Full partner ecosystem platform for managing affiliate, referral, and reseller programs, with a built-in marketplace to recruit B2B partners.
Tool Directory
Best Referral & Affiliate Software
A shortlist of the affiliate and referral platforms worth evaluating, grouped by whether you're running a partner program or a customer referral program.
Affiliate marketing software tracks partner-driven sales and automates commissions, while referral software rewards existing customers for bringing in friends. PartnerStack and impact.com are the leading platforms for managing full affiliate and partner programs at scale; Rewardful and Tolt are popular lightweight, Stripe-native options for SaaS; and ReferralCandy and Friendbuy focus on customer referral programs for ecommerce. Most teams pick based on whether they need affiliate/partner recruitment or customer word-of-mouth referrals.
The shortlist
Enterprise partnership management platform covering affiliate, influencer, and referral programs with deep tracking, contracting, and payouts.
Stripe-native affiliate and referral tracking built for SaaS, with automatic commission calculation and coupon-based attribution.
Lightweight affiliate software for SaaS that integrates with Stripe and offers a fast setup and branded affiliate portal.
Customer referral program tool for ecommerce that automates referral rewards and integrates with Shopify and other stores.
Referral and loyalty platform for consumer brands, with customizable widgets, A/B testing, and fraud protection.
Affiliate tracking software with multi-tier commissions, detailed reporting, and integrations across many payment and cart platforms.
Affiliate and referral tracking for SaaS with automated payouts, fraud detection, and integrations with Stripe, Paddle, and Chargebee.
FAQ
What is the difference between affiliate and referral software?
Affiliate software manages relationships with external partners and marketers who promote your product for a commission, including recruitment, tracking, and payouts. Referral software rewards your existing customers for inviting friends. Some platforms like PartnerStack and Rewardful handle both, but ecommerce-focused tools like ReferralCandy specialize in customer referrals.
Which affiliate software is best for a SaaS on Stripe?
Rewardful, Tolt, and FirstPromoter are all built to plug directly into Stripe (and often Paddle or Chargebee), so they automatically track subscription revenue and calculate recurring commissions without custom development. They're generally faster to set up than enterprise platforms like impact.com.
Is there free affiliate marketing software?
Most dedicated platforms charge a monthly fee, though many offer free trials. If you sell on a platform like Shopify or use Stripe, some tools have low-cost starter tiers. For a truly free option, you can track affiliates manually with unique coupon codes, but dedicated software pays off once volume grows.
Do the work, not just pick the tool
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