What’s the difference between a subscription and my media budget?
What’s the difference between a subscription and my media budget?
Your subscription and your media budget serve two different purposes in Ctrl+A.
Both are necessary for running campaigns, but they cover different types of costs.
1. Subscription — Access to the Platform
Your subscription gives you access to the Ctrl+A platform and all its AI-driven marketing tools.
It’s a monthly or yearly fee depending on your selected plan (Free, Starter, Growth, or Pro).
Your subscription covers:
- Use of the Ctrl+A software and campaign automation tools
- AI text, image, and targeting generation
- Campaign setup, optimization, and reporting features
- Access for multiple users (depending on your plan)
Subscriptions do not include advertising spend.
They pay for the use of the platform — similar to other SaaS products.
2. Media Budget — The Actual Advertising Spend
Your media budget is the money used to pay for ads running on Google, Meta (Facebook & Instagram), or YouTube.
This is what funds the actual impressions, clicks, or video views your campaigns generate.
You can handle your media budget in two ways:
- Using Ctrl+A’s managed ad accounts
- You pay for your ads through your Ctrl+A credit balance.
- The system automatically manages billing and top-ups for Google and Meta.
- Using your own ad accounts
- Ads are billed directly by Google or Meta.
- Ctrl+A remains free to use, even with the Free Plan.
You only pay for approved and running campaigns — never for pending or disapproved ones.
3. Why They’re Separate
Keeping your subscription and media budget separate ensures:
- Transparency: You always know what you pay for — software use vs. ad spend.
- Flexibility: You can change or cancel your plan without affecting campaigns.
- Scalability: Your platform subscription remains stable, even if your ad spend varies.
Summary
Purpose | Paid To | Covers |
|---|---|---|
Subscription | Ctrl+A | Platform access, AI features, campaign setup & optimization |
Media Budget | Google / Meta (directly or via Ctrl+A) | Actual ad spend — impressions, clicks, and video views |
Your subscription gives you access to Ctrl+A’s AI-powered marketing tools.
Your media budget funds your ads on Google, Meta, or YouTube.
Together, they make it easy to manage and scale your marketing efforts.
Updated on: 26/10/2025
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