ShortsIntel vs Heepsy: Detailed Comparison (2026)

TL;DR

ShortsIntel and Heepsy serve two different stages of the influencer lifecycle: Heepsy is a budget-friendly discovery engine for finding influencers, while ShortsIntel is a specialized AI-powered tracking and rights management tool for monitoring the actual content creators produce. If you need to find new names, Heepsy is excellent; if you need to track ROI, detect untagged UGC, and manage usage rights, ShortsIntel is the superior choice. You can explore more options in our all ShortsIntel comparisons or browse our Heepsy alternatives guide.

Feature Comparison
Feature
ShortsIntel
Recommended
Heepsy
Content Discovery
UGC Discovery
5/5
3/5
Brand Mention Detection
5/5
2/5
Untagged Content Detection
5/5
2/5
Video Tracking
Short-Form Video Tracking
5/5
3/5
Creator Management
Creator Analytics
4/5
4/5
Rights Management
5/5
2/5
Intelligence & AI
Competitor Intelligence
4/5
2/5
AI Content Tagging
5/5
3/5
Platform & Integrations
Multi-Platform Support
4/5
3/5
Integrations
3/5
3/5
Reporting & Collaboration
Reporting Dashboards
4/5
3/5
Team Collaboration
3/5
3/5
API Access
3/5
2/5
Usability & Support
Ease of Use
4/5
5/5
Customer Support
4/5
3/5

Feature Deep Dive

Content Discovery and Brand Detection

Heepsy excels at the top of the funnel. With a database of over 11 million influencers, it allows brands to search by demographics, location, and authenticity scores. However, its detection of actual brand mentions is limited mostly to Instagram.

ShortsIntel takes a different approach. Instead of just searching for profiles, it uses AI to monitor TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts for your brand's presence. ShortsIntel's standout feature is its ability to detect untagged content. It claims to find 30% more content than competitors by analyzing video frames for visual brand elements, even when the creator forgets to tag the brand or use a specific hashtag. For brands looking for a deeper level of monitoring, comparing Heepsy vs Archive shows how discovery tools often lack this granular tracking capability.

Video Intelligence and AI Tagging

ShortsIntel is purpose-built for the short-form video era. Its AI analyzes videos frame-by-frame to tag content based on format, visual elements, and trends. This allows marketing teams to understand exactly why a piece of UGC is performing well. Heepsy provides solid engagement metrics and authenticity scores to avoid fake followers, but it lacks the deep AI content analysis found in a CreatorIQ alternative like ShortsIntel.

Creator Management and Rights Automation

This is where the two tools diverge significantly. Heepsy is designed to help you build a list and reach out. ShortsIntel is designed to help you use the content creators make. ShortsIntel features a "magic-link" consent system that automates the process of requesting and securing usage rights for UGC. This allows brands to quickly turn organic creator videos into high-res ad creatives with a full audit trail. For teams currently weighing ShortsIntel vs Archive or Heepsy, the automated rights management in ShortsIntel is a massive time-saver for legal and marketing compliance.

Platform Coverage and Usability

Heepsy offers a very intuitive, beginner-friendly interface and supports Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. It even includes a Shopify integration for sales tracking on its highest tier. ShortsIntel focuses exclusively on the "Big Three" of short-form video: TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. While ShortsIntel has a slightly steeper learning curve due to its advanced AI features, it provides a much more robust reporting suite for video-specific performance. If you need broad social listening beyond video, you might consider a Brandwatch alternative, but for short-form video, ShortsIntel's specialized focus is a major advantage.

Pricing Comparison
Plan Details
ShortsIntel
Recommended
Heepsy
Pricing Model
Flat Rate
Flat Rate
Free Tier
Free Trial7 days
Pricing Tiers
Entry Tier
Starter$99/mo
Free$0/moor $0/yr
Mid Tier
Pro$249/mo
Starter$89/moor $828/yr
Top Tier
Business & AgencyCustom
Plus$249/moor $2,388/yr
Annual Cost (5-Person Team)*$1,188$0
Hidden CostsNone listed
  • Advanced demographics (age, gender) not included in Starter plan
  • Sales tracking only on Advanced tier ($369+/mo)
  • No refunds policy

* 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 Analysis

Comparing the pricing of these two tools requires looking at what you get per dollar spent. Heepsy offers a low entry point with a Free tier and a Starter plan at $89/month. However, users should be aware that many critical features—like advanced demographics and sales tracking—are locked behind the Plus ($249/mo) and Advanced ($369/mo) tiers.

ShortsIntel's Starter plan begins at $99/month, which includes its core AI tracking and discovery features. For a marketing team of five people, the costs look like this:

  • Heepsy: To get team collaboration and advanced demographics, you would likely need the Advanced plan at $4,428 per year. Note that Heepsy has a strict no-refund policy, which has been a point of contention for some users.
  • ShortsIntel: The Pro plan at $249/month provides a robust environment for a growing team, totaling $2,988 per year. For enterprise-level team features, you would move to their custom-priced Business tier.

While Heepsy's entry price is slightly lower, the value in ShortsIntel lies in its automation. The time saved by the AI's untagged content detection and automated rights management often outweighs the $10/month difference in starter pricing. For those looking for budget-conscious options in the broader market, checking out a MightyScout alternative or comparing Heepsy vs Brandwatch can provide more context on enterprise-level pricing structures.

Who Is Each Product Best For?

ShortsIntel

Track and analyze UGC creator videos across TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts with AI-powered insights and automated rights management

Best For

  • DTC/B2C brands running UGC creator campaigns
  • Marketing teams drowning in content but starving for insights
  • Brands needing to track creators who forget hashtags or tags
  • Teams wanting to build a library of ad creatives from UGC
  • Companies needing automated usage rights management
  • Early-stage teams wanting affordable video social listening

Not Ideal For

  • Brands needing general social listening across all content types
  • Companies requiring Instagram Stories tracking
  • Enterprise teams needing extensive third-party integrations
  • Agencies needing long-form video analysis
  • Teams focused on platforms beyond TikTok, Instagram, YouTube
Heepsy

Influencer discovery and analytics platform for finding and vetting social media influencers

Best For

  • Small to mid-sized businesses and startups
  • Marketing agencies managing multiple campaigns
  • D2C/eCommerce brands (especially Shopify)
  • Entrepreneurs testing influencer marketing
  • Budget-conscious SMBs wanting basic influencer search

Not Ideal For

  • Enterprise teams needing advanced features
  • B2B brands
  • Brands needing micro-influencers (<5K followers)
  • Users requiring AI-powered automation
  • Teams needing deep analytics and reporting
Use Case Analysis

Choose ShortsIntel if...

You are a DTC or B2C brand that is already working with creators and needs to maximize the value of that content. ShortsIntel is the right choice if you struggle to keep track of creators who forget to tag you, or if you want to build a library of high-performing UGC for ad creatives without the manual headache of rights management. It is ideal for teams that prioritize AI-driven insights over simple database searching. If you are moving away from manual spreadsheets, see our guide on ShortsIntel vs Collabstr for more insights.

Choose Heepsy if...

You are a small business or startup in the early stages of influencer marketing. If your primary goal is discovery—finding 50 new influencers in your niche across various platforms—Heepsy’s 11-million-strong database and powerful search filters are incredibly effective. It’s also a strong choice if you run a Shopify store and want to track affiliate sales directly through your discovery tool. For more discovery-focused options, see our Heepsy alternative page.

The Verdict

Heepsy is a discovery tool; ShortsIntel is an intelligence and management platform. Most modern brands will find that while Heepsy helps them find creators, ShortsIntel is what helps them scale their marketing efforts through data and automation. If you are tired of "grunt work" and want actionable insights into your short-form video performance, ShortsIntel is the winner. For a broader look at the market, visit our page to browse all alternatives.

Switching from Heepsy to ShortsIntel

Easy

Migration Difficulty

1 week for standard migration

Estimated Time

CSV/XLS export available on paid plans

Data Export Method

What Transfers
  • Influencer lists
  • Contact information
  • Campaign data
  • Analytics reports
What Doesn't Transfer
  • Shopify integration connections
  • Affiliate tracking configurations
  • Custom filters and saved searches
Migration Guide

Switching from Heepsy to ShortsIntel is a straightforward process, typically taking about one week to fully transition your data and workflows. Since Heepsy allows for CSV and XLS exports on its paid plans, you can easily move your lists of influencers and historical campaign data.

What Transfers:

  • Influencer contact information and handles
  • Historical campaign performance notes
  • General analytics reports in spreadsheet format

What Doesn't Transfer:

  • Direct Shopify integration connections (these must be re-established or managed via ShortsIntel's tracking)
  • Saved search filters specific to Heepsy’s database

To begin the process, we recommend exporting your current influencer lists from Heepsy and importing them into ShortsIntel to begin the AI-powered tracking phase. For brands looking to consolidate their stack, exploring a Heepsy alternative like ShortsIntel often leads to better long-term data accuracy. If you need assistance during the transition, you can refer to our compare any two tools tool to see how specific data points align.

What Our Customers Say

After comparing both tools, ShortsIntel's UGC discovery capabilities were exactly what we needed. The switch was seamless.

Michael T.

Digital Marketing Lead

Switched from: Heepsy

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