Builds the whole ad, not a clip
Brief it once and the Solid Agent writes the concept, picks the takes, writes the script, adds the voice and assembles a finished, editable ad.
Solid vs Pencil: which is better for video ads?
An honest, side-by-side comparison of Solid and Pencil on features, pricing and fit.
Quick comparison
Solid vs Pencil: For video ads that look like your brand, Solid is the stronger choice. Both use AI agents and generative models, but the Solid Agent works on your real footage and creators, comes with a full editor and team review, and generates only what is missing. Pick Pencil for generation-first creative launched straight into your ad accounts.
What is Solid?
Solid is the AI creative engine for brands and their agencies. Its agent turns a brand’s own footage, voice and best ads into finished video ads for Meta, TikTok and YouTube. It starts from your real footage and creators, and its AI Video Generator fills only the shots that are missing. Every step stays editable: script, voice, scenes and the final cut.
What is Pencil?
Pencil is an AI ad generation platform. Its AI agents generate text, images, video and ad creatives, give performance predictions and scores, and can launch and track ads on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Google Display, DV360 and LinkedIn. Plans are billed by generations.
trypencil.com ↗How Solid works
Real footage first, generation built in
Solid is not only a generator. It cuts your real footage into ads and generates what is missing.
Real footage first
Solid edits the video you already have
- Every upload cut into scenes, described and transcribed
- The agent picks your best takes and cuts them in order
- Edit by text or on a multi-track timeline
- Your creators, products and voice, not synthetic stand-ins
Generation built in
And generates what is missing
- All major video models, including Veo and Seedance
- All major image models, including Nano Banana 2, FLUX and Seedream
- Your own scenes as references, so shots match
- AI voices and brand voice cloning
The Solid Agent
The AI ad agent that does the whole job
Other tools generate assets. The Solid Agent runs the production end to end, on your own footage and brand.
Works on your real footage
It searches every scene, transcript and person in your library and cuts your best takes in order. Generation only fills the gaps.
Knows your brand
It reads your Brand Hub, video guidelines and House Rules before every script, and remembers what you teach it.
Asks before it builds
It proposes concepts and recommends one, so you steer the idea before anything is rendered.
Edits by conversation
Rewrite a line, add hooks, swap a clip or restyle captions by typing. Every hook, body and CTA combination stays editable.
Closes the review loop
It summarizes reviewer comments, works the feedback in and translates approved ads for every market in one request.
AI-native, never hardcoded
The Solid Agent does the work. You can change every step.
Solid is a fully AI-native creative engine: the Solid Agent runs the whole production in a chat. Nothing is locked. Open any step and adjust it by hand, down to the frame in the video editor.
Concept
The Solid Agent
Proposes concepts for your brief and recommends one.
You can change
Pick one, combine them or write your own.
Script
The Solid Agent
Writes the script, hooks and CTA in your brand tone.
You can change
Edit every line, hook and call to action.
Voice
The Solid Agent
Voices the script with your brand voice or an AI voice.
You can change
Swap the voice, change the pacing or use your own recording.
Scenes and cut
The Solid Agent
Picks your best takes and cuts them in order.
You can change
Swap clips and trim by text or on the multi-track timeline.
Captions and formats
The Solid Agent
Styles captions and exports every format and language.
You can change
Restyle, move and fine-tune everything before export.
Key differences
What sets Solid and Pencil apart
- Raw material
- SolidYour real footage and creators, cut by AI
- PencilGenerated text, images and video
- Generation
- SolidAll major video and image models, built in
- PencilAI agents across models and modalities, Veo mentioned
- After the ad
- SolidReview on the frame, export in every format and language
- PencilLaunch and track ads, performance predictions and scores
- Brand and teams
- SolidBrand Hub, workspace per brand, guest review links
- PencilWorkspaces, unlimited on Growth
- Buying
- SolidSelf-serve by card via Stripe, from €299 a month
- PencilFrom $14 a month, billed by generations
Feature by feature
Solid vs Pencil, side by side
| Feature | Pencil | |
|---|---|---|
| Real footage, cut by AI | ||
| Ads cut from your own footage | YesScene detection, A-roll and B-roll sorting, the agent cuts your takes in order | Not documented |
| Generation, built in | ||
| AI agent that builds the whole ad | YesSolid Agent: concept, scenes, script, voice and edit | YesAI Agents for text, images, video and ads |
| Generative video and images | YesAll major video and image models, including Veo, Seedance, Nano Banana 2, FLUX and Seedream; your scenes as references | YesAcross models and modalities |
| Hook, body and CTA variants | YesEvery combination becomes its own editable ad | PartialBulk generation from feeds on Pro |
| Brand | ||
| Brand guidelines the AI follows | YesBrand Hub, drafted from your website, plus video guidelines and House Rules | PartialBrand workspaces |
| Workspace per brand or client | YesMultiple workspaces under one billing account | YesUnlimited workspaces on Growth |
| Review and export | ||
| Client review links without an account | YesGuest links, reviewers can never edit | Not documented |
| Integrations and trust | ||
| EU hosting, GDPR DPA and SSO | YesGerman company, EU hosting, SSO on Enterprise | PartialRole access controls on Pro |
| Buying | ||
| Self-serve checkout by card | YesPay by card through Stripe, invoice on Enterprise | Yes |
Based on publicly available information. “Not documented” means we could not find it in Pencil’s public material.
Honest assessment
Where each tool excels, and where it falls short
Where Solid excels
- Ads cut from your real footage and creators
- Full editor: text editing, timeline, voices, captions, safe zones
- Generation built in for every missing shot
- Team and client review on the frame
- Translation of voice, captions and on-screen text
- EU hosting, GDPR and C2PA
Where Pencil excels
- Generation-first creative across text, images and video
- Launch and track ads on seven ad platforms
- Performance predictions and scores
- Low entry price
- Unlimited workspaces on Growth
Where Solid falls short
- No direct ad launch or performance predictions
- Higher entry price
Where Pencil falls short
- Ads are generated rather than cut from your own creators
- Video editing of your own footage not documented
- Review and translation workflow not documented
- Many plan features listed as coming soon
Pricing
Solid vs Pencil pricing
Solid
Self-serve plans by brands and ads per month, pay by card through Stripe.
- Starter
- €299 / month
- 1 brand, about 15 ads a month
- Grow
- €999 / month
- Up to 3 brands, about 75 ads a month
- Scale
- €1,999 / month
- Up to 10 brands, about 150 ads a month
- Enterprise
- Custom
- 250 to 1,000+ ads a month
Pencil
Billed by generations per month.
- Core
- $14 / month
- $11 billed yearly, 50 generations, 1 workspace
- Growth
- $55 / month
- $44 billed yearly, 250 generations, unlimited workspaces
- Pro
- Custom
- Unlimited generations, users and brands
Prices from the Pencil pricing page.
Sources: Pencil pricing page. Prices verified 28 October 2026; always check current prices with each provider.
The verdict
Choose Solid or Pencil?
Choose Solid if
- You have footage, creators and past winning ads
- You want real people in your ads, with generation for the gaps
- You need a full editor and team review
- You localize ads for several markets
- You want EU hosting and a GDPR DPA
Choose Pencil if
- You want generation-first ad creative
- You want to launch and track ads from the same tool
- You want performance predictions
- You want a low-cost start
Bottom line: Pencil starts from AI agents that generate ad creatives. Solid starts from your brand, and the Solid Agent turns it into finished ads. For performance video ads, that is the stronger foundation.
FAQs
Solid vs Pencil: common questions
Anything else? We’re happy to walk you through Solid with your own footage.
Book a demoIs Solid or Pencil better for video ads?
Solid is better when you want ads cut from your own footage and creators, with generation for missing shots and team review. Pencil is better for generation-first creative with ad launch and predictions.
Does Solid generate ads like Pencil?
Yes, Solid has all major video and image models built in. Its focus is cutting your real footage into ads and generating only what is missing.
How does Pencil pricing compare to Solid?
Pencil starts at $14 a month for 50 generations. Solid starts at €299 a month for one brand and about 15 finished ads, self-serve by card.
Can Solid launch ads like Pencil?
No. Solid exports finished ads in every format; you launch them in Meta, TikTok or YouTube as usual.
Can I edit what the Solid Agent makes?
Yes, every step. The Solid Agent does the work in a chat, but nothing is hardcoded: you can change the concept, rewrite the script, swap the voice, replace scenes and fine-tune the final cut in the video editor, by text or on the timeline.
Keep reading
Related pages
Solid is the AI creative engine for brands and their agencies. Its agent turns a brand’s own footage, creators and best ads into finished video ads for Meta, TikTok and YouTube, and generates only the shots that are missing.
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See the difference with your own footage
See what Solid makes from your own footage. Tell us about your team and we’ll set you up.