Influencity vs JoinBrands: Which Is Better? (2026 Comparison)
Influencity is an AI-driven discovery engine best for brands seeking a massive global database of 200M+ influencers, while JoinBrands is a specialized UGC marketplace designed for D2C brands to hire creators and TikTok Shop affiliates. If you need end-to-end campaign automation, Influencity is the better fit, but for high-volume content creation and TikTok Shop growth, JoinBrands wins. For more options, explore our list of Influencity alternatives or see how they stack up in our full comparison guide.
| Feature | Influencity | JoinBrands |
|---|---|---|
| Content Discovery | ||
UGC Discovery | 3/5 | 5/5 |
Brand Mention Detection | 3/5 | 2/5 |
Untagged Content Detection | 2/5 | 2/5 |
| Video Tracking | ||
Short-Form Video Tracking | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Creator Management | ||
Creator Analytics | 4/5 | 3/5 |
Rights Management | 2/5 | 4/5 |
| Intelligence & AI | ||
Competitor Intelligence | 3/5 | 1/5 |
AI Content Tagging | 4/5 | 2/5 |
| Platform & Integrations | ||
Multi-Platform Support | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Integrations | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Reporting & Collaboration | ||
Reporting Dashboards | 4/5 | 3/5 |
Team Collaboration | 4/5 | 4/5 |
API Access | 3/5 | 2/5 |
| Usability & Support | ||
Ease of Use | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Customer Support | 2/5 | 3/5 |
Feature Deep Dive
When comparing Influencity and JoinBrands, the fundamental difference lies in their approach: Influencity is a discovery-first platform, whereas JoinBrands is a marketplace-first solution.
Content Discovery and UGC
Influencity offers a massive database of over 200 million profiles, making it one of the largest search engines in the industry. It excels at multi-platform support, including Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. However, it struggles with brand mention detection (3/5) and finding untagged content (2/5). If you are looking for the best alternative to Influencity for finding specific niche influencers, its AI search filters are highly granular.
JoinBrands, conversely, focuses on its internal network of 250,000+ vetted UGC creators. It is significantly better for UGC discovery (5/5) because the creators are active participants in the marketplace. However, JoinBrands is not a general search engine for the entire web; you are limited to the creators signed up on the platform. For teams that find JoinBrands' creator pool limiting, checking out JoinBrands alternatives can help find broader talent pools.
Video Tracking and Analytics
Both platforms provide robust short-form video tracking for TikTok and Reels (4/5). Influencity provides deeper audience demographics and performance metrics, making it a stronger choice for agencies that need to present detailed reports to clients. JoinBrands provides basic analytics but lacks the advanced reporting dashboards and competitive intelligence features that Influencity offers. If your primary goal is tracking video performance across various platforms, you might want to compare these against ShortsIntel vs Influencity.
Creator and Rights Management
JoinBrands shines in rights management (4/5), offering a streamlined process for obtaining content usage rights, which is critical for E-commerce brands running paid ads. Influencity (2/5) is much weaker in this area, focusing more on the relationship and campaign workflow rather than the legalities of asset repurposing. For those managing complex rights across many creators, comparing Archive vs JoinBrands might provide more specialized insights into asset management.
Intelligence and AI Capabilities
Influencity utilizes AI to analyze audience quality and detect fake followers, though users have reported data accuracy issues in some regions. JoinBrands lacks significant AI-powered content tagging or competitive intelligence (1/5), as its primary purpose is the transaction between brand and creator. If you need high-level intelligence to stay ahead of market trends, consider how these tools compare to more analytical options in our ShortsIntel vs JoinBrands breakdown.
| Plan Details | Influencity | JoinBrands |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Flat Rate | Usage Based |
| Free Tier | ||
| Free Trial | 7 days | |
| Pricing Tiers | ||
| Entry Tier | Basic$168/moor $1,344/yr | Pay-as-you-go$0/moor $0/yr |
| Mid Tier | Professional$398/moor $3,180/yr | Start-up$99/moor $1,069/yr |
| Top Tier | Business$698/moor $5,580/yr | Brand$299/moor $3,229/yr |
| Annual Cost (5-Person Team)* | $1,344 | $0 |
| Hidden Costs |
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* Annual cost calculated using entry tier pricing. Per-seat pricing multiplied by 5 users. Actual costs may vary based on specific plan and usage.
The pricing models of Influencity and JoinBrands are fundamentally different, catering to different budgetary styles.
Influencity Pricing
Influencity uses a flat-rate SaaS model starting at $168/mo. For a mid-sized team of 5 people, you would likely need the Business tier at $698/mo ($5,580/yr if billed annually). This provides a predictable cost but comes with the risk of a strict no-refund policy, which has been a major point of contention in user reviews. Before committing to an annual plan, we recommend reviewing our Influencity alternative guide to ensure the feature set justifies the price.
JoinBrands Pricing
JoinBrands utilizes a usage-based model. While they offer a free tier to browse creators, their paid subscriptions range from $99/mo to $499/mo. However, the subscription is only part of the cost; you must also pay for creator fees (typically $150-$200 per video) and platform transaction fees (8-15%).
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Comparison: For a team producing 10 UGC videos per month:
- Influencity: ~$698/mo (Standard subscription, plus whatever you pay creators externally).
- JoinBrands: ~$99/mo (Brand tier) + $1,500 (Creator payments) + ~$150 (Platform fees) = ~$1,949/mo.
JoinBrands provides better value if you need the platform to handle the payments and recruitment for you, while Influencity is better for teams who already have creator relationships and just need a management tool. For more cost-effective tracking solutions, see ShortsIntel vs Critical Mention. You can also compare any two tools to see which fits your specific budget.
Who Is Each Product Best For?
AI-powered influencer marketing platform for discovery, campaign management, and performance analytics
Best For
- Mid-sized brands starting with influencer marketing
- Agencies needing multi-platform coverage
- Companies wanting AI-powered discovery
- Brands needing global payment support
- Teams seeking affordable all-in-one platform
Not Ideal For
- Enterprise teams needing premium support
- Brands requiring highly accurate data
- Users who may need refunds
- Teams needing extensive customization
- Companies sensitive to data accuracy
UGC creator marketplace connecting brands with TikTok affiliates, UGC creators, and influencers for authentic content
Best For
- E-commerce and D2C brands
- Companies scaling UGC production
- Marketing agencies managing multiple brands
- TikTok Shop sellers
- Brands testing UGC with pay-as-you-go
- Amazon sellers needing product videos
Not Ideal For
- Brands needing social listening
- Companies wanting competitive intelligence
- Teams requiring advanced analytics
- Brands focused on brand mention tracking
- Companies needing low transaction fees
Choose Influencity if...
You are a mid-market brand or agency that needs a powerful search engine to discover new influencers globally. It is ideal for teams that prioritize audience data, fake follower detection, and end-to-end campaign management across multiple social platforms. If you have the budget for a fixed monthly cost and don't require high-volume UGC asset rights management, Influencity is a strong contender. See why some users prefer it in our ShortsIntel vs Influencity head-to-head.
Choose JoinBrands if...
You are a D2C or E-commerce brand specifically looking to scale UGC production or grow your presence on TikTok Shop. It is the better choice for teams that want a 'hands-off' approach to hiring, where creators apply to your campaigns. If you need a marketplace that handles payments and simplifies usage rights for ad creatives, JoinBrands is built for you. For similar marketplace options, check out this JoinBrands alternative.
Neither might be right if...
You are looking for a specialized tool to track content you didn't pay for—such as organic brand mentions or untagged videos from fans. Both platforms struggle to detect content where the brand isn't explicitly tagged. If you need high-precision social listening for short-form video or want to build a library of organic UGC, you may want to browse all alternatives to find a tool focused on tracking rather than just discovery or hiring.
Consider a Third Option
Scale creator marketing with data, not grunt work.
While Influencity helps you find influencers and JoinBrands helps you hire them, ShortsIntel fills a critical gap that both platforms often miss: tracking and analyzing the actual content at scale.
ShortsIntel is a specialized video social listening tool designed for B2C brands that are already running creator campaigns but are 'drowning in content but starving for insights.' Unlike Influencity and JoinBrands, ShortsIntel uses frame-by-frame AI analysis to detect your products even when the creator forgets to tag your brand or use your campaign hashtag. Data shows that up to 30% of UGC goes untracked because of missing tags—ShortsIntel recovers that data.
Why consider ShortsIntel?
- Automated Rights Management: While JoinBrands has a marketplace model, ShortsIntel offers a 'magic-link' consent system that lets you get usage rights for any video on TikTok, Reels, or Shorts with one click.
- Deeper Content Insights: It doesn't just show you engagement; it analyzes the visual elements of the video to tell you why a piece of content is performing.
- Affordability: Starting at just $99/mo, it’s a more accessible entry point for brands that need tracking without the high overhead of a full marketplace or a massive discovery engine.
If you find that Influencity's data is too broad or JoinBrands' reporting is too shallow, ShortsIntel offers a focused, data-driven middle ground. You can see how it performs in our ShortsIntel vs Archive comparison or check our full vs list to see how we compare to other industry leaders like Brandwatch.
Why Choose ShortsIntel
- Purpose-built for short-form video (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) unlike general social listening tools
- Detects untagged content that competitors miss (claims 30% more coverage)
- AI-powered content tagging analyzes videos frame-by-frame for format, visual elements, and trends
- Automated rights management with magic-link consent system and audit trails
Best For
Starting at $99/mo
7-day free trial
Full Comparison: All Three Options
| Feature | Influencity | JoinBrands | ShortsIntel Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Discovery | |||
UGC Discovery | 3/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Brand Mention Detection | 3/5 | 2/5 | 5/5 |
Untagged Content Detection | 2/5 | 2/5 | 5/5 |
| Video Tracking | |||
Short-Form Video Tracking | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Creator Management | |||
Creator Analytics | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Rights Management | 2/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Intelligence & AI | |||
Competitor Intelligence | 3/5 | 1/5 | 4/5 |
AI Content Tagging | 4/5 | 2/5 | 5/5 |
| Platform & Integrations | |||
Multi-Platform Support | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Integrations | 3/5 | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Reporting & Collaboration | |||
Reporting Dashboards | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Team Collaboration | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
API Access | 3/5 | 2/5 | 3/5 |
| Usability & Support | |||
Ease of Use | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Customer Support | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Ready to try ShortsIntel?
Track UGC, discover creators, and monitor brand mentions across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
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Last updated: January 28, 2026