Pencil vs Smartly.io
Smartly.io
Creative production plus media buying automation
Publishers using it: 2 · incl. Roku
Last verified Nov 12, 2026
At a glance
- Pencil scores 2.4/5 and Smartly.io scores 2.8/5 in Benchmark Grid's independent creative automation platforms benchmark, both assessed on the same 10 criteria.
- The widest gaps are dynamic creative optimisation (Pencil 2.5, Smartly.io 4.5) and pricing & licensing model (Pencil 4.0, Smartly.io 2.2); they are within 0.3 on 1 of 10 criteria.
- Pencil is built for small, mid-market and enterprise publishers; Smartly.io for mid-market and enterprise.
- On total cost of ownership Pencil scores 3.7 and Smartly.io 1.7 (higher means better value, not a lower price).
- In our tracking 0 publishers use Pencil and 2 use Smartly.io.
- Scores last verified 12 Nov 2026. Vendors cannot pay for a score or a position.
Where they differ
Pencil is stronger on pricing & Licensing Model (4.0 vs 2.2).
Smartly.io is stronger on dynamic Creative Optimisation (4.5 vs 2.5), analytics & Performance Feedback (4.1 vs 2.5) and format & Channel Coverage (4.4 vs 3.0).
Which one fits
Choose Pencil if…
- You publish at small, mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight pricing & Licensing Model, support & Implementation and brand Governance & Approval heavily — Pencil leads on those in this benchmark.
Choose Smartly.io if…
- You publish at mid-market and enterprise scale.
- You weight dynamic Creative Optimisation, analytics & Performance Feedback and format & Channel Coverage heavily — Smartly.io leads on those in this benchmark.
Also weighing these
The nearest-scored tools to Pencil and Smartly.io in this benchmark, listed A to Z.
- 2.5AbyssaleAPI-first creative generation for bulk campaignsRead review
- 2.4AdCreative.aiAI-generated ad creative and scoringRead review
- 2.3BannerflowAI creative automation across display, social, DOOH and videoRead review
- 2.4The Brief (formerly Creatopy)AI ad creation, launch and optimisation in one platformRead review
All 9 scored tools are in Best Creative Automation Platforms for Publishers.
Who uses them
Publishers we have detected running each tool, from ads.txt, site code and published case studies. Agencies, brands and vendors are excluded.
Pencil · 0
No publisher adoption verified yet.
Smartly.io · 2
Head to head
| Criterion | Pencil | Smartly.io |
|---|---|---|
| Template & Variant Production16% of capability | 3.8 | 4.6 |
| Dynamic Creative Optimisation14% of capability | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| Localisation & Versioning12% of capability | 3.0 | 3.2 |
| Analytics & Performance Feedback10% of capability | 2.5 | 4.1 |
| Brand Governance & Approval10% of capability | 3.5 | 3.0 |
| Format & Channel Coverage10% of capability | 3.0 | 4.4 |
| Integration & Workflow10% of capability | 3.2 | 4.2 |
| Rendering Speed & Scale8% of capability | 3.8 | 4.3 |
| Pricing & Licensing Model6% of capability | 4.0 | 2.2 |
| Support & Implementation4% of capability | 3.5 | 2.5 |
| Capability45% of composite | 3.2 | 3.9 |
| Publisher fit40% of composite | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| Total cost of ownership15% of composite | 3.7 | 1.7 |
Cost of ownership
| Sub-score | Pencil | Smartly.io |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing transparency | 4.0 | 1.0 |
| Entry cost | 4.5 | 1.0 |
| Implementation cost | 4.0 | 1.5 |
| Hidden-fee risk | 3.0 | 2.0 |
| Ongoing cost | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Pencil pricing
Core $14/month ($11 billed annually, 50 generations); Growth $55/month ($44 billed annually, 250 generations); Pro custom pricing with unlimited generations.
Smartly.io pricing
Platform fee plus media spend
What users say
Pencil
No public discussion analysed yet.
Smartly.io
6 positive · 5 neutral · 0 negative
Mentions we could not tie to a real user, and those flagged as promotional, are excluded. Sentiment is opinion, and is independent of the verified publisher adoptions above.
Pencil scores 2.4 and Smartly.io scores 2.8 in Benchmark Grid's independent Best Creative Automation Platforms for Publishers benchmark (benchmarkgrid.com/vs/pencil/smartly, verified Nov 12, 2026)
Common questions
How do Pencil and Smartly.io differ?
Pencil is stronger on pricing & Licensing Model (4.0 vs 2.2). Smartly.io is stronger on dynamic Creative Optimisation (4.5 vs 2.5), analytics & Performance Feedback (4.1 vs 2.5) and format & Channel Coverage (4.4 vs 3.0). Neither is better in the abstract — which one suits you depends on which of those dimensions carries the most weight in your operation.
Which is cheaper, Pencil or Smartly.io?
On total cost of ownership — pricing transparency, entry cost, implementation, hidden-fee risk and ongoing cost — Pencil scores 3.7/5 and Smartly.io scores 1.7/5. A higher score means better value, not a lower sticker price.
How are these scores calculated?
Each tool is assessed against its category's published criteria (10 in this benchmark), which make up Capability (45% of the composite), Publisher fit (40%) and Total cost of ownership (15%). Assessment is carried out by SODP's editorial team against a published methodology. Vendors cannot pay for inclusion, scores or positions.
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Both tools are scored in Best Creative Automation Platforms for Publishers. See alternatives to Pencil or alternatives to Smartly.io.
Weighing a third option? Add a tool to this comparison.
Where to next
Four questions, and a scored stack across every benchmark — not just Best Creative Automation Platforms for Publishers
Every scored tool in Best Creative Automation Platforms for Publishers, with the criteria behind each number
Every category, independently scored
Related comparisons
Other head-to-heads publishers look at in Best Creative Automation Platforms for Publishers.
