Comparison

Boost vs hiring a marketing agency

Agencies are great if you have the budget. Most solopreneurs don't. Here's the honest breakdown.

Agency
Boost
Cost
$2,000-10,000+
$29 one-time
Timeline
2-4 weeks
10 minutes
Competitor data
Comprehensive
Live traffic + content
Execution help
Yes (with retainer)
Plan only
Ongoing cost
$500-2,000/mo
$0

What a good agency delivers

A good agency brings experience, tools, and dedicated attention to your marketing. They'll do comprehensive research, interview your team, and deliver a professional strategy document. The best ones also handle execution.

That expertise has real value. The question is whether you need all of it right now.

When an agency makes sense

  • You have budget ($5K+ for strategy, $1-2K/month for execution)
  • You need someone to actually run your marketing, not just plan it
  • You want a human accountable for results
  • You need credibility with investors or stakeholders

When Boost makes sense

  • You need a plan this week, not next month
  • Your budget is hundreds, not thousands
  • You want to execute yourself and just need direction
  • You want the competitive research an agency starts with — at 1% of the cost

They're not the same thing

Boost gives you the plan. You execute it. If you need someone to run your marketing for you, an agency is the better call.

But if you know how to do the work and just need to know what work to do — that's what Boost is for. Some founders use Boost first, then bring the plan to an agency for execution.

Quick answers

Agency vs Boost FAQs.

Most agencies charge $2,000-10,000+ for a strategy project, with timelines of 2-4 weeks. Ongoing retainers typically run $500-2,000/month. Some boutique agencies offer lighter engagements for $1,000-2,000, but quality varies wildly at that price point.

Agencies bring human judgment, industry experience, and can handle execution. If you have $5K+ budget and want someone accountable for results, an agency is the better call. If you need direction now, want to execute yourself, and your budget is under $100, Boost gives you the competitive research an agency would start with.

Not entirely. Boost replaces the competitive research and strategic planning phase — the part that normally takes an agency 2-4 weeks and costs $2,000+. It doesn't replace ongoing execution, creative work, or strategic counsel. Think of it as the starting point an agency would use, at a fraction of the cost.

Agency research, solopreneur price

Get the plan. Execute it yourself.

Live competitor data. 30-day roadmap. Channel-specific tactics. One-time $29. Full refund if it's not useful.