# Marin Software vs Skai: which do AI models recommend for paid ads, September 2026

GTM AI Recommendation Index, September 2026 Edition, Search and social advertising platforms. Zero of twelve models named Marin Software first on the direct prompt; zero named Skai. Page: https://gtm-ai-index.com/marketing/search-and-social-advertising-platforms/marin-software-vs-skai/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marin Software | 5% | #6 of 13 | 22% | 27 | 12 of 12 |
| Skai | 3% | #7 of 13 | 27% | 26 | 11 of 12 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither first, one named (first choices: Optmyzr) (alternatives: Marin Software)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: HubSpot Ads) (alternatives: AdRoll ABM, Marin Software)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: AdRoll ABM) (alternatives: Google Ads, Marcel Digital, Meta Ads, Tinuiti)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither named (first choices: Metadata.io) (alternatives: AdStage, Optmyzr)
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: neither named (first choices: Metadata.io) (alternatives: AdRoll ABM, HubSpot Ads, Influ2, Optmyzr)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: Demandbase) (alternatives: Metadata.io, Optmyzr, Pace)
- Mistral Small: neither named (first choices: Google Ads, LinkedIn Campaign Manager) (alternatives: 6sense, AdRoll ABM, Demandbase, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Microsoft Ads, StackAdapt)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Google Ads, LinkedIn Campaign Mgr) (alternatives: Acquisio, AdRoll ABM, Cometly, HubSpot Marketing Hub, Metadata.io)
- Kimi K2: neither named (first choices: Optmyzr) (alternatives: HubSpot Ads Management)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither named (first choices: Google Ads, HubSpot Marketing Hub, LinkedIn Campaign Manager) (alternatives: 6sense, AdRoll, Influ2)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither named (first choices: StackAdapt) (alternatives: AdRoll, Google Search, HubSpot Marketing Hub, LinkedIn Campaign Manager)

## What the models said about Marin Software

- "Marin Software officially approved a plan of dissolution and liquidation in April 2025. Avoid any remaining sales pitches" (Gemini 3.5 Flash, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "High costs ($2,000+/month + $15k-30k implementation), outdated tech lagging Google Ads updates" (Grok 4.1 Fast, negative prompt, hard negative)
- "Avoid ... or Marin Software ($500+/month) – these are overkill for limited budgets." (Kimi K2, budget prompt, hard negative)
- "Choose MarinOne or Skai if you manage large budgets, multiple accounts, and need strong reporting/governance." (Perplexity Sonar, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "If you are heavy on Search/PPC: Look closely at Optimizely or Marin One." (Qwen 3.7 Flash, scale prompt, first choice)
- "MarinOne | True cross-channel unification, lower enterprise entry point" (Kimi K2, scale prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Skai

- "Avoid: Enterprise platforms like Skai/Kenshoo ($95,000+/year)" (Kimi K2, budget prompt, hard negative)
- "Avoid Skai unless spend >$4M/year" (Grok 4.1 Fast, direct prompt, hard negative)
- "Mostly solid (4.0-4.7/5), but watch for steep learning curves, API lags, high fees for low-spend accounts" (Grok 4.1 Fast, negative prompt, soft negative)
- "Choose MarinOne or Skai if you manage large budgets, multiple accounts, and need strong reporting/governance." (Perplexity Sonar, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "Choose Skai to manage both retail media networks and search/social portfolios under one unified umbrella." (Gemini 3.5 Flash, comparative prompt, first choice)
- "I'd generally recommend Skai if your team wants one platform to manage both PPC and paid social" (GPT-5.4 mini, paraphrase prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all twelve models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.