Service business owners shopping for a marketing agency in 2026 keep hitting the same four names: Scorpion, Hibu, Thryv, and (increasingly) Surgent. This post compares all four — pricing, what they do, contract terms, account ownership — so you can pick the fit, not the loudest sales pitch.
Quick reference table
| Factor | Scorpion | Hibu | Thryv | Surgent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $10K–$25K | $500–$2,000+ | $1,133 (Growth) | $999–$4,000 |
| Setup fee | Custom | Varies | Varies | $500–$7,500 |
| Contract length | 12–24 months | Annual typical | Annual typical | 90 days, then m-t-m |
| Account ownership | Often agency-owned | Bundled/mixed | Bundled | Client-owned, day one |
| AI receptionist | Add-on / Connect | Not included | Not standard | $500/mo add-on |
| Time to launch | 2–4 weeks | 2–3 weeks | Varies | 48–72 hours |
| Team model | Account mgmt + specialists | Bundled | Tiered support | Direct operators |
Scorpion
Scorpion is the canonical name in home services marketing. They've been around since 2001, have deep operational maturity, and have shipped real outcomes for thousands of service businesses. Their proprietary platforms (Scorpion Connect, Ranked) are genuine technical advantages — they aren't reselling someone else's software.
Where Scorpion fits: multi-location service businesses doing $25M+ in revenue with internal marketing leadership coordinating the work. The price ($10K–$25K/mo) and contract length (12–24 months) make sense at that scale because Scorpion's tooling has compounding value with internal teams who can drive it.
Where Scorpion doesn't fit: service businesses under $10M in revenue. The math doesn't work — you'd be spending $120K–$300K/year on marketing at a revenue level where you need that capital for operations. And account ownership ambiguity means leaving Scorpion is logistically painful.
Hibu
Hibu has Yellow Pages lineage and has spent the last decade rebuilding around digital. They offer bundled marketing packages — typically a website, light Google Ads, GBP management, social — for $500–$2,000+/mo. The packaging is straightforward and gets a small service business something resembling a digital presence quickly.
Where Hibu fits: small service businesses ($500K–$2M revenue) that need a baseline digital footprint and want one vendor for everything. Setup is fast (2–3 weeks), the work is real, and the pricing is reasonable for what's included.
Where Hibu falls short: annual contracts with limited out-clauses, bundled account ownership (you don't always get clean control of the assets), and limited strategic depth at the mid-tier price point. If you outgrow the entry package, the upgrade path is steep.
Thryv
Thryv is technically a business-management software company that sells marketing services as part of the bundle. The core product is a CRM + scheduling + invoicing + payments platform. The marketing piece — Growth Plan at $1,133/mo — is a layer on top.
Where Thryv fits: solo operators and small teams that want one tool for everything. If you don't already have a CRM, scheduling system, and payment processor, Thryv consolidates all of that under one subscription. The marketing services bundled in are basic but functional.
Where Thryv doesn't fit: service businesses that already have an operational stack (Jobber, ServiceTitan, Housecall Pro) and just need marketing. You'd be paying for software you already have, and Thryv's marketing scope is light compared to dedicated agency offerings.
Surgent
Surgent is the boutique consultancy in this set. Founder-led, single accountable team, no junior account managers. Pricing lands in the same band as Hibu and Thryv ($999–$4,000/mo) but the scope and structural commitments differ.
Where Surgent fits: established service businesses doing $1M–$10M+ in revenue that want a real marketing department's worth of capability without the contract lock-in or account-ownership ambiguity of the larger agencies. Month-to-month terms after 90 days, every account in the client's name from day one, direct founder access.
Where Surgent doesn't fit: businesses that need an integrated business-management software platform (Thryv is better here), or national multi-location operators that need the scale of Scorpion's operational tooling.
Note
The single best diagnostic question
Ask every agency on your list: 'When I leave, do I keep the Google Ads account, the website, and the Google Business Profile?' Scorpion and Hibu often hesitate or qualify. Thryv's bundled model creates friction. Surgent's answer is yes, always, by design. That single answer reveals more about the structural fit than any pricing breakdown.
The honest answer
If you're a service business under $10M in revenue: Surgent is almost always the better fit over Scorpion (cost), Hibu (contract structure), and Thryv (marketing depth). The exception is if you specifically need bundled business-management software — then Thryv wins on integration even if marketing is lighter.
If you're $25M+ with internal marketing leadership: Scorpion's tooling has compounding advantages that small agencies can't match. Pay the premium.
In every case, the structural question of account ownership matters more than the price. Get a clean answer on that before you sign anything.