With a base plan starting at $59 and additionally a 3.5% commission on revenue, the need to look out for a Referral Candy alternative just calls out for itself.
Several best affiliate marketing apps in Shopify charge no upfront cost, ensure easy affiliate program launch and management, provide advanced fraud protection, and comprehensive analytics that ReferralCandy restricts to only its high-paying customers.
Thus, this comparison of solid competitors of Referral Candy takes into consideration pricing, features, and integration capabilities.
Moreover, each option addresses specific limitations that make ReferralCandy less accessible for Shopify small businesses.
Thus, our blog includes detailed pricing breakdowns, feature discussions, and specific use cases to help you choose the best affiliate and referral marketing solution for your Shopify business.
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Why Look for a ReferralCandy Alternative?
ReferralCandy is a good choice for many e-commerce businesses. No argument there.
However, they have several limitations that make store owners, especially Shopify beginners to affiliate marketing, seek referral candy alternative solutions.
Pricing Challenges
The biggest concern with ReferralCandy isn’t just the $59 monthly fee. It’s also the hidden commission costs.
You’ll pay 3.5% commission on your successful sales. This, specifically, means potentially paying hundreds of dollars in commissions alone on top of your subscription.
Furthermore, even their next tier, charged at $299 monthly (+ 1.5% commission), creates a massive gap. Hence, no growing business can afford this without emptying their pockets.
Limited Support Access
Dedicated account managers are only available on enterprise plans ($24000). Thus, most users must only rely on live chat support from representatives who aren’t familiar with their specific business needs.
Platform Restrictions
While ReferralCandy integrates well with major e-commerce platforms, it lacks the flexibility many modern businesses need for affiliate marketing across multiple channels.
Feature Limitations
Many businesses need advanced affiliate fraud protection, comprehensive referral dashboard analytics, or specific customization options that ReferralCandy doesn’t provide at accessible price points.
All these lead to one thing: exploring other best referral candy alternatives to address these pain points while offering competitive features and pricing.
What to Look for in an Affiliate Marketing Tool While Finding an Alternative?
There are several best Shopify affiliate marketing apps in the market. However, choosing the right alternative to referral candy requires understanding what features matter most for your business success.
Here are some important features to prioritize in your Shopify affiliate app:
- Flexible Pricing Structure: Look for tools that don’t penalize growth with excessive commission fees. Thus, the best low-cost referral software alternative to Referral Candy must offer transparent, scalable pricing.
- Multiple Tracking Methods: Your referral software integrations should support easy affiliate link creation. In addition, handle referral code customization.
- Fraud Prevention: Must support your affiliate compliance news. Thus, help protect your program from self-referrals and suspicious activity without manual monitoring.
- Automation Capabilities: Easy automation of affiliate payout to consequently save time and reduce errors.
- Analytics and Reporting: Comprehensive tracking helps you understand which affiliates drive real value and optimize your program accordingly.
- Integration Ecosystem: Offer seamless connections with your existing tools, from email marketing platforms to affiliate tracking software for streamlined operations.
- White-Label Options: Support custom branding to help maintain your brand consistency and professional appearance, specifically, across all touchpoints.
The key questions to ask before choosing an alternative to Referral Candy are:
- Does this tool grow with my business without penalty fees?
- Can affiliates easily promote across their preferred channels?
- Will I have access to the support I need?
- Does the platform integrate with my current tech stack?
- Are the analytics detailed enough for optimization decisions?
The best referral marketing apps should naturally adapt to your business and not stand out like a complicated add-on that creates more work.
Refersion Alternative Comparison Table
| App | Base Pricing | Key Strengths | Target Business Size |
| Afflr | Free (3% revenue) | All features are free. Pay only when you earn | Small businesses, startups |
| Shopjar | $7/month | Affordable pricing, real-time support | Small to medium businesses |
| Affiliately | $16/month | No commission fees, 11 years of experience | Medium businesses |
| UpPromote | Free (200 referrals) | Influencer marketplace, MLM support | Growing e-commerce stores |
| Impact | Starter: $30/month or 2.5% revenue | Enterprise-grade, comprehensive partnerships | Large enterprises |
| GoAffPro | Free | Completely free unlimited plan | All sizes, especially cost-conscious |
| BixGrow | Starter: Free (50 orders, 30 affiliates) | Social media integration | Social media-focused businesses |
| Simple Affiliate | Starter: Free | Automated tax handling | For compliance automation |
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8 Best ReferralCandy Alternatives (Compared)
The Best ReferralCandy Alternatives for Shopify Small Businesses in 2025 are:
- Afflr – For Small businesses with limited budgets and resources
- Shopjar – For businesses seeking affordable referral marketing solutions
- Affiliately – For established businesses wanting strong affiliate management
- UpPromote – For businesses focused on multi-level marketing
- Impact – For enterprise-level businesses with complex partnerships
- GoAffPro – For businesses wanting comprehensive free solutions
- BixGrow – For Social media-focused businesses
- Simple Affiliate – For businesses wanting automated affiliate management
1. Afflr
Afflr is a comprehensive referral Candy alternative that is specifically useful for Shopify small businesses with limited team and resources.
This affiliate marketing software focuses on simplicity and automation, making it easy for businesses to launch and scale their affiliate marketing programs effortlessly.
Afflr’s unique approach eliminates monthly fees on their free plan, charging only when you earn revenue through the platform. Therefore, zero upfront cost, and you only pay when you make money.
Standout Features:
- Zero monthly fees on the free plan – Pay only when affiliates generate sales.
- Easy Affiliate Program Launch – Built-in program templates to help you launch in less than 5 minutes.
- Unlimited affiliate programs – Create VIP, Instagram, TikTok, and other targeted programs
- 700+ payout options – Reward affiliates with cash, PayPal, gift cards from global stores, or store credit
Pricing:
- Free: $0/month + 3% of Afflr-generated revenue
- Starter: $45/month + 1% of revenue
- Growth: $100/month + 0% revenue share
ReferralCandy vs Afflr:
Afflr offers all features for free with no upfront cost and only charges commission on sales. Moreover, it has better support for affiliate commission customization and seamless onboarding with the affiliate form, even with a basic pack.
2. Shopjar
Shopjar is an all-in-one referral marketing solution with a strong alternative to referral candy capabilities. It specifically excels in customer engagement and customer-to-referral partner conversion.
The platform combines referral marketing with other essential e-commerce tools. Thus, making it attractive for businesses wanting consolidated functionality. Their focus on affiliate recruitment and relationship building helps create stronger, more engaged affiliate networks.
Standout Features:
- Pre-built landing pages and popups – Ready-to-use templates for quick program launches.
- Built-in affiliate portal – Affiliates manage everything from one branded dashboard
- Advanced reporting and analytics – Detailed performance tracking for optimization
- Multi-program management – Run different campaigns for various product lines or audiences
Pricing:
- Essential: $7/month
- Starter: $12/month
- Growth: $29/month
ReferralCandy vs Shopjar:
Shopjar’s pricing remains affordable even at higher tiers, unlike ReferralCandy. Moreover, they have real-time support to easily solve queries.
3. Affiliately
Affiliately brings 11 years of affiliate marketing experience to the table. Thus, offering a mature platform with robust tracking capabilities and referral marketing automation.
This white-label affiliate dashboard solution excels in providing detailed analytics and flexible payment options. Furthermore, their long track record means they’ve refined features based on real user feedback, resulting in a reliable platform.
Standout Features:
- Multiple tracking methods – Email, link, coupon, and QR code tracking options
- Two-tier commission structure – Reward affiliates for recruiting other successful affiliates
- Bulk PayPal payments – Streamline payout processes with integrated payment systems
- Extensive customization – Control every aspect of your affiliate partnerships from the admin dashboard
Pricing:
- Starter: $16/month (up to 50 affiliates)
- Advanced: $24/month (up to 200 affiliates)
- Pro 1000: $59/month (up to 1,000 affiliates)
- Pro Unlimited: $129/month (unlimited affiliates)
ReferralCandy vs Affiliately:
No commission fees on transactions, unlike ReferralCandy’s percentage-based charges. Additionally, better affiliate management with individual account control and settings.
4. UpPromote
UpPromote offers a comprehensive alternative to referral candy with particularly strong affiliate automation and marketplace capabilities.
The platform is good at providing affiliates or influencers with professional tools and resources while giving Shopify merchants detailed control over affiliate management.
Furthermore, their multi-level marketing features and marketplace integration help businesses scale their affiliate networks effectively.
Standout Features:
- Multi-level marketing support – Let affiliates recruit others and earn from their sales
- Marketplace listing – Connect with potential affiliates through UpPromote’s partner network
- Lifetime and recurring commissions – Track long-term customer relationships for ongoing rewards
- Custom domain options – Maintain brand consistency with personalized affiliate portals
Pricing:
- Free: $0/month [ until 200 referrals/ month]
- Growth: $29.99/month + 2% of successful referral sales
- Professional: $89.99/month + 1.5% of referral sales
- Enterprise: $199.99/month + 1% of referral sales
ReferralCandy vs UpPromote:
They have better affiliate program management tools with advanced customization options. Moreover, they simply offer influencer partnerships through their marketplace feature.
5. Impact
Impact serves as an enterprise-grade referral candy alternative that manages not just affiliate programs but all types of partnership marketing, from influencer marketing to B2B collaborations.
Thus, this platform is good for businesses that need sophisticated Google Analytics for affiliates integration and advanced reporting.
Moreover, Impact’s comprehensive approach makes it best for companies managing complex, multi-channel partnership strategies.
Standout Features:
- All-in-one partnership management – Handle affiliates, influencers, B2B partners, and more from one platform, acting as an affiliate recruitment tool.
- Advanced fraud protection – Enterprise-level security and monitoring capabilities
- Automated workflow – Maintain affiliate communication and set automation for continuous engagement
- Custom contract management – Flexible terms and conditions for different partner types
Pricing:
- Starter: $30/month or 2.5% of monthly revenue (whichever is greater)
- Essentials: $500/month
- Professional: $2,500/month
ReferralCandy vs Impact:
More comprehensive partnership management beyond just referrals and affiliates. Additionally, better automated referral campaigns, along with commission and payout automation for scaling businesses.
6. GoAffPro
GoAffPro is a feature-rich referral candy and alternative that offers great value with its free plan and extensive customization options.
This platform specifically is good at managing custom affiliate links and discount codes. Thus, making it popular with people who start affiliate marketing with many affiliates in a campaign.
Moreover, their multi-level marketing capabilities and branded portal options provide professional functionality at accessible prices.
Standout Features:
- Completely free plan available – No revenue limits or hidden fees on basic features
- Multi-level marketing support – Easily customizable commission management for referral chains.
- Custom-branded portal – Full white-label experience under your domain
- Mobile Support – App (Android + iPhone) for push notification to engage affiliates
Pricing:
- Free: $0/month (unlimited affiliates and revenue)
- Premium: $29/month (additional advanced features)
ReferralCandy vs GoAffPro:
No monthly fees or commission charges on the free plan, unlike ReferralCandy. Additionally, better referral link tracking and analysis for optimization.
7. BixGrow
BixGrow is a modern alternative to referral candy with a strong emphasis on seamlessly working across social media platforms and traditional marketing channels. Hence, running your TikTok affiliate marketing is easy with this app.
This white-label referral platform excels in creating seamless experiences for both merchants and affiliates. They specifically help run better multi-channel affiliate campaigns and social media integration.
Standout Features:
- Multiple tracking methods – Links, coupons, and lifetime tracking options
- Flexible commission structures – Product-specific rates and condition-based rules for commission
- One-click PayPal payouts – Streamlined payment processing with automatic refund adjustments
- Referral onboarding – Enable customer to brand advocate conversion with popups
Pricing:
- Starter: Free (up to 50 orders/month, 30 affiliates)
- Scale: $14.99/month
- Pro: $24.99/month
ReferralCandy vs BixGrow:
More affordable scaling options and affordable higher price plans. Moreover, better social media integration for modern referral marketing strategies.
8. Simple Affiliate
Simple Affiliate lives up to its name by providing a streamlined alternative for Referral Candy that eliminates complexity while maintaining functionality.
Thus, this platform stands out for its automated tax handling and seamless Shopify integration.
However, their focus on simplicity doesn’t compromise functionality. It enhances user experience by removing unnecessary complexity.
Standout Features:
- Automated 1099 tax forms – Handle tax requirements for affiliates automatically
- Integrated Shopify dashboard – No external links or third-party accounts required
- Flexible commission structures – Product, variant, and category-based reward systems
- Built-in anti-spam protection – Prevent unwanted signups and fraudulent activity
Pricing:
- Starter: Free
- Pro: $39/month (3.9% autopay fee on bank transfer)
- Premium: $69/month (2.9% on bank transfer)
- Enterprise: $189/month (2.4% bank transfer fee)
ReferralCandy vs Simple Affiliate:
Simplified tax management to help with affiliate compliance without manual processes. Moreover, better referral software integrations with the native Shopify dashboard.
Key Takeaway: Which Referral Candy Alternative Fits Your Business?
To make your decision easy, here is a quick way to decide which competitor of Referral Candy is the best alternative to implement your affiliate marketing strategies.
For Small Businesses and Startups: If you’re just starting with affiliate marketing, then consider Afflr as it offers all features with no upfront cost. Moreover, launching and managing an affiliate program is easy.
For Growing E-commerce Stores: Businesses experiencing steady growth often benefit from BixGrow or Shopjar’s mid-tier plans. These options provide advanced features without the high price.
For Enterprise-Level Operations: Large businesses with complex partnerships will benefit from Impact or UpPromote’s comprehensive platform. While more expensive, it provides strong partnership management.
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Conclusion
The right Referral Candy alternative can make your affiliate marketing journey affordable and successful. Your business can sustain itself while keeping its costs within budget.
Each platform we’ve explored offers unique advantages over ReferralCandy. Thus, you can easily find better value and flexibility to grow your word-of-mouth promotions.
Further Reading
- 7 Best GoAffPro Alternatives for Shopify Affiliate Marketing
- 11 Best Refersion Alternatives for Shopify Affiliate Marketing
- The Best UpPromote Alternatives for Your Shopify Store in 2025
- Affiliate Marketing vs Referral Marketing: Which Works Best?
Frequently Asked Questions
Afflr is one of the best alternatives to Referral Candy. It integrates with Shopify to launch an affiliate program in under 5 minutes. Moreover, it has zero upfront cost, and you pay only for sales generated.
As a replacement for Referral Candy, Impact excels for B2B and agencies with comprehensive partnership management. Then, UpPromote works well for SaaS with lifetime commission tracking. Furthermore, Afflr is good for Shopify agencies as it is an all-in-one affiliate marketing tool.
Most alternatives offer migration assistance through their support teams. Specifically, platforms like Afflr provide dedicated onboarding help. Thus, you can export your affiliate data from ReferralCandy first, then use the new platform’s import tools or manual setup process.
Yes, platforms like Afflr, UpPromote, and BixGrow support both affiliate and referral programs simultaneously from one dashboard. Thus, you can target both customers (referrals) and external partners (affiliates) with different campaigns.
Competitors of Referral Candy, like Afflr and Impact, offer multi-language support. Moreover, they offer global payout options, including 700+ international gift cards and PayPal.
No, you can export affiliate contact information from Referral Candy and easily add them to join your new platform affiliate marketing campaign. Furthermore, most alternatives offer migration support to ensure smooth affiliate transitions.
Afflr’s pay-as-you-grow pricing works best for small e-commerce brands with limited budgets. They eliminate upfront costs while providing essential features to test and grow your affiliate program.
