Helium10 shows what sold last month. We watch the TikTok spike in week 1.
Helium10 — Amazon-only all-in-one suite. EXSEL — the agentic operating layer for multi-channel e-commerce. Here's the 90-second diff.
EXSEL vs Helium 10: Helium 10 is a research and analytics toolkit — it shows you data. EXSEL is an agentic operating layer — it acts on that data across Amazon, TikTok, Meta, Shopify, and Google Ads simultaneously. Both read the same Amazon signals; only EXSEL can execute a PPC bid change, draft a review reply, trigger a Shopify content update, and repurpose the winning TikTok to Pinterest in a single Conductor session. Helium 10 has no agentic execution layer.
The one-line kill
You already pay Helium10 $99/mo for Amazon. Keep it if you want. Add EXSEL for $29 (1 connector free) or $79 for PPC Automation with causal ROAS — and see the TikTok signal Helium10 will show you in 90 days.
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Agitation beats (what Helium10 can't do, stated specifically)
1. Amazon-only. Zero TikTok Shop, Shopify, Etsy. Half your business invisible. 2. Past-tense data. BSR and keyword volume describe last month. The TikTok spike is already priced in by then. 3. Tool maze. 20+ separate UIs. Your VA is paid to stitch them. Stack tax = $1,017/mo median.
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Side-by-side comparison (every row cited or architectural)
| Capability | Helium10 | EXSEL |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-platform (≥5 channels) | No (Amazon-only) | Yes (9 connectors) |
| TikTok Shop saturation signal | No | Yes |
| Cross-channel repurpose | No | Yes ($39/mo) |
| Causal ROAS (not just last-click) | No | Yes (DoWhy 3-refuter gate) |
| Per-tenant LoRA adapter | No | Yes (after 500 confirmed trajectories) |
| Confidence-gated refusal | No | Yes (AgenticRAG threshold 0.35) |
| Tamper-evident audit log | No | Yes (ADR-044) |
| Pay per-feature unlock | No (tier ladder) | Yes |
| Free useful tier | Free Chrome extension only | Free full intelligence + 1 connector + 50 actions |
| Zero-suspension architecture | Not explicit | Yes (ADR-054 scope manifest) |
When Helium10 is the right answer
- Single-channel merchant who does not plan to expand past Helium10's primary platform within 12 months.
- Merchant who prefers a tiered SaaS plan and does not want a per-unlock catalog.
- Merchant whose team is already trained on Helium10 and the switching cost outweighs the multi-channel benefit.
How migration works
If you decide to switch:
1. Start free on EXSEL. Pick one platform (probably the one Helium10 covers you best on). Your ClientConductor spins up with your tenant. 2. Run for 30 days side-by-side. No rip-and-replace. Free plan covers the intelligence layer and 50 safety-floor actions. 3. Unlock what's missing. PPC, Review Mgmt, Cross-Channel Repurpose — per-specialist. You decide after seeing your own numbers. 4. Cancel Helium10 only when you've confirmed the replacement covers your workflow. Export their data first; your Conductor can ingest common CSV/API exports.
Events: migrationcomparisonopened, migrationguide_downloaded.
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The ClientConductor — something Helium10 doesn't have
Your ClientConductor is a persistent per-tenant agent that learns your store over time. After 500 causally-confirmed outcomes, a per-tenant LoRA adapter goes live. It is merchant-specific. Helium10 does not ship a per-tenant fine-tune — their model is one model for everyone. See [/agents](/agents) for the architecture.
The refusal contract matters, too: EXSEL's Conductor will tell you "I don't have confirmed information about that" when the confidence gate (reranker top-hit < 0.35) fails. Ask Helium10's assistant the same question and see what happens.
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Price comparison, honest
| Plan type | Helium10 | EXSEL |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Limited | Full intelligence + 1 connector |
| Entry | $39–$229 | $19/mo (1 connector add) |
| Typical operator | $39–$229/mo (Platinum $99 most common; Elite $449) | ~$118–$215/mo (2–3 AI specialists + connectors; bundle −20% at 4+) |
| Annual discount | (varies) | 20% per SKU |
Exit-intent drawer
> Before you go — the side-by-side PDF.
> Feature matrix + migration guide + price math. 3 pages. No drip list.
>
> [ you@company.com ]
> [ Send me the comparison → ]
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Close
3 numbered steps: 1. Read ADR-086 (AgenticRAG) and ADR-087 (three archetypes). 20 minutes total. 2. Run your niche through the EXSEL free scan — same 60 seconds, no email. 3. Decide after 30 days of side-by-side.
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