Pencil score factors
Editorial quality78
Practical utility80
Trust & transparency78
Freshness82
Engagement quality7
Momentum100
Decision guide · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026 · AI Marketing & Sales, AI Ad Creative Generators
Pencil
74.6
Smartly
79Choose Pencil when you need growth marketers and paid media teams producing high-frequency ad creative variants for social and display networks.. Choose Smartly when you need enterprise advertisers and media agencies needing automated creative production and unified campaign orchestration across Meta, Google, TikTok, and CTV.
At a glance
The practical differences
| Decision factor | Pencil | Smartly |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | growth marketers and paid media teams producing high-frequency ad creative variants for social and display networks. | enterprise advertisers and media agencies needing automated creative production and unified campaign orchestration across Meta, Google, TikTok, and CTV |
| Not ideal for | teams needing dedicated long-form video production, non-advertising design, or platforms without credit-based generation limits. | small businesses, solo creators, or low-budget teams seeking an inexpensive, self-serve ad maker |
| Pricing | At the review date, Pencil offers Core ($14/month or $11/month annually for 50 generations) and Growth ($55/month or $44/month annually for 250 generations), plus custom enterprise Pro tiers. A 6-ad trial is offered. Check the official pricing page for updates. | Smartly does not list public pricing tiers on its website as of review date. Access requires requesting a demo or speaking with sales. |
| Key difference | Pencil aggregates multimodal models from OpenAI, Google, Runway, and Bria under a single interface with direct ad account integration and predictive performance scoring. | Unlike standalone ad generation tools or media buying engines, Smartly directly pairs AI-driven creative automation with multi-platform media optimization and attribution intelligence under one roof. |
| Overall rank | #374 | #64 |
| Review verdict | Pencil is well-suited for performance marketers and agencies producing and testing high volumes of paid ad variations across digital channels. It is less suited for brands seeking long-form video editing or those wanting unmetered creative tools without strict monthly generation caps. | Smartly is best suited for enterprise brands and performance agencies managing multi-channel campaigns with large creative volume and spend across social, video, and programmatic networks. It is not designed for small businesses, solopreneurs, or teams with low ad spend looking for self-serve, off-the-shelf creative apps. |
Smartly score factors
Editorial quality82
Practical utility86
Trust & transparency85
Freshness85
Engagement quality8
Momentum100
Pencil strengths
- Aggregates top third-party models across text, image, and video without requiring separate subscriptions.
- Integrates directly with key advertising platforms including Meta, TikTok, and Google Display Network.
- Provides predictive ad performance scoring directly inside the creative generation workspace.
Smartly strengths
- Unifies creative versioning with multi-platform campaign execution in a single system
- Integrates directly with major walled gardens (Meta, Google, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat) and CTV channels
- Enterprise-grade security featuring ISO 27001 certification, SOC compliance practices, and European data hosting
Frequently asked
Pencil vs Smartly
Should I choose Pencil or Smartly?+
Choose Pencil when you need growth marketers and paid media teams producing high-frequency ad creative variants for social and display networks.. Choose Smartly when you need enterprise advertisers and media agencies needing automated creative production and unified campaign orchestration across Meta, Google, TikTok, and CTV. ToolsRank scores Pencil 74.6 and Smartly 79; the gap reflects editorial quality, utility, trust, and freshness, not popularity or payment.
Is Pencil cheaper than Smartly?+
Pencil: At the review date, Pencil offers Core ($14/month or $11/month annually for 50 generations) and Growth ($55/month or $44/month annually for 250 generations), plus custom enterprise Pro tiers. A 6-ad trial is offered. Check the official pricing page for updates. Smartly: Smartly does not list public pricing tiers on its website as of review date. Access requires requesting a demo or speaking with sales. Compare the plan you would actually use and verify current prices on each vendor's pricing page before purchasing.
Which is better for ai marketing & sales?+
Smartly currently scores higher for ai marketing & sales work. Pencil remains the stronger pick when your priority is growth marketers and paid media teams producing high-frequency ad creative variants for social and display networks.. Avoid Smartly if you are small businesses, solo creators, or low-budget teams seeking an inexpensive, self-serve ad maker.
Can I use Pencil and Smartly together?+
Yes. Pencil stands out for pencil aggregates multimodal models from OpenAI, Google, Runway, and Bria under a single interface with direct ad account integration and predictive performance scoring. Smartly stands out for unlike standalone ad generation tools or media buying engines, Smartly directly pairs AI-driven creative automation with multi-platform media optimization and attribution intelligence under one roof. Pairing them makes sense when one workflow needs both strengths; otherwise pick the tool that matches your primary job.