FirstPromoter vs Refersion
Choose FirstPromoter if your affiliate program is built around SaaS subscriptions and billing providers; choose Refersion if you run an ecommerce store and want storefront integrations and affiliate discovery. Both products can manage affiliates, track referrals, calculate commissions, and handle payouts. The practical differences are where each connects to your sales process and how each charges for affiliate-driven revenue.
Last updated November 1, 2026.
At a glance
| Dimension | FirstPromoter | Refersion |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | SaaS and subscription businesses | Ecommerce brands and merchants |
| Core integrations | Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, Braintree | Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, Magento |
| Monthly entry price | Starter: $49/month | Launch: $39/month plus 3% of affiliate-driven sales |
| Pricing basis | Plan tiers based on monthly affiliate-driven revenue | Launch and Growth subscription plus affiliate-sales percentage |
| Affiliate discovery | Not published | Marketplace listing and personalized discovery |
| Entry-plan limits | Starter: 1,000 affiliates; $5,000/month affiliate revenue | Launch: unlimited affiliates, clicks, and conversions |
| Subscription commissions | Recurring or lifetime; percentage or flat | Percentage-of-sale or subscription commissions |
| Tracking options | Referral links, coupon codes, direct URLs, sub-IDs | Links and coupons; SKU and customer email on Growth |
| Affiliate payouts | PayPal, Wise, Stripe, crypto, bank transfer | One-click payouts including PayPal; other payment options listed |
| Affiliate portal | Brandable dashboard; app embedding available | Affiliate Experience Dashboard; customizable branding |
| Support | Customer Success team and contact form | Email; Growth chat; Scale premium support |
| Free starting option | 14-day trial without a credit card | Free marketplace listing; paid plan for program management |
Scroll the table sideways to compare each row.
Which should you choose?
Choose FirstPromoter if
- SaaS teams using Stripe, Paddle, Chargebee, Recurly, or Braintree
- Subscription businesses designing recurring or lifetime commissions
- Teams that want an embeddable affiliate dashboard
- Programs that prefer published affiliate-revenue plan thresholds
Choose Refersion if
- Ecommerce brands using Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, or Magento
- Brands seeking affiliates through a marketplace listing
- Programs needing unlimited affiliates on the entry paid plan
- Stores needing product-SKU tracking and multi-store management on Growth
The verdict
FirstPromoter is the better fit for a subscription business that wants direct billing-provider integrations, recurring commission controls, and a plan priced by monthly affiliate-driven revenue. Refersion is the better fit for an ecommerce brand that wants Shopify or other storefront integrations, marketplace exposure, and no published cap on affiliates, clicks, or conversions on its paid Launch plan. Compare the total cost at your expected affiliate sales volume: Refersion’s Launch and Growth plans add a percentage of affiliate-driven sales to the subscription price, while FirstPromoter moves accounts between plan tiers as affiliate-driven revenue grows.
FirstPromoter vs Refersion: common questions
- Is FirstPromoter or Refersion a better fit for a SaaS affiliate program?
- FirstPromoter is generally the closer fit for a SaaS affiliate program because it publishes direct integrations with subscription billing providers and controls for recurring and lifetime commissions. Refersion also supports subscription commissions and lists Stripe and Chargebee integrations via code widgets, but positions its platform primarily for ecommerce brands.
- Which should I use for a Shopify affiliate program?
- Refersion publishes a Shopify integration and supports managing affiliate campaigns from a Shopify store. FirstPromoter publishes billing-provider and other platform integrations, but does not list Shopify among its billing integrations.
- How do FirstPromoter and Refersion charge?
- FirstPromoter’s Starter plan is $49 per month and covers up to $5,000 per month in affiliate-driven revenue. Refersion’s Launch plan is $39 per month plus 3% of affiliate-driven sales. Both vendors publish additional plans.
- Does either product offer a free plan?
- Refersion offers a free marketplace listing, but requires a paid plan to review affiliates, track referrals, manage commissions, or issue payouts. FirstPromoter offers a 14-day free trial without a credit card.
- Do FirstPromoter and Refersion limit affiliate numbers?
- FirstPromoter’s Starter plan allows up to 1,000 affiliates; its Business and Enterprise plans allow unlimited affiliates. Refersion publishes unlimited affiliates on its paid Launch and Growth plans.
- Can both tools pay affiliates?
- Yes. FirstPromoter lists mass payouts through PayPal, Wise, Stripe, crypto, and bank transfer. Refersion lists one-click payouts including PayPal and publishes additional payment options in its plan comparison.
- Which tool helps recruit affiliates?
- Refersion offers a public affiliate marketplace listing and personalized affiliate discovery on its Launch plan. FirstPromoter does not publish a comparable marketplace listing on its pricing page.
- Can both tools track subscription commissions?
- Yes. FirstPromoter lists recurring and lifetime commissions, with controls over how many months or payments earn commission. Refersion lists subscription commissions on Launch and lifetime subscription commissions in its plan comparison.
