The typical searcher runs a direct-to-consumer store, started on Refersion's entry plan, and then looked at what a percentage of every affiliate-driven sale adds up to as the programme grew. Others want a flat fee, a different storefront or billing integration, or access to a larger publisher network. They move to a flat-priced affiliate tool, a Shopify-first app, or a network.
Short answer: The closest replacements for Refersion in our affiliate marketing ranking are UpPromote, Tapfiliate and Affilae. Choose UpPromote if you run on Shopify and want a free starting plan with the same percentage-fee model. All 12 alternatives below are ranked products from Best Affiliate Marketing Software in 2026, and each says where it differs from Refersion.
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Pricing: Monthly subscription, published, plus 2 to 3 percent of affiliate-driven sales; Scale plan quoted at a flat monthly fee
Established in: United States
Built for: Shopify merchants running affiliate and creator programmes
Not for: SaaS or lead-generation businesses
01
Why buyers look past Refersion
01
A percentage of every affiliate sale, on top of the subscription
Refersion prices by affiliate-driven sales: the Launch plan is $39 a month plus 3 percent of affiliate-driven sales, Growth is $199 a month plus 2 percent. The percentage falls as the plan rises, but it stays until a brand reaches the quoted Scale plan, which Refersion describes as a flat monthly subscription for brands above $1 million GMV a year. Until then a programme that grows pays more every month.
02
The more detailed controls sit on the second plan
Launch covers unlimited affiliates, first-party tracking, one-click payouts and percent-of-sale or subscription commissions. Advanced commission options, tracking by product and customer email, API access, multi-store management and new-versus-returning-customer commissions are listed under Growth. A brand that needs any of them pays $199 a month and a 2 percent share, not $39.
03
Built around ecommerce storefronts, less so around software or networks
Refersion is positioned for ecommerce brands and merchants, with plug-and-play apps for Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Magento and code widgets for Stripe and Chargebee. A software company that sells subscriptions through Stripe, or a brand that wants an established publisher network to recruit from, will find tools and networks built for that job.
Monthly subscription, published: Starter from $30 plus 2.5 percent of partner-driven sales, Essentials from $500, Pro from $2,500; Enterprise quoted; one-time setup fee
Partnership platform covering affiliates, creators and brand deals
you are outgrowing a single-channel programme and want contracts and several partner types in one platform
Network model: quoted, network fee on commissions paid
Large affiliate network with established retail, travel and finance publishers
you want a large established network and are comfortable negotiating terms with a vendor
#15
03
What each one does differently
1
UpPromote
Vietnam · Free plan; paid plans monthly, published, with a performance fee on referred sales
Built for Shopify and priced in a similar way to Refersion: a free plan, then paid plans from $29.99 a month with a performance fee of 2 percent on successful referral sales, falling to 1.5 percent and 1 percent on higher plans. The free tier is the difference, and it is limited to one affiliate programme.
Switch from Refersion if you run on Shopify and want a free starting plan with the same percentage-fee model.
Netherlands · Monthly subscription by tier, published
Charges a flat subscription and no percentage of sales: Launch is $89 a month ($74 on annual billing) and Scale $179 ($149 annually), with unlimited affiliates and programmes on Scale. It is a Dutch company with a Stripe sync and native Shopify tracking. Its published plans have no free tier, only a trial of 7 to 14 days.
Switch from Refersion if you want a predictable monthly bill that does not rise with affiliate sales.
France · Monthly subscription, published, plus 2 to 2.5 percent of each validated sale; Scale plan quoted
A French platform that charges a fixed monthly fee plus a share of validated sales: Build is 99 a month plus 2.5 percent, Grow is 249 plus 2 percent, Scale is quoted. It adds an AI partner-matching feature and a creator mobile app, and its Grow plan includes a consultant who sources and recruits affiliates for you.
Switch from Refersion if you want help recruiting affiliates and a vendor based in the euro area.
Slovakia · Monthly subscription by tier, published
A flat-price tool from Slovakia sold by tracking volume instead of sales share: Starter $89 a month for 10,000 tracking requests, Pro $139 for 1 million, Ultimate $269 for 6 million. Every plan has unlimited affiliates and a plugin library. Its Network plan at $649 is for people who want to run an affiliate network themselves.
Switch from Refersion if your traffic is high, your commission rules are unusual and you would rather pay by volume than by revenue.
Canada · Monthly subscription, published; tiers by tracked revenue
Aimed at software companies selling through Stripe, with a 0 percent transaction fee and tiers by monthly affiliate-attributed revenue: $49 up to $7,500, $99 up to $15,000, $149 and up beyond. Starter has one campaign and two team members. The tool is Stripe-first, not a general storefront integration.
Switch from Refersion if you sell software subscriptions through Stripe and want a flat fee tied to a revenue band.
Romania · Monthly subscription, published; capped by affiliate revenue
A Romanian tool for recurring-revenue businesses with billing connections to Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly and Braintree. Starter is $49 a month up to $5,000 of affiliate revenue and 1,000 affiliates; Business is $99 up to $15,000 with unlimited affiliates. It takes no percentage of sales and has no storefront focus.
Switch from Refersion if you sell subscriptions and want billing-system connections instead of a store plug-in.
Germany · Network model: monthly subscription, published, from 99 euros plus a tracking fee of 2.5 to 3.5 percent per transaction; Advanced plan quoted
A network, not only software: advertisers get access to a directory of more than 1 million partners as well as tracking. Access costs $49 a month on the US page or 99 pounds on the UK page, plus a 3.5 percent tracking fee, falling to 2.5 percent on Accelerate. Awin is part of the Axel Springer group, and its AWIN AG entity is in Berlin.
Switch from Refersion if you want publishers to find you in an existing network, not recruit each one yourself.
United States · Monthly subscription, published: Starter from $30 plus 2.5 percent of partner-driven sales, Essentials from $500, Pro from $2,500; Enterprise quoted; one-time setup fee
A larger partnership platform covering affiliates, creators and referrals. Starter is priced from $30 a month, Essentials from $500 and Pro from $2,500, with Enterprise quoted. The partner marketplace of about 90,000 partners starts on Essentials, so the jump from the entry plan is large.
Switch from Refersion if you are outgrowing a single-channel programme and want contracts and several partner types in one platform.
United States · Quoted after a consultation; six-month minimum commitment and a one-time onboarding service
A US tracking platform sold on a quote, with a 6-month commitment and onboarding and training included. It tracks CPA, CPC, CPM and recurring revenue, and has a partner dashboard, payments processing and a Shopify app. No price is published, so it cannot be compared with Refersion's plans without a sales call.
Switch from Refersion if you need to track several traffic types and will accept a quote and a six-month term.
Sweden · Network model: setup fee and override on commissions, quoted; self-serve Grow plans published from 59 euros a month plus commission
A Swedish network founded in Stockholm in 1999. Its self-service Grow product for small businesses costs 59, 99 or 199 euros a month with the first month free and 30 days notice, plus commission on sales. It reaches a publisher base of more than 180,000, and its integrations cover Shopify, WooCommerce and PrestaShop.
Switch from Refersion if you sell in Europe and want a small-business network plan with a month-to-month term.
United States · Monthly platform fee billed annually, published entry plan; larger plans quoted
A US platform for partner programmes and for people who build affiliate networks. Its published Scale plan is $1,500 a month on annual payment, with a custom contract above that. It is pitched as a customisable platform with control of your own data and branding, and costs far more than Refersion's entry plans.
Switch from Refersion if you run partners at volume, or build a network of your own, and want a customisable platform.
United States · Network model: quoted, network fee on commissions paid
One of the oldest affiliate networks, run by Commission Junction LLC in the US, with a global publisher base and in-platform recruitment tools. We found no published price on cj.com, so cost has to be requested. It is a network-style relationship, not a self-installed tool like Refersion.
Switch from Refersion if you want a large established network and are comfortable negotiating terms with a vendor.
Refersion remains the right choice for an ecommerce brand that wants tracking up and running quickly on Shopify, WooCommerce or BigCommerce, with first-party tracking and no redirects. The Launch plan has unlimited affiliates and clicks, payouts run through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, ACH or Shopify gift cards with US 1099 tax forms built in, and the free Marketplace listing lets a brand test its offer with affiliates before paying anything. While affiliate sales stay below roughly $1,700 a month, Launch ($39 plus 3 percent) costs less than the cheapest flat plan we list at $89.
05
What moving off Refersion involves
01
Moving affiliates, links and history
Refersion's own pricing page lists existing programme migration as a feature, so the first question is what your new tool can import. Affiliates need new links or a redirect period, and commission history, unpaid balances and 1099 records should be exported before you close the account. Pay out what is owed first.
02
Rebuilding tracking and commission rules
Refersion tracks by link, coupon code, customer email or product SKU, depending on plan, and sets commissions by percent, flat rate, product level or new versus returning customer. Write down which of these your programme actually uses and check each against the new tool before you commit.
03
Payouts and tax paperwork
Refersion's Unified Payments handles payout methods and US tax forms for eligible affiliates. A replacement may only calculate commissions and leave the payment to you, which adds a monthly task. Decide who pays affiliates and who files forms before you switch the last affiliate over.
06
Questions about replacing Refersion
6 answers
How much does Refersion cost?
The Launch plan is $39 a month ($29 on yearly billing) plus 3 percent of affiliate-driven sales. Growth is $199 a month ($159 yearly) plus 2 percent.
The Scale plan for brands above $1 million GMV a year is a flat monthly subscription and is quoted. A Marketplace listing is free.
Is there a Refersion alternative without a percentage fee?
Tapfiliate, Rewardful, FirstPromoter and Post Affiliate Pro all publish flat monthly prices. Rewardful states a 0 percent transaction fee. UpPromote, Affilae and Awin do take a share of sales, so compare total cost at your expected affiliate revenue.
Which Refersion alternative is best for Shopify?
UpPromote is built for Shopify and has a free plan, though its paid plans also carry a performance fee. Tapfiliate and impact.com also list Shopify integrations. Check the plan you would use, as some features sit on higher tiers.
Which alternative suits a software business?
Rewardful and FirstPromoter are aimed at subscription software and connect to billing systems such as Stripe. Refersion lists Stripe and Chargebee through code widgets, but its main positioning is ecommerce brands and merchants.
Should I use a network instead of a tool like Refersion?
A network such as Awin, Tradedoubler or CJ gives you access to publishers who already work there, in return for fees on each sale.
A tool like Refersion tracks and pays the affiliates you bring, and its Marketplace listing is the route to finding new ones. Brands with no existing affiliates may gain more from a network.
Who owns Refersion?
Refersion's terms name Refersion Inc., a New Jersey corporation, and describe it as one of several subsidiaries of EH ZO 1 Holdings LLC.
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Sources
Checked 7 October 2026
Refersion pricing: Launch $39 plus 3 percent, Growth $199 plus 2 percent, Scale flat quoted for above $1M GMV, yearly discount, free Marketplace listing, plan feature lists, migration feature, Unified Payments.
Refersion home page: First-party tracking positioning, integrations named (Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe), FAQ on pricing from $39 plus 3 percent.
Refersion Unified Payments: Payout methods (PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, ACH, Shopify gift cards) and built-in 1099 support.
Refersion terms of service: Refersion Inc., a New Jersey corporation, subsidiary of EH ZO 1 Holdings LLC.
