{
 "name": "CxB UGC creator sourcing benchmark",
 "updated": "2026-11-06",
 "page": "https://creatorsxbrands.com/benchmarks",
 "markdown": "https://creatorsxbrands.com/benchmarks.md",
 "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
 "how_to_cite": "Creators x Brands (2026). CxB UGC creator sourcing benchmark. https://creatorsxbrands.com/benchmarks.json",
 "question": "Which tool returns more creators who look like the brand's customer and still get watched, and at what cost per creator?",
 "judge": "Jev (TypeSafe, jev-1.14.0), grading every creator the same way without knowing which tool found them.",
 "definitions": {
  "exact": "The judge says the creator's own bio or posts show every must-have in the brief.",
  "qualified": "Exact, posted in the last 30 days, and typical views on recent posts at least 0.3x their followers.",
  "precision": "Share of a tool's top 5 the judge called exact.",
  "cost_per_qualified_usd": "Data and AI spend, plus the buyer's time to vet the top 5 by hand (1.5 minutes each at $30 an hour) for tools that don't vet, divided by qualified creators."
 },
 "tools": [
  {
   "id": "nava",
   "name": "CxB",
   "what": "CxB's own pipeline: searches, keeps creators who posted in the last 30 days with typical views at least 0.3x followers, and grades each against the brief from their own bio and posts."
  },
  {
   "id": "agent",
   "name": "Claude alone",
   "what": "Claude (Sonnet) with the same raw search, profile and video tools CxB uses and the brief, but none of CxB's code or rules."
  },
  {
   "id": "ic",
   "name": "Influencers.club",
   "what": "A creator database with an API and an MCP server, given the brief and the follower range."
  },
  {
   "id": "exa",
   "name": "Exa",
   "what": "AI web search, given the brief as written."
  }
 ],
 "briefs": [
  {
   "id": "1",
   "who": "dog or cat owners whose pets are in their videos",
   "must_have": [
    "owns a dog or cat",
    "the pet appears in their own videos"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "3",
   "who": "dermatologists or licensed estheticians",
   "must_have": [
    "is a board-certified dermatologist or a licensed esthetician",
    "practices now"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "4",
   "who": "registered dietitians",
   "must_have": [
    "is a registered dietitian (RD/RDN)"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "5",
   "who": "people paying off debt and sharing their progress",
   "must_have": [
    "is paying off their own debt",
    "shares their own numbers or progress"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "6",
   "who": "people aged about 25 to 50 who lift weights regularly",
   "must_have": [
    "appears to be about 25 to 50",
    "lifts weights regularly, shown in their own videos"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "8",
   "who": "parents of kids with food allergies",
   "must_have": [
    "is a parent",
    "their own child has a food allergy"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "9",
   "who": "people who talk openly about living with anxiety and going to therapy",
   "must_have": [
    "says themselves that they live with anxiety",
    "talks about their own therapy"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    150000
   ]
  },
  {
   "id": "13",
   "who": "fitness and weight loss creators with under 50K followers",
   "must_have": [
    "makes fitness or weight-loss content"
   ],
   "followers": [
    1000,
    50000
   ]
  }
 ],
 "dropped_briefs": [
  {
   "id": "2",
   "who": "certified personal trainers who train clients",
   "why": "2026-11-05, the user: unrealistic: the must-haves are redundant or not shown publicly"
  },
  {
   "id": "7",
   "who": "small business owners who answer their own phone calls",
   "why": "2026-11-05, the user: unrealistic: no one shows who answers their phone"
  },
  {
   "id": "10",
   "who": "ER nurses who work nights in Boise, Idaho",
   "why": "2026-11-05, the user: unrealistic: a padding trap, not a buyer brief"
  },
  {
   "id": "11",
   "who": "people laid off in the last 60 days who are job hunting",
   "why": "2026-11-05, the user: unrealistic: a 60-day layoff window can't be seen"
  },
  {
   "id": "12",
   "who": "US fitness creators with 100K to 500K followers",
   "why": "2026-11-05, the user: replaced by #13"
  }
 ],
 "summary": {
  "briefs": 8,
  "nava_ahead_of_databases": 8,
  "nava_ahead_of_agent": 8
 },
 "totals": {
  "nava": {
   "qualified": 34,
   "exact_in_top5": 34,
   "spend_usd": 9.46,
   "with_checking_usd": 9.47,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.28
  },
  "agent": {
   "qualified": 6,
   "exact_in_top5": 24,
   "spend_usd": 2.66,
   "with_checking_usd": 32.67,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 5.45
  },
  "ic": {
   "qualified": 2,
   "exact_in_top5": 19,
   "spend_usd": 2.4,
   "with_checking_usd": 32.4,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 16.2
  },
  "exa": {
   "qualified": 1,
   "exact_in_top5": 17,
   "spend_usd": 0.22,
   "with_checking_usd": 30.24,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 30.24
  }
 },
 "verdicts": [
  {
   "brief": "1",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "3",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "4",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "5",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "exa",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "6",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "8",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "9",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  },
  {
   "brief": "13",
   "vs_database": "win",
   "best_database_arm": "ic",
   "vs_agent": "win"
  }
 ],
 "results": [
  {
   "brief": "1",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 5,
   "qualified": 5,
   "precision": 1.0,
   "spend_usd": 1.1335,
   "with_checking_usd": 1.13,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.23,
   "seconds": 279,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "1",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 3,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.6,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 4.05,
   "seconds": 8,
   "contact_share": 0.8
  },
  {
   "brief": "1",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 3,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "1",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 2,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.3192,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.07,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 2.03,
   "seconds": 82,
   "contact_share": 0.6
  },
  {
   "brief": "3",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 4,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.9061,
   "with_checking_usd": 0.91,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.23,
   "seconds": 240,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "3",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 5,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 1.0,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 8,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "3",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 1,
   "contact_share": 0.0
  },
  {
   "brief": "3",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.3363,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.09,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 70,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "4",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 5,
   "qualified": 5,
   "precision": 1.0,
   "spend_usd": 0.6764,
   "with_checking_usd": 0.68,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.14,
   "seconds": 196,
   "contact_share": 0.6
  },
  {
   "brief": "4",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 4.05,
   "seconds": 7,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "4",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 3,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.6,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 1,
   "contact_share": 0.0
  },
  {
   "brief": "4",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 3,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.6,
   "spend_usd": 0.2599,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.01,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 54,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "5",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 5,
   "qualified": 5,
   "precision": 1.0,
   "spend_usd": 0.7054,
   "with_checking_usd": 0.71,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.14,
   "seconds": 288,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "5",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 8,
   "contact_share": 1.0
  },
  {
   "brief": "5",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 3,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.6,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 3.78,
   "seconds": 1,
   "contact_share": 0.6
  },
  {
   "brief": "5",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.4334,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.18,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 4.18,
   "seconds": 103,
   "contact_share": 0.6
  },
  {
   "brief": "6",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 2,
   "qualified": 2,
   "precision": 0.4,
   "spend_usd": 1.0648,
   "with_checking_usd": 1.06,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.53,
   "seconds": 349,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "6",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 7,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "6",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 1,
   "contact_share": 0.0
  },
  {
   "brief": "6",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.3171,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.07,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 4.07,
   "seconds": 87,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "8",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 5,
   "qualified": 5,
   "precision": 1.0,
   "spend_usd": 1.3495,
   "with_checking_usd": 1.35,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.27,
   "seconds": 549,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "8",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 7,
   "contact_share": 0.8
  },
  {
   "brief": "8",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 2,
   "contact_share": 0.6
  },
  {
   "brief": "8",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 3,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.6,
   "spend_usd": 0.3654,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.12,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 131,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "9",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 3,
   "qualified": 3,
   "precision": 0.6,
   "spend_usd": 3.2408,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.24,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 1.08,
   "seconds": 1300,
   "contact_share": 0.6
  },
  {
   "brief": "9",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 0,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.0,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 8,
   "contact_share": 0.0
  },
  {
   "brief": "9",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 0,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.0,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 1,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "9",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.3683,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.12,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 4.12,
   "seconds": 76,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "13",
   "arm": "nava",
   "returned": 5,
   "top5_exact": 5,
   "qualified": 5,
   "precision": 1.0,
   "spend_usd": 0.3865,
   "with_checking_usd": 0.39,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 0.08,
   "seconds": 156,
   "contact_share": 0.2
  },
  {
   "brief": "13",
   "arm": "ic",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.3,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.05,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 7,
   "contact_share": 0.4
  },
  {
   "brief": "13",
   "arm": "exa",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 1,
   "qualified": 0,
   "precision": 0.2,
   "spend_usd": 0.027,
   "with_checking_usd": 3.78,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": null,
   "seconds": 2,
   "contact_share": 0.0
  },
  {
   "brief": "13",
   "arm": "agent",
   "returned": 10,
   "top5_exact": 4,
   "qualified": 1,
   "precision": 0.8,
   "spend_usd": 0.2561,
   "with_checking_usd": 4.01,
   "cost_per_qualified_usd": 4.01,
   "seconds": 55,
   "contact_share": 0.0
  }
 ],
 "faq": [
  {
   "q": "Which tool finds the most UGC creators who look like your customer?",
   "a": "In this benchmark, CxB: 34 qualified creators across 8 briefs, against 6 for Claude working alone, 2 for Influencers.club and 1 for Exa. CxB came out ahead of the creator databases on 8 of 8 briefs and of the agent on 8."
  },
  {
   "q": "Why do creator databases score so low?",
   "a": "Most of their picks are the right kind of person but no longer post or get watched: 19 of Influencers.club's picks and 17 of Exa's matched the brief, but only 2 and 1 still post and get views."
  },
  {
   "q": "How do I find UGC creators who look like my customer?",
   "a": "Start from who they are, not follower counts. Look for creators whose own bio or posts say it, check they posted in the last 30 days and that recent views hold up against their followers, then read the profile. CxB does this for you: tell it who your customer is and it sends the creators who fit."
  },
  {
   "q": "How was it judged?",
   "a": "Each tool's top 5 per brief were pooled, shuffled and graded by one judge, Jev (TypeSafe, jev-1.14.0), grading every creator the same way without knowing which tool found them. Every creator got the same activity and views check."
  },
  {
   "q": "Can I use or cite this data?",
   "a": "Yes, under CC BY 4.0. Cite: Creators x Brands (2026). CxB UGC creator sourcing benchmark. https://creatorsxbrands.com/benchmarks.json."
  }
 ]
}