A small brand is usually better off with a platform. It costs from a few hundred euros a month, lets you start with a few collaborations and learn what works, and on platforms that work as a marketplace, creators apply to you, so you do not need a dedicated team. An agency makes sense when there is budget to pay for its management on top of the creators, and the brand needs large campaigns, across several markets or in many locations at once, without spending its own time on them. Between the two there is a middle ground: platforms with a managed option, where a team runs the operations for a somewhat higher fee.
The three options compared
| Criterion | Platform (you run it) | Managed platform | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | Your team | A platform team; you approve | The agency; you approve |
| Entry cost | A monthly fee of hundreds of euros | A somewhat higher fee | Management fees of thousands of euros a month |
| Control over creators and content | Full | High | Delegated |
| Time required from the brand | A few hours a week | Little | Very little |
| Best for | Brands that are starting out or have low volume | Brands short on time but with a tight budget | Large campaigns, several markets or many locations |
When does a platform make sense?
When you are just starting out, when your budget is limited, or when you want to learn on your own which creators and which formats work for your brand. With a marketplace, you post the campaign and choose from the creators who apply, so the work comes down to reviewing profiles, approving content and measuring results. It is the option that best fits a small brand or a local business.
When does an agency make sense?
When the brand needs a complete strategy and someone to execute it from start to finish, when many creators, cities or locations have to be coordinated at once, or when the in-house team has no time. The agency charges for its management separately from what is paid to the creators, so it only pays off with a budget that covers both.
What about the managed option?
It is the middle ground for a small brand that has no time: the platform provides a team that launches the campaigns, screens creators and handles the follow-up, and the brand only approves. It costs more than using the platform on your own, but much less than an agency.
How much each option costs
As a reference, at VIVIO Club the Basic plan costs €299 a month if you run it yourself and €449 with the managed option (excluding VAT, with a 3- or 6-month commitment), and other platforms on the market range from limited free plans to suites costing hundreds of euros a month, as explained in cheaper alternatives to Kolsquare (in Spanish). Agencies charge management fees or a commission on the budget, which in the Spanish market usually ranges from 10% to 30%, according to Marketingdirecto and Favikon (2026); at VIVIO Agencia, management starts at €4,900 a month excluding VAT, with creators, production and usage rights charged separately and a minimum 6-month commitment. In every case you have to add the cost of each collaboration: the product or experience you provide, or the payment to the creator.
Four questions to decide
- How much time can your team put into it? If it is a few hours a week, a platform; if it is none, a managed option or an agency.
- What is your monthly budget, on top of what the collaborations cost? Hundreds of euros point to a platform; thousands, to an agency.
- How many markets, cities or locations? One or a few, a platform; many at once, an agency.
- Do you want to learn how to do it or have it done for you? Learning is easier with a platform.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with a platform and move to an agency later?
Yes, and it is a common path: start with a platform, see what works and delegate when the volume grows. VIVIO offers both options, VIVIO Club and VIVIO Agencia, plus the managed option of Club.
What budget do I need to get started?
With a platform, the monthly fee plus the cost of each collaboration; in a barter collaboration (product or experience in exchange for content), that is the product or experience you provide. With an agency, its fees plus the budget for creators, production and usage rights.
Does an agency get better creators than a platform?
Not necessarily. An agency works with its own roster and contacts; a marketplace with verified creators gives you access to many profiles that apply to collaborate with you. The difference lies more in who does the work than in the quality of the creators.