Alternative
Zeely alternative: a score before spend, not a cut of the budget
Zeely makes the ads and can launch the Facebook and Instagram campaign for you. That convenience has a price: no free plan, and a 12% fee on the Meta ad spend it runs (6% with its $39.95/year Booster). AdRoast generates the ads and scores them. You buy the media.
Kris Kostovvs ZeelyQuick answer
Stay on Zeely if you want one app to create the creative and launch the Meta campaign. Switch to AdRoast if you buy your own media and want a score before you spend. Zeely Starter is $29.95/mo on its website. AdRoast Creator is a flat $29/mo for image, video, and unlimited analysis. Roast an image ad free first.
Zeely
$29.95 + 12% of spend
AdRoast Creator
$29/mo flat
Subscription versus a subscription plus a cut of ad spend
What you actually pay
Competitor prices as of September 2026. Always confirm on their site — this category changes. AdRoast Creator is $29/mo in our plans.
| Plan | Monthly | Scoring | Video | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeely Starter | $29.95 | Campaign forecast | Yes | Website price; list price shown as $49.95. Plus is $49.95/mo, Growth is $79.95/mo. No free plan. Paid Meta campaigns run through Zeely add a 12% fee on spend (6% with Booster). |
| AdRoast Creator | $29 | Yes | Image + video | Flat plan. You buy the media. Public roast is free for image ads. |
Sources: Zeely pricing, Zeely service fee.
AdRoast vs Zeely
AdRoast
Presets, image and video, then a roast before spend.
- Best for
- Shops and DTC brands that buy their own media
- Pricing from
- $29/mo Creator
Pros
- Score before you spend, with the math visible
- Image and video on a flat $29 plan
- No percentage of your ad budget
Cons
- Does not launch the Meta campaign for you
- Public roast is image-only
Zeely
Make the ads and launch the Meta campaign.
- Best for
- Online stores that want Ads Manager handled
- Pricing from
- $29.95/mo Starter
Pros
- Creates ads and launches Meta campaigns
- Store connection and batch static ads
- Campaign forecast and A/B testing
Cons
- No free plan
- Up to 12% of ad spend on campaigns it runs
- Forecasts the campaign; it does not score one ad before spend
Why people switch from Zeely
A campaign launcher is not a pre-spend score
Zeely forecasts how a campaign might do and can launch it on Facebook and Instagram. It does not score an individual ad before you fund it. AdRoast roasts the creative first, then you decide whether to spend.
The 12% sits on top of the plan
Starter is $29.95 a month on Zeely’s website, with 2,500 credits. If Zeely runs the ads, it charges 12% of that ad budget — $60 on $500 of spend — or 6% with Booster. AdRoast’s $29 Creator plan does not take a cut of spend. The full math is in our Zeely review.
You already know how to buy the click
If Ads Manager is not the hard part, you do not need a tool to launch the campaign. You need more ads and a filter. AdRoast starts from 1,000+ presets, generates image and video, and shows the roast math.
How AdRoast scores
Four checks from the same roast as Creative Lab. Hook, offer, and scroll-stop weigh most. A weak pillar pulls the total down. We never give 100.
Does it stop the scroll?
Hook and scroll-stop. If either is weak, the thumb does not pause.
Is the offer clear in 3 seconds?
Offer clarity. If the benefit is not readable in one glance, it fails.
Would a stranger know what you sell?
Offer, visual, and copy. A stranger should name the product without the caption.
Is it generic?
Hook, psychology, and scroll-stop. High scores mean it is not another template ad.
Overall is a weighted average, then 20% toward the weakest pillar. Below 50, subtract 0.4 per point. Cap 98. The public roast is image-only. Video generation is on Creator and up.
Who should stay on Zeely
Stay on Zeely if you want one app to make the ads and launch the Facebook and Instagram campaign, and the service fee on spend is worth not touching Ads Manager. AdRoast does not buy media or manage the account.
