Top 10 Shopify Apps for Affiliate Marketing – Details and Comparison
- Roxanne Smith
- 10 Minutes
Building a strong affiliate or referral marketing program on Shopify can supercharge growth. The apps below empower you to recruit affiliates, automate tracking, manage payouts, and scale your brand’s reach.
1. 
UpPromote: Affiliate Marketing & Referral
Best for: Scalable affiliate programs with automation and customization
UpPromote is a leading Shopify affiliate app known for its depth and flexibility. It supports unlimited affiliates, customizable commission tiers, coupon and link tracking, and fraud protection—ideal for growing or enterprise-level stores.
Top Features:
- Branded affiliate portals and custom domains
- Automated PayPal payouts and tiered commissions
- Klaviyo, Mailchimp, and Zapier integrations
From influencer tracking to robust analytics, UpPromote is a powerhouse for merchants ready to scale serious affiliate operations.
2. 
GOAFFPRO – Affiliate Marketing
Best for: Budget-friendly programs with advanced customization
GOAFFPRO delivers high-value affiliate marketing with unlimited affiliates even on the free plan. Its premium version unlocks deep features such as multi-level commissions and a custom domain for your affiliate portal.
Top Features:
- Affiliate dashboard with mobile support
- Post-checkout popup recruitment
- Analytics, coupon tracking, and bulk email tools
Perfect for small to mid-sized businesses looking to grow quickly without heavy upfront costs.
3. 
ReferralCandy & Affiliate
Best for: Referral-driven growth with automated rewards
ReferralCandy blends affiliate marketing and referral rewards in one intuitive package. It helps drive peer-to-peer referrals with customizable incentives and integrates smoothly with Shopify’s checkout.
Top Features:
- Automated email campaigns and fraud detection
- Custom branding and coupon distribution
- Integrates with Klaviyo, Recharge, and PayPal
Ideal for merchants focused on harnessing word-of-mouth marketing with minimal manual effort.
4. 
Refersion: Affiliate Marketing Platform
Best for: Brands scaling influencer and ambassador networks
Refersion offers a professional-grade affiliate system with performance tracking, onboarding workflows, and access to a marketplace of over 3.5 million affiliates.
Top Features:
- Custom commissions, tiers, and bonuses
- Affiliate recruitment tools and deep analytics
- Onboarding webinars and team support
A go-to platform for established Shopify merchants and DTC brands working with influencers or creators.
5. 
Aftership Referral & Affiliate
Best for: Simple, fast setup for referral and affiliate rewards
Aftership makes launching a referral or affiliate program quick and seamless. Its visual dashboard and smart automation make it easy to manage rewards and outreach—even for first-timers.
Top Features:
- One-click referral setup
- Auto-generated affiliate links and emails
- Integrated reward management
A great starter solution for merchants new to affiliate marketing or wanting minimal complexity.
6. 
BixGrow: Affiliate & Referral
Best for: Cost-effective affiliate and referral tools in one
BixGrow offers robust affiliate and referral management without the steep price tag. With a clean dashboard and automated payouts, it suits stores that want results without overpaying.
Top Features:
- Tiered commissions and real-time stats
- Custom links, coupons, and branding
- Fraud prevention and auto-approval options
Affordable yet surprisingly feature-rich, BixGrow is perfect for lean teams and early-stage Shopify merchants.
7. 
ReferrLy: Affiliate Marketing
Best for: Lightweight, user-friendly affiliate management
ReferrLy is a no-frills affiliate platform focused on ease of use. It provides a straightforward way to set up tracking links, monitor performance, and engage with your affiliate team.
Top Features:
- Affiliate and merchant dashboards
- Custom commission rules and reward types
- Fast and responsive support
Ideal for stores that value simplicity and support over bells and whistles.
8. 
GrowthHero: Affiliate & Influencer
Best for: Unified management of affiliates, influencers, and referrals
GrowthHero gives you an all-in-one system for running performance-driven campaigns across affiliate, influencer, and customer channels. It includes powerful automation, analytics, and CRM integrations.
Top Features:
- Multi-tier affiliate programs and bonuses
- Workflow automation and email sequences
- Integrations with Klaviyo, Zapier, and PayPal
Perfect for businesses that want one tool to manage multiple growth partners.
9. 
NestScale: Affiliate Marketing (NestAffiliate)
Best for: Feature-rich affiliate programs on a $0 budget
NestAffiliate is an entirely free tool offering pro-level features like unlimited affiliate creation, real-time tracking, and payout options like gift cards and store credit.
Top Features:
- No monthly fee or usage limits
- Custom affiliate rules and real-time metrics
- Live chat support included
It’s the best pick for cash-conscious merchants who don’t want to compromise on capabilities.
10. 
Social Snowball (Alt. to GOAFFPRO)
Best for: Automating post-purchase referrals and scaling UGC
Social Snowball automatically converts customers into affiliates after purchase, giving them links and rewards right away. It’s streamlined, with a focus on turning every buyer into a brand ambassador.
Top Features:
- Instant affiliate activation post-checkout
- Easy rewards via PayPal or store credit
- Deep analytics and A/B testing
Ideal for fast-growing Shopify brands that want viral reach through automation.
Table Of Comparison
| App | Features | Best For | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| UpPromote | Tiered commissions, branded portals, integrations | Scalable affiliate programs | Free, $29.99/mo+, up to $199.99/mo + % fees |
| GOAFFPRO | MLM, coupon tracking, affiliate dashboard | Advanced customization on a budget | Free, Premium ~$49/mo |
| ReferralCandy | Coupon rewards, fraud tools, automation | Referral-driven customer growth | $79–$249/mo + success fee |
| Refersion | Marketplace, performance tracking, onboarding | Scaling influencer and ambassador programs | $39–$599/mo + % fees |
| Automizely | One-click setup, email automation, widgets | Simple referral setups | Free |
| BixGrow | Referral + affiliate, auto-approvals, fraud protection | Affordable affiliate and referral tools | Free, $14.99–$24.99/mo |
| ReferrLy | Easy setup, tracking, customizable commissions | Lightweight and user-friendly affiliate platform | Free, $5–$15/mo |
| GrowthHero | Unified system, analytics, partner workflows | Managing multiple partner types in one platform | $49–$199/mo |
| NestAffiliate | Unlimited programs, custom rules, support | Feature-rich with $0 budget | Free |
| Social Snowball | Post-purchase automation, instant activation, payout tools | UGC and influencer-style automation | $99–$499/mo |
Final Thoughts
- Feature Powerhouse: If you’re building a comprehensive affiliate program, UpPromote and Refersion stand out with their robust tracking, branding, and tiered systems.
- Value & Simplicity: For merchants who want efficiency combined with ease, GOAFFPRO, Aftership, and ReferrLy offer great balance at low or zero cost.
- Full Ecosystem Integration: When combining referrals, affiliates, and influencer efforts, GrowthHero provides a unified platform.
- Budget Picks: NestScale and BixGrow deliver powerful free or low-cost solutions ideal for new stores with big ambitions.
Choose based on the scale of your ambitions, your need for automation, and whether you’re focusing on customers, influencers—or both. Let me know if you’d like help setting one up or comparing any two in more depth!
FAQ
What is the difference between affiliate and referral marketing on Shopify?
Affiliate marketing typically involves third parties (like influencers or bloggers) promoting your store in exchange for a commission on sales. Referral marketing, on the other hand, encourages your existing customers to refer friends and get rewards like discounts or store credit. Many Shopify apps (like BixGrow or GrowthHero) support both strategies in one dashboard.
Can I run an affiliate program on Shopify for free?
Yes! Apps like GOAFFPRO, NestAffiliate, BixGrow, and ReferrLy all offer solid free plans that include unlimited affiliates and basic tracking. These are great for small stores or those just testing affiliate marketing before committing to a premium solution.
How do Shopify affiliate apps track sales and pay commissions?
Most apps track affiliate sales using unique referral links or discount codes assigned to each affiliate. When a customer uses that link or code, the app logs the sale and calculates the commission. Payments are usually handled through integrations with PayPal, store credit, or manual payout reports.
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