# Comparison with Other MMM Libraries

Given the popularity of the Media Mix Modelling (MMM) approach, there are many packages available to perform MMM. Here's a high-level overview of how Abacus compares to some of the most popular packages.

| Criteria                         | Abacus                | PyMC-Marketing   | Lightweight-MMM   | Robyn             | Orbit KTR / Karpiu | Recast |
|----------------------------------|-----------------------|------------------|-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|--------|
| **Language**                     | Python                | Python           | Python            | R                 | Python             | RStan      |
| **Approach**                     | Bayesian              | Bayesian         | Bayesian          | ML (Ridge)        | Bayesian           | Bayesian |
| **Inference Type**               | Estimation            | Estimation       | Estimation        | Predictive        | Predictive         | Estimation |
| **Foundation**                   | PyMC / PyTensor       | PyMC             | NumPyro/JAX       | GlmNet + Nevergrad| STAN/Pyro          | STAN   |
| **Company**                      |  T&Pm                 | PyMC Labs        | Google            | Meta              | Uber               | Recast |
| **Open Source**                  | Own model             | Yes              | Yes               | Yes               | Yes                | No     |
| **Model**                        | Build                 | FOSS  / Adopt            | FOSS  / Adopt             | FOSS  / Adopt             | FOSS  / Adopt             | Buy    |
| **Budget Optimizer**             | Yes                   | Yes              | Yes               | Yes               | No                 | Yes    |
| **Time-Varying Intercept**       | No                    | Yes              | No                | No                | Yes                | Yes    |
| **Time-Varying Coefficients**    | No                    | Coming Soon*     | No                | No                | Yes                | Yes    |
| **Custom Priors**                | Yes                   | Yes              | Yes               | No                | No                 | Yes    |
| **Lift-Test Calibration**        | Yes                   | Yes              | No                | Yes               | No                 | Yes    |
| **Out-of-Sample Predictions**    | Yes                   | Yes              | Yes               | No                | Yes                | Yes    |
| **Unit-Tested**                  | Yes                   | Yes              | Yes               | No                | Yes                | ?      |
| **Forecasting Module**           | Yes                   | No               | No                | No                | No                 | Yes    |
| **Scenario Planning Module**     | Yes                   | No               | No                | No                | No                 | Yes    |
| **Optimisation period**          | Flexible              | Immediate        | Immediate         | Future            | None               | Unknown |

*Note: "FOSS / Adopt" indicates the library is Free and Open Source Software, allowing users to adopt and potentially modify it. "Build" indicates a model primarily developed in-house (like Abacus). "Buy" indicates a commercial product.*

*\* Feature status may change; check library documentation.*