Tubular Labs vs Upfluence: Which Is Better? (2026 Comparison)
Tubular Labs is an enterprise-grade social video intelligence platform best for media companies and broadcasters needing deep cross-platform benchmarks, while Upfluence is an all-in-one influencer marketing CRM designed for e-commerce brands running affiliate and outreach campaigns. If you need global video data, choose Tubular Labs; if you need to manage creator relationships and Shopify integrations, choose Upfluence. Check out all ShortsIntel comparisons or explore a Tubular Labs alternative for more specialized needs.
| Feature | Tubular Labs | Upfluence |
|---|---|---|
| Content Discovery | ||
UGC Discovery | 2/5 | 4/5 |
Brand Mention Detection | 3/5 | 3/5 |
Untagged Content Detection | 1/5 | 2/5 |
| Video Tracking | ||
Short-Form Video Tracking | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Creator Management | ||
Creator Analytics | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Rights Management | 1/5 | 3/5 |
| Intelligence & AI | ||
Competitor Intelligence | 4/5 | 3/5 |
AI Content Tagging | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Platform & Integrations | ||
Multi-Platform Support | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Integrations | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Reporting & Collaboration | ||
Reporting Dashboards | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Team Collaboration | 3/5 | 4/5 |
API Access | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Usability & Support | ||
Ease of Use | 2/5 | 3/5 |
Customer Support | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Feature Deep Dive
Content Discovery and UGC Detection
When comparing Tubular Labs and Upfluence, the primary difference lies in their approach to data. Tubular Labs (2/5 for UGC discovery) focuses on a massive database of 15 billion videos to provide high-level insights. It is excellent for identifying macro trends but less focused on finding specific user-generated content (UGC) about your brand. Upfluence (4/5) excels in discovery through its 20+ advanced filters and 'Live Capture' technology, which helps e-commerce brands identify influencers already within their customer base. For those looking for deeper brand mention detection, exploring a Brandwatch vs Upfluence comparison might be useful.
Video Tracking and Analytics
Tubular Labs is a global leader in social video measurement (5/5 for creator analytics). Its proprietary 'Standardized Video Ratings' and ContentGraph AI classify content into over 1 million categories, making it the gold standard for broadcasters and publishers. Upfluence (4/5 for video tracking) provides robust metrics but prioritizes campaign-specific performance over global market benchmarking. While Tubular covers YouTube, FB, IG, TikTok, and Twitch extensively, its interface is notoriously complex. If your focus is strictly on performance and ROI, you might also consider the Collabstr vs Tubular Labs data.
Creator Management and Outreach
This is where the two tools diverge most sharply. Upfluence is a full-cycle CRM that handles outreach, payments, and even commission-free affiliate payouts. It is built for teams that need to manage hundreds of relationships simultaneously. Tubular Labs, conversely, offers almost no outreach or CRM functionality (1/5 for rights management). It is a research tool, not a management tool. For those who find Tubular too restricted in this area, the ShortsIntel vs Tubular Labs comparison highlights how modern tools are bridging this gap.
Intelligence and AI Capabilities
Tubular Labs utilizes 3B+ consumer behavior models to provide deep audience intelligence, helping brands understand not just what people watch, but who they are. Their AI content tagging is world-class (5/5). Upfluence also incorporates AI through 'Jace,' which assists in automated response generation and profile indexing. However, for teams specifically focused on competitor intelligence, Tubular’s ability to monitor cross-platform benchmarks at scale remains superior. To see how other enterprise tools stack up, view our ShortsIntel vs Upfluence analysis or the Archive vs Tubular Labs guide.
| Plan Details | Tubular Labs | Upfluence |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Custom | Custom |
| Free Tier | ||
| Free Trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Pricing Tiers | ||
| Entry Tier | Plus$1,500/mo | Starter$478/mo |
| Mid Tier | Premium$3,500/mo | BusinessCustom |
| Top Tier | EnterpriseCustom | Enterprise$2,350/moor $28,200/yr |
| Annual Cost (5-Person Team)* | $18,000 | $5,736 |
| Hidden Costs |
|
|
* Annual cost calculated using entry tier pricing. Per-seat pricing multiplied by 5 users. Actual costs may vary based on specific plan and usage.
Pricing for both Tubular Labs and Upfluence is hidden behind a 'Contact Sales' wall, reflecting their enterprise focus. Tubular Labs starts at approximately $1,500/month for its 'Plus' tier, but can quickly scale to $3,500/month for 'Premium.' Importantly, Tubular uses seat-based pricing, meaning a team of 5 could easily spend over $25,000–$40,000 annually once additional user costs and 'Viewpoint' add-ons are factored in. This makes it one of the most expensive Tubular Labs alternatives on the market.
Upfluence offers a 'Starter' tier at $478/month, but their 'Enterprise' package—which most mid-market brands require—sits around $2,350/month ($28,200/year). Unlike Tubular, Upfluence requires a mandatory 12-month contract, offering no month-to-month flexibility. For a 5-person team, Upfluence may be slightly more cost-effective than Tubular because it is less focused on seat-based surcharges and more on platform modules. However, both platforms are significantly more expensive than many Upfluence alternatives that offer more transparent, flat-rate pricing. For a deep dive into more affordable options, check our compare any two tools page.
Who Is Each Product Best For?
Social video intelligence and analytics platform — cross-platform video measurement, creator benchmarking, audience insights, and trending content discovery across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch
Best For
- Enterprise media companies needing cross-platform video measurement
- Broadcasters and publishers benchmarking video performance at scale
- Brands requiring audience intelligence across social video platforms
- Agencies comparing creator performance across 40M+ accounts
- Market research teams analyzing video content trends and categories
- Ad sales teams using video data to inform partnership decisions
Not Ideal For
- Small businesses and individual creators (enterprise pricing)
- Teams needing UGC tracking and content rights management
- Brands focused specifically on short-form video analytics
- Companies wanting transparent, self-serve pricing
- Teams needing quick setup without enterprise onboarding
- Organizations requiring text-based social listening beyond video
End-to-end influencer marketing platform for discovery, outreach, campaign management, and affiliate tracking
Best For
- Mid-market to enterprise e-commerce brands
- Companies with dedicated influencer marketing teams
- Brands needing deep Shopify/WooCommerce integration
- Marketing agencies managing multiple client campaigns
- DTC brands running affiliate programs
Not Ideal For
- Small businesses and startups (cost-prohibitive)
- Companies needing month-to-month flexibility
- Magento-based e-commerce stores
- Teams without dedicated influencer marketing staff
- Budget-conscious brands under $28K/year
Choose Tubular Labs if...
You are an enterprise media company, broadcaster, or large agency that needs to benchmark video performance against global standards. Tubular is ideal for ad sales teams who need data to justify partnerships or research teams analyzing macro shifts in video consumption across five major platforms. It is the right choice if your budget allows for $20k+ annually and you prioritize deep historical data over outreach tools. See more in our ShortsIntel vs Tubular Labs breakdown.
Choose Upfluence if...
You are a mid-market to enterprise e-commerce brand with a dedicated influencer marketing team. Upfluence is perfect if you use Shopify or WooCommerce and want to turn your customers into advocates while managing the entire campaign lifecycle—from discovery to affiliate payment—in one place. It’s for teams that need a CRM first and an analytics tool second. Compare it further with our Archive vs Upfluence guide.
Neither might be right if...
You are a startup, a small brand, or an individual creator who needs affordable, short-form video tracking. Both Tubular and Upfluence have steep learning curves and high entry costs that can be prohibitive for agile teams. If you find yourself 'drowning in content but starving for insights' regarding TikTok or Reels specifically, you might want to look into a CreatorIQ alternative or more specialized video social listening tools.
Consider a Third Option
Scale creator marketing with data, not grunt work.
While Tubular Labs and Upfluence are powerful, they often leave a gap for brands that need to track high-velocity short-form content without the enterprise price tag. This is where ShortsIntel comes in. Unlike Tubular (which is broad) or Upfluence (which is CRM-heavy), ShortsIntel is a specialized video social listening tool built specifically for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
ShortsIntel excels in areas where the giants struggle. For instance, it claims to detect 30% more UGC than competitors by identifying untagged content through AI visual analysis—something Tubular and Upfluence often miss. It also includes an automated rights management system with 'magic-link' consent, filling a major weakness in the Tubular ecosystem. While Upfluence offers outreach, ShortsIntel focuses on the intelligence of the content itself, tagging videos frame-by-frame for trends and visual elements.
At $99/month for the Starter tier, ShortsIntel is significantly more accessible for DTC brands that need to build an ad creative library from UGC. If you don't need a full-scale CRM or 15 billion indexed videos, but you do need to know exactly how your brand is being mentioned in short-form video, ShortsIntel is a compelling choice. Compare the specifics in our ShortsIntel vs Archive, ShortsIntel vs Brandwatch, or ShortsIntel vs Collabstr comparisons to see the difference for yourself.
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 | Tubular Labs | Upfluence | ShortsIntel Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content Discovery | |||
UGC Discovery | 2/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
Brand Mention Detection | 3/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
Untagged Content Detection | 1/5 | 2/5 | 5/5 |
| Video Tracking | |||
Short-Form Video Tracking | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Creator Management | |||
Creator Analytics | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Rights Management | 1/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 |
| Intelligence & AI | |||
Competitor Intelligence | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
AI Content Tagging | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 |
| Platform & Integrations | |||
Multi-Platform Support | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Integrations | 3/5 | 5/5 | 3/5 |
| Reporting & Collaboration | |||
Reporting Dashboards | 4/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Team Collaboration | 3/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
API Access | 4/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Usability & Support | |||
Ease of Use | 2/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 |
Customer Support | 3/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Track UGC, discover creators, and monitor brand mentions across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts.
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Last updated: January 30, 2026