Fanbytes vs BEN: What Happened to Fanbytes
Two retired brands, Fanbytes and BEN, and where each of them went. Fanbytes was absorbed into Brainlabs after its May 2022 acquisition. BEN was wound down through 2026, with the marketing site left standing. Here is what separates them, plus a flat-price route.
Which one is right for you
Three buyers, three picks. Find the column that sounds like your team.
Look up Fanbytes if
- You need to rule Fanbytes in or out
- You want the record, not a recommendation
- You are auditing an old shortlist
BEN is not an option if
- You need an agency taking new influencer clients
- BEN closed its influencer operation in early 2026
- You want active support, not a wound-down team
Choose Flinque if
- You need to know it was absorbed into Brainlabs after its May 2022 acquisition
- You are researching what Fanbytes did
- Brainlabs names no single headquarters city on the pages checked
Fanbytes vs BEN vs Flinque
The factors below are set out for both. Only BEN is a live option. Fanbytes has not traded independently since the 2022 Brainlabs deal. Flinque is the flat-price software option on the right.
| Factor | Fanbytes | BEN | Best valueFlinque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Research, not a live engagement | Research, not a live engagement | Teams running discovery in-house |
| Agency type | digital media agency | product placement and influencer marketing company | Self-serve software, not an agency |
| Engagement model | digital media agency | product placement and influencer marketing company | Flat monthly subscription |
| Typical minimum | Not stated on the pages checked | Not stated on the pages checked | Free, then $49/mo |
| Published pricing | Not stated on the pages checked | No | $0 to $150/mo, public |
| Creator network | AI that Brainlabs says evaluates millions of profiles | access to 10M+ creators | 10M+ verified, 200 data points each |
| Platforms covered | TikTok | Not stated on the pages checked | Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X |
| Services | paid amplification of creator content, paid media, data science and creative, influencer | product placement in film, TV and, influencer marketing, music partnerships | Discovery, vetting and audience data |
| Campaign management | Not available under this name | Not available under this name | You run it, software assists |
| Content and usage rights | Not named as a separate service | Not named as a separate service | You negotiate directly with creators |
| Paid amplification | Part of campaigns | Not named as a separate service | Run your own whitelisting |
| Measurement and reporting | Not named as a separate service | Reporting is a published service line | Audience and fake-follower data built in |
| Team and locations | London, a 60-strong Fanbytes team at the 2022 acquisition | Not stated on the pages checked | Software with support included |
| Time to launch | Not bookable | No longer onboarding influencer clients | 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 Fanbytes was
Brainlabs acquired Fanbytes in May 2022. fanbytes.co.uk now serves a single page reading 'Fanbytes is now part of Brainlabs', whose only working link goes to brainlabsdigital.com, and Brainlabs' own influencer page carries no Fanbytes name. What survives of Fanbytes is its trend tool, which Brainlabs markets as Bytesights. Its published service lines cover AI creator vetting, trend intelligence through Bytesights and paid amplification of creator content.
Brainlabs publishes seven clients, among them Klaviyo, Microsoft and Polaroid, published by Brainlabs on its influencer service page. It says 500+ brands served globally by Fanbytes at acquisition. It also describes itself as a 60-strong Fanbytes team at the 2022 acquisition. Brainlabs publishes no rate card: both the fanbytes.co.uk landing page and the Brainlabs influencer service page route to contact.
Brainlabs is the business a reader would actually engage. The name persists on a LinkedIn page and some hosted assets but not on any commercial page.
What Fanbytes was known for
- Bytesights trend intelligence came with the acquisition
- Brainlabs names Netflix, Hilton, AT&T and Microsoft on its influencer page
- Meta, Google and TikTok partner status
- Paid media and data science sit alongside the influencer work
Why it is not a live option
- Brainlabs names no single headquarters city on the pages checked
- No rate card or minimum is published
- The Fanbytes client names date from 2022
- The Fanbytes brand is retired
What is BEN
BENlabs wound down through 2026. Its CEO left in January, TubeBuddy was sold to GameSquare in February, the influencer marketing team was laid off in March and product-placement client work ended in April after Gates Ventures stopped funding the losses. The company issued no statement of its own and benlabs.com is still being served unchanged. Its published service lines cover campaign measurement, product placement in film, TV and streaming and influencer marketing.
BENlabs publishes eighteen clients, among them Disney, Estee Lauder and Dyson. It says over 40 years of experience in product placement. It also describes itself as access to 10M+ creators. BENlabs publishes no rate card: the homepage, influencer page and careers page route to 'Talk to Us' forms and [email protected].
What BEN was known for
- Two offering URLs in its own navigation return 404
- No headquarters address appears on any of its pages
- The influencer team was laid off in March 2026
- Its own job boards return 'This account is no longer active' and a 404
Why it is not a live option
- Two offering URLs in its own navigation return 404
- No headquarters address appears on any of its pages
- The influencer team was laid off in March 2026
- Its own job boards return 'This account is no longer active' and a 404
Head to head
Neither name is bookable now. Fanbytes was absorbed into Brainlabs after its May 2022 acquisition, and BEN was wound down through 2026, with the marketing site left standing.
Which should you actually pick
Fanbytes was absorbed into Brainlabs after its May 2022 acquisition. Brainlabs names no single headquarters city on the pages checked. Treat this page as a record of what Fanbytes was, not a shortlist entry.
You came here looking for Fanbytes
BEN was wound down through 2026, with the marketing site left standing. Two offering URLs in its own navigation return 404. Treat this page as a record of what BEN was, not a shortlist entry.
→ Look past FanbytesYou came here looking for BEN
BEN ran TV and film integrations plus influencer work for years. Its influencer arm closed in 2026. You will need a different managed partner or an in-house tool.
→ Look past BENYou 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
< Fanbytes has no current pricing, because it is no longer trading. 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 Fanbytes and BEN
What is the difference between Fanbytes and BEN?
Can you still hire Fanbytes?
Can you still hire BEN?
Which of the two publishes its prices?
How much do they cost?
Is there a flat-price alternative to both?
Do they publish pricing?
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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