Introduction
HireInfluence and PopShorts are both managed influencer agencies, so comparing them is about focus and fit rather than software you log into. HireInfluence is a full-service, white-glove agency based in Los Angeles that runs campaigns across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. PopShorts is an influencer-only agency focused on video activation and branded content since 2013. Both run creator campaigns for you rather than hand you a tool.
This page lays out what each agency does, where it is based and who it has worked with, using only publicly stated details. PopShorts has an HQ city that is reported inconsistently across sources, so treat its location as approximate. Neither agency publishes a creator database size or a public rate card, since both sell done-for-you services. Every detail below is reported and worth confirming directly. At the end we cover where Flinque fits as the self-serve software alternative.
The Creator Outreach Toolkit
12 email templates that get replies, a 50-point creator vetting checklist, rate negotiation scripts and a campaign tracker. Built from 4 years of running creator campaigns.
No spam. Unsubscribe in one click. We email when we have something useful for you, never more than weekly.
HireInfluence vs PopShorts at a glance
Two managed agencies side by side, with the self-serve alternative in the third column.
| Feature | HireInfluence | PopShorts | Flinque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Managed agency, done for you | Managed agency, done for you | Self-serve software, no demo |
| Type | Full-service, white-glove | Influencer-only, video activation | Self-serve discovery and vetting |
| HQ | Los Angeles, California | Los Angeles / Newport Beach (reported) | Reported 25+ countries covered |
| Focus | White-glove influencer campaigns | Video activation and branded content | Creator discovery and vetting |
| Notable clients | Honda, McDonald's, NFL, Adidas | Adobe, Netflix, JCPenney | Used by teams of all sizes |
| Database and pricing | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed | Reported 10M+ creators, flat Free to $150/mo |
| Best for | Brands wanting premium managed delivery | Brands wanting creator video campaigns | Teams wanting verified creators and a visible price |
Client names are as publicly stated and figures are reported. PopShorts reports its HQ city inconsistently, so confirm directly.
What HireInfluence is
HireInfluence is a full-service influencer marketing agency based in Los Angeles, California, with offices in New York and Austin and roots in Houston where it was founded. It positions itself around white-glove, hands-on campaigns across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. The pitch is a managed team that plans and runs creator programs end to end rather than a tool you operate.
Reported clients include Honda, McDonald's, MTV, NFL and Adidas, which points at large consumer and entertainment brands. Like most agencies HireInfluence does not publish a creator database size or a public rate card, so you engage it as a service and agree scope directly. That suits a brand wanting premium, fully managed delivery. It is less suited to a team that wants to search and vet creators itself.
A full-service, white-glove influencer agency in Los Angeles running managed campaigns for big brands.
What PopShorts is
PopShorts is an influencer-only agency that specialises in video activation and branded content, in business since 2013. It builds creator-led video campaigns for brands as a managed service. Its headquarters city is a known ambiguity though: sources variously place it in Los Angeles or Newport Beach, California and its own site names no city, so the location is best treated as reported.
The agency reports work with Adobe, Netflix, JCPenney, LA Kings and the ICRC, spanning consumer, sports and institutional names. As with any managed agency it publishes no creator database size or public pricing, so campaigns run to a custom scope. That fits a brand that wants creator video handled for it. It does not give an in-house team a way to run discovery directly.
An influencer-only video and branded-content agency since 2013, with an inconsistently reported HQ.
Head to head
Both are managed influencer agencies, so the choice is about focus and scale. HireInfluence leans full-service and white-glove from Los Angeles, with reported work for big brands like Honda, McDonald's and the NFL across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. PopShorts leans into video activation and branded content, with reported clients like Adobe and Netflix. If your campaign is video-first, PopShorts has the sharper story. If you want premium end-to-end delivery across platforms, HireInfluence fits. Both are done-for-you services, so neither gives you software to run campaigns yourself.
Where each one leaves a gap
The trade-offs are clear.
- HireInfluence keeps the usual agency details private, so there is no public database size, feature list or pricing to weigh before a conversation. You are buying a service on trust rather than a spec.
- As a white-glove managed service HireInfluence means agency fees and a scoping process rather than a login. That works when you want premium delivery handled. It is limiting if you want to run the work yourself.
- HireInfluence runs campaigns for you across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, so it does not give an in-house team a tool to search and vet creators directly. Teams wanting that control need software instead.
- PopShorts reports its HQ city inconsistently, so even confirming where it sits takes care. There is no public database size or pricing to compare before you engage either.
- PopShorts centers on video activation and branded content, so a brand wanting broad reach beyond video may find its focus narrower than a full-service agency. The specialism is both the strength and the limit.
- PopShorts is a managed service, so it does not hand an in-house team a tool to search and vet creators directly. Teams that want that control need software rather than an agency.
Where Flinque fits
Flinque is the self-serve software alternative to both. Instead of hiring a team to run campaigns, you search and vet creators yourself in a platform with a reported 10 million-plus verified creators across Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and X, spanning a reported 25-plus countries. Every profile carries a reported 200 data points and a fake-follower check, with 12 filters across creator and audience data.
If you want a partner to own delivery, HireInfluence and PopShorts are both credible managed choices depending on whether you lead with full-service scale or video activation. But if you would rather find verified creators yourself on four platforms with a price you can see and no demo or annual lock-in, that is what Flinque offers at a flat Free of $0, Starter at $49 a month or Enterprise at $150 a month.