A manager is one person who handles your day to day; an agency is a company offering a team and services like chatting, marketing, and management for a cut; a network is a looser group that connects creators for cross promotion and resources. They differ in scope, cost, and control. Pick by what you actually need help with, not by the title.
The three models, defined
The words get used loosely, which is how creators end up signing for something other than what they expected. Here is the plain version. A manager is usually a single person managing your operations. An agency is a company that provides a team and a bundle of services for a percentage. A network is a community or collective that connects creators, often for cross promotion and shared resources, rather than running your business. This explainer is part of the explainers hub.
| Model | Who it is | What you get | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | One individual | Hands on help running day to day operations | A percentage or fee, negotiated directly |
| Agency | A company with a team | Bundled services: chatting, marketing, management | A commission split on covered revenue |
| Network | A group or collective | Cross promotion, connections, shared resources | Membership, revenue share, or free |
Do not buy the title. Buy the specific job you need done, then see which model does it best.
Which model fits which problem
Match the model to the gap you actually have. The decision tree below is a fast way to narrow it down before you talk to anyone.
- Need a few hours of operational help and tight control? A manager, or doing it yourself, may be enough.
- Need a full team across chatting, marketing, and management, and willing to share revenue? An agency fits.
- Need reach and connections more than hands on operations? A network may serve better.
- Not sure the help pays for itself yet? Start lighter and scale up, not the reverse.
The tradeoffs that matter
More service usually means less control and a bigger cut. A manager can be flexible but is a single point of failure. An agency brings capacity but often asks for exclusivity and a meaningful split, so read exclusivity clauses explained before signing. A network gives reach without running your business, but rarely does the heavy operational lifting. Whatever the label, the contract defines the real deal, covered in agency contract clauses that matter.
What each typically costs
Costs vary widely and are negotiable. Agencies commonly take a percentage split of the revenue they help manage; managers may take a percentage or a flat fee; networks range from free to a membership or a small share. Run the math on what you keep after the split, the same way you would weigh platform fees, and judge the help by the net dollars and hours it returns. To evaluate specific agencies, use how to choose a creator agency.
This explainer is educational and is not legal or financial advice. Always have a qualified professional review any contract before you sign.
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- Manager equals one person; agency equals a company and a team; network equals a connecting group.
- More service generally means a bigger cut and less control.
- Choose by the specific job you need done, not by the title.
- The contract, not the label, defines what you are actually getting.
More in this path: the explainers hub, exclusivity clauses explained, and how agency performance is measured.