ApexDrop
ApexDrop is a bootstrapped, North American influencer-marketing agency founded in 2015 that runs product-sampling and gifting campaigns connecting 500+ consumer brands with an 18,000+ vetted micro-influencer network, monetizing via tiered managed-service subscriptions and a creator-side free mobile app.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersErie, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What ApexDrop does
ApexDrop is a North American managed influencer-marketing agency founded in 2015 and headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania. The company connects consumer brands in apparel, food & beverage, health & beauty, beer/wine/spirits, and consumer products with a private, vetted network of 18,000+ micro-influencers (3,000-50,000+ followers on Instagram and TikTok) through product-sampling and gifting campaigns rather than paid endorsements. Its technology stack centers on a 40-point proprietary influencer vetting algorithm, a creator-facing mobile app (iOS and Android), web-based campaign management dashboards with 45-minute review meetings, and an AI-powered UGC FTC Compliance Checker that scans images, video, and text for disclosure and authenticity violations with human-in-the-loop verification.
The company monetizes through subscription-style managed-service packages priced in 25, 50, and 100 posts-per-month tiers, executed via Activation Credits with contractual minimum and maximum usage bands. Brand-side customers include Russell Athletic, Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, Fresh Express, Corona Premier, iHome, Universal Standard, Foster Grant, Hidrate, and Funky Buddha among 500+ clients served over the firm's history. Creator-side acquisition runs on a free, mobile-app-based opt-in funnel with a 3,000-follower threshold, meaning the influencer side of the network generates no direct revenue. The agency emphasizes creative freedom — no scripts, no post censorship, no content review — in exchange for earned media and a lifetime content license for the brand.
ApexDrop is organized as ApexDrop LLC (Pennsylvania), remains founder-led by CEO and founder Zak Stahlsmith, and operates without disclosed institutional venture capital beyond an early Ben Franklin Technology Partners grant in 2016. Compliance posture covers COPPA, CalOPPA, CCPA, GDPR-aligned privacy language, and SSL-secured transactions. Recent strategic activity in 2025 includes the launch of the AI compliance checker, refreshed subscription pricing, and thought-leadership content (FTC Consumer Reviews Rule guide and a 2026 micro-influencer marketing playbook).
ApexDrop firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ApexDrop
- Legal name
- ApexDrop LLC
- Website
- https://apexdrop.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ApexDrop is a bootstrapped, North American influencer-marketing agency founded in 2015 that runs product-sampling and gifting campaigns connecting 500+ consumer brands with an 18,000+ vetted micro-influencer network, monetizing via tiered managed-service subscriptions and a creator-side free mobile app.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ApexDrop industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Influencer Marketing Services
- NAICS
- Media Buying Agencies (541830)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Influencer Gifting, Seeding & Sampling Platforms (MPACAGAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Influencer Marketing & Creator Marketplaces (BPAMALAG), Influencer & Creator Marketing (BPAFAAAG)
Keywords
Where ApexDrop is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Erie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
ApexDrop business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Managed Influencer Marketing Services: ApexDrop charges brands for full-service campaign management, including influencer discovery, vetting, outreach, coordination, product fulfillment logistics, content licensing facilitation, and reporting. The company provides subscription-based or recurring engagement plans with tiered service packages (25, 50, or 100 posts per month options).
- Campaign Activation Credits: Service packages include Activation Credits that brands use to launch campaigns. Credits are internal service credits valid during the contract term with per-campaign minimum (50) and maximum (150) usage requirements.
- Creator Network (Free for Influencers): ApexDrop is free for creators to join and use. Influencers receive free product gifts from brands in exchange for optional honest reviews. The company monetizes through brand clients, not influencers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | 25 Posts/Month Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | 50 Posts/Month Plan |
| Subscription | Monthly | 100 Posts/Month Plan |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free Creator Membership |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
ApexDrop product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ApexDrop is a managed influencer marketing agency that connects consumer brands in North America with a vetted network of 18,000+ micro- and nano-influencers (3,000–50,000+ followers) on Instagram and TikTok through product sampling (gifting) campaigns rather than paid posts. Brands provide products; ApexDrop handles influencer sourcing, vetting, outreach, campaign coordination, product fulfillment, content licensing facilitation, and reporting through subscription-based managed service plans (25, 50, or 100 posts/month). Creators join free via the iOS/Android mobile app, browse collaborations, request to join, and produce authentic content that brands receive lifetime license to repurpose.
Product overview
ApexDrop is a North American micro-influencer marketing agency founded in 2015 that operates primarily as a product sampling and user-generated content platform. The core offering is the Micro Influencer Gifting Platform, which connects consumer brands with a vetted network of 18,000+ micro-influencers (3,000-50,000+ followers on Instagram and TikTok) through product sampling campaigns rather than paid posts. The platform is accessible via the ApexDrop Mobile App (iOS/Android) and web dashboard. Supporting products include The Drop Method (proprietary campaign methodology with structured kickoff, preview, and analytics phases), Fully Managed Influencer Gifting Plans (subscription packages with activation credits), and the FTC Compliance Checker (AI-powered UGC compliance tool). The company serves brands across industries including apparel, food & beverage, health & beauty, beer/wine/spirits, and consumer products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Micro Influencer Gifting Platform Core managed service that connects consumer brands in North America with a vetted network of 18,000+ micro-influencers (3,000-50,000+ followers) on Instagram and TikTok through product sampling campaigns. ApexDrop handles influencer discovery, vetting, outreach, campaign coordination, product fulfillment, content licensing facilitation, and reporting for brand clients.
- ApexDrop Mobile App Free iOS and Android application that allows content creators to discover brand collaboration opportunities, apply to campaigns, receive product shipments, and manage their ApexDrop partnerships entirely from their phone. Targets influencers with at least 3,000 Instagram or TikTok followers.
- FTC Compliance Checker Standalone AI-powered tool combined with human expert review that analyzes user-generated content (photos and videos) for FTC compliance violations including missing disclosures, misleading claims, manipulated content, and AI-generated UGC. Delivers detailed compliance reports to help brands avoid regulatory fines.
Quantifiable outcome
- 10X Instagram engagement increase for Corona Premier campaign over 6 months
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use ApexDrop
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
ApexDrop technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
ApexDrop partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered client and flagship.
- Fresh ExpressclientFresh Express is a major produce brand that has worked with ApexDrop for influencer marketing campaigns. ApexDrop's About page explicitly mentions Fresh Express as a client alongside other internationally recognized companies.
- Russell AthleticclientRussell Athletic partnered with ApexDrop for product seeding campaigns to connect with true brand ambassadors and collect diverse, creative user-generated content showcasing their apparel products.
- StarbucksclientStarbucks is listed as one of the internationally recognized companies ApexDrop has worked with since founding in 2015.
- Ulta BeautyclientUlta Beauty is named as an internationally recognized client company that ApexDrop has helped reach new heights through authentic influencer marketing.
- CoronaflagshipCorona Premier ran a flagship campaign with ApexDrop centered around virtual tastings. The campaign engaged 300 product testers, achieved 10X engagement increase on Instagram, 5.5M follower reach, and 914 earned media posts. Featured as a major case study on ApexDrop's website.
- iHomeclientiHome partnered with ApexDrop for an influencer campaign featuring 100 micro-influencers promoting vanity mirrors, salt lamps, Google speakers, and Alexa speakers. Generated 117 posts with 4.47% engagement rate.
- Funky BuddhaclientFunky Buddha, a regional craft beer brand, worked with ApexDrop to maximize efficiency with micro-influencers and reach right content creators and consumers to drive awareness and engagement.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ApexDrop competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Grin: Grin is a creator marketing platform purpose-built for gifting and seeding campaigns at scale, directly competing with ApexDrop's core micro-influencer gifting offering for consumer and e-commerce brands.
- Aspire (formerly AspireIQ): Aspire operates a creator marketplace and managed services platform for influencer campaigns, overlapping directly with ApexDrop's brand-side workflow, vetting, and content licensing capabilities.
- CreatorIQ: CreatorIQ is an enterprise influencer marketing platform with creator discovery, workflow, and analytics, competing for the same enterprise CPG and consumer brand budgets as ApexDrop's managed services.
- Upfluence: Upfluence provides an influencer search, outreach, and gifting platform used by consumer brands, closely matching ApexDrop's combination of creator database, outreach automation, and product seeding workflow.
- Later (Mavrck): Later, following its acquisition of Mavrck, offers an influencer marketing platform with creator marketplace and analytics, serving the same consumer brand customer base as ApexDrop.
- Traackr: Traackr is an influencer marketing platform focused on creator discovery, vetting, and campaign analytics for global brands, overlapping with ApexDrop's vetting-driven, analytics-supported service.
- Influencer.com: Influencer.com operates a managed influencer marketing agency and tech platform connecting brands with creators, directly comparable to ApexDrop's agency-plus-platform model.
- Open Influence: Open Influence is a global influencer marketing agency and platform that runs data-driven creator campaigns for consumer brands, paralleling ApexDrop's managed service approach.
- Tagger Media (Sprout Social): Tagger, now part of Sprout Social, provides influencer discovery and campaign analytics used by consumer brands, addressing the same vetting and analytics layer that powers ApexDrop's 40-point algorithm.
Broad incumbents
- IZEA Worldwide: IZEA is a publicly traded influencer marketing company offering managed services and a creator marketplace, competing in the same space as ApexDrop but with broader offerings including paid sponsorships and content licensing.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ApexDrop social profiles
Digital presenceApexDrop compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
ApexDrop financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ApexDrop leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ApexDrop funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ApexDrop M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ApexDrop
What does ApexDrop do?
ApexDrop is a managed influencer marketing agency that connects consumer brands in North America with a vetted network of 18,000+ micro- and nano-influencers (3,000–50,000+ followers) on Instagram and TikTok through product sampling (gifting) campaigns rather than paid posts. Brands provide products; ApexDrop handles influencer sourcing, vetting, outreach, campaign coordination, product fulfillment, content licensing facilitation, and reporting through subscription-based managed service plans (25, 50, or 100 posts/month). Creators join free via the iOS/Android mobile app, browse collaborations, request to join, and produce authentic content that brands receive lifetime license to repurpose.
Is ApexDrop a public or private company?
ApexDrop is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ApexDrop founded?
ApexDrop was founded in 2015. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ApexDrop based?
ApexDrop is headquartered in Erie, United States, in the North America region.
How does ApexDrop make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Managed Influencer Marketing Services are the primary driver. The others are campaign Activation Credits and creator Network (Free for Influencers).
Who are ApexDrop's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Grin, Aspire (formerly AspireIQ), CreatorIQ, Upfluence, Later (Mavrck), Traackr, Influencer.com, Open Influence and Tagger Media (Sprout Social). IZEA Worldwide is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does ApexDrop have an API?
No public API is recorded for ApexDrop.
What industry is ApexDrop in?
ApexDrop's product category is Influencer Marketing Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAGAL, Influencer Gifting, Seeding & Sampling Platforms, with a secondary code of BPAMALAG, Influencer Marketing & Creator Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 541830 and its SIC code is 7311.