Arch vs Stargazer: Which to Pick in 2026
Two performance shops that both chase installs. Arch leans games and apps out of Zagreb. Stargazer leans apps and ecommerce out of San Francisco on proprietary tech. Same goal, different roots. Here is which fits, plus a software route.
Which one is right for you
Three buyers, three picks. Find the column that sounds like your team.
Choose Arch if
- You sell a game or mobile app
- You want installs, CPI, ROAS and retention
- You want multi-language gaming reach
Choose Stargazer if
- You run app or ecommerce direct response
- You want proprietary creator-matching tech
- You want low CPAs at scale
Choose Flinque if
- You want to find and vet creators yourself with no sales call
- You want flat published pricing you can start free
- You want to run discovery in-house, not hire an agency
Arch vs Stargazer vs Flinque
Fourteen factors across all three, from agency type to real minimums. Flinque is the flat-price software option on the right.
| Factor | Arch | Stargazer | Best valueFlinque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Game and app brands wanting installs | App and ecommerce brands wanting low CPAs | Teams running discovery in-house |
| Agency type | Gaming and app performance agency | App and ecommerce performance agency | Self-serve software, not an agency |
| Engagement model | Managed, performance based | Managed, direct response | Flat monthly subscription |
| Typical minimum | Undisclosed, budget discussed upfront | Undisclosed | Free, then $49/mo |
| Published pricing | No | No | $0 to $150/mo, public |
| Creator network | 5,000+ influencers worldwide | 2M+ creators in network | 10M+ verified, 200 data points each |
| Platforms covered | YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Instagram | YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X |
| Services | Performance campaigns for games and apps | Direct-response campaigns on proprietary tech | Discovery, vetting and audience data |
| Campaign management | fully managed | fully managed | You run it, software assists |
| Content and usage rights | Per campaign | Per campaign | You negotiate directly with creators |
| Paid amplification | Performance-driven activations | Yes, performance focus | Run your own whitelisting |
| Measurement and reporting | Installs, CPI, ROAS, retention | Audience data, CPA optimisation | Audience and fake-follower data built in |
| Team and locations | Zagreb, founded 2019 | San Francisco, founded 2016 | Software with support included |
| Time to launch | After scoping and budget | After scoping | Shortlist in minutes on the free plan |
How we compared: Engagement models and minimums come from each agency's own site plus public reporting and client reviews, cross-checked and dated June 2026. Where an agency hides its pricing we say undisclosed rather than guess a number. The verdicts are ours, not the agencies'.
What each agency actually does
What is Arch
Arch is the gaming-native operator in this matchup. Founded in Zagreb back in 2019 by Ivan and Davorin Smit, it lives almost entirely in games and apps, pushing installs, CPI, ROAS and retention over awareness. What sets it apart is pairing that focus with real global reach: over 5,000 influencers across the Americas, Europe, MENA and Australia, multi-language work across YouTube, Twitch, TikTok and Instagram. The client list runs to Wargaming, Surfshark, Revolut, Binance and SuperPlay.
A small bootstrapped outfit that has never raised outside money, it sets budgets upfront and ties every activation to a performance figure. Pricing is private and the work is managed end to end. Against Stargazer, Arch leans hardest into gaming and worldwide multi-language reach. Stargazer comes at performance from the app and ecommerce side with proprietary tech, covered next. Brands that would sooner run their own creator search have a third option.
What Arch does well
- Tight specialism in games and apps
- Performance metrics: installs, CPI, ROAS
- 5,000+ influencers, multi-language reach
- Named games and app clients
Where it falls short
- Narrow vertical, games and apps only
- No public pricing
- Small bootstrapped team
- Managed only, no self-serve search
What is Stargazer
Stargazer comes at performance from the app-marketing side. Founded in San Francisco in 2016 by Antoine Forest, who has described it as the Facebook Ad Manager of influencer marketing, it runs direct-response campaigns for performance-focused app and ecommerce brands, pushing installs and sales while holding CPAs down. Proprietary technology and access to a network it puts past 2 million creators power the matching, drawing on audience demographics and engagement data. Its influencers have driven $100 million-plus in sales and over 10 million app installs.
Stargazer handles everything from identification to logistics, tracking and reporting, with offices in San Francisco and Miami. Pricing is not published. So where Arch is gaming-native and globally multi-language, Stargazer is a tech-led app and ecommerce direct-response shop. Both chase installs, just from different starting points. For brands that would rather search creators themselves, there is a third path.
What Stargazer does well
- Proprietary creator-matching technology
- Direct-response, CPA-focused
- 2M+ creator network
- $100M+ sales and 10M+ installs driven
Where it falls short
- No public pricing
- App and ecommerce lean, less brand creative
- Managed only, no self-serve search
- Less gaming-specialised than Arch
Head to head
Arch and Stargazer both chase installs, just from different roots. Arch is gaming-native out of Zagreb, running multi-language campaigns across games and apps with 5,000-plus influencers. Stargazer is tech-led out of San Francisco, running app and ecommerce direct response on proprietary matching with a 2-million creator network. One knows gaming cold and goes global. The other leans on tech and CPA discipline for apps and ecommerce. Your category picks the side.
There is a route around both. Flinque is software: 10M verified creators across four platforms, each with a fake-follower score, at one published price. You run the search in-house, no performance retainer and no scoping call.
Which should you actually pick
Forget the pitch decks for a second. Match the partner to the situation you are in.
You sell a game or app
You want a gaming-native team chasing installs, CPI and ROAS with multi-language reach. Arch is built for that.
→ Pick ArchYou run app or ecommerce direct response
You want proprietary creator-matching tech and CPA discipline for apps and ecommerce. Stargazer fits.
→ Pick StargazerYou want to run discovery yourself
No retainer, no scoping call. You want to search 10M verified creators with a fake-follower check on each. Start free on Flinque and pay $49 only if you keep using it.
→ Pick FlinqueYou are testing influencer marketing
Both are quote-led performance shops. Flinque free plan lets you find and vet verified creators with no card, then scales at a flat $49 a month.
→ Start with FlinqueFlinque: verified discovery at a flat price
If both feel like too much retainer and too little control, Flinque does one job and does it well. Find and vet real creators yourself, fast, then run the campaign in-house. No pitch deck, no monthly retainer, no discovery call to learn the price.
- 10M+ verified creators
- 4 platforms: IG, YouTube, TikTok, X
- 200 data points per creator
- 12 search filters
- Fake-follower check on every profile
- Free, $49, $150, published
See Flinque in action
Short walkthroughs on pricing, discovery and vetting from the Flinque team.
What Are Influencer Networks? Why Most Brands Pick the Wrong Creators
Influencer Discovery Platforms That We Made Easy and Affordable
Common questions about Arch and Stargazer
What is the difference between Arch and Stargazer?
Which is better for a game launch?
What is Stargazer's edge?
Do they publish pricing?
Which suits an ecommerce brand?
How many creators do they reach?
Can I find creators myself with either?
Is there a software alternative to both agencies?
Written & reviewed by Flinque Research Team
Influencer Marketing Research · View team →
Our research team specialises in influencer marketing strategy, creator analytics and platform comparisons. Details on this page were verified against agency sites, public reporting and client review platforms in June 2026.
Disclaimer: Information here is collected from publicly available sources, third-party review sites and vendor pages. Pricing and features change, so confirm current details with each provider before buying. This content is for informational purposes only.
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