If you’re reading this article about Smartly.io alternatives, you may be evaluating different platform options to find the right fit for your workflow and budget. Or perhaps you haven’t tried Smartly yet, but you’re curious about what else is out there.
We’re here to help you navigate the options and evaluate platforms that teams often consider alongside Smartly.io, so you can find the one that fits your needs best.
In this comparison, we’ll dive into 8 Smartly.io alternatives, examining their functionalities, pricing, pros, and cons.
Why businesses explore alternative paid social platforms
Based on conversations with performance marketers, we’ve mapped the most common reasons businesses explore alternative paid social platforms:
#1 Pricing
Pricing models vary across platforms. Some solutions are designed around enterprise-level, multi-channel programs, which may not always align with the needs of growth-stage or mid-market advertisers.
#2 Complex workflows
Teams focused on Meta, Snapchat, or TikTok may prefer more streamlined workflows over broad omnichannel setups, especially when speed and operational simplicity matter.
#3 Support expectations
Support models differ across platforms. Some teams prioritize hands-on guidance and direct access to support as they scale.
1. Hunch – a focused alternative for paid social teams
Hunch automates both creative and media workflows for paid social teams. It leverages dynamic templates to reduce manual work in creative production and campaign management, with workflows tailored to individual business needs.
Hunch is designed for mid-market and growth-stage businesses spending €80K–€500K monthly on Meta and Snapchat. It’s an ideal solution for e-commerce, retail, fashion, and other catalog-heavy businesses. Hunch is also a strong choice for agencies managing multiple clients, offering efficient workflows that reduce operational overhead.
Hunch pricing
Hunch offers pricing designed for growth-stage and mid-market advertisers, based on the ad spend running through the Hunch platform:
- Pricing starts at €2,500 per month
- No additional fees for features like AI background removal or Catalog Product Video (fka PLV)
- Only ad spend running through Hunch is considered
- No limits on the number of ad accounts
How Hunch compares to Smartly.io
Smartly is commonly used by enterprise brands running large-scale, multi-channel advertising programs. Scope and workflow complexity are often key considerations for teams evaluating platform fit.
Hunch, in contrast, specializes in paid social execution, offering:
- Agile workflows that adapt to mid-market needs
- Strategic guidance and hands-on support tailored to each client
- A focused platform for teams looking to scale Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok campaigns without operational overhead
Pros
- Combines creative and media workflows in one platform
- Specializes in Meta and Snapchat for paid social campaigns
- Transparent pricing aligned to real usage
- Personalized onboarding and direct support
Cons
- Limited Google Ads support
- Best suited for advertisers spending €50,000+ monthly on paid social
2. ROI Hunter – Best for e-commerce product optimization
ROI Hunter focuses on product performance management for e-commerce brands. It integrates product-level data from ad platforms, analytics tools, and internal systems to help advertisers prioritize SKUs and manage catalog-based campaigns.
ROI Hunter is primarily designed for teams that want to optimize product performance and inventory-driven advertising.
Hunch also supports product insights workflows by closing the loop between product signals and creative automation, enabling teams to adapt creative and media decisions based on SKU performance and audience behavior. You can read more about this approach in our article on how Hunch closes the loop with product insights.
Who is it for?
E-commerce brands looking to optimize campaigns using product performance insights.
Pricing
ROI Hunter communicates pricing in the range of 1–5% of ad spend. For details, refer to their pricing page.
Pros
- Strong focus on e-commerce and product feeds
- Effective for Dynamic Product Ads
- Deep product-level insights
Cons
- Limited creative automation
- Less flexible outside e-commerce use cases
- Performance and usability may vary depending on setup
3. Sprinklr – Best for omnichannel customer engagement
Sprinklr operates as a customer experience management (CXM) platform, supporting social listening, sentiment analysis, and engagement across multiple channels including social, messaging, and email. It is designed primarily for enterprises managing large-scale customer interactions rather than paid social performance.
Who is it for?
Large enterprises managing omnichannel engagement and customer experience programs.
Pros
- Comprehensive engagement and analytics
- Strong reporting capabilities
- Enterprise-grade infrastructure
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Limited creative automation for paid social
4. Kargo Commerce – Best for retail feed-based advertising
Kargo Commerce focuses on retail and e-commerce advertising, helping brands create personalized ads at scale. It is primarily used in retail-specific use cases rather than broader paid social automation.
Pros
- Tailored for retail and e-commerce
- Supports personalized ad experiences
- Focused on contextual relevance
Cons
- Limited flexibility outside retail
- No full media workflow automation
- Narrow platform scope
5. Celtra – Best for large-scale creative automation
Celtra is a creative management platform focused on scaling creative production. It is often used by enterprise creative teams but does not include media workflow automation.
Pros
- Strong creative production tools
- Supports multiple ad formats
- Built for large creative teams
Cons
- No campaign or media automation
- Limited performance insights
- Creative-only focus
6. Skai – Best for data-driven media optimization
Skai supports omnichannel marketing across search, retail media, social, and app marketing. It is often used by enterprise advertisers with large, diversified media budgets.
Pros
- Omnichannel coverage
- Advanced analytics
- Enterprise scalability
Cons
- Complex interface
- High cost
- Less focused on social-first creative automation
7. Flashtalking – Best for display, video, and CTV
Flashtalking focuses on ad serving and creative personalization across channels such as display, video, CTV, and social.
Pros
- Independent ad serving
- Dynamic creative capabilities
- Broad channel support
Cons
- No media buying tools
- Enterprise-oriented
- Limited strategic guidance
8. Marpipe – Entry-level option for DPAs
Marpipe focuses on multivariate testing and DPA creative production. It does not offer campaign or media management.
Pros
- Useful for testing creative variations
- Data-driven creative insights
- Scalable for catalog testing
Cons
- No media buying
- Limited workflow automation
- Better as a complementary tool
The challenge of being a true Smartly.io alternative
Smartly is a well-established platform in the martech ecosystem. As teams grow and diversify their needs, many evaluate multiple solutions to find the right balance between scope, control, and operational efficiency.
That’s where Hunch comes in – a platform built around focused creative and media workflows. We’ve sharpened our focus on strong campaign execution on Meta, Snapchat, and TikTok, while also connecting creative automation with product insights to inform better campaign decisions. If this article sparked your curiosity about Hunch, you can explore a deeper platform comparison or read how Hunch closes the loop with product insights to learn more.
Disclaimer
- This comparison is based on publicly available information and third-party sources as of January 2025.
- The opinions expressed reflect Hunch’s understanding of the platforms and may not reflect the views of other vendors.
- All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
