Discover how to choose the right Brand Asset Management tool based on your business size, goals, budget, and essential features you truly need.

Choosing the Right Brand Asset Management Tool

So, you’ve started taking branding seriously, and that’s a smart move. A Brand Asset Management (BAM) tool can help unify your branding and marketing efforts, but you still need to figure out which platform best suits your current needs and goals. 

For instance, if you’re just starting, you don’t need to spend $500–$1,000 a month on a BAM platform. At this stage, it’s wiser to save where you can and invest your resources in areas that deliver the highest return on investment (ROI).

Now, to be clear, we’re not saying you shouldn’t spend on branding. Branding is a must for doing business today. What we are saying is that you should optimize your resources based on your current market position and business goals. And that includes being strategic about your BAM subscription plan.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to choose the best Brand Asset Management platform for your business — one that makes sense for where you are today and where you’re headed.

Let’s get started.

What is a Brand Asset Management Tool?

Before we go any further, let’s quickly revise some basic concepts about a Brand Asset Management Tool. 

A BAM platform is a digital platform designed to help businesses organize, manage, and share their brand-related assets in one secure and easily accessible place. It gives you a centralized space where you can store and categorize all of your branding assets. The best BAM platforms in the market also offer AI and Machine learning capabilities that you can use to tag assets based on pre-defined criteria. This feature especially comes in handy when you have to fish out one specific asset in a myriad of endless assets. 

Examples of Brand Assets it Manages

A BAM tool typically handles a wide range of digital assets, including:

• Logos (in different sizes, formats, and variations)
• Brand Guidelines (style guides, typography rules, color palettes)
• Images (product photos, marketing visuals, social media graphics)
• Videos (promotional clips, brand story videos, tutorials)
• Templates (presentation decks, social media post layouts, email templates)
• Fonts and Icons (licensed typefaces, icon libraries)

How to Choose the Right BAM Platform

Now let’s have a look at the practical aspect of this guide and see how you can choose the best BAM platform for your branding needs and goals. 

a. Understand Your Current Needs

First and foremost, understand what your current market position is. Your needs are directly related to that. Consider the following points for this: 

• Are You a Startup, Small Business, or Scaling Company?

Startups and small businesses often have fewer assets and simpler needs. On the contrary, scaling businesses and industry giants have a sea of assets that need to be categorized and stored, with advanced features like asset permissions, version control, and brand compliance tools.

• Volume and Type of Assets You Need to Manage

Have a look at what kind of brand assets you’re mostly dealing with. Are they mostly images, logos, social media templates, or videos? Do you have brand guidelines, fonts, and presentations to manage? The more diverse your asset library, the more flexible and feature-rich your BAM tool needs to be.

• Number of Users or Collaborators

Consider how many people will need access to the platform. If you’re a small team, a basic plan with limited seats might be fine. However, if you operate completely remotely and collaborate with freelancers, marketing agencies, remote staff, and other professionals or stakeholders, you’ll need a BAM platform with guest access, user roles, and permissions.

b. Identify Key Features You Need

Every BAM platform comes with its own set of features, but you don’t need them all. Focus on the essentials that you need right now and will make a real difference to your workflow:

• Cloud Storage and Access

Make sure your assets are stored securely in the cloud and accessible from anywhere, anytime.

• Asset Tagging and Organization

Look for a platform that allows you to organize assets using tags, categories, folders, or labels. This makes it easy to locate files quickly when you need them.

• Version Control

Avoid brand mishaps by keeping track of asset versions. This will make sure that your team is always using the latest, approved version of a file.

Permissions and User Roles

Set different access levels for team members, designers, agencies, or external partners. Control who can view, edit, or share specific assets.

• Sharing and Integrations

Check if the platform allows easy asset sharing both internally and externally. Also, if your team prefers specific designing or collaboration software, consider integrations with tools like Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, Google Workspace, or project management platforms for smoother workflows.

c. Set a Reasonable Budget

Your budget will naturally influence your choices, and you don’t need to overspend at the start.

• Free vs. Paid Plans

Many BAM platforms offer free or freemium plans, which can be perfect for startups and small businesses. Paid plans usua;;y unlock additional storage, advanced features, and customization options that you’ll need later as your business progresses. 

• Don’t Overinvest at the Early Stage — Focus on ROI

Avoid committing to expensive enterprise-level plans if your asset library is still growing. Invest where it brings real value — like better design tools, marketing, or product development.

• Explore Freemium Options or Starter Plans

Start with tools that offer free trials, starter packages, or pay-as-you-go options. This lets you test the platform’s features and value before scaling up. Additionally, you can stick to the same platform as your business grows from a startup to a global enterprise. 

d. Compare Popular BAM Tools

Once you know your needs, required features, and budget, it’s time to narrow down your options. Here are a few popular BAM platforms you can consider:

So, Is Ethos Right for You?

If you’re looking for a modern, affordable, and flexible Brand Asset Management tool that grows with you, Ethos is worth considering. The platform has customizable plans for everyone. Whether you’re a sole proprietor, a freelancer, a startup, or an enterprise, Ethos has offers the best interactive BAM capabilities and at the best rates possible. 

Try Ethos free for 30 days and explore endless opportunities to build, manage, and scale a brand people will trust.