Skip to content

The Top 15 Performance Marketing Agencies in the UK

The Top 15 Performance Marketing Agencies in the UK

Performance marketing in 2026 is less about “more traffic” and more about better decisioning: what to fund, what to stop, and how to prove impact with data. The agencies below were selected because they show consistent signals across delivery, measurement, and market credibility - not because they have the loudest positioning.
Byron Tassoni-Resch

February 23, 2026

Reading time: 14 minutes

Disclosure: this list was compiled by WeDiscover using publicly available information. We appear in the ranking. Figures and ratings change over time – treat them as directional and validate directly.

Key Takeaways

  • The best agencies now look like hybrids: paid media + analytics + experimentation (and, increasingly, engineering).
  • “Full service” is not automatically better; many strong agencies win by being narrow and deep (e.g. paid media + CRO, or search + digital PR).
  • If you care about profitability, ask how they handle incrementality, attribution limits, creative testing, and budget governance — not just channel tactics.
  • For AI-led search discovery, the differentiators are often technical foundations (measurement, feed quality, structured content, and experimentation cadence).

Our Evaluation Framework

We analysed firms against five key pillars of excellence, using publicly available data to identify those that consistently demonstrate superior performance, market leadership, and a proven track record of success. Here are the specific criteria that shaped our 2026 list:

  1. Client Calibre and Portfolio: An agency is known by the company it keeps. A strong portfolio featuring well-known brands, high-growth companies, and long-term partnerships is a powerful indicator of trust, experience, and the ability to navigate complex, large-scale campaigns successfully.
  2. Employee Growth & Momentum: An agency’s growth trajectory is a vital sign of its current health and market demand. We analysed year-over-year employee growth as a key indicator of momentum, successful client acquisition, and an agency’s ability to attract and retain top talent in a competitive industry.
  3. Thought Leadership & Market Influence: Leading agencies do more than just participate in the market; they help shape it. We looked for firms that actively contribute to the industry through insightful research, expert commentary, and educational content. This demonstrates a deep, forward-thinking expertise that benefits both their clients and the wider digital ecosystem.
  4. Verifiable Case Studies & Quantifiable Results: Promises are easy to make; proof is what matters. We scrutinised agency case studies for transparent, quantifiable evidence of success. This includes specific data on improved Return On Investment (ROI), revenue growth, lead generation, and lower Cost Per Acquisition (CPA). Agencies that openly showcase their results demonstrate confidence and accountability.
  5. Recent Industry Awards & Recognition (2023-2025): We gave significant weight to recent accolades from prestigious bodies like the UK Search Awards, The Drum Awards for Digital Industries, and the Performance Marketing Awards. These honours serve as impartial, third-party validation of an agency’s ability to deliver innovative, best-in-class work that is recognised by its peers.
    The agencies that consistently scored highly across these five pillars are the ones that earned a place in our definitive 2026 ranking.

 

The top performance marketing agencies for 2026:

  1. WeDiscover
  2. Impression
  3. Croud
  4. Journey Further
  5. Hallam
  6. Propellernet
  7. Brave Bison
  8. Bind Media
  9. Bark.London
  10. Precis Digital
  11. StrategiQ
  12. Cedarwood Digital
  13. Vervaunt
  14. MRS Digital
  15. Crafted

1. WeDiscover

Topping the list, London-based WeDiscover embodies the “agency as a tech company” ethos. The firm moves beyond running campaigns by building bespoke data infrastructure and automation engines for clients like Domino’s Pizza and New Look. The proposition is typically a blend of paid media execution with data engineering – building pipelines, creative automation, decisioning layers, and tooling that help teams make better budget and bidding choices. All alongside a range of proprietary technologies that they have developed.

It’s most relevant if you want a partner that can take ownership of the data foundations (tracking, data quality, modelling, experimentation set-up) as well as day-to-day delivery.

  • HQ: London
  • Headcount: ~60
  • 2-Year Growth: 115%
  • Key Awards: Best PPC Agency in Europe (2024), Global Search Awards (2024), Deloitte UK Technology Fast 50, Financial Times 1000 (2026)
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner, Microsoft Elite Partner, Meta Business Partner
  • Glassdoor: 5/5 (100% CEO Approval)

2. Impression

Impression is a scaled independent agency with a strong reputation for combining performance delivery with structured experimentation. Their messaging leans heavily into turning evidence into action – a useful signal for buyers who want a partner that can explain decisions clearly and iterate with discipline.

  • HQ: Nottingham
  • Headcount: ~110
  • 2-Year Growth: 22%
  • Key Awards: European Search Awards (Best Large Integrated Agency), Performance Marketing Awards (Independent Agency of the Year), B Corp Company of the Year
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner, Meta Business Partner
  • Glassdoor: 4.8/5 (98% CEO Approval)

3. Croud

Croud’s unique model, combining a core in-house team with a global network of 2,400+ freelance “Croudies,” gives it unparalleled scale and flexibility. The model combines an in-house core with a large global network, which can be attractive if you need coverage across markets, languages, and specialist functions without building a large internal team.

  • HQ: London
  • Headcount: ~600
  • 2-Year Growth: 5%
  • Key Awards: Sunday Times’ Best Places to Work (2024), Campaign’s Best Places to Work (2024), Performance Marketing Employer of the Year
  • Partner Status: Google Marketing Platform & Cloud Platform Sales Partner
  • Glassdoor: 3.7/5 (70% CEO Approval)

4. Journey Further

This Leeds-based agency has built its entire model on a disruptive principle: “Clarity at Speed.” By removing traditional account managers, they give clients like Sky and Dr. Martens direct access to senior specialists. For some clients, that can improve speed and reduce the “telephone game” that happens when strategy and execution are separated.

  • HQ: Leeds
  • Headcount: ~180
  • 2-Year Growth: -5%
  • Key Awards: Named UK’s #1 company for employee wellbeing
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner (Marketing Platform & Cloud Platform), Google Cloud Data Analytics Specialisation
  • Glassdoor: 3.9/5 (82% CEO Approval)

5. Hallam

Hallam is one of the longer-established agencies in the list, and typically presents as a well-rounded digital partner across performance and organic disciplines. That longevity can be useful if you want process maturity and a stable operating cadence.

They have award recognition across campaigns and search, and a broad enough capability set to support integrated roadmaps (SEO, PPC, CRO, and web experience)

  • HQ: Nottingham
  • Headcount: ~60
  • 2-Year Growth: -10%
  • Key Awards: Marketing Week’s ‘Best Campaign of 2024’, Winner at Global Search Awards (2024), Winner at European Search Awards (2024)
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner, Meta Business Partner
  • Glassdoor: 4.2/5 (80% CEO Approval)

6. Propellernet

Propellernet has a distinct product and innovation history (including well-known tooling in the wider marketing ecosystem). That tends to correlate with teams that understand how marketers actually work day-to-day — not just how to run campaigns.

They also lean into emerging areas such as generative search visibility and AI-related consultancy, which is increasingly relevant for brands thinking beyond classic SEO.

  • HQ: Brighton
  • Headcount: ~55
  • 2-Year Growth: 12%
  • Key Awards: Campaign’s Best Places To Work (2024), European Search Awards Winner
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner
  • Glassdoor: 5/5 (100% CEO Approval)

7. Brave Bison

Brave Bison has expanded through acquisitions and has shaped itself into a broader media group spanning social, performance, and commerce. If you need a partner that can connect platform-native creative with performance distribution, this type of operating model can work well.

It can be especially relevant where the constraint is not “media buying” but producing enough effective creative and iterating quickly.

  • HQ: London
  • Headcount: ~209
  • 2-Year Growth: -12%
  • Key Awards: Alokai’s Partner of the Year (2023), Performance Marketing Awards Finalist (2024)
  • Partner Status: Google Partner, Meta Business Partner
  • Glassdoor: 3.4/5 (55% CEO Approval)

8. Bind Media

Bind Media is a specialist paid media agency with a clear point of view: focus on a small number of things and do them well. They pair performance delivery with CRO and creative thinking, which is often where incremental gains come from once accounts reach maturity.

They’ve also built a strong reputation as an employer, which often supports retention and consistency on accounts.

  • HQ: Bath
  • Headcount: ~28
  • 2-Year Growth: 22%
  • Key Awards: Campaign’s #1 Best Place to Work (2024), Small Paid Media Agency of the Year (European Paid Media Awards 2024)
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner
  • Glassdoor: 4.9/5 (100% CEO Approval)

9. Bark.London

Bark.London is tightly aligned to e-commerce performance and social commerce, with an integrated model that brings together media, creative, and analysis. For brands where Meta is a primary growth lever, that structure can help reduce friction between creative production and performance iteration.

Their Meta certification positioning is a notable differentiator if your growth plan depends heavily on paid social execution quality.

  • HQ: London
  • Headcount: ~28
  • 2-Year Growth: 8%
  • Key Awards: Noted as UK’s only independent agency with Meta triple-certification
  • Partner Status: Meta Partner (strategy, creative, data)
  • Glassdoor: 5/5 (100% CEO Approval)

10. Precis Digital

Precis is often associated with a technical approach to performance marketing, including productised data tooling. Agencies that build software tend to be strong partners where measurement, automation, and repeatability are priorities.

If you want a partner that can engage credibly with both marketing and data teams, this is typically the kind of profile that fits.

  • HQ: Stockholm, Sweden (also a major UK presence)
  • Headcount: ~594
  • 2-Year Growth: 4%
  • Key Awards: Multiple Google Premier Partner Awards, Winner at Global & European Search Awards (2024)
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner
  • Glassdoor: 4.4/5 (91% CEO Approval)

11. StrategiQ

StrategiQ frames itself around solving business problems rather than executing channel requests. That can be valuable if you want a partner that will challenge assumptions and help shape the plan — not only deliver it.

They also reference proprietary frameworks that connect brand and performance, which matters for categories where short-term conversion capture isn’t the whole story.

  • HQ: London
  • Headcount: ~70
  • 2-Year Growth: 19%
  • Key Awards: UK Search Awards (2024) winner for Best use of AI in Search, Sunday Times’ 100 Best Places to Work (2024)
  • Partner Status: Google Partner
  • Glassdoor: 3.2/5 (64% CEO Approval)

12. Cedarwood Digital

Cedarwood is another example of a specialist-led model, with a focus on search and PR disciplines rather than a broad “everything” offer. Direct access to practitioners is often appealing if your internal team is experienced and wants to work at depth.

They also show strong awards performance for a smaller team, which can indicate sharp craft and focus.

  • HQ: Manchester
  • Headcount: ~14
  • 2-Year Growth: 56%
  • Key Awards: UK Search Awards (2024) wins for Best Small PPC Agency, Best Use of Search – B2C, and Best Use of Search – Health
  • Partner Status: Meta Certified Partner
  • Glassdoor: 5.0/5 (100% CEO Approval)

13. Vervaunt

Vervaunt sits firmly in e-commerce consultancy territory with deep Shopify Plus alignment. If your challenges are as much about merchandising, trading, and on-site conversion as they are about media, this sort of partner can add value.

Their ecosystem involvement (events and initiatives) suggests an agency that stays close to platform changes and practical operator knowledge.

  • HQ: London
  • Headcount: ~57
  • 2-Year Growth: 36%
  • Key Awards: Previous winner at UK eCommerce Awards. Hosts the Pulse Ecommerce Summit
  • Partner Status: Shopify Plus Consultancy Partner
  • Glassdoor: 4.8/5 (100% CEO Approval)

14. MRS Digital

MRS Digital has a long operating history with a focus on integrated search. That matters because the interaction between SEO and PPC is still one of the most under-managed performance levers in many organisations (budget cannibalisation, query strategy, landing experience).

Their award wins point to strong delivery in complex categories where combined search strategy is material.

  • HQ: Hampshire
  • Headcount: ~39
  • 2-Year Growth: 5%
  • Key Awards: UK Search Awards (2024) winner for Best SEO Campaign (large), European Search Awards (2024) winner for Best Use of Search – Automotive
  • Partner Status: Google Premier Partner
  • Glassdoor: 3.1/5 (47% CEO Approval)

15. Crafted

Crafted has positioned around accessibility, sustainability, and solid delivery fundamentals. Their “labs” style content suggests a practical, education-oriented approach, which can be helpful if you want a partner that shares process and raises the capability of your internal team.

Their client examples point to organisations that value quality and reliability over flashy tactics.

  • HQ: Ipswich
  • Headcount: ~104
  • 2-Year Growth: 4%
  • Key Awards: Campaign Best Places to Work award holder, Investors in People accreditation
  • Partner Status: Unconfirmed
  • Glassdoor: 4.6/5 (100% CEO Approval)

FAQs (useful if you’re comparing agencies)

What should you look for in a first call?

  • How they define success (profit, incrementality, CAC, LTV — not just ROAS)
  • Their approach to measurement constraints (attribution gaps, iOS, consent mode, MMM/testing)
  • How they make decisions weekly (what gets reviewed, who approves changes, what gets documented)
  • How they test creative (volume, hypotheses, what “good” looks like, how learning is stored)

 

What’s a sensible way to shortlist?

  1. Pick 5–6 agencies that match your operating style (specialist vs integrated; senior-led vs scaled delivery)
  2. Ask for one relevant case study plus a 30-minute walkthrough of how they measured impact
  3. Shortlist 2–3 for a pitch stage where they:
    • Review your current account and identify the biggest constraints/opportunities
    • Outline the first 60–90 days (workstreams, owners, cadence)
    • Explain the strategies they’d prioritise and how they’d validate impact (testing, measurement, reporting)

 

How do agencies tend to price?
Most arrangements fall into a small set of models: monthly retainers, percentage of spend, hybrid models, or project + ongoing optimisation. Pricing varies widely; what matters is whether scope, cadence, and accountability are clear.

Closing Note

There’s no single “best” agency – just the best fit for how you work. That fit depends on your internal team, measurement maturity, creative capacity, and how quickly you can run structured tests. Use this list to build a shortlist, then choose the partner whose operating model and track record line up most clearly with what you need.