Influencer marketing company Endlss has launched a freemium version of its influencer management platform as brands prepare for a potentially constrained holiday shopping season, eliminating upfront costs for direct-to-consumer marketers seeking to leverage creator partnerships.

The timing aligns with data showing 43% of consumers plan to begin holiday shopping by September, a 13% year-over-year increase, according to recent research from LTK.

“Influencer partnerships are no longer optional for D2C (Direct to Consumer) brands; they’re essential for growth in a market where acquisition costs are rising and consumer trust is declining,” David Abbey, co-founder and CEO of Endlss, said in a press release.

The San Francisco-based company enables brands to manage creator discovery, recruitment, personalized outreach, and automated gifting workflows without limitations or hidden fees, positioning itself as an alternative to more expensive influencer marketing solutions.

Performance Metrics Show Lower Customer Acquisition Costs

Initial programs using Endlss report customer acquisition costs reduced by up to 61%, with brands running affiliate programs seeing cost-per-click rates as low as $0.05, according to company data. Paid plan customers report return on investment as high as 14 times when prioritizing creator authenticity over reach metrics.

The platform focuses on micro-influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers, who outperform nano-influencers by 45% while maintaining higher engagement and conversion rates than larger creators. Performance data indicates influencers aged 18 to 24 deliver approximately 48% stronger results than older demographics.

Consumer Trust in Creators Grows

The launch comes as creator influence on purchasing decisions continues to strengthen. According to LTK’s survey of 1,034 U.S. participants, 77% of consumers now trust creators primarily for their honest reviews, with creator trust increasing 34% year-over-year.

Approximately 70% of the general population now makes purchases based on creator recommendations, a 21% increase from the previous year. Gen Z and Millennials identify creators as their most trusted source for holiday purchase guidance, outranking traditional advertising channels.

Platform Features Support Growing Creator Economy

Endlss provides automated workflows for discovery, messaging, influencer tiers, commission management, and user generated content agreements. The company positions these features as enabling small and emerging brands to execute campaigns comparable to enterprise programs without equivalent resources.

“Whether starting on our Freemium Plan or migrating from an expensive legacy tool, the result is the same: stronger ROI (Return on Investment), lower CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost), and better engagement, at a fraction of the cost,” Abbey said.

As brands’ programs expand, they can upgrade to accommodate larger rosters of active influencers, ambassadors, and affiliates. The freemium offering becomes the entry point to the broader Endlss platform, which includes Endlss Copilot for campaign lifecycle management and an Agreements product for contracting.

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