At a glance
RehabAdmit
- Best for: $3M-$15M treatment operators, 1-4 facilities
- Services: Paid media, SEO, CRM, admissions ops
- Reporting: CPL and CPA obsessed, every dollar mapped to admits
- Model: Senior operators on every account, limited book
- Commitment: 6-month standard
Cardinal Digital Marketing
- Best for: Enterprise multi-location behavioral health networks (5-500+ facilities)
- Services: Paid media, SEO, analytics, HIPAA-compliant tracking, enterprise attribution stack
- Reporting: Cost-per-admit with multi-facility rollup reporting
- Signal retainer: $25K-$100K+/mo
- Commitment: 12-month standard
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | RehabAdmit | Cardinal |
|---|---|---|
| Best-fit operator size | $3M-$15M · 1-4 facilities | Enterprise multi-location behavioral health networks (5-500+ facilities) |
| Core services | Paid media, SEO, CRM, admissions ops (integrated) | Paid media, SEO, analytics, HIPAA-compliant tracking, enterprise attribution stack |
| Reporting model | CPL & CPA obsessed · every dollar mapped to admits | Cost-per-admit with multi-facility rollup reporting |
| Typical retainer | $5K-$12K/mo | $25K-$100K+/mo |
| Minimum commitment | 6 months | 12-month standard |
| Operating model | Boutique · senior operators on every account · limited book | Enterprise machine · large team · multi-facility book |
| Notable proof | Direct references on request · CPL/CPA numbers shared under NDA | 500+ location behavioral health network case study showing 82% traffic lift; Regard Recovery scaled ad spend 35% with 40% more leads at 78% below target CPA |
When to pick Cardinal Digital Marketing
You operate a multi-location behavioral health network (5+ facilities), already have an internal marketing director and analyst, and need enterprise attribution across facility-level P&Ls. Cardinal is the right call when your problem is coordinating campaigns across a large portfolio, not launching a single facility.
Cardinal Digital Marketing strengths:
- Enterprise-grade reporting infrastructure built for multi-facility P&L attribution
- Deep case study library with published performance numbers
- HIPAA-compliant tracking stack built in-house
- Serves 500+ location networks — infrastructure that scales
Where Cardinal Digital Marketing may not fit:
- Over-engineered for single-facility operators
- Requires internal marketing director + data analyst on the client side
- Enterprise pricing prices out most $3M-$15M operators
- Less hands-on with CRM configuration than boutique specialists
When to pick RehabAdmit
You run a single facility or 2-4 facility portfolio in the $3M-$15M revenue band, want senior operators on your account (not a junior AM), and prioritize CPL/CPA obsession over enterprise reporting polish. RehabAdmit is the boutique alternative that delivers enterprise-grade results without enterprise pricing or over-engineering.
RehabAdmit strengths:
- Boutique operating model — senior operators on every account, capped book size, no multi-account dilution
- CPL and CPA obsession baked into every campaign — every dollar mapped to a named admission
- Integrated paid media, SEO, CRM configuration, and admissions ops in a single engagement
- Specifically built for small- to mid-size operators ($3M-$15M) — not a scaled-down enterprise offering
- 6-month commitment, transparent reporting, direct operator references on request
Where RehabAdmit does not fit:
- Enterprise multi-location networks with 5+ facilities and internal marketing infrastructure — Cardinal or Elev8 are stronger fits
- Operators wanting only paid media with no CRM or admissions ops engagement — Webserv or Lead to Recovery are more focused
- Operators requiring dedicated LegitScript certification prep as an in-house workstream — best handled by a compliance specialist
How to decide
The right answer depends on three questions:
- How many facilities do you run? Under 5, boutique specialists (RehabAdmit) typically outperform enterprise machines on cost-per-dollar-of-value. Above 5, enterprise infrastructure starts earning its price.
- Do you have internal marketing infrastructure? If you already have a marketing director and data analyst, enterprise agencies fit better because you can absorb their reporting layers. If you do not, a boutique that runs the reporting for you is a better fit.
- What are you optimizing for — admits or ad spend efficiency? If your bottleneck is admissions team follow-up, you need an agency that integrates CRM and admissions ops (RehabAdmit, Elev8, Allgood). If your bottleneck is only paid media performance, a specialist (Webserv, Lead to Recovery) is more focused.
Anchor number: Webserv's 2025 State of Rehab Marketing benchmark places realistic full-funnel cost-per-admit at approximately $16,608. Any agency worth hiring should be willing to discuss their performance against this benchmark honestly.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cardinal Digital Marketing a good fit for a single-location rehab?
Cardinal is built for enterprise multi-location networks. Single-facility operators typically find Cardinal over-engineered for their stage and priced above their comfort zone. A boutique specialist like RehabAdmit typically fits better below 5 facilities.
How does Cardinal report performance?
Cardinal reports cost-per-admit with multi-facility attribution rollups. Their reporting infrastructure is built for enterprise-scale P&L visibility across large behavioral health networks.
What is the typical Cardinal engagement size?
Cardinal retainers typically start around $25,000 per month for smaller multi-location engagements and scale to $100,000+ for enterprise portfolios. Paid media spend is separate.
How is RehabAdmit different from Cardinal?
RehabAdmit is a boutique specialist for small- to mid-size facilities ($3M-$15M revenue). Senior operators run every account. The reporting model is CPL and CPA obsession — every dollar of ad spend maps to a named admission. Cardinal is the enterprise machine; RehabAdmit is the specialist alternative.
Which agency has better case studies?
Cardinal publishes the deeper case study library with more published performance numbers. RehabAdmit works with a smaller book of operators and provides direct client references on request.
Can Cardinal handle LegitScript compliance?
Cardinal helps clients maintain LegitScript-compliant paid campaigns. Neither Cardinal nor RehabAdmit handles LegitScript certification prep directly — that is a specialized compliance workstream better handled by a dedicated compliance advisor.
Which agency is right for a treatment center scaling from $5M to $15M?
RehabAdmit is built specifically for this revenue band. Cardinal typically starts fitting once the operator has 5+ facilities and internal marketing infrastructure. Below that scale, boutique specialists deliver more capability per dollar.
What is the minimum commitment at Cardinal versus RehabAdmit?
Cardinal typically requires a 12-month enterprise commitment. RehabAdmit runs 6-month minimums for most engagements, which aligns with the timeline required for SEO and CRM changes to compound.
Want a straight answer on whether RehabAdmit fits your operation?
Book a free 30-minute admissions audit. We'll tell you honestly whether we're the right fit — and if not, we'll point you at the agency on this list that is. No pitch either way.
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