# Cometly vs Northbeam: Paid-Ad CAPI vs ML Attribution (2026)

Cometly enriches paid-ad signal with CAPI. Northbeam runs ML attribution for enterprise DTC. Here's which one fits your stack, and what both leave out.

- Canonical: https://mbuzz.co/articles/cometly-vs-northbeam
- Published: 2026-06-25
- Last updated: 2026-07-08
- Author: Holly Mehakovic, mbuzz (https://mbuzz.co)

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> **TL;DR:** <strong>Cometly</strong> ($199-5,000/mo, sales-led) enriches Meta and Google ad signal with CAPI to improve match rates and platform optimization. <strong>Northbeam</strong> ($1,500/mo and up) runs ML fractional attribution that sums to 100% of conversions, with view-through and creative analytics for enterprise DTC. Cometly fits ad-platform optimization; Northbeam fits large DTC brands wanting machine-assigned credit. Both see paid ads only, and both decide the model for you. If organic, email, and direct also drive revenue, or you want to inspect the model, neither covers it.


## The short version

Cometly and Northbeam both work on paid-ad attribution, but they solve different jobs. Cometly enriches the signal you send back to Meta and Google so the ad platforms make better optimization decisions. Northbeam assigns fractional credit across your paid media with a machine-learning model and adds view-through and creative analytics on top. Cometly is the choice when ad-platform optimization is the goal. Northbeam is the choice when you run a large DTC brand and want ML-assigned credit that sums to 100% of actual conversions.

The thing both share: they see paid ads, and they pick the model for you.

## At a glance

| Factor | Cometly | Northbeam |
|--------|---------|-----------|
| Starting price | ~$199-5,000/mo (sales-led) | $1,500/mo and up (scales with media spend) |
| Channel coverage | Paid ads (Meta, Google, TikTok) | Paid DTC media |
| Attribution method | Rule-based (4 models) | ML fractional (1 model) |
| Custom models | No | No |
| View-through | No | Yes |
| Creative analytics | No | Yes |
| CAPI enrichment | Native (Conversion Sync) | No |
| Tracking method | Client-side + CAPI | Client-side |
| Setup time | Days | 1-2 weeks |
| Best fit | Ad-platform optimization | Enterprise DTC ($40M+) |

## Where Cometly wins

### CAPI enrichment

This is Cometly's reason to exist. It improves the conversion data you feed back to Meta's Conversions API, raising match rates so the platform recognizes more of your conversions. Better match rates mean better audience building and better in-platform optimization. If most of your revenue runs through Meta and Google ads, this is a concrete lever Northbeam doesn't pull.

### AI optimization recommendations

Cometly's AI tells media buyers which campaigns to scale and which to cut, based on the attribution data it collects. For a paid-media team that wants direction rather than a dashboard to interpret, that guidance is faster to act on.

### Faster setup

Cometly is a pixel install plus platform connections, live in days. Northbeam's onboarding runs one to two weeks because the ML model needs data and configuration before its output stabilizes.

## Where Northbeam wins

### ML credit that sums to 100%

Northbeam's fractional model assigns partial credit across touchpoints so the totals reconcile to actual conversions, rather than letting every channel claim the same sale. For a brand spending heavily across several paid platforms, that reconciliation prevents the overcounting that rule-based models produce.

### View-through and creative analytics

Northbeam tracks view-through conversions and shows which specific ad creatives drive revenue. Cometly does neither. For a DTC brand testing dozens of creatives a week, creative-level attribution changes how the budget gets spent.

### Published starting price

Northbeam puts a $1,500/mo floor on the page. Cometly requires a demo before you see a number. For a team that wants to scope cost before booking a sales call, Northbeam is easier to evaluate.

*Try the interactive mbuzz demo (sample data, no signup): https://mbuzz.co/demo/dashboard*


## The pricing reality

Neither tool is cheap, and direct comparison is hard because Cometly hides its pricing.

| Scenario | Cometly (estimated) | Northbeam |
|----------|---------------------|-----------|
| Smaller DTC brand | ~$199-499/mo | $1,500/mo+ |
| Scaling brand | ~$500-1,500/mo | ~$2,500/mo |
| Enterprise DTC | ~$1,500-5,000/mo | Custom |

Cometly starts cheaper and Northbeam starts at a $1,500 floor, but they converge in the same range at scale. Cometly's cost tracks ad spend; Northbeam's tracks media spend. Model the one that matches your growth curve.

## Choose Cometly if...

- Meta and Google ads are most of your revenue and CAPI match rates matter
- You want AI to recommend which campaigns to scale or cut
- You need to be live in days, not weeks
- Ad-platform optimization is the job, not cross-channel attribution

## Choose Northbeam if...

- You run a large DTC brand ($40M+) with dedicated media buyers
- You want ML fractional credit that reconciles to actual conversions
- View-through and creative-level analytics change your budget decisions
- You can absorb a $1,500/mo floor and a one-to-two week onboarding

## The third option most teams actually need

Both tools answer "how are my paid ads doing?" Neither answers "which channels actually drive revenue?" If organic search brings 40% of your first touches and email drives a quarter of repeat revenue, Cometly and Northbeam both leave that traffic uncredited. And both decide the attribution model for you: Cometly gives you four fixed models, Northbeam gives you one ML model you can't see inside.

mbuzz takes the opposite stance. It runs eight attribution models on the same data, side-by-side, so you can see how much "this channel works" is a model choice versus a data fact. When last-touch says Google is 15% of credit and Markov says 40%, the real answer lives in the spread between them. You can fork any of the eight models and edit the logic in a SQL-like Attribution DSL. It tracks every channel, not just paid ads, and runs server-side so it captures the touchpoints ad blockers and iOS privacy hide from client-side tools. It also has no financial relationship with the ad platforms it measures, where Northbeam sits inside a Meta-sanctioned Apex partnership on the platform it grades. Pricing is published: free, $29, $99, $299 a month.

| Factor | Cometly | Northbeam | mbuzz |
|--------|---------|-----------|-------|
| Channel coverage | Paid ads | Paid DTC media | All channels |
| Attribution models | 4 fixed | 1 ML (black box) | 8 + custom DSL |
| See the model | No | No | Yes |
| Tracking | Client-side + CAPI | Client-side | Server-side |
| Pricing | Opaque | From $1,500/mo | Free / $29-299/mo |

You can [try the mbuzz demo](/demo) with sample data and no signup to see the eight models side-by-side. If you're still mapping what your stack actually needs, the free [Measurement Maturity Assessment](/measurement-maturity-assessment) scores you across six dimensions in about three minutes.

> **See the model behind every number.** mbuzz runs 8 attribution models side-by-side across every channel, not just paid ads. Compare them, edit them, own your data. Start free. [Try mbuzz Free](https://mbuzz.co/signup)


## Related comparisons

- [Cometly Alternatives](/articles/cometly-alternatives) — 7 attribution tools compared
- [Northbeam Alternatives](/articles/northbeam-alternatives) — other enterprise DTC options
- [mbuzz vs Cometly](/articles/mbuzz-vs-cometly) — all-channel vs paid-ads attribution
- [mbuzz vs Northbeam](/articles/mbuzz-vs-northbeam) — model transparency vs ML black box

## Key takeaways

- Cometly's strength is CAPI enrichment: it improves Meta match rates so the ad platforms optimize better
- Northbeam's strength is ML fractional credit that sums to 100%, plus view-through and creative analytics
- Cometly is sales-led pricing; Northbeam publishes a $1,500/mo floor that scales with media spend
- Both cover paid ads only and both run a single model you can't edit
- Teams needing organic and email attribution, or model inspection, need a different tool


## FAQ

**Is Cometly or Northbeam better for DTC?**

It depends on size and intent. Cometly suits brands focused on optimizing Meta and Google ad signal through CAPI enrichment. Northbeam suits larger DTC brands ($40M+) that want ML-assigned fractional credit, view-through tracking, and creative analytics. Smaller brands often find Northbeam's $1,500/mo floor and 1-2 week setup heavy for what they need.

**What's the price difference between Cometly and Northbeam?**

Cometly is sales-led and doesn't publish pricing; market estimates run $199 to $5,000/mo scaling with ad spend. Northbeam publishes a $1,500/mo starting point (for brands under $250K/mo in media spend) that scales with media spend and reaches around $2,500/mo at Professional, custom above that. Both require annual conversations at the higher tiers.

**Do Cometly or Northbeam track organic and email?**

Neither is built for it. Cometly tracks paid ad channels (Meta, Google, TikTok). Northbeam centers on paid DTC media with view-through. If organic search, email, and direct drive meaningful revenue, both tools leave that traffic uncredited.

**Can you see the attribution model in Cometly or Northbeam?**

Not really. Cometly offers four fixed models with no custom logic. Northbeam's ML fractional model is a black box by design; you get the output, not the formula. Tools like mbuzz expose eight models side-by-side and let you write your own in a SQL-like DSL.