PENCIL | THE BEST AI TOOL EVER?
Experience faster and smarter ad creation with Pencil, the AI Ad Generator. Enhance your brand and streamline campaign creation effortlessly.
Our Review Rating System
We employ a 5-star rating system for all the AI tools we review to give you a comprehensive idea of the overall utility of each tool.
- Five stars: Editor’s choice
- Four stars: An excellent choice
- Three stars: Meets some of our standards
- Two stars: Doesn’t meet our standards
- One star: Not recommended
Our team of experts has awarded this AI tool an overall rating of four stars because of its exceptional user-friendliness, powerful ad creative generation capabilities, comprehensive customization options, and reliable customer support. It excels in streamlining the ad creation process, saving valuable time and resources for businesses.
The tool's ability to generate diverse ad ideas tailored to specific branding requirements, coupled with insightful analytics and predictions, sets it apart in the market. While occasional bugs are present, the tool's continuous updates and responsive support mitigate these issues effectively. Its affordability, especially with the available free trial, makes it an attractive choice for businesses seeking efficient ad design solutions.
About Pencil
Pencil is a tool that aims to revolutionize the way businesses generate advertisements. It caters to a diverse audience, from small business owners aiming to bolster their online presence to seasoned advertising professionals seeking efficiency.
Pencil’s intuitive interface and cutting-edge algorithms empower users to craft visually striking and persuasive ads tailored to specific target demographics. By simplifying the ad creation process, it allows businesses to effortlessly enhance their marketing efforts.
Whether you're a budding entrepreneur, a marketing agency, or an experienced advertiser, Pencil offers a creative edge, ensuring your ad campaigns leave a lasting impact. Dive into our review to explore its features, understand its pros and cons, and uncover alternatives, all based on our team’s hands-on experience.
Overview of Pencil
Our expert team has delved into every facet of Pencil, uncovering the tools that it has to help empower businesses to craft compelling ad concepts, optimize their strategies, and elevate their marketing performance.
Features
Ad Ideas Generation
Pencil shines with its ability to generate an impressive array of ad ideas through artificial intelligence. Leveraging your existing branding and assets, Pencil effortlessly crafts new static and video ad concepts. The process is seamless; input your branding details, and witness as Pencil generates over a million ad creatives for numerous brands.
From crafting persuasive copy to editing videos, incorporating user-generated content, and selecting templates, Pencil handles it all, delivering finished ads with minimal input. We input our own branding details to see what Pencil would produce, and we were very impressed with the quality and range of different ad creatives it returned to us.
Ads Edits
Pencil’s real-time editor is a potential game-changer for busy marketing teams prioritizing performance. This tool allows swift modifications across multiple ads, embracing the belief that performance triumphs over perfection. Pencil’s editor is intuitive and user-friendly, eliminating the complexities associated with traditional video editing tools.
With a drag-and-drop interface and a library of stickers and scenes, creating modern, channel-native social ads becomes effortless. We found the drag-and-drop interface in particular to be very helpful, allowing our team to edit ads even without extensive experience of coding or ad creation.
Strategic Benchmarks
In the realm of performance marketing, understanding the competitive landscape is paramount. Pencil utilizes AI to analyze a vast array of ads across sectors, offering users strategic benchmarks for well-informed decision-making. By comparing key metrics like CPA, ROAS, and CPC, businesses can gauge their performance against industry standards.
Additionally, Pencil offers insights into successful and unsuccessful ad topics within your sector, enabling tailored and impactful marketing strategies. We tested this feature on a number of different sectors, and found that it produced an accurate picture of whether an ad topic would be successful or not that aligned with our previous experience in these sectors.
Predictions
Pencil’s predictive capabilities are rooted in extensive data analysis. Utilizing insights from over $1 billion in ad spend, Pencil identifies ad ideas likely to perform exceptionally well within your sector. By comparing your ad concepts with top-performing ads for specific objectives, targeting parameters, and metrics, Pencil predicts winning ideas. This predictive feature empowers businesses to allocate resources wisely, focusing on ads with the highest potential for success.
Insights
Pencil’s Insights tool provides a nuanced understanding of ad performance. By analyzing audience responses, this feature uncovers which aspects of your ads resonate most effectively. It delves into product features, benefits, emphasis on branding, and the impact of visuals, guiding businesses to refine their ad strategies. Unlike complex A/B testing methods, Pencil’s Insights feature simplifies the process by identifying common components across multiple ads, offering a clear picture of past data and enabling precise adjustments for future campaigns.
Accessibility
In terms of accessibility, Pencil’s user-friendly interface ensures that both creative and marketing teams can harness the power of AI without steep learning curves. Its intuitive design allows professionals from various backgrounds to navigate the platform effortlessly, making it accessible and inclusive for all users. We tested this by asking members of our team who had no experience creating ads to try out the software, and they all found that after a little exploration, they could use the platform with ease.
In our evaluation, Pencil emerged as a beacon of innovation, revolutionizing how businesses approach advertising. Its seamless ad generation, strategic insights, and user-friendly interface make it an invaluable asset for any marketing team.
Pricing
Navigating the diverse landscape of advertising demands flexible solutions. Pencil understands this, offering meticulously crafted pricing plans designed to cater to varying business requirements. In this detailed exploration of Pencil’s pricing structures, we dissect the features and benefits each pricing plan brings to the table.
From the self-serve plan tailored for startups and freelancers to the comprehensive offerings of the full-service plan designed for enterprises, Pencil ensures that creativity knows no bounds. With enticing discounts for quarterly and annual commitments, businesses can seize the opportunity to revolutionize their advertising strategies affordably.
Self-Serve Plan
In the bustling arena of startups and freelancers, innovation and cost-efficiency are paramount. Pencil’s Self-Serve Plan offers the tools needed to craft winning ad creatives predicted by AI. At $119 per month, businesses gain access to:
- Generation of AI-driven ad creatives
- 50 exports per month (additional exports at $10 each)
- Insights, predictions, and benchmarks
- Direct channel integrations
- Chat support
This plan not only fosters creativity but also ensures a seamless workflow for startups and freelancers seeking impactful advertising solutions.
Hybrid Plan
For brands and agencies aiming for collaborative creativity, the Hybrid Plan is the ideal choice. Priced at $299 per month, this plan offers all features from the Self-Serve Plan, along with:
- Access to a shared Creative Strategist
- Ads crafted by the Creative Strategist
- Weekly brief submissions and direct communication via Slack
- 100 exports per month (additional exports at $10 each)
The Hybrid Plan bridges the gap between independent creation and expert guidance, enhancing the quality and effectiveness of ad campaigns.
Full-Service Plan
Enterprises require a unique approach to advertising, marked by unrivaled creativity and dedicated support. Pencil’s Full-Service Plan, priced at $999 and above monthly, extends the offerings of the Hybrid Plan. It includes:
- A dedicated Creative Strategist available daily
- Unlimited ad creatives crafted by the Creative Strategist
- Seamless brief submissions and constant collaboration
- Unlimited exports for comprehensive outreach
- Custom pricing options for multiple brands, accommodating diverse business portfolios
This plan exemplifies Pencil’s commitment to providing enterprises with tailored, limitless creative solutions.
Exclusive Discounts
Pencil understands the value of long-term commitments. By opting for quarterly payments, businesses save 20%, while annual commitments yield an impressive 40% discount. These offers ensure that businesses not only harness the power of Pencil but also enjoy significant cost benefits.
Pros and Cons of Pencil
Every AI tool, including Pencil, comes with its set of advantages and limitations. Let's delve into the pros and cons of Pencil, examining its features, usability, and potential challenges.
Pros
User-Friendly Interface: Pencil stands out for its intuitive interface, catering even to individuals without a design background. Its user-friendly design ensures that users can easily navigate the platform, making it accessible to a wide range of professionals, including entrepreneurs and marketers.
Efficient Design Services: One of the significant advantages of Pencil is its ability to deliver fast, accurate, and cost-efficient design services. The AI-driven platform streamlines the design process, allowing users to create compelling visuals without investing extensive time and resources.
Free Trial Offering: Pencil offers a comprehensive free trial that enables users to explore its full range of features before committing to a subscription. This trial period allows users to assess the platform's capabilities and determine if it aligns with their specific design needs.
Versatile Templates and Customization: Pencil provides a diverse selection of templates and styles catering to various design requirements. Users can choose from a wide array of pre-designed templates and further customize the content based on their brand's tone, voice, and target audience. This flexibility ensures that businesses can create tailored visuals aligned with their branding guidelines.
Cons
Occasional System Bugs: Like any software, Pencil is not entirely immune to occasional bugs that might impact its performance. Users may encounter glitches or technical issues that could disrupt their workflow, necessitating patience and technical support.
Limitations in Emulating Human Creativity: While Pencil excels in automating design tasks, it may struggle to capture the nuances and emotions inherent in human language and creativity. Consequently, the output might lack the depth and subtlety that human designers can infuse into their work. Human intervention and creative input are essential to refine the final output and ensure it resonates effectively with the target audience.
Challenges with Complex or Specialized Topics: Pencil's proficiency might diminish when handling complex or specialized topics requiring domain knowledge or expertise. In such cases, the AI may rely on existing sources or outdated information, potentially compromising the accuracy and relevance of the content generated.
Alternatives to Pencil
In the dynamic landscape of AI-driven design tools, uniqueness is a rare gem. Here, we explore alternatives to Pencil, each offering its unique blend of features and capabilities.
Creaitor AI
Creaitor AI distinguishes itself with its robust artificial intelligence, empowering users to create captivating designs effortlessly. With its user-friendly interface, it caters to diverse design needs, making it a contender in the competitive market. Creaitor AI's strength lies in its ability to generate visually appealing content swiftly, making it a reliable choice for businesses aiming for impactful visual communication.
Adcreative AI
Adcreative AI is a powerful tool tailored for marketing professionals. Its focus on generating compelling ad creatives sets it apart. The platform’s AI algorithms analyze market trends and consumer behavior, ensuring that the generated content resonates with the target audience effectively. With customizable templates and strategic insights, Adcreative AI aids businesses in crafting persuasive advertisements that drive engagement and conversions.
DesignMaster Pro
DesignMaster Pro emerges as a top choice for professionals seeking advanced design solutions. Its feature-rich platform encompasses a wide array of design tools, from intricate vector graphics to sophisticated animations.
DesignMaster Pro's strength lies in its versatility, allowing users to create intricate designs for various mediums, including print, web, and multimedia presentations. With its extensive library of assets and comprehensive editing capabilities, it stands as a go-to option for graphic designers and creative agencies.
Canva Pro
Canva Pro, a household name in the design industry, offers an extensive range of templates and design elements. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface simplifies the design process, making it accessible to users with varying skill levels.
Canva Pro’s collaborative features enhance teamwork, allowing multiple users to collaborate seamlessly on projects. The platform's vast library of stock photos, illustrations, and fonts empowers users to craft visually stunning designs tailored to their specific requirements.
While exploring these alternatives, it becomes evident that Pencil, with its user-friendly approach and unique features, remains a valuable contender in the AI design realm. Its focus on ease of use, versatile templates, and customization options ensures that users can swiftly create captivating visuals. As readers venture into the realm of AI-driven design tools, Pencil stands as a reliable choice, offering a seamless design experience that balances simplicity with creativity.
User Reviews of Pencil
When considering any tool, it's valuable to explore the experiences and opinions of users who have firsthand experience with it. Here are a few user reviews that provide insights into Pencil and its functionality:
"This is awesome! We always have issues trying to come up with creatives to use for Facebook ads (especially images). I'm still running ads that haven't been refreshed for over 2 years... Looking forward to saving tons of time and getting better results with Pencil. Pretty sure it'll perform leaps and bounds better than the visuals I currently create on Google slides too!’’ A. Lim
"Pencil has been a game changer for us - has helped us generate some of our best ever FB creative. The team kicks ass too! - Check 'em out! ’’ J. Harding
"Excellent tool and highly recommended. Chase has been a superstar in onboarding us and making sure that we squeeze out as much value as possible.’’ J. Hyatt
"I am biased. But if you are looking to systemize growing your business through performance creatives, rigorous testing and iteration, while cracking the code of your brand, then Pencil is for you. (I wanted this to exist before I was here and could never find anything near the power of Pencil)’’ C. Mohseni
"So fun to use! Still astounded that there's a platform that makes ads for you.’’ A. Afable
"This is going to reduce my stockpile of gray hair.’’ H. Robbie
Summing Up: Pencil
In our in-depth exploration of Pencil, we unveiled a versatile design tool with immense potential. Despite minor nuances, its remarkable speed, high-quality artistic output, and user-friendly interface stood out.
With a free version allowing users to test its capabilities risk-free, Pencil opens doors to creative possibilities. Don't miss the chance to elevate your designs effortlessly. Embrace the power of Pencil and transform your creative visions into stunning reality.
How We Tested Pencil
Our team of experts evaluated every facet of Pencil, ensuring a comprehensive and insightful review based on our professional findings. We approached the testing process with a critical eye, using specific criteria to assess the tool's usability, efficiency, artistic quality, pricing, and editing capabilities. Here's a breakdown of the key criteria we used as the basis for our Pencil review:
User-Friendliness: Exploring the user dashboard, we discovered a well-organized interface. However, we encountered certain editing features that were less intuitive, posing challenges for users seeking seamless design experiences. Despite these nuances, the dashboard's layout facilitated smooth navigation, catering to users with varying design proficiencies.
Speed: Pencil impressed us with its exceptional speed and responsiveness. The tool's efficiency significantly contributed to a streamlined user experience, allowing tasks to be completed swiftly and effortlessly.
Overall Quality of Art: We scrutinized the artistic output produced by Pencil. The tool consistently delivered high-quality designs, showcasing its competence in generating visually appealing and professional-grade artwork. Whether creating graphics, illustrations, or other visual content, Pencil demonstrated commendable artistic prowess.
Price: One of the noteworthy aspects of Pencil is its provision of a free version, offering users access to essential design features without financial commitment. This free option empowers users to explore the tool's capabilities before deciding on premium plans, making it an attractive choice for budget-conscious individuals and businesses.
Editing Ability: Pencil's editing capabilities underwent thorough examination, focusing on its range of tools, customization options, and editing precision. The tool's editing features proved to be versatile and user-friendly, enabling users to refine their designs with ease. From image adjustments to text modifications, Pencil demonstrated a robust editing toolkit.
Pencil FAQ
Here we'll answer some of the frequently asked questions regarding our Pencil review.