A general AI chat tool looks cheapest, but the real cost is the time and the usage cap spent cycling for an answer you cannot judge. Compass starts free with the 90 Day Growth Plan, and the Pro Plan is from £19 a month, below the price of a paid AI subscription.
CHOOSING YOUR APPROACH
Which AI Marketing Approach Fits Your Business?
Do you need a marketing agency, fractional CMO, freelancer, a general AI tool, or Compass. Here is how to pick the one that fits your business.
The Real Choice You're Making
If you run your own marketing, you are probably not choosing between an agency and a fractional CMO. The real question is whether to keep asking a general AI chat tool to do your marketing and getting average responses.
It is cheap and always there. But it gives general answers, and if you are not a marketer it is hard to tell a strong one from an average one. So you re-prompt, edit, and try again, until the usage cap is gone and nothing feels right. That loop is where most small businesses get stuck.
Your Options at a Glance
An agency or fractional CMO suits a mid-market budget with a team to execute. A freelancer suits one specialist job. A general AI tool suits quick tasks if you are already a marketer.
| Approach | Best for | Typical cost (UK, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing agency | Hands-off execution by a full team | £2,000 to £10,000+ per month |
| Fractional CMO | Senior strategy when you have people to execute | From £3,000 per month |
| Freelancer or contractor | One specialist job, done well | £500 to £5,000+ per month |
| General AI chat tool | Quick tasks if you already know marketing | Free tier (capped), or around £15 to £25 per month |
| Compass | Running your own marketing, start to finish | Free 90 Day Growth Plan, then from £19 per month (Pro Plan) |
The Approach That Fits You
If you run your own marketing start to finish, the fit is Compass, the AI Marketing Collaborator: built for marketing, teaches you what good looks like, and give you a strong strategy first time instead of a cycling on loop that drains you usage allowance. That is what Compass is, and it is built for exactly this audience. For how it works and the marketing science behind it, see what an AI Marketing Collaborator is.
1,000 of 1,000 founding spots left
Founder Rate, Locked for Life
Pro Plan subscription £19 per month for as long as you stay.
- The first 1,000 founder members can upgrade and lock £19 a month for life.
- When the places are filled, the Pro Plan becomes £39 a month.
- Your founder rate never changes.
- See full pricing details.
FAQs
Yes. Compass holds the strategy and the daily plan. A general tool can handle specific production tasks where it earns its place, and Compass tells you when that is the right call.
When your marketing already sits with a hired director or team, or when you have an agency-sized budget and want to outsource completely. Compass is built for the owner who stays involved, because the work is part of how the business grows.