TL;DR: Northbeam is built for enterprise brands with $1M+ monthly ad spend who need advanced MMM and incrementality testing. For everyone else, Benly provides robust cross-platform attribution plus creative intelligence at a fraction of the cost.
Why Teams Look for Northbeam Alternatives
Northbeam has earned its reputation as the attribution platform for high-spending DTC brands. Its media mix modeling and incrementality testing provide insights that simpler tools can't match. But this sophistication comes at a cost that makes sense only for specific use cases.
- Enterprise pricing: Starting at $1000+/month with annual contracts puts Northbeam out of reach for most brands
- Overkill for smaller budgets: MMM modeling provides marginal value for brands spending under $500K/month
- Complex implementation: Full value requires significant setup and data science expertise
- Attribution only: No creative intelligence, ad discovery, or generation capabilities
- Long contracts: Annual commitments make it risky for brands uncertain about fit
Benly as a Northbeam Alternative
Benly approaches attribution as part of an integrated marketing intelligence platform. While not matching Northbeam's statistical sophistication, Benly connects attribution data to creative insights and AI-powered recommendations—creating a more actionable workflow for most teams.
At-a-glance comparison
| Feature | Northbeam | Benly |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-touch attribution | Advanced with MMM | Strong, cross-platform |
| Media mix modeling | Yes, sophisticated | No |
| Incrementality testing | Yes | No |
| Creative analytics | Basic | Deep pattern analysis |
| Ad spy database | No | 50M+ ads |
| AI creative generation | No | Yes, 100+ variations |
| Starting price | $1000+/month | $99/month |
| Contract required | Annual | Monthly |
When Northbeam Makes Sense
Northbeam remains the right choice for specific scenarios:
- $1M+ monthly ad spend where MMM insights justify the investment
- Complex channel mix including TV, podcast, and offline channels
- In-house data science team to fully leverage advanced modeling
- Need for incrementality testing to validate channel contribution
- Board/investor reporting requiring statistically rigorous attribution
When Benly is Better
- Brands spending $50K-500K/month who need attribution without enterprise pricing
- Teams focused on creative optimization as a primary growth lever
- Agencies who can't justify $1000+/month per client
- Brands wanting integrated workflows from insights to creative production
- Teams preferring monthly flexibility over annual commitments
Pricing Reality Check
| Platform | Entry Price | Mid-tier | Enterprise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northbeam | $1000+/month | $2500+/month | Custom ($$$$) |
| Benly | $99/month | $249/month | $499/month |
The 10x price difference isn't about quality—it's about different use cases. Northbeam's pricing reflects enterprise-grade statistical modeling. Benly's pricing reflects a broader platform approach where attribution is one capability among many.
Final Thoughts
Northbeam is genuinely best-in-class for enterprise attribution. If you're spending $1M+/month and have the team to leverage MMM insights, it provides value that simpler tools can't match.
For everyone else, the question isn't whether Northbeam is good—it's whether its sophistication justifies 10x the cost. For most brands, Benly's attribution plus creative intelligence provides more actionable value at a sustainable price point.
