Cure Media vs IMA: Which to Pick in 2026
A data-led Nordic agency against a global Amsterdam shop. Cure Media picks creators on audience data and runs campaigns end to end across Europe. IMA is one of Europe's largest influencer agencies, now inside Media.Monks. Audience-data precision versus global scale. 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 Cure Media if
- You want audience-data creator picks
- You run European market campaigns
- You want end-to-end optimisation
Choose IMA if
- You want global scale and offices
- You want a big-brand pedigree
- You want a 20,000-creator network
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
Cure Media vs IMA vs Flinque
Fourteen factors across all three, from agency type to real minimums. Flinque is the flat-price software option on the right.
| Factor | Cure Media | IMA | Best valueFlinque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Brands wanting data-led European work | Brands wanting global scale | Teams running discovery in-house |
| Agency type | Data-driven European creator agency | One of Europe's largest agencies | Self-serve software, not an agency |
| Engagement model | Managed, data-driven | Managed, global | Flat monthly subscription |
| Typical minimum | Undisclosed | Project minimum around $10,000 | Free, then $49/mo |
| Published pricing | No | No | $0 to $150/mo, public |
| Creator network | Audience-data matching, 10+ markets | 20,000+ creator network | 10M+ verified, 200 data points each |
| Platforms covered | Instagram, TikTok, major platforms | Major social platforms | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X |
| Services | Audience-data picks, optimisation | Strategy, campaigns, own platform | Discovery, vetting and audience data |
| Campaign management | fully managed | fully managed | You run it, software assists |
| Content and usage rights | Per engagement | Per project or retainer | You negotiate directly with creators |
| Paid amplification | Picks on audience data not reach | Own matchmaking platform, dashboards | Run your own whitelisting |
| Measurement and reporting | L'Oreal, Sephora, Colgate clients | Diesel, NIVEA, Tommy Hilfiger, Samsung | Audience and fake-follower data built in |
| Team and locations | Stockholm, founded 2014 | Amsterdam, founded 2010 | Software with support included |
| Time to launch | After scoping | 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 Cure Media
Cure Media bets on audience data over vanity reach. Sam Foroozesh founded the Stockholm agency in 2014. Today it picks creators on who actually follows them rather than headline follower counts, running campaigns end to end with ongoing optimisation across more than ten European markets. Studios in Stockholm, London and Berlin and a team near 100 give it real Nordic and European depth, with a fashion and consumer pedigree shaping the kind of brands it serves.
Clients have included L'Oreal, Sephora, Colgate-Palmolive and Wolt, with pricing kept private. Against IMA, Cure Media is the data-led European specialist, where IMA is a global-scale agency. The next section covers IMA. A brand that would rather run its own creator search has a third route.
What Cure Media does well
- Picks creators on audience data
- End-to-end campaigns with optimisation
- 10+ European markets, three studios
- Fashion and consumer pedigree
Where it falls short
- European focus, less global reach
- No public pricing
- Managed only, no self-serve search
- Fashion and consumer lean
What is IMA
IMA is one of the names that helped influencer marketing grow up. Emilie Tabor and Maddie Raedts founded it in Amsterdam in 2010, both later Forbes 30 Under 30, with CEO Anneke Schogt joining in 2016, before it became one of Europe's largest influencer agencies before merging into MediaMonks under S4 Capital in 2019, so it now runs as part of Media.Monks. A 20,000-creator network feeds tailored strategies and campaigns, with the agency an early mover in building its own matchmaking platform with daily campaign dashboards.
Around 85 staff work from Amsterdam plus New York, LA, London, Singapore, Shanghai and Sao Paulo, with project minimums near $10,000 and rates otherwise private. So where Cure Media goes deep on audience data in Europe, IMA brings global scale and a big-brand pedigree. One is data-led and European. The other is global and large. For brands that would rather search creators themselves, there is a third path.
What IMA does well
- One of Europe's largest agencies
- 20,000+ creator network
- Own matchmaking platform and dashboards
- Seven global offices, big-brand clients
Where it falls short
- No public pricing beyond a minimum
- Managed only, no self-serve search
- Now inside a larger group
- Scale over boutique focus
Head to head
Cure Media and IMA are both European but pull in different directions. Cure Media is a data-led Stockholm agency that picks creators on audience data and optimises across ten-plus European markets. IMA is one of Europe's largest influencer agencies, now part of Media.Monks, with a 20,000-creator network and global offices. One is data precision in Europe. The other is global scale. Your need, audience-data depth or global reach, 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 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 want data-led European work
You want creators chosen on audience data and campaigns optimised across European markets. Cure Media works that way.
→ Pick Cure MediaYou want global scale
You want a big network, global offices and a blue-chip pedigree. IMA fits.
→ Pick IMAYou 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
IMA lists a minimum near $10,000 and Cure Media is quote-led. 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 Cure Media and IMA
What is the difference between Cure Media and IMA?
What is Cure Media known for?
What is IMA known for?
Which has bigger global reach?
How much do they cost?
Is IMA still independent?
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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