Quick answer: Advertising agencies usually need software in three areas: running the agency (projects, time, resourcing and billing), reporting to clients, and buying or running campaigns. As of October 2026, agency management options include Workamajig, Scoro and Kantata (formerly Mavenlink); general project tools include Wrike, monday.com, ProofHub, RoboHead and Admation; Improvado handles marketing data and reporting; and Metadata.io and Quantcast are advertising platforms. Three tools from our 2020 list have shut down, changed hands or now do something different.
Agencies juggle many clients, deadlines and budgets at once. The right software gives everyone one place to see what is due, who is working on it, how many hours it has taken and whether the job is still profitable, and it makes client reporting faster. No single product does everything well, so most agencies combine an operations tool with a reporting or campaign tool.
How to choose software for an advertising agency
- Start with your biggest pain. Missed deadlines point to project management. Unprofitable retainers point to time tracking and resourcing. Slow monthly reports point to a marketing data tool.
- Agency-specific or general. Agency management systems (Workamajig, Scoro, Kantata) combine projects with quotes, timesheets and billing. General work management tools (Wrike, monday.com, ProofHub) are flexible and quicker to adopt, but finance usually lives elsewhere.
- Creative workflow. If you produce a lot of artwork, look for briefs, proofing and approval tools, which RoboHead and Admation focus on.
- Integrations. Check the links to your accounting software, CRM, ad platforms and file storage.
- Pricing model. Per-user pricing gets expensive with freelancers and clients; some tools charge flat fees instead. Ask what client or guest access costs.
- Trial with a real project. Most vendors offer a trial or demo. Run one live client job through it before you commit.
Advertising agency software compared
| Tool | Category | Best for | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Improvado | Marketing data and reporting | Agencies automating cross-channel client reports | Check vendor |
| Workamajig | Agency management | Ad and marketing agencies wanting projects and accounting in one | Check vendor |
| Wrike | Work management | Larger teams with complex workflows | Check vendor |
| Kantata | Professional services automation | Agencies focused on resourcing and forecasting | Check vendor |
| Metadata.io | B2B advertising platform | B2B campaign execution | Check vendor |
| Scoro | Professional services automation | Agencies and consultancies tracking project profitability | Subscription; free trial |
| monday.com | Work management | Teams wanting a flexible, easy-to-start tool | Check vendor |
| ProofHub | Project management | Teams that want flat pricing | No per-user fee; free trial |
| Quantcast | Demand-side platform (DSP) | Programmatic audience buying | Check vendor |
| Oracle NetSuite | Cloud ERP | Larger agencies needing full financials | Check vendor |
| RoboHead | Creative project management | In-house marketing and creative teams | Check vendor |
| Admation | Marketing operations | Brands and agencies with heavy approval and compliance needs | Check vendor |
The 12 tools in detail
1. Improvado
Improvado connects marketing data from many platforms into one place for reporting and analysis. The company now describes the product as an AI agent that connects data, answers questions, generates creatives, runs A/B tests and checks data quality. For agencies, the main value is automated client reporting and dashboards instead of copying numbers from each ad platform by hand.
2. Workamajig
Workamajig is built specifically for advertising and marketing agencies, and also sells a version for in-house teams. It combines project management, sales CRM, resourcing and traffic, and native finance and accounting, including client billing, in one platform. It suits agencies that want one system from new business through to invoicing.
3. Wrike
Wrike is a work management platform aimed at enterprises, with AI features, workflow automation and reporting. Wrike states it has been named a Leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Collaborative Work Management for four consecutive years, up to 2026. It suits agencies with many teams and complex approval chains, though smaller agencies may find it more than they need.
4. Kantata (formerly Mavenlink)
Mavenlink merged with Kimble Applications and is now Kantata Professional Services Automation; mavenlink.com redirects to Kantata. It connects scoping, resourcing, forecasting and financials so service firms can plan staff and protect margins. The original article listed project management, resource management, collaboration, business intelligence and project accounting, which remain the core of the product under its new name.
5. Metadata.io
Metadata.io is a B2B advertising platform. It says it creates audiences, landing pages, ad creatives and commercials, then runs and optimises campaigns across 12 channels with little manual set-up. It is a campaign tool rather than agency management software, best suited to agencies running paid programmes for B2B clients.
6. Scoro
Scoro is a professional services automation (PSA) platform that combines projects, resourcing and finances, and lists creative, advertising, marketing, digital and PR agencies among its target industries. As the original article said, it brings CRM-style sales, project management, reporting and billing into one place. Scoro offers a free trial and demos.
7. monday.com
monday.com is a flexible work platform with ready-made set-ups for marketing campaigns and creative work, plus dashboards, automations and integrations. It is designed to be set up without specialist help. If you need timesheets and client invoicing, check how it handles them or which integrations it offers.
8. ProofHub
ProofHub is project management and team collaboration software with tools for marketing and creative teams, including campaign management and reports. Its site says it charges no per-user fee, which can help agencies that work with many freelancers or want to invite clients into projects. The original article noted that ProofHub lets you control who can see data; check its current access controls during your trial.
9. Quantcast
Quantcast now describes itself as a demand-side platform (DSP) for programmatic advertising, with AI tools and audience data across CTV, audio, video, display, mobile and native channels. It lists agencies among the businesses it serves. Use it for buying audiences, not for running the agency itself.
10. Oracle NetSuite
NetSuite is Oracle’s cloud ERP, covering financials, billing, receivables and more. A larger agency might choose it when spreadsheets and basic accounting software can no longer handle several entities, currencies or complex billing. It is a significant implementation, so it is usually paired with a separate project or creative tool. The original article’s history of NetSuite’s role in early cloud computing has been shortened; the product itself is unchanged in purpose.
11. RoboHead
RoboHead is project management designed for in-house marketing and creative teams. Its documented features include project request forms, project planning, team management, and feedback and review tools for creative work. It suits brand-side creative departments and agencies with a high volume of design jobs.
12. Admation
Admation focuses on marketing operations for brands, agencies and creative teams. It manages briefs, approvals, tasks, resources and digital assets, and it emphasises marketing compliance. That makes it a good fit for regulated sectors where every advertisement needs a recorded approval trail.
Tools removed from our earlier list
- Brightpod: shut down on 2 August 2024, according to a notice on its website.
- GrowthBar: an SEO and AI content-writing tool rather than agency software. growthbarseo.com now redirects to SEOptimer, which says on its own site that it has acquired GrowthBar.
- AgencyHub: the agencyhub.com website now offers a paid white-label fulfilment service for agencies, not the free project management software our original article described. We could not find that original product.
An earlier version of this article also called GrowthBar “the number 1 SEO tool” and described AgencyHub as “the most complete and powerful software”. Neither claim was supported by an independent source.
Frequently asked questions
What is agency management software?
Agency management software combines the jobs an agency does every day, such as quoting, project tracking, timesheets, resourcing and client billing, so you can see whether each client and job is profitable.
Can a small agency use monday.com or ProofHub instead of agency software?
Yes. Many small agencies start with a general project tool plus separate accounting software. Moving to an agency management system makes sense when tracking time and profitability across clients becomes hard to do by hand.
What is a PSA tool?
PSA stands for professional services automation. PSA tools such as Scoro and Kantata help firms that sell people’s time to plan resources, track projects and connect delivery to finance.
Do agencies need a CRM as well?
Some agency management systems include a sales CRM, Workamajig for example. If yours does not, a separate CRM helps track new-business leads. See our guide to CRM software.
For related tools, see our guides to workflow management software and brand management software.
Product details were checked in October 2026 against each vendor’s official website. Features and plans change often, so confirm details and pricing with the vendor before you buy.
