In Spain these two purchases get confused daily, and the confusion costs money and the occasional legal headache. They do not buy the same thing, they are not priced the same way, and they do not solve the same problem.

What you buy in each case

In influencer marketing you buy reach. You pay for the content to reach that person's followers. The value is in who watches, not in the file.

In UGC you buy a file and the right to use it. The creator may have two hundred followers: it does not matter, because the video runs on your channels and in your ads.

What changes in the price

An influencer charges for audience, so the price rises with follower count. A UGC creator charges for work and rights, so it rises with the number of videos, variants and licence duration. For the same budget, a Spanish brand usually gets one post or six videos usable for months.

Who adds the ad disclosure

This is the point that causes the most trouble in Spain. If the influencer posts on their profile, they are the one identifying the content as advertising. If the video runs as an ad from your account, the obligation is yours as the advertiser. The classic mistake is taking an undisclosed post and turning it into an ad: both sides end up exposed.

Which to choose

  • Awareness, a launch, entering a specific community → influencer.
  • Selling, testing messages, feeding ads, filling product pages → UGC.
  • Both, if budget allows: reach brings the first audience, UGC converts it repeatably.

Where to start

If you have never bought either, start with UGC. It costs less, produces several test variants, and tells you which message works before you pay for reach.

Keep reading

Find UGC creators in Spain →

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a creator with many followers?

For UGC no, for influencer yes.

Can I use the post as an ad?

Only if you bought the rights.

Which costs less?

UGC, in volume of content per budget.

Where should I start?

With UGC.

Sources

Checked on 27 August 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.