Should I use an influencer marketplace or a managed influencer campaign company?

The criteria, side by side

Both models can produce good creator content. They differ in who does the work between the brief and the results, and in who answers when something goes wrong.

These describe the two models in general. A provider can sit between them, so check what is included before you buy.

What three marketplaces say about themselves

Read on 2026-10-04 from each company's own pages. Collabstr's site blocked automated reading that day, so its FAQ was read from an archived copy captured on 2026-10-02.

• Collabstr describes itself as "a marketplace to find and hire influencers on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube." Its FAQ tells brands "We hold your payment until the work is completed" and gives them "up to 72 hours once the work has been submitted to ask for a revision or open a dispute with Collabstr." It also says brands can contact it if they want it "to plan and manage an influencer campaign for you."
• Aspire calls itself "The all-in one creator platform" and lists an "Aspire Marketplace," "Content Approval," and handling of ad rights requests "inside Aspire." It also sells "Full-Service Campaigns," described as "End-to-end creator program execution."
• #paid calls itself "A marketplace for creators and brands" and lists "Dedicated 1:1 support," "Campaign strategy," "Content production," and "Handle licensing" in its brand menu.

The line is the service, not the brand name

All three pages above offer some form of hands-on help next to the self-serve product. So the useful question is not which company you pick but which work you keep. Write down who casts, who contracts, who holds the usage license, who reviews drafts, and who reports, then check that the provider's agreement names an owner for each one.

When a marketplace is the better choice

In these cases a managed company adds a layer you may not need, and a marketplace is the simpler buy.

• You want a few pieces of content to test an angle, and any one of them can be replaced.
• Someone on your team has hours each week to message creators, ship product, and review drafts.
• You want to choose every creator yourself from their listings and packages.
• You do not need exclusivity, long paid ad rights, or a claims review before posting.

When a managed campaign company is the better choice

• A launch has a fixed date and several creators who all need to post inside the same window.
• Your category carries claim rules, such as supplements, skincare, or fitness results, and every draft needs checking against an approved claims list.
• Paid amplification and reuse across channels need to be written once for every creator instead of negotiated one by one.
• Nobody in-house has the hours to run creators week to week.
• You want one party accountable if a creator is late, edits a post, or takes it down.

Two rules that apply under either model

Disclosure stays with the brand. The FTC's endorsement FAQ says "delegating part of your promotional program to an outside company doesn't relieve you of responsibility under the FTC Act." Choosing a marketplace or a managed company changes who does the checking, not who is responsible.

Reuse terms belong in writing. A license to reuse a video is different from owning it, and under 17 U.S.C. 204(a) a transfer of copyright ownership is not valid unless it is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed. Put the channels, duration, and paid ad use in writing whichever model you use.

Have OVO run the campaign

OVO is a creator marketing company. Brands hire OVO to plan, produce, and deliver influencer campaigns end to end. Send the product, the launch or campaign dates, the markets you sell in, and what the content needs to show, and OVO's team reviews it for fit and follows up by email if it can help.

Frequently asked questions