Compare Amazon PPC software prices using the billable spend definition and the work included, not the headline monthly fee. A percentage fee can apply to all connected or managed profiles rather than only the campaigns you actively optimize. Read the current contract before estimating cost.

Four common quote structures

Model	Cost calculation	Question to resolve
Fixed subscription	Monthly fee plus add-ons	Which accounts, users and marketplaces are included?
Percentage of spend	Billable ad spend × rate	What counts as billable spend, and is there a minimum?
Tiered fee	Fee for the applicable spend or feature tier	Does crossing a threshold reprice the whole month?
Hybrid	Base fee plus variable charges	Which charges stack, and which replace each other?

These are pricing structures, not current prices for named products. Billing currencies, taxes, annual commitments and cancellation terms can materially change the comparison.

Work through the same spend scenarios

Hypothetical quotes: A costs £300 per month. B costs 2% of billable spend with a £100 minimum. C costs £150 plus 1% of billable spend. Assume the same billable scope, no taxes or add-ons, and monthly billing.

Monthly billable spend	A	B	C
£5,000	£300	£100	£200
£15,000	£300	£300	£300
£30,000	£300	£600	£450

All three meet at £15,000 under these assumptions. This is fee arithmetic, not a recommendation: a more expensive tool could include work that the cheaper option leaves to your team.

Include operating time and transition costs

Add internal review hours, setup fees, data migration, training and overlapping subscriptions. If one option requires 5 extra hours per month at your assumed £40 hourly cost, add £200 to its comparison. Keep this assumed labour value visible; saved time is not automatically a cash saving.

To evaluate profit payback, use a consistent sales basis. If attributed sales stay at £10,000 and ad spend falls from £3,000 to £2,700, ACoS falls from 30% to 27% and £300 less is spent. That could cover a £300 software fee before other changes. It does not show that the software caused the saving or that sales would remain unchanged.

Ask for the billable scope in writing

For a concrete example of why scope matters, Helium 10's current help page explains that fees depend on the subscription and managed accounts or marketplaces. Check the current page and your agreement rather than relying on an old Adtomic price remembered from a review. Helium 10 Ads pricing definition (reviewed 8 September 2026).

Ask each supplier whether paused campaigns, multiple currencies, refunded ad charges, inactive connected profiles and overspend are included. Also ask when fees stop after disconnecting.

Copyable quote worksheet

This is tab-separated text for a spreadsheet, not a provider import file.

Provider	Base_fee	Variable_rate	Billable_scope	Minimum	Setup_fee	Internal_hours	Cancellation_notice
Candidate_A	enter	enter	confirm_in_writing	enter	enter	estimate	confirm

Compare a normal month and your peak-season month. For annual contracts, calculate the full commitment rather than multiplying a promotional first-month price.

Which model is cheapest?

It depends on spend, features and labour. Request quotes for the same scope, then test whether the service supplies the controls you need. Use the tool selection guide for that evaluation and the migration checklist before switching.

Related Arctavia resources

Use these supporting pages to compare Amazon PPC operating models and implementation choices.

• Amazon Ad Rejections: Check Claims, Images and Destinations
• Amazon Ads ACoS Suddenly Increased: What to Check First
• Amazon Ads ML Bid Review: Guardrails Before Aggression
• Amazon PPC Automation: Data, Decisions and Operating Controls
• Amazon PPC Automation Migration Checklist
• Amazon PPC Automation vs Agency: Which Operating Model Fits Better?