Compare
Three ways to find your next winning ad.
Do it yourself with AI tools, hire an agency, or use CTRL. Here is what each one gives a DTC or CPG brand, and what it costs.
Option A
DIY with AI tools
Best if you have time and a team to prompt, test and report by hand.
Option B
An agency
Best if you want people to handle it and can commit to a monthly retainer.
Option C
CTRL
Best if you want tests made and run every week, with you in control. Run it yourself, or have our team run it.
Side by side
Everything a growth team does, compared.
Competitor ads decoded into hook, angle and offer
Partly. Someone collects and prompts
Partly. Varies by agency
Yes. Read and explained for you
Customer voice sorted into pains and wins
Partly. If someone runs it
Partly. Varies by agency
Yes. From your reviews and the wider web
Briefs for designers, creators and editors
Partly. Written by hand
Yes. By their team
Yes. With the evidence behind them
Ads, pages and email made on your brand
Partly. Across several tools
Yes. By their team
Yes. In one place
A weekly list of what to test next
Partly. Only if someone builds it
Partly. Varies by agency
Yes. From your own results
Changes to your ad account
Partly. With connectors you set up
Yes. Run by their team
Yes. Only with your approval or inside the limits you set
Works nights and weekends
Partly. Your team keeps office hours
Partly. Office hours
Yes. Runs around the clock
What it costs
DIY with AI toolsTool subscriptions plus your team's time
An agencyA monthly retainer, often with a minimum term
CTRLFree 14-day trial, then plans from $499 a month
Teams and agencies vary. This compares a typical set up with what CTRL does today.
| DIY with AI tools | An agency | CTRL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor ads decoded into hook, angle and offer | Partly. Someone collects and prompts | Partly. Varies by agency | Yes. Read and explained for you |
| Customer voice sorted into pains and wins | Partly. If someone runs it | Partly. Varies by agency | Yes. From your reviews and the wider web |
| Briefs for designers, creators and editors | Partly. Written by hand | Yes. By their team | Yes. With the evidence behind them |
| Ads, pages and email made on your brand | Partly. Across several tools | Yes. By their team | Yes. In one place |
| A weekly list of what to test next | Partly. Only if someone builds it | Partly. Varies by agency | Yes. From your own results |
| Changes to your ad account | Partly. With connectors you set up | Yes. Run by their team | Yes. Only with your approval or inside the limits you set |
| Works nights and weekends | Partly. Your team keeps office hours | Partly. Office hours | Yes. Runs around the clock |
| What it costs | Tool subscriptions plus your team's time | A monthly retainer, often with a minimum term | Free 14-day trial, then plans from $499 a month |
Honest fit
When CTRL is not the right fit.
- You test one ad a month and are happy with the pace. DIY tools may be enough.
- You want a team to own everything and never log in. Our Done for you option suits you better than the software alone. See Done for you
Track record
ROAS in 14 days
Bottled Baking Co
lower new customer acquisition cost
Duppy Share
average sprint growth
Client sprints
From client work by the team who built CTRL. See the results
Questions
Can I switch from DIY tools to CTRL?
Yes. Start a free trial, add your brand, and run your next tests from CTRL.
Does CTRL replace my agency?
It can do much of the weekly testing work. If you still want people to run it, our team can run CTRL for you.
Who controls my ad account?
You do. Nothing changes without your approval or the limits you set.