August 29, 2025
10 Min
Case Study: How Beau Bottles Drove $82K in Sales and Viral UGC Using Influencer Hero
The main difference between Later (formerly Mavrck) vs Meltwater vs Influencer Hero is that Later focuses on creator discovery and workflow tools for day-to-day influencer execution, Meltwater is a premium enterprise suite built for deep analytics and cross-channel reporting, and Influencer Hero gives D2C brands an all-in-one platform with strong automation, CRM, gifting, affiliates, and multi-platform support at a far more accessible price point.
For brands comparing these three, Later works best for simple creator ops, Meltwater fits large teams that need advanced reporting and listening, and Influencer Hero is the strongest option if you want automated influencer outreach, full campaign CRM, multi-platform coverage, and integrated gifting + affiliate tracking without enterprise pricing.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the comparison between Later (formerly Mavrck) vs Meltwater vs Influencer Hero, exploring their features, pricing, pros, and cons to help you decide which is best for your brand.
Later offers a solid discovery engine, but Meltwater delivers deeper analytics and advanced AI filters, while Influencer Hero stands out with the largest database at 450M+ creators. For brands needing scale and accuracy, Influencer Hero provides the broadest reach and best filtering power.
Later focuses on creator workflows and content-driven collaborations, whereas Meltwater is built for enterprise-grade analytics and reporting. Influencer Hero aims to combine both worlds with an end-to-end stack that supports discovery, outreach, CRM, gifting, affiliates, and automation.
Later works best for mid-sized brands looking to streamline day-to-day creator operations. Meltwater fits large organizations needing advanced insights, while Influencer Hero is ideal for D2C brands wanting to scale efficiently without enterprise pricing.
Later includes campaign tools but offers limited CRM depth, while Meltwater has strong workflow features with chat, gifting, and payment options. Influencer Hero is the most CRM-driven, offering pipeline boards, bulk actions, automation, and integrated gifting + affiliate management.
Later provides standard platform assistance, and Meltwater offers dedicated enterprise-level support. Influencer Hero consistently receives top ratings for hands-on onboarding and fast, responsive customer service.
Later’s influencer module starts at $28,500/year, placing it in the mid-to-high tier, while Meltwater is the most expensive with enterprise plans ranging from $33,100 to $50,000+ per year. Influencer Hero remains the most accessible option, offering transparent pricing starting at $649/month for growing D2C brands.
Influencer Hero is the best choice for D2C and Shopify-driven brands that want an all-in-one solution with strong automation, deep CRM capabilities, integrated gifting, and affiliate tracking, without enterprise-level pricing.
Later is better suited for brands needing simple creator workflows, while Meltwater is ideal for large organizations that prioritize advanced analytics, reporting, and social listening over hands-on campaign execution.
Later is an all-in-one platform that combines social-media management with influencer marketing, allowing brands to plan and publish content, discover and work with creators, and track performance across multiple social networks. Its value lies in unifying creator discovery, campaign workflows, and content scheduling in a single dashboard, ideal for teams that want to manage social publishing and influencer campaigns together.
Best For: Later works best for brands already managing social content who want to add influencer marketing on top, especially mid-sized D2C teams that prioritize social scheduling combined with creator collaboration rather than a heavy enterprise influencer suite.
A one-time onboarding fee of $5,000 applies for new customers (based on demo data).
Later offers a 14-day free trial for its social-media scheduling plans. The influencer marketing suite does not have a publicly advertised free plan, and pricing is available only on request.
Meltwater is a high-end influencer marketing solution designed for brands managing large, multi-region campaigns. It brings creator discovery, campaign execution, analytics, and social listening together in one integrated environment. A key differentiator is its AI-driven True Reach metric, which estimates the actual number of people who view an influencer’s content, giving brands a more reliable understanding of real exposure.
Best For: Large enterprises and global agencies with complex, multi-market influencer programs that need robust analytics, brand safety controls, and strategic support.
Contract Type: Annual contracts only; no monthly options.
Add-ons: Additional modules for social listening, media monitoring, and expanded influencer limits are available.
Meltwater does not offer free influencer marketing features; all tools are available only through paid enterprise subscriptions.
Influencer Hero is a full-service influencer marketing platform designed for eCommerce and D2C brands that want to streamline creator discovery, outreach, campaign execution, and affiliate tracking within one system.
With powerful automation, an integrated CRM, and direct Shopify and WooCommerce connections, it helps teams scale operations, monitor ROI, and build ongoing relationships with creators. It’s especially effective for fast-growing brands that need a centralized hub to manage large volumes of influencer activity.
Best For: eCommerce and D2C companies using Shopify or WooCommerce that want to scale influencer and affiliate programs. Ideal for teams seeking a single system for outreach, gifting, tracking, and reporting.
Monthly and annual payment options are available.
Later (formerly Mavrck) and Meltwater each serve very different needs: Later is great for brands that want straightforward creator management without too much complexity, while Meltwater is built for enterprise teams that prioritize deep analytics and cross-channel measurement. Both platforms have strengths, but each comes with limitations.
Influencer Hero stands out by bringing together the strengths that D2C brands actually rely on: powerful creator discovery, a deep CRM, automated outreach, integrated gifting, affiliate tracking, and multi-platform support, all at a far more accessible price point.
Ready to see it in action? Book a free demo with Influencer Hero and find the perfect fit for your brand’s influencer strategy.
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