing a creator post or a UGC video, the platform, how many videos and the fixed price per video, and write the brief once. Creators apply, and you send offers to the ones you want. When a creator accepts, the hire is paid and work starts once payment is secured. Review each video within 5 days, ask for one revision if a brief point is missed, and approve.
Can I choose my own creators on Octoclip?
Yes. Creators apply to your job and you send offers to the ones you want. Nobody is assigned to you.
Does Octoclip have a minimum spend or a contract?
No. Octoclip has no monthly plan, no minimum spend and no contract. You can start with one creator and one video, and you pay only when a creator accepts your offer.
Can I use Octoclip and an influencer agency together?
Yes. Octoclip has no minimum, so you can keep an agency for strategy and hire influencers on Octoclip for volume, or post one job and compare the results.
Weighing Octoclip against influencer marketing agencies? Write to us and someone at Octoclip replies.
Talk to usSources
Where the influencer marketing agency figures come from.
Every influencer marketing agencies figure on this page is influencer marketing agencies’ own, from its public pages, checked on 18 Oct 2026. influencer marketing agencies may change them.
- Influencer Marketing Hub, Benchmark Report 2026influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-benchmark-reportChecked 18 Oct 2026
Octoclip’s own figures come from its Terms. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
More comparisons
Compare Octoclip with others.
Each page sets Octoclip against one platform, with the other side’s figures dated and sourced.
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Try Octoclip on your next brief.
Posting is free and no card is needed. You only pay when a creator accepts your offer.