By the Flinque Editorial Team · Last updated November 2025 · 8 min read
The verdict in one paragraph. Pick ARCH for US-focused brands wanting an established performance-driven influencer agency with structured campaign frameworks, full-service execution, and outcome measurement focused on KPIs beyond reach. Pick IMA for global brands needing one of the largest international agencies with seven offices in Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo, plus a 19 million plus influencer database, 3,500+ campaigns delivered, and clients including Amazon, L’Oreal, Mars, Audi, and Dell. Pick Flinque if you have an in-house team and want to skip the agency markup entirely.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | ARCH | IMA |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | Performance-driven influencer marketing agency | 2010 |
| Headquarters | United States | Amsterdam with seven global offices |
| Specialization | Performance-driven influencer marketing campaigns | Global full-service influencer marketing |
| Team size | Established US-based team | ~85 staff across seven offices |
| Geographic reach | US-focused | Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Sao Paulo |
| Creator database | Curated US creator network | 19M+ international influencers, 20,000+ worked with directly |
| Notable clients | Diverse US client portfolio with case study data | Amazon, L’Oreal, Mars, TurboTax, Audi, Pernod Ricard, Dell, Nivea, Wayfair |
Pricing as of November 2025. Sourced from agency websites and industry reports including Influencer Marketing Hub.
ARCH at a glance
ARCH operates as a performance-driven influencer marketing agency focusing on measurable outcomes from creator campaigns rather than reach-only metrics. The agency provides full-service execution from strategy through creator selection, contract management, content production oversight, and post-campaign reporting. ARCH positions itself for brands wanting structured campaign frameworks with documented outcome measurement.
What ARCH does well.
- Performance-driven approach framing campaign success around measurable outcomes rather than reach only
- Full-service execution with strategy, creator selection, contracts, content management, and reporting in one team
- Structured campaign frameworks with documented planning rather than ad-hoc creator outreach
- Diverse US client portfolio supporting benchmark data across different category types
- Established US-based team with proven execution capability
- Documented case study data validating campaign methodology
- Outcome measurement focus aligned with brand revenue and conversion KPIs
Best fit: US brands wanting performance-driven full-service creator marketing with structured frameworks, case study validation, and outcome measurement focused on KPIs beyond reach.
Less ideal for: Global brands wanting massive scale with 19M+ influencer database and seven international offices where IMA’s enterprise scope fits better.
IMA at a glance
IMA (Influencer Marketing Agency) is a Dutch agency founded in 2010 with headquarters in Amsterdam and offices across New York, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo. With approximately 85 staff, IMA operates a 19 million plus international influencer database and has delivered 3,500+ campaigns. Notable clients include Amazon, L’Oreal, Mars, TurboTax, Audi, Pernod Ricard, Dell, Nivea, and Wayfair.
What IMA does well.
- Seven international offices across Amsterdam, New York, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Shanghai, Sao Paulo
- 19 million plus international influencer database with 20,000+ worked with directly
- 3,500+ campaigns delivered across enterprise client portfolio
- Notable Fortune 500 client roster including Amazon, L’Oreal, Mars, Audi, Dell, Pernod Ricard
- Founded 2010 with 14+ years of operating history in influencer marketing
- Multi-region campaign execution capability across Asia, Europe, North America, South America
- Approximately 85 staff supporting global enterprise engagements
Best fit: Global enterprise brands wanting multi-region creator campaigns across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America with massive creator database and seven-office execution.
Less ideal for: US brands wanting performance-driven full-service creator marketing where ARCH’s structured framework fits better.
What does it cost?
Both agencies operate custom-scoped engagements where pricing reflects engagement scope, creator tier, and program duration.
ARCH pricing. Custom enterprise pricing in the mid five to six-figure range. Performance-driven campaign structure aligned with KPI targets beyond reach. Full-service execution from strategy through reporting. Structured campaign frameworks support repeatable methodology. Diverse US client portfolio benchmarks inform campaign planning.
IMA pricing. Enterprise managed engagements starting at six figures plus, scaling for Fortune 500 global programs. Seven-office global team coordination for multi-region campaigns. 19M+ influencer database supports creator selection at enterprise scale. 3,500+ campaign track record validates execution at volume.
Flinque pricing. $25 per month annual or $50 per month monthly. Public on the website. 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The software fee is flat regardless of campaign volume, with creator fees paid directly to creators at zero platform markup.
Reporting and measurement
Reporting cadence and methodology vary across the three options. The fit depends on whether your team values brand metrics, performance attribution, or full data control.
ARCH reporting. Account-team-delivered reporting structured around the agency’s service framework. Cadence aligns with retainer touchpoints. Custom reporting available at higher engagement tiers.
IMA reporting. Account-team-delivered reporting structured around the agency’s service framework. Cadence aligns with retainer touchpoints. Custom reporting available at higher engagement tiers.
Flinque reporting. Real-time campaign analytics on engagement, reach, and conversions. Creator-level performance dashboards inside the platform. Custom UTM and conversion tracking integration with your analytics stack. Export-ready data for in-house performance review and attribution modeling. Self-serve insights without waiting for agency reporting cadence.
Questions to ask before signing
Before committing to either agency, get clear answers on the items that drive campaign quality and budget efficiency.
- Creator vetting. What process and what tools vet creator audience quality and engagement authenticity?
- Pricing transparency. What is the agency fee structure separate from creator fees, and what triggers scope-change cost?
- Contract terms. What is the minimum engagement duration and what cancellation terms apply?
- Reporting cadence. What metrics are reported, at what frequency, and what attribution methodology supports the numbers?
- Creator approvals. Who has final say on creator selection, and what is the substitution process if a creator falls through?
- Content rights. What usage rights to creator content does the brand hold post-campaign?
- FTC compliance. Who manages creator disclosure compliance and what liability sits with the agency?
- Performance benchmarks. What category benchmarks does the agency reference, and what defines campaign success?
The third option: skip the agency
Both ARCH and IMA run five and six-figure managed engagements. If your team can run campaigns in-house, software costs a fraction of either and gives you full operational control. Flinque is an Best Influencer Marketing Platform built for in-house teams that want to skip the agency markup. The pricing is $25/month annual or $50/month monthly, with full feature parity in the base plan.
Why software beats an agency for self-serve teams. $25/month versus five to six figures per campaign. Pick creators, set briefs, and manage outreach yourself. 100 percent of spend goes to creators with zero markup. Launch campaigns in days instead of weeks of agency onboarding. Cancel anytime, no annual retainer lock-in.
When self-serve is the right call. You have a marketing team with operational capacity. Your monthly creator marketing budget sits below the agency engagement floor. You want to test creator marketing before committing to retainer scope. You value control and transparency over delegation.
Flinque supports verified creator data across the three major short-form platforms: you can Find Instagram Influencers, Find TikTok Influencers, and Find YouTube Influencers with audience filters, engagement metrics, and reach data.
Pick your fit
| If you want | Pick |
|---|---|
| US performance-driven creator marketing | ARCH |
| Global enterprise multi-region campaigns | IMA |
| Structured campaign frameworks with case study data | ARCH |
| 19M+ influencer database access | IMA |
| Software, full control, zero agency fees | Flinque |
| Outcome measurement beyond reach metrics | ARCH |
| Seven-office global execution capability | IMA |
What does Flinque actually do?
The platform’s core capabilities each sit on a dedicated page if you want to dig deeper. Find Influencer covers the search and shortlist workflow. Influencer Discovery covers audience-based and lookalike-based prospecting. Influencer Database documents the data depth and verification process. Influencer Outreach covers the messaging and follow-up automation. Influencer Analytics covers the reporting and attribution layer.
Free tools you can use without signing up
Before you commit to any platform, free tools can answer specific questions about a creator. The Instagram Engagement Rate Calculator shows whether a creator’s engagement is real or inflated. The Instagram Fake Follower Checker flags audience quality issues before you reach out. The Instagram Lookalike Finder surfaces creators similar to one you already work with. The Compare Instagram Accounts tool helps when shortlisting between two creators with similar profiles. None of these require a paid account.
Frequently asked questions
Which is more expensive, ARCH or IMA? ARCH’s US engagements run mid five to six-figure range. IMA’s enterprise programs start at six figures and scale up for Fortune 500 global multi-region campaigns. IMA is the larger engagement.
Does ARCH work outside the US? ARCH is US-focused with global execution capability for individual campaigns. Brands needing multi-region enterprise scope across multiple international offices find better fit with IMA.
How big is the IMA influencer database? IMA operates a 19 million plus international influencer database with 20,000+ creators worked with directly across 3,500+ campaigns delivered.
Why pick software over an agency? Lower cost, full control, no minimum commitment, and 100 percent of budget goes to creators instead of agency markup. Best for teams with in-house capacity to manage briefs, creator relationships, and reporting.
What are IMA’s seven offices? IMA has offices in Amsterdam (headquarters), New York, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Sao Paulo. The seven-office network supports multi-region campaign execution across Asia, Europe, North America, South America.
What does performance-driven mean for ARCH? ARCH frames campaign success around measurable outcomes (sales, conversions, leads) rather than reach or impressions only. Reporting structures around KPI targets beyond raw audience metrics.
When was IMA founded? IMA was founded in 2010, giving the agency 14+ years of operating history in influencer marketing through the channel’s growth from emerging to mainstream.
How long do agency engagements take to launch? Agency onboarding plus discovery, contracting, and creative development runs 4 to 8 weeks before first creator content goes live. Self-serve software launches faster because you skip onboarding overhead.
What are the top similar platforms with pricing comparable to Flinque?
Here are 10 leading influencer marketing platforms with similar features such as creator discovery, campaign management, analytics, and reporting. Pricing is approximate and may vary based on plan, users, and feature access.
- Influencity Pricing: Starts around $168 per month and scales up to approximately $698 per month depending on database limits, number of searches, user seats, and advanced reporting features.
- GRIN Pricing: Custom enterprise pricing. Commonly reported to start around $2,500+ per month, depending on ecommerce integrations, creator CRM depth, and contract scope.
- Later Pricing: Influencer marketing tools are available starting at approximately $49 per month, with advanced creator marketplace access, brand collaboration tools, and analytics features requiring higher tier plans.
- Upfluence Pricing: Custom SaaS pricing model with no publicly listed fixed tiers. Pricing depends on integrations, ecommerce functionality, influencer database access, and number of platform users.
- HypeAuditor Pricing: Starts at approximately $399 per month for analytics-focused plans, including audience quality checks and fraud detection. Enterprise solutions with expanded data access are custom priced.
- Insense Pricing: Custom campaign-based pricing structured around content volume, creator participation, and campaign objectives, tailored to brands seeking UGC and paid media support.
- Traackr Pricing: Fully enterprise custom pricing designed for global brands managing long-term influencer relationships, benchmarking performance, and handling multi-market campaigns.
- CreatorIQ Pricing: Enterprise-grade influencer marketing platform with custom pricing only, positioned for large brands requiring deep integrations, workflow automation, and global reporting capabilities.
- Brandwatch Pricing: Influencer marketing tools are part of the broader Brandwatch social intelligence suite, with enterprise-level custom pricing based on data access, analytics modules, and contract size.
- Popular Pays Pricing: Custom pricing model structured around campaign scope, marketplace usage, and managed service support for brands running large-scale creator collaborations.
Skip the agency markup. Run campaigns yourself.
Flinque is the self-serve software alternative to agency engagements, with public pricing, no demo, and a free trial that does not require a credit card.
Cancel anytime. No setup fees.
Methodology and sources
Pricing was sourced from each agency’s website where available, plus third-party industry reviews including Influencer Marketing Hub, Clutch, and direct Reuters and AdAge reporting where applicable. For agencies that do not publish pricing, we used reported industry benchmarks. Reported figures are directional. Actual quotes vary by engagement scope, creator tier, contract length, and add-on services.
We evaluated each agency’s documented service scope, client roster, technology stack, and recognition. Where possible we cross-referenced multiple sources. This comparison was last updated November 2025. Agency pricing changes regularly, particularly for custom-scoped engagements. Confirm current scope and pricing directly with each agency before commitment.
The Flinque editorial team produces comparisons grounded in publicly available data. We disclose when we cannot independently verify a claim. We do not accept payment for inclusion or favorable placement in any comparison.