Foreplay vs MagicBrief: which one should you pick?
A head-to-head read on two tools that show up on the same shortlist. Capability matrix, pricing, scores, and the buyer profile each one is actually built for.
Foreplay
The category-defining swipe-file tool for performance creative teams - Meta + TikTok library, Chrome extension, briefs.
MagicBrief
Australian-built swipe-file tool with the strongest brief-building workflow and tight Figma + Slack ergonomics.
The honest framing
Most buyers narrow this category to two tools and stall. The honest framing: Foreplay and MagicBriefaren't interchangeable - they're built for slightly different buyer profiles. Pick by who you are, not by feature counts.
Toggle the pill above the title between the three views to see the same data through different lenses.
Head-to-head
Capability matrix
The capabilities that actually differentiate in week-one usage.
| Capability | Foreplay | MagicBrief |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome extension | Yes | Yes |
| Brief builder | Yes | Yes |
| AI / semantic search | Yes | Yes |
| AI auto-tagging | Yes | Yes |
| AI ad generation | No | No |
| Brand tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Team workspaces | Yes | Yes |
| Creative analytics | No | No |
| Meta library | Yes | Yes |
| TikTok library | Yes | Yes |
| LinkedIn library | No | No |
| Free tier | From $49/mo | From $39/mo |
Scores
Evidence-weighted scores side-by-side
Foreplay dots on the left, MagicBrief on the right.
Pricing
What each costs at the entry tier
From $49/mo
- $49/mo
Inspiration
Solo creative strategist - Discovery + Swipe File + Chrome ext.
- $99/mo
Brands
Team plan - brand tracking, collaborative boards, briefs.
- $249/mo
Agencies
Multi-brand workspaces, unlimited seats, white-label briefs.
From $39/mo
- $39/mo
Pro
Solo strategist - inspiration + briefs.
- $119/mo
Team
Up to 5 seats, brand tracking, shared boards.
- $299/mo
Agency
Unlimited seats, multi-brand, white-label.
Pick a side
Which one fits which buyer
Match yourself to a row. The answer is rarely 'both' in week one.
- Creative strategists at growth agencies and DTC brands.
- Teams that already have a brief-driven creative process.
- Operators who need to clip and tag ads on the fly via Chrome.
Trade-off vs MagicBrief: No free tier - $49/mo entry blocks earlier-stage solo creators.
- Performance creative agencies running multi-brand workflows.
- Teams that want a brief-first product, not a feed-first product.
- Designers who live in Figma and need swipe files to plug in.
Trade-off vs Foreplay: Smaller community and library than Foreplay.
Both Foreplay and MagicBrief help you find ads. Neither makes them.
Most sophisticated teams pair one of these with a production tool. Shuttergen is the production half - it turns a single proven concept into 25 brand-safe variants, anchored to your starting image. Whichever side of this comparison you pick, the next step is the same.
Sources
What we read to build this
Pick the swipe file. Then ship the variants.
Shuttergen turns one concept into 25 brand-safe cuts. Hours, not weeks.
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