WABU and Stella Rising both help brands sell on TikTok Shop, but they come at it from different directions: WABU is a dedicated live commerce operator, while Stella Rising is an award-winning media and marketing agency that offers TikTok Shop as part of a broader media practice, with deep roots in beauty and wellness. Here's how they compare.
Key takeaways
- WABU is a dedicated live commerce operator; Stella Rising is a media agency that offers TikTok Shop.
- Stella Rising suits beauty and wellness brands wanting media-led growth.
- WABU suits brands wanting end-to-end live selling and Hispanic/LATAM reach.
Table of Contents
- At a glance
- Company background
- Services compared
- Geography and markets
- Pricing and model
- Where WABU stands out
- When Stella Rising might be the better fit
- Sources
At a glance
| WABU | Stella Rising | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Miami, FL (US) | US (New York–based) |
| Core focus | Live commerce / TikTok Shop specialist | Digital media & marketing agency; certified TikTok Shop agency |
| Category strength | Beauty, fashion, home, CPG + Hispanic/LATAM | Beauty and wellness (e.g., Laneige, Real Techniques) |
| Services | Creator sourcing, live, shoppable video, payouts, attribution | TikTok search ads, influencer activations, paid social for TikTok Shop; broader media |
| Hispanic / LATAM vertical | Yes, dedicated | Not a stated specialization |
| Markets | US + LATAM (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil) | Primarily US |
| Pricing | Published tiers: retainer + % of sales | Not publicly disclosed |
Company background
WABU is a Miami-based live commerce agency running TikTok Shop end to end across a general U.S. market vertical and a dedicated Hispanic & Latin American vertical, reporting $24M+ in 2025 GMV.
Stella Rising is an award-winning U.S. digital media and marketing agency and a certified TikTok Shop agency, known for work with beauty and wellness brands such as Laneige, Sulwhasoo, and Real Techniques. Its TikTok Shop services emphasize search ads, influencer activations, and paid social — reflecting its heritage as a media agency.
Services compared
The difference is live commerce operations versus media and activation.
WABU runs the operational engine of live commerce: sourcing and managing creators, producing and moderating live sessions, fulfilling samples, building landing pages, and tracking attribution into payouts — across both general-market and Hispanic/LATAM verticals.
Stella Rising brings a media agency's strengths — TikTok search ads, paid social, and influencer activations — with particular depth in beauty and wellness. It's well suited to brands that want media-led TikTok Shop growth integrated with a broader marketing program.
If your priority is end-to-end live selling and creator operations, WABU is built for it. If it's media buying and activation anchored in beauty/wellness, Stella Rising's heritage shows.
Geography and markets
WABU spans the U.S. and Latin America, with cross-border expansion into Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil and a Hispanic, Spanish-first creator network. Stella Rising operates primarily in the U.S. For Hispanic and LATAM reach, WABU is the closer fit.
Pricing and model
WABU publishes tiered pricing — In-Store Live from $500/hour plus a percentage of gross sales, a tiered monthly Content Network plan plus a percentage of sales, and a custom performance-based Shop Management tier.
Stella Rising does not publicly disclose pricing. As a media-led agency, engagements often involve media budgets plus agency fees; request a quote and clarify how media spend and fees are structured.
Where WABU stands out
- Live commerce specialization — the full operation, not a media line item.
- Hispanic & LATAM vertical — dedicated bilingual and Spanish-first creators.
- Published pricing — including a lower-commitment hourly in-store option.
- Attribution feeding payouts — real-time, creator-level revenue tracking.
When Stella Rising might be the better fit
Stella Rising is likely the stronger choice for a beauty or wellness brand that wants media-led TikTok Shop growth — search ads, paid social, and influencer activations — integrated into a broader marketing and media program, and that values an award-winning agency with marquee beauty clients. Brands prioritizing paid acquisition and brand media over end-to-end live selling operations may prefer it.
Sources
- The Social Shepherd — agency roundup including Stella Rising profile: https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/top-tiktok-shop-agencies-us
- WABU — wabulive.com (self-reported figures and pricing)
Stella Rising details reflect public materials as of 2026; pricing is not publicly disclosed. WABU figures are self-reported. Verify directly before relying on any detail.
Want a partner built entirely around live commerce — including Hispanic and LATAM reach? Book a strategy session with WABU or explore the Hispanic & LATAM vertical.
Frequently asked questions
What's the main difference between WABU and Stella Rising?
WABU is a dedicated live commerce operator with a Hispanic & LATAM vertical and published pricing. Stella Rising is an award-winning media and marketing agency offering TikTok Shop (search ads, paid social, influencer activations) with strong beauty/wellness roots.
Which is better for a beauty brand?
Both serve beauty. Stella Rising has deep beauty/wellness media experience; WABU runs end-to-end live selling and adds Hispanic/LATAM reach. The choice depends on whether you want media-led activation or full live commerce operations.
Which reaches Hispanic and LATAM audiences?
WABU, via its dedicated vertical with bilingual and Spanish-first creators and cross-border market entry. Stella Rising operates primarily in the U.S.
Do they publish pricing?
WABU publishes tiered pricing. Stella Rising does not publicly disclose pricing; request a quote.
